Over the last few months, I have undertaken the Body for Life programme, with minimal effect on my body fat. I have been back mountain biking, doing weights, eating 6 balanced meals a day and keeping busy.
I was hoping to have lost body fat before our big trip. It didnt happen, so I did it anyway. I have such an amazing playmate in Brent, I cant help but be enthusiastic about life!!
In the centre of the North Island of NZ sits the Tongariro range. Between Mount Ngarahoe and Mount Ruapehu lies a track. Well not exactly a track, more a series of marker sticks across some random terrain. Incorporating the Tongaro Crossing, one of the most spectacular day walks in NZ, this was my biggest challenge to date.
Day one we donned our packs (mine weighed 17kilos and was tied up so tight at my hips it created the most specacular muffin top I have worn in some time). We set out for a walk through sub alpine scrub for 3.5 hours to Mangetepopo hut, which sits directly below the Tongariro Crossing. Being a gym bunny and cyclist, I was not used to walking for so long, and by the time I reached the hut my hips and knees were as stiff as a rusty hinge and my feet were screaming for mercy. I managed to throw some dried out pasta stuff together, cook it, and woof it down, before we hit our top bunk in the hut and proceeded to completely conk out.
Before this trek, I decided sleep would be of the utmost importance, so bought some ear plugs. Funny thing was, it was me that snored that night, and all nights!!
The second day was very wet, overcast, and visibility was very low. The weather forecast was for light showers and clearing in the afternoon. We decided that if we set off then visibility would be so much better by the time we climbed the "Devils staircase"
Ok the Devils staircase is exactly as the name described. A huge rock face, with no path to speak of but it just goes up and up and up. to be honest, if I had known where the top was and seen how far I had to climb that day, I never would have bothered. But visibility was poor, very poor, so in my ignorance I climbed. Brent led the way and kept a manageable pace. I found it extremely scary scrambling up big rocky faces with 17 kilos on my back, affecting my balance but like the nutter I think now I might be, I kept going...up up up.
Wow at the top it was like being on the moon!! We reached a crater it seems. The weather closed in worse and got wetter and windier. We plonked through the ankle deep puddles to another rock face. As we climbed, we noticed a family of Asian people standing about talking to other trampers in front of us. When we reached them we noticed the mother was in a state of panic. It seems she was suffering from hypothermia, the family all clothed lightly and in JEANS!!! with what I can only describe as light sneakers on. Mums jacket was flapping in the wind.
What was upsetting the mother? She was cold. Hypothermic in fact. And frightened to go up the ridge, or down the hill. Brent invited them to follow us, but 5 minutes into our climb, I knew that the weather was turning into a blizzard, the family were in no way equipped to do hard ridge climbing in stormy conditions, and the mother was deteriating. I was insensed!! They were going to kill us all!!
I threw them a survival blanket, yelled at the mother to do her jacket up and walk FAST down the hill till she got to the bottom. I left them behind with a survival blanket, and told other trampers going down, to watch after them. I heard later than two people were rescued off that hill that day. Im guessing it was the mum and someone else in the family.
We continued up the ridge. The ridge is so thin that you could easily lose footing and go over into the crater or down the rock fact on the other side. As we literally crawled up the ridge, the wind battered us from the side. It raged on at around 60km/hr, battering us from the east as we tried to move up the ridge. I have to say I have NEVER known exhaustion like it!!! I was so fatigued, and cold I crawled behind a rock and cried. Thank God for Brent. He gave me chocolate, I opened my pack and grabbed another layer of clothing to put on under my jacket, and after 5 minutes of rest, we continued up the ridge against the battering rain, hail and wind.
I was just feeling so intrepid, and pathetic at the same time, and what do you think I saw? Some mountain runners. Dressed in shorts, a t shirt, and running shoes. RUNNING!!! Flying over the ridge like it was nothing!!! Here I am having the most dramatic moment of my life and these guys literally flying over the ridge, smiling and warning us that it was "a bit exposed up the hill"
God I laughed!!! Stuffed, cold, and frightened, I felt like such a twit!!! It gave me a surge of energy to get over the top and down the soft scree down the other side. Such a memorable day!!
We continued over the next crater, up another ridge and down down down a zig zag hill to the next Hutt. When we arrived, wet, bedgraggled, and slightly hypothermic we noticed only 6 people were there. I found out the next day that everyone else had either decided not to chance it, or turned back. I feel REALLY intrepid now!
Day three and the sun was shining like no ones business. We had wet socks, wet shoes, wet coats and wet packs. Undeterred, we set off, climbing up the hill for the first 2 hours. We met a lot of people who, bolstered by the fine crisp morning, were crossing the ridge in peace, taking in the views and strolling like they didnt have a care in the world. What a different day!!!
We headed down past the Emerald lake, and descended down a HUGE lava flow from the 1950s into what I can only describe as a scene from lost in space. I had to laugh....danger Will Robinson...danger!!! A mercifully flat surface for the next hour took us into a scene from the beach. Big sand dunes, and lots of them. By lunch time, like an Oasis in the desert we discovered the next hut.
Because we decided this was going to be a 4 day tramping trip, we only lunched in this sand dune Oasis, woffing down instant mash and pasta (revolting but a good carb hit for the super athlete) and set off for our last 3 hours to the Hut we would be sleeping in. What an amazing transformation of scenery in that three hours!!! From sand dunes, to scoria hills (and lots of them) to this amazing Alpine garden complete with pebble paths and then into native NZ bush, and river. It was such a treat, I didnt realise I was so exhausted till we had to go uphill an hour before the end. After 8 hours of walking, we finally reached our destination, which by the time we got there my feet felt like I was walking on knives and my hips needed a damned good oiling!! After a wee sleep, and a laugh with the other trampers, we sat by the river and contemplated our next day.
The last day was the most glorious day of the lot. Easy undulating terrain, soft on the poor knackered feet. Just 5 and a half hours of walking, climbing, descending and wondering how many damn ridges there could be. Then we saw it....the big Oasis!!! The building right next to where our car was parked!! I could see Mount Egmont, over 100km in the distance, the mountains around me, the Whakapapa village and the end. I still cant believe we had two hours to walk yet to finish!! My feet were in so much pain by now every step was excruciating, every movement a force of willpower and every minute a torture. The worst part of that day was the driveway to the car. By then I was praying for a wheelchair!!!
It was done!!! 48 kilometers, 4 days, many hills, river beds, rocks and sand!! For the next two days, I could barely walk, my left foot swollen and pained and my knees stiff and unable to bend for stair descending.
But you know what? I will do it again. It was a part of NZ you would never see by road, and it was a challenge that taught me just how mentally tough I am.
I may never get to my perfect weight goal, but life is not on hold!!! Live for today!! Tomorrow is just around the corner!
