303-The Tassie Backbone
Show notes
On 21 October 2024 Lauren Thomas and Steph Brake started on their 40 day, 500km journey starting at the northern Tasmanian township of Penguin and finishing at Cockle Bay is the states south to raise awareness and funds, deeply motivated by the desire to make a difference in men’s health. They finally achieved their goal on 29 November 2024.
Podcast Overview
Podcast Overview
- Podcast introduction
- Episode introduction (time index 0:01:32)
- A bit about Lauren and Steph (time index 0:02:03)
- Now let’s talk about the “Tassie Backbone”, where did the name come from? (time index 0:03:35)
- Fundraising and Movember. (time index 0:04:18)
- Can people still contribute if they want to and if so what’s the last date? Donate here
- You had planned this walk as a 40 day 500km approximately trip. Why such a big walk, why not bite off a smaller trip? (time index 0:07:00)
- Now let’s get onto logistics. (time index 0:08:20)
- Weather
- How did you decide on the start date and the finish date?
- Before this interview I had never heard of the township of Penguin. How did you decide on the start and finish point?
- Talk us through the overall route from start to finish
- How did you decide the average distance and the 40 day timeframe? (time index 0:14:22)
- Did you walk the entire distance or did you use other means of propulsion? (time index 0:15:38)
- In regarded to your accommodation options did you tent it every night or were you also staying in commercial accomodation?
- What key pieces of equipment you were carrying (time index 0:21:39)
- Overall pack weights?
- What key pieces of equipment you were carrying (time index 0:21:39)
- What were the food logistics like on this trail? (time index 0:25:57)
- Did you carry your own food for this walk or rely on towns for meals?
- Now I believe you were having a bit of fun with your journey in some of the more imaginative pieces of gear that you were carrying. What was that? (time index 0:28:20)
- Did you come across many other people on the tracks? (time index 0:30:18)
- What’s the trail tread like? (time index 0:33:09)
- What navigation options did you use/recommend? (time index 0:35:05)
- Describe a typical day on the trail (time index 0:39:06)
- Start with getting up, to starting your walk, an average hiking day including distances travelled and then going to bed
- Leach counting!
- What was the wildlife and vegetation like? (time index 0:42:45)
- Snakes?
- What were the trail highlights and lowlights for each of you? (time index 0:47:51)
- Boots or trail runners? (time index 0:55:01)
- One final question (time index 0:57:04)
- What’s the plan for 2025?
- Tim’s final thoughts (time index 0:59:39)
- Close (time index 1:07:42)
Fundraising Link and other links
Steph and Lauren
Steph at camp as the ‘green grub’ in the Sea to Summit Ascent 9 Sleeping Bag
Steph walking the muddy South Coast track
Lauren dressed as Mario with a fellow hiker on the Marion’s Lookout Track
Landscape shot of the wild, untracked south west taken from Slatters Peak looking onto the King William II summit where we got stuck for 2 days
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