The Himalayan Challenge - Deferred

I've been thinking about an email I received from the New Zealand today. It's from the New Zealand based adventure company whom I did the mountaineering instruction course with last year. The email is an invitation to join the "Three Peaks" trip in Nepal this year. The three peaks are: Island Peak (6189m), Lobuche East (6119m) and Mt Parchamo (6273m). None of these involve any serious vertical climbing but the altitude and the remoteness of these mountains make the three of them combined into one trip a fairly difficult Himalayan adventure. The main risks are: avalanche, crevasses and of course the altitude. As attractive (or not?) as it sounds, I had to reply to say no to this trip. Well...."not this year". Perhaps I can do something like that in 2010 or 2011. I'd rather do a bit more training now and have a better chance of getting to the top of all three. I still think someday Alpamayo is achievable!!! (picture below) This photo is now stuck in my bedroom and my workplace!

I have nearly worked out this year's big trips in winter, which are usually the harder ones for the year:

July - August

• Mt Bogong - Highest mountain in Victoria. Last time I visited in winter was in 2005.
• Mt Buller - Missed the trip up this mountain via the West Ridge last winter. Hopefully will be back in 2009!
  
• Mt Feathertop via the NW Spur. More challenging than going up the usual Bungalow Spur. Steep, exposed and takes a bit longer. More fun though! Or perhaps try to get there via the Razorback?
  

September - Going up a volcano (can't remember which one) in New Zealand. I was told to get some 12-point crampons... Hmmm... Good to have done all the training trips in Australia first!

More Gear!

I got myself a small, basic digital camcorder today. It's a Samsung MX20 - simple, lightweight and nothing fancy. You can call it a cheap and nasty digicam. I reckon it's perfect for bringing on an extended hiking trip when weight minimisation is of paramount importance. It's one of the lightest digicams around. I'll probably get to test it in the field in Easter, when I plan to start my first camping trip. If everything goes well, I'll take it on all the snow camping trips this winter. Hopefully I can bring back videos of the ascents, the campsites as well as the usual sill photographs.

I think I really need to get fitter with all these camera gear. My Digital SLR, its heavy lens (TWO lenses on some trips), extra batteries, memory cards, tripod and now a digicam! Easily 3-4kg worth of photography gear. No wonder sometimes people say I look like a one-man film crew... :)

Running on a Hot Day

After finishing work today, I participated in a charity fun run to raise money for the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal. It was a 4km run that started from Federation Square and went along both sides of the Yarra River before getting back to Fed Square. Although the 38 degree heat didn't materialise as expected, it was about 33 degrees by the time the race started.

My normal running shorts just got washed so I had to put on my basketball shorts which are terrible for running. Rubs on the knees and traps a lot of heat. PLUS I was the odd one out!



The first two kms were relatively easy but by this time my T-shirt was fully soaked with sweat. The final leg was a test of perseverance. I could feel that my throat and my lungs were drying out in the hot dry air, pace was dropping constantly as the finishing line neared. I saw the time blinking "19:55" at the finish line and tried my very best to beat the clock before reaching 20 minutes. Missed it by 5 seconds... Doh! Collapsed at the finish line exhausted and dehydrated. I rested for at least five minutes to let my breathing to return to normal.

After having some water, collected a bottle of "Emma & Tom's" Fresh Apple Juice. LOL! Tom's Life Juice for Tom!

Night Ride

I had a really busy day at work today, started work at 7:00 and finished at 19:30. With travel time included, 15 hours in total. I was fairly disappointed to have missed my weekly indoor rock climbing session at Hardrock.

Instead of watching TV as planned, I arrived home at 20:30 and decided to put on my helmet, brought out the camera and tripod and went for a night ride around home. I have discovered that riding at night is very different from doing it in the day. There's hardly anyone around on the bike trails except for one or two people walking their dogs. Yet, because of the darkness, it is impossible to ride fast as visibility is nowhere as good as it is during the day. Every corner and every stretch of path without street lights require the most careful and delicate manoeuvring. On the other hand, the other senses are greatly heightened: I can smell the freshly mowed lawn (and what my friendly neighbours are having for dinner!), hear the water running down the tiny streams and feel the most gentle of breeze in the air.

I took the above photograph on the Belford Street Bridge over the Eastern Freeway. 6s exposure.