While on our way back to Hamilton I messaged the guy who looks after the Trail notes about the track error. He investigated and confirmed that there was indeed a mistake. But this was due to DOC moving the track many years ago but they have yet to update their GPS data with the change. So one day the app will get fixed. I sure hope no other NOBOs fall into that trap.
After six exciting months of living out of my backpack and 107 days of Trail walking – what do I think?
Tough question as the experience was so huge.
Fitness: I did a lot of walking – to some people two or more hours of walking each day is a lot, prior to starting the TA. But my fitness now is exponentially better. Of course walking 6 to 10 hours every day with a heavy pack should make a difference.
When I was in my twenties I walked the 96km from Waihi to Hamilton – without a pack. That took 2 days and I could barely walk for a week after it. So the six months of training certainly prepared me for the 90 mile beach challenge. My body was ready for it. Oh and there is no way I could have walked the 96km in 24 hours in my 20s. The pain was excruciating even with that Waihi trip spread over two days.
A few days after I started the walk I was really struggling to walk up any hill. This was very serious when I got to TeKuiti and took two days off – I really needed the rest. Now hills of 1000m or more are not difficult – they just take time.
Health – Blisters: The first day of walking from Mercer, back in September, I had brand new shoes. After a few steps I was in long wet grass. My socks were wet within minutes. Of course all my training walks were with dry socks so by the end of that first day I had four blisters. Two on each foot in exactly the same places. They didn’t get very bad as I knew how to deal with them so they were not an issue.
When I got to Hanmer Springs I noticed a sensitive spot at the base of my tail bone. It was really hard to see what was there in a mirror so I took a heap of photos till I got one clear enough. It was another blister. I had done some downhill running that day and the pack had been rubbing. I had issues in that area several times from the pack rubbing the area but nothing serious.
Chaffing: When I started I got some chaffing in my butt area but the 3D ointment I carried sorted it out. By the time I got to the South Island I only needed it if I was walking 40km or more in a day. By the end I walked the 90 mile beach without needing it till after I finished. Magic stuff that 3D.
Shine Splints: Walking down the highway to Tongariro Holiday Park I noticed the first signs of my left shin hurting. I didn’t notice it at all as I walked the Round the Mountain track. But the road walk from the ski field down to Ohakune nearly crippled me. That left shin was really painful. I caught a bus to Wanganui and stayed with a friend for a week and visited a physio. I also got a compression sleave for it. After a week it was fine and no problems since.
Other Health: Gut health became a big concern from about halfway down the South Island. Until then I felt free to eat and drink practically anything without having to worry about getting sick. Then we (Dennis and I) were camping one night and I drank some water straight from a stream in an area where cattle were grazing. I immediately realised how foolish that was as the repercussions of a dose of Giardia could be really severe. After that I was much more vigilant in treating all stream water from areas where cattle were grazing. I used Aquatab tablets to treat the water. They were simple, light and effective.
I had no other stomach related issues apart from an insatiable appetite. I seemed to be able to consume at least three times more food than normal.
Mentally: There is something about the life style of thru hiking that is addictive. I guess it is the constant presence of the big goal which is broken down into small daily goals that are relatively easily achieved. So each morning I would wake up, eat breakfast, pack up and simply walk to the next destination. Most nights I was in bed by 8.00pm then up at 6 and away at 7. So I was getting heaps of sleep which seems to be important.
The People: I stayed with a lot of Trail Angels most of whom would not accept any payment for the bed, food, shelter and company they provided. Some of them had walked all or part of the Trail and were repaying the kindness they had experienced. The Trail Angels add an incredible dimension to the experience. They were all wonderful people.
Other walkers were a little thin on the ground although there were brief encounters with walkers going in the opposite direction. It was always fun to share stories and compare notes when I met other hikers. I was so fortunate to meet up with Dennis who walked with me from south of Hanmer Springs to Bluff. Thanks Dennis for your great company and your help with all those river crossings. His wife, Dorothy, who was following our journey in their motorhome, was also wonderful.
The Trail: The TA Trail is not easy. It is in fact a whole bunch of separate tracks connected by a lot of road walks. The quality of the track does vary a lot. Some of it is really well kept and easy to follow while other sections are rough with lots of the track markers missing. With so few walkers the well worn groove in the ground from lots of walkers was far better defined in parts of the South Island compared to the North Island where the grasses grow so much faster. Many walkers complain about the road walking and some even choose to hitch-hike trough those sections. I actually didn’t mind the roads. I could generally walk reasonably fast on them with a minimum of mental and physical effort.
Gear:
Pack: The Dan Durston pack was really good. It may not have been as comfortable as some brands, like the very popular Osprey, but it certainly had the right features to be well suited to the extended use it got. It now needs some minor repairs which I will be able to do with a needle and dental floss.
Shoes/socks: I went thru 4 pairs of hiking shoes from Number One Shoes. They were really good value at $50 to $80 a pair and they last well. They were very comfortable and light. I even got one pair replaced under warranty after 3 weeks when holes developed in the side walls. I’m very happy with the shoe choice. I always wore 2 pairs of socks – I thin inner pair and a thicker outer pair. The thinner pair lasted the whole journey from Mercer south although the holes in them at the end were really big. The outer socks I wore were Icebreaker. Thanks to their lifetime warranty I replaced them 4 times during the walk. I was really happy with the Icebreakers.
Walking Poles: I had a really good pair of walking poles and used them for the first month or two. Then I decided I preferred to have my hands free – I like walking with my hands in my pockets especially on cooler mornings. Also scrambling up/down really steep places was easier with empty hands. So for most of the journey the poles were strapped to the outside of my pack and were only used to pitch my tent. Then halfway down the South Island I realised I could save 500gm if I ditched the poles and replaced them with carbon fibre tent poles. That was a good change as the walking poles attached to my pack were constantly catching on low branches – the tent poles when folded up were much shorter.
Tent/Sleeping: The Dan Durston tent at 900gms was really good. I slept 16 nights in the tent during the 6 months. The tent is still in really good shape. My Exped inflatable mattress was really good as was my sleeping bag and liner.
Other: The rain jacket from Outdoor Research (Helium II) was more a wind jacket than a waterproof coat but was good enough for the job and it was extremely light. I accidentally left my beanie in a hut near Waiau Pass. Fortunately the next hut I came to, which had no occupants, had a nice knitted beanie looking very lost. I still have it. The only other item I lost was my hut sandals in the Richmond Ranges. They fell off my pack during a rest break without my noticing. I replaced them with cheap light jandals which were OK.
Planning/Preparation: I spent two years preparing for the Trail. This included food preparation, gear research and purchase plus training. I reckon this preparation really paid off. Sure I shed a kg or two of gear during the first month. Most hikers do.
The PLB I carried was one of the few items that was never used but I’m happy that I carried it.
The waist pouch that I only took off while showering and sleeping was excellent. It gave really quick access to my phone as well as allowing me to always have access to my PLB, torches, money and credit cards.
Technology:
Phone: My Huawei Mate 20 Pro that I purchased specifically for the trip because it has an excellent camera and it is waterproof. I soon found that the protective case that I got for it had the one disadvantage that when water got between the protective plastic cover and the phone screen then the phone was unusable. The phone was fine if it was then removed from the case as I did on 90 mile beach. The phone was my primary tool for navigation and recording my route, distance, elevation change etc each day. It was perfect for this and the TA App was used everyday. I can’t say enough good things about the TA App. Apart from the one glitch on the last day it was absolutely reliable and a joy to use. The photos I took with the phone camera were good. I also used the phone to write and post the blog each night.
When I was crossing one of the deeper estuaries in Northland my pouch, including the phone, got submerged briefly in salt water. That resulted in the loss of the super-fast charging function on the phone. Fortunately it still charges fast enough to be useable.
Powerbank: I used a 20,000mAHr Kuulaa unit. It is heavy but was very reliable and had enough juice to see me through the longer sections like the 9 day Richmond Ranges. It’s ability to fast charge my phone was really good too until that broke during the last week. That was a phone fault though. For shorter trips I’m keen to have the much lighter Nitecore 10,000AHr powerbank. Although they are expensive they apparently have one of the best power to weight densities available.
Torches: I carried a Nitecore NU25 head torch which at 25gms was really light and small but well up to the task. I only seriously night walked on the one night on 90 mile beach and this torch was absolutely up for the task. It was charged from my powerbank. As a backup I carried the Nitecore Tini 2 torch which is really small and light but surprisingly bright. Unfortunately it did not survive the dunking in the estuary. It looks like I’ll get it replaced under warranty.
Food: I spent a lot of time researching and preparing the food. I dehydrated and prepacked or vacuum packed 100 meals. This included the all important evening meals which were similar to what I mostly eat at home. Also included were breakfasts and snack packs. I had 55 evening meals left when I finished. Most of the breakfasts were uneaten as I went off eating oats after a couple of weeks. I’ll work on a separate write-up about the food.
What would change if I did it again: Not a lot. Much of the time I carried more clothes than I actually needed to use but was fortunate with the weather most of the time so they weren’t needed. Examples are a down jacket plus long johns. Should I leave them behind – probably not. Other than that there was not a lot in my pack at the end that I could have managed without. Maybe I could have had two 10,000mAHr powerbanks instead of one big one. Then I could have sent one of them ahead to where it would have been needed for longer sections.
What has changed: I have changed as a result of the long walk although it is not easy to define these changes. I feel that I am more confident in myself and what I can do. I am certainly more comfortable with my own company in the bush – in other words I’m very happy to tramp alone now.
Support: I was really fortunate to have the support of Len with the logistics. He couriered out the food for me as I needed it as well as providing transport to Mercer, Cape Reinga etc. Thank you Len.
Left to do: I have still to do the Tongariro to Whakahoro walk of 100km, then the Whakahoro canoe trip to Wanganui. Hopefully I’ll get them knocked off soon.
What Next: Save enough money to purchase a caravan and tow vehicle then live on the road for a few years. Hopefully I can get this organised within 12 months.
