Spring Ahead

At midnight last night we set our clocks ahead an hour for Daylight Saving.

In 1895, George Vernon Hudson, a New Zealand entomologist, who wanted more leisure time after work to collect insects, proposed the modern idea of daylight savings time.

Cold and Wild

Brad's been tramping for seven days now with no contact with home, as was expected. In reading other Te Araroa blogs, I see that it is snowing at the higher elevations, so depending on exactly where Brad is right now, he might be experiencing not only difficult trail conditions but cold. I will be looking forward to an e-mail.

I think Brad is now on the Harper Pass Track, a 4 to 6 day tramp. Mail that was missed at Wellington has been forwarded to Brad at Arthur's Pass, on the Harper Pass Track.

Arthur’s Pass, through the Southern Alps between

the headwaters of the Ōtira and Bealey rivers

Trying to catch trail friends...

Brad left St Arnaud in the early afternoon, two days ago. Ludo and Flore were in Murchison yesterday. Approximately a 50 mile gap remains between them. Murchison is on a yellow trail headed west to a coastal trail, rather than the primary "red" trail on Google Maps, which heads down the middle of the island. So many options I sometimes get completely lost trying to follow Brad's route. Since he's trying to catch Ludo and Flore I'm assuming they've plotted the course, and he'll be headed to Murchison too. Or, perhaps they took a detour and will be headed back to the "Red" trail. Whatever, I hope Brad can catch them in the next few days, even though I seem to have lost the orange marker.

"Community on a stick!"

Along the way, many days ago, at the top of Mt. Rintoul (1731 m), the highest point on the Richmond Alpine Track, a note was waiting for Brad from Ludo, Flore, Phillipe and Madeleine, with the message "dbBrad was NOT here". Brad loved the unlikeliness of seeing his name, on a stick, left by friends, on the top of such a remote mountain, and named it "Community on a stick!".

This group of trampers, although frequently not actually together, are tramping together in a beautiful heart-felt way.

NZ South Island's fall cold - USA Whidbey Island's spring cold

I just read Ludo and Flore's newest bog posting and they spoke of a lot of cold and even some snow, along with freezing feet and icy cold huts. Brad's still a few days behind them so I worry that his slim supplies will not offer enough warmth for the quickly approaching winter in New Zealand, especially up in the mountains where he's tramping right now.

But look what we woke up to on this March 6 spring day here at home. Whidbey Island sporting Rhododendron blossoms and budded cherry trees is covered with snow this morning. The unpredictable NW weather hits once again.

Snow covered cherry blossoms

photo by Marie Lincoln

My wheelbarrow left outside last night, with no idea snow was coming, ready for another day of mulch moving.

Sir Benton Cowboy delighted with the white stuff, bowing with a play invitation

Heading into wilderness

Yesterday Brad left St. Arnaud, located on Nelson Lake, at about 1:30. I'm thinking he spent the night at Lakehead Hut, only 2-3 hours out. I think, given his late start this is a pretty realistic estimate. The next hut (John Tait Hut) would have been another five hours according to the Te Araroa Trail literature. Although, with his new headlamp, purchased for after dark tramping, perhaps this was his hut for the night.

The trail literature promises wilderness ahead so I don't expect to hear from Brad for 10+ days. He was carrying 6 days of food and had another 6-day stash of food waiting for him along the way.

Nelson Lake

Sandflies

All along the Te Araroa Trail, Brad has been talking about sandflies. According to one reference, sandflies are one of the only pests in NZ -- no snakes, leaches, or dangerous spiders. Also, sandflies come complete with weaknesses, like they go away at night, they are slow and they don't bother a moving person. So, as long as you never stop, or hike only at night, no problem. However the bites can be annoying and they itch. Definitely a bothersome pest. Nevertheless, when I think of the mosquito buzzing in the bedroom at night, I'm thinking the fact that sandflies go away at night is quite an advantage over our pesky mosquitoes here in the NW. The endless buzzing of mosquitoes at night, right in one's ear, certainly is annoying and a real sleep interrupter.

Sandflies really aren't this big. This one is a model above a cafe. I'm wondering if this is good advertising, hum...

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Logistics swirling around money

Brad has arrived at St. Arnaud. I received a quick e-mail and we chatted for a brief period, before he ran off to catch a bus to Nelson. Small town cash machines don't take VISA, making getting cash difficult. Banks take VISA, but there are only banks in larger towns. Traveling hiccups.

St Arnaud, NZ