Walked today by Mike & Rapid 40.4km By Ella about 15km. 53512 steps
As yesterday I had walked an extra 6km today started from near Conway River rather than Ferniehust Rd. Turned it was just as well. After getting up at 5:30am at 6:30am we were ready to go. Just one problem - where is the key for the van. Paul and I both checked the kitchen (amongst many other places) without sucess. Finally at 7:30am I rang the rental company and then the AA. Just after getting in touch with the local contractor who said they would be 1 hour coming the key was found - by Johanna, a German tourist staying at the camp. Please women, no comments about blokes looking for stuff.
The snow started to fall at 6:30am. By the time we hit the road about 7:45 there was a lot of snow - and very little traffic. We got to where I had stopped yesterday at 8:25am. I started walking with both dogs - and Rapid wearing his shoes. I hadn't put socks on him as the seemed to get very wet very quickly when he wore them on Saturday and I felt they would just suck heat away from him. Ella did about 3km and then hopped back into the van. The time to Conway River was on timetable so with me new plan of eating lots of small snacks rather than meals I thought all would be OK for keeping to time.
5km from start we came across a Works Downer EDi crew who were stopping traffic. Paul went ahead to talk to them. I had already decided before I got there I would take all the food I had and keep walking in the hope Paul would be allowed through later in the day. A police 4WD came down the hill just before I got to the closure point. The policeman was pretty sure Paul would be able to get through with chains so away we went.
I had got about 500m from the closure point when the grader came back up the road. They were pushing to snow off to the side but leaving a very thin layer behind that the grader had compressed to be hard and icy. It was much easier to walk on the other side of the road.
Paul had been in touch with Jude who let the TV3 news room know that I was walking over Hundalee hill even though the road was closed. Before long I had contact from Ross at TV3 and also the Kaikoura Star who were keen to run a story. With all the fun I was having I negelected to track the km and soon I had no idea where I was and hopelessly underestimated how long it would take to get to Oaro River. I don't know if it was the snow, or the frequent photo stops but I clearly wasn't making the progress I should.
Every couple of kilometres I came across more trucks that had got stuck. Most had been there since about 3am. One now had a flat battery so was going nowhere until help came.
Rapid however was having a ball as the absence of traffic - apart from the occassional work truck or the policeman passing again - meant he could be off lead for hours. The trucks did get moving again after a grit truck came through but only a little faster than I was walking.
At the start of the final descent Ella joined me. We finally made it to the bottom of the hill about 12:30pm, nearly an hour late to be met by Ross from TV3. After a quick interview I then carried on along the coast. It continued to snow all the time I walked along the coast, but it wasn't sitting on the ground. The wind hadn't been very bad on the hill but along the coast it was strong. Near Pinnacle Rock it was so strong it nearly blew me over.
There was very little traffic because of the Hundalee hill closure - only 4WD were getting through, but it was moving fairly fast so Rapid had to go on the lead. However what could have been a rather difficult section of the trip was really easy. The tea rooms at Ocean View were closed so Paul improvised some food. He then headed into town to send off the still photos we had taken on the hill, and to get some more food for afternoon tea. I thought I would have to go through the first tunnel without him but just as I was about to enter the tunnel he arrived. A burst of traffic at that time meant there were 2 vehicles waiting behind the van when I exited the tunnel.
I met Emma from Kaikoura Star at the Caves tearooms who did a quick interview. Paul tried to put the dogs in the van while Emma did the interview but they weren't going. There is a walkway running parallel to the road from here so the dogs continued up to South Beach Rd offlead going back on the lead for the walk into town.
The 2 German girls who found our key are staying in their camper van at the cottage tonight and tomorrow.
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