3RY – Part 14 – Day 151 & 152

3RY Update Part:

14

Date:

22nd & 24rd June ‘19

Day:

151 & 152

Title:

Hakirimata Scenic Reserve

KM Mark Start:

738

Start Location:

Ngaruawahia

KM Mark Finish:

719

Finish Location:

Huntly

Actual KM Today:

20 & 0

Weather:

151. Foggy in the morn, then sunny patches

152. Rain

General:

151. Back into a little bit of bush today! Up the seemingly never ending steps of the Waterworks Walkway, then onto the Hakarimata Track which cuts east over the ranges to Huntly.

152. Chilled with cousin Sarah!

Body:

Knee not ideal @ the mo

Outlook:

All good

Tune of the Day:

151. Palmdale – Afroman

152. Lil Ass Gee – Ice Cube

Day 151 & 152 Images:

3RY – Part 14 – Day 149, 150

3RY Update Part:

14

Date:

20th and 21st June ‘19

Day:

149 & 150

Title:

Waikato River Walk

KM Mark Start:

757

Start Location:

Hamilton

KM Mark Finish:

738

Finish Location:

Ngaruawahia

Actual KM Today:

25

Weather:

Sunny but cool

General:

149. Nice river walk followed the Waikato River from Hamilton all the way to Ngaruawahia. Some amazing houses on the river bed along the way. Lots of locals riding bikes and walking dogs.

150. Rain day, hanging in and around The Tron!

Body:

Knee dodgy last few weeks, hopefully walk it off.

Outlook:

Such a great break in Hamilton.

Tune of the Day:

149. Drive – Bic Runga

150. Sabotage – Beastie Boys

Day 149 & 150 Images:

3RY – Part 14 – Day 146, 147, 148

3RY Update Part:

14

Date:

17th, 18th, 19th June ‘19

Day:

146, 147, 148

Title:

Reeeeelaxn’ (x3)

KM Mark Start:

757

Start Location:

Hamilton

KM Mark Finish:

757

Finish Location:

Hamilton

Actual KM Today:

0

Weather:

Rain with sunny patches

General:

146 – Walked around town and purchased new kicks. Went for Mexican with Cousin Sarah and her friend!! Whoop whoop 🥳

147 – Visited the Hamilton Gardens today. A really amazing display of design, landscaping and creativity. The site features 21 gardens representing the art, beliefs, lifestyles and traditions of different civilisations or historical garden styles. These gardens are grouped into the Paradise, Productive, Fantasy, Cultivar and Landscape garden collections, and there is space for gardens which are still in development.

148 – Hanging our with Cousin Sarah, an Interview with the Breeze Radio Station & met with Mark Weatherall for a catch up.

Body:

Ok x 3

Outlook:

Ok x 3

Tune of the Day:

146. Put Your Records On – Corine Bailey Rae

147. Rescue – Alyssa Brilla

148. Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix

Day 146, 147, 148 Images:

146.

147 & 148.

3RY – Part 14 – Day 145

3RY Update Part:

14

Date:

16th June ‘19

Day:

145

Title:

New shoes #5

KM Mark Start:

774

Start Location:

Whatawhata Backyard Bar

KM Mark Finish:

757

Finish Location:

Hamilton

Actual KM Today:

15

Weather:

Rain, sun, rain, sun, rain …

General:

Walked the Mainer to The Tron! Spent the arvo looking for some new kicks. Will be the fifth pair so far 🥾🥾🥾🥾🥾. Listened to some live music at a bar while enjoying a beer and dinner.

Body:

Great

Outlook:

Can’t wait to sort a few things out like shoes, socks etc.

Tune of the Day:

145. Good Riddance – Green Day

Day 145 Images:

3RY – Part 14 – Day 144

3RY Update Part:

14

Date:

15th June ‘19

Day:

144

Title:

Smell Ya Laters Pirongia

KM Mark Start:

805.5

Start Location:

Pahautea Hut

KM Mark Finish:

774

Finish Location:

Whatawhata Backyard Bar

Actual KM Today:

30

Weather:

Cloudy and drizzle on the tops then overcast with some sun on the flats

General:

Was on the verge of pulling the pin on today’s walk! Weather looked average and it’s a great hut for a zero day. After brekky my conscience got the better of me and I braved the cold. Started with a little climb up to Pirongia Peak then a cool walk down Tahuanui Track to Kaniwhaniwha Campsite, then Nikau Track to Limeworks Loop Road & TePahu which I followed the rest of the way to Whatawhata. Lots of crazy looking fungi in the Pirongia section…must be damp all year by the looks.

Body:

Ok

Outlook:

Keen for a hot shower

Tune of the Day:

144. Miserlou – Dick Dale and his Del Tones

Day 144 Images:

3RY – Part 13 – Day 143

3RY Update Part:

13

Date:

14th June ‘19

Day:

143

Title:

Blue Shrooms & Pirongia Mud Fest

KM Mark Start:

832

Start Location:

Bush camp in Omarama NI.

KM Mark Finish:

805.5

Finish Location:

Pahautea Hut

Actual KM Today:

28

Weather:

Overcast with some sunny patches

General:

Packed up the cosy tent spot and set off for what has the reputation as being the muddiest section of the journey (today and tomorrow). Not sure if it was the muddiest I’ve experienced so far, but yup, it sure was muddy. It’s a steep battle up muddy slopes until you hit Hihikiwi Peak. Then for reasons unknown to me, the track turns into a leisurely board walk for the last KM 😆. The struggle up the hill was well worth it, when I got to the hut and had insane views all the way back to the now, snow capped Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe Mountains. It’s a strange feeling looking back at the way I’ve walked and seeing how far away it appears. Pahautea Hut is a really nice one; beautiful views, tent sites, camp shelter, cleaning station. Apparently often overflowing with bodies in the summer months…not a soul here today.

Body:

Have a feeling it’ll be sore tomorrow!

Outlook:

I can sense Auckland looming.

Tune of the Day:

143. Society – Eddie Vedder

Day 143 Images:

3RY – Part 13 – Day 142

3RY Update Part:

13

Date:

13th June ‘19

Day:

142

Title:

Infamous Mud Fest

KM Mark Start:

853

Start Location:

Tomo Group Hut Waitomo

KM Mark Finish:

832

Finish Location:

Bush camp in Omarama NI.

Actual KM Today:

24

Weather:

Hasn’t rained…yet.

General:

Had planned on taking a day to chill at the last hut. At dawn, two bus loads of Auckland grammar school kids came bowling in so…packed up my gear and boosted.

Farm land, getting lost in a swamp, great views and muddy tracks are what will stick in my mind from today!

Body:

Alrighty

Outlook:

All good, nice to have a day with no rain.

Tune of the Day:

142. Down with the sickness – Disturbed

Day 142 Images:

3RY – Part 13 – Day 140 & 141

3RY Update Part:

13

Date:

11th & 12th June ‘19

Day:

140 & 141

Title:

140 – More Rain!

141 – Waitomo Caves

KM Mark Start:

Day 140 – 871

Day 141 – 855

Start Location:

Day 140 – Te Kuiti

Day 141 – Waitomo

KM Mark Finish:

Day 140 – 855

Day 141 – 853

Finish Location:

Day 140 – Waitomo

Day 141 – Hamilton Tomo Group Hut

Actual KM Today:

Day 140 – 16

Day 141 – 2

Weather:

Rain

Rain

General:

140. Walk from Te Kuiti to Waitomo via Oparure Road & Pehitawa Track with some road walking either side. Not too much going on today…had to cross a few fields full of Bulls but they weren’t fazed.

141. Did the Foot-Whistle glow worm cave tour today which was super cool for a change of pace. A really well done wee tour, with a Kawakawa tea ceremony thrown in. Actually a really good drop! Had a look @ some Moa Bones that they’d discovered in the caves and also had a few at the caving hut I was staying in on display.

Body:

Yeah nah, all righty then

Outlook:

Have heard some pretty negative reports on the upcoming section (Pirongia Forest). It is apparently awfully muddy after rain and in winter.

Tune of the Day:

140. Selling the Drama – Live

141. Jungle – Tash Saltana

Day 140 & 141 Images:

140

141

3RY – Part 12 – Day 135, 136, 137, 138, 139

3RY Update Part:

12

Date:

6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th June ‘19

Day:

135, 136, 137, 138, 139

Title:

I’ve included a few days in a row (days 135 – 139) for this one, due to a few technical issues 🤬!

135 – Kākā

136 – 40KM road walk

137 – Where they Make Legends

138 – Te Kuiti Zero 1

139 – Te Kuiti Zero 2

KM Mark Start:

135 – 945

136 – 928

137 – 891

138 – 871

139 – 871

Start Location:

135 – Bog Inn Hut

136 – Ngaherenga Campsite

137 – Mangaokewa Stream Shelter Tent

138 – Te Kuiti

139 – Te Kuiti

KM Mark Finish:

135 – 928

136 – 891

137 – 871

138 – 871

139 – 871

Finish Location:

135 – Ngaherenga Campsite

136 – Mangaokewa Stream Shelter Tent

137 – Te Kuiti – Where they make Legends

138 – Te Kuiti

139 – Te Kuiti

Actual KM Today:

135 – 20

136 – 40

137 – 22

138 – 0

139 – 0

Weather:

135 – Rain all day

136 – Rain in patches

137 – Rain in patches

138 – Sun! OMG

139 – Rain & overcast

General:

135. Started with blue skies so I made the decision to go up Mount Pureora to get a view of Mount Ruapehu and the region. It was a diversion off the planned route and there are unfortunately no maintained tracks to gain access. Ended up a complete waste of time. By the time I’d made it to the top, the clouds and rain had rolled in. My poncho ripped, my shoes ripped, my phone that I write my updates on decided to dump the last 10 days of work…the list goes, on but I won’t bore you all with it (anymore than I already have 😆). It was forecast to clear today but it’s rained most of the day. Just not a great day all round really but…I’ve finally seen one of the birds I’d been really keen to spot in the wild. As I was walking out of forest a large flock of Kākā were squawking like crazy and darting in and out of the trees. Seemed like a good sign, so I set up camp and watched the Kākā birds going crazy all evening.

136. Left at the crack of dawn this morn. Rained all night so pretty happy to pack up and boost. All road waking today to get me to the next section. Set up camp at a cool location where a local farming family had prepared a shelter, access to spring water, a long drop etc for any passing walkers. Had dinner watching the wild goats and pigs from the shelter.

137. Had a large river section to walk down today. After all if the rain I was forced up onto farmland. Decided to cut across ~3km back towards a road and away from the rising river. Was pretty happy to make it all the way without being hit-up by any land owners. With about a KM to go I had to pass some farm-dog kennels, which usually go nuts when I walk by. They were right beside a house too, so I was sure they were gonna give the game away. For whatever reason they didn’t make a sound…so made it to the road without any issues.

138. Updates and trying to sort out the crappy Apple iPhone.

139. Updates and Prep

Without a doubt the highlight of the last few days has been staying at the Hunts Farm Backpackers in Te Kuiti! An incredible setting and such amazing people, that have created their own slice of paradise (and are happy to share it with others). These guys have some serious good karma heading in their direction I’m sure.

Body:

135 – 139 Pretty Good.

Outlook:

Happy with the walking, 100% fed up with the technical BS.

Tune of the Day:

135. Get Low – Dan Henig

136. The Time they are Changing – Bob Dylan

137. Little Black Submarine – The Black Keys

138. Jeremy – Pearl Jam

139. Black Betty – Spiderbait

Day 135-139 Images:

135 –

136 –

137 –

138 –

139 –