Te Araroa Journal

Te Araroa Journal

Te Araroa Progress

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Recent Pledges

Miche pledged $10 per 100km, with a maximum of $100, to Woman's Refuge

Jo Drysdall & Sebastian Denize pledged $50 per 1000km, with a maximum of $150, to Woman's Refuge

Colleen Davis pledged $30 per 1000km, with a maximum of $100, to Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust

Amy Wilson pledged $50 per 1000km, with a maximum of $150, to Woman's Refuge

Lisa Tam pledged $5 per 100km, with a maximum of $50, to Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust

Bevan pledged $2 per 10km, with a maximum of $500, to Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust

Paula Nunweek pledged $30 per 1000km, with a maximum of $100, to Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust

Mike Harbrow pledged $50 per 1000km, with a maximum of $150, to Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust

Jenni Smith pledged $50 per 1000km, with a maximum of $150, to Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust

Daniel Parsons pledged $100 per 1000km, with a maximum of $300, to Woman's Refuge

Patrick Davey pledged $100 per 1000km, with a maximum of $100, to Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust

David Robb pledged $100 per 1000km, with a maximum of $300, to Woman's Refuge

Danna Challies pledged $100 per 1000km, with a maximum of $300, to New Zealand Skeptics Society

Moz pledged $50 per 1000km, with a maximum of $300, to Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust

Latest Pledge

Thanks to stu pettigrew for pledging $1 per 100km to New Zealand Skeptics Society.

Journal

End of the Takitimu section (6km)

2 days 13 hours ago

Not much to say on this one really. Woke early, packed and started to head for SH94. Txt'd Mike, got to SH94 and hitched to Mossburn.

Back in Invercargill now. Probably here for 2 days before starting the next section that will take me through to Queenstown.

Lower Princhester Hut (18km)

3 days 17 hours ago

I must be insane. I think I almost died 2-3 times today. It took 12 hours to get here with the last couple of hours being the worst of it.

The thing I learnt today... (12km)

4 days 17 hours ago

...was that the orange triangle markers are not specific to the Te Araroa trail. I also learnt that the signage on each side of the D.O.C. track signs can differ.

Aparima Hut (14km)

5 days 17 hours ago

Light rain this morning but knowing there was another hut at the end of it I bundled up in the wet weather gear and went for it anyway.

Most of the day was like walking through a rain forest. Between the rain and hail the sun would come out, the wind would stop and between the trees, moss and fern covered ground, large heavy drops falling through the sun beams... Quite beautiful. If only there was more of that than the rain and hail.

Lower Wairaki Hut (8km)

6 days 18 hours ago

The trail form the Telford campsite to the Lower Wairaki hut is well marked even if the trail is a little raw through the forest.

Telford campsite (19km)

1 week 18 hours ago

Another early start. Caught up with Ray and Cheese (Charles has a trail name) fairly quick. Cheese is a machine. Last month he was walking the Apalacian Trail and this month here mounding away at the TA.

Cheese spent most of the day about 5-10 minutes ahead of us and hardly ever stopped.

Ray has also done the AT (I think.) For the first half of the day he kept up with Cheese and the other half he dropped back with me.

Linton Station southern trailhead (13km)

1 week 1 day ago

Early start under suspicious looking clouds. It wasn't long before I doffed the pack and dug out the wet weather gear. The rain didn't last long though and the wet weather gear doesn't breath at all so I changed out and stowed it again. This happened perhaps 4 times and I was starting to think "why bother?" The last time though... Brief, but torrential and cold.

Island Bush -> Woodlaw Forest (19km)

1 week 2 days ago

Something like a late start today. Mike dropped me back at the Longwoods on Merryvale Road. Not quite where I got to but their car is in for a service and the one he had was a loaner. With the detour on the 13^th I figured it wouldn't matter too much.

Mike also covered a PDB for a fortnight. The lady that hired it to us had no idea of the purpose behind the "Panic Date" and consequently the date listed is now the day after it's due back. It should be back well before then but that's not the point...

Out of the Longwoods (13km)

1 week 5 days ago

9.05am: Things started well. Highish cloud & blue sky visible. Will push through today regardless. Mostly packed now but the weather has turned foul again. Just waiting for a break in the rain to finish off the packing and get going.

And I think that may have just happened...

Not risking it (3km)

1 week 6 days ago

The day started well. Blueish sky, not to chilly. Got stuff packed and started back to the quarry. Got just over 3km before the weather changed. Not wanting a repeat of yesterday I made camp again got in just as the rain started to pour down. The rain lasted about 4 hours and then things turned out fine. Didn't want to trust it though so stayed put. Got a whole lot of saturated gear less saturated though and got a whole lot of reading done.