Ruakaka Holiday Park to Meadow on the Langview Track 26 k We leave the park in the morning, winding through the sand dunes. The grasses and flowers that bloom in the dunes are such a fascinating beautiful range of colors- the grasses greens, golds, reds; the flowers yellows, oranges, pinks. A textural masterpiece. I try …
Month: November 2017
11/11 Double Token Kind of Day
Ruakaka River to Ruakaka Holiday Park 1.5 k There was one point in the night where I woke up, disoriented, certain the ocean was filling our camping crater- this possibility had occurred to me last night when I saw the floor of the crater littered with sea shells, although of course I realized there was …
11/10 Two for the Price of One
Damien’s Beach Camp to the Ruakaka River 32 K! So how does a short day turn into our first 20 mile day? Because a predicted 2 day storm and gale could not allow us to cross the Harbour for the whole weekend, so we aim to cross it tonight, that’s how. The glory of waking …
11/9 Taiharuru Estuary
Mackerel Forest to Damien’s Beach Camp 27 km The grass this morning is cold enough to to almost numb our feet, making the grass heads that ping off our skin as we swish through the weeds actually painful. We have several creek crossings that we are in sandals or barefoot for, and when we climb …
11/8 Across Ngunguru
Parangarau Stream to Mackerel Forest 19 km, 1 k by water The rain starts in earnest in the middle of the night, and when it does, it falls straight down in big drops that splash off the ground and ricochet into the tent. I jerk awake and batten the hatches, then sink back down, and …
11/7 From Destruction to Terrarium
Captaine Bougainville Monument to Parangarau Stream 15 k Day 21 There is such a tension of time on the trail. And math, for that matter. Should we have gone farther today? Could we have taken more time for other things besides hiking, or exploring more side trails? How far can we push the energy without …
11/6 What is the Captain?
Start of the Moreport Track to the Captain Bougainville Monument. 18 k Everyone slept hard last night. There is much groaning and cracking of bones as we all start moving about in the new day. The sun burns hot already, and the sky looks clear. The forest is carpeted in soft grass, thick with ferns, …
11/5 Bridge Lurking
Papakauri Meadow to Start of Moreport Track 27.7 k Today’s long march started out with one, quiet, almost innocuous, sound. A patter. At 6:15, I was lying quietly awake, thinking about the day before. At 6:30, rain was beginning to softly patter on the tent. At 6:45, rain was slapping down, rattling the fly and …
11/4 Mauri Greetings
Pahia Holiday Park to Papakauri Meadow 3.3 k by feet, 11.4 k by boat, 9 k by feet A warning to any contemplating staying at the Pahia ‘Top 10’ HP- it is top ten for legitimate Internet connection (+1) overpricedness (-5) and obnoxious noise (-17). Total score= minus 16. Skip it, and stealth camp within …
11/3 Holiday Park Hop
Whaitangi HP to Paihia Holiday Park 3.5 km With a strictly scripted schedule, we have time to fritter away in the morning, a rarity. We attempt some fuzzy staticky calls over the crappy WiFi, do a little reading, writing, and planning. The ducks send an ambassador to the office to extend their tent site another …
muddy shoe memoirs 