Now, 15h00 (SA, 23h00 Oz), McCain are off the water and back on their feet for the final hike to the finish. The race website describes this leg as “Trekking over the Lamb Range and down to the ocean. This is some of Australia’s unspoiled country; teams will trek past Aboriginal rock art paintings and through eucalyptus forests on this final stretch of the race. The finish line in Cairns awaits the hearty teams who make it this far!”
Orion has already been on this section for seven hours and they’re not quite 1/3 of a distance into it! Looks like Blackheart’s tracker isn’t working.
We’re not expecting to get much in the way of news or tracking until the finish as the teams will be under the forest canopy for most of this final section. We can expect that they’ll finish later on Tuesday (Oz time). A super birthday treat for Tatum.
A description in a posting on the event website about this trek:
The first 6kms is straight forward along a flatish fire road. This is followed by about 9kms of slogging up a wide fire trail to get to the top of the range. The teams climb 400 metres in elevation here. Next it gets tricky. The fire road marked on their map is actually quite overgrown and hard to pick. The route is taped, but is easy to loose. This goes for about 10kms.
The next section involves a stunning climb up a walking track to an incredible look out over Cairns at Kalphalim Rock. The trial is distinct but involves some steep climbs. Next comes the crux, a 5km cross country section through the rain forest. Teams have been warned to stay high or risk never being found again. Finally teams descend down a walking trail to Crystal Cascades and make their way through the back blocks of Cairns to the esplanade and finish line in the Rydges Bar Pool. A lounge and crowd will be waiting for them.
Tatum’s log post from CP22 – the start of the paddle
Team Blogs from the Field:
CP 22: We are here after 10 or so hrs of awesome riding. Tweet licked some serious butt with nav, caught Merrell within 1st hour. Really had a good one. We are nervous for trek after paddle but we promise to give it horns in a massive way. It ain’t over till the PHAT LADY sings and she ain’t singing yet 😉 Told the boys gotta be back for my bday – they doing their best. Thanks for messages. YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO we are seeing the end!!!!!
Lots love hobs and boys under my cracking whip!!! Ha ha ha
Trackers….
Looks like all trackers are struggling on this leg (probably due to thick tree canopy?), not just Blackheart’s.