Walked by Mike 1196.1 km walked by Idol 708.6km walked by Toby 534.4km walked by Cocoa 6.9km funds raised approx $12,460
It was obvious yesterday that Idol wasn't up to walking much today. Idol only walked from St Paul's Cathedral through to Courtenay Place. I asked Phil Sissons who was my support person today to bring along Cocoa so that Toby could have some breaks.
It was nice to have a late start this morning. I didn't need to leave home until 7:30. Phil arrived in Porirua a little after 8am so there was time to buy sandwiches and get a coffee before meeting Alannah and Breeze at Porirua branch.
Idol went straight back in the car amd Alannah, Breeze, Toby and I headed out along the Kenepuru walkway heading towards Tawa. There was a mostly blown down fence at the end of the platform on Porirua Station so Alannah the dogs and I just carried on past it. Just over a kilometre later we came to another fence which the dogs went under and we went over to be confronted by 4 workmen telling us we could walk through here - too late we already had - and we wouldn't be able to get past the next fence and no we couldn't go across the new bridge they had built. They couldn't see that a few hundred extra metres in a walk from Auckland would make a diff
erence. actually it would have been 2.5 extra kilometres and would have put me over half an hour behind schedule. I told them we were carrying on and if they didn't like it to call the police. As I expected there was a way through the next fence though it meant descending off the stop bank and squeezing through a whole cut in plastic mesh and then a difficult scramble back up. Then we came to a fourth fence with a sign that might have been useful on the first one.
Once on our way we quickly got to Linden where Cocoa who I hoped would be Idol's substitute in suburban areas to give Toby a break was given a trial and proved a willing walker. Cocoa is a chocolate labrador and with a typical labrador attitude to food. She has a girth about twice Toby's and I'm sure the day's activities helped her lose a little of it.
We got to Takapau Rd Station at Glenside on time but somebody beat me to the 1 working toilet and I was behind schedule by the time I got to use it. Before doing my South Island walk I had regularly done the walk up Middleton Rd at night with 2 dogs. It was narrow and I would have preferred to use Idol but Toby needed to be number 1 dog today and do the tricky bits. I was delighted to discover that apart from a short section of about 50 metres the road is now wider than in 2011 and I never needed to cross at all. Toby was on his best behaviour and didn't do anything unexpected when the odd truck came through.
Once on footpath it was Cocoa's turn to walk as far as Johnsonville. She started out very enthusiastically pulling like a steam engine but the climb through Churton Park which was the steepest and longest of the day soon had Cocoa happy to go at my pace.
I wasn't organised and only remembered I needed to eat at Johnonville shorty before leaving. As a result I was running late but the street ws thick with Daffodil Day collectors so the 5 minutes I had set aside for getting donations was only used for stopping 2 people along Broderick Rd. Notice Idol who only got out the car for the branch visit at Johnsonville hamming it about how sore his paw is.
A short climb up Burma Rd brought me to the high point of the day at Broadmeadows. It was then a short descent to Khandallah where Michelle Guest from the Cancer Society was waiting. Michelle is a great walker and a good conversationalist and the trip from there to Newtown was both quick with us often getting ahead of schedule and being able to take a break and enjoyable.
The descent from Khandallah was down the stairs from Amritsar Rd to Rangiora Ave. I let Toby off the lead as I wasn't taking chnace of him pulling me off balance in his rush to get down them. Once at Placemakers in Kaiwharawhara Cocoa took over again for the walk to St Paul's Cathedral on the edge of the city. From here Idol and Toby came out of the 5 branches in the next 2.3km.
First branch was North Lambton Quay where we picked up a small group who walked with Michelle and I to Courtenay Place. Toby is at the back flirting with the women again.
A short walk down the road was 188 Lambton Quay.
It was 2 pm when I got to Wellington Branch - still on Lambton Quay. Phil and Cocoa came in while I had a late lunch (I ws famished) I love Robin's shirt. Both dogs refusing to look at the camera. Pankaj joined me while I was eating and walked the rest of the way to Newtown.
Next branch was Willis St with a stall out the front where I brought some raspberry slice for desert.
This photo with a customer who Toby took a shine to was taken inside Willis St branch. Notice how Idol looks like he has walked a huge distance and not just 1km.
Last branch of the day was Courtenay Place. From here to Vivian St I was joined by a group of my colleagues from Vivian St.
I was aware that there were still 2 bears in the car and on leaving Courtenay Place I met these two girls who became the happy recipients.
Idol was then bundled into the car and got to drive the few kilometres to Newtown and Cancer Society where it was all over. I was happy to sit down with a glass of Pinot Gris unitl the interview with Jim Mora. Then it was time for the cake
Saturday morning was spent cleaning the car prior to its return. I was planning to let the dogs have a sleep today but while I was at the ordination of Fr Graham-Michoel Michelle Guest took Toby and Idol to the beach. You will all be as pleased as me that Idol is recovering and the limp was signficantly less today.
I have 2 blisters that are a bit uncomfortable so I will be wearing sneakers for the next week or however long they take to heel.
For those of you who haven't seen the video made as I was walking between Waipukurau and Dannevirke here it is.
It was obvious yesterday that Idol wasn't up to walking much today. Idol only walked from St Paul's Cathedral through to Courtenay Place. I asked Phil Sissons who was my support person today to bring along Cocoa so that Toby could have some breaks.
It was nice to have a late start this morning. I didn't need to leave home until 7:30. Phil arrived in Porirua a little after 8am so there was time to buy sandwiches and get a coffee before meeting Alannah and Breeze at Porirua branch.
Idol went straight back in the car amd Alannah, Breeze, Toby and I headed out along the Kenepuru walkway heading towards Tawa. There was a mostly blown down fence at the end of the platform on Porirua Station so Alannah the dogs and I just carried on past it. Just over a kilometre later we came to another fence which the dogs went under and we went over to be confronted by 4 workmen telling us we could walk through here - too late we already had - and we wouldn't be able to get past the next fence and no we couldn't go across the new bridge they had built. They couldn't see that a few hundred extra metres in a walk from Auckland would make a diff
erence. actually it would have been 2.5 extra kilometres and would have put me over half an hour behind schedule. I told them we were carrying on and if they didn't like it to call the police. As I expected there was a way through the next fence though it meant descending off the stop bank and squeezing through a whole cut in plastic mesh and then a difficult scramble back up. Then we came to a fourth fence with a sign that might have been useful on the first one.
Once on our way we quickly got to Linden where Cocoa who I hoped would be Idol's substitute in suburban areas to give Toby a break was given a trial and proved a willing walker. Cocoa is a chocolate labrador and with a typical labrador attitude to food. She has a girth about twice Toby's and I'm sure the day's activities helped her lose a little of it.We got to Takapau Rd Station at Glenside on time but somebody beat me to the 1 working toilet and I was behind schedule by the time I got to use it. Before doing my South Island walk I had regularly done the walk up Middleton Rd at night with 2 dogs. It was narrow and I would have preferred to use Idol but Toby needed to be number 1 dog today and do the tricky bits. I was delighted to discover that apart from a short section of about 50 metres the road is now wider than in 2011 and I never needed to cross at all. Toby was on his best behaviour and didn't do anything unexpected when the odd truck came through.
Once on footpath it was Cocoa's turn to walk as far as Johnsonville. She started out very enthusiastically pulling like a steam engine but the climb through Churton Park which was the steepest and longest of the day soon had Cocoa happy to go at my pace.
I wasn't organised and only remembered I needed to eat at Johnonville shorty before leaving. As a result I was running late but the street ws thick with Daffodil Day collectors so the 5 minutes I had set aside for getting donations was only used for stopping 2 people along Broderick Rd. Notice Idol who only got out the car for the branch visit at Johnsonville hamming it about how sore his paw is.
The descent from Khandallah was down the stairs from Amritsar Rd to Rangiora Ave. I let Toby off the lead as I wasn't taking chnace of him pulling me off balance in his rush to get down them. Once at Placemakers in Kaiwharawhara Cocoa took over again for the walk to St Paul's Cathedral on the edge of the city. From here Idol and Toby came out of the 5 branches in the next 2.3km.
First branch was North Lambton Quay where we picked up a small group who walked with Michelle and I to Courtenay Place. Toby is at the back flirting with the women again.
It was 2 pm when I got to Wellington Branch - still on Lambton Quay. Phil and Cocoa came in while I had a late lunch (I ws famished) I love Robin's shirt. Both dogs refusing to look at the camera. Pankaj joined me while I was eating and walked the rest of the way to Newtown.
Next branch was Willis St with a stall out the front where I brought some raspberry slice for desert.
Last branch of the day was Courtenay Place. From here to Vivian St I was joined by a group of my colleagues from Vivian St.
Idol was then bundled into the car and got to drive the few kilometres to Newtown and Cancer Society where it was all over. I was happy to sit down with a glass of Pinot Gris unitl the interview with Jim Mora. Then it was time for the cake
Saturday morning was spent cleaning the car prior to its return. I was planning to let the dogs have a sleep today but while I was at the ordination of Fr Graham-Michoel Michelle Guest took Toby and Idol to the beach. You will all be as pleased as me that Idol is recovering and the limp was signficantly less today.
I have 2 blisters that are a bit uncomfortable so I will be wearing sneakers for the next week or however long they take to heel.
For those of you who haven't seen the video made as I was walking between Waipukurau and Dannevirke here it is.
I want to say a big thank you to the people who made this walk possible. First the people who acted as support crew - Chris Dye, Bevan Dale, Cynthia Clark, Patrick Harrison, Pankaj Ambavane, Jude Holland, John Lane, Jennifer and Diana from Waipukurau, Jenny and Dave McNeur, Liz Tolhurst, Stefan Wypych, Deborah Stokes, Michael Slade, Tracey Strom and Phil Sissons. The other group of people who made this possible are all those who took me into your homes and spoiled me rotten with magnificent meals. I have memory lapse on the names of some of you from 2016 so I won't name anyone. You are true saints. Without your help I could not have done this walk.
There have been some people who have been hugely encouraging both before and during the walk. Thank you to Pankaj again, to Priscilla and Sheila Williams and Michelle Guest. Your belief in me is truly humbling.
My thanks to ANZ for the support and encouragement I have received. I feel truly blessed to have such a supportive employer.
I also want to thank every person who walked with me be it 10metres or 20km. Also to all the drivers who showed me respect on the road, and to those who waved and tooted. Your encouragement was especially welcome towards te end of the wet and cold days when my spirits were sagging.
I must also say thank you to every one who donated.
May God bless all of you and keep you in his loving embrace.
The Dominion Post picked up a throw away line I made - that God broke my ankle to keep me safe. As entertaining as the idea is I don't believe it. It was my stupidity in kicking a pine cone in a position I knew was a little dodgy that is to blame. However I do believe that God has been with me on every step of the road, that God has heard my anguish on bad days and given me strength and that God has laughed with me at some of the silly things I did and has shared my joy when the days have been good. There have been many things that could have one wrong - many areas where my organisation was not up to scrap and God did provide a person to step into the breach.
To every person I met in along the way I believe that I met Christ in your face and the pleasure of meeting you is what made the effort worthwhile.
The donation site\ (click Here) will be open until December 2017 for those still wanting to make a donation.
My next adventure will be a walk from the Golden Temple in Amritsar to Taj Mahal in Agra probably in November 2018. Until then may
"The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace."
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