2P's Big Day Out

Today Total: 46k (at least - probably more)
Week Total: 70k
Month Total: 136k
Year Total: 136k

Part 1 - The Preparation (Part 2 - The Run will follow in another installment).

I'm not exactly bored with running on Six Foot Track but I wanted something that would get me onto roads less travelled and also something that would challenge me a bit both physically and navigationally. Last January I did the 12 hour - this year I wanted something a bit different.

Answer - a 43k (approx) recce for what I hope will become a section of a fatass that I've been scheming over for a while now - it takes in part of the Six Foot Track from the Deviation to Jenolan Caves - then a bush bash up to the ridge to Oaky Camp that has a fire trail leading to the Kanangra Road at Mt Whiteley. From there it follows the Kanangra Road East for a couple of clicks and then fangs a left at Mt Lakeman to eventually join up with the Moorara Boss fire trail which ultimately joins back up with Black Range after crossing the Jenolan Gorge again..

The route would be fairly remote in parts (ie very unlikely to see anyone for a while) and much of it would be above 1000 meters - combine that with me going solo and the risk factors were adding up - so I decided to travel heavy - rain jacket, triangular bandage, roller bandage, space bag, pain killers, beanie, map, compass, Garmy, and a mobile phone (woishful thinking) and headlamp in case I had a drama - and then there was the food a water!

I might be toting some weight but at least I was going to get a chance to road test my new 35L capacity pack(and no I didn't fill it up) and hopefully not get an opportunity to try out the new Princeton Tec 1W headlamp - but it was coming for the ride just in case.

After dropping the Halfpenny back to Bathurst I hit the shops for victuals and then doddled across to the Black Range campground.

Initially I had just planned to doss down in the bivy bag but the constant weather reports citing impending showers (though hard to believe with crystal clear skies) had me woosing out and stringing up the hootchie - I love the humble hootchie and I was well pleased with my handywork :-)

The good thing about this route is that whilst it is remote parts, other parts can be accessed by car - so a set of water and Gatorade drops was in order.

So having the accommodation squared away I set out to do the drops - 2L of water at the junction of Black Range and the Maroora Boss fire trail - this is only about 6.5k from the end but I had heaps of H20 so what the heck.

Next was 2 x 600ml bottles of Gatorade at Kiaora Hill - Six Footers will know that is where the Jenolan Cabins are. Again this is not far from the start but it would save me having to lug another 1.2kgs up the cliff on the Deviation so well worth it - also I was far too stingy to pay the $4.50 to park my car at the Caves whilst I found a suitable hiding spot.

The final drop was at Mt Lakeman at the junction of the Blood Filly fire trail and Kanangra Road - another 2 x 600mls of Gatorade.

The drops meant I could get away with just 2L in the Camelbak (filled at Jenolan Caves) - I was expecting to be out about at least 8 hours NB I could have put out more water as well - but I'm a stickler for taking my rubbish with me and so despite the size of my pack space would become a problem re: the empties - and I just knew I wouldn't be arsed driving back to collect them after I finished.

Driving through the Jenolan Gorge I started to wonder WTF I had got myself into - the scale of things here is XXL - funny how time dulls the memory - "I am going to cross the Jenolan Gorge (ie what you can see in front of you) TWICE on trails steeper than Pluvio - I am going to do farking what"?!?

I was also a bit apprehensive about finding the right ridge to take up to Oaky Camp (the bush bas bit) so I pulled up at the campground turnoff and again at Inspiration Lookout on the way back to do a bit of a map study.

Legend has it that there was once a road up the Oaky Camp ridge but from my distant perch I couldn't detect it - but at least I could confirm that the ridge looked navigable - I'd just have to be able to find the bugger from the bottom now :-) I programmed the waypoint into Garmy for the nose of the ridge so that should get me within 80m or so of the right spot.

It was getting on toward 6.00pm by the time I got back to camp - time to get the billy fired up,  strap on the nose bag and settle the nerves a bit. And whilst the campground on the West side of the Jenolan Rd is choccas it's only me and a herd of about 30 kanagroos in residence at the Deviation. The kanga's are quite cute - they are just munching away on grass from between 5 to 50 meters away - if I get up they watch me but don't hop off and I don't try to go near them - live and let live I say.

Well it's just after 8.00pm as I tap out this sentance on the cackleberry (no reception so I won't be sending it) and I'm feeling very at peace and content - all my preparation is good - now it is just a matter of doing it. It has clouded over and is quite cool so it might be time to turn back the bed covers and see if housekeeping has left a chocolate under my pillow.

To be continued.