Days 41 and 42

Day 41 (6 November)

Sam and Laura’s patch of grass to Pureora (~38km)

Wow was that a stormy night, there we’re sheets of rain and very strong wind gusts. So not a great sleep but I was warm and dry!

Up pretty early and seems the rain has gone so packed up and underway about 8.00.

Last night I’m started thinking about the Tongariro Crossing and logistics of it.  The issue being the TA does the crossing east to west and there’s no camping anywhere on either the access road or he crossing proper.  Consequently there is a 8-9km raid walk to the start then the interminable downhill that most day trippers experience becomes a long hard uphill slog followed by the crossing itself. At the western end I’ll either need to camp at the Maniopoto Hut (because its a great walk hut requires bookings) or walk the additional (horrible) 8-9km to Whakapapa. 

The logistics of this and how to make it doable have started to consume me so I’m now trying to forget about it and might try to make it up as I go.

Today is largely a farm track and road walk to Pureora so not a lot to report as such.  

Despite it being a longish day I was a bit slow getting packed up and didn’t leave until a little after 8.00.  

Again the gammy leg decided not to play ball and was pretty painful for the first couple of hours.  It really is a mystery, some days its ok others excruciatingly painful, some nights it aches others not and the pain moves around.  It’s as if some kids got a voodoo doll in m y character somewhere and randomly decides where he/she will poke a pin in each morning.

Waterfall beside the road

Went past the 900km mark but these seem to be taking on less significance now and I missed it until I was up too about 907km and frankly didn’t feel like running back for a photo!

Late in the morning passed an area where there was logging occurring so from there on there were frequent logging trucks rumbling by.

Looking back at forestry operation

Got to Pureora where Tahlia had booked a two bunk cabin, real luxury being able to dry out the tent, have a hot shower and eat at a table. This being the launching point for the Timber Trail mountain bike ride we were lucky to get a cabin at the last minute. 

Arriving in Pureora with undiagnosed blood nose

Drying rack fashioned from oven rack and heater at cabin

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Day 42 (7 November)

Timber Trail (part 1 ~41km)

Was going to be a shortish day but became a bloody long one!

By wey of background the timber trail is a mountain bike ride over about 82km that follows the old logging roads and tram/train routes through the remnants of the Pureora Forest.

See https://www.timbertrail.nz

Because the bike riders generally get a shuttle up to the start I had the trail to myself for the first two hours.  It was glorious, the initial section being through one of the few remaining stands of virgin bush and while the weather was cloudy and dull it just added to the beauty of the bush.  In places it was almost dark and eerily quiet (or perhaps that’s my hearing or lack thereof??).

Something that was poignant was emerging from the virgin forest and being confronted by the waste-land of cleared area left after the native logging ceased.

Emerging from the forest ......

As my plan was to only go about 20km today and stay at the Bog Inn Hut (love that name, given its an old four bunk hunter’s shelter) I was in no hurry. As cyclists started coming through I stopped and chatted to a few of them and generally drifted along enjoying the moment.  About noon a local guy came along and on hearing my plans and knowing the forecasts of heavy rain later today, commented that it would be wet miserable night at Bog Inn, hence sewing seeds of doubt in my mind regarding my plan. I got to the Bog Inn turnoff about 1.00pm and stopped to ponder options.  By this stage I’d gone about 20km and it was a further 21km to the halfway point of the Timber Trail and a night of luxury at the lodge, now run by some old friends of ours, Garth and Angie.   While I was pondering this, a guy, Steven,  rocked up and after asking my name told me he was friends with a close friend of ours, Col Sayer. He was biking on to the lodge and this made my mind up, I asked him to tell Garth JB would be there a day earlier than I’d early messaged and proceeded to get into my work for the last 21km.

Lake Taupo in the distance

The timber trail, while an intermediate mountain bike ride is actually really easy walking being well formed and with no ares you need to clamber over things or climb banks etc. so I did make very good time to the lodge, arriving about 5.30pm. At one stage a lady rode up beside me and said “I’ll swap this bloody thing (meaning her bike) for your pack”.  Seems she’d had little if any bike experience and was finding the descents especially difficult.  Tempting as it was I didn’t take her up on the offer but I did give her a bit of tuition about getting off the back of her seat on the downhills so she went off a slightly happier camper. I got the feeling her partner had organised the trip and then gone on ahead so am not sure he was going to so happy once she’d caught up with him! I took innumerable photos during this walk and will include a gallery of them here.  It is stunningly beautiful and I’d highly recommend it, even if you didn’t have the biking confidence to do it walking it is quite feasible especially if you used the bike shuttle to transport your gear and hence only had light day packs.

On arriving at the lodge I was welcomed by Garth and Angie, so lovely to see them having not caught up for a number years.  They are just such great hosts and it is obvious how well they have the lodge running.

Garth, Angie and I, a very happy reunion!

By way of background Garth and I started boarding school together 46 years ago, so it is a friendship that’s stood the test of time. I had dinner then adjourned to their cabin where, like old friends do, we enjoyed a nice time sharing experiences, solving the worlds problems and generally enjoying the company.   Overnight it did rain pretty heavily so was rather happy to have a dry warm bed for the night. 

One thing I should note for any TA walkers reading this is that, even if you don’t stay at the lodge, Garth and Angie will welcome you for a beer and pizza if you want to stop in on your way to the campsite. I can unequivocally say the 250m diversion is well worth the effort!