POLE TO POLE RUN ROUTE

If you would like to get a description of Pat Farmers run click the following link http://poletopolerun.com/the-run/ . You can also get more details at the Pat website www.poletopolerun.com . Cheers smittenmerino team

LACHIE DOES IT AGAIN

Beyond The Bale, Wool Growers Magazine

CHECK OUT MORE MEDIA ABOUT LACHIE AT http://follow-the-river.com/latest/?p=178

Media Attention in wake of the Solo Fitzroy Project

http://video.au.msn.com/watch/video/aussie-adventurer/x13l6z2

ERIC AND PAT ONLY DAYS AWAY FROM THE START OF THE GREATEST RUN IN HISTORY

I have had the good fortune to keep in touch with Eric Phillips as he and Pat make final preparations for the pole to pole run. Check out this website and track the trip your self Pole to Pole Run with Icetrek Expeditions. Eric is the only person on Earth to have Skied unassisted the worlds 4 major ice shelf's. Get behind this adventure and Pat Farmer's ambition to raise 100 million for the Red Cross to try to put an end to water borne diseases in the Third World. This will be the greatest run ever in history. We are delighted to have the boys wearing Tasmanian made smitten merino wool thermals for the trip. Cheers Carl and Nicola

Smitten merino and Pole to Pole Run

Smitten merino at Waterfall Bay

Smitten merino battles summer storm

On Saturday I drove my daughter Brooke down to Eaglehawk neck ( Tasman Peninsula) for a round of the Junior surfing Championships. I dropped her off at the comp with a storm brewing.

With Brooke's heat hours away it was a good opportunity to check out a beautiful walk to Waterfall Bay not far away.With rain beginning to fall and winds getting extreme I set off in smitten merino T-shirt and leggings. The walk is utterly spectacular following the cliffs until i reached a small creek which was beginning to flow nicely. A little track criss-crosses the creek and at one point runs behind the curtain of a waterfall. Utterly beautiful looking through the curtain at the rainforest. The creek finishes with a huge plunge over the Cliff edge. You must check out this walk. Even with driving wind and rain I was warm!!

Cheers

Carl www.smittenmerino.com

These photos are taken from the Lookout at the end of the track.

Introducing Adam Holbrook

Hi there.
My name is Adam and this is my first Blog. I'm a keen bushwalker here in Tasmania, and a photographer. Feel free to check out my website at TasmaniART

When walking in the Tasmanian wilderness you can find yourself in some remote locations, so you need to be pretty self sufficient. So it’s important to be able to rely on your gear in such conditions. I therefore look for the best equipment that I can afford.

I’ve known about Smitten merino for some time, and everyone that I know that’s tried it has agreed it’s excellent stuff. So I’ve just gone and spoilt myself and got a few layers, replacing the poly thermals that are getting a bit tired, with some merino ones. Better still, locally made!

Now I’m really looking forward to my next walk which is coming up towards the end of this month, so I can try out my new Smitten gear.

Looking forward to sharing with you all some more of my adventures, both ones that I have done, and those which I am yet to do.

Cheers, Adam. TasmaniART

Below is a taste of some of my photography.


Sunrise at Ketchem Bay, Southwest Tasmania













A very windswept Horseshoe Inlet, Port Davey, Southwest Tasmania













Afternoon sun, Lake Windermere, Overland Track, Tasmania












Winter Summit, Mt Ossa, Tasmania

An 8 day walk which involved the summits of Mt Pelion West, Mt Achilles, Achilles Heel, Perrins Bluff, Mt Thetis and Paddys Nut, not to mention some interesting tracks between them all.











The view east from Perrins Bluff, Tasmania

The South Coast Track over 9 days was fun, as was the trip into the Western Arthurs.

Coastline cave, Granite Beach, South Coast, Tasmania













Lake Cygnus, Western Arthur Range, Tasmania

Smitten does the Ditch

Mr Smitten Carl Mason was Joined by 5 fellow adventures for a 6 day expedition along 120 km of Tasmania's Franklin river in early January 2011. Included on the trip were Tassie paddling legend Daniel 'Harry' Harris, North west Taz paddlers Bryan Gorrie, Justin Cripps and Andrew Jarman and Carl's team Danger offsider Ian Smith.

The first day was spent shuffling cars between Strahan and the Collingwood River where the paddling started. An hour later and the Junction of the Franklin itself is reached and then its off into the Wilderness. We camped at the Irenabys that night and the next day walked up Frenchman's Cap. Its over 1500m to the summit with the start of the walk at around 350m. From the river and back takes around 8 hours and by the end we were all ready for a nice dip in the river. Whilst on the Summit Carl achieved cellphone reception and was thus able to put together a few last minute Smitten deals as well as a quick chat with the family. As for the rest of us, other than wanting to throw Carl's phone off the top we had a relaxing lunch and took in the magnificent views, which ranged from Cradle mountain in the north, the southern ocean in the west, to the Arthur range in the east.

Mr Big negotiates another deal.

in the Irenabys


The next day we paddled down to the Great Ravine and camped above the Churn rapid at a campsite first used by the Hawkins and Dean party in 1959. They were the first canoeists to complete a full descent of the Franklin. It took them 3 attempts to achieve it though. This campsite was one of the trip highlights with small caves for bedrooms (complete with resident glowworms) and a large rocky overhang to shelter from the rain.

The next day was spent paddling and portaging our way through the ravine, with a side trip into Livingston Cut. This is a very narrow canyon that is hundreds of meters deep and joins the Franklin in the Great Ravine between the Corruscades and Thunderush rapids. The deeper you go into the cut, the more isolated and primeval the atmosphere becomes. A wonderful place worthy of more exploration in future.

Carl in the Corruscades

After the trickiest of the portages at the Cauldron, we cruised down to Rafters Basin and spent the night there with a few well earned ports and rums.

The next day took us through some of the prettiest parts of the river in the Propsting gorge and Glen Calder. Also some of the best rapids to paddle, including 'Ol' 3 Tiers and Newlands Cascades.

Carl and Ian enjoying Rock Island Bend Glen Calder


That night we camped at Flat island where once again a few ports and rums were enjoyed along with another of Harrys culinary masterpieces. By this stage of the trip it was becoming apparent which members of the party were wearing Smitten thermals and which members weren't. Lets just say some people were nicer to be near than others.

After a leisurely breakfast of pancakes (thanks Bryan), we headed off on the flnal leg to the Gordon River. On the way we called in at Kutukina Cave, inhabited by Aboriginals during the last ice age 12,000 years ago. A very interesting place. We also explored Pengana cave which has tunnels and passageways that take you out onto a balcony overlooking the river. The return route we took back to the boats involved some very sketchy rock climbing down some very slimy rock.

Due to our very relaxed start to the day we only made it to our final destination at Sir John Falls on the Gordon at 8pm. Luckily our pick up boat 'Stormbreaker' was already tied up ready for the next mornings departure, and so our fresh supply of beer was at hand.

Carl, Check out those Smitten Boxers, Ian, Justin, Harry,

Bryan and Andrew enjoying

the 1st beer at Sir John Falls.

All up a fantastic weeks paddling was enjoyed by all, and another great test of Smittens thermal range, which of course it passed with flying colours.