A run in a tourist destination

2024-08-15 21:09

I go for a run up the hill from the office after work. I get a waft of Wahlburgers, making me hungry too early into my run. I turn left before the Gondola entering the Tiki trail from the back of the cemetery as the main entrance is still closed from track damaged caused by a landslide in September last year which put us in a state of emergency.

The Tiki trail is a regular of mine. Roughly 450m climbing in 2km. I rarely just do the Tiki. There are many options - add a loop to the paragliding launch pad, or up further over the skyline ridge, or further again to Ben Lomond if you want to climb 1300m, duck down the access road, or cut across halfway up, join onto One Mile track, or Fernhill Loop, or don't even use the tracks, scrub bash, find a guerrilla mountain bike trail, or just follow a creek.

I rarely stick to my plan. Usually let the body decide. If the muscles and energy are up for it I'll go for a few hours. Sometimes just the Tiki is enough.

Only 5 metres in I give way to mountain bikers who are finishing their run to jump on the gondola again for another lap. Mountain biking is popular in the district. Many trails, ride-able year round. I do it too, but I can't justify the gondola prices.. $999 for a season pass, $650 for 50 rides. I like the fitness anyway. Climbs are just as fun as the descent. I'm sick like that, so I ride the access road up. I run past riders there. It's faster on foot. My record is 20 minutes up. About 45 on the bike.

Anyway, back to my run. A couple hundred metres up and I pass a group with harnesses. Zipliners. They've been zipping through the trees from platform to platform. I never quite know if they're starting or finishing their runs. Sometimes they're walking up the hill, sometimes down. It looks fun. It sounds fun, hearing the zzzzzs and woohoos high in the tree tops above. Sometimes they're singing songs. I think the guides must tell them to do this to help calm their nerves.

As I round a bend I see the gondolas again. That looks relaxing. I've got sweat in my eyes.

I cross a construction site, where the earth movers and loggers are stored. There is a lot of work going into wilding pine removal. Its also what caused the slip. Skyline got in a bit of flack for that.

This point I could turn off and continue up the access road. I choose to stay on the Tiki.

I pass some walkers. "How far to the top?" Another 20 minutes I say. Do you not do your research I think. At least these ones have proper footwear.

Zzzzzzzip

A couple of runners pass me on their descent. They look fresh. I grimace and squint through sunscreen sweat. I look forward to the descent.

I get to the top where bikers are riding off the steel ramps from the gondola. I jog past the luge riders on a tight bend. They're always screaming with delight. I rode them years ago. It was fun.

I've decided to go up to the paragliders launch pad. I turn up the hill from where the downhill mountain bikers are congregating at the top of their run. I usually go clockwise on this loop. Don't know why, its just habit. I pass the luge start line and duck into the bush again. Bit darker here under canopy. Nice soft trail under the pine. Good pinch climb until finally I'm at the opening.

There's a GForce paragliding tandem about to start, the winds are playing nicely (just), though the pilot leaves the client to go get another pilot from the gondola in his buggy. I stay and have a chat to the client. She's from France, quit her job recently and decided to travel the world. Just been in Aus. Arrived here yesterday. Pilot returns. They start to set up, but I get itchy legs so bid them fairwell. I'll see them in the sky.

I return the way I came then turn off to finish the loop back, head up the Ben Lomond track for a bit, then descend to the Midway Clearing, halfway down the access road. I go down the remainder of the access road. It's an easy cruise down from here, passing more zipliners and mountain bikers. I see a paraglider in the air. Not the tandem. Must be the pilot's mate. The tandem will be close by.

Closer to the bottom I see the Earnslaw steamboat chugging across the lake. Wafts of burgers and restaraunts again. People, music, laughter.

I return to an empty office. Everyone's gone home. I put my trackies and hoody on as its cooling fast. Grab my bags. Make a milo before heading out the door. That'll keep the hunger at bay til I get home. Legs feel good. Maybe I'll do it again tomorrow.