Training Log Archive: robw

Not really rogaining but fast walking and a bit of running.
Got up early after the wedding and drove out to mt Barney which I've always wanted to climb after we had a poster of otford while. Stopped on route to get some lunch from a bakery and arrived about 8.45.

The signs at the start and the first views of it certainly had me pretty anxious as it looks very imposing and Ive never seen so many signs about being prepared. I don't think theywouldhave classified my series of screenshots of the track notes and topo map as being prepared.
Anyway I got going pretty quickly as them ores made its puns like it'd be touch and go getting back in time to make my flight. The first few km are along a fire trail where several more warning signs discouraged you from going to the top. I checked the track notes a few times while jogging along the flatter sections to make up time and eventually came across thefootpad up theSE ridge which I was aiming for. It was encouragingly obvious so I pushed on walking as fast as I could. Pretty quickly the track became very steep and rocky as it weaved around huge rocky outcrops on the narrow ridge. There are a few tricky sections that involve short sections of easy climbing and when I got to the first of these there was even a rope.
Up above I could I could see the top up in the cloud and there was obviously a few very steep sections to come but as I got to each of these they weren't to bad although I new if I had to climb down them they would be a lot harder. From some of these sections there were awesome views out to the other rocky peaks and the big cliffs around the top.
When i got to the top the cloud was swirling around and there wasn't any view which was dissapointing. If been going for only two hours so decided to come down the south ridge which I wasn't go to risk if I was short for time as the notes made it sound tricky to find from the top.
Anyway i set off west towards the west peak as the notes suggested on a very faint pad that I was struggling to find. After I while this dissapeared and rather than continued headed back up to try and find the track again which I seemed to. Feeling more confident i headed down again but when o checked the notes I realised I done exactly what they said not to do and was heading into the gorge on the north side.
By this stage I was getting a bit anxious with the cloud and wind swirling around and heading back up working pretty hard looking for the "real" track. I couldn't find it but from the map screenshot I could see where I needed to go and it looked passable so I headed off cross country. When I got to the ridge I picked up a very faint track that gradually became larger bad I felt very relieved although I still needed to find the track heading down theS ridge.
The notes made this sound like it was just past the big saddle which I found and stopped to have my ham and pineapple roll. From here the track was supposed to head up and then down the ridge bit the rocky wall off to the left didn't look like it could have any sort of track down it and I couldn't find a good track leaving the saddle either so afters few attempts I backtracked to a point where I remembered seeing a bit of green tape. I was feeling a bit anxious again by this stage and it seemed like ages to get back to the tape but when I found it again there was a promising looking track heading down which very quickly became more obvious and relaxed a bit now that id found it.
This route down is meant to be the easiest of all routes and it was pretty smooth sailing. The notes mentioned being careful at an exposed slab towards the bottom but when I got to this t wasn't that bad. From here it was a cruisey walk back to the car with the satisfaction is made it in plenty of time. Had time to stop for a coffee and take the long route back via the natural bridge and murwullimbah which had awesome views of mt warning and the sugar cane being burnt off. Awesome day!

C • sounds great 5

Out to laminating national park in the morning a did a longish run around some of the walking tracks. Awesome tracks could have run 3 times as far without going on the same track twice. Coffee after and then back in time to make the wedding, phew!

Up in Gold Coast for a school friends wedding and got out for a run along the spit in the dark. Frogs, maybe cane toads? Hopping everywhere, also saw a few big temporary signs warning a boa constrictor had been spotted in the area and to keep away, I was keeping a good eye on the ground.

Into work via mt painter.

Into work over mt painter plus a short jog to school in the arvo.