It was a drizzly morning and didn't look like a great start for the backcountry crossing. The plan had been to go through Rainbow Station to get to Picton for the final ferry segment. A back up plan was to go on the Molesworth Road, but that journey usually requires two nights camping out.
Advice at the information site in town was that two segments of the Rainbow Road were closed, so James' idea of starting on Molesworth and cutting across on the Tarndale link didn't seem so great any longer.
Since the stations we go through are working farms (but with Department of Conservation rangers patrolling) one is only meant to camp at designated locations. I believe that meant the first day could be either 29km or 89km. Not wanting to fall to hubris, we opted for the conservative approach which meant we could even have lunch in town.
I stopped several times going up Jack's pass. The gradient and gravel were demanding and I lost mobile phone coverage, ending my streaming of ABC Newsradio.
It was a bit chilly on the other side of the pass, but it would get a lot worse overnight. My sleeping bag was cold to the touch and I filled up my bowl with water just to see.
Also, check out the hut. The donation box is on the other side of the fence so financial help for its preservation/restoration is more difficult!
Dinner was pasta, salmon with bits of bone and pesto. The pasta did take a little longer to took. We also used a fair bit of fuel to treat the water. I had my wristwatch set to a three minute countdown, which is what I normally use for Aeropress coffee. It turned out to be the recommended boiling time to treat the water, which was convenient.
Advice at the information site in town was that two segments of the Rainbow Road were closed, so James' idea of starting on Molesworth and cutting across on the Tarndale link didn't seem so great any longer.
Since the stations we go through are working farms (but with Department of Conservation rangers patrolling) one is only meant to camp at designated locations. I believe that meant the first day could be either 29km or 89km. Not wanting to fall to hubris, we opted for the conservative approach which meant we could even have lunch in town.
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| Monteiths pasta lunch |
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| Looking over the edge |
I stopped several times going up Jack's pass. The gradient and gravel were demanding and I lost mobile phone coverage, ending my streaming of ABC Newsradio.
It was a bit chilly on the other side of the pass, but it would get a lot worse overnight. My sleeping bag was cold to the touch and I filled up my bowl with water just to see.
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| Frosty panniers |
Dinner was pasta, salmon with bits of bone and pesto. The pasta did take a little longer to took. We also used a fair bit of fuel to treat the water. I had my wristwatch set to a three minute countdown, which is what I normally use for Aeropress coffee. It turned out to be the recommended boiling time to treat the water, which was convenient.
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