Breast Hill -- Favorite Track so Far!

Brad reports that the Breast Hill Track since Ohau, is his favorite so far and he's loving it.

Wide open views of mountains and canyons

Brad crossing the Ahuriri River

Looking down, down, down from the Breast Hill Track

Wanaka to Manpouri

Yesterday Wanaka, today Glendhu Bay Track, which is entirely walking the edges of Lake Wanaka, a four hour tramp. Then, there's a road connection to Glendhu Bay, another 45 minutes, which puts him onto the Motatapu Alpine Track (3 to 4 days). According to my calculations he will tramp a half day on this track before stopping for the night.

Glendhu Bay

According to the Te Araroa Trail information, the Motatapu Alpine Track is physically challenging terrain only suitable for experienced trampers. I think at this point, Brad qualifies for being an experienced tramper. Nevertheless, I will be happy to hear from him, which will probably be in Arrowtown, at the end of yet another track, called Big Hill Track (4 to 5 hours).

Arrowtown

In 9 days he has reservations for a side trip to Doubtful Sound, and it's tight making the connections, so he's traveling fast. The Doubtful Sound trip will include a 24 hour cruise, two bus rides and two small ferry rides, plus dinner, breakfast and bed.

But, before Doubtful Sound, he needs to get from Wanaka to Manapouri.

From Arrowtown to Queenstown is another 5 to 6 hours of tramping on the Wakatipu Track. From Queenstown to Manpouri, another 100+ miles. I'm guessing he will touch down only lightly in Arrowtown or Queenstown given his tight schedule. I'm also guessing he's going to do a little hitching along the way. Perhaps the Te Araroa Trail time calculations are high for Brad, but, nevertheless, he's on a tight schedule.

Queenstown

Doubtful Sound, almost too beautiful for words.

Raining Cats and Dogs at Lake Ohau!

Yesterday Brad got involved in a good conversation with the owner of Lake Ohau Lodge and ended up hanging out all day talking sustainability. Of course, having it rain cats and dogs outside played a role too.

After breakfast, the conversation turned to the design of the lodge owner's home and then hydro power, and then tourism, and then dairy farms, and then water pollution, and then the economy, and then the politics of all of these topics. Brad was continually fed documents and manuals to read and discuss so the conversation continued to grow and expand and to fill Brad's entire day. And it rained. A Dear Mr. Green Guy article was even written. The lodge owner was engaging and engaged, rewarding Brad for the good discussion with a free room and a day's worth of excellent home-cooked food.

Brad examining the lodge's hydro power plant

One more happy New Zealand encounter with wonderful people and generous hospitality!

The miracle is this – the more we share, the more we have.

- Leonard Nimoy, American actor, director and writer

And Speaking of Langley...

I've been struck by how many of the photographs I've seen of small towns in NZ look similar to our town of Langley on Whidbey Island.

Photographs of Whidbey Island

Whidbey Island at Deception Pass

Double Bluff Beach

Photographs of Langley, located on South Whidbey Island

First Street, Langley, WA

The Clyde Theatre

The Dog House Tavern

The Moonraker Book Store

The Langley Marina on Saratoga Passage in the Puget Sound

Alley in Langley at Island Design

Methodist Church

First Street, Langley, Whidbey Island, WA, USA

A chaque oiseau, son nid est beau.

To every bird, its own nest is beautiful.

French Proverb

Wanaka

Wanaka is Brad's next stop, as it turns out. He is due there in 7 days if he can drag himself away from Lake Ohau Lodge. Although he was scheduled to leave yesterday, after dinner, he didn't. It was just too comfortable, cozy, warm, and enjoyable to drag himself away. This morning he was still at Lake Ohau Lodge. Right now? Who knows? He's headed to the mountains, where it's storming, or he's still enjoying the warmth and comfort of Lake Ohau Lodge's hospitality.

But, look at Wanaka, it looks a lot like Langley on Whidbey Island, WA, USA, Brad's home town. He will love it!

Wanaka, South Island, NZ

(One old pickup with a dog beast hanging out the side. Where are the cars?)

NZ Department of Conservation Gifts

Tracks

I stopped beside the winding track

And from my shoulders let slip the pack

I sat amid the silent trees

And felt the coolness of the breeze

And as I sat I mused and thought

Upon the hands this track had wrought

The hands that cut and cleared the way

To make it easy, lest we should stray

So long ago now it all seems

Since saw did cut and axe did gleam

And forests echoed to their sound

When early feet did tread the ground

So when you tramp on down the tracks

Think on those that bent their backs

To show the way through forest green

So we may walk ’neath towering leaves.

Contributed by Mike Deavin of Foxton to Te Ara, The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. For 30 years tramping in the bush was enjoyed by Mike Deavin, as a Department of Conservation guide, an honorary ranger and a hut warden.

Brad Chats!

How great is technology! I chatted twice with Brad yesterday -- serendipity for a mom with a traveling son. The first chat was when he was at Twizel and then, later, when he was at Lake Ohau Lodge. At Twizel he had shopped for supplies and was ready to head into the mountains again. He hitched a ride to Lake Ohau from Twizel, having decided in his Te Araroa Trail freestyle manner, to tramp all trails but to hitch most roads.

When we last chatted he was sipping a beer at this beautiful lodge (below) overlooking Lake Ohau, visiting with other guests and staff, blogging, chatting, e-mailing and in Brad's usual style, completely absorbed in multitasking. At the time of our last communication he'd decided to stay for dinner at the lodge with NZ folks he'd met and then head into the mountains for the night.

Lake Ohau Lodge

He will be beginning the East Ahuriri Track, the last track in the Conterbury section of the Te Araroa Trail. This track is a 1 - 2 day tramp, climbing 800 m from Lake Ohau to the Ahuiri River, over the Ohau Range. It goes through both the Ruataniwha and Ahuriri Conservation Parks.

The next e-mail/chat option is in about 7 days, according to Brad's calculations. Once he leaves the East Ahuriri Track he will be in the Otago Section of the Te Araroa Trail, with the first track being the Breast Hill Track, 3 - 4 days, but there's only a car park at the end of this track. No development or opportunity for resupply. Gladstone Reserve Track is next, only 1.5 - 2 hours, with full amenities at a small town on the south end of Lake Hawea. I'm assuming that's where we hear from Brad again, although that's less than 7 days according to the estimates on the Te Araroa Trail site. The town of Lake Hawea has a population of only 300 people so perhaps he's not expecting to find computer power available to trampers.

Happy Tramping Brad!