The weekend away in Ohakune

 Hi,

What an awesome weekend away.  Thank you for organising it, Mike.  You did so much ferrying of people to and fro - and all the driving up to Ohakune and back.  Phew!

I grew green gold!

Friday evening saw us collect Khemry from her house on The Terrace and Amy from Customhouse Quay before heading to Mana to collect Janine from her car (ready for drop off on Sunday night so she can hoon over Haywards and home without the bother of going back into town).

We were delayed two accidents on the way up.  One at Manakau made us detour into the hinterland to skirt around the main SH1.  Huge emergency services response.  I hope everyone was ok.  :-( (Edit: alas, not everyone was ok)

Peach teats!

Lovely drive up - the weather was so good.  Quite the karaoke car ride.  Hahah.  Stopped in Taihape for tea - and everything was closed. Even McDonalds. The only option was a pie at the bp.

Hmmmm.  Next time I will pack a sandwich rather than face that again.

We reached our accommodation, Grads Lodge at Ohakune, before 9pm.  Very nice, and it's always a relief to not have an extra 45 min drive around to Whakapapa like we usually do.  Crawled into bed and had a great sleep.  

Up at 6 to have brekkie by 7 and get away as soon as possible. Mike dropped us at the Mangatepopo road end.  This was the first time I have been here since they changed the parking to only allow 4 hours.  Most people use shuttle buses now.  But we were on the track by 9am, I think.

Tongariro Alpine crossing

We're ready!

Gorgeous weather and within 1 km I was regretting my choice of beanie for headwear.  Too hot for a beanie.  I needed a sun hat.  I was expecting pretty cool temperatures.  But really, apart from a small section towards the top when my hands were a little cool from the breeze, I was plenty warm enough.  Stayed in my tramping shirt the entire time.  I did have warm tramping trousers on though.  And gaiters.  They worked well on the scree.

Lots of sunscreen.

Almost at the top of the first steep part

In the first crater area

Top of the crossing

Halfway down the scree slope

Chatted away to Brenda a lot.  Turns out both of us have done quite a few similar things through the years.  Nice to meet her and get to know her.

Khemry had us posing all the way across the walk.  Hahah.  It took her 15 km to start discussing her dating life though.  She was telling me to whisper.  But the group passing us at the time laughed and said:  what goes on the track stays on the track.

They were up to listen to any gossip.  Made me and Khemry laugh lots.

Above Ketetahi

In the bushline

Lahar trails

And at the end

Finished at 1615.  Not too bad for time.  Amy and May beat us by 1.5 hours!  Wow.    Lovely walking company.  The best autumn weather.  Mike met us 20 mins up the track with cold drinks for everyone.  He is the best!

  

Back to National Park and we all hopped into Chrissy's van for the ride back to Ohakune while Mike went back for the last 3 punters at the road end.  He was on shuttle service.

Back at Grads and I had a shower and relaxed.  Everyone else had Blind Finch burgers and by all accounts they were scrumptious. Mike says it's his go-to place at Ohakune for dinner now.

Slept okay and up later than the day before.  Tidied up.  Mike ferried people to various bike rides and walks.  We planned a brunch!  :-D

Iced latte at OCR Cafe

We also did a stroll around the 'suburb' where Grads Lodge is located.  Lots of holiday places.  Interesting 1970s architecture.

Away from Ohakune at around 2pm.  Nice drive back without any traffic delays.  Straight back without much in the way of stops.  Z at Waiouru.  That was about it.  I think we had a toilet stop at Foxton.  Hahah.

We dropped Janine off at her car.  And then Khemry at her house and Amy at hers in Berhampore.  We then met up with Iona briefly in the Bluebridge ferry queue.  She was about to get loaded onto the ferry for her trip home after a weaving week.

Home and sorted.  Fed the cats.  Unpacked.  And into bed.  Hahah.

Great weekend.

Thank you.

Love,

Angela

The weekend with an awesome Tongariro Crossing

Hi,

What an incredible weekend.  We left work early on Friday and went to the Tabor house to collect Toby.  He was in the park so we drove around to the end of their street and collected him.  After a quick stop at home for his devices, we collected Vivienne from her house and we were off by 5pm.

We had a stop in Levin for groceries and a stop in Bulls for the best kebabs in the world according to Mike.

Kapiti Island looking stunning

Angela looking less than stunning, more like sleepy or startled

Mike got a migraine at Paraparaumu so I took over driving.  Poor Mike.  Poor Vivienne too as she had to listen to me singing all the way.  She was kind enough to call it an education.  But I think she'd rather have stayed ignorant of 99% of it.  She did perk up when Jethro Tull came on.

We got into the lodge just after 10pm.  Not too bad.  Unloaded, found a bed and I was asleep pretty fast.  Up early and breakfasted and away to collect Mary from the Chateau.

Mike dropped us off at the Mangetepopo end, and I went with Kirsty in her car.  There were 6 of us doing it.  Jo, Julie, Mary, Vivienne, Kirsty and me.  I work with Jo, Julie and Mary.  Kirsty was a Meetup ring-in and a jolly marvellous companion for our walk.

New signs since my last visit.  It was flashing green.

Ngauruhoe is an awesome backdrop

Up the devils staircase

Top of the devil's staircase

Love my shadow - and it has feet.

Selfie at the top of the Devils staircase

Selfie with Mary

Selfie in the red crater

All my selfie faces look the same.  I need lessons from Aidan or Andrew.  They have both perfected the selfie that doesn't look like a selfie.

Halfway up the next steep section

Almost up to the top of the walk

Julie has a V for victory

Lunch spot - awesome view, eh?

Jo had the comment of the day at lunch.  She pushed the sleeves of her t-shirt up and said she'd get a much better tan here because she was closer to the sun.

The weather was amazing.  Hardly any wind at all, and if we did feel it, it was a cool breeze that assisted us.

Selfie at the top with the crater behind me

There were loads of people doing the walk with us.  Probably close to 1000 people.  That is just a random guess.  But the scree slope held up quite a few of the walkers.  We passed two people going down on their bottoms.

Lake behind me

Selfie with the lakes

Selfie with Jo

Vivienne checks out where she's been

I found the last 3.5 km from Ketetahi Hut hard.  My boots were squashing my feet.  I did end up with a blister on one toe but it is the ball of my foot that hurts the most.  I need new boots.  My mission is to find a light tramping boot now.  Disappointed with these Hi-Tec ones.

Next time I am packing sneakers for the downhill part.  I did appreciate the boots in the scree though.

The end!

 We finished at 4.30pm.  Or was it 5pm.  Somewhere around there.  I do have the stats from my phone but unfortunately I forgot to turn it off when I got in the car so my top speed was 102 km/hr.  Hahahah.

Don't pay attention to the vertical blue line at the end.  Hahahah.

My feet the next morning.  Mt Taranaki poking out of the clouds in the far, far distance

However, I am not disappointed with my sandals.  And my nail polish stayed on through the hammering of 5 km of downhill walking.  That's good nail polish.

Close up of Mt Taranaki

Saturday night we popped into the pub after dropping Mary off at her car for her drive back to Taupo where her holiday is still going.  We ate there and went back tot he lodge and I was in bed as soon as possible,  Had the best sleep.

Up to tidy the next morning and away to Wellington.  We stopped at Brown Sugar Cafe in Taihape and had a great vegetable frittata.  Then stopped at Levin for a play in the adventure park.

Back home by 4pm and ironing and dinner sorted.  Toby walked to the dairy to get some milk for us.  Good kid.

My ride in this morning was god fun.  Dry roads.  My legs are reminding me that I did walk 20 km at the weekend though.  Oops.

Have a wonderful week.

Love,
Angela