Canning Walker - Walk The Canning Stock Route
The Challenge
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The entire 3-4 months journey is saved courtesy of
SPOT Walla
The Challenge BEGINS 18 May 2013
Walking 88 half marathons across 1850km of Western Australia desert, solo.
The Route: The iconic Canning Stock Route, an old drovers trail linked by wells established over 100 years ago in order to move cattle from the north to the south of the country. The Canning Stock Route is now a popular 4x4 track, the attraction being its remote location and history. It is one of the longest, most isolated 4x4 tracks in the world.
The Schedule: Gaynor arrived in Kalgoorlie 5 May where she began purchasing provisions and making the final adjustments to her kit. Departure for Wiluna is scheduled for 18 May. For the next two weeks, Gaynor and Andy Sutcliffe will be establishing a supply route across the desert, marking food and water supply positions with GPS coordinates. Arrival in Billiluna is expected to be in the first week of June. The walk begins a few days after that. Completion of the walk is expected to take 3 months, walking 21kms a day. It may take longer.
The Canning Walker: 46 year old South African Gaynor Schoeman is a seasoned off the beaten track traveler and the only person to have hitched the CSR and she did it twice. Gaynor's ultimate goal is to do an unsupported walk of the CSR sometime in the future. No fellow walker, no support vehicle and no resupplies. It has never been done before. The Canning Stock Route is her training ground, the desert her teacher. This year Gaynor will walk the Canning Stock Route solo with the aid of supply drops, further researching her ultimate goal.
Walking Partners: Without the interest and support of these people and organisations, a hard journey would be so much harder. Thank you for walking with me!
Walkers, Runners and Hitchhikers
How many times has the Canning Stock Route been walked in modern history? Three.
When was the first successful walk? 1976.
Who were the walkers? Murray Rankin, Kathy Burman and teenager Rex Shaw.
How long did it take them? Two and a half months.
Who was the fastest person on two feet down the Canning? Dave Holleran in 1996.
What is the record? 24 days, 10 hrs, 42 mins
When I was living in the Aboriginal Community of Billiluna in 2010, researching the feasibility of hitchhiking the iconic Canning Stock Route, I read about Murray Rankin, the most famous of all modern day Canning travelers in the book, The Canning Stock Route - A Traveller's Guide by Eric and Ronelle Gard
Most Canning traveler's I spoke with during those six weeks, thought I was absolutely barmy or at best, dangerously naive and ignorant. Everyone, bar two Canning motor cyclists that is, the only people to give me positive information on well water quality, dingoes and my ability to survive hitching from one working well to the next.
A Walk With A Cause
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A Walk with TWO causes One Australian. One South African. |
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Walk 4 Wings
Our goal is to raise $2000 for Wespac Rescue Helicopter Services utilising the creditable Every Day Hero fund raiser facility. To find out how much has been raised to date, please click on the Every Day Hero logo provided.
Walk 4 Wings - Find out why I have chosen to support this cause. |
Walk 4 Wheels Our goal is to raise funds to buy Eight Rugby Wheelchairs for the EAGLES QUADRIPLEGIC WHEELCHAIR RUGBY TEAM. A locally made entry level Vibra rugby wheelchair costs R28 000. An internationally engineered competition Melrose Rhino Wheelchair costs R85 000. The team needs eight. We can start with one. To help make one wheelchair a reality, please donate to:
Account name: Eagles Wheelchair Rugby Team |
Walking Partners
