Distance walked by Mike 225.2km by Idol 183km by Toby 76.5km
Less than 1000km still to go. 65km walked in the last 2 days.
It was frosty this morning with ice on all the windows when I got up at 6 to toilet the dogs. Even when we left at 8am I needed to hose down the windscreen to be able to see. Went to the Warehouse and bought gloves for me and a hot water bottle for Cynthia and then got food for the day. Once it warmed up it was a lovely day. The weather forecast for tomorrow looks good too.
Getting a coat on Toby yesterday was clearly a one off. He let me put on around his neck but would't let me do up the waist band so I took it off again.
Janette and Ryan and 2 shelties walk the first 6km with me. I started out with both dogs until I got to the branch - once again a warm welcome, a top-up for the bucket and someone for Toby to lean on. I managed to score a few donations along the street leaving Cambridge. The first few kilometres were pleasant but then one we reached the end of the expressway the traffic noise became oppressive. Traffic noise was about the only thing I heard for the next 17km (just over half the days walk).
Toby and Idol alternated from the branch until 3km from the finish when they both walked. Toby did the first shift and over the day did 1km more than Idol. Because of the heavy traffic I had Cynthia pull into side streets on the right for checking in. These were fewer than I would have liked but I didn't want her waiting on the other side of the road in case Idol bolted for the car when he saw it.
I was surprised that approaching Cambridge Golf Course a pheasant rose up from the scrub on the verge and Toby hadn't tried to get to it.
A couple of long toe nails were causing problems with Idol's bootees and alas they bled when I cut them but after that the bootees stayed on beautifully. This pair have now done 35km. Apart from being muddy and the whole caused by his toenail they are hanging together and I hope will see him through tomorrow too. I bandaged his right paw both at the start of the day and again after his first hour of walking but neither stayed on. However Idol was still looking comfortable at the end of the day. I tried to look at Toby's paws when he lying down along side me at the lunch break but he pulled his paws away.
As I was on schedule I took a lunch break (a whole 13 minutes). Then I discovered I had taken the time to the next rest area and I was actually 10minutes behind schedule. However I accosted 2 families having lunch at that rest area and lost another couple of minutes but gained more weight in the bucket.
Waitoa Stream bridge has a fairly narrow shoulder however a clear approach and traffic was good about slowing for Idol and I.
The descent into Tirau has a few tricky corners so Idol was put on the lead on open road for the first time since crossing Waikato River bridge at Tuakau. Fortunately being 75km recommended corners the traffic was quite slow and even though only about a metre between me and the trucks all was Ok.
I managed to arrive in Tirau the same time as a coach and scored a few more donations. Delighted to finish the day 5 minutes ahead of schedule.
Lovely roast chicken for dinner tonight. Thank you Janette.
I am having much more trouble with the inner journey walking in New Zealand than I did in Spain. I am still caught up in a lot of the things I do every day - though fortunately work has left me alone. The same can't be said of some other issues in my life which are reaching out to me.
Less than 1000km still to go. 65km walked in the last 2 days.
It was frosty this morning with ice on all the windows when I got up at 6 to toilet the dogs. Even when we left at 8am I needed to hose down the windscreen to be able to see. Went to the Warehouse and bought gloves for me and a hot water bottle for Cynthia and then got food for the day. Once it warmed up it was a lovely day. The weather forecast for tomorrow looks good too.
Getting a coat on Toby yesterday was clearly a one off. He let me put on around his neck but would't let me do up the waist band so I took it off again.
Janette and Ryan and 2 shelties walk the first 6km with me. I started out with both dogs until I got to the branch - once again a warm welcome, a top-up for the bucket and someone for Toby to lean on. I managed to score a few donations along the street leaving Cambridge. The first few kilometres were pleasant but then one we reached the end of the expressway the traffic noise became oppressive. Traffic noise was about the only thing I heard for the next 17km (just over half the days walk).
Toby and Idol alternated from the branch until 3km from the finish when they both walked. Toby did the first shift and over the day did 1km more than Idol. Because of the heavy traffic I had Cynthia pull into side streets on the right for checking in. These were fewer than I would have liked but I didn't want her waiting on the other side of the road in case Idol bolted for the car when he saw it.
I was surprised that approaching Cambridge Golf Course a pheasant rose up from the scrub on the verge and Toby hadn't tried to get to it.
A couple of long toe nails were causing problems with Idol's bootees and alas they bled when I cut them but after that the bootees stayed on beautifully. This pair have now done 35km. Apart from being muddy and the whole caused by his toenail they are hanging together and I hope will see him through tomorrow too. I bandaged his right paw both at the start of the day and again after his first hour of walking but neither stayed on. However Idol was still looking comfortable at the end of the day. I tried to look at Toby's paws when he lying down along side me at the lunch break but he pulled his paws away.
As I was on schedule I took a lunch break (a whole 13 minutes). Then I discovered I had taken the time to the next rest area and I was actually 10minutes behind schedule. However I accosted 2 families having lunch at that rest area and lost another couple of minutes but gained more weight in the bucket.
Waitoa Stream bridge has a fairly narrow shoulder however a clear approach and traffic was good about slowing for Idol and I.
The descent into Tirau has a few tricky corners so Idol was put on the lead on open road for the first time since crossing Waikato River bridge at Tuakau. Fortunately being 75km recommended corners the traffic was quite slow and even though only about a metre between me and the trucks all was Ok.
I managed to arrive in Tirau the same time as a coach and scored a few more donations. Delighted to finish the day 5 minutes ahead of schedule.
Lovely roast chicken for dinner tonight. Thank you Janette.
I am having much more trouble with the inner journey walking in New Zealand than I did in Spain. I am still caught up in a lot of the things I do every day - though fortunately work has left me alone. The same can't be said of some other issues in my life which are reaching out to me.
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