Right from the start; when packing the trailer the weather wasn’t very good at all, raining steadily. On the way up the weather didn’t change much, although some parts along the highway it wasn’t raining and we were all hoping our destination wouldn’t be raining.
We stopped for McDonalds for a quick dinner then, after taking the trailer off the 4WD to reverse out of the car park and hitching it back on again were back on the road.
We didn’t arrive at Scouthike at about 9:30. After missing the turn off and turning down another road to turn around. Anyway, we went to headquarters to check in and get our sleeping point. As we were trying to turn around we didn’t have any success, so another Scout leader offered to do it. After turning around, he stalled the car. This amused us all.
We got to sleep point 1, our first sleep point. By this time the rain hadn’t lightened by any means, and it was time to set up our tents. I don’t think any of us were looking forward to going out into the pouring rain to set the tents up, although we couldn’t stay and not do it. So, we unloaded the trailer and began the dreaded process. After we set the tents up we decided it wasn’t worth waiting around outside and to stay in our tents for the benefit of staying as dry as possible.
The next morning we awoke at 5:00, but didn’t leave our lovely warm beds until 5:30 to start packing. Just cruising along at our own pace we had everything packed by 6:30. It wasn’t until 6:50 that we went to sign out, and we found out information pack wasn’t at the camp.
The information pack, we were told firstly wasn’t at camp but was located at HQ, so the man in charge of the camp sent a message up to HQ to have it arrive. So he told us to go for a walk to maintain our heat. It wasn’t until about 25 minutes later that he told us it wasn’t at HQ, but was in fact either at or on its way back to Melbourne. With the pouring rain, we had been told to register Saturday morning. But by Saturday morning our information had been left on a bus, and sent back to Melbourne. We then decided, with approval, to use an envelope as our passport, and with an informative note written if we had any problems with it. So, now we were right to go, we had a make-do passport and our map had been marked out, ready? Not yet. Just as were about to leave an announcement was sent over the radios that one of the activities had been relocated, and we were told to wait another 5 minutes for the new set of co-ordinates. We were standing by the table, by that time annoyed that we had lost so much time with disorganisation, and the man hadn’t returned after longer than 5 minutes so we went and searched for him. When we found him, he was surprised that we were still around, as he thought we’d already left.
We then got quite a few activities done and we were averaging just over one activity per hour. Having no rests, except for at the activities we continued to excel onwards, until of course, time for lunch had arrived. We had a rest then, for the matter of getting our lunch, and we hadn’t taken more then 10 minutes until we were back on the track.
We continued to do as we had – hiking and completing the challenges.
We did one activity, ‘Q’, which was run by Venturers. This activity had
absolutely nothing, what so ever to do with Scouts apart from fun. The first
part was playing ‘Simon Says’ where we out-mastered Simon. Then while we were
waiting for the next activity we did a roll-like-thing. We had to all get onto
our hands and knees and hold the person in fronts’ feet, then we rocked to
either side, and on the third we rolled over. This was good, apart from the
rocks that we landed on. The next part was to fire ten tennis balls at targets,
which we passed quite easily. The next part however was to make a human
pyramid, 3 of us on the bottom, with Max and Angus kneeling and eventually
standing on our backs. We later found out that we weren’t supposed to do all
the activities, but it paid off because we got full marks – 110.
By this time of the day we had one activity left on the agenda for the day. We took the wrong track. But this worked out beneficial for us, because that meant we got two activities done instead of the one that we had planned. This gave us a total of 15 activities for the day and about 22kms hike distance.
We got back to Sleep Point 3, which is where Sylvia was staying, at about 6:30, gaining the 100 bonus points for checking in before 7:00. We then set up our tents, had dinner eventually and got everything into order. Because of Angus’s birthday on the 7th (the day earlier) Sylvia had make a chocolate cake for us, which we all greatly appreciated. It wasn’t until about 9:30 that we were in our tents, and while in our tents we were talking to this apparent Zimbabwean person in Max’s and Angus’s tent.
The next morning we had decided earlier to wake at 5:30, as this was the time we started packing the previous day, and it all managed to work. Our packs were packed by about 6:30 so some of us decided to attempt to dry our uniforms by the fire which the generous leaders had started for us.
By this time of the day we had one activity left on the agenda for the day. We took the wrong track. But this worked out beneficial for us, because that meant we got two activities done instead of the one that we had planned. This gave us a total of 15 activities for the day and about 22kms hike distance.
We got back to Sleep Point 3, which is where Sylvia was staying, at about 6:30, gaining the 100 bonus points for checking in before 7:00. We then set up our tents, had dinner eventually and got everything into order. Because of Angus’s birthday on the 7th (the day earlier) Sylvia had make a chocolate cake for us, which we all greatly appreciated. It wasn’t until about 9:30 that we were in our tents, and while in our tents we were talking to this apparent Zimbabwean person in Max’s and Angus’s tent.
The next morning we had decided earlier to wake at 5:30, as this was the time we started packing the previous day, and it all managed to work. Our packs were packed by about 6:30 so some of us decided to attempt to dry our uniforms by the fire which the generous leaders had started for us.
It was about 6:55 when we hoisted
our daring packs onto our backs and went up to sign out, got our site checked
and off we went, first to leave the camp. We were headed for ‘M’, it was about
1.5k’s, and we managed to walk this in under 25 minutes. Which was good for our
timing, but once we arrived we had to wait over 40 minutes until we could begin
the activity. The time passed and we could begin the activity, which was to
carry a stretcher with three packs on it around a course – which took us less
then a minute. A long 40 minute wait for a short one minute activity, but I
guess it was worth the wait.
We did all the activities planned for the second day – 8. This gave us a whopping 23 out of 24 activities for the weekend.
We were walking back to the finish when we got into our shirt and scarves. In doing this we gained yet another 100 bonus points.
We arrived at the finish and checked in early. Then waited over two hours, just sitting there discussing areas on the hike where we could have improved and how we thought we went. We then, after the signal to do so, put our packs in the trailer and went to wait for final presentation. It was at this time that Max, being as cheeky as he was, asked Sylvia if she would shout McDonalds if we won, and eventually she gave in, with our support, and agreed.
I’d have to say we were all nervous, with 23 activities (96% of them) and the 300 bonus points we thought we had a reasonably good chance of maybe getting a Gold Award. We then listened to all the stories that rambled on before the scores were ready to be announced.
Only the Gold Awards were read out, starting at 7th. 10th Ivanhoe, 6th 1st Ivanhoe. 5th, 4th, 3rd and we still hadn’t been called out. By this stage we were nerve racked. Could we really have got into the top 2 positions? By the amounts of activities completed we were still better then what had already been announced.
Finally. “With 23 activities, 2215 points, 1..” This was it. “..150SM” That was our Patrol number. We had been awarded second, and we were shattered. Then they announced the winners, and the entire Patrol got to go up to accept their Gold Award and trophy-like award. Winning only by 87 points. After the presentation had finished we went back to wait by the 4WD for Sylvia.
We did all the activities planned for the second day – 8. This gave us a whopping 23 out of 24 activities for the weekend.
We were walking back to the finish when we got into our shirt and scarves. In doing this we gained yet another 100 bonus points.
We arrived at the finish and checked in early. Then waited over two hours, just sitting there discussing areas on the hike where we could have improved and how we thought we went. We then, after the signal to do so, put our packs in the trailer and went to wait for final presentation. It was at this time that Max, being as cheeky as he was, asked Sylvia if she would shout McDonalds if we won, and eventually she gave in, with our support, and agreed.
I’d have to say we were all nervous, with 23 activities (96% of them) and the 300 bonus points we thought we had a reasonably good chance of maybe getting a Gold Award. We then listened to all the stories that rambled on before the scores were ready to be announced.
Only the Gold Awards were read out, starting at 7th. 10th Ivanhoe, 6th 1st Ivanhoe. 5th, 4th, 3rd and we still hadn’t been called out. By this stage we were nerve racked. Could we really have got into the top 2 positions? By the amounts of activities completed we were still better then what had already been announced.
Finally. “With 23 activities, 2215 points, 1..” This was it. “..150SM” That was our Patrol number. We had been awarded second, and we were shattered. Then they announced the winners, and the entire Patrol got to go up to accept their Gold Award and trophy-like award. Winning only by 87 points. After the presentation had finished we went back to wait by the 4WD for Sylvia.
It was kind of good that we were outside waiting for Sylvia that we looked at our score stuck on the outside of the envelope. We noticed one section, for handing in our money and names by a certain date had been left empty, where as it should have had ‘100’ in it. So, Caitlin, Gareth and myself went back to query this, and why we hadn’t been given the bonus points. Turns out they had mucked up with the work, and hadn’t given it to us, although they knew we had done it. The two men that we asked were disappointed with themselves because this was the second year in a row that they had mucked up and awarded the same patrol - 1st/8th Blackburn - the award. We then asked the question: “Does this mean we won?” We already knew but we wanted to hear it from the officials. They answered slowly: “Yes”.
We waited about a second, to see if they had anything else to say before we turned and ran to the 4WD to share the good news with Max and Angus. Although they had kind of guessed by our attitude and enthusiasm running back to them, they were none-the-less glad to head that we had won. It wasn’t long until Sylvia came to the car impressed that we had taken out 1st in a state-wide event with 61 patrols competing.
We began our slow journey home, none of us quiet but all agitated with the excitement of success. Even though nobody else had known we had won, deep down inside we knew that we had taken it out. That all our hard work had paid off.
We got to Pakenham McDonalds and Sylvia shouted us, after attempting to get herself out of it all, with an ice-cream cone, which we all enjoyed and appreciated once again.
A big congratulation to those who competed: Caitlin and Gareth, Max and Angus, and Scott Marriott.
The weekend was a huge success. Thank you to everybody who helped out in any way, shape or form, including Leanne for all the hard work she has contributed.
An even bigger thank you to Sylvia for her work, transport, cooking, and luggage assistance.
Scott nov 08
