Albury Wodonga's outdoor club for bushwalking (and skiing, cycling and canoeing)
Sounds good - what now?
Don't procrastinate till old age, bite the bullet and get out there.
Here are the answers to some of the questions you may have:
When can I start?
Next weekend.
Who do I contact?
The person leading the activity whose contact details are shown in Footprints
Do I have to be a member?
No, but you can only attend two activities as a visitor. After that we expect you to become a member. (And it will save you having to pay $5 for every activity)
What about transport?
We always share transport to keep costs down. When you ring to book in the leader should ask you if you are prepared to take your car, but it may not be necessary.
How much will it cost?
If you are a member, the only cost will be the petrol cost which is described below. If you are not a member you have to pay $5 for each each activity (which offsets some of our insurance costs). Everyone has to pay their share of the petrol costs.
How is the petrol cost calculated?
The cost of the petrol (even if the vehicle is using gas) is calculated and doubled. This is then divided by all the people in the vehicle, including the driver. The reason for doubling the cost is to compensate the driver for maintenance costs such as tyres, servicing etc. Efficient leaders who are good at arithmetic may work out the cost across all the vehicles and all the participants so that everyone pays the same amount.
How fit do I need to be?
That depends on the grade of the walk. Easy walks are usually easy. Anyone can do them, but discuss it with the leader when you ring to book in.
What do I need to take?
Basically, yourself, some water and your lunch, plus some money for petrol and maybe to buy coffee somewhere. That said, you do need a few other items depending on where you go and the time of the year. See What to take on a day walk. If you tend to be a bit casual, you may like to read 'Is your life worth $2?'
Do I need to wear boots?
Not really. However, it the walk is 'off track' boots are a good idea, especially if the grass will be wet. Other than that, any comfortable footwear will do.
Can I wear shorts?
Most people do (most of the time)
Can I wear jeans.
Yes, but only if you are not walking in the mountains. In the mountains where it is colder, wet jeans act like a Coolgardie safe and accelerate the route to hypothermia. Our leaders will not take you to the mountains if you are wearing jeans.
Do I need to buy anything to get started?
Definitely not; in fact it is much better to delay any purchases until you are sure what you need. The club has a large amount of gear for hire that you can use until you decide that you are going to buy your own. See 'Equipment Hire'
Bushwalkers are famous for being a bit scruffy, so you can make do with what you can find in your wardrobe for a while. After you have been on a few activities you will have picked up some advice from others and then you can begin to acquire your own equipment. A jacket is the first purchase for most people.
Where do we meet?
Ninety percent of our walks are in Victoria and the assembly point is in front of the Wodonga City Council building. If you do not need to take your car, you can leave it in the council car-park.
If the activity is in NSW, the meeting place is usually the Coles car-park on Urana Road.
Is there anything else I should know?
Yes, you should read the notes on Bushwalking Etiquette so that you look and act like a pro when you are on any BBC activity.
You also need to know that it is your responsibility to let the leader know about any relevant medical condition (e.g. asthma) that you may have.
Any more questions?
Ask the leader.
