Day 49 Kelso to Mataura

Walked by Rapid & Mike 47.7km 54302 steps Walked by Ella 15.6km

Today I was pain free (well apart from the mild ache in knees and hips) until the last 3km. The Allevyn Heels that Joanna got were brilliant on the left foot. My right foot is slightly bigger and the toes were feeling squished. When I took my foot out the insole had crept forward. If that is the cause of the toe squishing then I think I may be pain free from here on.

The morning walk went really well apart from one technical hitch. Somehow I have an error in my route noytes and the distance to Gore was 3km further than in my notes. At about 9:30am I rang Gore branch and let them know I would be 30 minutesd late.

Ella walked the first 6.1km while Ted removed the crates and cleaned underneath them. This was walked in 1 hour. For the first 30 minutes it was still a bit dark so the dogs were on lead. They were then let off. Other than through Gore they remained off lead until the last kilometre (more about that later).

There had been a strong wind blowing at Waipahi but before we got to Tapanui on the drive to the start it had abated. The wind came up again shortly before Maitland and remained strong for the rest of the day. The walk to Maitland went really well. I covered the 13.1km in 2h 15m - 15minutes ahead of schedule.

Yesterday I sent an email to Jim Mora at National Radio suggesting a best song ever written, Shortly after leaving Maitland I got a ring from the producer wanting to establish I would be available at 1:05pm to do a chat with Jim. I couldn't believe they had taken up the request so promptly.

The second rst break was taken a few hundred metres from the junction of SH90 and SH1 where there was a grass area beside a hedge providing a good place to pull off with some shelter from the wind. I was making such good speed I could have made ot to Gore branch by 12:45pm but I decided to have a slightly longer break and then spend some time researching the song I had requested from Jim.

The first donation of the day, from a passing motorist, came just before going onto State Highway 1 and a couple more followed before reaching Gore. Ella walked with me from the edge of Gore and for a few of kilometres out of Gore to Charlton. I took the time to collect off the staff and customers at the BP before arriving at the river bank at 12:50. The dogs and I had lunch while I got out the computer and checked up all the details of the song I had requested. Ella's bowl blew away and I chased it. We thought the empty water bowls ahd also gone but later we found them in the wrong place in the van.

The doors on the van were closed up to stop the breeze and at 1:05pm I was called by National Radio. After about a 10 minute chat - including a break when the call dropped, Jim played my best song ever written - "Tramp, tramp, tramp, alng the highway" sung by Nelson Eddy. It is from a 1910 musical "Naughty Marietta" I know nothing about other than what I read on Wikipedia. The Nelson Eddy version is from the 1935 movie.

It was just after 1:15 by the time I got walking so I was now late even for the amended branch visit. I further delayed myself by going into the cafe where I had lunch yesterday and collecting donations.

After a stop for a cup of tea and for Ella and Rapid to be cuddled by the Rural Banking staff, Glenys and Cheryll from Gore branch of National Bank walked out of town with me. A stop was made at the local paper office for an interview and a few photos and to collect (by arrangement) at the Caltex station. Glenys and Cheryll walked with me for 7.5km (sorry ladies but on rechecking the 8km I told you was wrong). I then started the last 8.4km on my own. Judging from my speed earlier in the day I should have finished at 5:30pm. That would have been an hour late - most of that lost time because of media intereviews. However I slowed down once on my own, also I stopped to chat with a farmer.

Walking down Terrace Rd with Ella and Rapid I had seen the flashing light up ahead where dairy cattle were crossing the road as they left the shed. As we got close a cow wandered across so I put the dogs on the lead just to make sure nothing happened. Ted was parked just after the stock crossing. When I got close I noticed that there were electric fences that lay flat on the road each side of the cattle race to stop the cows straying. Driving across in a vehicle would be no problem. I could probably carefully pick me way across without standing on any wires but there was no way the dogs would understand that. Just as I was fully aware of my dilemma the farmer arrived and disconnected the power so we could cross. As it was less than 1 km to the end I kept the dogs on a lead.

The other crazthing going along Terrace Rd, which is a gravel road about 2km to the west of SH1 was a guy I had collected from in Clyde last week went past. I reached the finish about 5:50pm. After buying petrol and a few groceries it was 7pm by the time we got back to Marama Farm at Waipahi.

Giselle and Graham went into Dunedin to collect a woofer and must have been late home as they never came down when they got back. That is a pity as I would have liked to thank them for their hospitality face to face.

Somehow it is now 10:30pm and I need to set a 5am alarm if we are to hit the road at 5:45 to be ready to start walking at 6:30am. Dave Roe is walking with me and I told hime 7am before I checked the notes. I will need to ring in the morning.