Practicing stepping down- Manly to Mosman – an iconic harbour foreshore walk.

Finally got to have a sleep in. On a Tuesday no less. Didn’t wake up until 7 AM – magic. Leisurely breakfast, tidied up the house and loaded the backpack with exactly 12 kg. Headed out at 915 into a bright, sunny winter morning and met Barry at Manly aquarium at 945. My leg felt okay and I practiced stepping down with the good leg every opportunity I got. Lots of steps on this walk so it’s good for people getting over tib. surgery.  Unconsciously, I just want to brace always with the good leg and step down with the bad one. It’s like my brain has slipped into a subconscious protection  mechanism. This is what Dave Sheppard told me was happening when I visited him yesterday. He said I have to avoid this at all costs and stop subconsciously shielding my right leg from bending and bearing weight. This will ultimately ruin my good leg he said. We  bowled along in the bright sunshine and talked. I’ve done this walk heaps of times on my own and it was encouraging to have some thoughtful company. We talked about the difference between the Torah, the Bible and the Koran. Unusual topic for a bushwalk in Australia.

But hey – never stop learning. The pain wasn’t too bad most of the way until we started to head up Parrawi Road in Mosman, which is very steep. This put a heap of strain on my tendon and it started to ache. Arrived Barry’s place at 1:15 PM for a total walk of 14.1 kilometres in 3.5hrs. Pretty good as that included rest stops and having to double back when I left my trekking pole in the park at Clontarf. Have to decide if I’m going to Jatbula and pay tomorrow.