Day 66 Rangitata to Ashburton

Walked today by Mike & Rapid 35.4km 48051 steps walked by Ella approx 21km

Total distance walked 2239km funds raised $20,266.08

Today started off with low cloud and light rain. The rain eased off to a light drizzle before I started walking and stopped about halfway through the day (somewhere around Hinds). I was really hoping for fine weather for today and tomorrow as they are days where the road has wide verges with long grass. The dogs had a ball today but I had wet feet almost all day in spite of changing shoes and socks at Hinds.

When we arrived at Rangitata for the start the cafe owner came out and patted Ella and Rapid while I got my parka on. Well actually he got to pat Ella heaps and Rapid only briefly as she moved in between him and Rapid. I was a few minutes late getting started but nothing serious.

Straight off we had to cross the 2 bridges across the Rangitata River. The traffic was fairly light - mostly north bound trucks - so that wasn't much of a drama. Ngaire and Ted then went back and had a coffee. They also got a hot chocolate for me. They only paid for one coffee so thanks very much again to Rangitata Tea Rooms for there support. Maybe all the people from St Andrews should drive an hour up the road for their coffee and support them rather than the Gobble Cafe.

I had let the dogs off lead once they had crossed the first bridge but kept them in close. After the second bridge I released them . Rapid and Ella took off racing each other along the verge having a lot of fun. I noticed that Rapid checked the traffic before turning in on Ella and playing rough stuff. He must have thought she might move sideways onto the road to avoid him. I was most impressed.

There is an irrigation race runs parallel with the road from Ealing northwards. Ealing at 116m is the highest point on the road between Timaru and Ashburton. The eye sees he road as climbing northwards from Ealing but the water is flowing that way so obviously it is down hill. There are numerous bridges over the canal giving access to farmers gates. Rapid, who before the trip would keep right in the middle of a bridge was standing right on the edge and looking over the edge at the water going below. Eventually he found a place where the water was moving slowly and jumped in for a swim - never mind he was already wet from the rain.

Ella was picked up after 8km. I had the first break at 9am when I had done just over 10km. I then sent Ngaire and Ted back to Ashburton as I should have been wearing woollen socks but I had put drymax socks on the night before and never thought about changing them. As soon as I started walking in the long grass at Ealing the drymax socks went to wrok moving moisture. The trouble was my feet were dry and the grass wasn't. Within minutes they had sucked enough moisture into my shoes to have wet feet. So much for the gortex shoes keeping my feet dry.

I had planned to use gravel roads on the other side of the railway for the last 5km into Hinds and for most of the distance between Hinds and Tinwald but the dogs were having so much fun on the grass I stayed there. I was 10 minutes ahead of schedule at Hinds but changing socks and shoes took a while and I was about 10 minutes late when I started walking again. The heel pads had to have new tape put on them as it had let go with the wet. The pads being foam where also now wet and it was rather hard for Ted to get them back on my feet. For those with a medical background the pads are "Mepilex Heel" made in Finland. I changed shoes as well hoping to have dry feet for the rest of the day but with half an hour my feet were wet again. I think some of the seams in the shoes are now leaking.

Ella walked with me from Hinds as I figured she would enjoy being out on the grass. She wasn't as enthusiastic as in the morning but she never showed any signs of being tired.

2km from Tinwald I took a break. Ella went back in the van then for a 2 or 3 kilometres and I picked her up before the Ashburton River bridge. I moved back to walking on the road. I was finding walking in the long grass very tiring and I was also falling a little more behind time. I didn't put the boots back on Rapid as he seemed to be having no difficulty walking. There was no sign of a limp or of him walking right up on his toes.

A couple of people stopped along the road to give donations today. One had seen me at Invercargill and was surprised to see me again so far away. Collecting in town was very poor. The breast cancer collection was taking place today and people weren't feeling inclined to give again.

I was about 20 minutes late turning into Tancred St but I then got another few minutes delay as a journalist wanted to do an interview for the Mid-Canterbury Herald and of course wanted shoes on Rapid for a photo. This comes out on Wednesday so the walk will be over by the time it is published.

The next interview took place at the branch with the Ashburton Guardian which is a daily paper. There was a little girl waiting with her mum for some papers in the bank. A few photos were taken of her patting Ella and Rapid so I think she will appear in the paper. After I had taken the shoes off to show the sore bits on his feet I had to put them back on again for more photos.

The Ashburton branch had prepared some afternoon tea and Steph had even got some treats for the dogs. A bottle of wine was produced and I had a couple of glasses. After that I needed an afternoon nap.

While Ted went and got Thai takeaways for dinner I took Ella and Rapid down to the showgrounds. There 3 hours of rest meant they had heaps of energy and were tearing around like mad things. They looked like dogs that needed to have a walk - not ones that had done a huge one.

A reminder to you all about the dog walk on Sunday along Shands Rd. Please meet at the 70kph sign on Shands Rd by 3pm. It is only 2.5km to Hornby so I am sure that most dogs can manage that. Please tell all your Christchurch friends. I really do want a good turn out.