10/4/22, Day 115, 29km, Total 3219km
Elevation Gain: 1091, Loss: 1519m
An excellent day in terms of the weather and scenery but spoiled by my sore knee.
I drove to Whakapapa and started walking at 7.30am with a perfectly cloudless sky.
The 9km to Mangatepopo didn’t take long (2 hours) then it was time for the climbing. Right from the start my left knee was a bit sore but it seemed to hurt more when going down hill so I didn’t worry about it.
Didn’t see many other people until I started descending to the Emerald Lakes, then there were people everywhere. However I expect there were less than 100 doing the crossing today and everyone was quietly getting on with their walk.
I’d forgotten that it was 8km of downhill to the Ketitahi Carpark but fortunately my knee didn’t mind it too much. It hurt a bit but as long as I took my time it was okay. I think it will come right in a couple of days.
I got to the Carpark at the same time as a couple of really nice girls who are on a road trip and having a ball. They very kindly offered to run me back to my car at Whakapapa. So nice of them as it was out of their way. Thanks girls and sorry I can’t remember your names.
So that is the last section of the TA I needed to do. It is now officially completed. So happy.
