0 k We woke up this morning fully intending to leave. Honest. I get up early enough to take a shower before anyone else is awake. It’s not really an effort- even with the comfortable bed, I’m still woken by the light of the sunrise. I think it’s kind of neat to be on such …
Month: January 2018
12/27 A Magical Home
Mount Lee’s Reserve to Zig Zag & Lee’s 36 k The morning dawns early- I know we passed the summer solstice, but are the nights still getting shorter?! It sure feels like it. We roadwalk to Fielding, and Prana reads out crossword clues as we go. At one point Bro has to stop and check …
12/26 A Bull Market
Koitiata Campground to Mount Lee’s Reserve 40 k We all have the hiker hobble this morning, and gimp through our morning chores. The sky is threatening rain, and the water that is available tastes like rotten algae, but I’m grateful that it’s not raining this moment and that there is drinkable water at all. There …
12/25 What Makes Christmas
Whanganui HP to Koitiata 36 k “Hey, you there! Do you know what day it is?” “Oieh?” “Today! Do you know what day it is?” “Why, it’s Christmas!” Merry New Zealand Christmas! The birds sing the morning awake, and I make coffee and call my parents. We get to talk for an hour! Breakfast is …
12/24 Christmas Eve with the Trail Family
Hipango Park to Whanganui Holiday Park 20 k The earliest river morning yet. As much as I prefer rafting to canoeing, I do have to say packing up the canoes is pretty darn fast. When we get to the dock with the barrels, I notice how high the high tide water mark is from last …
12/23 Messing About In Boats
Downes Hut to Hipango Park 25 k Another early start puts us on the water during that magical hour of simplicity and bewitchment. As it is the morning, I am back to loving canoeing. The day cycles like this: the morning is beautiful & easy= I love canoeing. Eventually both my and Prana’s attention spans …
12/22 The Flying Fox
Jerusalem to Downes Hut 28 k The morning comes too early- I could sleep another 3 hours. I get up because I want to spend a few minutes looking in the church sanctuary. There is a huge blooming red tree, the New Zealand Christmas Tree, next to the front door. The interior is solemn and …
12/21 50/50
Raumanui to Jerusalem 33 k We put on the water at 7:30. When it’s time to get started, after 9.5 hours of hard sleep, I can barely bring myself to wake up- this is the thru hike sleep I haven’t reached yet on this trip. Sluggishly I pack my sleeping gear and spoon breakfast into …
12/20 Bridge to Nowhere
John Coull Hut to Raumanui 37-42k? We had a nice soothing rain shower on and off last night, which pattered playfully on the tent. The downside was my brain kept whispering, “the river goes up half a meter an hour when it rains. are you sure your canoe is pulled up high enough? did you …
12/19 The Great Launch
Whakahoro Hut to John Coull Hut Anywhere from 37-47 k We have now had enough slow mornings in a row that I feel as if we’ve had a full rest day when I wake up. I’m still not going to complain about one more though, so I make coffee in bed and type. We are …
muddy shoe memoirs 