Another Sherpa Training Day

We had a really successful intake of new Sherpa volunteers at the Grampians on Saturday 2 February.  We had 16 new volunteers come and receive training.  They were a diverse bunch ranging from directly local to surrounding towns all the way back to Melbourne.

We have already had two requests for Sherpa volunteers to assist visitors since the training.

Clean Up Australia Day

Click on the pic to register

You may be aware that Clean Up Australia Day is happening on 2nd and 3rd March this year.

While we haven’t organised a specific activity for our Grampians Walking Track Support Group, there is the opportunity for us to be involved on one or both of the days on that weekend. If there is interest.

It could be a simple walk through collecting rubbish along the way.

Along the way you'd enjoy the stunning natural beauty of the Grampians.

Register online by clicking this link or the picture in this post.

Who will it be?

I very ready to go out on the TrailRider but I need some folk to be sherpas. At least two. We will pick the route according to how many sign up. 

Here is the form

It's here, in Castlemaine!!!!

There can scarcely have been a more exciting moment in TrailRider history and, sadly, this photo was taken by Rodney Brooke who is one of the main instigators. Also to be thanked for the generosity that made this possible are Rodney's mother, Dulcie, my dearest, and only ever now wife Ros and Parks Victoria that made this possible.

In 2015 when I turned 65 these people gave me a TrailRider of my very own and now they have agreed to it being given on permanent loan to Castlemaine visitors Centre and that is what happened this afternoon.

A new blog

There are few things more appetizing for us online characters than a new blog. So here is one where you will get to hear tales that I would love to tell before I depart this earth. davidstrattontales.blogspot.com is where you will find it all out happening.

Join the throng by Liking the new blog on Facebook.

The folding travel bed pole

This is another one of those posts that is not strictly above the TrailRider but about a closely related topic. The unifying theme, as before, is inclusion. The TrailRider is about inclusion in bushwalking and the folding travel bed pole is about inclusion in travelling around in the world or to your mother-in-law's.

The fruition, on Monday, was the culmination of more than five years of effort by myself and Rodney Brooke (often referred to here as the King of Sherpas) This effort has taken this through many prototypes finally leading to one which could actually be manufactured in quantity. The quantity that gets made (currently we have a batch of 100) depends on this final step which is feedback from potential users.

We are giving away bed poles to people who are prepared to contribute their thinking, their criticisms, because this is a crucial final phase in the design process. Please get in touch if you are one such person.

Yes I'd like a free bed pole

A Sherpa Volunteer Program (SVP) in Castlemaine?

Castlemaine Visitor Centre

According to the king of sherpas (Rodney Brooke) the only thing thing that Castlemaine lacks, to get a TrailRider working in Castlemaine is a SVP. (Sherpa Volunteer Program)

That is something that I can handle I think. A lot of the bricks in the wall are already in place such as a Parks Victoria presence, a local profile and connections so why don't I just fire away and get one started?

Ros and I made the momentous decision the other day to donate my very own TrailRider, subject to agreement from all those who contributed towards this very generous 65th birthday gift, to the Castlemaine visitor centre and that will be where the SVP will be based.