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32.5km, 8 hours
Day fifty. Can I laugh and also congratulate myself. Minus 4 rest days so technically over 46 days I've walked 1120 kilometers averaging 8 hours a day. How does your body sustain this?!!? Anyways I'll never know but I'm proud.
Apart from the beautiful 10km of absolute gorgeous flat, green mossy forest alongside one of the clearest rivers I've ever seen, today was probably the most underwhelming day on the TA.
This is probably my fault because i refused to hitch hike the 20km of dirt farm road but I wanted another big day.
Last night was probably the best sleep on the TA. You know when you're rugged up in a tent and it's blowing a gale outside but you're safe and sound inside while listening to the lake water lap the shore. That was me, cosy in my quilt cocoon.
Rather than share the boringness of 20km road walk, I'll share my day 50 reflections because I'll tell you, walking for hours on a road, in freezing wind and rain gives you time to think. A lot of time.
The most amusing part of my day was when cars would drive past and you give them that casual courtesy wave as an acknowledgement. Yep so i did that to every car. The problem was this one farmer in his Ute came past 6 times. And every time I'd wave like I'd never seen him before then we'd both laugh when i recognized who he was. 6 times!!!
What I've learnt about myself on the TA:
• Patience and how much i have of it (thanks to the boys on trail)
• determination - there is no, no or maybe, i will do it or get to it.
• will chat to anyone. And somehow can chat to anyone.
• i want everyone to feel included and happy
• i hate being told I can't do something by someone else- let me decide that for nomyself, don't make that decision for me.
• mental strength - on the long days i can go and go and go because i know that somewhere in me, i have the strength. I probably could walk all day and night if it wasn't for my legs stopping me.
• challenge - loves one.
• adventure - I'd rather not look at a map or notes because i want an unknown adventure. I want to deal with whatever happens. Even if it means getting lost.
• hates plans! - hate being locked into something. I need flexibility because you just never know what opportunities or side adventures may pop up.
• risk taker - i think I may lack the rational part in your brain that thinks about consequences. I just do it and I'll deal with whatever whenever.
• great judge of character.
• being able to bring a bunch of strangers together as a family brings me joy.
• i think I am less frustrated on thru-hikes because you don't know how far you are from the end. There is always more to walk.
After 32km today i had enough walking. I was so absolutely done. Ivan was miles ahead and i think Laura was too having taken the road from the start and not the forest. They wanted to go to Princhester hut which would have been at 50km+ day and today wasnt the day. Instead David, Conny and I have all just stopped and set up camp down the bank off the road in someone's property.
We all just took a nap in the sun before the freezing showers coming through forcing us to quickly put up tents.
And finally on my 50th dinner i cooked a winner. Mushroom risotto with salami. I cold soaked the risotto for an hour before cooking to speed up the process. As i sat here delighting in my meal a beautiful big rainbow appeared over the farmland. Couldn't have been more fitting.
And the best part about this day, the cold forced us into our tents and in bed by 7pm. Gave me a chance to sit in my tent and look at all my belongings and how good theybe been and got me through. Also realized when I'm in a tent is how little you actually need to survive and the most important things are actually the people out in the tents beside you.
Ren x
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