Hounslow Classic - Part 3.5

I have received a complaint from an avid reader of my blog who shall remain nameless (Karin) that I have missed an entry from July.  How remiss of me.  So here is the missing chapter from July.

As part of my training for the Hounslow Classic I knew at some point I would have to do a double crossing of the Grose Valley to get a feel for what it will be like on race day.  Apparently the route is used by trekkers to train because it is a lot of climbing.  I began organising some willing accomplices to start from Perry's Lookdown, drop down to the Blue Gum Forest, climb up the other side, turn around and do it all over again.  A good sized group indicated that they might join me, but as the day drew closer, only one (fool) hardy soul remained.  The indomitable Karin, who is also crazy enough to be running in October.

Of course to make matters all the more interesting, as the day approached, the Blue Mountains were hit by a rather large snow event (that even made its way up into Queensland).  Social media ran hot with folks posting pictures like these, which made the training run increasingly unlikely. 

The day before - not promising (I stole this from Facebook)

Despite the extreme weather, road closures, and good advice from our friends,  Karin of course remained determinedly optimistic and keen about running (is that a surprise to anyone), so we didn't cancel.  We touched base on the Saturday morning just before leaving.  Apparently the highway was open again, but still closed at Katoomba due to black ice.  Deciding to at least give it some kind of a go, we added a few extra layers, and off we went.

As we hit Glenbrook and climbed to Katoomba, it was snow free, and we thought that the day might go as planned.  Of course as anyone who has run with Karin knows, she is the master of plan changing and adding extra sneaky extra bits to any run.  So when she hinted that maybe we could add a few extra sneaky kms (surprise !), I had already anticipated this - so long as we were finished in time for me to visit Mountain High Pies.  I must have my pies !!  Bargain struck, we changed our plans (to what I had already planned because I knew it was going to happen anyway and had allowed for the extra bit I knew she would want to do).

However, once we hit Leura, things changed dramatically.  We began seeing snow piles, snow men, and clear evidence of black ice on the roads.  Not good.  Suddenly the police were stopping traffic.  We did a quick u-turn back to Leura, then head off along Mt Hay Rd, having decided to reverse our planned run.

We bumped along to the Pinnacles parking area, seeing lots of patches of snow along the way.  It was decidely nippy but not cold when we got out.  We geared up, then set off on our merry way.

what all the cool kids are wearing this season

plenty of snow

The track was clear, but there was heaps of snow along the way, and our progress was slowed by playing silly buggers, photos and snow ball fights. A few extra km in the day as Karin kept making me run back and forth until she had the right shot. The climb over Lockley's was a tad chilly, and after Karin had done her best to knock over the cairn at the top (it used to be taller), we began our descent.

Rob, stand there and I'll take your photo

now run over there and I'll take your photo, then run back again

on top of Lockleys Pylon

down we go

still going down

closely followed by

At the bottom we had the log crossing.  I did my usual scaredy cat shuffle whilst Karin skipped across with twinkle toes.  A hidden talent, but it may not work so well on race day after 40km.  I may have to slog across the river if my wooden legs are any more wobbly in October.

 

Scaredy Cat

Twinkle Toes

For some reason unbeknownst to me, I decided that I wanted to get to the top of Perry's Lookdown in under 40 minutes.  I scraped it in, and learned two things.  Firstly, when I reached the top I was totally shattered and took a while to recover.  Secondly, as I was soon to learn, I hadn't really recovered, and was still trashed on the return climb on the other side.  I won't be doing this race day.

Karin arrived way too soon after, ruining my attempts to look all cool and calm.  As we chatted, I also tried to eat whilst not throwing up.  We admired the views for as long as we could to delay the return trip, but eventually we had to get moving.  I was freezing.  

On the ascent I had disturbed a large bird of prey.  On the descent I disturbed it again as it was finishing off what it had started.  Not pretty.  It may be what I look like in October on race day.

Back at the log, I nervously tip toed across with Tinkerbell dancing and chattering along behind.  We hit the beginnings of the climb, and as the slope increased, I could feel my climb up to Perry's Lookdown returning to haunt me.  Not that it stopped the talking.  Possibly the only person who talks as much as me is Karin.  We'll call it a tie.  We definitely do not run in silence through the forest.

still talking

clearly my best side

At the top Karin had to do one of those scary ledge shots that scare the crap out of me.  *click* now get down. Crazy person.

We just had a few km back to the car, but we couldn't go straight back to the car because someone wanted to do an extra bit back over Lockley's Pylon (does she ever get tired ?) which by now had a howling gale whipping across it and was absolutely freezing.  Eventually we headed back to the car.  However, I had devised a great plan that I would get ahead around a bend, make a snow ball, then lob it back so that it landed just in front of her and give her a surprise.  All went to plan except that she suddenly put on a burst of speed, rounded the corner at pace, and I watched as the snow ball gracefully arced through the air where it was about to smash her in the face.  Luckily it just dropped enough to miss her head, but it gave her a good whomping in the chest.  I can honestly say it did surprise her.  I apologized profusely.  I knew she would want to get me back, so I tried to slow down enough for her to whack me good.  Unfortunately, despite having twinkly toes that can run forever, she cannot throw.  Her feeble efforts were probably compounded by her giggling as well (which is hard to miss when you are trying to be caught unawares).  Eventually I got a light dusting of snow which had to suffice.

Back at the car I realised I had muddled up the time and we had plenty to spare for the trip to Mountain High Pies, thus ended a good day.  Lots of chat, lots of fun, lots of climbing, just the right amount of snow, and my blog is now up to date.

This post is dedicated to the patient spouses who sit at home pining while we bugger off and have an adventure  (but really, probably just enjoying the silence).

Rob and Cait go Glamping again

Welcome to Canberra

Rob and Cait go Glamping again - now it is starting to sound like an Enid Blyton series.

I had almost convinced the lovely Cait to embark on a camping trip to Newnes, when I foolishly gave her the option "did you want to go to Newnes, or were you still thinking about that trip to Canberra ?"  So near, yet so far.

After much deliberation (0.3 of a nanosecond) she confirmed that she would prefer Canberra.  We looked at accommodation options, which again didn't take long, as she already had the Hotel Kurrajong in mind.  After a bit of clicking and melting of the VISA card we were set.

The trip down was uneventful.  I successfully played DJ until Cait announced that U2's ZOOROPA (a personal fave) was terrible.  I removed my crushed ego from the CD player and cranked up Piano Man and we cruised on happily.

We hit the War Memorial first.  Like all happily married couples, we set the mood by having a battle about how to get there. Then we soaked up history until our brains fried.  An incredible place, but after a couple of hours, we had to move on.

We knew vaguely where the Hotel Kurrajong was located, but after a few frustrating loops around the area (as per usual in Canberra), we had to give up and consult the Google.  "It must be close" we cried.  Yep.  We were parked right next to it - could it be that that big building with the Hotel Kurrajong sign ?  Amazing.

We dumped our stuff, then headed off to grab food and enjoy a late picnic by the lake.  We detoured around Yarralumla a while looking at all the embassies.  The Finland Embassy won hands down - the very definition of Scandinavian style. 

a pic I nicked from Google

We stopped at Lennox Gardens.  Last time I was here I was watching stinky crazy runners do laps of Canberra.  Much nicer this time.  We munched away and marvelled that people swim in Lake Burley Griffin doing triathalons. 

We drove across the lake to look at bike hire options.  At this point I learned that the one thing that Cait REALLY wanted to do was ride around the lake.  Really ?  Yes, really.  So we locked that in as a definite "to do" around which everything else would revolve.  Sometimes the lovely Cait still surprises (make that "constantly surprises" actually).

We returned to the room, and chilled out for a while, considering our dinner options.  One of the joys of camping that Cait doesn't fully appreciate, is the lack of stress when it comes to meal choices.  All the time wasted considering cuisine, how to get there and back, what to wear, which wine, are we doing anything afterwards.  Much easier when it is just noodles, peas, and powdered mash washed down with a nice milk powder and MILO, a quick squat in the bushes, then off to the tent.  Bliss.  

I must admit that the bar we went to was rather nice, and the red I had was superb - and we did walk there, so that was kind of like hiking.  In a way.  Especially the dark spooky walk through the park in the dark making jokes about serial killers and making scary noises (well that's what I was doing).

The next day we walked into town via a lap of Parliament House.  It is not hard to find the place.  It is a marvel.  What you see on the TV is only a small part of how amazing this place is.  Gardens, Memorials, sculptures, bushland pathways, rolling lawns, tennis courts and sports fields, exercise equipment, views to everywhere, and such a fabulous piece of architecture - all before you even think about going inside.  We should all be proud Aussies having a place like this so accessible to the public (even if there are cameras everywhere and AFP with big guns keeping an eye on you).  You can even drive around it, but don't stop or those AFP boys get cracking - as a little blue car discovered.

now where is that Parliament House place ?

Memorial Garden for the Bali bombing and Flight MH17 victims

Lots of exercise equipment that our politicians clearly never use.  Cait decided to sneak in a quick workout.

sight of the original Surveyors Camp and an historic building I thought was a public toilet.

I don't know where Wally is...

...but Caiti is at 568m above sea level

views across Canberra to the War Memorial

Then it was off to ride bikes.

I did hope to get a few more snaps of us riding, but Cait took off like a rocket (if you listen carefully, you can hear the sound of no one being surprised).  I had thought that 2 hours might just get a basic "Western Loop" in, but we ended up adding an extra segment because of the lovely speedy Cait, making a solid 23km ride.  Later she would ask "but I thought we went over a dam?"  Confused, I said "but we did".  Puzzled, she asked "but I thought it would be like a big wall with lots of water?".  More confused, I said "that's exactly what it was.  You rode over the top of it".  I had to show her photos to prove it.  Obviously she was "in the zone" as she raced along.  I would write "Tour de France here we come", except she was a bit crap on the hills, which did me give a chance to catch up though.  I was slightly hampered by a hire bike that had a slipping chain and was threatening to remove my boy bits at any second.  It was all over way too soon (the ride, not the genital crushing).

on your marks -  get set  - "BANG !!"

off and racing

across to the Arboretum with a contribution from a random photo bomber

National Arboretum (Tree Museum).  A very cool place, but for another day

Scrivener Dam - WOW !! like a big wall with lots of water

proof that Caiti crossed over the dam

proof that Caiti crossed over the dam

Lots of bird life.  It's hard to believe our nation's capitol is really just a great big bushland park.

wheeeeeee !!! 

Then we wandered over to FLORIADE.  It was crap.  Except for the bit with the mirrors.  The little baby water birds were cute too.  But Floriade was crap.

cute little baby water birds

Disillusioned, we wandered back to the hotel for a bite to eat.  We decided on a return trip back to the War Memorial to purchase a scarf Cait just had to have, then I would go to the National Gallery of Australia.  However, I buggered up a left turn and we ended up back where we started. The curse of Canberra strikes again.  Instead the lovely Cait went off to snooze, while I wandered off for a bit of culture at the NGA.

Upon return, much discussion about dinner ensued, and after last nights fancy pants nosh, we settled on a pub with footy on the telly.  Awesome.

The next day we head home, starting with a mellow Crowded House vibe, cranking up some Billy Idol, then roaring back into Sydney like Bats Out Of Hell to the roar of Meatloaf. 

A great trip, spoiled only by not bumping into Anabel Crabb and being invited over for Friday night cocktails to discuss politics (and watch footy).  Oh well, next time.