Garmin Wartrail 2010,
I was the missing No. 6...
Day1: 65km Skyrun
When last were you alone on an unspoilt mountain wilderness untouched by the human hand?
When last did you have to take action against the elements just to survive?
When last were you lost on your own and without water far from civilization?
As humans I believe we are meant to run and trek over mountains, that is what our bodies was designed to do by God in order to survive, but modern day city life has taken us away from nature and how we were meant to live. This weekend at the Garmin Wartail Tri challenge i returned to nature again and had to get out of my city life comfort zone and fight the elements to survive. What a Great feeling of Freedom !!!! You are sure to encounter the 4 elements on this mountain: WIND,FIRE,EARTH,WATER
We started 4am in front of the Hotel in Lady Grey, I was relaxed this year as it was my 3rd wartrail and as i did skyrun (using my Garmin GPS) last year December and survived and didn't worry. Maybe i was too relaxed as i didn't check my GPS the night before, but i reckoned if i just stay with a group i would be fine. I stayed with a group and reached the radio tower CP1 feeling strong, doing much better than previous years. I carried on reaching olympys CP2, where the marshal said there were 10 people still behind me. A few people stopped here because of injuries, but i filled up with water and carried on. I was now on my own as i couldn't see anyone on front of me, but felt fine because if the marshal were right there were still 10 behind me. I was on my own, and suddenly i was surrounded by 20 vultures flying low and soaring in the wind checking me out, this was amazing!! 1st Element WIND. At this stage i remember getting goosebumps that i will be going over the dragons back later in the day.
I carried on and the route looked familiar, after going through a gate i followed the path and at a stage it didn't look familiar anymore, so i turned on my Garmin, i discovered that the GPS tracks that could be followed were empty, and trying to follow the 2 programmed routes showed off the map or i didn't understand it. At least the way-points were on the GPS (as i discovered later), but the main problem was i got spoiled following the GPS tracks on Skyrun last year, and it was not on my GPS this year you see. Well it was probably an operator error by me, but i was confused by the instrument at this time, and i fell back to my map and compass. I felt that i was close to snow-don or maybe passed it, being on the northern side of the mountain facing east looking out for snow-don peak south-east with the CP3 just before it, well here i must have done something wrong because i couldn't see snow-don peak or the CP with my map orientated and i panicked. (note to self, never panic). The rest of my day turned out to be a hard day in the office, but i prefer the mountain office far above a city office. I was quite high up on the ridge and then i saw and heard lighting to add to the panic. 2nd element FIRE. So i moved down very quickly.
The rest of my day was a bit of a blur of panic, trying to phone adrian etc. standing still not to lose the bad reception and taking down GPS coordinates, speaking to stephan and realizing the sweeper should be close by, my main concern was that i probably missed CP3 walking on the wrong side of the mountain, and that they will start looking for me if i skipped it. I waisted allot of time here because it didn't want to lose cell reception. Eventually walking to the south-west side of the mountain revealed the kraal with CP3 but nobody there accept the locals with their dogs, I was behind the sweeper! I decided to just stay on the ridge and head east and everything will come right, and maybe adrian will get reception soon and get my messages. So i headed east towards avoca or what i though was avoca, and eventually adrian phoned, he was waiting at avoca and gave me the coordinates and i followed it on the GPS. After say another hour i realized that avoca is not really getting closer, but i thought it was because of the cloud cover as my GPS kept on saying bad reception. Then suddenly avoca pointed back west and i knew i was lost. I phoned adrian and gave him my position, apparently i was on the wrong mountain heading into the transkei. Crisis! I was on the wrong piece of mountain. EARTH the 3rd element.
At this stage my water was finished, and the plan was for me to head back to snowdon CP3 and get off the mountain, going to farmer rob's house where they will start looking for me. I ran out of water forgot to eat,fell over every possible rock placed in front of me, chose the worst paths bundu bashing my way back to snowdon CP3 with my GPS, my Garmin saved my life and i made it there around 15:30, without WATER the 4th element. Eventually i took water out of a stagnant pool where "padda vissies" were swimming between the cattle dung, but i just decided i will rather drink dirty water and get sick than dehydrate.
The locals at CP3 tried to radio farmer rob, and showed me a road to follow. I followed the road until it stopped. I tried to find it again, but eventually realized i seriously must make a plan to get off the mountain before nightfall, looking on the map i saw a river and what looked like a farmhouse. I moved to the western side of the ridge and words can't express how happy i was when i saw the farmhouse far below in the valley. I felt like Bear Grills from ultimate survival, that found civilization after an expedition. And i started making plans on where it would be best to get off the mountain. It was 16:00 now and i had 2 hours of effective daylight left to get off the mountain. Here again you don't realize how hight you are up until you have to get down. This is a high mountain.
I eventually decided to get down to the river and follow it down the mountain, as if i don't make it down in daylight i could just follow the river and it would lead me to the farm, it would also provide me with drinking water. It turned out to be the worst bundu bashing experience ever and i for one like bundu bashing. It was hard, but around 18:00 (14hours) i reached the first farm house. It was empty. Moving further down i saw people and went closer.
I walked strait into about 20 people having a party drinking and having a braai,
(*i froze in my steps*)
(*they froze*)
The one child asked "mommy, who is this guy?"
(*all quiet*)
I said:
"I am looking for farmer rob, am i at the right farm?",
they said
"No, do you know what you are doing here?".
Eventually after i told them the whole story and being questioned and mentioning Adrian Saffy, Henk said he knows him as he studied with him and would gladly help me get out of my predicament. Henk phoned and let stephan also a friend know where I, No. 6 was.
Waiting 2 hours to be fetched, I ended up having 3 tequilas and a lekker chili dog while listening to their braai stories about iPod player speakers that is waterproof with lights illuminating and that can be used as vis-aas. Eventually i was fetched and stephan also had to take strafdop.
Day2: Mountainbike 135km
After re-hydrating from the previous day, The mountain biking went smooth. And i enjoyed passing the motorbikes on the long downhill. That was until i reached a snot grad stream, fell and got a roasty. But i carried on and finished middle of the field. It was good, and the downhills enjoyable.
Day3: Paddle 60km
I did'n plan to do the paddle this year, next year.
The Gravity is stronger on this mountain and it's surrounds than anywhere else, and for that reason i will keep on coming back for more.
Jacques
