26 Feb 2018

A Tumble in the Tararuas

From The Long Way Home, 2:00 pm on 26 February 2018

Bruce Hopkins wants to take his dad and brother's ashes back home to Rakiura/Stewart Island. He’s just taking the long way to get there. The long, long way. 

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This man (Sean McCarthy) will rescue and return lost cameras -- maybe just the once Bruce!

This man (Sean McCarthy) will rescue and return lost cameras -- maybe just the once Bruce! Photo: Bruce Hopkins

Bruce Hopkins Trail Diary - Week 19

10 February - 16 February 2018.

Palmerston North - Wellington via the Tararua Tops

"Sean McCarthy found my GoPro ... Sean brings it to me from Feilding, just astounding!

 "When I'm coming down out of the tops ... that's when it'll start crackin's up. Which'll be okay.  I'll probably get drenched, but I'll be out of those exposed tops.

 "It's not even so much the rain, or even the potential snow at this time of year, but more the wind

" Selfish! ... you're displaying qualities that kind of go against what you're doing [as a walker on the Te Araroa trail].  You know? You ... bl***y hell, pull your head in.

"I've just emerged from the forest once again and into the tussock ... Mt Crawford that I climb tomorrow is looming ...

Most of the way along Te Araroa...

Most of the way along Te Araroa... Photo: Bruce Hopkins

"The forest is magical , the layers of moss and lichen ... the gnarly, gnarly trunks and branches  ... Now I'm up on the peaks. ... I had no idea how vast these Tararua's were.

"Whew. What took place this morning up there on Mt Crawford .... is going to take a while to sink in I think - how close I came to not being here anymore."   

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