June 18, 2006

Training walk report: 30km Blue Gum Flat


Flick shows why she's in demand on the catwalks
Originally uploaded by bigyahu.

Flick, Rodge and Alan headed up to the Blue Mountains at sunrise, 11 June, leaving the torrential rain of Sydney behind for the intermittent icy showers and occasional sleet of the higher altitudes.

We did Perry's Lookdown to Blue Gum Flat and back via Victoria Falls, a distance of 30km, with a considerable vertical profile. Most sensible bushwalkers would do it in two days, but sensible doesn't get you Trailwalker-ready

Our intrepid team slogged it in in about five hours, which was tremendously gratifying considering the amount of vertical distance involved. I think it had something to do with the crisp mountain air, the pristine beauty of the Grose Valley, and the Guinness and pie by the fireplace waiting for us in Blackheath at the finish.

You can get a sense of the beauty, crispness, (but sadly, not the pie and beer) in our Trailwalker photos.

Glute Four: Alan Jones


Lightbulb finally goes on above Al's head

Every team needs a captain, every team needs a coach, every team needs an inspirational leader to push them through the valley of death, up the ridge of discontent and into the checkpoint of collapsing in exhaustion.

Instead of that person, the Glutes will have to make do with Alan Jones, who's returning to Trailwalker after finishing in 2004 - it's been just enough time for the painful memories to fade.

Al's an internet geek who enjoys raising houses and a son, and when not at his computer can most often be found walking a dog or building his core strength at www.springpilates.com.au.

Bushwalking with his best mate Tony is Al's favourite pasttime, and although Tony can't make it this year due to dicky knees, Al views Trailwalker as just like a very long bushwalk... without the sleep, the relaxed pace, the bottle of red wine with dinner, or the sleep in. But he'll be there at the finish, leading from the rear, and picking on his team-mates, like all the great leaders of history.

As Al always says, "There's no "I" in "team", but I don't remember seeing a "U" in it either..."

Glute Three: Roger Crawford


Rodge finds a quicker way down.

Roger "Rodge" Crawford returns to Trailwalker in 2006 after being awarded the coveted Most Skin Lost Trophy in 2004's event, given to the team member suffering the most extensive abrasion injuries to the feet.

Despite his blisters gradually joining together to cover almost the entire surface of both feet to a depth of 10cm in places, Rodge continued to the finish in 2004 with a dogged determination that earned him a few admirers ("that guy's got guts") and a few detractors ("that guy really needs a decent pair of shoes.")

Rodge, mild-mannered insurance geek by weekday, applies his number-crunching skills to planning our training walks, managing our schedules, and making sure we arrive at checkpoints to meet support crew on time.

But our weekday numbers man transforms into Action Man on weekends, enjoying sailboarding, snow skiing, basketball, bushwalking, rogaining, and as we've discovered en-route to training walks, high-speed off-road rally driving in his unmodified early '90s Toyota Corolla.

There's nothing Rodge won't have a go at, and that includes fronting up for another go at Trailwalker... this time with a better pair of shoes.