This weekend we had our first training walk on the actual trail.
We drove up on Friday night to the Numinbah Environment Centre just near the Hinze Dam. The staff kindly met us and showed us around before we bedded down for the night. The next morning we bolted 7km into Anaconda camping supplies at Nerang for some SHOPPING!! Then straight back again to meet the rest of the teams at 11am.

Here is a list of the teams Southern Cross Uni is sponsoring. We all had some, if not all, contingents show up - the links only work if you are logged into the kokodachallenge.com website:

• SCU Hikers - Jak and his sophisticated gang of latté drinkers
• SCU Ramblers - Trina and Bikie Steve plus a couple who could not come. Not forgetting Cindy the hopping hero, one woman - support team
• SCU Striders - Cameron and the lightning bolt gang
• SCU Wanderers - the World Famous Coffs Harbour Campus SCU Team. Consisting of none other than Captain Di, 'Snake Wrestling' Emma, our world class trainer 'Never say Die' Chris and me. Unfortunately 'Rocket Legs' Lisa our soccer hero team member could not make it.

The teams unpacked, geared up and headed off for our walk at midday. It was a hot day and the hills were steep. Worst of all they just kept on coming. We started off at Mt Nimmel Lodge and travelled through the dusty hills and forests. Jak's team (Hikers) stormed ahead and kindly waited for us at each checkpoint.

As evening approached I saw my old friend the Eastern Yellow Robin hopping around in the eucalypt bushes. After sunset and Polly's Kitchen the Hikers and the Ramblers kept going whilst the Wanderers meandered along at the back. Di was struggling with her orthotics down the hills. We found the leaders had left us stick arrows in the dark as well as a few broken spider webs. Emma who was walking with Di managed to attract the attentions of another deadly snake. I am beginning to think they must like her.

Walking at night through the dry rainforest was magical. There was no moon and in the dark I felt as if I were walking though space, enclosed in my own lamplight. The path shone white and occasionally familiar stars glittered between the trees above. We were all tired out as we neared the end of the day. Di heroically managed the descents (walking backwards!) with painful feet and knees. When home was in sight Chris, Emma and I all ran ahead like excited school-kids. Halfway up the hill we realised we'd left Di behind, she had taken some kind of complicated shortcut. She caught up a moment later and let us know how she felt about our team spirit. Shame on us.

We had spent most of the latter half of the walk discussing how much food we'd eat, hot chocolate, drinking port and how deep the bath (it was a shower) we'd have once we had completed the walk. However once we got back we had a quick shower, ate and slept.

Early next morning we had a bowl of porridge. Chris and Di stayed to clear up and transport our gear whilst the rest of us walked to Syd Duncan Park.
This is going to be hard on the actual challenge as it is roughly the halfway point and, I think, the highest point of the trail. We will probably reach it in the middle of the night so it will be cold. A lot of teams had problems with this section last year, check this out from Urban Crag:

... JT's condition began to deteriorate to the point that he was vomiting on the side of the trail ... We lost three people at the Syd Duncan checkpoint ...

Sunday morning was bright and breezy. The narrow footpad path was pretty easy going and well marked.
The word undulating springs to mind.