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| 09-02 Taranaki Summit |
19 February, 2009
Higher Things
No time for a proper post since I want to get some "real" writing (i.e. chapter two) done before I go to cross fit with Travis this evening. So, quickly, here are a couple of photos from a trip up the South face of Taranaki in the weekend. About three hours up to Syme hut on Fantham's Peak on Saturday afternoon. Two hours up the scree field to the summit of Taranaki on Sunday morning and them three, thigh-burning hours of downhill from the summit back down to the carpark. Parfect weather all the time when it mattered.
Guilty upon accusation
Currently before the NZ parliament is a proposal known as the Guilt Accusation Law: Section 92A. From what I can tell it basically says that if an individual is suspected of illegal file sharing or using their (or someone else's) internet connection in a way that breaches copyright laws then, upon receiving a complaint, the ISP which this individual was using must take steps to make sure this doesn't happen any more --- specifically by cutting off that person's internet connection. There are a couple of problems with this law as it is proposed, the worst being that it assumes guilt by accusation --- once a complaint is received the ISP is compelled to act which puts them in the position of spending time and money determining if the accusation is true or taking the easy way out and cutting off internet access to the accused without bothering about evidence.
TelstraClear have already said that it is unworkable for them to go playing detective and determining guilt (to do so they would have to be spying on what everyone is doing on the net which is both creepy, and, I imagine, expensive for them to do), so they will have a policy of cutting people off upon receiving a complaint. The law makes no allowance for the accused to appeal to anyone if they feel the accusation is false. It puts all the responsibility on to ISPs but doesn't make it easy for them to act fairly (without expense to themselves). Imagine a small business where one person is file sharing illegally --- their ISP gets a complaint and the whole business has its internet connection cut, and they have no one to appeal to. Click on the annoying flashy banner add below to go to the Creative Freedom NZ website to learn more about this and to sign the petition saying that you think this is a silly law.
TelstraClear have already said that it is unworkable for them to go playing detective and determining guilt (to do so they would have to be spying on what everyone is doing on the net which is both creepy, and, I imagine, expensive for them to do), so they will have a policy of cutting people off upon receiving a complaint. The law makes no allowance for the accused to appeal to anyone if they feel the accusation is false. It puts all the responsibility on to ISPs but doesn't make it easy for them to act fairly (without expense to themselves). Imagine a small business where one person is file sharing illegally --- their ISP gets a complaint and the whole business has its internet connection cut, and they have no one to appeal to. Click on the annoying flashy banner add below to go to the Creative Freedom NZ website to learn more about this and to sign the petition saying that you think this is a silly law.
10 February, 2009
Waitangi weekend and puking in public: The Wellington Rugy Sevens
After a weekend of listening to real-estate agents dressed as cartoon characters and accountants in Barvarian costumes yahooing their way around Wellington, bottles of Steinlager pure pure clutched tightly in each hand, I wanted to say something about Waitangi weekend and the Wellington Rugby Sevens. I'm all for people dressing up in funny costumes and having a good time. But the river of puke, broken glass, and enduring revelers that I had to negotiate when I walked down Cuba Mall to the bus early on Sunday morning tarnished my impressions of the event somewhat. However, my comments were pre-empted by the likes of Robyn Gallagher with her post "Welcome to the Muntryside" and by the folks at Wellingtonista who commented on the Sevens:
"I can't claim to speak for all the Wellingtonista, but I have to say it: Sevens weekend is horrible. There's a lot of gushy talk in the main media outlets about how colourful and vibrant and alive the city becomes, but one could say the same about a nasty fungal rash. Many of us who live in the central city can attest to how colourful and vibrant and alive the city is most of the time, and in an appealing, organic and independent way, but we found the CBD close to unbearable during the weekend."
Of course, the Sevens is only one aspect of aspect of Waitangi Weekend in Wellington. This Venn diagram posted by the Masked Barfly sums things up pretty nicely.
"I can't claim to speak for all the Wellingtonista, but I have to say it: Sevens weekend is horrible. There's a lot of gushy talk in the main media outlets about how colourful and vibrant and alive the city becomes, but one could say the same about a nasty fungal rash. Many of us who live in the central city can attest to how colourful and vibrant and alive the city is most of the time, and in an appealing, organic and independent way, but we found the CBD close to unbearable during the weekend."
Of course, the Sevens is only one aspect of aspect of Waitangi Weekend in Wellington. This Venn diagram posted by the Masked Barfly sums things up pretty nicely.
05 February, 2009
Shitty Cars?
I found this on the very excellent Social Biking Blog. (go look at it)
Here in NZ we don't have a car industry to bail out so the government has had to find another way to redirect tax spending away from people trying to do the right thing --- they've taken 'reliable' funding for walking, cycling and public transport and put it into state highways.
'NO GUARANTEE' ON TRANSPORT FUNDS, SAYS MINISTER
28 January 2009- Funding for public transport, walking and cycling projects is not guaranteed, Transport Minister Steven Joyce says, as the Government ramps up its investment in state highways.
The Press reported yesterday that the powerful Canterbury Regional Transport Committee had shifted $38 million of "reliable" regional funding from public transport, walking and cycling into state highways. The non-highway projects will now compete for funding in a nationally-contested pot.
Joyce said yesterday that the Government would roll back plans made under the previous government to spend 9 per cent less on state highway construction over the next three years.
Asked if funding for public transport, walking and cycling projects would be cut as state highway funding increased, Joyce said it was too early to say but later said the funding was not guaranteed.
This is the full article in The Press.
That 9 per cent reduction in highway construction spending (in addition to helping improve public transport and construct some cycling/walking paths) could have helped pay for a Bikes at Work tax break:
TAX BREAKS FOR BIKERS IN THE US
23 December 2008- Employees in the USA who regularly use their bicycles to get to and from work are now eligible for a $20-a-month, tax-free reimbursement from their employers for bicycle-related expenses. Employers will in turn be able to deduct the expense from their federal taxes.
The Bicycle Commuter Act was part of the larger set of Renewable Energy Tax Credit Initiatives included in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, a.k.a. the "Wall Street Bailout Bill, signed into law by President Bush in early October 2008. Section 211 of the "Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008" allows for a "qualified bicycle commuting reimbursement" for "reasonable expenses incurred by the employee...for the purchase of a bicycle and bicycle improvements, repair, and storage, if such bicycle is regularly used for travel between the employee's residence and place of employment."
(More here.)
Wouldn't that be a nice idea?
Here in NZ we don't have a car industry to bail out so the government has had to find another way to redirect tax spending away from people trying to do the right thing --- they've taken 'reliable' funding for walking, cycling and public transport and put it into state highways.
'NO GUARANTEE' ON TRANSPORT FUNDS, SAYS MINISTER
28 January 2009- Funding for public transport, walking and cycling projects is not guaranteed, Transport Minister Steven Joyce says, as the Government ramps up its investment in state highways.
The Press reported yesterday that the powerful Canterbury Regional Transport Committee had shifted $38 million of "reliable" regional funding from public transport, walking and cycling into state highways. The non-highway projects will now compete for funding in a nationally-contested pot.
Joyce said yesterday that the Government would roll back plans made under the previous government to spend 9 per cent less on state highway construction over the next three years.
Asked if funding for public transport, walking and cycling projects would be cut as state highway funding increased, Joyce said it was too early to say but later said the funding was not guaranteed.
This is the full article in The Press.
That 9 per cent reduction in highway construction spending (in addition to helping improve public transport and construct some cycling/walking paths) could have helped pay for a Bikes at Work tax break:
TAX BREAKS FOR BIKERS IN THE US
23 December 2008- Employees in the USA who regularly use their bicycles to get to and from work are now eligible for a $20-a-month, tax-free reimbursement from their employers for bicycle-related expenses. Employers will in turn be able to deduct the expense from their federal taxes.
The Bicycle Commuter Act was part of the larger set of Renewable Energy Tax Credit Initiatives included in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, a.k.a. the "Wall Street Bailout Bill, signed into law by President Bush in early October 2008. Section 211 of the "Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008" allows for a "qualified bicycle commuting reimbursement" for "reasonable expenses incurred by the employee...for the purchase of a bicycle and bicycle improvements, repair, and storage, if such bicycle is regularly used for travel between the employee's residence and place of employment."
(More here.)
Wouldn't that be a nice idea?
02 February, 2009
Congratulations Esther and James!
There are a few wedding photos in the Picasa gallery now, for people who like to look at that sort of thing.
It was a truly excellent wedding by the way, all very enjoyable. If anyone wants to see the full set of photos from the weekend, or wants full resolutions copies for printing, send a message to me or to Emma and ask for the link to the archive of them.
It was a truly excellent wedding by the way, all very enjoyable. If anyone wants to see the full set of photos from the weekend, or wants full resolutions copies for printing, send a message to me or to Emma and ask for the link to the archive of them.
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| 09-01 Esther & James' Wedding |
14 January, 2009
Rattle your bones.
I'd like to tell the whole story of Bones covering all of his 50 or 60 odd years of bikeness, but I only know his history from when Jen and Donn collected him, in un-ridable condition from the, Green Bike Trust. Until early 2007, he was ridden mostly by Jen but sometimes by Donn.
And then there was an incident involving Jen's toes and the front wheel. It was pretty bad. The toes needed stitches and the front wheel lost a couple of spokes.
After that Bones sat around not really doing anything for almost a year until I had a couple of spare days of the christmas break. After replacing the broken spokes, there wasn't much more I could do for the wheels apart from scrape off the worst of the rust.
The rest of the bike I stripped (even successfully removing the cottered cranks --- previously a source of problems --- using a new hammer and Sheldon Brown's excellent guide) and sanded, with help from N. The shiny steel and the effect of streaks of old paint seemed too nice to cover up so Bones got a few coats of clear gloss and a grease before he was rebuilt. The result is pretty smart looking if I do say so myself. The frame is a little small for me, especially with the short seat-post, so he gives me a bit of knee pain going up hills, but with bikes, sometimes you have to suffer for your fashion.
And then there was an incident involving Jen's toes and the front wheel. It was pretty bad. The toes needed stitches and the front wheel lost a couple of spokes.
After that Bones sat around not really doing anything for almost a year until I had a couple of spare days of the christmas break. After replacing the broken spokes, there wasn't much more I could do for the wheels apart from scrape off the worst of the rust.
The rest of the bike I stripped (even successfully removing the cottered cranks --- previously a source of problems --- using a new hammer and Sheldon Brown's excellent guide) and sanded, with help from N. The shiny steel and the effect of streaks of old paint seemed too nice to cover up so Bones got a few coats of clear gloss and a grease before he was rebuilt. The result is pretty smart looking if I do say so myself. The frame is a little small for me, especially with the short seat-post, so he gives me a bit of knee pain going up hills, but with bikes, sometimes you have to suffer for your fashion.
 |
| 09-01 Bones |
12 January, 2009
Tararua Tour
In keeping with the New Spirit of Frugality with which the country/western-world seems awash at the moment, N. and I stayed close to home for summer adventures this year. We planned a nine day tour of the Tararua ranges. Then, as we looked at the growing mountains of pre-packaged couscous and dried tomato we would take, an eight day tour (the same tour in fact, just faster). Here's some sort of overview of the trip. A dull and terse, day-by-day description of our route and times and whether it was raining or not. Pictures from the dryer moments of the trip are o'er at Picasa too:
26/12, Day one: Tamsin and Lorraine dropped us at the end of Waiohine Valley road about 10 am. No sign of shade at all as we sweated our way across the farmland towards the bush edge. Despite taking NSoF meals of couscous and dried tomatoes (250gms for two) instead of curry pouches and dehy. potatoes (590gm for two), my pack was 30kg, N.'s was 20. We were slow. The track over Mt Reeves to Tutawai hut was posted as four hours. We did 3h40 to the top of Reeves and then 1h10 for the rest of the way (downhill and in the shade) to the hut. From there we followed the Tauherenikau river north to Cone hut (1h10 for us, posted time 1hr). I arrived in no doubt that the Pain of Indeterminate Cause which had plagued my ankle earlier in the month on a walk over the Rimutakas was back and prevented me wearing my tramping boots in their current state. An hour or cutting pieces out of the side of my boot with a knife left me with a pile of foam, gor-tex and leather pieces and the realisation that the PoIC was not going away as long as I was wearing boots. Shoes with a top below my ankle were fine. The idea of wearing some light running shoes, which were packed to use as hut slippers, for a week long trip in the the mountains didn't seem like the right thing. Still, I didn't want to have to walk out after just one day...
27/12, Day two: A slow start after bagels for breakfast. The track was all in the shade so N. was happier. My tramping boot substitutes were a bit slippery but the PoIC showed no signs of returning so we decided we wouldn't either. Not just yet. My pack seemed heavier. My pack was heavier! In a moment of foolishness I decided to pack out the empty fuel canisters which some kind soul had left at the hut, just in case. 45 minutes to Cone Saddle, 2h up to cone peak where the sun turned to blustery rain and mist as soon as we cleared the bush line. Out with the compass to make sure we didn't end up on the Neill-Winchcomb track and then 2h10 down cone ridge to the Neill Forks/Totara Flats junction. The sun returned the moment we were back below the bushline. N. was happy enough with this --- she really doesn't like bright sun --- I wouldn't have minded a view from the top of Cone. 1h25 more to Neill Forks hut. Another night with a hut to ourselves, not even a sandfly about to disturb our NPoF couscous.
28/12, Day three: A short route for today, but uphill all the way. About 3h to Concertina Knob, 1h more to the top of Maungahuka and the 10 minutes further to Maungahuka hut in time for lunch and views of the Tararua peaks as the sky cleared. We had views of the Wairarapa towns and of Otaki. With views go cellphone coverage, with cellphone coverage goes an update in the weather report if you get lucky. Fine tomorrow, winds changing to NW in the evening, rising the next day. Gales for the day after that.
We left our packs in the hut and made a side trip to the Tararua peaks to see what all the fuss was about. No problems skirting around Tunui and taking the 20m steel ladder up the side of Tuiti without packs, wind, snow, rain, etc. But I get the point that one might want to avoid the peaks in less favourable weather. Great views of, well ev erything from the top of Tuiti: Kapiti island, Farewell Spit, the Marlborough Sounds and Kaikoura ranges. No clouds in the other direction either. And a hut to ourselves again.
29/12, Day four: Moderately desperate times call for moderately desperate measures. We managed to be walking by 8 am and hoped to get ahead by a hut or two to try and be down from the tops when the gale was forecast to arrive. Brilliant sun and not a breath of wind made it hot going. It pretty much made it not the Tararuas. Or did the mountains know that N. would find a day in the glaring sun worse than any (well at least many) storms? We carried 5.5 L of water between us and by rationing it carefully we didn't run out until we were almost at Anderson Memorial hut 5h30 later. The posted time was 6h but N. fair ran up the hills when it was clear there wasn't going to be any shade before the hut. We saw a giant worn too, around 40cm long!
After a rather-long-but-far-too-short lunch break we continued north. The track to Junction peak was posted 30min but we stretched this to a hot and grumpy 1h25, the further 1h30 posted to Nichols hut became 2h15 for us --- though that was perhaps due to the time I spent taking photos of the Easter ridge of Holdsworth, the Broken Axe Pinnecals, Angle Knob, etc. It was dinner time when we reached Nicolas hut. The weather had changed, going from clear skies to blustry NW rain in about 20 minutes. Dracophylum biv was posted as 3h further along with the track mostly under cover. We thought we'd push for it. 4h later we reached the biv at close to 11pm. We'd scrambled hands and feet down the last rocky knob in the last of the daylight with wind and rain making holds slippery. The last couple of hours walking seemed to last forever. We had a tent but the ridge barely had enough flat space to sit so short of wrapping the tent fly around us and waiting for the light it was push on to the biv. Thankfully we had this one to ourselves too. A 14 hour day, even if the posted track times only added up to 11, but it brought the eight day trip down to seven days.
30/12, Day five: Gales were still forecast for the following day so we were keen to get off the tops while we still could. Mist and rain meant we didn't get any views between Dracophyllum biv and the new Areta biv where we stopped for lunch after 4h10. We met a party of four about Butcher Knob who had spent the night at Arete and were heading to Dracophyllum biv since they thought the weather was too bad to go down via Pinnacle Spur. We were heading for Pinnacle Spur because we thought the weather was too bad to do anything else. The wind and rain on the approach to Arete made for tough going and a compass was necessary to make sure we followed the correct one of the five ridges that lead off Arete in all directions. The weather after lunch was worse, mostly due to the strength of the wind which made it difficult to stand. I've never used a walking pole for staying upright in the wind before. The visibility was only about ten metres so we moved pretty slowly with frequent stops to check the compass. This didn't prevent us from taking the wrong ridge almost to the top of Mt Lancaster. We were saved by a brief clearing in the clouds which allowed us to see the Waiohine Pinnacles to the east of us and the metal stake marking the top of Pinnacle Spur. We backtracked and descended the spur by hanging off bits of tussock and leatherwood. Once off the ridge the visibility improved with the clouds sitting above our heads. The wind gusts made for some exciting moments climbing over some of the rocky knobs on the way down the spur. Once the spur entered the bush the cut track was steep and muddy. Not enough trampers had been through to clear the beech leaves from the track which made things extra slippery. We took about 4h45 down Pinnacle Spur to Arete Forks hut --- another night with a hut to ourselves and, this time, a fire to dry some wet clothes.
31/12, Day six: It might have been a gale in the tops, (the clouds did move over our heads very quickly), but down in the Waingawa valley the weather was good. The hard bits were over and all we had to do was make it back to the road end now. After a 12pm start we had an easy 4h50 walk to Cow Creek hut. For the first time on the trip there were other people in the hut; four of them in a six bunk hut. We'd carried a tent all this time and there was a perfect camping spot near the Waingawa river so we did the private thing. Three more people turned up shortly after so we knew we'd done the right thing. We chilled our tiny bottle of bubbly in the river and preemptively celebrated the new year about eight o'clock then crawled into the tent to listen to the wind and rain.
1/1, Day seven: Happy New Year to us! Things were still a bit gusty but the rain had stopped before we woke up. We crossed the enormous new swing bridge which has replaced the cableway across the Waingawa. After a bit of muddling about crossing a slip we found the cut track and climbed up to the Blue Range hut junction (3h20) then strolled down to the Kiriwhakapapa road end with the track getting progressively wider and wider as we got closer to the carpark 1h10 further on.
Walking back into civilisation was a bit of a strange feeling. The most people we'd seen until then was the day we meet two parties at Cow Creek hut so coming across large numbers of people in the picnic area and making five minute strolls along the track was a change from the previous week. Lorraine and Tamsin met us at the road end with cold beer. The perfect finish to an enjoyable tour. Next goal: visit all the huts in the Tararuas before the end of the year.
 |
| 08-12 Tararua Tour |
26/12, Day one: Tamsin and Lorraine dropped us at the end of Waiohine Valley road about 10 am. No sign of shade at all as we sweated our way across the farmland towards the bush edge. Despite taking NSoF meals of couscous and dried tomatoes (250gms for two) instead of curry pouches and dehy. potatoes (590gm for two), my pack was 30kg, N.'s was 20. We were slow. The track over Mt Reeves to Tutawai hut was posted as four hours. We did 3h40 to the top of Reeves and then 1h10 for the rest of the way (downhill and in the shade) to the hut. From there we followed the Tauherenikau river north to Cone hut (1h10 for us, posted time 1hr). I arrived in no doubt that the Pain of Indeterminate Cause which had plagued my ankle earlier in the month on a walk over the Rimutakas was back and prevented me wearing my tramping boots in their current state. An hour or cutting pieces out of the side of my boot with a knife left me with a pile of foam, gor-tex and leather pieces and the realisation that the PoIC was not going away as long as I was wearing boots. Shoes with a top below my ankle were fine. The idea of wearing some light running shoes, which were packed to use as hut slippers, for a week long trip in the the mountains didn't seem like the right thing. Still, I didn't want to have to walk out after just one day...
27/12, Day two: A slow start after bagels for breakfast. The track was all in the shade so N. was happier. My tramping boot substitutes were a bit slippery but the PoIC showed no signs of returning so we decided we wouldn't either. Not just yet. My pack seemed heavier. My pack was heavier! In a moment of foolishness I decided to pack out the empty fuel canisters which some kind soul had left at the hut, just in case. 45 minutes to Cone Saddle, 2h up to cone peak where the sun turned to blustery rain and mist as soon as we cleared the bush line. Out with the compass to make sure we didn't end up on the Neill-Winchcomb track and then 2h10 down cone ridge to the Neill Forks/Totara Flats junction. The sun returned the moment we were back below the bushline. N. was happy enough with this --- she really doesn't like bright sun --- I wouldn't have minded a view from the top of Cone. 1h25 more to Neill Forks hut. Another night with a hut to ourselves, not even a sandfly about to disturb our NPoF couscous.
28/12, Day three: A short route for today, but uphill all the way. About 3h to Concertina Knob, 1h more to the top of Maungahuka and the 10 minutes further to Maungahuka hut in time for lunch and views of the Tararua peaks as the sky cleared. We had views of the Wairarapa towns and of Otaki. With views go cellphone coverage, with cellphone coverage goes an update in the weather report if you get lucky. Fine tomorrow, winds changing to NW in the evening, rising the next day. Gales for the day after that.
We left our packs in the hut and made a side trip to the Tararua peaks to see what all the fuss was about. No problems skirting around Tunui and taking the 20m steel ladder up the side of Tuiti without packs, wind, snow, rain, etc. But I get the point that one might want to avoid the peaks in less favourable weather. Great views of, well ev erything from the top of Tuiti: Kapiti island, Farewell Spit, the Marlborough Sounds and Kaikoura ranges. No clouds in the other direction either. And a hut to ourselves again.
29/12, Day four: Moderately desperate times call for moderately desperate measures. We managed to be walking by 8 am and hoped to get ahead by a hut or two to try and be down from the tops when the gale was forecast to arrive. Brilliant sun and not a breath of wind made it hot going. It pretty much made it not the Tararuas. Or did the mountains know that N. would find a day in the glaring sun worse than any (well at least many) storms? We carried 5.5 L of water between us and by rationing it carefully we didn't run out until we were almost at Anderson Memorial hut 5h30 later. The posted time was 6h but N. fair ran up the hills when it was clear there wasn't going to be any shade before the hut. We saw a giant worn too, around 40cm long!
After a rather-long-but-far-too-short lunch break we continued north. The track to Junction peak was posted 30min but we stretched this to a hot and grumpy 1h25, the further 1h30 posted to Nichols hut became 2h15 for us --- though that was perhaps due to the time I spent taking photos of the Easter ridge of Holdsworth, the Broken Axe Pinnecals, Angle Knob, etc. It was dinner time when we reached Nicolas hut. The weather had changed, going from clear skies to blustry NW rain in about 20 minutes. Dracophylum biv was posted as 3h further along with the track mostly under cover. We thought we'd push for it. 4h later we reached the biv at close to 11pm. We'd scrambled hands and feet down the last rocky knob in the last of the daylight with wind and rain making holds slippery. The last couple of hours walking seemed to last forever. We had a tent but the ridge barely had enough flat space to sit so short of wrapping the tent fly around us and waiting for the light it was push on to the biv. Thankfully we had this one to ourselves too. A 14 hour day, even if the posted track times only added up to 11, but it brought the eight day trip down to seven days.
30/12, Day five: Gales were still forecast for the following day so we were keen to get off the tops while we still could. Mist and rain meant we didn't get any views between Dracophyllum biv and the new Areta biv where we stopped for lunch after 4h10. We met a party of four about Butcher Knob who had spent the night at Arete and were heading to Dracophyllum biv since they thought the weather was too bad to go down via Pinnacle Spur. We were heading for Pinnacle Spur because we thought the weather was too bad to do anything else. The wind and rain on the approach to Arete made for tough going and a compass was necessary to make sure we followed the correct one of the five ridges that lead off Arete in all directions. The weather after lunch was worse, mostly due to the strength of the wind which made it difficult to stand. I've never used a walking pole for staying upright in the wind before. The visibility was only about ten metres so we moved pretty slowly with frequent stops to check the compass. This didn't prevent us from taking the wrong ridge almost to the top of Mt Lancaster. We were saved by a brief clearing in the clouds which allowed us to see the Waiohine Pinnacles to the east of us and the metal stake marking the top of Pinnacle Spur. We backtracked and descended the spur by hanging off bits of tussock and leatherwood. Once off the ridge the visibility improved with the clouds sitting above our heads. The wind gusts made for some exciting moments climbing over some of the rocky knobs on the way down the spur. Once the spur entered the bush the cut track was steep and muddy. Not enough trampers had been through to clear the beech leaves from the track which made things extra slippery. We took about 4h45 down Pinnacle Spur to Arete Forks hut --- another night with a hut to ourselves and, this time, a fire to dry some wet clothes.
31/12, Day six: It might have been a gale in the tops, (the clouds did move over our heads very quickly), but down in the Waingawa valley the weather was good. The hard bits were over and all we had to do was make it back to the road end now. After a 12pm start we had an easy 4h50 walk to Cow Creek hut. For the first time on the trip there were other people in the hut; four of them in a six bunk hut. We'd carried a tent all this time and there was a perfect camping spot near the Waingawa river so we did the private thing. Three more people turned up shortly after so we knew we'd done the right thing. We chilled our tiny bottle of bubbly in the river and preemptively celebrated the new year about eight o'clock then crawled into the tent to listen to the wind and rain.
1/1, Day seven: Happy New Year to us! Things were still a bit gusty but the rain had stopped before we woke up. We crossed the enormous new swing bridge which has replaced the cableway across the Waingawa. After a bit of muddling about crossing a slip we found the cut track and climbed up to the Blue Range hut junction (3h20) then strolled down to the Kiriwhakapapa road end with the track getting progressively wider and wider as we got closer to the carpark 1h10 further on.
Walking back into civilisation was a bit of a strange feeling. The most people we'd seen until then was the day we meet two parties at Cow Creek hut so coming across large numbers of people in the picnic area and making five minute strolls along the track was a change from the previous week. Lorraine and Tamsin met us at the road end with cold beer. The perfect finish to an enjoyable tour. Next goal: visit all the huts in the Tararuas before the end of the year.
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