Finishing time and photos

Hi All

Our finishing time was 26 hrs : 34 min.

Sorry for the lack of photos after Checkpoint 3, we ran into very patchy reception out there (to be fair, we were in the middle of nowhere). Photos are up on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=33053 .

Full report to come.

Cheers
Derek

just before check 3

one for the yann fans at check point 2

welcome to work.

Arriving 9 at checkpoint 1.

the calm before the storm

Los cab gathering at the start. Steve starts eyeing off the opposition.

yann photo #1

Picking up our super crew,Yann, from the airport. Get used to this face.

FW: testing

Try 2 from my phone

- original message -
Subject: testing
From: Derek
Date: 08/04/2008 11:52 am

Test post to the blog from my mobile. Hopefully it works and i'll post some photos when we're on the course

testing 2

Where does this go?

Back on track

With the silly season behind us and only 12 weeks of training to go the pressure is on.

Undoing the evils of the past few weeks began with an adventurous weekend in the Cathedrals range, north of Healesville. On Saturday arvo we set out on a 4 hour hike which we backed up with a 120m climb on Sunday.
Sound easy?

Setting off on a 4 hour hike in the rain is intimidating enough considering the amount of training to date. Add to that Brads terrifying tales of the Sasquatch and the challenge of bettering the efforts of 'Wells' who perished on the same trail in 1953 and you're set for an adventure.

The hike started with a hill climb along a soggy mud road and a lot of wondering what you have got yourself into. The mental battle was over after realising the scenery had put me somewhere between Jurassic Park and Lord of the Rings. A light mist in the air, giant ferns, towering trees and not a Raptor in sight.

After about 45 min on a steep muddy road and up comes a gazebo and a parked car? You mean to say we could have driven here......then a rustling in the bushes. Brads face turned to white before he dove behind the parked car leaving us to be devoured by the Sasquatch. Who strangely enough was wearing a bright yellow jacket and spoke surprisingly good English.

All jokes aside this bloke comes from the bushes telling us he's been lost for the last 2 hours and two of his friends are missing. A couple of weeks ago I got lost in the Brookfield forest for 4 hours with my little sister (love ya Trev) and it's not cool! Now I'm heading off back where this guy came from...mmmm. If we get lost I'm gunna be pissed. Off into the trees we go...

The rain really made the day, after another half hour we were into the mist and heading for the clouds. It's amazing whats right on your door step, an hours drive and a bit of a hike to get here.....I'll be back. Pictures can do the describing for a while, Hows the serenity?

We made it back to camp at about 9 after just over 4 hours of hiking. Soaking wet and hungry. Fortunately for us we were equiped with a state of the art camping stove and a selection of dehydrated meals. Just add water, wait 10mins and eat from the bag. I had Mexican Chicken, check it out (mind you it looked worse in the bag) .

Tales from day two to come.......mmmmmmmm.....Mexican Chicken.........