Brydone to Gore (14 miles/22.54 kms)

Ok, so I did hear two trains go by last night and then one this morning. All were fairly short, maybe 10-12 cars. The first one startled me out of my sleep and at first I didn’t remember where is was and it was rather funny. Overall I slept well, as I usually do since I am very comfortable in my tent and sleeping gear.

My goal for the day was to end up someplace where I could have a shower because the humidity has been a little, actually a lot, oppressive and leaving me feeling soaked in sweat day and night. I had several people tell me that this weather was rather unusual and generally it is much cooler and not so humid. That figures, my luck!

I started about 8:30 with the goal to make it to Gore. Traffic was fairly busy at first and then seemed to slow down a few hours later, probably commute traffic earlier. It was cool in the morning and then began to get hot, with that continued humidity, after a few hours.

I have to admit that I struggle again as the day got hotter and I found myself taking breaks every few miles. Fortunately there were no steep inclines, however, since Invercargill the road has been steadily going uphill. Looking at the road it appears level but it had a gain of about 600 to 800 feet in elevation every day. I know that it typically takes me about ten days to two weeks to get in a rhythm, but it’s still a little frustrating, especially with the weight and weather. I know that if I ran into these same conditions two or three weeks from now I’d push through it much easier.

I went through my three 48 oz bottles of water within the first five miles. I knew I didn’t have enough water this morning so I didn’t make my usual oatmeal breakfast. Luckily I came to Mataura and got three more liters of water and orange juice. By the time I got to Gore nine miles later they were almost gone too. I usually never drink sodas, but I was so thirsty that I was craving something sweet, and stopped and had another liter of diet Sprite. When I finally got to the motel I immediately drank the two bottles of water, and bottle of milk, in the room refrigerator. Yes, and I never, ever, drink milk! This makes me realize that it wasn’t just my imagination with the heat troubling me. When I trekked through the desert to Canada I carried almost two gallons of water with me, but I didn’t think I needed to do that here?

The hotel is actually past the center of Gore, and about one mile from the route. It is a very nice place, but, and it was a big but, it didn’t have ac. I had just pictured myself laying on the bed with the ac on full blast. Instead, I took a cold shower and laid on the bed and started sweating again. Yuk!

I was to lazy to walk the two miles back to town and get all sweaty to get dinner, so I broke out my stove and had one of the freeze dried meals. I washed all my sweat soaked clothes in the shower and I have them hanging all over the room, but with the humidity I am not so sure they’ll dry.

And now it’s starting to rain fairly hard, which is the forecast for tomorrow. I am not complaining, and actually laughing about it because that’s part of trekking and the adventure. I take them as they come!

Best wishes to all,

Ted

Please excuse the typos, spelling, grammar, etc., as I am typing this on my phone.

Now you see why it takes me so long to pack in the morning