Distance walked by Mike 565.7km walked by Idol 383.9 walked by Toby 248.7
Today I learned a very valuable lesson about staying in the here and now. This morning when making final preparations to go I was rushing fretting about we were 10 minutes late leaving - I even growled at Pankaj when he wanted to take photos with Sue and Hank. Meanwhile I had left my phone on the dresser where I had put it as the only place in the house that gets vodafone coverage.
Once it was light I let the dogs out to wander by themselves. Toby almost immediately tried putting his nose through the electric fence and got zapped. He went and hid in the very back of his crate. I couldn't coax him out and when I accidentally touched his nose (no doubt saw from the fence) while trying to give him a treat he yelped. I left the crate and car open and eventually he came out and went and got a cuddle from Sue. Being paranoid Toby believes I am the source of all the unpleasant things that happen to him and distrusts me accordingly. Later while I was making sandwiches for lunch Idol found the fence and got a zap. He came running to me wanting a cuddle.
Shortly after the start of the walk I came to where the rock fall was being cleared. While rocks where dislodged by a worker abseiling from the top the traffic was stopped - silly me had forgotten to get a bucket out and I lost the opportunity to collect from people waiting. Once the work overhead stopped the guys directing traffic let me go through the narrow bit of road - about 100m long - before they let the traffic go. Very much appreciated.
Shortly after that I realised I didn't have my phone so when Pankaj came through I got a muesli bar some mandarins and some money and sent Pankaj back to Opotiki to get my phone. Meanwhile Toby and I kept walking.
The traffic from Gisborne was very little early in the day and with the traffic from Opotiki only being allowed through about once every 10 minutes I had the road very much to myself (and Toby). I stopped at Wairata at the Living Waters Bush Cafe and got a coffee and a very yummy chocolate brownie. Somehow I got afflicted by shyness and while I held the bucket and said what I was doing I asked neither the cafe owner or the couple who arrived just before I left outright for a donation.
A bit further up the road I came across a community service group mowing lawns and tidying up a rest area, They passed me heading towards Gisborne a bit later in the day so I presume they were doing all the rest areas along the road. 7 or 8 of them to do a job that should only need 2 people.
Yesterday the river up been smooth flowing but today it was white water all the way. After Manganuku it gets to the stage I think would challenge even the wildest white water kayaker - very fast flowing with lots of drops of a metre or so. This is where the road starts to seriously climb but it is only the last 5 kilometres after Opata rest area that are seriously steep and had me puffing.
Pankaj arrived back from retrieving the phone at the 18km mark. This was about 4km past where I expected him to arrive and I think Toby had picked up on my anxious looking at every car that came from the west (or is it north - anyway from Opotiki direction). When Pankaj drove past Toby started pulling for the first time. I don't know if he was tired or just keen to see Pankaj. He is always happy about getting into his crate, After a sandwich and a bit of a rest I got Idol out. He limped for the first little while again. I am wondering if he was like I was around the South Island with sore feet that stopped bothering me when the endorphins kicked in so I would limp for the first 5 to 10 minutes after every break.
Opato bridge came up shortly after the break. This is the last bridge in the Bay of Plenty on my route - the next is across the Motu River which still drains into Bay of Plenty but is in Gisborne district. I had planned to have Pankaj drive behind me across this bridge as it has a sharp corner either side but Pankaj had gone on just past it and walked back. You can here traffic coming for ages and the bridge is short so crossing was no problem at all.
From here the road rose steeply and was rather twisty and at time narrow. There was lots of crossing backwards and forwards but the traffic especially the trucks were considerate and Idol, Pankaj and I had no problems.
This is one of many crosses along the roadside in the Waioeka Gorge. My prayers go out to all those who have died on the road and to those who loved and miss them.
At the boundary between Gisborne and Bay of Plenty these horses came galloping up to welcome us the Gisborne District. The sign reads "Welcome to the Gisborne District". Idol's response was far from polite and more like f*** off.
Tafford's Hill at 725m is the highest point on the walk. When I drove around in February there was a little sign with the name of the hill and the height at the top but it has disappeared. Transit NZ can it please be replaced. This is a photo of me looking dorky at the top of the hill.
Tonight we are staying in Matawai at a house behind the store. The store are providing the accommodation for free but we have to pay for meals - they are basic but huge The fridge is stocked with enough food to feed me for a week and we are only staying 2 nights. This is a really small country town. The boy who's Aunty runs the store asked countless questions and told me much of his life story. He wanted Pankaj or I to play pool with him but neither of us were interested.
Today I learned a very valuable lesson about staying in the here and now. This morning when making final preparations to go I was rushing fretting about we were 10 minutes late leaving - I even growled at Pankaj when he wanted to take photos with Sue and Hank. Meanwhile I had left my phone on the dresser where I had put it as the only place in the house that gets vodafone coverage.
Once it was light I let the dogs out to wander by themselves. Toby almost immediately tried putting his nose through the electric fence and got zapped. He went and hid in the very back of his crate. I couldn't coax him out and when I accidentally touched his nose (no doubt saw from the fence) while trying to give him a treat he yelped. I left the crate and car open and eventually he came out and went and got a cuddle from Sue. Being paranoid Toby believes I am the source of all the unpleasant things that happen to him and distrusts me accordingly. Later while I was making sandwiches for lunch Idol found the fence and got a zap. He came running to me wanting a cuddle.
Shortly after the start of the walk I came to where the rock fall was being cleared. While rocks where dislodged by a worker abseiling from the top the traffic was stopped - silly me had forgotten to get a bucket out and I lost the opportunity to collect from people waiting. Once the work overhead stopped the guys directing traffic let me go through the narrow bit of road - about 100m long - before they let the traffic go. Very much appreciated.
Shortly after that I realised I didn't have my phone so when Pankaj came through I got a muesli bar some mandarins and some money and sent Pankaj back to Opotiki to get my phone. Meanwhile Toby and I kept walking.
The traffic from Gisborne was very little early in the day and with the traffic from Opotiki only being allowed through about once every 10 minutes I had the road very much to myself (and Toby). I stopped at Wairata at the Living Waters Bush Cafe and got a coffee and a very yummy chocolate brownie. Somehow I got afflicted by shyness and while I held the bucket and said what I was doing I asked neither the cafe owner or the couple who arrived just before I left outright for a donation.
A bit further up the road I came across a community service group mowing lawns and tidying up a rest area, They passed me heading towards Gisborne a bit later in the day so I presume they were doing all the rest areas along the road. 7 or 8 of them to do a job that should only need 2 people.
Yesterday the river up been smooth flowing but today it was white water all the way. After Manganuku it gets to the stage I think would challenge even the wildest white water kayaker - very fast flowing with lots of drops of a metre or so. This is where the road starts to seriously climb but it is only the last 5 kilometres after Opata rest area that are seriously steep and had me puffing.
Pankaj arrived back from retrieving the phone at the 18km mark. This was about 4km past where I expected him to arrive and I think Toby had picked up on my anxious looking at every car that came from the west (or is it north - anyway from Opotiki direction). When Pankaj drove past Toby started pulling for the first time. I don't know if he was tired or just keen to see Pankaj. He is always happy about getting into his crate, After a sandwich and a bit of a rest I got Idol out. He limped for the first little while again. I am wondering if he was like I was around the South Island with sore feet that stopped bothering me when the endorphins kicked in so I would limp for the first 5 to 10 minutes after every break.
Opato bridge came up shortly after the break. This is the last bridge in the Bay of Plenty on my route - the next is across the Motu River which still drains into Bay of Plenty but is in Gisborne district. I had planned to have Pankaj drive behind me across this bridge as it has a sharp corner either side but Pankaj had gone on just past it and walked back. You can here traffic coming for ages and the bridge is short so crossing was no problem at all.
From here the road rose steeply and was rather twisty and at time narrow. There was lots of crossing backwards and forwards but the traffic especially the trucks were considerate and Idol, Pankaj and I had no problems.
This is one of many crosses along the roadside in the Waioeka Gorge. My prayers go out to all those who have died on the road and to those who loved and miss them.
At the boundary between Gisborne and Bay of Plenty these horses came galloping up to welcome us the Gisborne District. The sign reads "Welcome to the Gisborne District". Idol's response was far from polite and more like f*** off.
Tafford's Hill at 725m is the highest point on the walk. When I drove around in February there was a little sign with the name of the hill and the height at the top but it has disappeared. Transit NZ can it please be replaced. This is a photo of me looking dorky at the top of the hill.
Since there have been no photos the last two days here is the one from Monday of Ellie Collier and Pankaj on the Waioeka River bridge (I dropped my phone when taking it out for this photo and the screen is cracked but it is working just fine) and one of the trusty - in spite of what Patrick thinks - car that is carrying me and support people around the country.
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