Day 2 - Twilight to Maunganui Bluff

Only 20 mosquitoes shared the tent last night. They didn’t seem overly hungry though.

It wasn’t long before we were packed up and away at 9am. The morning heat beginning to rise. 

Over the headland and what lay before us was the expanse of 90 mile beach.

Steep steps led down to the northern end of 90 mile beach. Has a chat with some workers who were building a new stop over point with its own kaitiaki (guardian).

The beach was broad and beautiful. The breeze out our backs. Twenty eight kilometres later we arrived at Maunganui Bluff campsite. A cold shower and tent set up.

Sadly I started feeling quite ill and nauseous. Had the life straw not taken the bad bacteria out of the stream water drunk during the day?

I drank heaps of water and realised I had not been to the toilet at all during the day. Dehydration and heatstroke.

By 10 pm I was starting to feel better. Noodles in a cup.

Day 1 - Te Araroa Begins

A special time spent departing from the Cape Reinga lighthouse. Sandie placed a pounamu around my neck that the family had been instilling their wishes into. A fish hook shaped pounamu for determination, perseverance and links with the ocean. A moving moment for me.

Pics showing the 12 km walk to Twilight Bay campsite. Departed 6.50pm - arrived 10pm.

Hit Auckland

Karl has found the last stop for McD's not for food though... I'm sure Karl will find as many toilet stops along the way

3,2,1 Heading Off

About to depart from home for the far north.

Registration is through!

Great to have both of us registered for the TA. Not quite sure what I’ll do with the triangle sticker :) Watch this space!

River Crossing Training

 New Zealand has dangerous rivers. You need to know what to do to cross them safely.

So, a little training goes a long way.

Karl and I spent a full Saturday with Outdoor Training NZ in the Karangahake Gorge learning the basics.

Ask yourself these 4 questions...

1. Do I need to cross?  

There may be a suitable bridge not too far away (check your topographical map).

2. Is it safe to cross?

Identify hazards, such as trees downstream that might trap you and other debris.

Throw a stick into the flow of the stream. If it is moving faster than you can walk and is above your knee in depth .

3. Where can we cross?

Slow moving part of the stream, safe depth and a suitable 'out point' on the opposite side.

4. How will we cross?

Linked position between pack and each others backs. Use of a pole to make a third leg upstream. (see photos).

There is plenty more that could be written here. We are much wiser thanks to this training day.

Teacher in Training

 'How's the training going?' A common question now asked by my teaching colleagues.

To be hopeful, I thought that with a basic degree of fitness, I would be fine to start the Te Araroa trail, and grow fitness along the way. I'm starting to doubt myself on that point.

As for my son Karl. He is an active 18 year old. He's just won a number of sporting trophies at the senior prizegiving for Morrinsville College. Nobody is really worrying about his level of fitness.

So, with a brand new pair of trail shoes - Salomon brand. Originally, we were going to use our traditional tramping style boots, however, after reading up about what to wear on your feet - trail runners are it. The tramping boots will become the hunting footwear from this point on.

I decided to load my Macpac to 14kgs and go for a stroll. In fact, why not leave the car in the driveway and hack a direct track to school at Tatuanui? 

I stepped onto the roadside berm just on 6am. An overcast day and light drizzle greeted me. The outline of Mt Te Aroha glowed dimly in the distance. Along Thames Street and across the bridge out of town that spans the Piako River. I broke into a jog. 'Wouldn't want to get caught out by a speeding truck on this narrow bridge', I thought. 'Maybe Council needs to consider a pedestrian walkway in the future'.

Another 5 minutes walk and I'm passing through a reserve called Murray Oaks. A scenic grassed spot with plenty of ... oaks!

Now, the moment of truth. Walk the roadside with its traffic intensity growing? Or, take the railway corridor which is still used for freight to the Waitoa Dairy Factory? The train track appeared the quieter and safer option given I could easily scarper off the track if needed. Straight and long; I was bound to hear and see something coming. Freight trains don't move that quickly, do they?

It was a relief, none-the-less, to arrive at the roadside reserve opposite the Tatua Factory (whipped cream can makers, and much, much more). Not a train was encountered. Obviously too early. I'd covered a total of 6.8kms and was earlier to school than I would be usually. 

Teach the day. Do the return walk home. 

It's the shoulders that felt it the most! On the positive side - no foot hot spots or blisters.

The bottom line though - more training needed :)