Olde Bagge Trekker

[Mrs Moo]

Hi all, I'm known as Mrs Moo (from the Beef Capital, Rockhampton, Qld), and I plan to do the Track next year in August 2008, with my daughter the rock-climbing gym junkie. I am preparing well ahead of time because I have a bit of catching up to do, fitness-wise!
I am still deciding whether to purchase pack etc, or hire. Can anyone advise me on what they did, and how it worked out?
Also, my daughter, being an avid bushwalker, insists she will carry her own pack. She is 31 and fit, but I feel she would enjoy the trip more if I paid for a personal porter for her. What do others think?

[alfwo2]

Hi Mrs Moo. we finished our trek on 23 May this year. We had our own packs. Decided to keep them for the future. We are all going to trek again. I am late 59, and used a porter. My daughter and son in law, mid 30's, 1 porter and my son in law carried part of his own pack. It is a very hard slog. Very, very steep in lots of places. I guess if you want to really enjoy the trek, pay for a porter, if you want to test yourself, carry it all. Remember when training carry at least 3 litres of water, that is what you will need on the track. I can honestly say, we all enjoyed the trek, even though it was a real test of stamina and you mind over matter with the very streep climbs.
I am heading out again in May 2009, I have a heap of friends who are now interested in doing the trek.

Are you going from kokoda or from Owers Corner.

If you have any questions you can e-mail me at: alfwo1@optusnet.com.au

I will be glad to answer.

Remember that we in Australia zig zag up hills, in PNG they head straight up.

Regards

Alf

[dcorker]

My husband and I trekked last year but only got half way. My husband became ill due to a virus and we thought it best to evacuate. We are trekking again in 3 weeks with Kokoda Trekking again. The one thing I could say as a female in training is to make sure you get your leg muscles strong. The trek is very steep and pulling your own body weight up is very hard if you don't have leg strength. We have changed our training this year now we know what to expect. We climb stairs every day, lots of them, double steps, non-stop for at least an hour. It has taken us about 5 months of constant training to get to this point. On the weekends we drive to the hills in WA and trek up and down for a few hours at a time for endurance. We are both in our late 40's, work full time and have 3 kids so time is very short.
As far as a day pack goes I would suggest you purchase the one you are going to take with you and train with it on. Make sure you go to a reputable trekking store and have it fitted properly, it makes all the difference. At the moment I am training with about 6kgs but will get up to 8kgs over the next 3 weeks. Both my husband and I have hired a porter, I don't believe either of us have the strength to carry our own main pack. This weighs 15kgs and its hard enough climbing the hills with just a daypack.
Just remember, the trek is climbing and if you keep that in mind, you will train correctly. If you need any more details please feel free to email me on dc25660@hotmail.com

Good luck
Donna

[justinpeters]

Im glad to hear your training methods were along the lines of which i and my friends thought best. How much weight were you carrying in your training pack? also, what was the food like on the trekk?

[dcorker]

Hi

In regards to the training weight we carry, I normally carry about 7kgs and my husband 10kgs. Neither of us will be carrying our own packs and have hired porters. Last year both of us carried too much stuff. I thought I needed to have everything at my fingertips but the porters never leave your side so they can carry most of the gear and you only need water, food and minor medical supplies…nothing with too much weight. This year I only intend to carry between 4 – 5kgs and everything I've read says to carry double in training what you intend to carry on the track.
Food – no one ever ate all the food in their pack for the day. There was plenty to eat and at most of the villages we had fresh fruit and vegies we could purchase for a very small cost, and it was lovely. If you book with Kokoda Trekking you will not have an issue with the food, the packs are exactly as they show on this site.
Happy to answer any other questions you might have.

Donna

[Waza]

Hi Mrs Moo & Daughter, also Justin P

You have received great advice from both Donna & Alf on Track conditions, how to go about your training and what/not to carry.

I trekked with Gail in April/May 2005 at age 60 and it was the most wonderful experience of my life and the company of most of my group was exceptional, with some of us still seeing each other and keeping in contact with each other.

I did train hard for it on a regular basis, mainly on a 3k trek up a 400m Mountain, carrying a 16kg pack. I started off with the idea of sharing a Porter with my younger Brother (he had the Porter the first day!), but the trip from Kokoda to Isurava Memorial on the 1st day was so tough, I decide to hire a Porter (and what a wonderful young man he was). This was a good decision and I found the Day & Hydration Packs quite easy.

One fellow, who already had a Porter, then hired another Porter to carry his Day Pack, leaving him just to carry his Hydration Pack (about 2kgs). So it is tough, but having said that, many carry their own Back Pack.

I purchased most of my items off ebay and don't regret one purchase, my main pack a Wolf brand wa superb and only cost me $45.

Should you wish to look at and compare training methods and what you intend to carry, I would be happy to email you 2 spreadsheet lists of mine.

My email is warren@metrogroup.com.au

Let me know if you wish to correspond or just email me, I'm in Port Macquarie.

Regards

Warren (Waza – Trek 83)

[Mrs Moo]

Thankyou to everyone who replied to my post. Special thanks to those who supplied email addys – expect to hear from me at some stage!

We will be walking Kokoda to Owers Corner, and probably will do the trek about this time next year. I bushwalk regularly (our club always goes uphill – they've never heard of flat!) and I train everyday either on the goat track down the back of the hill on which I live, or doing aerobics and weights. The stair thing sounds good (I read it in another post), and I know where there are 165 stairs down to a beach near my home, so that will be my next training area (I tend to get bored doing the same thing everyday).

I have all my gear now and can train fully loaded. I intend to add ankle weights shortly, to strenghten my legs a bit more, although I am already quite strong.

I hear so many horror stories ("My grandson did the Track last year and got really sick"; "my friend did the track and was flown out on day 4") it is encouraging to hear from people who actually made it to the end, and enjoyed it. Personally, I can't wait. I eat, talk and sleep Kokoda until my friends get sick of hearing about it!

Thanks again from Mrs Moo

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