The oak plant around Heinz Eichinger, Amy 9×19 and Reini Rossmann hosted the Survival Rally 2024 in the beautiful Pielach Valley in August, with the team from Ranger Magazine and Militär Aktuell in the thick of it. In Part 1 we reported on the base camp and our equipment, in part 2 from the “Hunting” station. The next station took us into a cave for a perception exercise.
Perception and memory
Motivated by the success at the first station we moved on to the next task. Looking at the map, a steep descent caught our eye. Quickly counting the contour lines as we walked, we mentally prepared ourselves for about 200 meters, which led steeply into a ravine, only to lead briefly, but no less steeply, uphill again into a cave. What sounds like recovery to some can – like us – bring worry lines to the forehead: One team member still had to be very careful with exertion after an operation.
We knew that full performance was out of the question, but we still had to find a solution, because safety and health come first. So one of us had to “scout ahead!” to find the safest possible route through the slippery passages, while the other had the task of performing as cleanly as possible and without rushing.
As a well-rehearsed team, we made good progress – it can still go on like this. Finally arrived in the safe cave with other participants, Roland Düringer, actor and cabaret artist, stood in front of us as a big surprise guest. Because we actually made it to the finish point just in time despite being very careful, we were allowed to go ahead. So again, no time for a break, which we would have liked to take after the slide.
Wehrsprecher-Umfrage: Wie geht es mit dem Bundesheer weiter?
Instead: switch quickly! Twelve objects had to be found in a short space of time using the Nextorch flashlights in order to remember them throughout the rally – right up to the finish line. We were already off and searching our way through the cave under stress. Although the luminosity of even the small lamps was impressive, the whistle came far too quickly. The next group started immediately afterwards.
Ranger tip: An old mnemonic technique helps in any situation in which several objects that seem to have nothing in common need to be memorized: Make up a story about the objects and repeat it often. The more vividly the story is told, the more likely it is to stick in your head – even many weeks later!
Part 4 of the Survival Rally experience report starts with station 3: “Obstacle”.
