Staveley to Rakaia Gorge Camp Ground (20.00 miles/32.20 kms)

Woke up this morning and it had not rained, and I was grateful. Things were a little damp but not as soaking wet as the last two days. Everything being drier, especially the tent, made it easier and quicker to pack up.

It was 52 degrees and the sky was partially cloudy, and the forecast was for rain so I put the rain cover on the Wheelie and placed my rain gear where I could get it quickly.

I had heard the beautiful sound of the running river all night long and the sound still soothed me this morning. It was yet another one of those mornings where I could just have stay wrapped in my warm cozy sleeping bag and read all day.

I actually started early, around 8:00, to an almost empty road. I passed to turnoff for Mount Somers, where there is a big tourist attraction for the site where some of the Lord of the Rings trilogies were filmed. The tours can cost up to $300. I liked the movies, but I’ll pass.

I had had breakfast, but two miles down the road in Staveley I came upon the Staveley Store and Cafe. It is the only business in town but it’s hard not to stop at those cute little place in the middle of nowhere because many times you find interesting and good food. This was one of those places that looked like it was run by a wife and husband. Husband making the food and the mom chasing the little toddler girl from out of the back room. Not to disappoint, there was a long list of coffees, teas and drinks. An assortment of fresh baked goods. I am not really a coffee drinker so I ordered a tia chi coffee thinking maybe it wasn’t a really coffee drink and something healthy. Is it? I don’t know, but it was good!

It was hard not to indulge in one of the baked goods knowing in an hour of hard trekking I’d be carving it. Ok, one of those swirly sticky things to go. Oh wait a minute, on second thought, could you heat it up and I’ll eat it now. Butter with it? No, I generally don’t add or use butter, so you better give me two!

Stop at those small places and you’ll get bits and pieces about the area. There was a curling stone holding the door open. Wow, who didn’t fall in love with that stupid Curling sport during the Olympics? I did! So there it was, all the way from Scotland, holding the door open. But because there hasn’t been cold enough weather here in four years to freeze the water, the owner said, the local skating rink hasn’t been open. The owner added, global warming!

So half an hour later I am back on the road and seeing the black ominous clouds coming over the mountains and waiting for the rain. It was like that all day but it never came today. The beautiful looking top of Mount Hutt obscured by the thick clouds cleared for a few moments and you could see a sprinkling of white snow on the top. Then I saw a picture at the Alford Forest Hall display showing the whole area under snow. Must be a snow area.

I crossed several rivers, and with great joy, two one way bridges again. They were rather short and wide enough that cars slowly passed me on the bridges. I am more concerned about the drivers of the numerous motorhomes, which were scientifically surveyed by me as being one out of every ten cars on the road. With many of those foreign drivers coming from countries with right hand drives they might forget which side of the road to drive on. Almost every motor camp has a sign at their exit that states, “look right and stay left.” I know, why do those Kiwis, Brits and Japanese have to be different (sorry Kiwis).

The weather was really nice for trekking as it never got over the fifties. It was almost too cold, as I always want it a perfect 65-67 degrees. But even in the cool weather I was sweating profusely as I had my rhythm going today.

The road for the last four days has been a steady, but very slight incline. Not something you’d notice in a car but something I can feel pulling that 75-80 pound Wheelie. Today the incline was much more noticeable and had me working. Once I find my rhythm uphills usually don’t slow me down, even if they are long, so long as they are steady and not the constant ups and downs.

I had planned to find a place today that had showers, and I was hoping to make it to the Rakaia Gorge and the camp ground there. I was making good time and might have been there by 3:00, but I ran into two woman bicyclists (age 30) from Switzerland and stopped to talk with them. They just started two days ago and did not seem experienced. One had a rented bike. They were not sure where to stay or which way to go. I gave them some directions and a few motor camps to stay, especially the one at Moeraki, which is owned by a nice Swiss couple. They were very thankful. Even though they seemed a little nervous about their adventure, I have to take my hat off to anyone that goes after something that challenges them.

The last few miles before the decent into the Rakaia Gorge there was a long steady uphill climb of about two miles. Once at the top it drops down at a steep 8 degree grads. The view from the top is spectacular as you can see miles up into the mountain range from where the river is flowing. The color of the river water is so blue that it almost looks artificial.

I stopped at a view point and took some photos and saw a young man with an actual camera. I told him that it looks like he knew how to take pictures, so can you take one of me? And of course he did, and funny thing was that he was from Bend, Oregon.

Sam is twenty-four and just graduated from college and got a one year visa to work in New Zealand. He will start working on a farm picking apples at about $15 per hour, or $28 a basket. Then he will move on to another job, all the time enjoying his mountain bike and skis he brought with him. This is fairly typical fir many foreign young people, using the opportunity to explore and see the country.

As it turned out Dam was staying at the same Rakaia Gorge Camp Ground. Sam parents met here, she bring from Japan, and he being from Oregon. His parents hiked together, and when she went home she found out she was pregnant with Sam. His mother came to the States and got married to his dad, and they have been married every since. His parents had always told him what a great place NZ is, so he wanted to experience it himself.

I checked into the Rakaia Gorge Camp Ground and got a spot next to an old trailer. I was hoping to get one, but there are no cabins or trailer for rent here. This is a basic camp ground with no electrical facilities. There are showers, which is all I wanted tonight. There is no store nearby, the closest being in Methven, about 15 miles away. No close cafe, so it was a freeze dried meal for dinner.

When I was setting up my tent Sam came over and chatted with me, and later at night I went over and visited him at his camp site. I found him to be a very nice young man and I was excited to hear about the adventure he has planned. I guess even though we are greatly different in our ages, we have something in common, and that is we are here for our own adventures.

Tomorrow I will have to trek out of the gorge by going up the steep hill in the other direction. Uphill on first thing in the morning when it’s cool is much better than at the end of the day.

My goal is to make it to Glentunnel, where there is a motor camp. I would like a cabin so it will give me more time to relax and to wash my clothes. I look foreword to seeing what tomorrow brings.

Best wishes to all,

Ted

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