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 …
12/18 To the Banks of the Whanganui
War Memorial to Whakahoro Hut 25 k It dripped and drizzled on and off last night, but never really stormed like the thunder foreshadowed. It is still drizzling when the morning creeps in, which is a bit of a relief in the fact that it won’t be a scorcher today. Mario and Peach are out …
12/17 The Horse of Shoes
Fischer Bike Trail to War Memorial 20 K It’s a short day which means sleeping in! I still wake up relatively early, but I can linger with coffee and write. In spite of this plan, by 7:00 am the sun has crested the trees and is lasering the tent into an oven. Guess we’ll have …
12/16 The Bro Puppet
Whakapapa HP to KM 1200.5 on The Fisher Bike Trail 27 k It is cold this morning! Even after the protracted hiking day yesterday, I was still wide awake by 5:00am. Tristan comes back with the report that the breakfast cafe does adjust their ‘big breakfast’ to be vegetarian, so we waffle back and forth …
12/15 The Tongiriro Crossing
Tongiriro Car Park to Whakapapa Holiday Park 27 k, 9 bonus k It’s 1:37 am. I am wide awake. The stars are so bright they are practically humming above us- it’s the first time I’ve seen the Milky Way in this country. There is an alarm set to sing at 2:00; coffee is prepped to …
12/14 Honeybee Haranguing
Bench above the Mud Tunnel to Tongiriro Carpark 14 k A late morning is nice; it finally feels like a bit of down time to make up for the not-rest day. We only need to cover 14 k to the carpark we will camp at for our early morning launch tomorrow onto the Tongiriro Crossing. …
12/13 The 42nd Traverse
Whakapapa River to Bench above the Mud Tunnel 28 k What a gorgeous campsite. Even though the group camped next to us played music and partied and bounced a rugby ball off of Ellie’s tent and generally behaved like inconsiderate dolts as the young are at times wont to do, the white roar of the …
muddy shoe memoirs 