Day 75: Makahika Outdoor Centre to Ōtaki (32km, 9 hours)

Makahika OPC to Ōtaki? This is not the post I was hoping to make today. 

Last night Cassie and I had checked the weather forecast, and consulted with Sally, who runs the Outdoor Centre where we are camping (and who is an alpine expert). To cross the Tararuas, a 4-6 day effort, the first and last days don’t need good weather but the middle days do. This is when we would be hiking for several days along exposed ridges at over 1000m altitude, and ascending the highest peak, Mt Crawford, at just under 1500m. Unfortunately, last night there was a strong wind and rain warning for those days. We’d decided to check again this morning, and make a final decision about whether to attempt it.

The news wasn’t good. While today was going to be fine up in the ranges, the strong winds and rain were still forecast for the days after - plus, the temperature up on the ridge was going to drop to barely above freezing. Sally advised that without alpine experience and gear, there would be a high risk of hypothermia in those conditions. Cassie and I were also the only two hikers here, so it seemed there would probably not be any others around to help if we got into difficulty.

It was a very hard decision, but in the end we decided not to attempt the crossing. (Sally told us that I’m recent weeks only 30% of TA hikers have made it over, so I guess we’re not alone). Bugger! We told ourself that it was the sensible decision, but it was still gutting to miss this important section of the hike. 

It also meant a rapid change in plans. Cassie decided to get a lift into nearby Levin, and catch a bus further down the trail - and maybe if time and weather permitted after reaching Wellington she might come back for another attempt. I decided to keep walking, and reconnect with the Te Araroa trail on the other side of the ranges, in Waikanae. However there’s no great route to get there - it would be two days of roads. And mostly on State Highway 1. 

Well, I may not be going over the Tararuas, but I still want to walk to the end. So, roads it will be. Today’s route will take me 32km to Ōtaki.

I’ve said before that the TA sometimes feels like a long series of goodbyes. Waving Cassie off was hard - we’d shared a lot over the last few days, and I was sorry to see her go.

Goodbye, Cassie

And, I was off too. My pack was extremely heavy with the extra weight of the 7 days of food from my box yesterday. That, and hard roads, meant my back and feet were soon both aching. So I was rather glum, and sore. No mental music today, just plodding.

4km down the road - the official entrance to the Tararuas. No, I’m not going that way today.

This sort of thing all morning..,

I passed a strawberry farm. Yum!

The Tararuas taunting me in the distance

After 3 hours I was on SH1. Continual traffic, often very little verge to walk on, hot sun and no cover. At times I had to get creative to find a way through - eg. walking along train tracks for a bit, or squeezing alongside traffic on bridges where there was no verge at all. 

…and this sort of thing all afternoon.

Stop taunting me!

By about 5:30pm I finally staggered into Ōtaki. I had no formal accommodation arranged here, but a motel owner kindly let me set up camp on a patch of grass behind his motel. I was stiff and sore - after setting up my tent I managed to hobble a few minutes down the road to the local pub for a beer (I needed a treat), and then back to make dinner and finally lie down.

Home for tonight

Just the one!

Dinner time at Simon’s place. Spag bol!

Looking up at the sky. Hard to believe I’m skipping the Tararuas because of bad weather.

I’ve managed to stay awake long enough to do this blog update - but I’m too exhausted to finish the previous two days like I’d intended. Tomorrow won’t be so long, hopefully I can finish them then.

Now, I need sleep.

Today’s route. From Google Maps this time. This is not where I expected to be when the day started!

PS: A lovely text from Cassie. Go well, Cassie!