Day 55
Oct 25 day 55 Feilding to Palmerston North Slept in a bit because I wanted a big breakfast before leaving and the Spring cafe did not open until 8:00. Enjoying what luxury I can get for now as the coming days (after today) will include big miles and stealth camping. The walk over to Palmerston […]
Day 54
Oct 24 day 54 Bulls to Feilding 20 km 8:45-12:30 Had choice of a short day or something near 40km to Palmerston North. Been in a bit of a physical lull, so opted to hike short to Feilding (yes, that’s how it is spelled, named after someone who spelled it that way). Uneventful walk, though […]
Day 53
Oct 23 day 53 Koitiata Beach Campsite to Bulls 28 km 7:15- 1:00 Another very direct hiking day, though for some reason quite tiring. Might have something to do with my new shoes which are not yet rubbing blisters but my feet feel odd in them, a little more numb than usual. Guess I just […]
Day 52
Oct 22 day 52 Wanganui to Koitiata Beach Campsite 30 km 7:15-1:45 What can you say, completely flat day– 30 km of road walking, most on highway 3. Grey, misty, heavy traffic, no real sights to stop for, poured rain with high winds for second half. Just a hiking day to put in the books […]
Day 51
Oct 21 day 51 Wanganui 0 km Excellent morning, wandered downtown, stopped at a couple of coffee shops, got caught up on email and other messages, bought new shoes at Kathmandu (not a day too soon), visited the steamboat museum and wandered about a bit more. Great part of town near the river. The one […]
Day 50
Oct 20 Day 50 Downes Hut to Wanganui 43 km 9:00-4:00 (by canoe) Started late as we had to coordinate with the tide near Wanagnui (did not want to get to that area before early afternoon when high tide would start slackening). Cool morning and wind picked up fairly soon. Early kilometers were still interesting […]
Day 49
Oct 19 day 49 Tieke Kainga Hut to Downes Hut 60 km (by canoe) 7:45-4:30 Had breakfast, said goodbye to our host Wai, and we got on the water early– hoping to make 60 km which would then put us in a good position to make Wanganui tomorrow. Across the morning we hit a series […]
Day 48
Oct 18 day 48 John Coull Hut to Tieke Kainga Hut 29 km (by canoe) 8:00-12:00 Left fairly early in a misty rain. Temperatures cool but the river water not cold at all. Felt good to be early on the water, switched places so we both have motor and steering experience, handled some difficult rapids […]
Day 47
Oct 17 day 47 National Park to John Coull Hut 87 km (50 by car, 37 by canoe, 0 by walking) 8:00-3:00 Back on the trail, sort of. Gavin from Yeti tours (along with noodleman and his sidekick) picked me and Cory up and drove us to Whakahoro Landing. The TA officially passes through there […]
Vital Heat
Vital Heat In Coming into the Country, John McPhee offers a series of portraits of Alaskan backwoods men and women. One particularly striking character is Dick Cook, an able trapper who among other quirky traits disdains wool, wearing instead cotton, the one fabric every outdoor adviser warns against. We’ve all heard the phrase “cotton kills” […]