Month: August 2012

Interview with Mountain Guide and Mountaineering Instructor James Thacker:

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This was a great read for me, and very relevant.

Apart from fitness, attitude, the right gear, I think what James highlights is that mountaineering, like many adventure pursuits, is about ‘risk mitigation’.

Many thanks to Adventure Journal!

Baz – The Landy

orlaomuiri's avatarOrla O'Muiri

1.What age were you when you started climbing mountains?

I first started walking with my parents when we moved to Derbyshire in my early teens.  We spent most weekends exploring the moors of the Peak District and later climbing on the grit-stone edges.  My parents despite being active weren’t walkers so we started together really, learning to navigate and look after ourselves on the hill.

-What was the first mountain you climbed?

Most likely Kinder Scout in Derbyshire, but the ones I most vividly remember are Tryfan in North Wales and Ben Nevis in the Highlands.  Tryfan was particularly exciting as it involved a lengthy scramble up the north ridge and I had never experienced anything like that before.  Ben Nevis I also remember as we turned back from fairly close to the summit in bad weather, we were worried about the large cliffs of the north face in bad visibility.  Turning…

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Smothered in Cocky’s Joy

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Camp Oven Scones

It doesn’t matter where in the world you travel you will always find someone baking bread. And there is nothing better than eating freshly baked bread…

It could be a baguette in a back street bakery not too far from Avenue des Champs-Élysées, or a Grissini expertly baked in the shadows of the Colosseum, it could even be one of the many Indian flatbreads, a Naan maybe, baking in a tandoori oven, or even an Injera in Ethiopia.

Freshly baked damper

In the Australian Outback where a never-ending blue sky meets the parched red soil it will be the drovers’ staple, a golden brown damper, kneaded and expertly worked before being baked in a camp oven, or maybe just over hot glowing coals…

A freshly cooked damper, still warm, is best eaten smothered in cocky’s joy, the residue running down your hands, waiting to be licked from your fingers…

Camp food… bonza mate!

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You don’t know how lucky you are!

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I was mentioning the other day about how excited (very excited) I am about an upcoming trip I have to New Zealand. I depart in two weeks to further my climbing and mountaineering experience in preparation for some upcoming trips to New Zealand and the Himalayas in 2013.  

Mt Aspiring, Southern Alps, New Zealand

I have a whole week climbing some smaller peaks in the Southern Alps of New Zealand’s south island, along with some ice-climbing, and we might even camp out if it isn’t too cold.

Anyway, over dinner last night, Janet, my partner, casually remarked to me…

“You don’t know how lucky you are.” 

It is a favourite saying in her family, but usually reserved for occasions when you have been spoilt, been very spoilt!

I’ve heard it often!

Sensibly, I approached the comment with caution, not sure if this was serious or mischief, although odds-on it was mischief in the making. It wasn’t my birthday, it was unlikely I was getting a gift or present, besides with all the climbing gear I have bought recently even TomO, our son, remarked that I had already received my Christmas presents…for the next few years! (note to self, tell Janet about the new back-pack)

“Have you thought about all the activities and holidays you are about to embark on?”

I sensed where this was heading and there was a cheeky glint in both of their eyes, but in the interest of self-preservation I played dumb, which isn’t too hard for me!

You see, we were due to have a holiday in April this year on a tropical island located in the island nation of Fiji in the romantic South Pacific.  As it turns out on the very island, Yasawa Island, that was featured in the movie Blue Lagoon.  However, due to extreme weather it had to be postponed to this September as you could not even get to the small resort by boat or plane at the time.

The holiday was planned as a thank you to Janet from her boys for putting up with one who is rapidly approaching puberty and the other that hasn’t grown up yet…

I’m sure you’ve got it figured who’s who in the zoo here…

Anyway, this is the cool bit.

I head to New Zealand and the tail-end of its winter on a Friday. The day after I return I am participating in Tough Mudder, a 20-kilometre commando style course peppered with obstacles that you have to jump over, climb over, hurdle flaming hay bales, and even get zapped by 10,000 volts after being submerged in ice-cold water (is that supposed to be fun?) and then, get this, onto Fiji the very next day.

Mind you, our flight to Fiji is at silly-o’clock in the morning, and there is a chance, okay a big chance, there will be a few beers after Tough Mudder, either that or I’ll be in the back of an ambulance or something similar suffering third degree burns, or hypothermia…

And Janet added,

“if that isn’t enough when we get home from Fiji we are going to the Blue Mountains, just to the west of Sydney, to do some climbing and abseiling for a few days”…

I’m betting that while TomO and I climb, Janet will be putting the credit card through its paces in the quaint galleries and dress shops that are a part of the Blue Mountains scene…

And who would I be to complain!

Yes, I don’t know how lucky I am…What do you think?

Get out of bed, you’re a champion…

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I enjoy hearing and reading stories about people who are trying to change their lives, to get fit, to lose weight, to do something they have longed dreamed. Of goals that are set and milestones that are reached.

Accolades are usually not sought, momentous occasions in the journey often pass with little fanfare, the satisfaction gained enough to push them onwards, encouraging the next step.

It rarely comes easy…

As I rolled over and flicked the alarm off this morning, I lay back in the bed, tired, feeling like I should just roll the other way and forget about the rowing session. Surely it could wait until tonight, perhaps tomorrow morning? Anytime but now…

I’m betting we’ve all been there, I visit this speed-hump at least once a week and today was that day of the week.

And as I slowly drifted back into the dream-world I thought about my goals, what I want to achieve in mountaineering, even the possibility of competing in the Speight’s Coast to Coast again this coming February, an adventure race that crosses New Zealand from west to east.  It is a tough event, but I remembered how good I felt as I cycled through the city of Christchurch, the finish line almost in sight, bands playing, children clapping, men and women unknown cheering me to the finish line.

My tired legs pumped away, energised by the support, by the crowd that made me feel like a champion…

That was enough to break me free from my slumber, and I was up in the shed rowing within 15 minutes, and it was an awesome session.

Motivation, harness it however you can, reaching and achieving your goals is not an easy road, but you’re not alone…

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One problem at a time Sarge. One problem at a time…

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The other day I was caught up in what seemed to be a never-ending stream of problems, you know the sort of day.

Nothing was going right, everyone and everything was conspiring against me. One problem after another, mounting, crushing, the world on my shoulders, leaving me pleading why was this happening to me?

In reality the world wasn’t going to come to an end, the sun had risen in the east, and in all likelihood it was going to set in the west, and a few deep breathes would probably have dispatched the garbage that was mostly going on inside my head to the trash…

But it did get me thinking why do we allow seemingly insignificant problems to morph into something that requires the Fantastic Four to resolve?

Human nature was my guess.

And then I recalled a quote by Frank MacAlyster, a member of the US Military’s elite Delta Force. Frank was involved in an operation to help free US hostages being held inside the US Embassy in Tehran, Iran, in the early 1980s.

The story is recounted in the book ‘Inside Delta Force’, by Eric Hany.

As the doomed rescue attempt unfolded Frank was sound asleep in a US C-130 Hercules aircraft that was parked on the ground inside Iran.

He awoke to intense flames licking all around him, the aircraft was on fire.

Frank thought the aircraft was airborne, but the intensity of the fire left him no choice, he jumped from the plane without a parachute and went into a skydivers arch.

Of course he fell for only a fraction of a second before hitting the ground.

Frank had assessed his options and jumped. It must have taken a lot of courage. Death was almost a certainty, but he was buying time at least.

I reflected on this and thought that even under intense pressure Frank was still thinking through his problems he wasn’t letting the situation clutter his thinking, and by this time there were any number of problems to deal with. Of course the first was to survive.

What could I learn from that?

How could Frank’s experience help me as I pursue my goal of high altitude climbing, and how might it help others to deal with their own ‘burning aircraft’?

When asked a few days later by his Superior what he was going to do once he was out of the plane without a parachute, Frank replied…

“One problem at a time Sarge, one problem at a time.”

 

Slicing the water – with a blade

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Narrabeen Lake, situated on the northern beaches of Sydney, Australia, is a beautiful spot by the ocean.

It is mecca for kayakers, windsurfers, and paddle board riders, a place where you can spend a lazy Sunday afternoon with family and friends under a shady tree…

 With very few power-boats on the lake, which is about 10 kilometres in circumference, it is my choice for kayaking and makes for a great change from the daily rows on my C2 rowing machine, although I did get a rowing session in earlier in the day – just call me a creature of habit.

Today started on the chilly side, but warmed into a beautiful day full of sunshine and a cloudless blue sky. A day to good to waste so Janet, my partner, packed a picnic lunch into ‘The Landy’ and we headed to the lake for a training session, a bit of fun, and quite a few laughs with our friends.

TomO, our 12 year-old son, was waiting in ambush, as usual, at the end of my paddle, ready to toss me out of the kayak, but he was a bit slow off the mark and missed his chance today. Just as well, as the water is still quite cold…

Narrabeen Lake, Sydney, Australia

Be sure to stop by the lake if you are visiting Sydney, and if you want to get out on the lake, drop in to see Matt Blundell, a world class kayaker, at his boat shed, Prokayaks. Matt will hire you a kayak, or paddle board and get you underway…

There is nothing better than kicking back and watching the sun settle behind the hills casting a golden hue over the lake, pure magic!

 

I hope you enjoy the clip of today’s paddle!!

 What did you do today?

Crikey – Turn that bloody thing off…

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Blue Winged Kookaburra, Bowthorne Station, Gulf Savannah Land

There is a lot to like about our island continent, Australia.

Beaches that are counted among the best in the world, the brilliant red colour of the Outback set against a rich blue sky.

Our unique wildlife, kangaroos bounding across wide open plains, koalas sleeping in a lonely gum tree, and even a crocodile here and there…

But don’t worry, I’m not writing an advertorial for our local tourism authority, besides, I think Australia does a good job of selling itself…

No, what I am writing about is the world’s best alarm clock.

There is no need to set it, it comes in a range of colours, and is mostly uniform in shape and size…

No snooze button on this model though…

It does not make the usual mind-numbing BEEP…BEEP…BEEP, or gently awaken you to the sound of your favourite music.

But it will awaken you to the sounds of jovial laughter, perhaps leaving you to wonder whether you are still in that bar you were going to leave before the stroke of midnight…

The Shed

As the first sign of light began to show in the eastern sky, I wiped the sleep from my eyes and headed for the shed, my predawn exercise workout beckoning.

And that alarm was still laughing, mocking me, seemingly taking pleasure that it had dislodged another from the dreamworld that we all try to hold onto for those extra few minutes.

Yep, natures alarm clock, Australia’s own Kookaburra – you’ve gotta love ‘em…

(The one pictured is an example of a Blue-Winged Kookaburra photographed by Janet, my partner, on Bowthorne Station in the Gulf Savannah of Northern Australia.)

I’m excited today (very excited)

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Mt Aspiring, Southern Alps, New Zealand

Well to be honest, most days excite me, perhaps some more than others, but today I booked a week of mountaineering in the Southern Alps of New Zealand leaving in two weeks time, and I’m really excited about the prospect of getting out and about…

Hinchinbrook Island, Australia

I was intending to walk the Thornsborne Trail on Hinchinbrook Island, in North Queensland as it has been on my list of walks to do for as long as I can remember. However, each time I have planned to walk it something else has come along to interrupt the plan. Usually something that I have had no control over.

I’ve often joked that there is an unknown force at work that prevents me from going. Perhaps it is saving me from the jaws of one of those pre-historic reptiles, the crocodile, that inhabit the region, but I digress…

 I already have a trip booked to climb Mt Aspiring located in the Southern Alps of New Zealand this coming January. But January seems so far away, so I thought, why not give those hand-crafted mountaineering boots I just purchased a run for their money instead of walking the Thornsborne Trail?

Yep, I had no trouble rationalising that one in my own mind.

A quick call to our travel agent, was followed up with a call to the wonderful team at Adventure Consultants, located at Wanaka on New Zealand’s South Island, to confirm I was on my way.

New Zealand is recognised around the world as a great training ground for mountaineering, and although most peaks are only around 3,000 metres in height, they are similar in ruggedness and valley to summit altitude gains as the higher peaks in the Himalayas.

English: Southern Alps from Mt Hutt, New Zealand
Southern Alps, New Zealand

The week of guiding and instruction, the Seven Summits Course, is designed for people like me who are looking to progress to high altitude climbing, to gain exposure to snow camping, improve on crampon and ice axe skills, master ladder crossings over crevasses, along with other general mountaineering skills.

In Australia, it is more difficult to gain this type of exposure.

I have elected to undertake as much tuition as I possibly can, especially in the earlier stages of my journey to Cho Oyu, and Beyond, as this will hopefully make me safer on the mountain, and give me a strong base to build from and to assist in achieving my goals.

One area I will be focussing heavily on is my decision making skills, and I’ll be getting the team at Adventure Consultants to put me to the test on this aspect…

And I still need to break the news to Janet, my partner, that there is plenty more gear I need to buy before I go.

Mind you, Janet has not been watching the bank balance, but has asked only one thing of me, and that is to be safe at all times, reminding me there is always another day.

Her words of wisdom constantly echo in my mind, “summiting is optional, getting down is mandatory.”

 Who has a mountaineering story they can share?

Hand-crafted Italian Shoes – A work of art

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I have purchased a beautiful pair of hand-crafted Italian made shoes, built for comfort, and warmth, maybe not so much for aesthetics, and they are yellow in colour.

Yes, I hear you, he’s colour-blind, or out of his mind, after all, who would buy Italian hand-crafted shoes in the colour of yellow and hand over $1,000…

Oops, no offence intended to those who have, each to their own!

And for the record, I have never bought a pair of shoes that cost over $1,000, or anything near that price, well up until today that is.

In fact, neither has Janet, my partner, at least not that I’m aware of, but then, what would a mere male like me know about the cost of women’s shoes.

And it wasn’t by mistake, or due to my colour deficiency.

I purchased a pair of La Sportiva Spantik Mountaineering Boots that will be put to good use in New Zealand in about three weeks time, and again this coming January, and the Himalayas next year…

I spent a fair amount of time researching boots, and decided on these, even if they might be a little on the warm side for New Zealand, lest I’ll have a cupboard full of mountaineering shoes for each occasion. They will be perfect for the 6,000 metre peaks I will be climbing in Nepal.

Seemingly there is nothing cheap about mountaineering boots, well at least if you want to keep five toes on each foot and not succumb to frost-bite…

And that will be the line I’ll run when I discuss the purchase with the person in charge of finances, Janet – honey , I’ve something to discuss…

And they say mountaineering is full of unexpected challenges!!

 

Dope on a Rope (an ongoing saga)

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I’ve just spent the past four days with the team from the Australian School of Mountaineering, ASM, learning more about rock-climbing and advancing my rope handling skills.

This was done in the Blue Mountains, just to the west of Sydney, a place where I am finding myself with increasing frequency of late, and not surprisingly as there is plenty of opportunity to hone my abseiling and climbing skills on the abundance of cliff faces in the region.

And what better place to do it than one of the world’s great mountain heritage areas.

Whilst my ultimate goal is high-altitude climbing, there are basic skills that can’t be practiced enough, much like military drilling, to ensure that the skills are second nature and can be performed under extreme conditions. I have been placing a lot of focus on rescue skills, after all, it is good fun until something goes wrong, and whilst there is always a chance of that how you respond will have a great bearing on the outcome…

That isn’t to say it shouldn’t be fun, and when I embarked on this journey I made a promise to myself that if I stopped having fun it is game over and time to do something else…

And we did have a lot of fun, and Shane, who instructed me on my advanced abseiling and rope rescue course, laughed as we welcomed each other and asked whether I can tie my shoelaces yet?  Sadly, I had to tell him I couldn’t, but I had mastered quite a few other knots.

There were three other people on the first two days of the course as it has various stages that can be done separately, and with some time due off from work, I decided to spend four days in the mountains to cover as much as possible.

Our climbing was done in the spectacular Mt York area, not too far from the small township of Mt Victoria, against a very scenery backdrop.

The course began in the headquarters of ASM located in Katoomba covering important aspects such as safe movement on and around the cliffs.

On the first day we undertook a series of small climbs at Mt York, in near freezing conditions. These climbs left me wondering what they call larger climbs!

It was great to be on the rock-face, improving skills under the guidance of our very experienced instructors, and there were even some moments where I happily found myself outside my comfort zone!

Our second day was spent entirely on the rock-face, climbing and learning, and we managed around five climbs of varying degrees of difficulty.

It was nice to have the weekend pass knowing that I still had another two days in the mountains learning and climbing. I did this with Nathan, another ASM instructor who was covering important areas like route selection, hazard assessment, and protection systems. We did some revision work on rescues using Z-drags, and abseiling an injured climber in tandem. I hope the need never arises, but it is important to be proficient just in case either is called upon as a rescue tool.

We were greeted with fantastic weather for the final day which was spent setting up climbs, climbing, and moving on to another climb.

It was quite an exhilarating weekend of climbing, learning new skills, getting outside the comfort zone and just having fun out and about. I can’t wait to get back out there for another crawl up the wall.

As for Dope on a Rope, let’s just say I’ve improved greatly!!

Blue Mountains Climbing – Chomping at the bit

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On the Rope, Mt York, Blue Mountains

I’m off to climb in the Blue Mountains this weekend to further advance my skills with the team from the Australian School of Mountaineering, the weather is perfect and I’m chomping at the bit…

 I am currently investing time in developing and advancing my rope handling skills with a big focus on self-rescue and rescue techniques generally in preparation for a climb I am doing in New Zealand this coming January, Mt Aspiring in the country’s South Island.

I’ll be spending a total of two weeks in New Zealand, training and practising my skills and working on steep technical climbs as well as crevice rescues.

Later in 2013 I am heading to Nepal to climb three 6,000 metre peaks, Island Peak, Pokalde, and Lobuche East.  This will enable me to further develop my skills, visit a wonderful country with my family, and to be able to take a peek at Cho Oyu.

My aim is to make an attempt on Cho Oyu in 2014.

 Cho Oyu is the world’s sixth highest mountain and possibly one of the easiest of the world’s fourteen 8,000 metre peaks. Although, this is more because of the ease of access, as there is nothing really easy about exposing yourself to 8,000 metre peaks.

I have partnered with Adventure Consultants, a New Zealand based high altitude Specialist Company that was started by the legendary Rob Hall and Gary Ball in the early 1990s. Their stories are ones of great adventure and determination and I’d encourage anyone with an interest in adventure to take time to read about them. And I must say the team at Adventure Consultants have been very helpful thus far in assisting me to meet my goals.

For me this is a journey, of which one can never be sure of where it will lead, or what you will see and do along the way, and that makes it incredibly exciting. It also provides the motivation to take my fitness to a completely new level.

I am a great believer of simply living in the moment and sometimes I feel like I am planning my life away, however there is much planning to do, and as we all know, time seems to fly…

But, it is one step at a time, so I’m looking forward to this weekend, and the backdrop of the Blue Mountains makes rock climbing in the area even that more pleasant.

 

Help – I need Inspiration and Motivation

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TomO – Freshly Pressed!

That is what I was thinking as I headed for the shed this morning for my daily row on a C2 rowing machine, it was 4.30am… 

Exercise is a daily habit for me and always includes rowing, possibly a 10 kilometre walk with a 30 kilo backpack, or some sort of strength training later in the evening.

My friends often comment how much I must like exercise and how easy it seems for me, and true, for the most part I do enjoy it, but as for it being easy, no way, I tell them it is no easier for me than it is for anyone else.

The key is, I tell them, you need to be motivated to do it.

We have just witnessed the world’s greatest sporting spectacle, the Olympics. Those elite athletes’ train for years, day in, day out, they have highs, and I’m sure there are many lows.

Usually their motivation is to be the best, to represent their country, to bring home the Gold, to make their country feel proud as they stand on the top of the podium, the Nation’s Flag saluting their achievement as the sound of their National Anthem heralds their success…

“But what about the rest of us, where can we find our motivation, our inspiration?”

The Shed

This morning as I made my way up the pathway to the shed  in the pre-dawn darkness, a time of day I usually revel in, I was searching for that motivation, something to inspire me, to push me towards my own goals.

“As I wiped the sleep from my eyes, there it was, a vision of why I am doing this, my inspiration… “

Twelve years ago, TomO, our son, was born almost six weeks prematurely. There wasn’t any medical problem for Janet, my partner, in fact everything progressed as normal, but seemingly the little bloke was ready to take on the world and he wasn’t going to wait a moment longer…

A large contingent of medical staff was assembled, ready to provide the life-support that might be needed, it was a humbling moment, but he announced his way into the world in the usual way and was strong enough to take his first breathe without the assistance of the gathered team.

“Those first moments spent cradled in the security of his mother’s loving arms…”

He spent his first three weeks in the intensive care unit of the hospital, growing stronger every day. This was his struggle, his challenge, and he met it head-on, unflinchingly…

 Yes, this was my inspiration, my motivation, the miracle of life, and the will to live…

Camp Oven Cooking – You’ve gotta love it!

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Hands up if you think one of the best parts of camping and being in the outdoors is camp food.

On our travels we try and cook around an open fire using our cast-iron camp oven at every opportunity…

It is a way of bringing us all together at the end of a day, to talk about what we did, our experiences, and usually the only sounds you hear are the crackle of twigs burning, of birds heading to their favourite roost for the night, and of laughter, friendly banter being exchanged around the fire…

Janet, my partner, is a wonderful cook, and without fail she will cook up a batch of scones or a damper in the camp oven to be devoured with lashings of butter and golden syrup much to the delight of all…

Yep, camp food, you’ve gotta love it…

Climbing Mt Everest drinking Ovaltine all the way

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Looking back at old photographs is like opening a time capsule, you just never know what you are going to find, and usually there are one or two little gems to bring a smile to your face.

I was at my partner’s parents home recently, Clare and Archie who are 83 and 98 years old, and over a cup of tea we were flicking through books of old photographs.  The themes varied from trips overseas, the children growing up, and of Archie’s  childhood in India.

You could pick any photograph and Archie would narrate a rich account of when it was taken, and the story behind those who were in it. And there were photographs of Clare’s childhood days, growing up in far western Queensland on the family’s sheep property, and of her days at boarding school in Charters Towers.

The conversation turned to our upcoming adventures, and my journey to climb an 8,000 metre peak close to where Archie grew up. Over the years I have listened to the many stories of Archie’s trips to Darjeeling, situated  in the foothills of the Himalaya’s, and in later years of visits both he and Clare made back to Calcutta.

One story is about a mountaineering expedition group  who turned up at the offices of James Wright and Company, General Merchants, the family business in Calcutta.  The suave and handsome couple were in a rather irate mood as they stepped out of the taxi, demanding to know why they had not been met at the ship upon their arrival.  Being general merchants, Archie and his father dealt in all kind of goods, and were the agent’s in India for the popular drink Ovaltine.

“These mountaineers were here to climb Mt Everest and they were going to drink Ovaltine all the way to the top, extolling its virtues to the world.”

It had all been arranged in England prior to their departure and there was surprise and indignation that they had not been afforded the courtesies expected upon their arrival. They even had a copy of the telegram from the Head of the company that made Ovaltine in England informing of their visit.

This was a gentlemanly age and young Archie arranged for the expedition to be put up at a first class hotel where they could rest after their long sea voyage, and ahead of their attempt to climb Mt Everest.

And rest and avail themselves they did indeed…

Unfortunately, there was to be no attempt on Mt Everest as the mountaineers were well practiced con people. After spending a number of nights in the luxury of the first class hotel, taking advantage of the young Fawthrop’s generous hospitality, they disappeared into the night, leaving Archie with an expensive hotel bill and the need to provide an account to his father of how he had been done by a slick group of con artists’.

But he could be forgiven, after all Ovaltine accompanied Sir Edmund Hilary on his ascent of Mt Everest with Tenzing Norgay in 1953, and the company went on to sponsor Chris Bonnington’s 1975 Everest expedition.

And speaking of Tenzing Norgay, as we continued our journey through the albums one particular photograph caught my attention, a black and white snapshot of Clare and Archie, and I was sure it was Tenzing Norgay, the famous mountaineer, standing beside them.

On a visit to Darjeeling, Archie and Clare met and spoke with Tenzing, a remarkable and quietly spoken man, whilst dining at the Darjeeling Club.

TomO, our son,  was very excited at the discovery, a link to where we will travel next year when I attempt to climb three 6,000 metre peaks, Lobuche East, Island Peak, and Pokalde, all situated  not too far from Mt Everest.

“Was the Ovaltine story and the photograph a sign-post on our own journey, a connection to the region brought about from Archie’s younger days?  In the least, it enriches the experience for us…”

And as I climb in  the Himalaya’s Archie’s Ovaltine story will be sure to put a smile on my face, warming me like a hot cup of Ovaltine on a bleak winter’s night…

The Exotic Treasures of the Temple of Baal

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Photo from Near Nelly's Glen on the Six Foot T...
Megalong Valley

There was a hint of an Indiana Jones Adventure in the making as we stood at the top of Nellies Glen, the sky darkened by a moonless night as we readied ourselves to go in search of…

“The Exotic Treasures of The Temple of Baal”

Fellow adventurer, Ray Tong and I set off in near sub-zero temperatures along an old bridle track, The Six-Foot Track, taking our first steps cautiously to ensure we didn’t slip on the ice covering the ground.  Established in 1884, it is a well trodden path linking the township of Katoomba in the Blue Mountains to the picturesque Jenolan Caves to its west.

The 45 kilometre track initially traverses majestic forests and national parks deep in the Megalong Valley and is often trekked as a 2 or 3-day walk. Although, every March there is a six-foot track marathon run and the front-runners will complete the distance in around 3 to 4 hours despite the mountainous terrain.

Angel's Wing, Temple of Baal, Jenolan Caves
Angel’s Wing, Temple of Baal, Jenolan Caves

The Jenolan Caves, containing some of the world’s most spectacular calcite crystal formations, have been entrancing visitors since 1838 and are the world’s oldest, dating back over 340 million years.

The glorious Orient Cave and the glittering Temple of Baal are indisputably among the world’s best…

Our route took us along fire trails and well-worn tracks in the Megalong Valley, an area steeped in early Australian settler history, before heading up on to Black Mountain Range, a tough section as the route winds its way up the mountain.

When the route was first surveyed in 1884 it took the exploration party around 11 days to make their way through the rugged Australian bush. We had planned on around 11-12 hours of walking to cover the distance to the caves carrying 15 kilogram packs.

And whilst that was the plan, we were content with just getting out and about in the mountains on another adventure.

The area is important to the Gungungurra people who moved throughout the various valleys in the region. The track even passes the site of the last recorded Gungungurra corroboree and a cricket ground where an all-aboriginal team played the Megalong settlers in the 1890s.

“And it would hardly be an adventure worthy of Indiana Jones unless there was a swing bridge of some kind along the way”…

Baz & The Swing Bridge

An interesting feature on the track is Bowtell’s Swing Bridge, a suspension bridge over the Cox’s River that was constructed by the army in 1992. It is used as an alternative crossing when the Cox’s River is too high to cross safely. It is such a beautiful spot that we were tempted to set up camp, but we were still a long way from our destination so we settled on a break to take in the peace and solitude that the flowing river brought.

The area teemed with wildlife, kangaroos feeding on fresh green shoots of grass, and Gang-Gang cockatoos, squawking,  as though heralding our passage through the tall standing gum trees.

As we made our way up along the Black Mountain fire trail the silence of the Australian bush was punctuated every so often by motor-cycle riders who use the area for recreational riding, and occassionally, a four-wheel drive vehicle.

And as the sun lowered in the western sky, disappearing behind the mountains, and the air cooled, the Stately Caves House came into view, a most welcome sight after 11 hours of trekking.

At Jenolan Caves
Caves House

We took a look around the caves area and were later met by our families before heading to the small rural township of Oberon, situated about 30 kilometres away, where we were able to relax over a beer, reflecting on our journey, and…

“The Exotic Treasures of the Temple Of Baal”

Ordinary People – Achieving Great Things

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Andy Campbell

The other day I came across an inspirational story, the story of Andy Campbell.

On 7 June, Andy left London to travel 30,000 miles around the world in a wheelchair, a journey that is expected to take two years, will cross four continents with environments ranging from oceans to deserts, an odessy that has never been attempted before in which he will ski, scubadive, kayak, and even paraglide.

Eight years ago Andy had an abseiling accident, a fall from a rock-face that left him paralysed, losing the use of his legs.

But, in his own words, he kept his “ life and his ambition”.

 “The more I tasted freedom the greater my appetite became and I realised the only way to ensure something’s impossible is to not try, to accept failure and physically stop”.

Motivated by a desire to escape the concrete jungle and urban environments that often confines those in wheelchairs,  Andy has continued to pursue what he enjoys most, adventure. Following the accident he went on to learn the skills necessary to be able to ski, sitting down, kayak, bike ride, scuba dive, and even rock-climbing again, all without the use of his legs.

Andy Campbell Paragliding

Andy will use his journey as a way to help increase the accessibly and enjoyment of the outdoors for those with spinal cord injuries.

His vision is simple, “to help create a world in which people with a spinal cord injury are not restricted from active participation in outdoor recreation by a lack of access to adequate equipment.”

His goal, “to raise 1 million pounds.”

Good luck Andy, you truly are an inspiration, a great example of how ordinary people, achieve great things!

(You can follow Andy’s adventure at www.pushingthelimits.com)

But Baz – You can’t even tie your shoelaces

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Shoelaces, photo taken in Sweden

Okay, confession time, I can’t tie my shoelaces.

Phew! That wasn’t too bad now I’ve finally got it off my chest, in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever admitted that before.

Actually, I did admit it to TomO, my 12 year-old son a few years back when he was struggling with the concept. And I recall being a little snookered at the time, especially when he asked for a demo of how it was done. I just didn’t want to go there and let’s face it there are plenty of things that can mess around with a young mind and this didn’t need to be one of them. So I ‘fessed up and sent him to speak with his mother.

And speaking of his mother, I did mention it to Janet, as there was some risk of tripping over as I led her arm-in-arm down the aisle on our wedding day. Believe me, I’m assured of tripping at least once a week with the way I tie my shoelaces. Imagine the wedding shots with me sporting a black eye in them, all because I tripped on a rogue shoelace that had come undone. I’m sure many would find the recounting of such a story funny, but I’d be the brunt of endless jokes down at the local football club.

“Hey Baz, you didn’t even get down the aisle and you’re sporting a black eye already”. Bluey and the boys would be on to me with the ferocity of a ‘pit-bull terrier’ nipping at your heels…

I ran the gauntlet when playing football as a pre-pubescent teenager growing up in Townsville. The other boys were always impressed my mother turned up for every single game we played, always on the sideline cheering away, but of course I never told them that mum and I ducked around to the back of the sheds before the game so she could tie my boots up.

Only a loving mother could do that, and boy it saved me from embarrassment at a very delicate age. We won every game that year and the boys nominated mum as our lucky charm.

I think I can even trace back my life-long habit of sleeping without bed-clothes, you know, in the nude, due to this problem, despite telling Janet I was just a new-age type of guy. It did start a trend though…

Stay with me here!  

Remember those flannelette pyjamas, the ones with the draw-cord that you had to tie off?

I still have nightmares over them, and go into a cold-sweat whenever I pass a rack of them at our local K-Mart store…

I used to tie them off in my usual way, but after a few tosses and turns in the bed my bow would become a knot.  Invariably I’d wake up needing to visit the little room, you know, the call of nature, make a quick dash down the hallway worried I might only just make it, only to find the knot at the last critical moment.

Talk about panic, sheer panic!

No one ever owned up to who hid the scissors in the little room, although I think mum has always suspected me.  Perhaps the tell tale sign was a severed cord in my pyjamas, but funny as it seems now, she never asked why I didn’t need any new pyjamas from that moment on.

And what about Dunlop Volleys, I had stacks of those in my young adult years. The first thing I did when I opened the box was to rip the laces out and throw them away, problem solved.  I thought it looked so cool walking around in them without laces. Mind you it should come as no surprise that I would put that sort of spin on it.

It did look cool, didn’t it?

I mean Janet never said it didn’t, but back then we were freshly wedded and you know how those things work, nodding yes, but thinking no! Mind you she never criticised those yellow pants I used to wear, well not back then anyway, but she’s managed to toss that one out there a couple of times recently…

These days if I had a pair of the old Dunlop’s on without laces someone would be offering me 5 bucks to buy some and telling me to keep the change to get myself a feed.

While we’re on shoes, how good are running shoes these days? The ones with the Quicklace for one pull tightening, no need to tie anything. I was right on to them when they first came out. My running mates were impressed and I was singing their virtues so often that I’m sure they must have been thinking I was on some sort of retainer from the company. The unfortunate downside is they made my stockpile of Dunlop Volley’s redundant, after all how am I supposed to offload a dozen pair without shoelaces?

So by now you are probably thinking, okay Baz, bravo, but what’s with it? I’m sure there are others with a similar problem even if we’ve never come across them…

Well you see any mountaineer worth his or her salt will have a repertoire of some complex knots that they can perform blindfolded. And I’m sure there is one knot for every letter in the alphabet, and then a hundred more! The girth hitch, a water knot, a figure eight fisherman’s knot, the munter hitch, and something called a stopper knot that sounds like it’s a pretty important one.

On a recent abseiling course my marker was finally called in…

I had a quick mental debate over whether I should admit to our instructor that I couldn’t tie my shoelaces, but thought better of it because it might be me first up on the rope after I’ve tied it off.

Besides, I’m sure there is a climber’s creed that says something like, you tied it, you try it!

And it would save them any embarrassment when under cross-examination in a coronial inquiry.

Imagine having to defend a fact that you allowed someone who could not tie their shoelaces to tie off the anchor points on top of the cliff that lead to the sudden demise of some poor family man with a dozen mouths to feed.

Yep, there’d be no doubting they’d be too smart to be caught out like that, so it was more likely to be me abseiling at 100 kilometres an hour with one end of the rope in each hand.

Mind you I did think of mum, but a fear of heights ruled her out. Besides, would I really want my mother with me asking have I got my handkerchief just as I’m about to abseil over the edge?

So here it was, my moment of truth. Actually it wasn’t too bad.

They all thought it was a great joke and everyone laughed loudly. Even though this was serious business it could still be fun and there is nothing like a rope joke to break the ice.

But the laughing floated away into the valley below when I explained it was true! I could even see a couple of them processing this and clearly questioning in their minds whether it was in fact a tree root I tripped on as we made our way down to the cliff-face from the carpark. And like wandering eyes drawn to the busom of a woman in a low cut dress, they spent the rest of the day fixated on my shoes.

Our instructor was quite good about it really and offered some comforting words and said I shouldn’t worry as there are probably many people like me, and thinking they probably weren’t abseilers though.

As soon as I turned my back he was right on to those knots I tied. Struth, I would have been if I was him, especially as he was clipped on a safety line that I had just tied-off. The colour drained from his face as he stepped back from the cliff edge, shaking visibly!

But we did work away at those knots; the figure eight was popular, very strong and guaranteed to hold everything in place, just as long as you got it right.  I practised away, at times feeling like I had a fistful of thumbs as I worked on those fisherman’s knots. But I was mastering it, on my way to becoming a pro!

And my rigging was successfully put to the test; but mind you I still have a problem of sorts.

I’ve been working so fervently on my climber’s knots that I still haven’t got around to working out how to tie my shoelaces.

Remember as a kid when you got your first pair of shiny black shoes?

I do. I refused to take them off for a week, even insisting on wearing them to bed despite being offered as much ice-cream I could eat in return for removing them.

You see I’ve been practicing my fisherman’s knot on my work shoes (Doh!) and anyone with even a basic understanding of knots will know the fisherman’s knot is designed to never come undone, something I overlooked as I was high-fiving TomO.

The penny dropped as I headed for a shower and I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry, and a couple of those naughty words did slip out.

But there we have it, tonight it looks like I’m going to bed with my shoes on for the first time in years and no amount of ice-cream is going to save the situation. I just need to broach the topic with Janet.

It’s kind of funny really; here I am dressed to the nines for bed in just my work shoes. Who would have thought my mountaineering journey would have a twist like this in it?

Am I alone on this one, or is there a huge group, inspired by my confession, about to come-out?

Come on; join the movement… if you belong, I’ve got some Dunlop Volley’s you can have for the asking!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Growth

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This is a photo of our son, TomO, with a yabbie he has just caught in the Paroo River, Hungerford, Queensland, Australia.

They both have room to grow!

Both have room to grow!

Dope on a Rope – A Rope Rescue Course in the Mountains

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English: The Three Sisters, Katoomba, New Sout...
The Three Sisters, Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia.(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last weekend I headed to the mountains for a couple of days of abseiling and climbing with the team from the Australian School of Mountaineering (ASM) at Katoomba.

The setting was the spectacular Blue Mountains, an internationally recognised World Heritage Area where you can bush walk, mountain bike, abseil, climb and canyon in any number of spectacular locations, and at night sit around a log fire in one of the many inviting hotels, or bed and breakfast establishments.  Unless you choose to camp out in the elements, and there are plenty of places where you can do that, all within two hour’s drive from the centre of Sydney.

Janet, my partner, and two of her girlfriends joined me for the weekend, although they were there to support the local economy in the numerous dress shops and art and craft boutiques that are part of the make-up of the small towns and villages in the region, not to dangle from the end of a rope!

The weekend was a follow-up to some recent training I undertook and an opportunity to learn more advanced skills. The first day was spent learning about gear selection and fitting, rigging of suitable anchor systems, hazard identification and avoidance, self-belaying techniques, and basic rescue and self rescue systems. Whilst there was some theory involved all the training was on the cliffs, and I was joined by two other people from Sydney who came to brush up on some abseiling skills learnt from boy-scout days.

Carrington Hotel
Carrington Hotel (Photo credit: tolomea)

After a tiring first day I stopped by at the Carrington Hotel, a beautifully renovated Art Deco style hotel in the centre of Katoomba, to meet with the girls who were strategically seated in the couches around a log-fire sipping on champagne. Later, we went to a local restaurant, Avalon, situated in an old picture theatre, where we had a few good laughs as the girls discussed their day, and purchases.  Although I did keep quiet about the two new ropes I purchased as I’m sure I would have been subjected to some friendly banter, especially after recently writing about their shopping exploits!

The second day was spent on more specialised rope rescue skills, tips and tricks that you need to know if you are going to dangle from a rope down a cliff face. And this included the use of mechanical ascenders and prusiks, and importantly, an improvised casualty evacuation method using  Z–drags. These skills will form an important of my tool kit as I make my journey to Cho Oyu and Beyond, as much of the mountaineering I will be doing in the next two years will be glacier based and have the ever present risk of crevasses, so learning to rescue oneself  from deep within is important. But like many things, this is all about practice, and you need to take the military approach to learning, just keep on drilling it until you can do it backwards in your sleep!

But alas, despite the serious side to the course it is supposed to be fun, otherwise why would you be doing it? And we did have lots of fun, and lots of laughs. Although the girls were heard to quip that how could anything be fun if it didn’t involve shopping!

Shane, ASM Instructor

Shane, our instructor from ASM, has a strong climbing background and also instructs at a local college on Outdoor and Recreational activities.  He was able to impart his knowledge with ease and in a way that could be readily absorbed. This was great as there is a fair amount of stress happening as you are trying to self-rescue yourself from half-way down a cliff. I’ll be doing some more climbing with Shane in two weeks time which will give me the opportunity to hone in and practice the skills learnt this weekend.

And we had spectacular weather for the two days, a little cool at times when the sun slipped behind a cloud, but from our position at Mt York we were sheltered from most of the wind and the view was spectacular from our cliff-top perch – I couldn’t help but think, you wouldn’t be dead for quids!

Dope on a rope?

On the Rope, Mt York, Blue Mountains

Well there were times I was feeling that way as I worked to master the necessary skill level with what seemed like a fist full of thumbs, but hanging-out on a rope is a blast and I can’t wait to be back out there again!

Who’s up for some abseiling and climbing?

Three Girls and their Credit Cards – It’s all a matter of perspective

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Leura Galleries

Okay, there are many pursuits that could be classed as risky, dangerous, some more so than others, but really, it still comes down to one’s perspective, doesn’t it?

So Janet, my partner, and I were having a bit of a debate about this earlier today ahead of a trip we are making to the Blue Mountains, just to the west of Sydney this weekend.

And I will set the scene here, Janet is no wallflower, together we have flown aeroplanes, jumped out of them, abseiled off the side of the AMP building in Sydney side-by-side, and even rafted down some wild rivers in Papua New Guinea – so there’s no doubting she’s up for adventure and happy to balance risk against outcomes.

So when I said to her that a weekend of shopping in the Blue Mountains with her two girlfriends, we’ll just call them Kimbalee and Lisa to protect their identities, is risky and dangerous it seemingly fired her up a touch. It actually made me chuckle a bit, because it was a bit like when you were a teenager, you know, when you got sprung by your parents, as though they were mind readers, before you did whatever it was that you weren’t supposed to, and left you with no option but to go on the defensive…

“How’s that she asked? And besides, aren’t you climbing and abseiling off some rock walls isn’t that a little risky?” was the retort…

And true, I will be doing that, thankfully spared from being dragged from boutique to boutique, art gallery to art gallery, mind you, some of the art galleries are very nice, and the prospect of being in the company of these three attractive young ladies was pleasing, but I was looking forward to the outdoor activities I had planned.

I thought I’d better choose my words carefully here because as lovely natured as Janet is, she could stare down a stampede of cattle at a hundred paces.

Well I suggested these girls, Kimbalee and Lisa, were seasoned shoppers, fearless and old-school who live to the creed “if you can’t decide which one you like, buy the lot”. In the right setting that might be okay, our bank balance might just scrap through relatively unscathed, but these boutiques were high fashion, and that’s before we get to the galleries…

Sensing she had me on the ropes, of which there was a certain amount of irony, and with a glint in her eye she said…

“But haven’t you always said that if you are going to do something, learn to do it properly, and then go out and practice it until you are an expert?”

True I thought, and about this time I was wishing I hadn’t tried to be so smart, and had just gone about my daily routine without throwing out the bait, so to speak.

I should have seen it coming…

“So how much did you say those climbing boots are, you know the ones you’ll need for New Zealand, $700, $800, I’ve never bought a pair of shoes that have cost anywhere near that amount”. Was that a smile I detected, a cheeky little grin, as she turned away slightly?

I was looking for that big hole to swallow me up, and started to understand just how a stampede of cattle might just be feeling right now, stared down by Janet.

Yes risk and danger, it’s there wherever we look, in whatever we do, and as I climb and descend tomorrow, I’m sure that the klinking sound of carabineers on carabineers will be equalled by the ringing sound of a cash register playing the tune of three wonderful lady’s having fun, and of course, giving their cards a workout…

The Shed – An Aussie Icon in the backyard

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The Shed

You’ve got to love the Aussie Shed, a beacon in a sea of green grass that is usually found near the back fence on any Australian suburban house block. I love my shed and even though it was designed to house a couple of cars, and all that stuff that you accumulate over the years, you know, the Christmas presents that you couldn’t stand but didn’t have the heart to send to the refuse tip, they all invariably end up hidden away in a dark corner of the shed.

As a long-term fitness junkie, my shed houses surfboards, kayaks, a Concept C2 rower, and my weight-lifting racks and associated equipment, as well as numerous bikes collected over the years. Not surprisingly there is a small collection of old Landrover parts and camping equipment. And yes, the odd Christmas present that seemed like a good idea to someone long-ago.

Mind you, not all Aussie sheds house exercise equipment, unless of course you count the bar fridge in the corner which is standard equipment. Often you’ll see the men-folk doing some elbow bending as they drink a toast to the day passed, usually just around the time the sun is going down over the yard-arm. And like a bunch of Cockatoos, high on the fermenting nectar of fruit consumed under a hot Aussie sun, the squawking tends to increase as the amber fluid flows.  And you can be sure a fair amount of advice is passed around, an exchange of ideas, thoughts, happenings, and the odd joke or two. A  bit like Speakers Corner where everyone is given a chance to say their bit, to tell their yarn in a not too serious way.

But I’m digressing…Each morning around 4.30am, or silly-o’clock as Janet, my partner suggests, I make the journey out the back door and up the driveway to the shed. Even the dogs, Milo and Jack, can’t be bothered to get out of their beds, preferring to wave me through, especially on these colder winter mornings. Although, usually after about 30 minutes or so one of them will wander up to see what is going on, but I suspect if they could speak they’d actually be asking for a feed, seemingly oblivious to anything else, such is a dog’s life. Depending on the day I’ll either pursue my strength training, or use the rower for my daily cardio fix and although I would prefer to be out on the water kayaking it isn’t always convenient during the week, so the rowing machine is a great substitute.

I must confess upfront to being an early morning person, I guess you’d have to be to manage a 4.30am start each day, but it does have its advantages. In between the clanging of weight plates being moved, or interval sets on the rower, I can stand outside in the pre-dawn silence and marvel at the stars in the sky, the wondrous universe with you at its centre, once a month watch a full moon setting in the western sky, and if I’m lucky even a shooting star to ponder a thought on.

And what of the neighbours I hear you ask, what if they don’t share my love of the early morning? I must say it is hard not to be tempted into playing some heavy metal, AC/DC or Led Zeppelin (okay I’m showing my age here!) to help the mood and give that much needed pump for the session. But alas, it is mostly done in silence, apart from a moan or groan under the weight of a squat bar, or the last 500 metres on the rower.  But fair to say, if I head up for an afternoon session, which is more often than not, it is always accompanied by some loud rock or heavy metal music. I’ve always said that Theo, our next door neighbour, is a closet heavy metal fan, so the relationship has never been strained, he doesn’t always say much mind you, but smiles a lot, so maybe he’s actually deaf. And I’m frequently visited by Janet, and TomO, our son, during these sessions, which is always welcome, mind you there would never be any chance of that happening in the morning, in fact I don’t think they know what 4.30am actually looks like.

There was a suggestion not too long ago that maybe the shed could be converted and upgraded to have a loft, an upstairs area where TomO and his mates could hang out, maybe even move into as he advances in his teenage years. You know, a brand new building without the cracks that have accumulated over the years, possibly from too much heavy metal music resonating through the walls, or perhaps just cracking up from the tall stories that have echoed from within – but it just wouldn’t be cricket, and besides where would I put the bar fridge?

No thanks, I like my shed just the way it is, and as the sun slowly sinks below the yard arm in a brilliant display of burnt orange…Cheers, from the shed!