Day 101: I Walk This Lonely Road
January 19, 2020
Kilometers: 2442.0-2478.4
Twizel Holiday Park to Freehold Stream
I wasn’t particularly in a rush this morning but still found myself on the trail at 7:45. It was a perfect temperature as the sun sat low in the sky but I knew that would change in a matter of hours. I began walking on a path parallel to the highway.
I soon reached Lake Ruataniwha. I turned away from the highway and walked next to the lake. I saw some more salmon farms and this time snagged a pic.
The gravel road took me the length of the lake. I was the only one on the road, no bikes, no cars, no other hikers. At the end of the lake I began following a river upstream.
The trail then led away from the stream and the next 10kms to Lake Ohau were honestly pretty boring. I had gone through most of the podcasts I downloaded and I was just tired of walking on flat surfaces with no view.
After about an hour and a half the river reappeared and soon Lake Ohau. At this point the sun was high in the sky and temperature began to rise. I turned onto a path that led around the lake.
Not long after walking on the path I stopped for lunch. The short bushes with no trees around meant it was nearly impossible to find some shade to sit in. I sat up against a dirt wall right on the trail as it created a small shady area big enough for half my body. I ate for and relaxed for thirty minutes. I could tell I didn’t have my normal amount of energy after yesterday’s huge day.
The next 14kms were on the path that took me around half the lake. There were some motor boats out on the water including a few people water skiing. It made me want to be on my Uncle Mitch and Aunt Lisa’s boat on Candlewood lake sipping a Busch latte.
The path eventually lead back to a paved road. I walked on it for awhile before needing another break. I sat down in the shade of a tree for thirty minutes, wanting to take a nap but knowing that would make it even harder to finish the day.
After a few more kms I turned off the paved road and onto the track I’ll be walking for the next few days. It took me uphill into a grassy area and I was thrilled. I was finally off of roads and flat terrain. My body felt kind of rejuvenated. The roads are just draining.
It wasn’t long after this that I reached the creek I’d be camping at. I found a spot just big enough for my small tent and set it up.
I took a bath and better organized my food. For dinner I had a TA classic, rice and salami with a pita. As I ate and washed my dishes the sandflies swarmed me. I quickly retreated to my tent. For the rest of the night I watched some Netflix shows I had downloaded.
Tomorrow the plan is to catch up to Charlie and Peter. A 32km day will get me to the hut they’ll be staying at. I’ve definitely enjoyed the freedom of hiking alone the last few days but am gonna be happy to reunite the team.