March 4
Te Anau (for the fourth time)
*Note: Having some glitches with the blog posting, so sorry for multiple emails to subscribers and the first handful of comments on this post accidentally got deleted.
I mentioned before that I had a mystery friend down here that I was looking forward to visiting. I knew my time here wouldn’t be complete without this visit. Well, I’ll let the video here speak for itself.
We surprised Becky as she and Tom hiked into Te Anau! This plan has been in the works for awhile now, and Tom did a great job of keeping it all a secret. He and I timed it for them to arrive in Te Anau the morning after Griggs and I finished in Bluff. This morning, Griggs and I rented a car that Griggs will use to drive up to Queenstown to take his paragliding course tomorrow. Griggs and I drove about 1.5hrs to where the Te Araroa intersects the highway to Te Anau and hiked in 3km for the surprise. It was fun to walk towards Becky and wait to see how long it took for her to figure it out. She and I had just been messaging on our phones just a bit before and she had no idea I was just around the corner from her.
It was a lot of fun to not only surprise Becky, but also our friend Heartbreaker and another hiker named Tim that both had no idea we were coming in. We brought trail magic for all of them in the form of soda, ice cream bars, cinnamon rolls, and donuts. It was quite fun to be on the other end of the trail magic.
Heartbreaker and Tim
We all walked out together and went into Te Anau for the rest of the day. Griggs headed to Queenstown, and I will be in Te Anau for a couple days relaxing while he takes his paragliding course in Queenstown. We had a fun relaxing rest of the day. Calvin was in town as well, and we went to mini golf.
There was a visit to the local park that has an awesome zip line that we just couldn’t resist. Why don’t they have parks this cool in the US!?
As a random side, there was a couple in town that I know from the US. Back when I hiked the CDT in 2013, I crossed paths with Jerry and his friend out on a hike. He’s followed the blog and has been in touch ever since. Now, over three years later, here we are crossing paths again in New Zealand. What a great small world. It was nice to visit with Jerry and his wife Debbie. Tomorrow morning, they have offered to give Becky and Tom a ride back to the trail since it’s along the way they will be traveling.
It was great to get one more day together with Becky and Tom. Great thank you to Tom and Griggs for their parts in this and helping to document this memory. I now feel like the Te Araroa really is complete. I feel the peace, calm, and closure that was missing yesterday and very present today. This chapter of the journey comes to an end, and a new one will soon begin. Thank you all for coming along on this one and being part of the journey. I’m looking forward to resting and relaxing over the next couple of days. I also have my laptop and can write a more thorough post on my overall Te Araroa thoughts. Then, in a few days, the next chapter begins as Griggs and I head to Tasmania!
If you were one of the first five comments (they were great comments!) and wondering where your comment went, I’m sorry. There was a glitch and the first wave of comments got erased. Feel free to comment again, they were good ones, and I did see them. Bummed they got deleted.
Hey Erin, I’ve followed your hike daily. Loved it’s ending and decided that I need to drag my 62 year old ass off the couch and out of my day to day existence and get on a long trail again. Maybe the CDT. Thanks for the kick in the ass! Walk well, dear lady!
Oh so awesome! If the CDT is too time consuming, I highly recommend the Colorado Trail as a compromise. Much of it overlaps the CDT.
No worries on the deleted posts. I was one of those. 😉
We’re all just happy you completed such a taxing hike in such style, made great new friends along the way, and have time to get ready for the next adventure.
Thanks for sharing the journey.
Reading your blog is a daily highlight for me. I enjoy your photos, insights and fun with friends along the way. Thank you for taking the time each day to share with all of us who follow along.
Oh yay:) thank you!
I figured it was Jerry you were meeting up with as he commented in a previous blog that he was in New Zealand. But meeting up with Becky and Tom was a totally awesome surprise! This feels like a continuing saga (like the shows you follow).
Good eye! I just realized the photo with Jerry didn’t go through, Ugh, glitches are at least happening while I’m in town and can fix them.
A few “glitches ” -well that’s life ,and I think that’s how hiking life is too ! I’ve really enjoyed hiking along with you ,every step of the way . I often felt like I was with you -but my feet are only tired from plodding corridors, not trails -certainly not as exciting ! Thanks for taking me along for the “walk” ,and introducing me to the hiking world -a world I will probably never get to experience in the same way . One chapter closes,another one begins -I can’t wait for Tassie . As for my other post getting deleted -well I can’t even remember what I wrote ?!
Haha, glad you reposted:)
Another lost post reporting in 😉
I loved seeing you add yet another trail activity.. that of Trail Magic.. this being the ultimate in the form of a great surprise for Becky.
I wonder if she didn’t recognize you at first, without your pack?
I love that you had/are having a nice relaxing time while Griggs has his adventures.
The zip lines up in Big Bear are on my Bucket List.. not sure if I’ll make it up there or not, but hopefully.
Anyway I’m sure it was fun to use your new fleece and your new bounce box shoes too..
I think I commented about the fact that things are changing, not for the better.. the EU is talking about retaliating against Trump’s travel bans and more on some countries by considering making it less streamlined for those from the US to enter EU countries.
I hate seeing people get caught up in political pissing contests..
I know your travels have allowed you to meet people from all over and we are all just people.
My volunteer driving has also brought me into contact with people here I wouldn’t meet day to day and it is all good. Lately our group that meets weekly to sing (at our senior center) has been going to assisted living homes and singing.. it is wonderful to connect through music too.
I don’t think it matters how, but getting out and meeting people enhances our lives and broadens our minds.
And your blog is undoubtedly spreading that message to your readers and your experiences spread that to your students and the young ones you nanny, too.
Yep you are getting more post than got deleted, maybe..)
I’m just having a zero day here, watching Dr Jeff, Rocky Mountain Vet.. who is one of my favorite human beings on the plante (and on Animal Planet)
Your zero sounds pretty relaxed too.. it sounds like teaming up with Griggs, you two are pretty prepared for the next leg of the trip, to Tasmania. I hope that means you can recharge, including more chocolate milk, of course!
Haha, I sure did get more than was deleted. Quite the wrap up there!
Hi Erin
LOVED LOVED LOVED the blog, have enjoyed your reflections and honesty. I love that you mention in the last last post that it’s not just a physical walk, I so connect with this. Each journey is a different mindset and “Feel” not just because of terrain. The people you met are sent from the universe to enrich, teach, observe and sometimes love. Thank you so much for sharing. Now for some practical stuff LOL. As a newly are there any of your blogs that you discuss what you eat and how you prep food, how you prep at resupply points etc. Would love to suck your brains. Thanks Tanya(The Global Hobos)
So right! I’ve learned that even those I might cross paths with in a moment can have a huge impact. Hmm, I don’t really discuss much on food other than random posts where I’ve photographed resupplies when leaving town. For example, theres a shot on Day 34…coincidentally the day we met Tom:)
Most Excellent!!
Aloha a hui hou!
What a “perfect” finish. Congrats!
And that’s exactly the comment I hoped to see;) Yay!
It is SO fun to GIVE trail magic!!! What a great idea and nice gesture!
So glad you are going to Tasmania! I don’t know what I’m going to do when you come back to the States and I don’t get my “Wired” reading fix first thing in the morning. Ha! You are truly inspiring. I think about all those years ago when you first started out on the PCT and you had horrible blisters on your feet and were struggling. Now you are a world-class hiker traveling the world and inspiring so many people. Thank you so much Erin for taking us along on your adventures and your dedication to your blog. I know how hard you work and you are so much appreciated. Blessings to you and Happy Trails.
Who would’ve thunk it!?
What a great ending of TA:-)
Thank you so much for taking me there! I enjoyed every single blog entry, you became a part of my everyday life…I´ll definitely miss that after Tasmania.
Congrats on a fantastic trip.
Well done. Now for Tassie and you’ve timed it well. Like NZ we didn’t have much of a summer but autumn is the most stable time of year and the good weather looks set to continue for awhile yet. No wind or rain, warm days and cool nights will make for a great time in the central highlands. Enjoy.
So hopeful about the weather!
Well done Erin. Have enjoyed your journey of NZ and your growth.
For the South Coast Track you may wish to consider full length gaiters.
Best wishes
Barrie
I plan to embrace the mud there, haha!
Hi again
By the way, if you are camping at Cynthia Bay at the southern end of the Overland Track, make any food bombproof as the possums do not take “no” for an answer.
Barrie
I’ve been going stir crazy since badly breaking my ankle on Christmas Eve and being non weight bearing ever since. Following along on your adventure has helped keep me sane. Thank you, and please keep writing!
Aw, I’m glad it can help. You’ll be back out in no time!
Congratulations on yet another successful and epic walk Ms Wired. Your a legend
Congratulations on your moving and epic finish. A tear or two of happiness they brought. Goal Tech couldn’t have been more correct when he said “Perfect”.
“I now feel like the Te Araroa really is complete. I feel the peace, calm, and closure that was missing yesterday and very present today.” Sometimes growing pains aren’t a pain at all but a blessing that inform who we are and will be because of the actions we take. -So blessed to see Becky and Tom one more time and to see they are safe & healthy.
Your comment reminds me of Griggs when he hiked back a pretty significant distance to help you cross a river. It was a true act of love and respect on his part. The trail sure brings that out and I’m embracing it along with you and others who are reading your life experience.
WOW WOW what an adventure I feel like I can breathe again so many times I’d read your blogs and find myself holding my breathe have loved it, so much inspiration. The pictures were fantastic too and made me really want to do some hiking in NZ one day. Thanks for taking us along with you on the journey.
So glad we crossed paths on the Bibbulmun:)
Like others I’ve been reading your blog daily. As I drink my first cup of coffee I check my email, and there you are. The latest adventures of Wired. Thanks for taking us along.
Congratulations on completing the trail. I have throughly enjoyed reading your daily blogs and look forward to reading more of your adventures. Thank you so much for taking us on your journey
Serendipity..
I subbed to a blog on WordPress, went to confirm.. it gives a list of blogs I am subbed to.. I was scrolling through.. sadly, some have been lured away from blogging to Facebook, more sadly, some have died.
Anyway I see this blog from the Hayduke.. clearly one I read and enjoyed.. great narrative, excellent photography, but she isn’t identified.. I am scrolling, scrolling, scrolling..
And there you are in a picture, same pants, blue jacket, that, sunglasses on that (wonder where that pair ended up?)..
She does mention you, but you I know.
Finally get to a place where I can see the links to About Me and realize it is Katherine.. and that I guess she isn’t blogging, maybe elsewhere.. I know I loved that blog.
Anyway, I so appreciate your continued blogging, the format, how you share the experience and interact with those reading and commenting in near real time.
I love that family of Tom, Griggs and others are following you too.
Hope your downtime is going well.. I know you are keeping up with comments.
Looking forward to the return of Griggs from his gliding and onward to Tasmania.
Hi Erin – congratulations on finishing and being able to meet up with Becky for one last time in NZ. It seems remarkable that you were able to find such good hiking companions in each island. I imagine that this will be one of the things that you treasure most when you look back at this journey.
Reading your blog has been my morning treat since you were in Oz in 2016. I am really impressed with your tenacity in seeming to cheerily cope with everything that the TA has thrown at you. I think this was best illustrated by that photo from day 83 where you appeared to walk across a vertical slip face.
I am amazed that you have found something different to write about everyday and have almost never resorted to recounting the minutae of your daily routine. I guess that is why someone asked you to explictly do a post about food, resupply etc etc.
I think the thing that has impressed me the most, possibly even more than your hiking, is that you have written every night and that you have typed out all those words and done all that editing on an iPhone keyboard. I can’t even comprehend the dedication that it must take to write at the end of every day, let alone doing it on an iPhone. I am very curious as to why an umbrella makes it into your gear list when it is only used occassionally while a bluetooth keyboard that would be used every day and which weighs about 300gms does not.
Anyway thanks for sharing your journey so that we could journey vicariously with you.
May the wind be always at your back.
Karen
Thank you Karen. I did try out one of those keyboards once, and it turned out to be not as efficient as how fast I now type on the phone. It required that I depress quite firmly on a flat hard surface and my fingers move lightly and fast when I type, so it wasn’t registering what I depressed unless I typed slowly, which defeated the purpose in the first place. With the umbrella, I always like to point out that it’s one of the few items that also tend to make it into the ultralight packs of those that carry very minimally. The two lightest packed hikers out here both had the same umbrella I had. It’s quite the asset to have:)