26.02.07
Posted in Events, Oxfam Trailwalker at 12:24 pm by admin
This week Rob receives the Golden Heat Bead® Award (pictured - there seemed to be a worthy winner every week, so we created a trophy!) for arming us with ‘The Shufflers Footprint’. His work in preparing a most meticulous schedule for our E.T.A. at each checkpoint, planned rest breaks and support requirements for 23 & 24th March is fantastic - and for Merilyn at least, a little daunting. We are now scheduled for a 27 hour stint!!
This weekend we managed our own training regime independently as conflicting work/social commitments and ‘having a life’ allowed no space for a team session. Great progress was made however, with Rob notching up an impressive 24 km return trip from Checkpoint 3 in 4.5 hours - he assures us he didn’t run - Vanessa doing an 8km run/walk covering steep hills and dodging tree branches along the way, Merilyn climbing to the top of Mt Dandenong and Lee pounding the pavements around the Tan, and discovering his Goretex jacket was not quite as waterproof as he thought. Better now than later?!
Total to date:
$13280.00
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19.02.07
Posted in Events, Oxfam Trailwalker at 12:18 pm by admin
Today was a scorcher! Jell’s Park, the official start, saw us on our way at 7.15am to beat the heat - a predicted 38 degrees. Slathered in 30+, and gulping down litres of water along the way we arrived at Churchill Park (Checkpoint 1) two hours later. A brief 5 minute stop and we were on our way again, heading to Checkpoint 2 and the glistening waters at Lysterfield Lake. Seeing John Higgs waiting as we crossed the causeway at Lysterfield was a real high point.
This week’s Golden Heat Bead ® Award goes to our hero ‘Saint John of the Lake’ for his supreme support effort - he was there for us all the way, with icy cold water and appropriate sustenance from 9am until 4.30pm. He also provided the rescue vehicle at Belgrave when after 26 kms Merilyn (anything over 30 degrees is meltdown) succumbed to the heat, and Lee who had walked stoically for hours on blistered feet finally called it a day. Vanessa and Rob were not to be beaten! We applaud their achievement in travelling the remaining 8kms to the 1000 steps at Ferntree Gully (Checkpoint 3) in 1.5 hours. John, Lee and Merilyn did the car pick-up, enjoyed an icy ale at the local pub and stocked up for our intrepid team mates! A phenomenal effort from all, under considerable duress. Today we only passed two other Trailwalkers - everyone else was far too sensible, we reckoned. We hope for cooler days on 23 & 24 March!
Total to date:
$13280.00
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12.02.07
Posted in Events, Oxfam Trailwalker at 12:11 pm by admin
Early start from Millgrove Primary, along the Warburton Track and then ascending the Backstairs Track for our first experience of what will be our final haul over Mt Little Joe to an expected jubilant finish on 24 March! This time Lee, Rob and Merilyn sallied forth (Vanessa was living it up in a city hotel). Our steep clamber up the mountain side - which we are told is easier than the 1000 steps, but we’re not so sure that will be the case after 94kms of solid walking! - was lightened with the company of Millie (MAD AS) and her staunch support team. On and on we pushed, enjoying eratic conversation between puffs!
The conversation today was a lot about the fantastic opportunities the Oxfam Trailwalker offers us all - interspersed by the customary joke or story from Lee. The opportunity to really make a difference, the personal challenge of Committing, Enduring and Achieving (we have no doubt there’ll be plenty of the second), the value of a supportive and dedicated team, and ways to raise more money kept us going as we descended the mountain to Checkpoint 9 - THE FINISH! Just on the Committed point, it seems the jury is out on whether this all makes good sense?
A note of ’support’ graffitied on Rob’s guide map by a good mate reads ‘Committing, Enduring, Achieving and Suffering, you stupid old bastard!’. Merilyn had started off today with grand visions of turning around and walking back 9.5kms instead of taking the short cut back to the cars - needless to say the lure of the latte was too strong.
Total to date:
$9380.00
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Posted in Events, Oxfam Trailwalker at 12:04 pm by admin
After a sociable meal, a good red and a strong coffee to take us forward into the night, Lee, Vanessa and Merilyn retraced last Sunday’s walk from Olinda to Mt Evelyn. After two false starts - one to retrieve the headtorches from Merilyn’s car, and then to check that Lee’s car was indeed locked, the intrepid three headed into the dark. The trail before us looked a tad eerie lit by head torch and it was so dark even the camera flash didn’t quite capture the moment. And where was Rob? Feet up, enjoying a wine and wishing us well we are told! An 8.30am start on the golf course next day took priority over tramping through the woods, and an expected arrival home well after midnight.
We enjoyed the company of the Fearsome Foursome along the way (they had already walked for 8 hours from Belgrave), had our first casualty as Merilyn went sprawling, and beat last week’s time of arrival by some 15 minutes. Surprising, considering how flat everything looks under torchlight, and the concentration required to navigate overhanging branches, obstructive tree roots, shifting stones, deep potholes and spiders flying into your face, as your passage unwittingly disturbs recently spun webs across the track.
Total to date:
$9130.00
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05.02.07
Posted in Events, Oxfam Trailwalker at 1:45 am by admin
Out of bed by 5am, an early start on the track and copious quantities of water were the recommendations for today’s amble from Olinda (Checkpoint 4), to Silvan Reservoir (Checkpoint 5) and on to Mt Evelyn Reserve (Checkpoint 6). Teamwork is what this event is all about and this week’s Golden Heat Bead® Award goes to Vanessa. Thanks V for so willingly driving more than 25 kms before the rest of us even get out of bed, to do the car drop each week. When we arrive at our destination after our training hike, there is a waiting vehicle to pile into for the return journey. You have no idea how driving back over the distance we have covered puts into context even a 13 km walk. Measure it some time!
Pushing hard up hill and down dale to beat a 38 degree scorcher resulted in a few aches and pains this week. It’s amazing what a few hard stretches and a good strong coffee will do though!
Total to date:
$6730.00
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