• Te Araroa Day 50
• Pureora to Piropiro – 40 km in 5 hours
• Food gifts: quite a few
• Dry feet day!

It was a pretty good sleep in the cabin, I got to put on dry clothes and shoes, and the luxury of a 9:45 start was amazing. I was ready half an hour early! I headed over to the Timber Trail car park and the shuttle vans began to roll in, carrying many an ebike. So many people on the same trail today – a real novelty when most of the time I see no one all day on Te Araroa trails. My left foot was pretty sore when I woke up so I’m glad two days of cycling will give them a rest.

Paul from Epic Adventures had my rental bike sorted and I swapped it for my pack liner full of most of my pack contents which he would take to tonight’s camp. The weather was a bit chilly and misty but I couldn’t stop grinning as I started off on the bike through the lush forest. I was too happy to worry about my lack of cycling shorts, or my 65 litre backpack! Also amongst the Epic group were two families, one with the mother towing their 10 month old in a trailer buggy and father taking their 3 year old on the mini seat behind his handle bars. How cool! The others were a mother and father, and their daughter and her partner.

The first section and main task for the day was climbing up to the highest point of the trail which is 971 metres above sea level. It was a lot more gentle than most climbs, until the top where there was the occasional more grunty or muddy bit. I thought the ebikers would zoom past early on, but it took an hour and a half for some to pass and I was almost at the top. Not bad, maybe some of this hiking fitness has transferred hopefully?

Towards the top there were DOC signs saying “you’re entering an alpine environment, make sure you are prepared”. I wondered how many other cyclists were carrying a locator beacon as there was hardly any mobile reception – to the point where it is signposted! I was glad of all my warm weather gear and had to get the beanie and polyprop gloves out.

After the top it was all downhill to camp, with a few short uphill bursts. I tried to find a balance of going fast like I love, but making sure I didn’t come off, eat gravel and hurt myself. There was the odd rock, root or rut, but mostly it was easy terrain. I was starting to get really hungry and wondering where the swing bridge that Paul had mentioned as a good lunch spot was. I came around a corner to see a guy stopped and taking a photo – eek there it was and heck it looked high! I decided I needed to ride across as quickly as possible without looking down or thinking too much.

Success! I joined a group of 4 ebikers at the picnic table on the other side for lunch, who were impressed at my progress despite the lack of motor on my bike. We chatted about what I was up to, and one asked about whether I was doing Te Araroa for a cause so I explained about sustainability. They had packed lunches from the Timber Trail Lodge with a lot of gladwrapped stuff, but at least they were in paper bags. I’m not sure if it was so as not to waste food, or because I am looking scrawny, but one insisted on giving me a nut bar they didn’t want and another their chocolate fudge cake they wouldn’t eat. Either way I was stoked! I still like most of my food, but I realised it’s hard to sit and eat it with people who have normal food and not be a little envious.

I continued on and slowed down when I saw two women who were hiking coming the other way. I’d guessed right and they were doing Te Araroa in sections. They’ve got a month for this part and were really hoping to start at Cape Reinga, but alas had to change plans after the pack of wild dogs debacle. I enjoyed our chat and was glad I could share my thoughts on some sections to hopefully help them.

30km whizzed past and I was really excited to get to camp and have a hot shower and cup of tea. The forest that the trail goes through changes at various points from amazing parts that feel like how New Zealand used to be before any forest was cleared, to regenerating younger forest parts, and even some that just look like standard cleared land with scrub. It made the really old, untouched parts more special. The climb up earlier was a good chance to really take in the scenery, but the downhills I admit I just enjoyed zooming.

Just as it began to rain I passed the Timber Trail Lodge, and DOC Piropiro Campsite entrance which along with Camp Epic are all around the 40 km or halfway mark of the trail. Camp Epic is not quite two years old, and has glamping, space for BYO tents, a big outdoor kitchen and dining, and semi outdoor hot showers on the toilet block. It seemed really well thought out, and a great place for an adventure with mates or family.

The other two groups trickled in, and it was good to get to know each other more over afternoon tea and dinner. Being New Zealand, Ash the father worked at a high school in Nelson as an OED teacher, where I knew the international director. Everyone thought their family biking set up was awesome, and I tried to think of ways I could talk my sister into taking up biking so I can take my nephew on one of those cool kid seats. One group gave me 3 feijoas and the other a piece of carrot cake as they all had heaps of food. I worried again that I was looking skinny, but gratefully accepted more tasty treats.

It really chilled down, even in the cute fleece ponchos provided so at 7pm it seemed like a good time to retreat to the tent with a hot water bottle. I needed to catch up on some blogs and try harder to have an early night. At least it’s not an early start tomorrow either though.

While I was writing this a long tentacle came out of the dark in front of my phone, prompting me to almost jump out of bed 😂 But it reminded me to Google after seeing the same critters in the cave and it seems they’re cave wētā.

I loved being back on a bike in the forest today, and it made me look forward to getting home and having more time, energy and enthusiasm for riding my beloved blue mountain bike. It was also a relief to have a day off from navigational duties. I could just ride, talk to my trail mates, check the paper map twice, and look at the distance markers every kilometre along the trail. Normally I have to peer at my phone, the trail app, and GPS dot what sometimes seems far too many times every day. There’s no reception at camp, and the next two days are sorted so it’s also a welcome breather from tiring trail logistics too. Goodnight!