I've just started a new fulltime job as I have almost finished my honours degree at Uni. Its a great job-I am researching the effects of the Aus native dog, the Dingo, on feral cats and foxes in the arid zone. (Lots of spatial ecology and analysis).

BUT, it means that:
A) Two friends and I have to forget about conducting a 650km unsupported traverse of the Flinders Ranges; South Australia's main range. They are pretty busy with their work and research studies too so it was going to be a struggle to fit it in.

B) I am going heavier! Well, if I go bushwalking somewhere else specifically I will still keep it light, but I am about to buy a 38L daypack that weighs 1.6kg!!! I recently wore through the base of my old one (weighed 1kg), and given some of the kit (lots of metal traps and electronic equipment-sometimes up to 35kg) I will be hauling around, I want something that will last and be comfortable. Actually, its harness is better than what you can find on most UL packs, and with the tough canvas construction might outlive me, despite being dragged through dust and rocks and lashed to quadbikes and other vehicles all the time.

But yeah, although this job is pretty good, and the potential impact of this research is amazing, I am feeling a bit down right now! I think I will be holding off alot of the SUL and UL gear purchases I had planned as although I will be walking out in the remote desert everyday, I won't get much chance to use it.

Think I will console myself by saving up and planning for a crazy round the world cycle trip or something. That will be LW though so that the gear lasts, ugh.

Thanks chaff forum for an opportunity to vent!

Adam

Congrats on the new job! Sounds like a great opportunity.

I believe we should be allowed to go heavier as long as we're getting paid when we do so : )

Good luck

Congrats and good luck with the new job, Adam. Lucky you! Sounds like a dream job to me.

What route had you planned for the Flinders hike. I've never done any walking in SA but hope to do so in the future. I am interested to know what your planned route was and when you had planned on going. Let me know if you get the time.

Our feral future is in your hands!

I guess in 2 or 3 million years from now what ever sentient beings are still around will wonder what all the fuss was about! After all, Australia will have smashed into Indonesia by then, pushing it into southeast Asia. No longer will we be the island continent. I guess the lesson is: don't view waterfront property in southern Indonesia as a long term investment!

I wonder what our feral animals will have evolved into by then... Maybe the present lot of feral cats will have evolved into smilodons. Just a thought...

in many ways our feral future relies on research like this. its exciting!

in many ways its interesting how we humans are evolving our planet at such a rapid rate, and that we are worried about it...naturally, eventually, it will come to some kind of new equilibrium. however, i guess we know the rate is way too fast, and that we want to control how it turns out...?

The idea of the route was a complete S-N traverse. The bottom half (~300km) we were going to follow the heysen trail to its end. Then we would take the NW branch of the flinders, off track, which finishes on Finnis Springs Aboriginal land, a couple of kays S of the Oodnadatta track, about 30km W of Marree. That leg is another 300km. Worked it out we could do it without resupply, though we had to train hard (the day mileage was fine for us all...just a little worried about long term fatigue). but yeah, its canned for a while now.