GWE (Team Extreme) conquer the Alps!

2006-09-26T04:24:00.000-07:00

Well, GWE Express are back. It was one of the most gruelling things many of us have ever done but we made it in one piece!

Follow our adventures on the STV News! Click on teh following links and watch via Media Player.

http://www.stv.tv/archive/newsSpecialReports/20060925/Hannibal_Challenge_-_Part_1

http://www.stv.tv/archive/newsSpecialReports/20060925/Hannibal_Challenge_-_Part_2

Thank you to our corporate sponsors who were:

Great Western Enterprises
Total Life Solutions
24-7 Staffing
Mobile Care Agency
Wessex Association Chambers of Commerce
Chippenham MOT Centre
Thomas & Cosh
Montage
Sheard & Hudson
Dune Data and Cabling
Ttamar Science Park

Friday - Arrival

Complete with our nicknamed T-shirts with all our corporate sponsors on, We (Minnie Mel (Melody), Big Al (Alex), Dr Lush (Gugs), Bella Boop (Bella), Handi Andi (Andi), J Unit (Julian) and Me Julie (me)) arrived Friday night in Ceilliac after a few delays and had a long bus journey into the Queyras National Park. We had a brief presentation by organiser, David Fox-Pitt and then some really good wholesome food and a few drinks in the bar. There were 87 people taking part altogether in the group.

Saturday - Bronze

After not a lot of sleep (too excited to sleep), we set off at 7.15am by coach to the start at Mont Daupin at 1055m. It was a beautiful hot sunny day. Immediately it was clear this wouldn't be a walk in the park.

Made it to the first water stop in good time and already the views were spectacular. Looking down into the valley and looking up to the enormous mountains we were climbing it reminded me of South Island in New Zealand where they had filmed Lord of the Rings.

We then set off again for Col de Furfande at 2500m, the scenery changed to woodland and small water falls, the rocky road ended and the real cross country stuff began. We kept thinking we could see the summit, only to find when we got to the "top", there was another enormous mountain behind the climb!

Eventually we reached the 2500m mark and the view was the most amazing we have seen. Gigantic rolling rocky mountains, craters where glaciers once were and plunging drops were avalanches has carved grooves into the valleys. We stood at the top of a huge drop where there must have been a recent avalanche and thought, if this doesn't cure a fear of heights, nothing will!

This really was wilderness although there were absolutely hundreds of sheep all clinging together for warmth and a great big white sheep dog (luckily a freindly one!!) The temperature had dropped considerably. We carried on up towards the water stop, thinking "where will this end!" Any chance of being picked up by road was 20K behind us so we ploughed on to the next water stop. Like an oasis in the desert, we could finally see it in the distance and finally we flopped on the grass and found a bunch of other people there.

Quick drink and physio, we were off again. Leaving the water stop behind us we continued to climb towards the road, pain and cold were hard to ignore but we eventually reached the road and saw the mini bus - last chance to get back before the long walk downhill towards Bronze. Seeing the valley and forests below, we ignored the lovely comfy option of the bus home and carried on. Gugs was great giving us a "geology tour" as we journeyed down and through the forest and Andi kept us motivated with "eye spy" and "not far now"!

The last hour was extremely difficult but we saw such interesting wildlife at this point, little tree frogs, grasshoppers and unusual mushrooms that Gugs said were "magic mushrooms!".
Finally we saw the village below and staggered in, a car pulled up and it was the founder, Paul Barry-Walsh of the Fredericks Foundation and Hannibal Challenge, who told us Bronze was about 10 minutes away. TEN MINUTES! Somehow we got there to rounds of applause by the staff and soon we were sipping a nice cup of tea and being seen to by the excellent physio's at the bronze stop - a little cafe in Brunnissard.

Needless to say that night at the hotel, we had a fair few glasses of wines, lovely lasagne and slept like the dead!

Sunday - carry on or die!

Sunday morning it was raining and very cold. The terrain was a lot easier and a lot of the next part was along the river - less scenery but easier walking. Due to injury Julie got the bus to Silver and walked to Rissela which was the next water and physio stop. The rest of the team walked to Gold. Met some great people along the way and even a few new business contacts!

In the evening some of us had a really lovely aromatherapy massage at the hostel and some beers in the bar. Whilst Julie was there she got chatting the barman who had a guitar so we sang some songs and were asked to sing again after dinner in front of the rest of the group (yikes!).

We had the prize giving over dinner. Everyone got a medal. The party afterwards was great. Lots of singing and then the disco started up and went on well into the night. We all had a fantastic evening.

Monday - Going Home :(

Monday, it was extremely cold and raining and the mountains were covered in snow! A lot of poorly people got on to the coach to Turin. All in all, an amazing experience. Physically and emotionally challenging. Met some great people, made some great new friends. We swapped email addresses and promised to keep in touch.

Definitely going to do next years. Excellent party atmosphere on the last night. Brilliant weekend!