sustainably minded design and development

Changing of the islands, NZ north to south

2012-02-22T21:33:00.000-08:00

Te Araroa trail, skipping the swimming section!

I'm now in Picton (day 88) and will stay again tonight. Sandra and I caught the 6pm ferry arrived in Picton at 9pm. It was fun to approach the South Island with a setting sun and then to disappear into a long darkening inlet and into full night by the time we arrived.

dbBrad on the Te Araroa trail, freestyle!

The boat was big and we were the first ones on somehow even though we may have been the last ones to the terminal. Such, we had the best seats in the house and our bags were on top and were the first ones out of the terminal on the south island.

dbBrad and Sandra cross from the north island to the south island, NZ

And there to greet us were many small cute little vans driven by proprietors of local hostels. We found one called Atlantis run by an amazingly energetic woman originally from upstate New York. Her hostel is in a large building that used to be a city building, a dive shop and then a museum. Now it is a hostel. A very interesting building, to say the least.

View from picton of the ferry looking out towards Queen Charlotte sound.

Today (day 89) is very rainy so we will leave instead tomorrow morning on an 8am boat to Ships Cove. The track is 77km and we are allowing 4 days to leisurely complete the journey.

Changing Islands and the first track of the Te Araroa on the South Island, NZ

2012-02-21T01:39:00.002-08:00

Even the boat has little orange markers leading the way along the Te Araroa trail!

The South Island approaches

dbBrad in Cook Strait, half way between North and South Islands along the Te Araroa Trail

Approaching the South Island of New Zealand

dbBrad and the Pacific as viewed from Cook Strait, along the Te Araroa trail

A beautiful sunset in New Zealand as we approach Marlboro Sounds, NZ, South Island

Ferry approaching Picton, NZ

And the next day, on a smaller ferry and off to the beginning of the Queen Charlotte track.

dbBrad and Sandra left on the dock at Cook Monument, the very beginning of the Te Araroa on the South Island.

Marlboro Sounds and native bush.

Somewhere along the Te Araroa trail, New Zealand, South Island.

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Eating fresh mussels at Camp Madsens, the best camping along the Te Araroa trail

While Sandra and I were hanging out at Camp Madsens, along came Philip and Madelin. What a pleasant surprise.

Row row row your boat, compliments of Tony, the best host ever at Camp Madsens

Camp Madsens along the Queen Charlotte track, a great place and a wonderful host

Sandra Belker

New Zealand, South Island, as viewed from the Te Araroa trail

The picture turned out pretty good, making this semi-obnoxious sign (with incorrect distances) in my view look better than it really does.

dbBrad and dbSandra on a cool morning.

Water, forest and steep hills, what more could you expect from a picture along the Te Araroa trail?

Sandra was a good sport, despite sand-fly allergies, blisters and a sprained ankle.

And we made it to the end of the Queen Charlotte track, Yippie!

more pics

2012-02-14T19:37:00.000-08:00


dbBrad just can't help examining an odd piece of metal.

dBrad furniture, even available on the Te Ararao trail.

dbBrad Flore andLludo at Barnacle, Paraparaumu

Back on the beach again, Te Araroa 2012, Wellington district

dbBoat on beach with Kapiti island in the background

dbBrad on beach with Kapiti island in background, Te Araroa trail

Te Ararao trail markers look good on blue too, especially near the ocean.

dbBrad Ludo and Flore take lunch at a little town along the south west coast of new zealand along the Te Araroa trail

Te Ataroa trail, Kapiti island

Flore and Ludo brighten the Te Araroa trail

Tent like roof kinda looks like a hat on top of dbBrads mohawk!

Along the Te Araroa trail, you will meet some very interesting kiwi folk

Stairs ascending out of elsden towards wellington along the te araroa trail

A perfect portion of the Te Araroa trail with Kapiti island in backgroiund

Te Araroa trail marker just north of Wellington

This is the Wellington gaurd cow, No Bull!!!

In the hills above Wellington,

The GoPro portable action camera has nothing on the LudoCam!

Markers along the Te Araroa trail have been sparse, however this pole nearing Wellington seems to be well marked.

Flore Ludo and dbBrad skipping another section of Tar a Road on the Te Araroa trail

Ludo and Flore on the Te Ararao trail

Approaching Wellington on the Te Araroa trail

dbBrad on the Te Araroa trail, very tired!!

Wellington, NZ

Flore and Ludo possing for a 'just married' photo in Wellington after compoleting half the Te Araroa trail, 2012

Pictures Te Araroa, Hamilton to Wellington, first half

2012-02-13T11:23:00.001-08:00

Probably no time for any descriptions, but some more shots of the Te Araroa trail by dbBrad.

REI's carbon fiber poles are light, very light, and even so aren't worth their weight in even copper

2012-02-12T19:32:00.001-08:00

I have a pair of REI Carbon fiber trekking poles which were given to me because they didn't work. There is a mechanism which allows for the tubes to slide against one another in order to collapse but which needs to be strong. Strong enough to support the user but light enough to be light weight and this mechanism, in my opinion, was crap. It didn't work from day one.

The point of the pole I inserted into the broken handle end and used my bandage tape to secure it

I was able to get them apart, clean and repair the mechanism and obtain some function, but never able to collapse them for fear that when I extended them again they wouldn't stay. But I took them to New Zealand anyway knowing they were no longer collapsible.

An eye glass screwdriver epoxied into the end of the broken pole which was turned around.

And there are other problems, one of which is the shock absorber which encourages two precision tubes to slide back and forth against one another which when dirty, wears away the material. After several hundred kilometers of use, this wear became significant and the poles broke.

I however am dbBrad and have often boasted that like my dad, I can fix anything. And I did.

But they broke again. and I fixed them again.

REI carbon fiber pole broken beyond repair. Both the locking mechanism and the carbon tube broke.

And then one pole broke again during my fall on Ruapehu and that was it for pole number one. Pole number two was not nearly so lucky. It broke right at the weak point where the locking mechanism and shock come together, exactly as I predicted. This time not only the pole broke, but also the mechanism. I've sent it home to see if REI's return policy is as good as they claim!

dbBrad and dbBenton think alike!

2012-02-11T19:17:00.000-08:00

Along the many back roads I took driving to Portland last summer to support my parents in riding the STP, Benton (world's cutest Australian Shepherd) and I stopped at many parks and played and practiced.

Typical Aussie puppy, a blur of activity!

Benton and I did lots of training since I've taken an interest in agility competitions. As I look around at competing dogs I realize that Australian Shepherds and Border Collies dominate agility and Frisbee competitions in the medium weight classes. They're smart, fast, athletic and virtually unbeatable.

Cutest Aussie ever, Benton looks down from a 4' tall rock wall.

Like me, Benton likes to climb. With a wave of the hand he jumps where I point. Even without, he gets up on every bench, table, rock or wall thinking it's what I want him to do. It is and I'm beginning to wonder if he's telepathic too!

Benton trying to run up the almost vertical wall of a rock monument.

Fran, my mom and owner of Benton, sends little tales to me on the trail (no pun intended) about how Benton entertains himself while she's working in the garden by getting up on which ever object is closest, stump, rock, wheelbarrow, truck) and watching her!

Benton on a Monument, a testiment to the skills of Aussies.

It's a pleasure working with a dog that seems to be smarter and more willing to learn than many people I know. And his determination to please is unstoppable.

dbDog's not on the Te Araroa trail, but he is on the table.

2012-02-11T15:18:00.000-08:00

Benton is not only the world's cutest aussie, but also perhaps the most endearing Australian Shepherd I've ever seen or met.

Benton, the cutest Aussie in the world

Picture above is of dbBenton on dbBrad's Flintstone table, a 14"x 22" X 8' long piece of wood which was so heavy (800lbs) it needed wheels (recycled from Cheryl's living gate) in order to be moved. I cut off two 14" sections and then cut those in half to make 4 wood cubes which are stools to go around the table. 100% recycled and re-purposed from materials that were destined for the dump.

Wellington as viewed from the hills above before the last decent

on the North Island portion of the Te Araroa trail.

What this picture doesn't show is the fields of sheep behind, the long winding trail getting here and the bench I was sitting on when I took the picture. Had Benton, aka dbDog, been with me, not only would he be in heaven, he'd be sitting on the bench with me, just like in the photo above.

Benton, world's cutest Aussie, thinks his sleeping bag is the Cat's Meow and he's correct. Boy he's a smart dog!!

Te Araroa shots, north island

2012-02-09T12:05:00.000-08:00

dbBrad made it to Wellington on the Te Araroa trail. Over 1500km hiked thus far. View from the last hill I had to hike on the North Island and what a satisfying decent knowing it was my last, at least until I get to the south island!

photo by Ludo and Flore

photo by Ludo and Flore. One of approximately 80 sunsets along the Te Araroa trail, North Island

photo by Ludo and Flore of one of New Zealand's many volcanoes along the Te Araroa trail.

photo by Ludo and Flore in Tongariro park along the Te Araroa trail

photo by Ludo and Flore along the Te Araroa trail, 2012

photo by Ludo and Flore, Te Araroa 2012

A Home In Three Parts

2012-02-07T15:00:00.000-08:00

This small home, designed and built by dbBrad, is 870 sq. ft. made up of three buildings and incorporates sustainable building practices, including solar hot water collectors, roof water collection system and native plant restoration. Each of the three buildings are built extensively of recyled materials.

To return to Brad's postings of the Te Araroa Trail, on the right hand side of the blog go to "Adventure" under Blog Topics. Or, go here

Main Living (office nook/dining/kitchen/living)
Photo by Lois Mason

Guesthouse (bed/bath/library)
Photo by Lois Mason

Barn (Bed/bath/office/guest/storage/auto)
Photo by Fran Abel

A Home For All Seasons.

2012-02-07T14:31:00.000-08:00

To return to The Te Araroa Trail. On the right hand side of the page, under Blog Topics go to "Adventure". Or, go here

Photos by Lois Mason

Flore and Ludo part II

2012-02-06T22:21:00.000-08:00

dbBrad and Ludo show our firm Glutious maximuses!


Flore and Ludo hydrating along the Te Araroa trail


Flore and Ludo high on a ridge in the Tararuas

dbBrad. Flore and Ludo squinting in the sun and so happy to see it.

Flore and Ludo on the Te Araroa trail, 2012

The Te Araroa trail, class 4 scrambles in the Tararuas. Steep and slippery.

At around 1500 meters in the Tararuas, even in Feburary (summer) it gets chilly so Flore and Ludo bust out the gloves they hadn't used since 90 mile beach.

dbBrad in the mist and midst (of Flore and Ludo)!!

Ludo the rock star jamming out on the Te Araroa trail.

Flore and Ludo on the Te Araroa trail, 2012 at the timy two bunch Dracophyllum hut.

dbBrad, Ludo and Flore at Nichols Hut, Te Araroa trail, Tararuas range.

Flore and Ludo on the Te Araroa trail, 2012

With a great fire and no hot dogs or marshmallows, Flore and Ludo dry wet stinky clothes over the fire!

Flore and Ludo on the Te Araroa trail, 2012

Flore, Ludo and dbBrad on the summit of Mt. Crawford.

Together again, dbBrad, Flore, Ludo, Madeline and Phlip in Nichols hut, Te Araroa trail, 2012

The one view we got of the valley below from Nichols hut, Tararuas Range along the Te Araroa trail.

Three older guys in great shape, one of whom is Makenzie Architecture

Madeline and Phlip on the Te Araroa trail, Tararua Range, near Nichols hut

Flore and Ludo on the Te Araroa Trail, 2012

dbBrad on a rock.

Flore and Ludo on the Te Araroa trail, 2012

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Flore and Ludo on the Te Araroa trail, 2012 on a very steep section. We decended over 1500 meters from Nichols hut and it took as long as it did going up.

Flore and Ludo climbing onto a suspension bridge along the Te Araroa trail

Flore demonstrates just how darn steep and high the slopes are.

Steep slippery slopes along the Te Araroa trail in the Tararuas Range

Vinie and Francesca gave us all a ride from the trail end into town.

dbBrad and Ludo, the goof ball.

dbBrad in a tree, again. photo by Ludo

Flore and Ludo on the Te Araroa trail, 2012


Flore and Ludo doing some light weight hiking in flip flops. I might have compromised with Tevas or something!?!?

Flore and Ludo on the Te Araroa trail as seen by dbBrad

2012-02-06T21:06:00.000-08:00

Most inspirational hikers, Te Araroa trail 2012, Flore and Ludo. With almost no outdoor experience and in moderate shape after working for two years in Scotland, Flore and Ludo are a solid pair of hikers on the Te Araroa trail.


Flore and Ludo at the begining of the Te Araroa trail 2012

I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to say I've spent many days traveling with this wonderful couple. In fact if it weren't for Flore and Ludo, I would have had to skip the Whanganui river section because of my injuries from the previous Te Araroa freestyle track 'up and over Ruapehu'

Flore and Ludo in a tough spot on the Whanganui river--and still all smiles!

On the Whanganui river and through the Teroroa mountains we've been wet, cold, rained on, tired and even exhausted and never has the fun stopped.

Flore and Ludo, the cutest couple on the Te Araroa trail 2012

As I look at these pictures I see just one thing in common.

dbBrad, Ludo and Flore in the Bog in hut, Pureora forest

Flore and Ludo are always smiling, no matter what the circumstances or how tired they are.

Speights needs a new ad and we've got it. Fresh and cold on the Whanganui river, dbBrad and Ludo (photo by Flore)

Always easy to be around, not only do these two deserve the most valuable hikers award for the Te Araroa 2012, but they may just be the cutest couple on the planet!

Flore and Ludo, Te Araroa 2012, the trail that you paddle!