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If you recall, some time ago
In 1998,
Barbara op'ed Two Rivers Track
'Twas November 8 the date.
The site - it was at Coolendel
Beside Shoalhaven Stream,
Where Barb. cut orange ribbon -
It's true, and not a dream!
A Shoalhaven water sample
Was taken in a flask.
And to keep the sample safely -
That was Russ's task.
The purpose of this exercise,
Either explicit or just implied
Was to pour Shoalhaven water
And mingle with the Clyde.
But as you know, the inaugural walk
Only reached to Porter's Creek.
If they'd struggled on through rain and slush
They'd have taken another week!
So Russ put the flask in mothballs -
Or was it the vault of a bank?
But wherever it was, he kept it safe -
So you see, we've got Russ to thank.
Now the question that perplexed our minds
And filled our hearts with care
Was how to complete Two Rivers Walk
On a day when the weather's fair.
The initial plan was to go right through
Coolendel to the River Clyde.
But not enough walkers could go, and so
That plan was set aside.
We had to settle for a single day,
For a distance of 20 K,
From Little Forest right to the Clyde -
And for some it s a long way.
Most of the inaugural walkers were there
Russ and Barbara and John,
Sandra, Denise, Alan and Bruce,
And a newy - the Hackleton John.
Other new walkers - the Apperley Bruce,
Gordon and Colin and Nick.
And in case you don't know, a tale I tell
Gordon does walk rather quick!
The only original walkers we missed
Were Daphne and Sydney Club Ken.
And if you've been counting the names,
There's a majority truly of men.
An original walker you think I forgot
Is Lillian - the "dynamo" girl.
She keeps us jumping on Wednesday walks,
Gets Darryl quite in a whirl!
The transport providers - they didn't walk thru -
were Lillian, Richard as well,
And Dawn and Maureen completed the group
They sure have some tales to tell!
They left the walkers at half past nine
At Little Forest Trig,
And then drove off down Yadboro way
For a walk and jiggety jig!
They found a pleasant place to stop
Down the road to Blue Gum Flat.
How far they walked, I do not know
Perhaps they just lazed and sat!
They told us a man had lost his way
Up on the Castle Track.
He'd injured his hand and spent overnight
Before he found his way back.
But back to the walkers at half past nine,
They walked 'neath the sky so blue
Toward Rusden Head, and the wind increased
Till just like a gale it blew.
At Rusden Head, we looked around -
Talaterang just to the west,
Pigeon House south - we're going that way -
Climbing it isn't a rest!
Now, morning tea in the teeth of a gale
Is just for the strong and the brave,
So we scrambled down below Rusden Head
To the relative calm of a cave.
But on the way down, there's a vertical cliff,
We went down with the help of a rope
which Russ produced from within his pack
To help those who just couldn't cope!
The packs were lowered first on the rope,
But one did go for a slide,
And Bruce found his thermos shattered within,
With the water inside at low tide!
But Colin came to the rescue -
Heated water on a flame.
So Bruce got his morning drink at last,
And no-one was to blame!
We set off then down Wombat Ridge
And along the fire trail.
Tho' the tree tops swayed in the howling wind,
On the ground it wasn't a gale.
Tall timber gave way to open scrub,
Now Gordon was way out ahead,
And with Nick at the back - he's 'Charlie',
The walkers were quite widely spread!
At 12:45 we stopped for lunch
Where we met the Kingiman Trail.
We needed to eat 'ere we went further on,
As some were looking quite pale.
With lunch tucked inside, we pressed on again
Past the Pigeon House peak.
And though there were some ups and downs,
We didn't cross a creek.
Longfella Pass we reached at last -
underneath we walked with care
As the gravelly surface was steep and loose,
Making some of us tear our hair!
But we safely reached to the top of a knoll
And saw a 'ROAD CLOSED' sign
on a new dozed trail as steep as steep -
Bruce Apperley said, "That's fine!
It's only just on 3 o'clock -
we've got tons and tons of time.
We'll take the longer "ROAD CLOSED" trail,
And the responsibility's mine!"
So down and down and down we went
Till we reached a fence and gate
With signs, "NO ENTRY" and also "STOP",
"NO ACCESS", "BEWARE YOUR FATE"!
But fortunately, a track was spied
Along the line of the fence -
And heading south where we should go
If we used our common sense.
The navigation worked just like a charm,
And we reached the Yadboro Road,
And walked to the bridge below us where
The cool Clyde water flowed.
A solemn ceremony then was held
On the Yadboro bridge at the side
"The Mingling of the Waters -
from the Shoalhaven into the Clyde."
The cameras clicked and flash bulbs popped
As Russ did empty his flask.
And the poet was requested to record the event,
And Bruce said, "Why do you ask?"
So Poet Laureate has done his job -
Let's hope the photos come out
And everyone smiled at just the right time,
And weren't just caught with a pout.
The Inaugural Two Rivers Walk is o'er -
From the Shoalhaven right to the Clyde.
Your certificates soon will be in the mail -
Special thanks to Russ as our guide!
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