They had gathered on the mountains for the word had passed around that this was to be another challenge-fest on the many longer trails across the Bunyas. This group of sixties-somethings are friends from long ago when their children, now in their late twenties or early thirties were young, and their own bodies were youthful, needing little maintenance to conquer epic mountain hikes.
Nowadays fitness regimes for the pack included gym thrice a week, bike rides and shorter walks. For another couple, the regime was bugger-all and another one preferred regular sessions in water-based classes rather than pounding the pavement or testing the knees to their limits.
Added to the elite group’s older-age fitness regime was breakfast oats with dates and apple and plenty of red wine in the evening, followed by port and bedtime by 9.30 pm.
“They’re very competitive, you know”, admitted one not so gung-ho who preferred shorter, less rigorous routines. “Thank God, I’ll have someone to walk with on a two to three k stroll rather than the tortuous ten to fifteen the others are doing”, thought the newest recruit to the group.
So, while the zealots rolled wraps, packed zip locked bags with nuts and filled water bottles, the recalcitrant three sat by the fireside committing yet again to a leisurely morning stroll among the Bunya pines.
What you thought I would never tell you! 