A harsh mistress

This blog post is a confession. I am having an affair.

It started towards the end of last year - a few days before the full moon in December. I’d meet with her every Saturday, at a public park near a restaurant beside the Brisbane river. 

Yes we do it in the park, in New Farm, an inner city suburb of Brisbane. 

We’d conduct our liaisons in the morning, awkward but manageable. I like to sleep in on  Saturdays, but I gave up that luxury for pleasure (some might say pain). We’d be together for about an hour, me and my mistress, sometimes more sometimes less.

For our trysts, she wants me to be there early. She wants to ‘brief’ me on how to do things - where to start, the ways to go and turn, and even how to finish. My mistress is very demanding. She also wants some foreplay beforehand, ‘warmups’ she calls it. Recently, seeing how long I took, she suggested I should start behind, from the rear, so that I don’t get distracted.

The heat of our passionate meetings lasts long enough: 30 minutes or thereabouts. I do want it to be ‘quicker’ but cannot. Mind you it’s not for lack of trying.

We do it next to the bikes, on the boardwalks and on the paths, under the trees and on the grass. 

Most times I get hot and sweaty. Oh it gets wet and slippery too – in the rain. Almost always I’m gasping and panting. She likes for me to ‘sprint’ at the finish- but to shoot down the right chute –'yes there' she directs, between the ‘cones’ she says.

This affair is still blossoming, it’s only been three months. I hope it continues for a bit longer. I know that I’ll be there rain or shine, and come hell or high water- as long as the park’s not in flood. So far I’ve only missed one rendezvous. Truth was I had to be with another mistress. This other mistress liked to do it on the trails. This ‘trails’ affair early this month was up a glorious mount – in Mt Glorious. I made up all sorts of excuses for this one missed park run-d-vogue.

Some days though I'd have to make a choice. Do it in the park, or in the trails, or on the roads, out on the boring bitumen? Why do I have to choose?

I’ll stick with this mistress I think. There’s nothing like doing it in the park.

Sometimes we do it in sight of kayakers.

Down by the banks of the Brisbane... in New Farm park.

I thought of writing about this event just after the Mount Glorious trails affair two weeks ago, about the time of the full moon. Yes, it must have been the full moon!

Ahh the moon, now there’s another harsh mistress...

I met these guys after an encounter with the mistress. They forgot to slop on sunscreen and were caught red-faced, routed and rooted - beetrooted by that other harsh mistress - the sun. I am getting outed now too. Maybe I should go on that out-of-town work stint. Work? Ahhh yet another mistress... And work dictates that I should go out-of-town. Did I say I hate dictators too?

Shooting down the right chute at the finish – on the inside of the orange cones.

The Powerhouse, home of the mistress, the New Farm 5km Saturday parkrun.

Mt Glorious 22k mountain trail run 2012

22-kilometre 2012 Mt Glorious mountain trails race. Saturday, 4th February.

Mt Glorious on the northwest of Brisbane is a popular destination for those seeking an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. A cool retreat in summer, the mountain has rainforests, walking trails, viewing spots, picnicking places, birdwatching and many other activities. Walkers and hikers are spoilt for choice with paths of varying grades: Maiala Park short walks with parking, picnic and toilet facilities, rainforest trails and tracks with loops and circuits and climbs to peaks and descents to creeks, and the odd swimming hole. I now know of two. I’ll have seen them and waded across them in a biathlon (aquathlon) today. There’s also the longer and steeper trails, used for fire management, forest ranging or for the occasional trail walk hike trek or even run. One such summer trail run is the 22-kilometre 2012 Mt Glorious mountain trails race.

Map of the route.

The final weeks of summer in Queensland are in February. It’s the best of times, and the worst of times – for running and hot weather.

The first Saturday of February was fairly typical. Temperate early morning with expected high humidity and mercury may be rising. The clouds in the sky seem uncertain on what to do, linger or go. I was uncertain also on my running battle armour. I gathered up the necessities: hydration pack, cap, watch, phone, energy bar, water bottle, camera, spare socks, footpads and shoes. It all appeared bulky and heavy, and that’s without sunscreen. I looked at what I can leave behind, maybe the tiny plastic bag for the mobile phone (in case of rain). Then I thought if some people can run barefoot, maybe I can run butt naked. But I feared getting sunburnt, and the ladies might burst out laughing. Wear a g-string perhaps. This conundrum was all too hard to fix so I just upped and went.

I drove to The Gap to catch the runners' chartered bus to Mt Glorious. I was expecting more runners than turned up. Others obviously decided to use private transport. The bus left at 06:05 up Waterworks Road towards Mt Nebo. I was looking forward to viewing parts of the D’Aguilar range national park on the drive up. However the bus turned left to Payne Road and I thought we’re taking the bumped-up Gap Creek Road on the edge of Mt Coot-tha. But the bus turned again and I realised finally that it was not suited to the narrower ascending and winding mountain roads and is taking the long way around, going anti-clockwise to Cedar Flats. So leaving The Gap, we go through the northwestern suburbs: Ashgrove, Bardon, Red Hill, Paddington, and Toowong. And then along the western freeway, Ipswich motorway, Warrego highway thence past Fernvale to Northbrook parkway, venue of the start line at the base of Northbrook mountain.

We arrived there around 07:15. The atmosphere was carnival-like, with a band of bagpipers and bright sunshine greeting the runners and their supporters. The entries are limited to 150 or 160, but there seemed to be twice that number. The wilderness had come to life right there on the side of that deserted mountain road.

The sun was up and smiling at the runners. I just hoped it did not get too warm.

There was no mist. The fuzz was from my camera.

The runners were sent off in three waves about five minutes apart. The faster runners were in the first group and soon the bagpipes called them to arms, or to legs, I mean to ass-emble. Each group was briefed separately just before the get go by the race director. Greg Waited patiently for the boys and girls to lend their ears.

And then the first wave of runners scooted off. The second and third groups followed soon after.

Just metres from the start line, we come to a crossing on a creek swollen from all the rain this wet summer. It was at least 5m wide with water up to knee deep and no way around. Runners had no choice but to wade across.

Once across the creek it was all steep hill climbing (about 450m ascent over 3.75km) to the top of Northbrook mountain.

The trail was tough and the tough runners got going– if only I was one, but I was just rough, and doing it the toughest. Like on many previous runs, I brought up the rear, guarding the runners from leeches and snakes, or was it just my imagination. I was actually avoiding getting trampled while ruing my sodden shoes.

From the hilltop on Mt Northbrook, the course flattened out and then we started descending down the long, winding, rolling zigzags towards England Creek. There were speed bumps (some were mole hills bigger than mountains) along the descent but I finally got to the creek at about the 10km mark.

From here it’s a mere 600m of climbing over 12km to the finish. This uphill battle is very daunting really. If only I had a car.

But wait I see a 4WD! This was at the watering station where I replenished my water bottle. A daddy and three young kids cheerfully and efficiently attended to the runners. The kids were having fun helping dad with the drinks and lollies. Good on you all.

The next 3km section of the trail along the creek was relatively moderate, but I was inclined (psyched, conditioned, brainwashed) to walk anything remotely resembling an uphill. I trudged on with my feet getting more and more uncomfortable with every step, as mud sweat and grit dumped on my shoes that were already damp from the start.

The next watering point near the 13km mark was a relief. The couple attending the water station offered encouragement and nice words to all: ...more than halfway there it’s all downhill from here, one more water stop, wonderful run in the rainforest... Where would running events be without volunteers? I cannot thank volunteers enough in words (especially when huffing and puffing) but it’s wonderful that they’re there.

Again I watered up. Then I took a breather, and changed my socks and footpads for the final 9km ascending leg of this journey. I counted about 20 runners go past as I rested up. They’re hardly sweating. All along the route runners had been passing me, on average one every 500m. I did pass one or two - at the water stops. 

The sun was peeking through the clouds again as I resumed battling up the mountain. A runner sprinting up the hill asked how far to go. I was almost dead and out of breath and did not really want to know how much more i had to endure. But I checked my watch and politely told him: another seven-odd kilometres.

I passed the last water stop at KP18, and then after what seemed like an eternity of torturous uphill hiking, I somehow got to the verge of the rainforest at the mountaintop. It felt like another world. The air was cooler and thinner. The thicker vegetation blocked off some more of the daylight, and jogging under the canopy with the dimming of the day, was like running in the evening with the darkening of the night. Surreal but so real.

Multiple choice:
a. the photographer's hands were shaky.
b. the reader needs glasses
c. both of the above

Soon the TRAQ red arrows at the stone-lined single track appeared and I entered the muddy winding trail. The woods are lovely dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and less than a mile to go before i slip - out of the thick trees, to the sunny grassed clearing at the finish in Maiala park.

So I slowed down taking great care not to slip. Some of the best rainforests in Australia are right here in Mount Glorious with strangler figs, buttressed trees, stinging trees and large rainforest trees. However the rocks and protruding tree roots make the gloomy trail uneven in places. Treading cautiously, I hurried slowly through the wet sclerophyll and rainforest, past the western window, ducking under branch and overhanging vine, until I finally come out to bright sunshine at the finish line.

This was indeed a mountain trail, and for good reason. I think I finished just outside the estimated average finish time.

Below-average for me, but then this was no ordinary run. This was tough as tough can get. The cloud cover did hover above all day, keeping the intermittent warm sunshine at bay. This helped my cause immensely because I usually just melt in the sun. And the shade provided by the canopy of the gums and then the sanctuary of the rainforest kept me from wilting.

The presentation to the winners happened well before I finished. But I enjoyed the lunch of sandwiches, fruits and other food goodies provided at the finish line.

Well done to the RD Greg, TRAQ organisers, volunteers and everyone involved. Maybe next year, 100 of the runners should use the bus (mini-buses?) and the other 50-60 may use their cars. As the bus driver said 40-80 cars away from those mountain roads can only do good. Runners can just relax pre- and post race, with less damage to the road system, less risk of accident, less need for parking space, and good for the environment. See, increasing your running footprint, lessens your carbon footprint. Now I’d definitely do Mt Glorious again next year, but only if TRAQ can arrange for a beach and pool at the finish line :-).

Ps.

I found a run map. And the results are already out. My reading of the results:

• Average finishing time: 2:50:00. About 80 runners finished under this time.
• The bottom 60 finished in an average of 3:15:00. I am bracketed in this group. Makes my time look good.

Congratulations to the top placers, but as I like to say, the winners are all the participants...
The top 40 are:

Place	Class	AgeGroup	RaceNum	Firstname	Lastname	Clock
1	1M	20-29	82	Gerard	Balnaves	2:00:08
2	2M	40-49	203	David	Riach	2:01:30
3	3M	30-39	28	James	Bamber	2:02:01
4	4M	20-29	107	Daniel	Nunan	2:02:31
5	5M	20-29	11	Ben	Malby	2:09:45
6	6M	30-39	102	Artem	Golev	2:09:46
7	7M	20-29	87	Jim	Heaslop	2:09:47
8	8M	20-29	64	Josh	Magar	2:10:46
9	9M	20-29	216	Steve	Whiteman	2:11:32
10	10M	20-29	94	Henk	Morgans	2:17:31
11	11M	30-39	8	Terry	Verhaar	2:13:45
12	1F	40-49	205	Hubertien	Wichers	2:14:06
13	2F	30-39	24	Lucy	Blaber	2:16:56
14	12M	40-49	202	Nigel	Waddington	2:16:56
15	3F	20-29	70	Kirra	Balmanno	2:18:04
16	13M	30-39	26	Shayne	Steenson	2:18:24
17	14M	30-39	27	Benson	Harrington	2:18:24
18	15M	50-59	98	Peter	James	2:19:19
19	16M	50-59	19	Michael	Schafer	2:19:28
20	17M	50-59	211	Philip	Pearson	2:19:41
21	18M	40-49	75	Martin	Schett	2:20:27
22	19M	30-39	108	Pete	Lavery	2:26:01
23	20M	40-49	12	Geoff	Pesut	2:26:07
24	21M	40-49	52	Barry	Scott	2:21:48
25	4F	30-39	23	Sarah	Schroeder	2:21:49
26	22M	30-39	40	Rodan	Wadham	2:23:35
27	23M	40-49	45	Antony	Banfield	2:29:09
28	24M	40-49	1	Andrew	Duffus	2:23:49
29	5F	30-39	53	Chloe	Rudkin	2:24:24
30	6F	30-39	41	Trina	Denner	2:24:32
31	25M	40-49	73	Graeme	Anderson	2:24:48
32	26M	40-49	3	Paul	Wynne	2:25:52
33	7F	30-39	20	Mandy-Lee	Noble	2:25:59
34	27M	30-39	39	Matt	Traves	2:26:32
35	28M	30-39	109	Andrew	Redmond	2:27:40
36	29M	40-49	88	Steve	Marton	2:29:00
37	30M	30-39	30	Stuart	Houliston	2:34:55
38	31M	30-39	106	Chris	Place	2:30:45
39	32M	30-39	113	Russell	Pertot	2:36:21
40	33M	30-39	76	David	Vroom	2:36:22

Map of the 2012 Mt Glorious mountain trail run.

Workingman's Blues #12 & 1. Gasfields roundup

From Taroom in the north to the Bunya mountains in the east, Moonie in the south to the Roma-Condamine road past Dulacca in the west, the Western Downs separates the hustling bustling southeast corner of the state, from outback Queensland. Between Toowoomba and Roma sits this rich 38,000 square km gasfields region that is now a hive of coal seam gas development. For many, the Western Downs brings up images of broad acre wheat and grain farms, rolling green or brown pasturelands, and the dullish dark green of the forests on the hills and the ranges. But already much of this agricultural basin is crisscrossed by hundreds of kilometres of pipelines, with still more pipelines – in the pipeline.

Finding the balance between a sustainable and renewable resources sector and productive agricultural land, is the challenge that governments should deal with - and fast. But one way or other, agricultural land needs to be protected, because in the end we cannot eat coal, drink oil or breathe gas.

And while that is being sorted, I need to eat too.

My first stint in the gasfields was many moons ago. We worked mostly in the vicinity of Kumbarilla in the south of Kogan, on the Moonie highway between the towns of Tara and Dalby. Tara, like many of the southern downs, is a quiet wheat country and cattle and sheep grazing area. In March 2011, Tara locals blockaded against coal seam gas development. 
Gateway to the Bunya mountains and the gasfields, Dalby is a thriving town at the junction of the Warrego, Bunya and Moonie Highways. This town is a rural enterprise centre in Australia's richest grain and cotton growing area. Kogan is home to what’s claimed to be the largest solar thermal project in the world. The $105 million Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project was launched in April 2011 by PM Gillard.

Our base was in Chinchilla surrounded by the vast broad-acre farms and forests. Australia’s melon capital takes its name from the Aboriginal word for cypress pine. Chinchilla’s melon festival (a bit of watermelon madness held every two years) was ranked 12^th in the 150 must-do things in Queensland. Now a major town, Chinchilla has long been a service centre for the farming, pastoral and timber industries, and recently for power stations and the CSG industry.

Nearing the start of winter, we worked around the west of Wandoan ranging near and far between Miles and Taroom in Banana shire. We stayed in all three towns.
Wandoan is surrounded by vast fields of grain and beef cattle properties. The town was built around Juandah station which was settled in 1853.
The bustling town Miles (originally named Dogwood Crossing) stands at the crossroads of the Warrego and Leichhardt highways. I paid a brief visit to possum park on the Leichhardt Highway north of Miles where I was hoping to try out some wartime bunker accommodation. They booked us somewhere ‘more comfortable’ instead. Next time I’ll have downgrade to stay there. It is on the list of ‘100 things you can only do in Australia.’
Taroom straddles the Leichhardt Highway-Dawson River crossing in fertile brigalow country. Named after the thorny native lime tree, Taroom is the gateway to Isla gorge, the expedition ranges and other national parks. This serene town was one of the bloodiest killing fields in Australia. The local Aborigines, the Yeeman, fought for their land against the encroachment of European graziers until they were eventually wiped out.

In our travels we skirted around some of the remnant brigalow tree stands especially down in Woleebee. 

We also stumbled on a couple of rare Oooline trees.

We sidestepped some bottle trees of various shapes and sizes. 

We saw some country and guzzled up a bit of fuel along the way. Often a full tank did not last two days. We traversed rivers and creeks, blazed trees and fence lines across many a green pasture of the rolling plains and grasslands in Arthur. 

I seen the arrow on the fence post, and the scarred tree; and been ten chains and miles in the south of a graveyard, in Portsmouth. We dug holes, looked for shade, thanked trees for the shelter, jumped a few barbed hurdles, climbed a couple of hills, and baked in the hot sun and scorched earth of Bloodworth.

We held vigil at our post or left them by the gate, gaped at the height of flooding debris, and dodged beasts as we watchfully wove and drove on the byways of Golden Grove. 

Off many a little-travelled country road, we stepped over logs with snakes, and mustered cattle, as under cloud streaked blue skies and along the ridges of the high country we rode.

In Cameron I sighted a wedge-tailed eagle with prey in its talon, and we disturbed the homes of snakes and pigs long gone.

Towards the end of Autumn, I started taking a few shots of blue label to stave off the fast-approaching winter.

Come the chill of the first winter moon we had to move base again to worksites closer to the Leichhardt Highway in the north of the great dividing range.

We travelled some miles around Miles, ran outa room in Taroom, and went wanderin’ the river walk and celebration trail in Wandoan.

Up in the county, down by the river, we found where Paradise Downs lay.
In Alex we tracked a 20-chain road and an old stock route but met no bullocks.

The prickly pear was brought to Australia by governor Phillip in 1788 to produce red dye for soldiers coats, but quickly became one of the greatest biological invasions of modern times. These cacti spread to Chinchilla in 1843. 

We saw rabbits and wild dogs, rabbit-proof and wild dog barrier fences, croaked back at frogs, ached upon acres of prickly pear, battled cattle on roads and cattle in pens, and survived a mice infestation in camp. In the dusk and in the morn we did not mourn but rued the roadkilled roo or two. We admired the beautiful birds - a rosella or a cockatoo in Cassio.

I wandered. It's a long and a dusty road, it's a hot and a heavy load - I even listened to Tom Paxton in Mt Lawton. Sometimes also I couldn't help but wonder where I'm bound.

The more than 5,600 km dingo fence is the longest fence in the world. It was built to protect sheep flocks. This section is part of the 2,500km barrier fence in southern Queensland.

Guluguba (squatter pigeon) near Wandoan. I went back to school there. Just checking it out.

Many times we travelled on the main roads and highways going from town to town. One day while nursing whiteline fever on the Leichhardt, I ruffled the feathers of a beautiful brown pheasant as it flew across in front of me. I braked in time and pheasant survived to fly another day.  

Road train in Condamine.

Most times though we had to give way to the kings of the road, the bigger beasts like road trains and other oversize vehicles that ply these parts.

Off the beaten track, are numerous farmlands with crop and fodder or green pastures. The pretty grasslands can be deceptive. They're often spiky twiggy rocky snakey or holey.

In mid-winter we shifted yet again to sites on the north of Roma. So we did as the Romans do - roamed, but only encountered the Greek-named fields of Mimas-Tethys. Roma is steeped in rich and colourful pioneering history. Among its claim to fame: first gazetted settlement after Queensland separated from NSW in 1859; first natural gas strike in Australia in 1900; the largest cattle sales in the southern hemisphere.

Although sheep and cattle are major resources of this area, natural gas is still piped 480km to Brisbane. Roma is the primary service centre in southwest Queensland, and sits at the junction of the Warrego and Carnarvon highways. The road north passes through Injune on the way to the spectacular Carnarvon Gorge. I should do as the roamers do, and go there via Injune, and soon. Perhaps next winter, in June.

We found the lost city of El Dorado, but I'm not telling where it is.

We encountered echidnas, busted turkeys and many birdlife. The first rainy weather since January restricted our movements to the sealed roads and accessible paddocks only. Whilst in Roma we looked around.

The big rig in Roma

With a girth nearly 9m, the Roma bottle tree is the biggest in the world. It is a thousand  hands span. I gave it a big hug.

During the mid-winter stint, I could not go to back to Woleebee but was asked to deploy to Beelbee, back south of Kogan. 
One early morning as the sun shone, I heard the gum trees a-moaning in Glen Mona Road in Sean. And I looked but there were no hidden poppy fields in the out-of-the-way Poppy hills.

Chinchilla bookshop sign... guide to the world's major religions. I think the 'Ass' means 'assorted', but do give me the benefit - of the sign.

Finally got back to Woleebee in the springtime. Woleebee Creek, Juandah Creek, Mooga Mooga Creek, we came across many a creek that the old legs started to creak.

Should I build a bridge, jump, wade, swim or sink? Thimk.

Gurulmundi wildflowers. Hey Marty, can't you read the sign?

A brushfire in Wandoan one evening, was followed by some low-lying mist come the next morning.

On the forests of Peebs or Pinelands, I ventured near the edge of cliffs of the great dividing range.

The western downs is rich in industry, agriculture, culture and heritage, and mineral resources. What is not widely known are the hidden fishing spots in the many creeks of the downs. Fish such as yellowbelly, murray cod, jewfish, silver perch etc, may be caught in the waterways. There are fishing locations from Dalby, Chinchilla, Tara, through Condamine, Miles and Yuleba, but alas where’s me rod?

Museums galleries wineries pubs are present in almost every town. Other features are dry type rainforests, national parks, open pastures, water masses, deep yawning gorges, all kinds of recreation and adventure destinations really. Along the wayside you might not know it but you'll be going through the local places of Goongarry Columboola Kowguran Eumamurrin Mooga  Bimbadine Euthalla Weranga Wieambilla. Other places with strange foreign-sounding tongue-twisting names are Jackson North, Durham Downs, Peek-a-doo, Dragoncrest or Mt Saltbush. Some of the gas wells are visible from the country roads in Trelinga Trafalgar Wubagul, Burunga Lane, Niella Lacerta Hermitage Navara Pandora Talinga. 

On any given Sunday or any other day, you might be in the parish of Cherwondah Malara  Cobbareena Dinoun Goongarry Bartsch Ardah Whithu Dilginbilly Roughlie Pamaroo  Daandine Braemar Eurombah or Bundi. You might come across my church at the top of the mountain or the highest hill...

You may meet a lineman from the county in Auburn Waldegrave Westgrove or Gubberamunda.

Do say hello to these hardworking men and women pipeliners. They're helping build the economy and infrastructure, of Queensland and Australia.
Many times I witnessed a beautiful rainbow. Here comes that rainbow again.
In the orange glow of sunset to the indigo gloom of  night. In the misty sprays of violets of dawn, to the blazing rising yellow sun reborn. On the red dirt road in the rain, to the  earthen fields of gold in the sun. On the shady green grass, I yearned for home - and hummed a little bit of the workingman's blues...