Tough Day in the Bush

Today:
Purpose:  endurance run
Distance:  37.45 km
Time: 5 hrs 3 mins
Rate: 8' 05" per km
Elevation gain:  715 metres
Weather: sun/cloud, temp range 7-25 degrees, humidity 80%-20%, wind calm at first then later NW 20 kmph

Week:  89.00 km,  Nov:  50.45 km,  Year:  4454.7 km

Kelley joined Softshoe & myself for another long run. Not wanting too much elevation change today, this was to be an easier but long distance run. At the start, we had hoped to get near 50 kms done, but that idea fell away with the warm weather, the technical tough course & losing the trail on at least three times.
We started at Stromlo Forest Park, missed the gate getting over Cotter Road & bush bashed our way over Narrabundah Hill behind Duffy. Finally, headed to Cooleman Ridge, no problems until we decided the back trail was better then the front & finished up half way down Kambah Pool road near the entrance to Gleneagles. Another track I had never ran before, although it was Ok.
Easy down the Centenary trail to Kambah Pool, turned right onto the trail that heads north out to Casuarina Sands.
We walked this trail a year ago starting at the Cotter, so I knew what to expect, or so I thought.
First part of the 14 kms is rough, we walked this due to the ups and downs on a narrow track. Then after about 5 kms, it opens up to farmland, but the track gets very difficult to follow.
Many times we lost the track, overgrown or the signs were missing. Several times we went low towards the river, then later discovered the track up high. Bush bashed to get up some nasty slopes, many scratches from the vegetation.
Losing the track closer to Casuarina Sands, we found a grassy road so we followed that past some horse paddocks and came out well above the intended location on the Cotter Road.
Lucky, not much traffic so we crossed the road to the water pipeline where a safer gravel road looked like it went somewhere, but not near the top of Mt Stromlo.
Through another horse paddock, finally came out near the Stromlo Observatory road so we could easily find our way back the car park.
We drank plenty today, quite warm later on under some cloud cover.
Kelley went home right away, with Softshoe and myself doing a lap of the grass running track to make up for a few kms that we didn't do earlier.
It's been a while since I have ran on the grass track, probably won't be back there again for a while. Calwell oval is in better shape, the grass at Stromlo is rough, patchy & obviously needs plenty of rain to bring back.
Plus, a very annoyed plover around the back near the dam was not happy, neither was Softshoe as the plover continued to attack.
I can't see us doing this course again, too rough & not much to be gained except for plenty of time on feet allowing for stoppage time as well.
Probably, the best part of the day was the 12 minutes in the river at Pine Is on the way home, very nice.