So this weekend I joined two new friends from the ANU Mountaineering Club (ANUMC) for the 8 hour category of the ACT Rogaining Association’s annual championships. For a little bit of background, I have moved to Canberra since my last post a few months ago and am now in the process of setting up life in a new city so everything has been a little slow on the adventure front.
But back to the main story. Following a few facebook messages I met my new team mates at 6:45am on Saturday morning after a late night feeling very very disorganised. Mel and Izzy rocked up and off we set, with confidence someone had the directions and we’d make it there with plenty of time. As it turns out we weren’t doing the best job of paying attention and I missed two or three turn-offs trying to get out of Canberra. However we got there, and immediately Mel starting picking out other ANUMC people to introduce and chat to while we checked out the maps.
The team wasn’t planning on taking it to hard, in fact Izzy was on her first rogaine and off track bushwalk so we spent the first few hours of the adventure explaining carefully how to navigate, what we we’re looking at and getting very very confused about whether we should be looking for a gully or a spur.
The event provided a perfect route for a leisurely 8hr stroll and navigation lesson. Despite a few scratchy sections of scrub, some very wet feet in the many creek crossings and swamp sections, and some breaks in lovely sunny glades we made good time and worked really well as a team.
The start crowd. All of these people are planning and wandering around the bush for 8-24hrs. Impressive hey?
Izzy’s first ever control! Well done team!
The sunset was pretty amazing. I am keen to go and check out Deua National Park again sometime soon!
Undergrowth! The choice between thick undergrowth or swamp made for slow growing sometimes
Lights on. Eyes protected.
20metres from the Hash House. Not a nice final moment, but Izzy smiled the whole way!
