This morning the unwelcome sound of rumbling thunder rose me from my slumber. Truth be told I’d been woken up several times prior, when rain fell noisily on the plastic veranda roof right next to our open bedroom window. As such I had already checked the radar at 1 and again at 3. Each time hinting rain was falling not just where we live but also where I intended to go this morning. On the plus side by 4 the clouds had mostly passed and having been pretty warm over the last few days the thermal mass of the roads had already evaporated away any dampness as I drove out:
After their quick ten day test run in the Midwest of Western Australia, Rongy and Sarah were back in town last weekend. Rongy for a pre-booked rally, while Sarah pottered about hence why I got her out for a climb. They were supposed to head over east last week but the van needed a bit of work done, and they were waiting for parts to arrive. As such despite having had his last climb in the area a few weeks back I was back out with Rongy, this time for the last time before they really hit the road, or so I thought. And again Howsie couldn’t make it:
However, both to help a friend and make some good money they will now be in Perth for six weeks. So similar to the last time Rongy decided to head off travelling, it will be a long goodbye and we are left wondering when the rubber of their van will hit the road for real. This morning as we entered the national park I spotted an injured young Tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) on the road, where it had been sat for some time based on all the excrement. Fortunately, as Sarah checked it’s wings, it decided it was fit enough to fly off:
Not wanting to indulge in roped climbing, instead bouldered the lower walls, she didn’t however have to contend with the inhabitant of all cobwebs that Rongy and I encountered. If you look closely at the second image, you might spot a male Garden Orb Weaving Spider (Eriophora transmarina). These were out in numbers and we had to watch carefully to avoid picking up a hitchhiker as we climbed. They are a fair bit smaller in overall size, have a relatively smaller abdomen, and are more dully coloured than the female, of which I didn’t spot any:
Through Howsie, Josh had cottoned onto our trip and made a last minute decision to have a break from his studies. Despite several coursework’s looming heavy over his head. I can relate to the need to clear the brain at such times. When I was sitting the final exams for my degree I can recall heading to the hills to go for a day long walk literally the day before. It’s a great way to reset the brain and come back way more focused, for some. For now at least, as the changing of the shoes occurred, study was the furthest thing from his mind:
It has been a while since Josh has been out, he however climbed really well. Having a very fine bash at an unfamiliar route, and making surprisingly easy work of a more familiar line that normally gives him grief. Sarah also enjoyed her bouldering, and even managed to overcome a few of the tricker problems, with just a bit of encouragement. Rongy too surprised himself. Regardless of how many times we have climbed here, the dam will still hit you hard when you haven’t been here for a while. It’s almost as if it is telling you off:
All up it was a lovely morning out. Made better for not having wet rock, although we did spot a few Dewdrop Spiders (Argyrodes antipodianus). At 2-3mm long with a silver abdomen and not making their own webs, these spiders cleverly resemble water droplets. Hanging off the webs of, usually, orb-weaver spiders trying their very best not to be seen. Here they wait patiently for an opportunity to scavenge of smaller prey caught in the webs of their host, a practice which is called a kleptoparasitic relationship:
But they need to be careful, as their host would happily devoir them. A bit how Welly Dam can treat us if we are overly confident or get carried away. And all four of us felt as if our muscles were telling us we had had our fill, and for me at least if I continued I would risk not life but at least injuries. So we hit the road, and after missing the last two farewell climbs Howsie can rest at ease, knowing there will be at least one more farewell climb with Rongy, and Sarah, before they finally head east:
Sandbagged 