The Heysen Trail - Complete

Yesterday I finished the Heysen Trail at Parachilna Gorge - a journey of some 1,200km from Cape Jervis. 64 days of hiking over the past 2 years.

Finished - August 16 2008 - at the end of the Heysen Trail at Parachilna Gorge

It seems a long time ago now, that fateful day when I started - April 30 2006. That morning was cold, I almost didn't bother getting up early.

It didn't go unnoticed today of my first End-to-End 2 weekend back in mid May 2006 when I hurt my knee on my first hike with that group. After six months or so of physio exercises, and lots of hike-bandaging and poles - well, let's just say I've come a long way since then.

It seems so surreal that I have finished the trail now, I can't imagine not doing it anymore. I might walk some days on the trail again with people, it may not be so easily done to untangle oneself from the trail. However I probably won't blog them here.

There may still some unfinished business looming with the Heysen Trail next year though, I'll get back to you on that one later. Secret squirrel.

The full blog of my 64 days on the Heysen Trail can be found here: www.jez-heysen.blogspot.com

Finishing the Yurrebilla

It's been some 11 months since the last stage - gosh, it's only a 3 day walk - but now we have finally completed the last section of the Yurrebilla Trail.

Eagle on the Hill to Belair National Park

Enjoyed walking up Brownhill Creek, and the bits around Eagle on the Hill were quite pleasant. Tim was our tour guide for this bit, a wealth of information in him. I'm writing this a week later, so frankly, I've got nothing else to add.





Stats:

• Distance: 14.8km
  
• Start time: 10.10am
  
• End time: 1.30pm
  

Then there were four

The fast, medium and slow groups didn't eventuate, and by the morning break Graham and I decided to form a breakaway group that would be fast. With the walk leader's approval the seven of us set off, however by lunch time only four of us remained, the rest dropping back to the main group.

Pioneer Womens Trail: Hahndorf to Beaumont

The trail honours the pioneer women of Hahndorf who took their produce to the markets in Adelaide from their homes in Hahndorf, between 1839 and 1852. They carried up to 65kg, and walked barefoot, setting off at 1am to make Beaumont by early morning and the city markets after that.

Listen to an interview with Anni Luur Fox from the Hahndorf branch of the National Trust, which aired on ABC 891 on Friday.





Stats:

• Distance: 28.4km
  
• Start time:
  
• End time:
  
• Moving duration: 4h 50m
  
• Stationary duration: 1h 12m
  
• Moving average: 5.9km/h
  
• Overall average: 4.7km/h
  

Just 4 minutes rest

Returning to the Waterfall Gully hike, we got our best rest time ever - just 4 minutes.

Mt Lofty Summit to Waterfall Gully and return

Does the wind count?

It didn't rain today, unless if you count when the wind blows while you are standing under trees.

Hidden Gorge, Mambray Creek

Our Heysen Trail walk was cancelled today due to wet roads, so Graham and I drove down to Mambray Creek - thank goodness for the car hey - and walked the Hidden Gorge hike. It didn't rain.

Pretty glad we went for the walk though, 16.9km over 5 hours. Hidden Gorge was magnificent, we even saw a Yellow Footed Wallaby with a striped yellow tail. Graham and I both took falls on the slippery rocks through Hidden Gorge.

This was a special hike, this is the same hike I did with the guys when I was 17 over a hot Easter, I guess one of my first hikes, certainly the longest I had done before. Back then we did in jeans or trackies with some regular backpacks and water bottles. How it changes ha?

Back on the Heysen Trail tomorrow.



View photos as full screen slideshow



Stats:

• Distance: 16.9km
  
• Odometer: 41.49km
  
• Start time: 8.20am
  
• End time: 1.24pm
  
• Moving duration: 3h 46m
  
• Stationary duration: 1h 15m
  
• Moving average: 4.5km/h
  
• Overall average: 3.4km/h
  
• Max speed: 10.5km/h
  

Exhiliration

An adrenalin climb to breathtaking views after views. A short, hard hike, some rock scrambling but views that just take your breath away.

Devils Peak, Pichi Richi Pass

I drove up to Port Augusta today for the first week of two for End-to-End 2 week on the Heysen Trail, from Quorn to Moralana Scenic Drive, near Wilpena Pound. So for something to get me in the mood (like I need to) I drove out to Quorn to hike Devil's Peak. A quick but good hike that I had never done before.

Euphoric as I was having reached the top, scrambling up rocks, at the same time I got an sms from Alex to say he was engaged, so a quick phone call from what he said was the best place called from yet to congratulate him.



View photos as full screen slideshow



Up Stats:

• Distance: 1.24km
  
• Start time: 2.00pm
  
• Moving duration: 25m 30s
  
• Stationary duration: 12m 30s
  
• Moving average: 3.2km/h
  
• Overall average: 2.1km/h
  
• Max speed: 7.5km/h
  

Coming back down was just 20 minutes.

10,000 steps each day

Tomorrow I start the 10,000 steps a day challenge with others from my workplace. So for the next 4 months I am going to be ridiculously annoyed by having to wear a pedometer.

The event runs for until September, and each of the two Adcorp teams will be competing against each other and other Adcorp teams across Australia.

The GCC is a corporate health and wellbeing initiative developed specifically for the workplace. The event was created to address the emerging health crisis resulting from the triple threat - longer workdays, sedentary occupations and little or no exercise.

As you will discover, the GCC is a program that increases staff fitness, promotes teamwork, fosters positive competitive spirit, and supports the workforce to be active, healthy, and more productive.

Most importantly, it's fun. Participants record their daily walking activity levels from their GCC pedometer and every step moves them further along a virtual walk around the world. With a daily target of 10,000 steps and a journey that provides reward for effort, participants and their team have a great time while maintaining the long-term commitment and motivation needed to bring about positive, habitual change.

Website: www.gcc2008.com

My pedometer is here
It’s everywhere that I do go,
It comes with me in sunshine,
And through the rain and in the snow.

I wear it on my hip
Making sure it’s set up straight,
That way it keeps my step count right
Regardless of my gait.

Not on my head or by my toes
But just there on my hip,
And if I wear loose clothing
I need to check it doesn’t slip.

And the days I have to wear it
Well, that’s everyday I’m told,
Every weekday and weekend
To my body it must mould.

Except when I go swimming
Have a bath or get undressed,
Cause if we had to wear it nude
We’d all get rather stressed.

It cannot measure everything
Of this, I am aware,
It doesn’t measure street luge miles
Or wrestling with a bear.

But what it does is measure steps
And how many I can do,
I can’t wait to get it started
And we hope you can’t wait too.