Because Jim and I plan to do the 4-day tramp in Milford Sounds before returning home in December, I started to prepare by purchasing a sweet pair of hiking boots. Sunday we decided to start
training for this event with a day tramp over the Rimutaka Mountain Range. We can see the Rimutakas from our window, and they were just taunting us to give it a go. There’s a common route through the old train passage called The Incline. It was rumored that if we took the train to the last station before the tunnel, we could then walk The Incline over the range in time to catch the last train back to Wellington from Featherston. Rumors.6-hours later, after completing the trial, we phoned a taxi to get us to the train on time. In this rural area, it was an estimated 60 min wait and lots of $$. Knowing we would miss the train we put on our positive attitudes and began to walk another 10+K into the town. The good attitudes made it 7 of the 10K. Then we gave hitchhiking a go, it did not work perhaps because (1) it became so dark we had to shine a light on our thumbs, or (2) drivers could sense that we had our pockets full or rocks ready to fend off dogs barking at us from the farms we passed. To make a Loooong story short, we reached town two-hours later, making our complete walk a short eight hours in total!
The bright side included a fantastic trail; seeing a few one-day old lambs at a farm we passed; an almost full moon to keep our walk into town
brightly lit; our marriage might be stronger; we found the last available accommodation in town. Our hosts were so kind as to pick us up at a wonderful pizza joint because we could not bear to walk another step! Thanks to Judy and Neil’s B&B we made it home safe catching the 7:35 AM train in the morning back to Wellington. We must have stuck out to the Monday morning commuters.Tonight we will spend time at home soaking our feet. Well, at least my boots are worn in now….
