Training Log Archive: PrueD

Plod around bush tracks near Moyhu. Forgot the Garmin.

Swim in the Benalla pool.

Street O at Highbury Hill. l just walked., which was better than nothing.

Walk around Blackburn.

Trip to the Tatong Tolmie area for a run. Managed to run the flats and downhills (5km) but had to walk back up the long steep hill. Probably picked the wrong place to run. Followed this up with a picnic at the Stringybark Creek Kelly Tree picnic ground.

Swim in the Benalla pool - interrupted by a major fit of sneezing with only 6 laps to go. It waa a glorious sunny day in the NE.

I decided to try and make a bit of a comeback, as I have probably spent enough time resting and need to get my life back. I went to the 2 hour enduro at Croydon (probably not the best type of event to start on) and alternated walking and shuffling, which seemed to go well. The event format was a treasure hunt style, which meant a bit of a pause at each control to check the question and write the answer. Not my most favourite type of format, however one that suited my current state of health. The questions and answers were a bit dodgy e.g. what colour is the letterbox? Grey or green. It was either colour, depending upon how you saw things! However, I was just glad to be there and doing something active. A couple of people noticed I hadn't been for a while, which was nice.
Afterwards I put on a compression bandage. The surgeon told me that this tricks the knee into believing it is swollen already.

Now for a bit of a story about where I went for my fabulous holiday.

On August 14 I flew to Alice Springs where I met my travelling companions - 2 botanists from Tas National Parks, a horticulturalist from Tas botanical gardens and an electrical engineer/geologist. We travelled in two Toyata Hiluxes east along the Plenty Hwy.

The first night camping in the bush we were visited by a pack of dingoes, who howled in chorus several times in the night right next to our tents! 'Welcome to the desert!'

We went to Batton Hill, an aboriginal owned station about 80 km south of the Plenty Hwy along the Hay River. We did a Bush Tucker tour with the local custodian. However, due to the shortage of bush tucker (I got one bush tomato, one raison and a third of a bush banana), it was really a tour of his country - which was fantastic - all mesas and buttes, filled with caves. I travelled in the car with the guide, so learnt a bit more of his life.

We then headed off down the Hay River Track towards the Simpson Desert. We travelled 700 kms at between 10 and 20 km/hour! Every time there was a new plant, bird or rock, the cars would stop and everyone would leap out with their bird books and aps, binoculars and cameras. Needless to say I didn't miss anything! I have a lot of photos of plants. But it was fantastic as I got to see a lot of the desert close up. The vegetation changed about every 200 metres and was extremely diverse - something you don't see in cattle country, where everything has been eaten out long ago. We only saw 3 other cars in about 5 days! It was tough going and I was full of admiration for the aborigines who had managed to survive there.

At night we set up motion sensor cameras, but only managed to attract one very angry brahman bull (at a waterhole) and a couple more (silent) dingoes. Although there were camel footprints eveywhere, we didn't see any.

Finally we reached the Simpson Desert (Poeppel Corner). By now it was very hot. We had to concentrate on driving as there were dozens of red sand dunes to negotiate. Many of them required considerable roadworks before the cars would get up. Sand dune after sand dune, with a swale and gidgee trees in between. We travelled west to east, to Bridsville.

After 7 days with no shower (I was starting to get used to being dirty), we finally negotiated Big Red and arrived in Birdsville, where our senses received a bit of a shock as the Variety Bash was in town - complete with 500 decorated cars and matching decorated people! We headed stright for the pub!

We then headed down the Birdsville Track, camping one night near Warburton Crossing (the explorer Peter Egerton Wrburton is a relative of mine) before spending a comfortable night in the Marree Hotel, which, other than the pub, had nothing at all going for it. A dust storm hit while we were there, which confirmed my opinion of the place.

We then headed to Arkaroola in the northern Flinders Ranges, where we spent 4 days. What a fantastic interesting place. We went on walks, took the 4WD Ridgetop Tour and the Observatory Tour. The guides told me there was an orienteering map being prepared for the place so, if that is the case, I will have to go to that event! The rocks and geology were just mind blowing!

We then went to Adelaide and drove (slowly) back to Melbourne and, unfortunately, back to work!

C • very envious 1

A walk around Blackburn.

I haven't had time to write up my holiday, since returning - hopefully today.

I went to Phil Poulton's funeral yesterday. lt was a sad occasion, well attended by orienteers. Phil passed away after discovering he had cancer about 3 months ago. He was competing and doing well until then.

C • Welcome back 3

C • Funeral 2