Day 47 Ettrick to Kelso

Walked by Mike and Rapid 47.2km 50747 steps. Walked by Ella about 12km

Getting up at 6am this morning was really hard as everything (including my watch) said 5am. We followed the normal routine of me getting ready and then Ted dropping me off at the start. Meanwhile Ngaire was finishing off the lunches and cleaning up the cottage.

When I got to the start at Ettrick at 7am it was still only half light. I could see well enough to walk but cars still needed there headlights. The climb from Ettirck to Moa Flat started after 500m and carried on for 11.9km. It wasn't all steep but the first 7km definitely were. Ella was really enjoying her walk and stayed out until the first break - but that was only 8km as I was rather slow uphill. Ngaire walked a couple of kilometres with me once the climb wasn't so steep. This was after all the farms that have Moa Flat as part of their name but is about 4km from where Moa Flat appears on my map. There ia a large wire moa near where Moa Flat appears on the map. I went to take some photos but my camera was flat, Ted used his instead.

There were the odd patches of snow on the ground at the top of the hill from the snow overnight. It had taken its toll on the lambs as well and the slinky collector was picking up quite a few. He had no cash but offered me a slinky instead. I declined the offer. (for those who don't know a slinky is a dead newborn lamb).

From Moa Point to Dunrobin was down hill. I could see showers coiming through but fortunately they avoided me. The climb out of Dunrobin is also very steep but only about 1.5km - way shorter than the climb to Moa Flat.

I deferred my 3rd rest break to the Heriot Hotel as with the coldwind I was looking forward to some warm food and drink. The showers caught up with me just as I came down the hill into Heriot. They were very cold with a mixture of hail and rain - quite stinging on the face. Ells joined me at the start of Heriot - just as the rain was starting. She had obviously been hanging on for a while as shid had 2 craps and 2 pees in 1km. I was really disappointed when the Heriot Hotel could offer neither any warm food or a warm drink. However the publican did donate $10 and shout me a beer.

The road from Heriot onwards is fairly easy gradients as well as a reasonable amount of flat land. It was much more pleasamt walking. Rapid had been really flat all day. He would just plod along behind me. The first section I thought it was I kept yelling at Ella who was eyeing the ewes with young lambs in the paddocks we were passing. Later in the day after Heriot he picked up for a while and I think it was the very rough gravel on the road edege that was bothering him as the part where he picked up had a strip with almost no metal besides the bitumen. Ngaire got some chorizo sausage from the butcher in Alexandra who recommended it as a high energy snack food for me. For the last 10km I got this out and used it to entice Rapid. He was much happier.

I can't remember where the second shower happened but the third was at Crossan's Corner - about 3km from the finish. It was bigger hail stones and bitterly cold. Ngaire and Ted pulled up with the van and asked if I wanted to shelter. I declined the offer and the rain stopped within a couple of minutes. Given the weather forecast I was lucky to escape with only 3 short showers.

I only got 4 donations all day which is probably the minimum number for the trip but just above the number of donations on my worst day - which I now can't remember where it was but it was while Alison was support person.

I'm not sure when it started but somewhere on the walk between Geraldine and Dunstan Downs Rapid started chasing after the van. If he is on the verge he is good and just runs along the verge. But when we are on low traffic roads and he is out on the road he chases it down the middle of the road. There was a tricky moment for FIona on Philips Rd on her last day as driver but since then I have got him in close till the van is past and then let him try in vain to catch it.

We are staying tonight at Marama Farm near Waipahi. It is 3000 acres and bounded on 3 sides by the Waipahi and Pomahaka Rivers. Graham and Giselle are very pleasant company and the evening was over in what seemed like no time. The downside is that Ella got caught short - made loss by her birthday bones - and crapped in her crate.

P.S. Ella crapped in her crate again overnight.