Walkers: Clive, Coralie, Janice (leader), Mabel, Mike
Photos: Janice's
Report:
This walk, despite being offered in the club program several times over the past 6 years, can still offer some unexpected challenges!
Challenge #1: A new direction? OR Where is she going?? In response to popular demand, from those in the back seat of the car, we decided to take this walk back to front and start at the end; no wonder the chief navigator was confused and lead the team off towards the South Australian border rather than in the direction of Mugwamp camp! Disoriented by the sudden appearance of Coralie out of the bush, the chief navigator ignored the obvious markers, steps AND track and headed off on a forestry track, Just as well the ever vigilant Coralie noticed the error in time and took corrective action or we would all be still struggling on our way over towards Penola by now. (Although, I have heard that they do have a great bakery over there!)
Challenge #2: Taking the long slow downhill climb at the end of the walk as a long slow uphill climb at the start of the walk. Common consensus was that it was probably better.
Challenge #3: Avoiding wrigglies in the tank at the walkers camp. Response; just don’t drink the water. Prefer the dehydration option.
Challenge #4: Avoiding DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) due to reverse direction of the walk. Some of us were less concerned than others; it had something to do with the privileged few having SKINS. The rest of us had to rely upon our generally high level of fitness.
Challenge #5: Surviving on a diet of bread and water. See points three above and six below.
Challenge #6: Coping with the permanent closure of the French Café in Beaufort. Response; just as you would expect. Using finely honed porker instincts we were able to locate a suitable alternative, however the Beeripmo walk will not be the same without the French Café at the end of it. I have it on good authority that it was the only reason that some nameless club members actually do this walk. The suitable alternative involved a world record breaking, huge, warm, sticky, sticky date muffin to resolve challenge number five.
Despite the initial lack of confidence in the leader and chief navigator, Mabel, Coralie, Mike, Clive and I did find our way back to Beaufort for coffee and muffin. The reverse direction made this a different walk, and well worth repeating. We were able to avoid the large number of other walkers on the track, (a couple, a group of 2 and about 10 from Geelong), and noticed some other tracks that are not obvious when walking the usual direction. These tracks will be an opportunity for further investigation at some stage in the future.
Janice.
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