XPD Expedition
Some Teams Get all the Luck!
Lysanne de Graaf / 01.03.2006
This was their story:
Two days ago they were ranked 21 at XPD Mid-Camp and things were all going well, apart from several flats so far. Then the \'fun\' really began . . .
#1: Travelling 40kph on the 51km bike leg to Lake Rowallan one of the team took a severe stack, messing up his knee and hip badly, but the team still made it through the ride.
#2: Craig got the gastro bug that has been troubling oddly enough only one member in many teams. He didn’t just get the 24 hour version, but two days later the team was still shacked up in one of the huts with Craig in an ever worse state, suffering hypothermia and dehydration, warranting SAR attention.
#3: All going to plan, the Overland Track trek section was going take the team 1 day, one they were looking forward to. But the team would not be split and it was going to be four across the line together or none at all. Finally two days later they were all ready and strong enough again for the paddle across Lake St Clair.
#4: ‘Scroggin’ were paddling wonderfully across Lake St Clair … until a paddle got caught in the water. Stumbling to keep hold of it, the blade went flying and all too quickly sank into the depths of Australia’s deepest lake. Quickly coming up with a solution, the three with paddles got into one boat to finish the paddle while the lucky fourth got a free trip (read ‘sleep’) in the other boat tied at the back.
#5: Setbacks behind them and all still together, ‘Scroggin’ were not going to be put off and charged into the final bike leg from Lake St Clair. Even the team’s seventh flat for the race and drop to 37th position at Lake King William didn’t dampen their spirits and determination.
Perhaps the troubles ‘Scroggin’ encountered even helped inspire their lightening speed and efficient portage method. It was one of the fastest and easiest seen and worked for them so well that they were the first (and only?) team to take on an extra 9km portage and quietly gain ground over five teams during the white water dark zone. Good going guys!
SleepMonsters
