Mitre Flats - There and Back

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MITRE FLATS -- THERE & BACK Kara Lipski This was my first tramping trip in New Mitre Flats. I estimate that I'm only half Zealand in over 14 years. I had to start way by the time I've drunk all my water somewhere and the E/M tramp to Mitre supply (about 600 mls). I'm feeling very Flats seemed the best way to do it. hot and thirsty and make a comment to Murray that it would be ironic ifI end up My last venture into the bush was in 1974 with heat stroke when I'm doing my best when I attempted to tramp the route to avoid hypothermia. along the northern coast line of Stewart Island. I got as far as Maori Beach before I get the feeling that M&M are doing their the boots which I thought I had broken in, best to keep me moving. I'm starting to crippled me. However, the 2 weeks stay slow down and every steep climb, however on the beach, close to a camp of forestry short it might be, is taking a lot of effort. track workers was very worthwhile and (I remember looking at one set of "steps" did wonders for my fitness level and for a couple of minutes before realising tolerance of the privations of day to day that a leg had to move before I would get bush living. Now, at age 35, I'm anywhere). Another spur! I've lost count attempting to return to the joys (???) of by now. Did the people who cut this track tramping. realise that they could have gone across the tops? - not up and down dale. Friday afternoon: Probably near the end of the track but I 4:00 pm - Disappearing out the office door have this overwhelming desire to sit down to echoes of "shall we have the SAR and not move. The only thing stopping me helicopter on stand-by?" form uttering these thoughts out loud is the embarrassment of having someone 5:20 pm - Hurrying out the door for the else possibly carry my pack. We finally bus - coffee is still sitting on the table arrive at the swing bridge. Murray asks where I carefully put it an hour ago (so I me ifI've been on one before. Yes Murray, wouldn't forget it). no problem - (when I was 10 years old). Actually crossing over is quite fun. The Sometime Friday night: notice about limiting use to one person at a time doesn't exactly instill confidence Truck arrives at the jump-off point in the though. Wairarapa. (Please Marshall - let us sleep in the truck!) 1:00 pm (or thereabouts can't remember) - Debbie meets me at the porch of the hut Saturday morning: with home-made biscuits but I haven't the energy to do anything except look. My 9:15 am - Set offi in pursuit of Lyn, Dianne priorities right at this moment are more and Debbie. It becomes very clear that I water, dry clothes and my sleeping bag. I won't be able to keep up with them. The don't move for the next few hours. first climb already has my lungs working overtime, and I find out very quickly that Saturday night: many more spurs are waiting to be crossed. Other people pass me and soon We manage to cook someone's towel while disappear. Marshall and Murray stay dinner is cooking. Smoke fills the hut and with me for the duration of the trek in to the towel is thrown outside - its still smoldering next morning. Dinner is great but I can't eat much - I'm still feeling a bit fazed. a à C * a a a S : 43 aaset a La # E a a

Sunday morning: Sunday evening: I feel much more energetic and take up 6:00 pm - Arrive in Wellington in time to Marshall's suggestion that I leave ahead see my bus disappear. Rather than wait of the others so that I will arrive at the another hour in the cold (and it feels truck in time. I have no doubt that colder here than it was in the bush), I everyone in the E/M group will pass me on walk home. the track (which they do), but I'm not going to allow the F's to get anywhere 7:00 pm - The cat disappears as I walk in near me. The trek out to the truck is the door - he still doesn't like the sound of great. I'm going at a slow easy pace, my boots. Oh well, he'll just have to put enjoying the scenery. I finally arrive at up with it - I'm too tired to take them off the truck in slightly less time than the inward trip took, but feeling like I could P.S. Although I cancelled my walk further. participation in the trip for the following weekend, I intend to complete 4 more (easy) trips before the end of this year. I'm hooked. S

- a slesils oft gatey d # E * a * S e A d e