tramping new zealand

Damp!

Full on condensation and dew on and in the tent. But the day dawned cloudless, and the birds were singing loudly.

I emerged into the dark and made my way to the camp kitchen for breakfast and to recharge my batteries. I’m not sure if my own batteries are fully recharged for another 35K steps, but at least I’ll have plenty of time, even though the Equinox is tomorrow.

As it turned out, I didn’t leave the DOC campsite until after 10 am, which meant I got to the Rangitata River carpark at Bush Stream around 11 am. Then I dried the tent out, now clear skies prevailed, and there was some breeze.

So, not an early start after all.

Particularly as I knew it was a six-hour hike to Growler Hut. That’s actual walking time.

In the car park were six large four-wheel-drive vehicles, all with quad bike trailers on the back. No quad bikes to be seen, so they must be up the valley.

I thought it was Monday, but it was actually Sunday, and most people will be back at work tomorrow.

What can I say about the third time? I’ve walked up the river, except that I know where the old cattle tracks are, which makes it easier on the flats rather than large boulder hopping. I turned off the gravel crunching and headed up the hill on a farm track to get around the major river crossings. That river can be huge, and I hadn’t had a chance to assess its crossability. It’s just a 200 m gain to grind out, then almost the same descent.

In some ways, it’s an exercise in boredom and how to cope with hours of monotony. I listened to the second half of the stoic Ryan Holiday’s audiobook, The Obstacle Is the Way, which really did resonate with my own obstacle meditation.

I spent a lot of time looking at my feet, plodding along, and listening. That worked.

Every half hour or so, I stopped to sit down and check progress, but the second half from the private Black Mountain Hut seemed easier on the mind, although not on the brain.

I had an hour of daylight once I got to the hut, which was useful for sorting out water and food. To be honest, 35k yesterday and 32k with a heavier pack today have me beat tonight.

Surprisingly, this is my eighth night at this hut, making it one of my most-used in recent years. It almost feels like home.

No surprise it was early to bed, and I thought I’d sleep well.