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Good luck and great job from Paul & Bob
$150 can pay for a primary school teacher in Laos to attend skills training for twelve months.
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Go team go !!! Looking at the pictures, I could't do it. Your efforts over the past weeks have been commendable and I am sure you will do well. Good Luck
$150 can pay for a primary school teacher in Laos to attend skills training for twelve months.
where does the money go?
05 April
Friday 27 March 09 .... (day one)
Finally, after 6 months of training, the big day arrived and the Can Do’s lived up to their name and they successfully completed the Trail in 31 hours and 59 minutes! Before I write the final blob, I would like to pass on a big thank you to everyone who donated to Team 68. We have surpassed our target by a long way, thanks to your generosity. To those anonymous donators who we have not been able to personally thank or inform of our success we hope you have continued to follow our adventure through the website and we thank you for your donations. Also thanks to those who sent text messages of support throughout the event. The messages certainly helped to keep our spirits up as well as entertain us well into the night. We would also like to pass on our thanks to our support team, Boris and Dave, who did a fantastic job looking after our every whim before, during and after the event. The weather forecast for walking over the ensuing days was perfect. Friday 20C and overcast / Saturday 24C and sunny.
05 April
Friday 27 March 09 .... cont
The Team met at Jells Park at 7.30 am to register. Jells Park was alive with hundreds of walkers anxiously awaiting the start time. We left at 8.30 am for what would be an amazing adventure. The camaraderie amongst fellow walkers was great, and this followed us all along the track to the very end! The walk to CP1 (Churchill National Park) was fairly relaxing and easy. Much of Churchill National Park is out of bounds due to fire damage. Thanks to the relevant stakeholders, they roped off a walking area for us to follow to ensure that the walkers were safe and would arrive at their destination in one piece. Support crew are not able to meet walkers at CP1. The organisers and sponsors ensured we were well looked after with free chocolate; muesli bars and fruit. After a short break we headed off to CP2 (Lysterfield Lake). Soon after leaving CP1 you hit hills. The view at the top of North Boundary Track was very hazy and overcast, but there were no complaints as we were happy to not have the sun on our back at this time. We arrived at CP2 where our support crew were awaiting us. At this point we had something more substantial to eat. We took time out to adjust our bandages, change socks etc before embarking on the next step. CP2 to CP3 (Grants Picnic Ground) is quite challenging due to the many hills you must traverse. As we approached Bird Lands Reserve we were again amongst areas that had been burnt out during the fires earlier in the year. It is always amazing to see how quickly mother nature starts to regenerate. We stopped at Birds Land Reserve for a quick bite before heading towards the hills leading into Belgrave.
05 April
Friday 27 March 09.... cont
The walk into Belgrave is steep, but after months of training it didn’t feel as bad as we had remembered! We arrived at CP3, Grants Picnic Ground mid afternoon. Due to carpark issues, we had decided to not meet the support crew here. We enjoyed a coffee and a sausage in bread (the first of many to be consumed over the course of the next 20+ hours)! After refueling our bodies we headed off to CP4 (Olinda) where we come across the infamous Hackett’s Road! The walk through to CP4 is very scenic, taking us through Sherbrooke Forest, where I came across a Good Luck sign which had been put up by friends who live on the road (thank you!). After passing through Sherbrooke Forest you head towards Hackett Road. We were all dreading this section. However second time round it didn’t appear as bad as we remembered (either that or we were too tired to care or were we actually fitter)! Once at the top you traverse through the Alfred Nicholas Gardens (very scenic). Night time was starting to descend on us and it was starting to become a little cooler. We arrived at CP4 (Olinda) just on dark. We have now walked 46.5km (the most we have walked in one go!) and the spirits were still high.
05 April
Friday 27 March 09.... cont
The support crew were waiting for us with big welcoming smiles. They had all our stuff laid out so that we could stretch, change bandages and eat. The hot soup/coffee was greatly appreciated, as were the sausages (thanks to the community groups who put on sausage sizzles during the event!) We stopped for about an hour at this CP before heading off into the night. We had only walked CP4 (Olinda) to CP5 (Silvan) in the day time, so the next section was a little daunting as it is not flat under foot and is mostly downhill. Oxfam had placed track markers every 100m and during the night they had glow sticks and reflective tape to help you find your way. This worked well and it meant you didn’t have to worry about trying to read a map by head light! During this section many groups bunched up. The view (behind me) whilst walking along Olinda Creek Track was awesome. Every time I turned around to check my fellow team mates were with me, all I could see were 20 or so head lamps. It looked like fire flies or glow worms in the dark. I wish I could have captured it on film. We arrived at (CP5) Silvan at 10.30 pm (we had now been on the go for 14 hours) and it was starting to get quite cold. After a short break and a cup of soup we headed off to CP6 (Mt Evelyn) where the boys would be waiting for us. We walked along the Olinda Creek Track and came out at Clegg Road where volunteers were waiting to ensure we crossed the road safely to join the Warburton Trail. How they kept their spirits up whilst sitting in the cold waiting for trail walkers is amazing. The volunteers we came across were wonderful and they certainly helped to boost the spirits of all walkers.
05 April
Saturday 28 March 09 (day two)
The Warburton Trail is flat, straight and boring! To entertain ourselves we played games, listened to music, sang and chatted. Peter listened to the footy and passed on results (although I don’t follow the footy, any distraction was greatly appreciated.) At some point during this section Zeljka pulled a muscle which was causing her some pain and discomfort. The cooler weather did not help, as the muscle could not stay warm. We arrived at Mt Evelyn at 1.18 am on Saturday morning (it was about 5C). The boys were there to meet us. We had a bit more to eat, re-bandaged our feet and did our teeth (heaven!). The Team had agreed before the walk that we would have a “long” rest at CP7, if required. A lot of walkers stop at CP6, but the thought of having 40km after a long rest was mentally difficult to cope with, whereas stopping at CP7 felt mentally easier knowing you only had 25km to do after the break. Zeljka assessed her injuries and agreed that she could walk on to the next CP. After 1 hour and 40 minutes of “resting” we left the boys and headed off to CP7 (Woori Yallock). This section was again going to be boring and lonely. Along this section we came across teams who had lost members due to injury or who had decided to walk through. We all tried to lift each others spirits as we passed by.
05 April
Saturday 28 March cont... 09
A heavy fog had descended on us. At one point Di told me she could see the lights of Woori Yallock and we thought the end was near. But after ½ hour of walking we were starting to wonder what she had seen. Some time later we came across a volunteer who informed us we still had 4.5km to go (so we can only assume it was not Worrie Yallock that she saw)! Another time I could have sworn I saw a volunteer, so Di and I vigorously debated this. She thought the reflectors were attached to a pole, I swore the pole had legs! Thankfully I hadn’t lost my marbles, I was partially right, it was a person, but it wasn’t a volunteer. We arrived at CP7 at 5.32 am. The boys bundled us in to cars and took us to Robyn and Paul’s place. They had kindly agreed to allow us to crash on their floor, if we needed too. Zeljka went straight to bed to warm up and to sleep. The rest of us had a cuppa and I had breakfast before we laid down for a while. We got up an hour or so later where Robyn made us porridge which tasted great (thank you). Zeljka, although still sore, was remarkably in good spirits and was ready for the day ahead. We repacked the cars, re-did bandages and then headed back to CP7 for the final two legs. Worri Yallock to CP8 (Millgrove) is reasonably flat. We stopped at Yarra Junction for morning tea and a stretch. We met the boys at 1.00 pm (we had now walked 90.5km). We had lunch, had a stretch and then prepared ourselves for the hardest and last section. The last 9.5 kms is challenging. Someone has a warped sense of humour at Oxfam to throw a difficult hill in at the end! We waved the boys good-bye knowing that the next time we saw them would be at the finish line!
05 April
Saturday 28 March 09... cont
The first hard section is when you join the Backstairs Track. It is steep and not easy under foot. Di came across another team who were playing “word” games! She waited for us to catch up and informed us of the new game we were going to play. It was great, before we knew it we had climbed the top of the first hill and were on our way to climb Mt Little Joe! We were surrounded by many walkers, some whom could hardly walk, and we were all a little apprehensive of what lay ahead. However with the help of word games the walk up Mt Little Joe was conquered. Hats off to Zeljka, and those others who we passed on the hill, who had injuries. It is hard enough to continue on when your body is tired and exhausted. But to continue on when you have an injury of sorts takes guts and determination. Once at the top of Mt Little Joe we could see the end in sight. With only a few kilometers to go, it was literally downhill. Caution needed to be taken going down the hill as the last thing we wanted to do was fall. Team 68, the Can Do’s, crossed the finish line at 4.29 pm on Saturday, 31 hours and 59 minutes after we had set out on the big journey (which equates to 142,665 steps!). The Team and support crew sat and enjoyed the celebrations and festivities at Wesburn Park (whilst sipping Champagne). After a good nights sleep and a bath, I am pleased to report that everyone pulled up well. It showed the training and preparation are the key to surviving endurance events such as this. Once again, our thanks to those who supported us throughout this adventure. We hope you enjoyed sharing the journey as much as we enjoyed living it.
22 March
Saturday 21 March 2009
Well the end is near!!! Today the Team got together to walk the final section of the Trail from CP8 (Millgrove) to the Finish Line (Wesburn Park). During this walk we are lucky enough to traverse over Mt Little Joe (approximately 400m high). One must wonder whether the organisers are a little warped making you climb one last hill at the end after walking 90km already! The full team (including the support crew) met at Millgrove at 2.30 pm, the day was rather warm (33C). Whilst the Team were off walking the support crew (Boris and Dave) decided to enjoy the picture perfect surrounds of the Yarra River around Warburton. From the Millgrove shops you again join the Warburton Trail for a short period before venturing off over Scotchman’s Creek and along the Backstairs Track. At this point you have a rather steep climb along a very narrow track. Once you reach the top you amble along a fire trail for 2 km along the top of Mt Little Joe. The views (once you’ve recovered your breath) are quite spectacular.
22 March
Saturday 21 March 2009 .... cont
At this point you start to descend down, always a bad sign when you know you have one more hill to climb! The next climb is 900m (reasonably short in the scheme of things) and the track notes state “gentle to challenging”. The description was extremely accurate – after walking a short way along the gentle section you are confronted by a very steep and yes, challenging, slope (see insert). I am so glad I now know what is in store for us at the end of the walk. The rest of the walk to the finish line is fairly easy and we can’t wait to see it next Saturday. We finished the walk by 5.45 pm, where our support crew were waiting for us. After the walk we went into Warburton for dinner where we discussed the strategies for next weekend. After 6 months of training, all that is left is for us to do the walk, sounds easy. During the walk, you can log onto the Team Website to check our progress. Although we won’t be updating the website during the actual walk, Oxfam track each team’s progress and put this on line. We are all looking forward to the walk with excitement and some trepidation. I am looking forward to the end where champagne and strawberries will hopefully be waiting for us (along with a chair, hot shower and some clean clothes). Thanks for your support. Once the walk is over, don’t forget to logon one last time to hear the stories of the actual 100km walk.
09 March
Sunday 8 March 2009
The group had agreed to do a back to back walk this weekend to see how we pulled up on the second day. Initially we had talked about an early start, but when we finished the walk at 12.30 am and didn’t get home until after 2.00 am we decided to change tactics. At 11.00 am on Sunday we did a ring around to see who was fit enough and willing enough to walk again. Although we were all tired and a little stiff, we were all feeling reasonably good and wanted to walk again. The following picture shows some of the tactics our team are using to “avoid” blisters where possible.
09 March
Sunday 8 March 2009.... cont
We decided to head to Zeljka’s part of the world again. After meeting up and discussing/comparing aches, pains and blisters we headed off to Westerfold Park. This time we walked along the Diamond Creek Trail. Today felt warmer and the walking was slower. We walked 12km from Westerfold Park to Diamond Creek, at this point we enjoyed a well earned coffee. As time was getting away from us we decided to call it quits and had Boris pick us up rather than do the return trip back to Westerfodl Park (thank goodness for our back up team). We are scheduled to meet again on 22 March where we will walk the final stage of the Trail (CP8 to the finish, over Mt Little Joe).
09 March
Saturday 7 March 2009
With the fire danger being declared over, Oxfam deemed that most of the trail was safe to walk and re-opened it for training. Many groups took advantage of the great weather and headed for the trail. Our team decided it was time to do the “night” walk to see how good our torches were and to iron out any issues we might have with walking at night. We also agreed to make this our longest walk to date, and we planned to set off again on Sunday for a back to back walk to see how well we coped.
09 March
Saturday 7 March 2009.... cont
Today was Di’s birthday and she graciously agreed to share it with her fellow team members – she will not forget this birthday in a hurry! The group set off from CP4 – Olinda Reserve at 2.15 pm for the leisurely 44km night walk!! The weather was perfect for walking. This section of trail is mostly downhill or flat, so the walking was going to be reasonably easy – other than the distance. After walking through Olinda, Silvan and Mt Evelyn we came across a coffee shop where we joined the Warburton Trail and we decided this was a perfect time for a coffee and freshly baked chocolate muffins.
09 March
Saturday 7 March 2009... cont
The Warburton Trail is flat. At this point Di decides to put on her headphones and listen to her water aerobics music. Whatever was playing we wished she’d share it with the rest of the team as she took off and there was no stopping her. However, there was an advantage to her being so far in front, it meant we couldn’t hear her sing! Night started to fall and the evening became cooler with the breeze. The group continued on in reasonable spirits. Overall we managed with the night walk. Our torches provided enough light and we were reasonably comfortable under foot. We finally made it to CP8 Millgrove at 12.30 am (Sunday morning). The sight of Dave waiting for us was a welcome relief and it meant we could finally stop walking. To put the distance into perspective, a Marathon is 42km. So we effectively walked a Marathon. We took approximately 56,789 steps in the 10 hours!! Now for Sunday!!
16 February
Sunday 15 February 2009
Today we decided to walk along the Yarra Trail from Lower Plenty to the City (approx 33km)! The day started off cool and very hazy due to the burning off in the nearby hills. However, once the sun broke through the haze it warmed up very quickly. We left Zeljka’s place soon after 7.30 am and walked down to Westerfolds Park where we joined the trail. Piper was again happy to be able to join us on the walk.
16 February
Sunday 15 February 2009.... cont
From Westerfolds Park we meandered through Heidelberg, Kew East, Ivanhoe (where there were fires the previous week), Yarra Bend, Abbotsford, Hawthorn and finally Richmond. The walk along the Yarra is very picturesque. We saw many rabbits; birdlife and lots of bike riders, runners and walkers. At Richmond we decided to detour to Kooyong where Dave (the other half of the support crew) kindly picked us up. All up we walked a total of 30km, averaging about 4km per hour (with well earned breaks).
16 February
Sunday 15 February 2009 .... cont
Dave drove us back to Zelkja and Boris’ place where a scrumptious BBQ lunch/dinner awaited us. Not a bad way to end a 7 hour walk! We are taking a short break next weekend. After that we will be back on the trail walking around the Olinda/Silvan/Mt Evelyn area in preparation for a night walk in a few weeks time.
13 February
Sunday 8 February 2009
Firstly, on behalf of the team I would like to pass on our deepest sympathy to those who have lost so much in the fires over the weekend of 7/8 February. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. Thank you to all those Volunteers who give tirelessly to help protect and serve the greater community. We hope that the current fires which are still out of control does not cause any further grief to the small country communities. Today’s walk was initially planned for CP6 (Mt Evelyn) through to the Finish (Wesburn Park). However, after a late evening phone around it was agreed to change the route due to the fires in the surrounding areas. At that time we were totally unaware of the havoc mother nature was playing on these small townships. Due to fires in the northern part of Victoria, Zeljka decided to not join us for today’s walk, so Piper agreed to sub in her place.
13 February
Sunday 8 February 09 ...... cont
We again walked around the Officer/Upper Beaconsfield area and found more new hills to traverse – we need to keep reminding ourselves that we love hills! We walked through many of the areas that had been affected in the 1983 Ash Wednesday Fires in Upper Beaconsfield. We took time to read the plaques and tributes that had been erected over the years in memory of those who lost their lives. It is good to see how a township can rebuild after such trauma. We walked approximately 24km and all pulled up well the next day. Due to the continued fires we have decided again to not walk along the Trail. So next Sunday’s walk is going to be from Lower Plenty to the City.
01 February
Sunday 1 February 09
What a week! Melbourne has suffered it’s hottest heat wave on record last week with three days over 43C and Friday hitting 45.3C. This weather is not conducive to good training! Fingers crossed the weather is kinder to the Oxfam organisers/walkers at the end of March! Due to other commitments this weekend, Zeljka was unable to walk with the team so we decided to leave CP7 to CP9 for another week. Piper kindly agreed to stand in as Zeljka’s replacement for the walk. Although this won’t count on the day, we thought it was a reasonable compromise for this weekend. The rest of the team decided to walk around the Officer area again given the diversity in terrain. The day started off overcast, but it was humid and extremely windy. The sun came out around lunchtime which made it feel a little hotter. However the wind managed to keep us feeling a little cooler.
01 February
Sunday 1 February 09.... cont
We again took off from Officer, meandered around the Aqueduct, near the Beaconsfield Reservoir where we had morning tea (see insert above), up and down hills, via the Beaconsfield Market (to buy mixed fruit supplies for one of the team, who is addicted to the mix). We then detoured to the Post Office for Devonshire tea (see insert). Now that’s what I call training! From Beaconsfield we walked the following roads :O’Neill, LL, Brown and although we were only 1 km from base at this point, we decided to add an extra 5 km. Now is that commitment or guilt knowing what was consumed at morning tea! So from here we went down Starling Road, through the Reserve (for a short break) up McMullen Road, down Brown Road, back to Officer Road and home to base. We walked a total of 25km - not bad considering the high winds and little training undertaken the week before. With the team back together next weekend we will venture back to the trail.
20 January
Sunday 18 January 09
Training is going well. The Team pulled up fine after last week’s 28km walk, so we have decided to go a little bit further this week with a 30km walk planned! We are again walking in the Officer area for a bit of variety. The forecast for today is 24C, blue skies and no wind. It was cool to start but we knew it would warm up quickly. Therefore, to avoid the heat of the day, we headed off just after 7.00 am. We were again joined by Piper. Di and Peter decided to take us on a different route to last week, and they ensured many hills were traversed during the day! So much so we hit our first hill within 1 km of walking (see insert).
20 January
Sunday 18 January 09.... cont
Today’s walk took us through Officer, via the Aquaduct, via Pakenham Upper and around to Dewhurst where we walked through RJ Chambers Flora and Fauna Reserve. This reserve is frequently used by horse riders, which meant there were many ‘landmines’ to avoid whilst walking. We had an unexpected “river” crossing (see insert). We all made it across the stream without getting wet thanks to the help of walking poles and Peter (although the camera was at the ready to capture any action shots, just in case)! From Dewhurst we ended up on the perimeter of Cardinia Reservoir where we stopped for lunch. Unfortunately the views of the Reservoir are hidden by trees, but we were able to act like tourists and have our picture taken in front of the White Elephant (see insert below).
20 January
Sunday 18 January 09 ..... cont
From Cardinia we walked through the back streets of Beaconsfield Upper, meandering up and down dirt tracks and finally made our way back to Officer around 2.00 pm. The warmer weather certainly made a difference to stamina and by the end of the walk we were glad to get the shoes off and stop. We all learnt a valuable lesson with water. You should always fill up when an opportunity arises. The team collectively ran out of water 1km from home, no big issue (this time) but something to think about for future walks! With the Australia Day long weekend looming, there is no scheduled walk this coming weekend. We will be back on the Trail the following week when we plan to walk between CP7 to CP9!
12 January
Happy New Year - Sunday 11 January 09
After a well rested break, the team got together today for our first 2009 walk, in the anticipation of walking-out any Christmas cobwebs that may have formed over the past few weeks. We decided to have a change of scenery and a break from the “trail track” and headed to Officer/Upper Beaconsfield area. As we weren’t walking in any National Parks we were able to take Di and Peter’s dog, Piper, with us (see insert). Piper had a wonderful time tearing around the countryside (and terrorising the rabbits). We think Piper would have walked/run double the distance that we did and only complained a few times when we had to put her on the leash when we were approaching road crossings! Not bad considering she wasn’t wearing any shoes!!
12 January
Sunday 11 January 09..... cont
The plan for today was to do a round trip from Officer through the rolling hills around Upper Beaconsfield and back to Officer. We set off shortly after 7.00 am in the cool morning air. The weather was perfect for walking : overcast and cool until 1.00 pm when the sun finally broke through. The walk took us along the disused Aquaducts (previously owned by Melbourne Water); past Berglund House (built in the early 1900’s); up and down many rolling hills (one hill in particular was quite steep, see picture, although not as bad as Hackett’s Road); via Upper Beaconsfield back to the Aquaduct (at the other end) through the paddocks and back to base. Overall it was a well balanced walk and used all the relevant muscles. We walked for 6 hours and approximately 28km. Not bad going for an easy Sunday walk! The next walk has been planned for the coming Sunday where we will again explore the Officer area.
09 December
Thank You / Merry Christmas
On behalf of the Can Do’s, we would like to thank everyone who has already made a donation towards our pledged target. The enthusiasm and response has been overwhelming. Have a Merry Christmas and don’t forget to tune in to the Can Do’s team page in 2009 to watch our progress.
09 December
Sunday 30 November 08
Today’s walk as a group would be the last for 2008 given we are now approaching the silly season known as Christmas. This time we decided to start at the bottom of the hill and work our way up. The route would be : Churchill National Park (CP1), through Lysterfield Lake (CP2) up to Grants Picnic Ground (CP3) - 22.8km in total. In order to give the support crews the day off (as we knew they would earn their keep next year) Kate, Di and Peter met at Grant’s Picnic Ground, left one car there, drove down to Churchill National Park where we met up with Zeljka in readiness for the challenges that lay ahead. The weather was perfect for up hill walking! It was cool with clear skies. It was great to see a lot of “fellow” trailers out and about ….. you can’t miss them, they walk in groups of four! As soon as you depart Churchill National Park you start the gradual ascent, which keeps going for approximately 3km before you reach the top of the hill, and it is worth reaching the top as the views are great. The walk down into Lysterfield Lake is gradual and not too hard on the knees! A photo opportunity presented itself, whilst crossing over the lake. After lining up the camera to take a “timed” shot we realised that a cyclist was coming towards us, and if timed correctly would make centre of the photo! Full points to the cyclist – she stopped millimetres outside of the photo, and managed to not go over handlebars in the process, just to avoid being in our photo! (see above)
09 December
Sunday 30 November 08.... cont
We stopped at Lysterfield Lake for a bite to eat before heading up to Grants Picnic Ground – which we were all dreading as the hill profile looked steep! We broke this trip up and took another snack stop at Bird Lands Reserve before we ventured into Belgrave territory! On the ascent into Belgrave there are a few “steep” sections which looked daunting, but after doing Hackett’s Road two weeks earlier this section seemed, dare I say it, easier! It may be that the road is sealed and Hackett’s is a dirt track with huge indents in it that will swallow you up if you fall… or, could we be getting fitter! Only time will tell. After farewelling Puffing Billy and heading out of Belgrave to the Dandenong National Park, you come across yet more hills (will they ever stop) …. where you eventually join up with Coles Ridge Track. You follow this track to get to Grants Picnic Ground. You can imagine our relief to see the sign which stated “easy walking” for 2.2km. Within 30 minutes we were at Grants Picnic Ground enjoying Devonshire Tea (you have to have some reward for a hard day’s work). After our refreshments, we drove back to Churchill National Park to pick up the other cars. From all reports, everyone recovered from this walk with no aches or pains the next day. Roll on 2009…..
25 November
Sunday 16 November
The aim for our third walk was to go from Checkpoint 3 (CP3) to CP4 - 19.7km. This walk was going to be more challenging than the first two as it required us to climb the infamous Hackett’s Road! More on that later. The group met at CP3 which is Grant’s Picnic Ground. Grant’s is well known to tourists who wish to feed the cockatoos and rosellas. We were met by two busloads of Japanese tourists having a wonderful time taking photos of the very hungry (and overfeed) birds. The morning started out quite cool, although within the first 1-2 kms we were all quite warm. The day overall was very pleasant, although we did notice a cold wind when walking through the rain forest. Some of the track was quite muddy and slippery from the welcome rain the previous week. The walk from CP3 is very scenic through Sherbrook Forest. We can recommend a visit to the Alfred Nicholas Garden, which is a “small” botanical garden opposite Sherbrook Forest. If we weren’t out training, it would have been a great place for a picnic lunch and a bottle of wine! Little did we know that the serenity of the parkland and forest would soon lead us to Hackett’s Road. For those of you who have never traversed this road – let me tell you it is steep! From the bottom there is no way you would even contemplate driving a vehicle up it unless you had a four wheel drive and knew how to handle it, or you were insane. The rivets in the road could swallow you up if you fell in. The road is so bad that the locals have put up a sign warning unsuspecting drivers wanting to go down that they do so at their own risk. If they get into trouble they are not to contact the neighbours for help – they are on their own! So after standing at the bottom for some time contemplating the hill, knowing that the only way was up, we started the slow slog up the hill. It hurt, but boy did it feel good when we got to the top.
25 November
Sunday 16 November 08 ... cont.
We had a short break at Olinda to eat our lunch before heading off to CP4 where Silvan Reservoir awaited us. This section takes you through the Dandenong Ranges National Park. There is one fairly steep hill which you walk down, which made everyone alert, trying to avoid any spills down the hill (thankfully there were none). Overall this section was comfortable to walk and we made it to Silvan Reservoir unscathed and reasonably happy with our day’s effort. We were met at CP4 by Boris (one part of our support crew) who drove us back to our cars at Grant’s Picnic Ground. (Support Crew: Boris and Michael pictured above)
15 October
Our First Walk
We all met at Lysterfield Lake for our first training/get to know you walk. The team has been finalised and the lucky participants are Kate, Zeljka,Di and Peter. Dale and Joel have decided that the excitement of last year was too much and have given up their positions to Kate and Zeljika. We set out from the main Car Park along Logan Park Road for the first sus out and interigation of one another. This did not take long and we were soon into idle chatter and solving the world's economic problems. It was a delightful day and the walk around Birds Land Reserve and return via some less used tracks was enjoyed by all. In all we walked 16kms and all pulled up well.
