It is a busy day at Falls Creek today. Not only is it the annual Peaks Challenge bike race, but the hikers were also planning to head off on another day of trekking.
To avoid the road closures due to the cycling event, the hiking group left the accommodation at 5.00 am for a drop off at Wallace Hut. Starting the hike in the dark, they ventured off down the trail lit by the car's headlights and the head torches they were wearing. They were planning to walk about 12 kilometres and come back to Falls Creek, where I would pick them up for a well-earned rest.
The nice thing about starting a walk so early in the morning is that you get to see the sunrise. The sun rose like an orange glow across the horizon, slowly lighting up the day. It was a picturesque scene.
After a while, the hikers realised they were walking in the wrong direction. On consulting the map, they confirmed that they had added almost 10 kilometres further to the trek. As the road was closed, there would be no capacity for me to rendezvous with them at a closer location, and they had to walk back to Falls Creek.
They reached Falls Creek by lunchtime, enjoyed a coffee, and I picked them up. After three days of walking, the hikers had sore feet and tired legs. Though they found it hard, they were all proud of their achievement.