We are in beautiful Jasper today and the sun is shining and the birds are singing and the squirrels are gambolling in the woods… well, I am pretty sure the sun is shining above all this cloud, and the birds might be singing somewhere else and the squirrels are probably sensibly hiding from the rain. Good morning to spend in the laundromat and keeping out of the rain for a bit. Isn’t that just one of the worst bits about travelling? Having to use laundry rooms and laundromats with foreign equipment and nasty arse fellow travellers who refuse to remove their washed or dried clothing from machines in a timely fashion! Anyway, pottered around doing some mending and washing this morning.
Late morning we went for a drive out to check out Lake Patricia, the one where our little bungalows are and even though it was overcast and Pyramid Mountain was up in the clouds, by then, it was no longer raining so it was looking pretty good. Apparently during WWII they used Patricia Lake up here in the middle of nowhere as a secret military facility associated with a Project Habbakuk – an attempt to try and build unsinkable air craft carriers and ships out of ice and timber…. yeah, fucking ambitious! Anyway, it was a complete disaster and people now dive in Lake Patricia to check out the wrecks from their attempts. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Habbakuk
After that we decided to go for a drive and a short walk that was recommended to us by one of the ladies working the main counter here at Patricia Lake Bungalows. It is called the Valley of the Five Lakes and she said it was a 15 minutes walk into see the lakes and it sounded pleasant enough, and it wasn’t raining, so off we went. We got there and started in on the track which was an easy enough walk for about the first kilometre and a half, and then it went down hill sharply :S Hmmm… not too fussed about going down hill. Every step down I take is one more that I have to take up, increasing the lower back pain and risk of you know, upchucking on the side of the walkway into the forest somewhere (I wonder, does human spew attract bears?). We get down this steep little gully and walk over a boarded creek of about 50m where we run into some fellow walkers… ‘G’day. Do you guys have any idea where these lakes are?’
‘Yep, up that big hill over there and down the other side about a kilometre is the first small lake, and then you keep going round the track and you find the other four lakes.’ I stood there for a few seconds and looked at the track, which went pretty much straight up for about 100m over rocks and roots on a muddy path, and went ‘Ah… no.’ I hate admitting defeat, but I knew I already had to walk up the steep gully we had come past already and heading over a steep hill was not going . So, I turned around and headed back to the parking lot. 🙁 Good thing I did turn back when I did too… by the time I got to the top of the initial sloping gully, I was in tears from pain, my neck was clicking and crunching really bad, and I was very relieved that I had skipped lunch! Took it easy wandering back to the car, but feeling like a dreadful failure and a useless piker and a waste of fucking space. I should be able to do a walk like his and it pisses me off that I can’t. I don’t look like there is anything wrong with me, but I am sure the guys we asked directions from just thought I am an unfit lazy person who couldn’t be bothered doing the walk. And then I was berating myself for giving a shit what these two people, (who I will never see again!) thought anyway! What’s with that?
You’ll notice the decided lack of pictures of the Valley of Five Lakes…
By the time I got to the car I was feeling pretty wretched, both physically and from the emotional beat down I was giving myself. It was then that I stopped and read the sign on the way into the place – Valley of the Five Lakes: 4.5km return, 1.5 to 2 hour hike, elevation gain 112m, elevation loss 124. And then I felt foolish for even attempting it. :S It’s one thing to go ‘No, that is beyond my capability’ and not even give it a go, it is another entirely to set off on a wee adventure and have to admit you’re past the pale and have to pull the pin 🙁 Doesn’t feel to good to have to give up without even being able to give it a solid attempt. Lesson learned: do your own research and don’t rely on intel from others.
After that little debacle (ie: when Aunty Mary came back from going over to see the lakes), we went downtown for a bit to check out the National Parks information centre and to grab a few supplies (more alcohol for the people!). Wandered around a bit, had a look at the tacky souvenirs…
Then we had a short drive out to Pyramid Lakes before heading back to our little cabin for some wine, cheese and crackers – has to be done! Another quiet night planned… steaks on the BBQ for dinner and wine… lots of wine.
