Been there done that!

Thursday morning it all started with the packing of tubs of gear into the car, kayaks on the van and bikes on the back as we were about to set sail for Forster. we arrived to discover we had the smallest cabin ever made. so all the furniture went out and mattresses spread out to allow for maximum rest and space for gear.

Friday started slow with plenty of food as we sat around in the sun, whilst continuing to sort gear. Bib presentation and competency testing started at 12noon with kayak paddle and swim, first aid and a prologue for start position a 5 legged race for up a hill and around a tree, we went well getting 11th team off the start. 3pm the course notes were handed out, and the map prep started. The support crew arrived around 7pm and started to absorb information.

We had finished planning our course around 10pm and by the time we got out start gear ready we got to bed around midnight.

Saturday 5am we are up and filling the gut ready for the 2hr drive to get to the start line high up in the Barrington Tops. We arrived just in time as we just got gear on the start brief commenced, and i discovered i had a flat tyre, what a way to start. A quick change and rolled up to the start.

We were 11th off the start with each team leaving 10seconds behind each other in an attempt to prevent a mass pile up on the first major down hill. 9.5km in a 5 team pile up with one guy breaking a collar bone, so much for that theory. This just proved mountain bike riders can not bunch ride safely. We dropped 1000m vertical over 42km to get to the first TA a rogaine (6-8km) which we shot through in the 4th fastest time and started to pull in the leaders, back on the bike for another 30km, the boys settled into the work of towing Super Sal up all hills and flats, at one stage we were drafting with the two boys leading out and i had Super sal in tow on the flats doing 32km/hr and were starting to see a team in front, when sal hit a bump, dropped the tow line and it retracted back into my rear cassette, luckily no damage to the derailleur so 10min later we were rolling again, clipped a check point (CP) where i broke a chain, and back rolling again. Hike a bike time, a 2km push up a rutted old track to the ridge, this is where we started to pass the half geo teams as they started on the rogaine missing the first part of the ride, Nearing the end of the ride we descended through a grassy paddock this is where Super Sal went over the bars and drew the first blood for the race.

At TA the clock started we had 3hrs to drop bikes off & drive back to HQ before we could leave in the kayak. So we quickly through our bikes in the river in an attempt to give them a clean and get all the farmers grass out of the gears. (at this stage in 9th overall)

Timbrell went will the bikes to give them a quick service and we went directly to HQ to prep boats, super sal to get warm and rest for what lies ahead.

2.50min had passed we are sitting in the kayak waiting for Marky to be released, he's here and we are off 24km with the tide behind us, we settle in with good pace, until mark realises a little nav off, so the chasing team passes us. But we do not let them get away the vulcans (kayaks) had great pace, and they stopped for food and we got them back to lead them up the river to the next TA.

Back on the bike for an adventure gain leg, 11 out of 14 CP needed to be collected on bike and foot, so 70kms of bike later and alot of towing we get to bulladelah, as our nav was on target. But Marky had crushed a nut on a down hill section and it was starting to worry him. At this stage my arse end had had enough of my bike seat and the legs were starting to become fatigued from all the towing.

From TA we went out on foot with a trek up the nearest mountain where Timbrell completed a rock climb (grade 13), and we were off again, Marky was loving the paracetamol nad walking like he had a rugby ball between his legs, every step you cold see the pain in his face. At this stage i could not see him finishing the race! even the next 10km of this trek. we dropped into a valley were we bumped into another team and got talking about where we were, thus wasting time and putting questions of doubt in my mind. After an hour of circles we are back on track and Marky is chasing more drugs. we climb up a ridge with day break meeting us on the top and a light shower of rain. Now for the long slow decent, 3 CP's and on to the raft.

Arriving at TA we met the crew with hot noodles and Milo which hit the spot while we climbed into wet suits and built the raft for a 5 km paddle across a lake with a portage. we quickly discovered our design we not a speed machine as we had to much drag with the tyres on 45 degrees, but we had no alternative, we did take the opportunity to walk it along the bank when we had the chance to save the arms as the raft was to be followed by a 26km kayak. 3hrs later we got off the raft which was the mentally toughest section of the race, and this is the point alot of teams pulled out.

Into TA, hot creamed rice, dry clothes and into kayaks. As we geared up 2 teams pushed off in front of us. By the 3/4 mark across the first lake we had them both back but another team was gaining on us. Collected the CP and another short paddle to find an exit point to portage 800m to another lake for a 7km dash to finish, we past another team in the portage and pulled back the team who went past on the water. At the end of the paddle they had their spot back they were just to quick in the boats.

TA, we raced the sun as we had to tube/wade across approximately 1.5km wide inlet, and light would help us and be warmer. As we all stood nude on the opposite beach freezing trying to get clothes on for the 18km trek to the final kayak. I could not get my feet dry, we stabbed out tubes, packed our bags and started to walk off under moon light. Along sand and road nav was good until we went bush we got through a section alot of teams had problem but i had not drawn on a road on our maps which was a correction we were give before the start, so we did a couple of circles a wasted a couple of hours, and whilst this is going on Marky's nut sack is swelling super sal is starting to battle the sleep monsters as she is seeing things move that are not there. We get through to Blueys beach clip CP and head for Elizabeth beach up and over a hill and on to seven mile beach for the last part of our trek, by this stage my feet were falling to bits but i did not want to take shoes off so i just did up laces tighter and walked on.

Into TA, i sit down and try to change shoes to paddle shoes, and the remove of the running shoes was agony and blisters were tearing off my swollen feet. but i could not care a paddle to go. we came into TA with another team and i want to get out in front of them and race for home. Which we did Super Sal and I went out on the water first waiting for the boys but Timbrell forgot to clip so Marky ran over to get our release. We are off on a compass bearing to hit our CP which initially we stopped in the wrong bay but this was quickly corrected and then we clipped and pushed on. Next thing i knew Super sal is hard on the rudder yelling we are going to be hit by a boat, no just a river marker, go the sleep monsters. We quickly become tangled in oyster leases and they surround us so we have to go between them, so the goal was to put a 7m kayak down a gap less than a metre wide with a cross current otherwise the boat would get chewed up!

150m from the finish of the paddle another boat pops up and the race is on 43hrs in and it is going to be a foot race, we hit the shore first and dash to the nearest gate but it is locked, they are all over us as we ran with sore feet and tight legs through the gate, they beat us just as Marky could not stride out over the 60m dash due to the swollen nut.

Geoquest 2009 250+km 43.23hrs, 13th

Now the task of clean up and returning to home!