And We did it
15 Dec 2022
BACK TO THE TOP
Yes I Can
And We did it
15 Dec 2022
And We did it .... So this page needs to updated... Soon
About
Ok whats this all about.
Motivation. Exposure. Transparency. Vulnerability.
Going public so as to make it more difficult to chicken out.
To hopefully gain supported and encouragement .
THE GOAL
To elevate my health and wellbeing by loosing weight regaining some level of fitness.
And in doing so hopefully alleviate some of my ailments.
And to fight old age.
WHY
I have been to the top of Cradle Mountain in Tasmania 5 times. And although a popular International attraction , it holds special significance to me. The first time I did it in just a few hours and ran most of the way. I was 18 years old. 60 kg and super fit.
Today
I am 68 years old , 167 cm short , 99kg fat with heart disease, gout and arthritis and a very bad case of restless leg syndrome. A red nose, baggy eyes and my grand kids think I am pregnant.
And severe depression the beast that persists in stalking me.
Its easy to give in and feel sorry for yourself as your age and your body begins to fail. I have been giving in and I want to stop. My brother James (Jim) although 16 years younger than me is also an over weight out of shape diabetic that wants to get fit and be better prepared for old age. I was in Tasmania for my mothers 90th birthday and Jim and I made a pact to go BackTo The Top
THE STORY
Cradle Mountain in Tasmania is an iconic wilderness attraction of exceptional natural beauty in the heart of the world heritage area of the of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. Thousands of people visit area every year and many walk to its 1500 meters high summit. Its a popular place. However, Cradle Mountain holds a special place in my heart. It began back in1973 as a member of the Launceston Bushwalking Club, I was a "peak bagger" , one of those who charged up mountain trails to summit down and up the next one. I have been to the top of most mountains in Tasmania.
The first time up Cradle was very quick I seem to think it only took me a couple of hours running most of the way. I have since been told thats not possible ? However, it didnt take me long.
In 1977 they had an unusual amount of snow for that tie of year. I went alone. To the top. The whole area was covered in a thick blanket of snow . It was during an eclipse of the sun and there was not one other person anywhere in site , no other footprints in the snow. I parked my EH Holden station sedan car in front of the. newly rebuilt replica of Gustav Weindorfers Waldheim hut. I took a fully loaded backpack with me just in case. Thinking back it was silly and irresponsible , nobody even knew I was there. Just me.
But it was there, on the side of Cradle that experienced what I call a spiritual moment, for want of a better description. I was overtaken by a euphoric feeling of wellbeing. Very hard to explain. As if my senses had been heightened or enlightened. I stopped for a while and embraced spirituality of it , where I felt like I was part of everything. A moment of extreme powerful clarity and security. I felt as if I had company. Close company. Something greater than me. something potentially very powerful but comforting. I for a moment was just part of it all. It felt good. Maybe I just overdosed on Tassie's pure alpine air . That trip in the snow took me best part of the day. I took my time. And enjoyed everything about it.
Shortly after I got a job working for Tasmanian National Parks and Wildlife maintaining the walking trials in a number of wilderness areas. I got sacked for wandering off and getting lost. Myself and another guy "Spud" who came with me. I thought we were going to die that night huddled together in the snow and ice. Urinating inside my clothes felt comfortably warm and I remember thinking I just wanted to sleep. But I understood that was hypothermia and fought against it. The fog and clag was that thick we could not see more than a couple of feet. When nightfall came we knew we weren't going anywhere and so built a small shelter out of rocks and lined the inside with Scoparia, (Richea Scoparia) a very very prickly tough and unweilding alpine shrub,. That night the scoparia felt like feathers. Iam not a religious person but I prayed and prayed. During Cyclone Tracy in Darwin I found myself praying and found myself extremely frustrated by the fact that I couldn't remember the Lords Pray. This time, whilst peeing myself I knew the words. I can also remember selfishly thinking I hope Spud dies before me , so I could then position his body to block the blizzard at was slicing through the rocks. We were the focus of quite a huge manhunt. Due to some divine freaky intervention in the weather that lasted for a very short bubble in time at dawn, I was able to orientate, recognising a distant peak. we slowly get our cramped and frozen muscles working again and eventually found our way back to base.. To a reception of, thank god your safe but your fired.
Many years later I again went back to the top with my second son Ben, it took me longer. I was huffing and puffing a bit, not as fit as I used to be. But It was fun and a special time me.
After my father died in 2001 my youngest brother Jim and I took our fathers ashes to the top of Cradle Mountain and in a gusty spiral of mountain wind set his ashes free to fly . That took a bit longer again, and I had cramps and suffered the next day.
Next time I went was a couple of years later Mum and I went to Cradle Mountain Waldhiem area. I didnt recognise it. The road access had changed. So much new development around Resort lodge pub ect... Mum walked to some of the spots by the lake her and dad had visited. While I took something special to the top. I took all day in beautiful weather. For my heart it was tough. Huffing puffing and groaning like an old rusty train. I suffered this time could hardly walk the next two days. I said that a would be the last time ,did not think I could do it again.
Jim and I need at target something to aim for to work towards and since this mountain hold special memories,.. why not go and visit the Mountain Gods again.
Iam not sure I will be able to go all the way but I am to give it a go.
HOW
Well if you can see me now you'd be asking the same.
How. I can hardly get up the stairs to the bedroom never mind pulling off a Moses stunt and visiting those who speak wisdom from the mountain tops.
You know I have been to Mount Sinai traditionally known as Jabal Musa جَبَل مُوسَىٰ, (the translation is Mount Moses ) is a mountain on the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. purported to be the biblical Mount Sinai, the place where, according to the Bible, Moses received the Ten Commandments. I walked that mount to the top. There is now a small Greek Orthodox Church at the top. I felt nothing. No spiritual connection at all. I have been to many iconic biblical and mythical places throughout Egypt, Israel, in and around Jerusalem, Rome Athens and even Stonehenge and felt nothing. For me that day on side of Cradle mountain was the most powerful, There was another place . A place within Deaf Adder George in Arnhemland in The Northern Territory. A place few people have been. A place not noted for being anything or anywhere special, but a place where the mim spirits of the stone country in stories once lived during the times of creation. Our camp was further down stream and I had gone for a stroll. I came across these wax figurines, made from native bees wax and stuck on the rock surface near the base of a small waterfall. I climbed the waterfall to the top. There it was a different presence not of power or enlightenment, more a calm tranquil source of sustenance or source of life and wellbeing. I can picture the scene as clear as if I were there now. That was around 1986 and for the past 35 years if I need to fight anxiety, a sense of fear, or panic , if I need to slow my heart and breathing , or just relax. I just revisit that place in my mind. To this very day I still use the vision of that spot and the recall of that feeling with instant results. Its a place I should visit again, but I dont know how to get there again. I often think that if the memory of that place fades in my memory then so to will my life. I know it sounds loopy trippy wacko nut job stuff , but I feel my life is somehow attached to that of the stripped archer fish that swan peacefully around me as I walked in the small crystal clear stream that fed this natural pink granite basin which in turn funnelled the water into the rather inconspicuous and insignificant water fall . There is only one guy that was at that camp that day that is still alive today. Dave Linder. Dave was actually taking us to an extraordinary aboriginal rock art site and we stopped at this river crossing to camp the night. I should contact him and see if it might be possible for me to revisit that archer fish and recharge my batteries.
My god I have rambled on.. I haven't mentioned these things before , every one who reads this is gonna think I am real nut job. But I digress where was I.... ah yes... BUT AGAIN HOW. How am I going to get fit enough to be able to visit Cradle Mountain once more. There is a time capsule there few people know about and those I have told about it have not been able to find it. It being there probably contradicts some national parks by law.. I can still see the spot. Think brother Jim would also remember the spot, but, he like me, would not get there today in his condition either. We both have some work to do.
Most people I know have told me I am F----ing Dreaming, delusional or something to that effect. However, I have one supporter so far my daughter Jenna and if possible I'd like others to join us. Jenna has pledged to "Hold me to the Challenge" and accompany me in my quest "Back To The Top".
I need to come up with some sort dietary plan
Some sort of exercise plan.
And probably lots of pain killers and medication ((((smile))))
Jenna was laughing at how much thought I had put into calculating the physical logistics of it all. See below.
BUT AGAIN HOW
En my latest partner in life who actually now holds the record for putting up with me the longest. currently at 17 years . Is supportive but worried I may die up there. She know how easily it would be.. In 2016. we were both recovering from a bout of altitude sickness on the slopes of Gonergrat situated 3084 meters ASL, above Zermatt and next to the Matterhorn in Switzerland. When I suggested we walk down.. Of course where others walking on that day went left I had to go right. I convinced here it looked more spectacular ,more interesting and totally safe, no problem, a well worn track that obviously every man and his dog had strolled down.. After all it was a very popular attraction and many people would have walked this way for sure....
Well about third of way down it got bad ... Real bad.....thick snow, hard slippery ice ,very steep and scary, but we persevered,.. because there was no way we would be able to walk back up to were we started we were already knackered. But it got ridiculously difficult and we didnt have the gear. It was late in the day time was not on our side and we had no choice but to go Back To The Top where we could catch a cog rail tram back down to Zermatt. Again I thought my heart was going to give out , It was beating so hard. And EN god bless her with half her lung removed as a result of a battle with TB , was breathing so hard, nauseous and dizzy. But she kept me going saying we could do it ..step by step .. And we did.
In 2018 we went to Wales in the UK ..What a beautiful place that is. We decided to walk up Pen-y-Fan the tallest peak in southern Wales. It is 886 meters above sea level. The car park you start from was at 420 meters ASL So we went up 466 meters over a flat distance of 3km .But last 600meters was flat. So really 420 meters up over 2500 meters Easy walking path….. so thats like going up by 17 cm every meter... Took us about 4 times as long as others.. In places it was steep and we just did it couple steps at a time. Both breathing heavily. Another team effort .
Cradle is 1500 meters above sea level
Kitchen Hut near the turn off to Cradle summit is around 1200 meters ASL and so only 300 meters up to summit. However.. only around 800meters flat distance to summit from hut... so thats like 38cm up every 1 meter. Just over twice a steep as Pen -y-Fan
Steps to the bedroom act home are 200cm high and 3 levels to a meter thats 60cm up every meter. So to get up 300 meters I need to go 500 meters Our steps thats zig zag 2 meters on each set 4 meters total up 2.4 meters in 4 meters flat distance.
So that works out from kitchen hut to top of cradle I have to go up my bedroom stairs at home 125 times.. At moment if I do it 5 times in a row Iam stuffed… But if I get fit enough to be able to do it 125 times . I should be ok to do cradle again
…From the hut that is ..I have to get there and rest up first ((((smile)))) And dont forget that hut itself is 1200 meters ASL.
WHEN
Well thats the question. Since Iam a Gemini I was thinking around 13th of December 2021.. How does Gemini and December compute. On the 13th of Dec 2021 meteors will radiate from the constellation Gemini . The Geminids Meteor Shower is the king of the meteor showers. It is considered by many to be the best shower in the heavens, producing up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour at its peak. The shower runs from December 7-17. It peaks this year on the night of the 13th. Why does this matter, it doesn't but after coming down if we stayed the night of the 13th in that area there is no town or city light for long way ,so it should be good viewing. However I think for Jenna it would be better in January 2022. And we so need some fit support. And Jenna being a super fit fanatical rock climber is a bonus, I really hope her partner Jason can make it as well.
So we will see how I go with the health and fitness side of things over next 3 or 4 months .
If brother Jim and I are showing promise we will then look at setting a date .
If I haven't stopped eating two pepper steak pies at a time and cut the beer drinking right down to the bare minimum a man can bear and stay sane, by June or July .. I'll be very disappointed in myself.
If you think you may have time spare between December and February
please think about joining us.
There she is, in all her glory
It is so easy to slide the slippery slope of old age. I have been doing it too long.
Accepting the the old grey hair
and the slowly rocking recliner chair.
Enjoying the beer and bottles of wine.
And the mid afternoon siesta time.
Giving into the aches and the pain.
Getting around with a walking cane .
Allowing myself to get fat and weak and unwell.
Slipping down to the gates of hell.
Have I left it too late. Too late to stop.
To begin the climb back to the top.
Jim and me now before training
