| Leader | Mentor | Understudy | Tail Ender | |
| Standards | Bev F | Graham | Brent | Shirls |
| Alternates | Ray B | Gavin | Ali | Min |
Distance 11.5km, vertical ascent 665m, time 4hrs
The 22 Alternates did not need the digitalis in the lovely foxgloves lining the path to get their heart beats up as leader Ray led us up through the slash and on to the trail headed up Mt Grey. For those of us who were under the belief that this was an easy trail (including Jacqui D, completing her third visitor tramp), we were in for an awakening. We quickly discarded jumpers and other extra clothing.
Ray allowed a few breaks before our stop for morning tea, albeit tea was before the lookout which has been the goal in the past. Two morning tea breaks is not necessarily a bad thing, and we were challenged by a non-BTC tramper at the lookout to meet him at the top.
And meet him we did, arriving at the top by noon for spectacular views across Ashley Forest. We were followed shortly by our driver Viktor (who had stopped the bus on the shingle road to rescue an extra set of keys to the bus from the wheel well left by an earlier driver). About mid lunch break, we saw the 19 Standards lead by Bev winding their way up the hills. Not wanting to be passed by them on the way down (and because we had been there 30 minutes), we quickly concluded lunch and then formed a “military sword salute” with our hiking poles to recognize the Standards’ sweaty faces as they arrived. Well, most of them were honoured as we could only wait so long.
Per a source in the Standards, nothing happened worth reporting on their tramp.
The only reminder for the Alternates was that the trail was as steep on the way down as it was on the way up. Fortunately, only a couple of tumbles occurred in the slippery mud spots, and we all arrived at the bus in good shape. The Standards arrived within 30 minutes, and we were off to Bishopdale after a short stop requested by Judy to allow two hitchhiking bees to escape the bus and continue their pollination activities, arriving back in Bishopdale by 4pm.
Text by Michele S
