Toenails are for Sissies

Today we tackled the first and second legs of the Wild Endurance course...all 48.5 kms of it. 

On Friday night the team met in Wentworth Falls, so we could get off to an early start Saturday morning.  Michelle prepared sandwiches, while the rest of the team prepared their packs.  It was lights out by 11 pm, because we decided to be up by 4:30 am and out the door by 5:30 am.  With a few car drops we were off to Dunphy's Camp for our 7 am start. 

After saying good morning to all the kangaroos, Hector, Chris, Ken, Thompson, Kirsty and Anna  started their hike out of Dunphys, while Michelle and Choong drove the VWs back to Wentworth Falls.  Part 1 of the hike was good and a climb, but this was the second time on this part of the course so it was a bit easier...even the climb up the wall at Tarros Ladder.  The only obstacles on this part were the leeches but the team agreed to power through them.  After going up we went down.  Down the Golden Stairs across the rockslide area (which new rocks were added from recent slides) to the Furber Steps...and up we went again.  Katoomba Oval was a nice place to break and will be our first check point in the race.

As we arrived at Katoomba a storm approached and it rained.  The team set up under a tree (it wasn't lightning) and ate our sandwiches and refilled our packs.  With rain jackets donned we headed back to the trail.  Unfortunately a re-route was needed due to the closure of the Giant Stairs.  Apparently a rock slide took out a section of the stairs the Saturday prior, so our stairs down would be further out.  A few people were injured in the Giant Stairs incident so our prayers go out to them.

Part 2: Down through Leura Forest and Fern Bower we went.  As the rain came down, feet got wet and the stairs turned into baby waterfalls.  Ken managed to slip down a few stairs, but other than being more wet he was okay.  So the rest of the hike involved rain and thunder, more streams, more leeches (Hector and Chris enjoyed a few close encounters with them)...eventually the sun did come out...but then it fell behind the mountains as night approached.  By the end of the hike we were ready for showers, real food and sleep.  What a day...what an adventure.

Thanks Michelle and Choong for your help this weekend, even with the dog incident.

Lessons learned:

• When using plastic bags to protect your feet during stream crossings use the tall kitchen bags and not the small grocery bags. (for Ken and Chris)
• Never follow gummi bears, scones, pretzels, and gatorade with chocolate mint gu (for Hector)
• Always play the Top Gun soundtrack when you need a boost up a big hill (for Anna)
• If sprinkling salt on a leech make sure you hit the leech and not everything else (for Thompson)
• Others?  Kirsty...I can't think of one for you.  You do it all right!!!

No pictures were taken on this hike, but I saw many opportunities for great shots...I'll have to remember next time.

The morning started with a drizzle of rain, which meant descending the Giant Stair case turned into a Giant Slip n Slide.  Slip and slide is exactly what happened to Rebecca, and later to Kat (joined the team on this hike and has been quite generous in her donation to the team) who almost slipped into one of the many streams.  After slidding down several stairs, bruised Rebecca got up and continued the descent.  And Kat got up with a smile on her face.  Two tough cookies.

The hike started at Katoomba Oval and ended at Wentworth Falls.  Some members opted other routes (such as Hector and Thomson who ended the trek with a 3km run to the car), but those that completed the planned trek hiked 28+kms.  Way to go!  It was a gorgeous day filled with falls, leeches, butterflies (or as Kirsty calls them "fairies") and one snake..oh and a couple of races (Kirsty vs Chris, Thompson vs Hector).

 Great job to the entire team, especially the climb up the never ending fire road (which was a great workout).

Clouds, horses, rain, kangaroos, hills, stair and rock faces...this sums up our 27km hike in the Blue Mountains.  We decided it was time to conquer Leg 1 of the Wild Endurance trek.  Conquer is what we did.  The weather was cool, rainy and foggy at times...so the leeches came out in full force.  I think we are still finding leeches in our shoes.  It was a beautiful yet challenging hike, and we have more challenges right around the corner...

We want to say thanks to Sue-Ellen and Andre who drove us into Dunphy's Camp.  We had a few obstacles with kangaroos and horses, but with their driving skills there was nothing to worry about.

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