THE slow pace of normal life doesn’t quite satisfy me. I yearn for moments that force my subdued senses to feel undoubtedly alive. For me, trudging along a very long distance trail provides that outlet. You can’t help to really feel alive when forced to confront oppressive weather day in day out and a body constantly screaming at you to stop. Ever since returning to Australia in the wake of the pandemic, I felt limited for thru-hiking objectives. I was ready for my alter-ego “Chippy” to surface once more.
Fortunately, the perfect opportunity presented itself this winter to invest in such an endeavour. With my contract coming to an end, some cash squirrelled away and endless time, I set to scheming. I wanted a suffer-fest vibe in the mountains, one where I could push my limits within the borders of Australia. A goal that seemed daunting to say the least, but maybe achievable. I reached out to my fellow frother in suffering, Reid Marshall (AKA Wombat). Without hesitation he replied, “This is what I live for!” And so it began.
At the end of April we narrowed
