I have the Collingwood Magpies to thank for my return to hiking after a 25 year hiatus. To explain:
Stevie J hand passes |
Of the many footy teams of Melbourne, one team stands alone as being singularly the most loved and most despised: the Collingwood Magpies. The 'Pies' have the largest supporter base of all the teams, they tend to make the most noise at and away from games and are generally pretty feral. For the purposes of this story the other key thing for you to know about the Pies is that they're my wife's team - and she is very much in the mold of the typical Pies supporter (except maybe the bit about them being feral - she might read this - shhhh :) )
God takes a mighty pack mark |
Supporters of other teams, on hearing your barrack for the Cats, will inevitably enquire as to how long you have supported them - the unspoken accusation being that you might be that worst of all supporters - someone that only supports your team when they're winning. For the record, I got behind the Cats in the early 90s, when I was entranced by a aging, balding player named Gary Ablett - a goal-kicking and marking freak, who the fans simply called 'God'.
All Blacks haka |
So anyway, around this time last year Geelong met Collingwood in the semi-final. Up to that point in the season both teams had been tracking well and it was expected to be a tight match with the Pies having the advantage. My wife and I plus other family members gathered in our lounge to enjoy the spectacle.
Well, the Pies absolutely walloped the Cats. It was a total hiding. A flogging. I was shell-shocked and slunk away with my tail between my legs as my wife's roars of delight filled the house.
Melbourne Show |
As history now shows, the Grand Final of 2010 was a classic - a hard fought, bruising encounter that ended in draw. Now while other football codes would choose to resolve a draw by playing extra time, having a 'shoot out' or some such, another peculiarity of aussie rules is that a drawn Grand Final is replayed the following week ie. My cunning plan of attending the Show to avoid having to watch the Pies in the final was foiled!
And now we come to how I got back into hiking. I had bought a book on short walks near Melbourne a month or so earlier, but to this point had done nothing about it. Now needing inspiration to avoid the final replay, I retrieved the book from under a pile of unpaid bills, flicked through it and settled on a nice-sounding walk at Lake Eildon, a couple of hours drive away - perfect!
I headed off the next Saturday on what was to be the first step of my rediscovery of the wilderness and the spirit of adventure.
= = = =
Over the past 12 months my day walks turned into over-nighters, then into multi-day hikes, culminating in an amazing 5-day winter snow-shoeing trek in the Victorian high country. My gear list has changed in line with the increasing challenges and the lessons along the way, including the 'enlightenment' of the light weight philosophy. I have also discovered the satisfaction of making my own gear, starting with a tarptent, then a tyvek bivvy, a floorless pyramid tent, a synthetic quilt and other bits and pieces. I am also fitter, lighter and generally feel great. A sedentary outlook has been replaced with a forward-looking, adventure-seeking attitude that brought positive impacts for me, my family, even my work. As an added bonus, I have discovered a vast community of people who share this passion for the outdoors. It is not an understatement to say that for me getting back into hiking has been life-changing. Really.
And to think I owe it all to Collingwood.
"Good old Collingwood forever"
ReplyDeleteSo what did you do on GF day this year?
ReplyDeleteIfoletta - This year? I stayed at home and watched the Cats wrestle with and eventually overcome the Pies in one of the great GFs. No hiking and no Melb Show for the GF weekend this year. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat story! I have a similar history with the outdoors. After I got back into kayaking, hiking, and backpacking, my life was also revitalized.
ReplyDeleteHey Andrew,
ReplyDeleteGreat blog.
I also haven't really done any serious bushwalking since the arrival of children, 13+ years ago. You've inspired me.
Cheers
Chris Klep
Hi Chris
ReplyDeleteThanks. I guess you could take the kids walking with you - but you better get in quick before they develop teenage parent-itis.
Andrew
PS. Missed you at Jerry's 70th last weekend.
Thanks, Philip. Great to hear there are others who are enjoying the same resurgence! I have been enjoying your SectionHiker.com articles too.
ReplyDeleteHope you got some hiking in last Friday night!
ReplyDelete..sorry.
I have the 'pies (as well as FC Barcelona) to thank for motivating this 50 year old body to get out on the field every week and kick the ball around.
Hi Icemel
ReplyDeleteOuch!
Actually, I love to be out in the wilderness, for sure, but I wouldn't have missed that game - it was a beauty!
Andrew