RTM, part one
I decided to spend my days off this week in the park, walking the other major track in the park, the round the mountain track. It is a little longer, more rugged, and less traveled than the northern circuit (along which the huts we staff are located) so looked like a good adventure. Most people take 4-5 days to complete the track, but after some map research I decided I could do it in 2. Long days, but totally doable.
So on Wednesday morning, I met Jimmy to hand in my radio, money, etc and let him know my plan. He was very skeptical, though, and managed to convince me that I was underestimating the track. So I accepted his offer of a ride to a trailhead about halfway around later that afternoon. I had 2 hours in Turangi, during which time I managed to shower, do laundry (line-dried even), visit the library, do all my grocery shopping for the following week, and pack everything for my 2-day hike as well as my next 5-day shift. Whew! I guess I did learn something on the PCT last summer...
Less than 30 min from the carpark, I was cruising along the trail when I suddenly found myself on all fours on the ground. There was a loud crunching noise, a sharp pain in my left ankle, and me shouting some choice words. I shortly determined that the crunching was the rocks underfoot not any bones, so picked myself up and carried on with a more careful stride. It was still sore in the evening, but didn't look swollen or anything so I figured it would be fine in a day. That was before I stepped off it another, oh, maybe 5 times the following day. So by the time I got to waihohonu on thursday afternoon, it was about twice the size of my right and had developed a nice purple shadow... although it's hard to distinguish bruising from dirt, quite frankly.
Anyway, the track was great and Jimmy was wrong. I ended up hardly hiking at all on Wednesday and still finished by 430p on Thursday. But it was a great track - started out in a forest, then spent lots of time in really barren rocky terrain. The weather left a little to be desired - clouds blocked my views, the wind quite literally blew me off my feet a few times and made a few of the swing bridges a big more adventurous than intended, and I was wet for more than half of the day thursday... but I didn't get swept away by a lahar (volcanic mudslide) and i got to see another side of the park.
So on Wednesday morning, I met Jimmy to hand in my radio, money, etc and let him know my plan. He was very skeptical, though, and managed to convince me that I was underestimating the track. So I accepted his offer of a ride to a trailhead about halfway around later that afternoon. I had 2 hours in Turangi, during which time I managed to shower, do laundry (line-dried even), visit the library, do all my grocery shopping for the following week, and pack everything for my 2-day hike as well as my next 5-day shift. Whew! I guess I did learn something on the PCT last summer...
Less than 30 min from the carpark, I was cruising along the trail when I suddenly found myself on all fours on the ground. There was a loud crunching noise, a sharp pain in my left ankle, and me shouting some choice words. I shortly determined that the crunching was the rocks underfoot not any bones, so picked myself up and carried on with a more careful stride. It was still sore in the evening, but didn't look swollen or anything so I figured it would be fine in a day. That was before I stepped off it another, oh, maybe 5 times the following day. So by the time I got to waihohonu on thursday afternoon, it was about twice the size of my right and had developed a nice purple shadow... although it's hard to distinguish bruising from dirt, quite frankly.
Anyway, the track was great and Jimmy was wrong. I ended up hardly hiking at all on Wednesday and still finished by 430p on Thursday. But it was a great track - started out in a forest, then spent lots of time in really barren rocky terrain. The weather left a little to be desired - clouds blocked my views, the wind quite literally blew me off my feet a few times and made a few of the swing bridges a big more adventurous than intended, and I was wet for more than half of the day thursday... but I didn't get swept away by a lahar (volcanic mudslide) and i got to see another side of the park.
posted by bethany @ 2:37 PM
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