Today's Trailwalker inspired track:
Bring it On ~ Lenny Kravitz
Today's Trailwalker inspired quote:
"I don't see much sense in that" said Rabbit.
"No", said Pooh humbly. "There isn't. But there was going to be when I began it".
Date: March 13th 2010
Where: Checkpoint 4 - Checkpoint 6 (Ashinoko Camping Village to Yagurasawa Public Home)
Totals: 28.7km - 8:38 hours
Checkpoints 4 to 5... Soundtracks data from the Garmin (although might be just slightly off due to a recharging incident in the mud sludge).
Onto the trail. We tackled CP4-6 on Saturday. We were so excited that the weather was looking fine for a fab tramp through the woods. Tenki page forecasted 18C for Sat. We were so ready. We were pumped. Em and Erin arrived in Sagiboobs Friday eve for a sleep over. We tried to get to bed early, but, that of course was useless. So we decided to have a team meeting which degenerated quite quickly and got completely off track as usual. We are sure that looking at our photies, our crafty projects and scrapbooks will certainly come in handy at some point along the 100km. Anyway we finally got to bed, slept for about 3 hours, then got up for the drive to our nemesis CP6 where we would drop off the car.
Naturally Savvy went berko the entire way and would not take us anywhere near our destination. We think she's blown a fuse. If we ignore her she usually comes up with the right route eventually, but Saturday she was in a foul mood and wouldn't even let us input an address. Thank goodness she's going in for shaken this week. She can just sit there and think about what she's done...So we had to follow a regular map, in one of those - what do you call them???, oh yes, a refidex... and we got there eventually with few deviations. We should know the way by heart as we've been here so many times...lost, in the rain, and otherwise. So hello Yagurasawa Public House. We've missed you.
Arrived at 7.22am. Mysterious wet spots deposited in the back seat. Weird. Leaky camelback, probably... We also, naturally, just missed the 7.21am bus down to Sekimoto. Em almost got on a happy sightseeing tour bus that was leaving at the same time with some lovely new friends. We had to stop her. Waited another 30mins for the bus. Waited at the wrong bus stop but were soon put on the right course by a very kind driver. Off to Sekimoto. Was going to grab a taxi to CP4 but it would have been over 10,000yen so we took the train and then another bus. Erin went rogue bear-back riding at Daiyuuzan Eki as we paid homage to Kintaro, the symbol of Hakone, known for his strength and courage. We hoped we could channel some of both.
Hungry again by 8.10am. Snacks on the train.
The weather at Odawara was fine and sunny. Grabbed some food at the conveni, met several others teams getting ready to head out on the course, then took our own bus up to Togendai. Slept most of the way as Em played scrabble and were delighted to wake-up to Hakone in the fog. Thick and cold and snow still on the ground. Wet. Brrrrr. Em then pointed out every high-tea, cafe and restaurant establishment along the way and how much more enticing those options would be compared to a 1200m amble up a big hill in these conditions. We agreed. Off the bus at Togendai, used the facilities and hit the course. Bit nippy but we had a ball and talked the first flat 6km following the golf course. Marveled at the newness and whiteness of Erin's shoes. She put on her new gators. Surely, we didn't need them. We made friends with several golfers along the way and had to stop ourselves, seriously, from stealing one of those amazing remote-controlled golf buggy's. Plus we pondered question of the day, "Why are all the golf caddies old ladies... and why do they wear towels on their heads..."? Deep stuff.
Made it to the start of the hiking trail. And got ready to face Myjingo-bingo again. I'd like to say we've missed you. But I know, I haven't. And she was ready for us. Pay-back for the hurling and BM's of just under a year ago. But with music in our hearts and our dancing shoes on we gingerly headed up. 1 meter in. Hello mud. Hello snow. It was bog hill.
You'd think after all the training we'd finally get the perfect 'kit' together. But without gators, sealskinz socks, anything remotely related to gortex, we were a muddy, dirty bunch within minutes. But onward and upward. Let the nonsense begin. Feet were blocks of ice because of the snow. 11km in Erin mentioned in passing that perhaps we should have considered Heather's advice about wearing plastic bags over our socks, tucked into our shoes. And perhaps we would have, if it had been brought up a little earlier... when we weren't standing in mud and ice up to our knees. But next time, indeed we will take on Heather's advice. Seriously. Here are some links we have since found about tackling the wet feet scenario...here, here and here. Because more than likely this part of the course will not dry out in a month...Snow and mud, mud and snow. We slipped and slided our way along. Had some peanut butter sando's in the shadow of the peak. Danced a bit. Ate. Laughed a lot.
Erin's shoes no longer white.
Made the scramble to the rocky top then almost promptly got blown off. Trace is having a few equilibrium issues being some 60kgs lighter than the previous decade and half of her life...We almost lost her. It was gale force up there. A bit scary, really. Mount Fuji was enveloped in clouds, but there somewhere. We started the trek down. If only we'd had a toboggan or at least some cardboard we could have made light work of the process and got there in half the time. Fell a bit. Nice brown backsides. Pretty. Knees felt like crap, socks and shoes soaking but we finally made it to CP5 incredibly on track, time wise. Yes, Trace has made us a very impressive schedule to try and at least keep us half way on schedule towards finishing within the 48 hours. If we can stick to it even slightly we have a chance of making it.Yippee. Looking good as we toileted and cleaned up. Nice hair and side wings.
Snack time. What it's all about. We now know we have the best team ever as Erin surprised us all with treats. She had carried the yummiest little cakes the whole way for us. We LOVE you...They went quickly. Giving us the energy we needed to keep going. Perhaps more so for Trace than us as she emodied her inner 'crane' and cracked us up with our required series of airborne stretching photos commemorating our brief stop at Daiyuuzan Saijo-ji. Time to hoof it to 6. Easy walk up the forestry road. Dusk had come and headlights were on. We created our very own Hollywood spotlights and cat-walked the 6k in a horizontal line to the turn off. We were fierce.
We burst through the woods into the charming tea fields, as a bat almost took my head off. Still talking. In training to keep the volume down. We promise. All limping a bit and very sore feet balls. But Savvy was just across the river and we soon found she was waiting and over her huff. For a bit.
Took a wack photo of Em. Freaky.
Time for an onsen. And without Sav's help we finally made it to one of our favorite hot springs back in Hakone Yumoto - Tenzan Tohji-kyo. We were very dirty girls. But without too many faux pas we finally cleaned up at bit and soaked for a good while. Feeling good but still with sore feet. All in all a good learning experience. We've never had any hotspots or blisters but in these soggy conditions we'd have to troubleshoot it for sure during the event. Lots to reflect on and prepare for. Bring it.
Checkpoint 5 to 6... Soundtracks data from the Garmin:
Homeward bound and very tired. An epic day. Not enough words to describe it (although I've given it a good shot for a Monday, I think). What we can't say in prose we make up for in pictures & vid.
Enjoy the nonsensical highlights.
Looking forward to next weekend - Start to CP4 with an overnight stay at Lake Ashi. Good times, great memories await. And bad hair for sure.
The stats: 1640m climbed, 2064m downhill, 2 gators...4 people, 38 days til Trailwalker.
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