200704 Newsletter

QUEENSLAND BUSHWALKERS CLUB Inc.

74 Kallista Rd. Rochedale South QLD 4123 Email [email protected] Phone No (07) 3341 7509 www.geocities.com/qldbwc

Newsletter

April 2007

Summit of Mt Greville

Club News Pilgrimage Meeting

Campsite Monitoring

10 March 2007

17 March 2007

Eight people from three of the clubs co-hosting Pilgrimage 2007 met a Kalbar at 4.00pm. It was a very fruitful meeting with coordinators giving their reports and some questions being resolved.

The annual Campsite Monitoring Meeting was held at Daisy Hill on a Saturday morning. Present were representatives from EPA, QFBWC and the campsite monitors with their co-ordinator, Ann Tracey.

Gil gave a talk on the latest Risk Management arrangements for the Pilgrimage. John spelt out the logistics of the weekend. Cheryl gave her report on the walks so far arranged. Patricia gave an update on the budget with the news that Pilgrimage 2007 has received an advance of $1000 from the Queensland Federation to assist with the Pilgrimage.

Wayne Kington of EPA gave a talk on the new system of monitoring campsites. The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service is using the Landscape Classification System for assessing and managing visitor impact on campsites. More information on this system will be available in future Newsletters.

The meeting was enhanced by the informal outdoor setting under the shade of a tree except for a short period in the hall when rain started to fall. Tim Eltham from the Kalbar community gave us a short talk on what Kalbar could offer. We look forward to working with the Kalbar community so that the Pilgrimage may not only benefit bushwalkers but also the wider community. The program for Pilgrimage 2007 weekend was established but there is still room for more activities. Another detail that needs to be finalised is to get leaders for all the walks available. As the meeting finished at 6.30pm some of us had a meal at the local hotel before finally heading for home. Richard

Three Monkeys

14 March 2007

Seven people enjoyed the sights and surrounds of the Three Monkeys coffee shop on this Wednesday night. The coffee shop was packed but we were able to obtain a table to ourselves. The talk was lively about past and future Club walks. Almost everyone present seemed to be going overseas in the near future and there was plenty of discussion about these trips too. Many thanks to Danuta for putting on this coffee night and to Bob, Patricia, Lynn, Helen and John for their company. Richard

Handouts and a CD were presented to each campsite monitor. On the CD were full details on how to do the campsite monitoring. A thoughtful addition was that the camp monitoring form was plastic laminated to save it from the elements. QBW is very much involved in campsite monitoring with 6 of the 17 monitors present from QBW. For more information, the contact person for QBW is Richard Kolarski at 3341 7509.

Photos To Slide Show Workshop

24 March 2007

Lucky Noelene and I were the only ones to take advantage of this exciting learning experience on the first time offered. David gave us a quick rundown on how the software worked, gave us a glimpse of what was possible, then off we went! It was straightforward enough for us to see results almost immediately. Bung in a few photos, zoom in and out occasionally, insert a few titles and labels, add a bit of music and, hey presto, a photo presentation ready to show!!!! Not quite that easy but not far off. The challenge, of course, is to duplicate the process at home without our teacher giving instant assistance. But, he is only a phone call away. We had David’s undivided attention so progress was rapid with little or no waiting for assistance. Having a computer each to work on was good. I would recommend this workshop to everyone interested in organizing their photos into a presentable format. Thanks heaps, David. Patricia

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General Information

The Management Committee

Meeting Place

President

Helen McAllister

3844 8464 (H)

Club Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at the East Brisbane State School, corner of Stanley Street and Wellington Road, starting at 7:30pm. No meetings in January.

Vice President

Gary Woodward

3245 2695 (H)

Secretary

Lynn Nicol

3219 6228 (H)

Treasurer

Bob Gur

3345 3971 (H)

Outings Officer

Patricia Kolarski

3341 7509 (H)

Membership Officer

Lynne Cavanagh

3376 5053 (H)

Tea/Coffee and cake/biscuits are provided after the meeting. A coin donation would be appreciated.

Editor

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509 (H)

Membership

Social Secretary

Danuta Gur

3345 3971 (H)

Training Officer

David Rae

3395 1838 (H)

There is parking within the school grounds off Wellington Road. Consult a street directory, as there are a number of one-way streets in the area. There is also parking in Wellington Road.

Before a visitor can go on a walk, he/she must be a Member (Probationary or Ordinary) or be a member of an affiliated club. Membership of QBW lasts till the end of the Club’s financial year which is on the 30th of June each year.

Probationary Membership A non-member automatically becomes a Probationary Member on his/her first walk after signing the waiver form. There is no fee payable to become a Probationary Member. However a Probationary Member must become an Ordinary Member on his/her 2nd walk by filling out a membership form and paying the membership fee.

Ordinary Membership A person may become an Ordinary Member by filling out a membership form and handing the form to a committee member or walk leader and paying the membership fee. An Ordinary Member has the right to vote at an AGM or be elected to a committee position. A Probationary Member has neither of these rights.

Members of Another Bushwalking Club Members of another bushwalking club affiliated with the Queensland Federation of Bushwalking Clubs or another State Federation are covered by the same Insurance as QBW. It is not necessary for them to become a member of our Club to go on our walks.

Other Voluntary Positions Equipment Officer

Trevor Davern

0411 512 202

Supper Convenor

Margaret Smith

3886 3342 (H)

Federation Rep

Kerry de Clauzel

3209 7146 (H)

Federation Rep

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509 (H)

FMR Rep

Frank Bowling

0419 715 719

FMR Rep

Barbara Makepeace

0421 784 783

Campsite Monitors Barbara Makepeace

Ratatat Hut Mt Barney Spicer’s Double Peak Saddle

Kerry de Clauzel

Throakban Lower Portals

Richard Kolarski

Running Creek Falls

Christine & Cliff Harrison

Mt Superbus

Ann Kemp

Spicers Peak

John Brunott

Ballows

Creature Feature

Equipment for Use by Members ITEM

No

Contact

Ph No

Compasses

29

Dave Kenrick

3349 8238

EPIRBs

5

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509

GPS

4

Trevor Davern

0411 512 202

UHF Radios

12

Trevor Davern

0411 512 202

Eastern Water Dragon (Physignathus lesueurii)

Trevor Davern

0411 512 202

The Eastern Water Dragon is the largest dragon lizard in Australia. It can grow to one metre in length with a strong long tail 2.5 times the body length. It is found all along the east coast of Australia, normally around creeks, rivers or lakes. It can remain submerged for up to 30 minutes.

Abseil Gear Back Pack

1

Trevor Davern

0411 512 202

Emergency Lights

6

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509

First Aid Kits

3

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509

Topo Maps

34

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509

Sunmap CD’s

1

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509

Males defend a territory and a harem of females, carrying out an impressive series of head bobs and arm waves to discourage other intruding males. Males can be distinguished by their larger size and red chest.

Equipment for Sale Bivy Bags $3.00 each or 2 for $5.00 These bivy bags are 2 metres by 0.9 metres and are bright orange in colour. They can be used as a pack liner and can double as an emergency bivy bag. Club Polo Shirts L, M and S size left only

$20.00 each

Space Blankets $2.50 each. Light weight and take up no room at all. A must for all walkers! Ring Patricia Kolarski on 3341 7509 to purchase any of the above.

The Eastern Water Dragon

The females lay around a dozen eggs in an excavated hole in sandy soil above the flood line in November and December. These will hatch in approximately three months. The young are miniature replicas of the adults and are able to fend for themselves as soon as they hatch. The diet mainly comprises small reptiles, worms, frogs, insects, vegetation, fruit, small mammals and molluscs. Male water dragons will sometimes fight each other for territories. Such battles can become quite severe with the two combatants standing on their hind legs in an attempt to push the other over on to its back.

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Coming Events Pilgrimage 2007

Training Quiz 24-26 August 2007

This Month’s Question and Answer My topographic map has grid numbers such as 6876000mN and 513000mE. What do they mean?

The Pilgrimage is the name of the annual gathering of the Bushwalking Clubs of Queensland, who are affiliated to the Queensland Federation of Bushwalking Clubs. QBW is hosting Pilgrimage 2007 with Ipswich Bushwalkers Inc., Brisbane Catholic Bushwalking Club Inc. and Logan and Beaudesert Bushwalkers who have volunteered to assist and will be the co-hosts. Pilgrimage 2007 will be held at Kalbar Showgrounds. Kalbar is in the Boonah Shire and just over an hour's drive from Brisbane. It is in the Fassifern Valley with the Main Range National Park and Moogerah Peaks National Parks nearby. More information available at http://au.geocities.com/qldpilgrimage/index.html

Wilsons Promontory

8-16 September 2007

I am organizing an extended trip to Wilsons Promontory in south-east Victoria from Saturday 8 to Sunday 16 September 2007 Richard and I will be driving down to Victoria, arriving on Saturday 8 and would be able to provide transport from Foster, the closest point for public transport. I have information on public transport from Melbourne to Foster. This would be done in reverse on Sunday 16 giving enough time to meet flights back to Brisbane on the Sunday evening. Anyone working would need to take holidays for the week 10 to 14 September. There is a multitude of walks possible. We could do two threeday throughwalks (to the lighthouse, and the eastern circuit via Setters Cove). Or, one throughwalk to either of the above and the rest day walks. This can be varied to fit the group. Our base will be at Tidal River where we can camp or there is basic cabin accommodation. This also is negotiable. As this is a popular place to walk, I would like to finalise camping bookings and permits by the end of March.

6876000mN and 513000mE are the full UTM co-ordinates and they are given in the bottom left of a topographic map. The “N” and “E” stand for North and East (or Northing and Easting if you prefer) and the “m” means the co-ordinates are in metres. The numbers themselves represent the distance in metres away from defined reference points. The two numerals in larger type, i.e. the 76 or 13, are the grid line numbers. There is 1000 metres between each grid line which explains the three zeros following the grid line number.

For more information contact Patricia Kolarski 3341 7509.

Queensland Weather Watch

The numbers preceding the grid line numbers complete the full UTM co-ordinates.

A very useful website for all bushwalking leaders to use is http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/qld/

Next Month’s Question:

It contains weather warnings and forecasts for all of Queensland plus all the latest weather observations using radar and satellite images. With the weather watch radar you can check if there is any rain falling over the area you wish to walk. Besides showing you where the rain is falling it can also tell you the intensity of the rain, from fine light drizzle to huge hailstones. It does this by showing the clouds in various colours depending on the rain rate.

Can you tell me more about UTM and where the defined reference points are?

Membership As at 20/3/2007 we have 118 financial members. John R. a member and occasional leader for QBW has moved to Tasmania and has sent in his resignation.

Other useful features of the radar map is that you can vary the range seen from Brisbane from 64 km to 256 km and you can loop through 4 images to see the progress and direction of any storm. On the loop map you can set the background to show topography, roads, railways and rivers.

We wish him many years of happy walking in the bushwalkers paradise of Tasmania.

The radar does not "see" clouds, but does see the rainfall. If you wish to see the cloud cover then you will need to click on the satellite imagery for Australia.

Steve T. Gary W. and Linda H. have returned from NZ after climbing Mt. Aspiring in perfect conditions. Peter P. was also on the trip but was still getting over a virus so didn't summit. They also all did some other peaks in the Tasman Glacier area.

Satellite images come in Infrared (IR) and Visible (VIS) images. IR images provide information on the temperature of the underlying surface or cloud and are available 24 hours per day. Visible images are only available during the daytime and they are normally displayed in a manner similar to that seen by the human eye. In general, clouds are seen as white objects against the darker background of the earth's surface. This site is a must see to avoid any unexpected adverse weather conditions. Highly recommended. Richard

Comings and Goings

Going to Norfolk Island for a week are several members of the Club including Trevor D., Maria L., Margaret S., Lynn N., and Dave R. Beside bushwalking and exploring the island there will be time for more adventurous pursuits such as abseiling. Gail C., Margaret R., Noelene M., Paul M. and Frank G. will be away for almost 6 weeks doing some trekking in Nepal. They will be walking in the Everest Region and visiting Namche Bazaar, Gokyo, Tengboche and Kala Patar. All the best to them.

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Past Walks Box Forest Circuit

14 January 2007

Box Forest is one of the many interesting walks at Lamington National Park (Green Mountains or O'Reillys area) and only 1½ to 2 hrs from Brisbane. This morning we had 14 walkers and the weather looked a little grim. However, here we were and a few leeches were not going to stop us. Down the Border Track and approximately 1 ½ km later the group branched going towards the Box Forest Circuit. At the next junction we decided to take the track down to Picnic Rock for morning tea. En route we came across a slithering snake – we considered it was a brown, but not sure. At Picnic Rock we were rewarded by catching site of a few Lamington crayfish in the shallows. Good moment for a photograph – if only they would behave.

We set off uphill and soon we entered Palm Gorge. It was a bit cooler in the shade and the Palm trees were a majestic site. However we were all sweating profusely. As we stopped for a rest, Linda arrived. She had got to Kalbar late and had hurried to join us. She wasn't sure which route we had taken, but she was sure she was on the right track by the trail of sweat left behind! We had morning tea amidst the Palm trees and then it took another hour of uphill walking to get to the summit. Here we enjoyed a long rest in what shade we could find. It had been a few years since I had been to Waterfall Gorge and as we descended back down, I found a faint track which was heading in the right direction. We followed this track and finally we came out to a large rock slab with magnificent views. We could see Moogerah Dam and how low the water level was due to the drought. It was an exceptionally clear day and we had spectacular views towards the Main Range.

We trudged back to the fork as the circuit is best walked in a clock-wise direction. This avoids walking up the steep section of track at the end of your day. The huge trees intrigued us and of course they were the Brush Box. A couple of creek crossings to be navigated, another Lamington crayfish just off the track – what a beauty. Good spotting Konrad. A little later we arrived at Elabana Falls. Just in time for brunch. More cray and an eel. The walkers ventured off again and the track wound up the valley past Picnic Rock - not much further now. By this time the track was a little muddier and I am sure that I grew a few centimeters. Gayle, Wally and Konrad decided to check out the canopy walk – catch up at the car park. Back at the car park some revealed their “wounds”. Leech bites here and there. Take care.

View of the Seriously Depleted Moogerah Dam

From the rock slab we entered Waterfall gorge. The cool of the gorge eased the heat and humidity of the day. The Gorge narrowed down and the sheer vertical walls crowded us in as we descended through more palm trees. Finally near the bottom we came to some rock pools. Any thought of swimming was quickly brought to an end by seeing a brown snake cooling itself off in the pool. It was a short walk back to the cars and for a change we were able to have afternoon tea and a drink at the local hotel. Many thanks to all those who came along on this hot and humid day. Richard

Sunshine Coast Hinterland B/C 26-28 January 2007 Friday (Australia Day) Our first walk for the long weekend was an exploration of Obi Obi Creek downstream of Skene Creek. The first challenge was to find a way across the long lagoon at the mouth of Skene Creek. After wandering upstream about 750m we found a rocky outcrop for morning tea, below which was the first opportunity to cross over onto the western bank of Obi Obi Creek.

The Last Outpost

Outpost Café for a coffee/hot chocolate or milkshake? You bet!!! Thanks to all who joined us on this “classic” walk. Bob & Danuta Gur

Mt Greville

20 January 2007

This walk was scheduled on the day of the Pilgrimage meeting at Kalbar. A few of us arrived the Friday night and camped in the showgrounds there at Kalbar.

Our aim was to head north to the end of the private property on the eastern bank then go uphill to meet Flaxton Road. However, it was a very hot day and no track through the vines and wait-awhile so the going was very slow. Lunchtime saw us almost at the end of the private property but ahead of us was the slog up to the road. Richard, our leader for the day (well, for the whole weekend, really) decided we had done enough so we retraced our steps to Skene Creek and finished the walk with a swim at Kondalilla Falls.

In the morning there were nine of us ready at the 8.30am starting point. We hopped into 2 cars and drove to the starting point at the base of Mt Greville.

Rested and refreshed, we drove to the Mapleton Cabin & Caravan Park to put up our tents and get ready for happy hour. Unfortunately, there was little camping space, most of which was sloping. But, it was grassy and we had covered tables, and showers nearby.

It looked like it would be a hot day so we decide it would be better to ascend and descend via the two gorges, Palm gorge and Waterfall gorge.

Paul arrived halfway through happy hour. No sign of Sandy, though. The heavy rain on Thursday night caused her some damage at home so she unfortunately missed the weekend.

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Saturday 27 January 2007 Today we were doing part of the Sunshine Coast Great Walk: the Gheerulla Falls Circuit, not a long walk at about 8km. A car shuffle meant we didn’t have to do the long uphill road walk at the end. The start of the walk was through pleasant rainforest giving plenty of shade, but it gradually opened out into eucalyptus forest and the day heated up. There is quite a maze of old logging roads and QPWS has done a good job with signage so we had no problems.

Trekking Poles Introduction Trekking poles are designed to provide extra stability and to spread the load on your legs onto your arms. People who suffer from knee pain benefit from their use. Other benefits gained from using the poles are increased hill climbing power, increased endurance, as an aid when crossing soft ground, and as a balance support at river crossings. Negative aspects to be considered are the purchase cost, increase in total energy expenditure and hands are kept full (if using two poles). They can also get in the way when scrambling, and they are often ineffective due to poor technique. Where one pole is a benefit two are a bigger benefit. Unless you need a hand free or find using two poles difficult for some reason, most users will recommend twin poles: You'll save weight getting onto both knees, have more push for uphills and more balance points on uneven surfaces such as on river crossings. Fixed length poles are usually ski poles being used for trekking. The advantages of a fixed length pole are greater strength in a pole of comparable cost or quality.

Near Ubajee Walkers Camp

Morning tea was had at the Ubajee Walkers Camp before heading downhill to the bottom of the falls. A few energetic souls scrambled up to the top of the falls while the rest of us tried to imagine what it would look like if there had been some water coming over the falls. Actually there was a tiny trickle but no hope of a swim. Noelene, Neville and Paul left us after the walk so our numbers were reduced to eight. We gave ourselves a special treat for lunch today: a visit to the Mapleton pub. The steak sandwich meals were huge with plenty of chips and salad. The potato wedges were great but the serve too big for one person. The beer went down well, too. Back to the tents for a rest, sleep or read until it was time to socialize again. Most of us were still full from lunch so not many dinners were cooked.

More commonly, trekking poles are adjustable, usually in three telescopic sections, though they may have just two. A two part pole is stronger, but doesn't pack down so neatly and so gets in the way more when stored. This is an important consideration when moving in densely vegetated areas or scrambling and climbing. The Grip The grip and strap is a very important part of the pole, and one that is misused more often than not. Since this is the bit you hold on to, and where your weight goes onto the pole, it's vital that it's as comfortable as possible. Though this is fairly obvious, the fact that the most crucial element is the strap isn't, with those not used to ski pole grips often getting it wrong. The important thing is to let the strap take the weight, which means it should be snug and allow a loose, comfortable grip from the fingers that are just there to guide the pole, not to take a load.

Sunday 28 January 2007 Our numbers reduced again when June, Lynn and Gerry left early to beat the traffic. The rest of us drove around to Baroon Pocket Dam and headed downstream to the first swim-through. Luckily no one else was around so we had the place to ourselves.

The Grip

Obi Obi Gorge

After a lovely long swim and morning tea, we scrambled up to the main track and along to the dam wall. It was nearly lunchtime so we went over to the picnic area beside the lake and found a table with water views. We sat around chatting for quite a while before deciding it was time to head home. Many thanks go to Muriel, Gil, Gail, Lynn, June, Gerry, Paul, Noelene and Neville for sharing a very pleasant weekend. A special thanks to Richard for leading the three walks. Patricia

Come up into the strap from underneath, and then take the grip with the strap under the palm of your hand, with the strap wrapping over the wrist from around the heel of your hand. Once you're in, pull the strap so it's snug but not uncomfortably tight. If you have a pole where the strap varies in thickness you want the thinnest section to cross the palm of your hand, which minimizes chafing. Poles with variable thickness straps have distinct left/right poles. Once the strap is snug, you can lean all of your weight onto the straps, with no death-grip necessary. The looser the hold from the fingers, the less sweaty and more comfortable your hands are, and the more you will emphasize weight transfer through the straps which in turn will maximize the benefit the poles give you.

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Another innovation of perhaps marginal usage is a design point borrowed from high performance downhill ski poles, where the grip is canted forwards at ~15 degrees to make it easier to plant the pole ahead of you downhill. A canted grip is probably not as significant for walking as some marketing folk may try and make out, at least if you adopt a comfortable, relaxed grip based on the strap as the main loading point. Anti-shock Sprung Poles Some poles have anti-shock springs. From looking at walkers using poles for the first time, especially those relying on a tight grip rather than a loose one, there appears to be a common tendency to push the pole down, where better technique is to place the pole and then load it. This is actually a fluid action and just as easy, but it does need some practice, and before the technique is established it's quite likely that an anti-shock pole will be more comfortable. Since most people can develop good technique with practice, and a rigid pole is still comfortable enough in the first instance for most. Some people may simply find the technique of place then load difficult to acquire, especially if they only occasionally use the poles, and others may have special considerations such as arthritic joints to consider.

Pole Length Three part poles are designed to be extended with all sections lengthened equally, as this is the strongest configuration. Don't extend one section a lot and another not at all, or you'll compromise overall strength and be more likely to bend the pole. There is not a single perfect length for a pole. A rule of thumb for a starting point is to have your forearm horizontal to hold the grip. Different terrains may be better served with different lengths. Going uphill, the ground will be nearer so a shorter pole might be better, and similarly longer going down. Technique Let the poles swing in a natural rhythm, just as your arms do without them. As your arm comes up, it pulls the pole forwards and it plants opposite the falling foot, allowing you to load the pole as your foot comes down. When you have it right, the pole will swing into the ground just by your opposite foot when walking on level ground, pointing slightly back from the vertical.

If there is a point where anti-shock sprung poles will help, it's most likely to be coming downhill. Uphill and on the flat, poles should swing into place sideways so there is quite simply no shock to absorb (as we'll see later, when we get onto technique). Downhill, with placements ahead of you and weight loading straight down, straight away, some people may experience a benefit. Since shock absorbing poles cost more, do try and find out if they help before parting with your money. Tips and Baskets The tip is the base of the pole, where it meets the ground, and a basket is an optional load spreader that sits above it. There are several varieties of each to choose from. Lets look at tips first. A rubber foot is what you typically see on a conventional walking stick, and is designed for slick, hard surfaces (like pavement) or surfaces that need preservation from damage (like carpet). If bushwalking these are of less use than spike tips as the ground rarely conforms to either characteristic. However if you're road walking, or are on bare rock for significant periods they can be beneficial. Some rubber tips can be placed over the top of spike feet. A sharp spike tip has a single, sharp point. They're most often seen on ski poles designed to deal with ice. On relatively hard surfaces they grip very well, but as an overall performer they're rarely significantly better than a semi-sharp spike and have far more potential to stab yourself or those around you. Baskets are there to stop the pole sinking into soft ground (boggy/marshy or snow, for example). The bigger the basket, the more effective it is, but the more it gets in the way, especially catching in low vegetation. A compromise cone can be used that will stop the pole sinking in most ground and as it is only about 5 cm across, it's less likely to catch. If you find your poles sinking, get a larger basket, or if you find them catching, get a cone or remove the basket altogether. Care and Maintenance Twist lock poles tend to suffer from the powder of corroded aluminium blocking up the locking grommet, so always make sure the grommet is clean (WD40 or similar is good,) but do wipe away any excess when finished. Storing poles in separate sections tends to reduce this problem. With a twist lock, the problem is usually that the grommet is rotating with the lower pole section, instead of expanding and locking. This is usually caused by a dirty grommet: Pull the sections apart and wash off any corrosion and clag build up from the threads. If this isn't possible, you can usually start the thread turning a little with the grommet just exposed, and once started you can push it back in and then get some results.

The Technique

Ascent and Descent The technique is just the same going up hills. Since the technique is based on natural rhythm, the shorter steps are automatically compensated for, so you don't need to think about the change, just keep on rolling. You'll probably notice a bigger difference going uphill though! During a descent you have to get the poles ahead of you and get your weight forward onto them. This isn't as natural, and needs more practice. Try lengthening the poles, planting them well ahead and leaving them in place for several steps. Use whichever technique works best for you, just so long as you're pushing down on the pole to take the strain off your knees. If going up something really steep, lean into the hill and get the poles above you, still pointing back but with your arms higher and further forward. This posture tends to be easiest to actually push your body up the slope, rather than just helping the legs support your weight. Some people prefer to plant same side rather than opposite doing this. For a really big push, if using two poles, plant both poles together and heave on them at the same time as you step through, keep pushing, and maximize the duration of the power by moving the heels of your hands to the pole top as you go past them. The techniques presented are not the only way to use poles effectively. The point is to get weight and stress off your knees. And finally, don't forget that there are times when putting them away is a way to enjoy yourself more! Patricia

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