Jude and Mini Matterhorn

After being roasting hot for days and so humid it felt like we were in scenes from The Deerhunter, suddenly, just as we decide to make a break from town the dark clouds decide to roll in. The mist descended on the mountains ahead as we got a lift back to the trail. It was starting to look a bit menacing ! … Was this a good idea?

Our taxi lady Jude insisted we give her a text once we were out of the hills the other side so she knew not to send in the search and rescue. Apparently people have headed out in the past never to return… Nice pep talk there - I’m not apprehensive AT ALL now! Cheers ;)

Got a taxi ride out of town this morning to Maratoto Road, avoiding a bit of busy highway unpleasantness. Heading into gold mining country now, eyes are peeled for any leftover nuggets!

This next section through Kaimai Mountain Range is our longest in between resupply so far. I’m packing 7 days worth of food for two people which is quite a weight I can tell you..

Tue 14th Dec
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Gold mine and Raaaain..

This area was once a gold mining hub. And as we went through the hills we stumbled across remnants of the lost era. This large metal contraption had small rail tracks going up into it. Maybe its a chamber to grind up the stone and gold? “Nicky keep your eyes peeled for nuggets…”, “Pass us the dinner bowl - I’m panning for gold in this ‘ere stream!”

Warning… Detonators! Rrrrruuuuunnnn!…. Actually that door looks pretty blown off already. I think we’re good.

Tue 14th Dec
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Cookie climbs under a tree

We were well soaked by this point and not much point in putting on the waterproofs. Too hot to be clad head to toe in plastic in any case! But we’ve had good opportunity to practice our limbo skills under a few ‘blowdowns’ at least :)
Generally the Maratoto Track was pretty good. It didn’t look like it had seen much maintenance in recent years, but was still easy enough to follow, minus the odd blow down. Loved the little hand drawn maps at the beginning and end, a masterpiece of felt tip and biro work :)
Tue 14th Dec
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Wet Wet Wet

More ways to get wet than you can imagine on this route! Mud pools, drizzle, giant wet ferns, big tree droplets and soggy meadows to soak your legs. There was a looooong road walk to follow soaked to the skin. There was much chaffing! A nasty state of affairs not even salvageable by a tin of vasaline… We were walking like cowboys when we rolled into town ;)

Wondering along the edge of the state highway in a torrential downpour - giant American style juggernauts thundering through the water just inches away - a car pulls up, a lady jumps out and drags us in. “You can’t be out wondering the highway in this! Are you mental?”. So we jump in … and she speeds us to our local camp spot for the night: Dickey Flat. ( Comedy name ;) )

The river by this camp spot, the Waitawheta, was supposed to be a great fishing spot. But in the drizzly evening rain we decided to give it a miss and get in our sleeping bags for a spot of Angry Birds ( well on our way to four stars on every level - sweet! )

Walking in the drizzle wasn’t too bad, but we got a right soaking in this long grass. Feet were soon sloshing around in our boots, then the heavens opened up for a very damp and uninteresting road walk past the Golden Cross mine and down the valley to the Karangahake Gorge.

Not sure if it was the weather or the friendliness of folk round here, but we randomly got offered lifts all day today. We were trying to be good after doing the naughty Thames bypass thing, so kept turning them down. Until the last lady who just wouldn’t take no for an answer offered us a lift to the nearby DOC campsite. I really wanted a lift, but we’d just got to the main road and more importantly a big Tui’s sign hanging above a pub. I didn’t want a lift because I wanted a pint instead, but the lady insisted the road was far too dangerous to walk along this time of year (while reversing back along it into oncoming traffic!), so we felt obliged to take the ride.

Tue 14th Dec
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School of Mines

Being such a young country every bit of history is considered important here. So it’s a surprise to see this museum left to decay. Kind of looks cool though even though it’s a ramshackle hut now :) Looks like something out of an old book on colonial times.

Tue 14th Dec
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Boots off! And Ready to Wade

Back up into the forest today. A dramatic gorge ahead. The only thing about all the rain, is that the rivers have risen…. ek! Only one thing for it. Get yer boots off and get down there
We’re following the Dicky Flat Track here, then later a bit of the Mangakino Track and finally onwards to the Waitawheta Tramway. Phew, sounds like a tough day ahead!
Wed 15th Dec
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Up to my Knees in Trouble

No not really ;) Its quite fun wading through a river :D They’re not too cold either, as the air temperature is still well hot even if the sun doesn’t have his hat on. Those sticks are handy though to balance on the submerged wet rocks.

Wed 15th Dec
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Cookie Stepping Some Stones

Cookie shows how it’s done. He’s a pro at this sorta thing. Nimbly leaping from rock to rock like a giant hairy frog… I however am less elegant!
I think the distortion of the wide angle lens has made this jump look a bit bigger than it actually was! Our stone stepping skills have been well and truely tested over the past few days.
Wed 15th Dec
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Nice Flat Forest Path

Woo hoo! That’s what we want. Nice wide flat paths ;) Bit of a luxury this. And I’m lapping it up. We’re following in the path of an old 1900′s Kauri logging railway line, which is wicked as it means there’s a gentle gradient all the way, and embedded log fragments to skip across the mud pools. We’re learning lots of history from the signs as we go. Looks like to be a kauri logger back in the day you require two things: a massive bushy tache, and to be a double hard bastard. Moving train carriage sized pieces of solid ancient tree was no easy task! Especially without diggers and chain saws.

Wed 15th Dec
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Looking for Jumpers

Beady eyed I kept a watch out for jumping fish… Can’t wait to get the rod out and catch us some fresh campfire dinner! A very exciting prospect indeed. Disappointingly we’ve not clocked any fish yet, only eels… Blergh! We’re not in Margate! … Squelchy footed we made our way upwards through the steeply cut oppressive walls of the gorge to the moody, and ominous feeling high forest above, cloaked in swirling mist. A very strange place, you’d often hear echoes of distant sounds that couldn’t possibly be there, the acoustics playing tricks on you, alone together up in the wilderness… Erie!

Wed 15th Dec
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