Sep 30 day 30 Rangiriri to Ngaruawahia 34 km 7:00-4:00

So I broke my resolution to slow down a bit. Started morning in thick fog, wore my headlamp to be seen through the construction site, but after crossing the Waikota I was more or less in the country with a straight shot down to Huntly. Only in the afternoon, did things shift with a lot of climbing, some mud/root hiking along a ridge all afternoon. Later I could see Ngaruawahia in the valley by a bend in the river, just had to wait for the trail down, which turned out to be 1.5 km of steps. Never seen so many steps, and almost everyone climbing were women in exercise clothes who I don’t think thought much of my muddy hiking gear. Peaceful evening just relaxing sore stairstep knees. A good day, felt capable throughout. And this was the end of the first month with more than 750 km to show. One quarter of the way through.