November 9th
Stream N of Waiotehue Road(79.9)-Mangamuka Dairy(100.1)
Mileage: 20.2mi/32.5km
Campsite Elevation: 67ft/20m
Elevation chart courtesy of Guthook Hikes Te Araroa App. Not sure why there are gaps in a couple spots. It seems to be a glitch.
Some are not a fan of the road walking, but I’m welcoming the breaks between the forests. It was a variety of gravel, dirt, and paved, so it wasn’t bad. I also think the Bibbulmun has changed my perspective on the road walks. I spent so much time on forest road track on the Bib that now I really enjoy it. It’s great for multitasking and for just relaxed miles and an audiobook or music. I know some of the road walks on the TA can be quite long, so we’ll see if that changes my post-Bibbulmun buzz about them. I was on the road for the first three hours of the day. A couple hours in, I went by an interaction with some cars and a school bus. Sitting there was another hiker named Sally that was part of the group I met at the hostel that had taken a shuttle to the trailhead yesterday. I was surprised to see her and immediately realized what had happened. She said that she and one of the other guys had a rough go of it in the Herekino Forest and came out pretty late. There was a farmer at the exit of the forest that let them stay in an unfinished hut he was building for TA hikers. This morning, he gave Sally a ride to avoid much of the road walk and took the other guy she was with to the next town. He is not interested in doing anymore of the forest and will continue his hike from the next town. As I mentioned yesterday, there is a ton of this kind of thing on this hike with many opportunities to skip sections or get rides on the road walks.
Sally
After walking with Sally for a bit, she stopped for a break and I ran into a couple from England (Lisa and Chris) who were doing great and had the most positive outlooks of anyone I’ve met it seems. They were fun to overlap with for a brief bit until we hit the forest and I moved on ahead. They didn’t have hiking poles and I’ve met many who don’t have them or just have one pole. I can’t imagine doing this without my poles. I am much more stable and faster with the poles. Just before we hit the entrance to the forest at 10am, we came upon the tent of an American guy named Brandon who was in no hurry to do the Raetea Forest and was planning on taking a day before going up and then hitching the roads between the forests as he’s already tired of them. Yep.
Brandon, Lisa, and Chris.
I was chilled at lunch when I stopped. It was concerning when I got to lunch and had only gone 1mi/2km per hour the first 3mi/5km.
Brush with hidden fallen branches that would randomly stab me or I’d hit my head on.
I started to worry I might not make the next water source before camp, and was glad I had grabbed plenty of water. Shockingly, given an insane amount of mud, there isn’t a single stream or decent puddle to grab water. Good thing the trail notes mention it. I think many don’t make it through in one day and they have to carry 24hrs of water to be able to spend the night in there. I was more covered in mud than yesterday. This mud was quite deeper and more unavoidable in the Raetea. There were many times that it just sucked my full foot in with each step. Check out my Instagram or Facebook page for a good video of the mud that I took that I’m not able to load onto the blog. The links to those pages are on the top of the blog.
The novelty had worn off after lunch and I was just focused on finishing the forest. There was more downhill in the remaining 6mi/10km and I was able to move at a slightly faster pace. I hit an old road that was overgrown with grass and thought I was home free, but then the mud returned for about 40mins of the worst mud all trail that was really deep, thick, and just sucked my foot in with every step.
When I got near the end I came upon another hiker. A young 20yr old German girl named Becky. She had a great attitude about the whole thing and was a strong hiker with a fun sense of humor. We finished up the section that spit us out on a gravel road after taking us across some grass and right through someone’s property. They had a big gas tank and 8 leashed wild dogs that were foaming at the mouth and barking and leaping at us as we had to hike through them. Two were unleashed and thankfully just ran up and followed us a bit. It was insane.
Out of the mud…for now.
We came to a nice stream down off the road and both got in the stream and washed the mud off the whole bottom half of us. It was great. It was a good 15mins of getting our shoes off and fully rinsing out the mud from the shoes and socks. I even took my pants off and got them fully rinsed and they dried as we did another 3mi/5km of road walking through a farmland to a local shop.
We arrived at the Mangamuka Dairy by 6:15pm (they closed at 6pm). We had heard through the TA 2016/17 Class FB Page that the Maori owner offers a room to stay in for koha. Since the next section is mostly highway walking, we decided to go with that. The owner Eliza was super nice and we made our dinners at the picnic table and chatted with her. The accommodations are very basic in a minimal room with outdoor public portable toilets. There is no electricity or water, so I was glad I filled up for overnight at the stream. It is right on the highway so we can hear traffic. Eliza was super nice and gave me her iPad to use for over an hour to watch the election unfold. She also found out I liked pasta and randomly brought me a big slice of homemade lasagna that was awesome!
Eliza had a trail register we could sign and we could see who came through. I have a thru-hiking acquaintance that started a week ahead of me with his sister that I thought I might eventually see out here. He and I started the PCT from the same shuttle, both our first long hike and he is from a small town in Illinois not far from where I was raised and next to where I went to college. Both of us went on to become avid long distance hikers and have hiked many trails. He got the name Softwalker because he wears those shoes that are minimalist and look like footprints. I saw footprints in the mud and realized only he would be crazy enough to do that and he must be nearby. Turns out he was here two days ago. Coincidentally, he was in the next town and I just got a fb message from him. We also overlapped for a moment in 2013 when we both did the CDT, so it will be fun to see him in the coming weeks. When we do, I’ll link those old posts as I have photos from those previous overlaps in 2011 and 2013. I love that I have those detailed older posts and can go back and refer to them this many years later and show how cool this little hiking world is.
After dinner I watched the election unfold with Eliza on the iPad. It was just shocking to me that Trump won and I was watching just as the tides turned his way and the final states were coming in. Really really shocking and crazy to think this actually happened! I may now claim I’m Canadian on this trail I’m so embarrassed to be from a country that this could happen. That’s all I’ll say as I’m sure some out there reading obviously voted for him. It just makes my stomach hurt to even think about it and what’s to come.
It’s now after 10:30pm. My body feels good and I’m not as worn out as I thought I’d be. The main part of me that’s sore are my upper arms from using my poles so much to stay upright. Somehow, I managed not to fall the whole time. The sounds here are not their fault and terrible. There seems to be a huge truck with cattle parked nearby or something that’s making some dogs on the land across the street go crazy. It’s a ton of noise with traffic, cows moaning, and the dogs. Seriously, it’s almost humorous how ridiculously loud it is. Earplugs are no match at all as it’s like it’s all right in the room with us. I don’t think this is normal at all and just bad timing. I have a white noise app on my phone and I’m going to wear that to sleep to drown out the sound. Man, what a day!
Wow! Looked like a tough day! Mud is only fun for a little while.
I had a question about how you pack your caldera stove system? The aluminum screen won’t fit in the pot, so how do you deal with them separately. Not a huge deal but takes more volume in you pack. Do you use the caddy? Have you damaged the dovetail slide?
Thanks,
Jim
Yes, I use the plastic container it came with and the top is my cup. I haven’t broken anything but have a bad habit of stepping on the stove and it’s all crinkled.
Canada will welcome you with open arms ! Will the mud every go away ? Love that you are still smiling in spite of it . Thanks for the post .
Took a great bath in the streams
After and it all rinsed right out.
You can always migrate to Australia. Wow Miss Saver you are one tough cookie. Love you attitude but you description of the mud is scaring me a little. Keep smiling. Loving the posts
You should enter some Tough Mudder events when you get back to the US. 🙂
That’s what Becky does, ha!
Oh, and I have to ask just how did they do the elevators in the forest? Or did you have to rope climb and rappel? That elevation profile is something else! 😛
Haha, seems to be a glitch I’ve reported and they are working on.
Yep, I haven’t voted for several of the Presidents in my lifetime, but never felt scared about their wins. But now I am freaking terrified. I can’t imagine how our minorities feel.
Wow, look at that undergrowth! Is it any wonder early humans followed game paths? I’m always astonished to think of ancestors bush-whacking through virgin forest with no end in sight. Good going!!
Erin, we had friends over to watch the election returns. We watched in abject terror as it unfolded. Be glad you are out of the country.
That mud is crazy. What a tough slog!
Lady, I wish I had 1/10th of your courage, determination and perseverance. I’m in awe. Don’t forget that more than 50% voted for Hillary. Strange thing that electoral college, strange thing.
The Rat is likely the worst of the Bush Walks. Of course rain may change that (downhill of Mt Piroginia, south of Hamilton on the north island, will be muddy, but the catwalk on it’s top is awesome). But the worst of the “Bush” is behind you, the next forest sections, while challenging, are no where near as bad.
And yes, road walks are great, especially in NZ. The Te Araroa is about experiencing New Zealand (not just the trail aspect), and the people of NZ are that country’s best feature–even among all that natural beauty on those two islands.
On politics: In March I start another round of long distance hikes (likely a third AT thru-hike and depending on timing/work contracts, maybe a third trip to NZ for the TA)
And when I hit those trails next year, I’ll be sporting a bright red Trump, Make America Great Again ball cap.
Don’t kid yourself Montana we don’t have a two party system we have good cop bad cop. An we are the suckers who keep falling for it…….. 🙁
Divide and conquer.
People get out in mother nature to get away from our sad state of affairs.
Good for you Montana. Never be afraid to speak your beliefs even if others attack you for it. The so called liberals have done more to instil fear and censorship than any other movement. Reminds me of post war Russia
No wonder we need to get out in the bush… to escape our PC mad world
Happy travels!
And also to you Erin- -following your blog avidly!
I’m so confused by this comment, but have to say I’m scared and saddened that this result has now sent us back decades and I am sickened by the hate and division it encourages.
Saying “we’re being set back decades” is not the same thing as being set back decades. It’s to repeat propaganda that was meant to instill fear. That fear is meant to fetter your mind. A fettered mind is easily controlled. For hate and division, just Youtube our current President’s comments after his 2008 and 2012 election wins.
Every. Single. Election. Conservative are lectured that we are racist, homophobic, xenophobic ignoramuses.And those who call us that, then accuse of us divisive, hateful speech.
I doubt you see the divisive nature of your own comment.
One of the great things, for me, about thru-hiking, is the shock on other hikers faces when exposed to the different viewpoints that I raise–despite those views being born from thinkers from Aristotle and on up thru the ages till today. It never gets old.
A year from now that hat will actually mean something!
I’m with you on the Trump thing. Shocked, sad, angry, etc.
Take care in all that mud to not sprain an ankle. And watch out for those tree roots!
Yes, what a day you have had. Love your positive attitude. The bush looks pretty tough going but you always seem to end up meeting nice people like Eliza and others. The election was shocking and sad, especially since Hillary won the popular vote but not the electoral vote. Scary times for the environment. If you have not seen the movie Hunt for the Wilderpeople, I think you would really like it. It was filmed in New Zealand. All the best to you, Erin.
I was shocked too when the ranger at the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge told me that Trump had won. My upper body actually started tingling like there was an electric current flowing through it. It was a great relief to know that Clinton will not be able to take into World War III.
Try to stay positive Erin and true to your beliefs. Have a great time and enjoy nature. No need to try and convert absolute idiots.
The FACT that Russia (Putin) called to congratulate Trump says it all. Be scared, be very scared for our future with this extreme BIGOT. If he runs this country like his business, claiming bankruptcy 8 times– the American people will be left holding the bill; just as all the American workers he stiffed each time he filed bankruptcy.
I felt a need to say that, even though politics should not have a place in this blog.
Love ya Paula:)
I’ll preface my reply by saying I didn’t vote for Trump, and while I have my fears about him, I have come to grips with waiting and seeing what actually happens. It seems to be the sensible thing to do at this point rather than worry or protest what might happen.
You mention Putin’s congratulations as a negative. I don’t read anything into it. Were you as disturbed by all of the dictators that praised and congratulated Obama when he was elected? The Peoples Republic of China would seem to be the most akin to Russia.
Glad you made it through all that mud.