Day 5: Climbing to start and end
December 7th Herekino track trailhead (km109) to 580 summit at start of Raetea (km140.5) Mileage: 19.2mi/31km Aside from hearing cars drive by all night (because I was camped near a road), I was treated to a chorus of Moreporks. This is the New Zealand owl, named such because its call sounds like it is demanding: more pork! I was hoping to hear one, instead I heard about a dozen. I didn’t sleep very well because my mind began fixating on the variance in their calls. There was one that sounded like someone clearing their chest. I then woke up early to a pheasant crowing and then flapping up into the air, doing a mating dance. I’ve spooked a few pheasants[…]
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