Climb To The Top (Part 2)
The climb to Flinders Peak was not going well – thanks to me. Both the guys were now beside me but I was obviously dazed and a bit frightened by what had happened to be honest.
Then I heard it – Daniel said something to me that for some reason gave me such strength. ‘Mate, if we have to go back down – that’s fine – everything is OK – now let’s have a look at you.’ Daniel is very experienced in the area of fire and rescue so I felt safe. Yet it was the fact that both of these great guys were willing to go back down after only 15 minutes of climbing. That made the difference – I felt somehow safe and very secure with them. I knew they cared for me – would help me no matter what! I knew that before the accident but somehow at that moment a bond formed between us that I can’t explain but I knew that if I was OK I was going to continue to the top.
Daniel patched me up – the boys got me to my feet and at that moment I knew I wanted to go on.
With one of them in front of me and the other behind me we started out again. My confidence gone but each time I wavered they were there.
Encouraging me – helping me – supporting me – we made our way upward. There were parts that were scary – a couple of cliff faces where the drop was sheer to the bottom of the mountain it seemed but again the boys guided me.
Then I saw it – the top of the Mount Flinders!
We were there – parts of my body were just not working and some other parts just plain hurt far too much but we were there – the view magnificent.
Yet more importantly we did it together – the three of us – at the pace of the slowest namely me.
Refreshments taken, we started down – finally the car park at the bottom of the climb came into view we had made it. I didn’t tell the boys how much my leg was hurting but as Daniel started to clean it up and I yelled in pain I think they got the picture.
Tomorrow lessons learnt from Mount Flinders!
Climb To The Top (Part 1)
My good mate Daniel had an idea – ‘Mate, I’m climbing Mt Flinders tomorrow – want to come?’ Flinders Peak is 800 meters high and perhaps I should have read what one climbing website said of it – ‘Class 5 track (Australian Standards)?No signs or markers are provided, except where necessary to minimize environmental damage. ?Trails may range from clearly visible footpads to indistinct, overgrown routes depending on usage levels. ?Muddy section, steep grades and numerous hazards such as fallen trees and rock falls highly likely to be encountered. ?Caution required — no safety fences, bridges or other structures provided. ?Highly developed navigational skills and relevant topographic maps essential. ?High fitness level and extensive off-track walking experience and ankle-supporting footwear essential.’
Oops – now you tell me!
However I said ‘Yes – sure I’m in!’
Now at this point I realize that my brain that answered, thought it was 20 years of age – it should have been my 51 year old body that answered. It would have had more common sense.
So the next day I set off with Daniel and Kim – two friends and brilliant blokes.
It is about a two-hour climb up and then the same distance back down.
At about the 15 minute mark my body showed that it’s cat like reflexes were long gone and were now a figment of my imagination. My foot slipped – I reached out for some support but alas too late! I lost my footing on the rocky slope and I fell and cart wheeled once back down the hill onto sharp rocks.
As the boys raced to pick me the right way up and to check if I was OK my first thoughts turned to a helicopter rescue scenario and a front page newspaper story with my picture on it.
I was winded, couldn’t feel my leg, sick in the stomach due to the shock of the fall and blood over my legs due to the cuts from the rocks.
‘Houston, we have a problem!’
Expect part 2 of the story tomorrow!
