Pursuing the Fastest Known Time

By Tyler "Future Dad" Socash

IG: @tylerhikes

Using my trekking poles as makeshift crutches, I hobbled up the winding road towards Fontana Village.  Five days and 164 miles into the Appalachian Trail journey, I was already experiencing excruciating pain.  Three separate cars stopped to offer me a ride, but I had to refuse.  No hitches, no trail magic, no cutting corners, these are the main tenants of a self-supported thru-hike.  Finding that the General Store had closed only minutes before my arrival, I cursed the trail gods.  Moments later I collapsed into a hotel room bathtub.  Hot water pouring over me, I clutched my inflamed knees.  How did it come to this?  What am I doing here?  What's the meaning of life?...

* * *

If you are new to this Calendar Year blog, you'll find some of these answers in my first post.  It involves a tangerine Subaru CrossTrek, quitting a job that I loved, and attempting to complete three thru-hikes in one year.  The blog reads like an unfolding story.  It's a story about pursuing your authentic self.  I love three things: wilderness, wildlife, and wanderlust.  Turns out that hiking satiates all of them at once.  Hiking also happens to be the cheapest way to have a long holiday (which is important when you're unemployed).  I believe in unabashedly pursuing what you love.  What follows is all about actualizing a passion.

* * *

"Remote for detachment, narrow for chosen company, winding for leisure, lonely for contemplation, it beckons not merely north and south, but upward to the body, mind, and soul of man." - Harold Allen

The Appalachian Trail was conceived in 1921 by Benton MacKaye.  He envisioned a footpath along the crest of the Appalachian Mountains stretching from Georgia to Maine.  In 1937, this visionary had his dream fulfilled.  And what a beautiful dream it was!  When I set foot atop Springer Mountain in Georgia to begin the final thru-hike of my Calendar Year, a plaque read, "A Footpath for Those who seek Fellowship with the Wilderness." Perfect, this is exactly what I want.

Let's rewind for a second.  Flying back from my Te Araroa trip was very relaxing.  Cruising at high altitudes in a tube in the sky is in itself, an oddity.  During my San Francisco to JFK leg I had a window seat.  I could see the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge connecting to Oakland, I-80 stretching suburb to suburb to Sacramento.  I recalled in my post entitled The Two Towers that I could see this city light pollution from the Pacific Crest Trail.  Pretty soon I flew over the PCT and Lake Tahoe.  Face pressed against the window, I stared down at the snowy mountain ranges of Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.  I could see the Wind River Range and the Great Basin, which is where the Continental Divide Trail traverses.  

At nightfall you begin to notice something disturbing with your 30,000ft perspective: urban sprawl.  The United States of America was nearly 100% wilderness 400 years ago.  Now we have roads everywhere.  Roads fragment ecosystems, as do dams, shopping malls, and suburbs.  We need some of these things in society, but perhaps we are a bit imbalanced with the natural world now.  Next time you fly at night, look at what has happened to America.  As I've said before, only 2.7% of the contiguous 48 States has wilderness classification.  More fracking, drilling, and development isn't making America great again.  It's actually destroying our natural world.  I try to picture myself as a red fox or a black bear when I look down at the impossible sea of lights from an airplane.  How would I get from one place to another safely?  Where would I find food in this cesspool of civilization?  Where is my place in this human-centric world?

On the Appalachian Trail, there is hope.  It traverses 14 states, 8 national forests, 2 National Parks, and 25 wilderness areas.  This trail is more than just a footpath to Maine — it's a wildlife refuge.  Before my plane landed, I wondered what the Appalachian Trail would look like on the ground.  From the air it looked like a bunch of lights.  Would I find fellowship with what's left of the East Coast's wild side?

The day before I started the Appalachian Trail I got to see the coast from above. Following a short intermission at home, my plane left Albany, New York (thanks for the ride to the airport, Nikki!) and flew down the Hudson River.  I could spot the 3,500-foot mountains of the Catskills, I flew over Harriman State Park and the Appalachian Trail, and then I saw the never ending metropolis sprawl.  Concrete, asphalt, suburbia.  No section of the Atlantic Coast, save the Outer Banks of North Carolina, appeared undeveloped from above.  Yikes.  Vote to protect our remaining wild spaces, everyone.  

Take action by signing a quick petition to save a newly-purchased piece of New York State as wilderness: www.bewildnewyork.org

If you know of another petition to save a wild space, contact me and I'll feature it in my next blog post.

Landing in Atlanta, I was fortunate enough to get an Olympic relay-style ride to the Amicalola Falls trailhead.  Mackenzie Smith took me through the endless Atlanta rush hour traffic to Rome, GA.  Then my old colleague Adrienne Amador took me for a quick resupply run and drove through the night to get me to my destination.  Without their help, this story wouldn't have started so perfectly...

Fastest Known Time (FKT) - Heather "Anish" Anderson set the fastest self-supported thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail last year with a time of 54 days 7 hours and 48 minutes.  Anish also holds the Pacific Crest Trail self-supported record.  She is my idol.  For clarity, it is important to note that Scott Jurek holds the supported AT record (just over 46 days).

Thru-hike - Hiking from Point A to Point B with a continuous, unbroken footpath.

Self-Supported - A thru-hike completed without external assistance.  No hitch-hiking to town for resupplies, no help from a support team along the way, and you must carry all of the gear that you'll need.  I won't even touch Trail Magic left for hikers along the trail.

Purist thru-hike - Hiking a trail in a continuous manner along the entirety of the official route.

White Blazing - The Appalachian Trail is marked with white paint blazes along the 2,189-mile journey.

I am attempting to set a new self-supported FKT on the Appalachian Trail this year.  I will be a meticulous purist, connecting my footsteps along the entire AT demarcated by white blazes.  Whenever I deviate from the trail to retrieve water or provisions, I will ensure that I reconnect my continuous footpath on the actual Appalachian Trail.  

My slight OCD will prove to be quite an asset in this ambitious endeavor!  Below you will find journal entries with each day's highlights.  I have been "calendaring" daily for over 12.5 years, which is a testament to willpower.  I will channel that level of OCD into my purist, self-supported thru-hike.  Here we go...

(Note: to save time, the rest of this post may contain grammatical errors and incomplete sentences.  These entries are fragments of a much larger story, which will be told at a later date.  I hope you can appreciate the shorthand, raw recording aspect of this endeavor.

Furthermore, I can substantiate these distances traveled with a private GPS tracking device.  Other AT 2016 hikers that I meet along the way will be able to add anecdotal tales of this honest FKT attempt.)

4/28 - A Forest Ranger unlocked the Amicalola Falls Visitor Center for me so I could sign the hiker register that morning.  My pack weighed in at 31 pounds (eek!).  The ranger took my picture beneath the Springer Approach Trail arch, and I was off!

8.8 miles later, I stood atop Springer Mountain.  I signed the summit register, at started the Appalachian Trail at precisely 11:11am on April 28, 2016.

 

 Departing from the AT's southern terminus.

My friend Jer from Te Araroa said, "It would be awesome if you made it to Neel's Gap in one day."  So that's what I set as my goal.  I went over Blood Mountain in the dark and arrived at the iconic boot-filled tree of Neel's Gap after 11pm.  31.7 miles complete.  

4/29 - Hiked over the Raven Cliff and Tray Mountain Wilderness areas.  Spotted Brasstown Bald (Georgia's highpoint) through the trees.  Camped just after Addis Gap on the side of the trail.  64.3 miles complete.

 

Flora of the AT in the Raven Cliff Wilderness

4/30 - Made it to North Carolina border in 2 days 1 hour and 1 minute.  Walked over Standing Indian Mountain.  Met Graham from Virginia Beach and hiked over Mt. Albert in the thunderstorm.  Made it to awesome Long Branch shelter soaked at 9pm. 102.5 miles complete.

 

5/1 - 11 hours and 30 minutes of hiking to NOC at 3mph.  Heroic but stupid.  (Starting to feel sore.) At Winding Stair Gap I took a wrong turn and missed the AT.  I turned around to retrace my steps, and then I walked the actual AT to maintain my purist white blaze thru-hike.  Amy at NOC made sure my pizza and burger were waiting.  Met Gritz and Fabulous and Rudolph. Gritz offered me a beer, but I had to refuse.  When I said that I walked here in less than 3.5 days he spun around and shouted, "Whhhhhaaaaattttt?!?!?  I've been out here for 3 weeks!"  Slept near the NOC.  137.1 miles complete.

 

5/2 - Hiked to Fontana Dam.  Cobwebs and morning birdsong. Met Ot-man and Rook and Fun Size.  Rough road walk.  Knees exploding.  Turned down 3 hitches. Wrong Way and Monte Cristo totally saved me from insanity when I discovered that the General Store just closed.  They were so friendly!  We talked about why there's a racial disparity in who participates in long-distance hiking.  We went out to dinner (with Phillip and Rocket Rick and Masa) and had a wonderful night together.  Sat in the shower.  Depressing.  I'm done. 164 miles complete.

 

With Wrong Way and Monte Cristo

5/3 - rested.  Dinner with Snow White, Don Juan, Rudolph, Fun Size.  Walked the road and 1.1 to Fontana Hilton shelter.  Met Sway and Breezy.  Monte Cristo and Wrong Way and Rook and Ot-man were there.  Knees inflamed. 165.6 miles complete. 

5/4 - Hiked into my 19th National Park!  Great Smoky Mountains NP.  Hiked up to the TN/NC border.  Nice views through the trees.  Summited my 9th high point, Tennessee's Clingman's Dome.  Got there in the dark.  Started to snow.  Camped in Mount Collins Shelter. 202.6 miles complete.

 

5/5 - hiked in the snow all day past Newfound Gap and all the way down to Davenport Gap Shelter.  The shelter before that was jam packed with people. I was voted off the island and hiked through the night to Davenport. 237 miles complete.

 

5/6 - Met Wallet from Virginia and Blue Sky from South Carolina.  Hiked to Standing Bear hostel.  Quaint place with an epic Resupply shed.  Hiked 30 more miles over Max's Patch to just outside of Hot Springs, NC. 270.5 miles complete.

5/7 - Hiked into hot springs and ate with Little Griz from Southern Illinois.  Walked by a pink trail magic sign.  Could not tempt myself so I didn't even go over to the hikertrash enjoying the free beer and food.  Firescald Bald and Tennessee city lights.  I made sure to take the white blaze trail instead of the bad weather blue blaze alternate.  Other night hikers!  Climbed over Big Butt Mt. at night.  303.8 miles complete.

 

5/8 - 42.6 miles hiked. Met Sparkles and had a wonderful conversation.  CT girl hiking with bf.  I don't have many long conversations out here!  Uncle Johnnies Hostel for a few minutes. Up 4 more miles at night.  346.4 miles complete.

5/9 - Hiked over Beauty Spot and Unaka and up the last 6,000 ft. Peak til NH, Roan mountain in the dark.  Hiked to Stan Murray Shelter.  382 miles complete.

5/10 - hiked 11.4 miles from 4am to 8:10am to get to Mountain Harbour B&B for the best breakfast on trail.  Met Grandma from Nashville TN and Wind Walker from Fairbanks AK who taught me stretches for the IT band.  Met Cinderella too who has a great trail name story along with a lady named Prince Charming. Met Rush who is going fast as well.  Really nice group of guys and gals today. Met Goner and Wooby and Walkman and Beast as well today.  Moreland Gap shelter 411.5 miles complete.

 

Along the Houston Ridge after Hump Mountain

5/11- walked pond mt wilderness. Met Diatom who I instantly recognized from the PCT!!!  I couldn't believe it!  We had such a great conversation at the Big Lake Youth Camp in Oregon last summer!  Wow!  Such great vibes from this guy!  Good luck Diatom! Met Shutterbug who is completing his Triple Crown.  Saw so many deer that night.  446.5 miles complete. 

5/12  - Woke up in a thunderstorm.  Shouldn't have cowboy camped.... hiked into Damascus and passed the passed out riff raff party animals.  Met Angie from Vasque who invited me to hang out with Sam Mix and the Osprey Team: Chris, Jason, Jen, Rosie, Otis, Andrew, Mackey and Tony.  Angie's friend Julie was there too.  They were all so wonderful and encouraging.  I had a nice evening and enjoyed the very beginning of the Trail Days festivities.  Met great people in town who hiked the trail last year like Fuzz Ball and Brightside and their two friends. Such nice people out here!!! 468.8 miles complete. 

5/13 - Lost mountain shelter lunch break.  Met John and John from NYC. Young John goes to the U of Richmond, what a great conversation!  Nice to see families out on the trail.  Buzzard Rocks was awesome.  Mount Rogers and Grayson Highlands ponies!  Feral ponies!!! So cool.  My knee started to act up again.  I've had bad pain in my left knee since the NOC and Fontana Village section.  506 miles complete.  

 

5/14 -  messaged my family saying my speed record attempt is over.  I moved like a slug.  My knee hurts so much.  At the Trempi Shelter I made the decision to push through the pain and get to the Partnership Shelter.  This shelter is famous for pizza and Chinese food deliveries.  As a self-supported hiker, I cannot indulge.  (I have to hike into all towns on my own to get the food I need.)  I meet Norway and Jesse's Girl and another section hiker.  532 miles complete.  

Hello from The Barn Restaurant off of I-81 in Virginia!  It is 5/15, and I'm 544 miles into my thru-hike.  It took me just under 17 days to get here.  (11:11am is my reference point.)

Things looked dire yesterday, but today is a new day!  The 25% marker of the Appalachian Trail is just ahead.  Sometimes I feel like I'm in a game of Mario Kart, always chasing the Anish ghost.  I'm traveling exactly 32 miles a day, while the record holder traveled just over 42 miles a day...  She's currently way out in front, but I'm happy.  The people along the AT have been so kind!  All of the other hikers have been radiating positivity out here, and I try to radiate that energy back.  

I try to be an exceptional steward of the land while walking everyday.  I pick up micro-trash accidentally discarded along the trail, I help brush in the switchbacks that people cut, and I practice Leave No Trace principles while recreating.  

The Appalachian Trail is beautiful.  It's such a great way to see and experience America.  Almost like a time warp, you can envision yourself in colonial times as you navigate the wonderful wilderness areas and National Forests along the way.  

More trail updates to come!  I'm going to try to pick up the pace soon.  Hopefully my knee is on the mend...  No matter what life throws at you, remember to stay wild.  

Following the White Blazes to Katahdin!

The End of the World

By Tyler Socash
IG: @tylerhikes 

 

"You make your own luck, that's what I believe," our host Dene was steadfast with his delivery.  Decades of hard work at the bottom of New Zealand's South Island fortified his opinion that opportunities are well-earned.  A poster hanging on Dene's wall depicts a man on a fishing vessel hauling crayfish crates.  It reads: laboring in the Foveaux Straight takes all that you've got, and the men of the Southland have got all that it takes.

I met Dene on the Motatapu Track between Wanaka and Arrowtown.  An ardent outdoorsman, Dene completed Te Araroa a year before the pathway was officially opened.  As a cancer survivor, he simply stopped making excuses and made time for the things he loves.  He's even planning to thru-hike the trail again before he turns 70 next year.

 

 Dene - the man, the myth, the legend

Rain fell cold and hard when I met Dene at the Highland Creek Hut.  Following a conversation about efforts to protect native birds, bush, and rivers, Dene invited me to stay at his house in Riverton when I walked by.

"What if I have friends with me?" I asked.

"Bring them all, mate."

Everything in the wake of this encounter has seemed serendipitous.  Bekah and I were hiking by ourselves now.  We left Queenstown and began our latest deviation from the TA... Adding on the Routeburn Track Great Walk and the Greenstone Valley.  We hiked the Routeburn in a day, which happened to be one of our most beautiful and difficult days on trail.  The Conical Hill spur was a highlight, as was Routeburn Falls.  We even spotted an endangered kākā parrot in flight! 

 

Conical Hill view with Fiordland NP in the back

 

The majestic Routeburn Track

Great Walks are wonderful, yet overcrowded.  If visiting New Zealand, you are more likely to have a better wilderness experience far, far away from the nine Great Walks.  Great Walks are also a bit pricey.  Doing the Milford Track alone costs over 300 dollars.  We didn't do that one.  

At the end of the Greenstone Valley we connected with Te Araroa once again.  Bekah and I also got to meet two wonderful new characters... Paul and Kelli!  The timing seemed too good to be true, as Reyne and Brooke also arrived at this amazing hut before darkness settled.  It was great catching up with old and new friends!

We had seen Paul and Kelli before.  During our 100km bike day we rode past them as they were marching along.  It was exciting to officially meet our newest hiking partners.  Paul is a phenomenal story teller (remind me to retell his story about Barry the Brick in-person), and Kelli has gained the official title of "Chocolate Manager."  Paul would eat all of their treats if not for Kelli's diligence.  

Following the Movora Lakes Walkway, known for some Fangorn Forest filming scenes in The Lord of the Rings, Bekah and I headed into Te Anau to add on another bonus hike.  Six years ago my sister Nikki and I hiked half of the Kepler Track that wasn't covered in avalanche chutes.  Yet again I felt like this was a fortuitous opportunity to complete a trail that I never got to finish.  Bekah and I finished the 60km loop in a day and a half!  (Pretty impressive considering Bekah's sore foot.)  But maybe Dene is right?  Maybe we earned this opportunity by hiking hard and fast?  Maybe things happen for a reason because we make the things we love happen?  Here are some photographs...

 

 Kea along the Kepler Great Walk

 

Inside the Luxmore Cave

 

 Tākahe being feed by their protector

 

There's never enough time for me to talk about everything, but darn it I'll make time for the tākahe.  These flightless birds were once thought to be extinct. Then in 1948 a biologist explored a remote valley in Fiordland National Park and rediscovered a small population.  The Department of Conservation was thrilled and met the challenge of protecting these birds on the brink of extinction.  Trap lines were set to annihilate stoats, and the species has slowly made a precarious comeback in the delicate region.  Wouldn't you do the same if tigers, rhinos, or moose were going extinct?  Here's what's happening:  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoats_in_New_Zealand

After the Kepler, Bekah and I rejoined with Paul and Kelli for the Takitimu Range.  It was here that we also had a teary-eyed goodbye with Reyne, thinking that we'd not see him again.  The Takitimu's are a hopelessly muddy place, but the silver lining is this strenuous ridgeline hike...  (Picture below)

 

Pretty soon we could see Bluff!  From the Twinlaw radio tower platform we could see what appeared to be an island jutting out into the Foveaux Straight.  It was our terminus!  It was the end.  Pangs of emotions begin to course through you.  Trying to live more in the moment, Bekah and I never really spoke about the end.  Actually seeing Bluff choked me up.  This wonderful woman who has been with me since Helena Bay was about to leave my side.  I shook off this vulnerable feeling and enjoyed the view.

 

Interestingly, Te Araroa's ending mirrors the beginning: beach walks, muddy bush tracks, farms, and roads.  We kept feeling like we were back at Cape Reinga!  While in the Longwood Forest, our final bush walk, we saw Bluff again.  Our boots filled with mud for the final time.  We slept in our last hut - Martin's Hut.  Paul and Kelli joined us.  What a rustic place!  We loved it!  It was nice to read all of the nostalgic and sentimental messages in the last hut book.  

Bekah, Paul, Kelli, and I strolled into Riverton to find Dene waiting for us outside of his house.  "I brought friends, Dene!" I shouted.  Dene and his wife Sally offered us beds and fed us for three straight days!  It was another unexpected act of kindness that has been pervasive throughout my time in New Zealand.  "It's just what you do, mate," Dene downplayed his generosity.  I am really going to have to pay this forward someday!

 

Dinner at Dene and Sally's

 

Oreti Beach, the final beach walk

As we walked towards Bluff, a crazy man on a bicycle rode by shouting, "Heading towards Bluff?"  Without waiting for a response he added, "THE END OF THE WORLD!" in a vigorous cackle.

 

It ends in a flurry.  You travel 3,000+ kilometers along a long-distance trail, touch a sign post, and then you have to go home.

 

April 19th at the finish line 

Dene brought us wine and awards!

And just when timing couldn't be any better...

 

 

...You get to be there with all of your friends!  Couples Retreat caught up, and so did Reyne and Brooke!

 

I don't think I got here by chance.  Every vacation I've ever made for myself has involved hiking.  That's 10 years of hiking!  It may sound obsessive, but I'm doing what I love.  I made the jump.  I saved money for six years!  I lived in squalor with five other amazing dudes back in Rochester.  I never bought that tangerine Subaru CrossTrek.  Thank goodness thru-hiking happens to be a relatively inexpensive way to have a long holiday! 

Thank you all for your support.  It can get a bit lonely being so far from home.  Your messages and well-wishes really matter.  Sharing my appreciation for the natural world with you... I hope that matters.  Not everyone can just walk away from life's responsibilities right now, but if these posts do anything at all, I hope they inspire readers at work/home to value nature.  Not as something to exploit, but rather to cherish...

http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/51275/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=16247

If you want to protect a wilderness area, fill this out (takes 1 minute, I just did it).  This is a very easy way to make a huge difference.

We live in a finite space.  We need to vote to protect what unspoiled lands we have left.  Please vote to support wilderness preservation whenever possible.  We need to speak for the trees.  We are all a part of the same world, and it's the only one we've got.

Bekah and I flew back to Christchurch together.  Tempering my emotions, I pressed my face against the window.  Our long pathway unfolded beneath us!  I urged Bekah to look.  We could see Wanaka, Hawea, Ahiriri River, Mount Cook, Pukaki, Tekapo, the Rangitata River...  With tears in our eyes, we said goodbye.

One chapter ends so that another may begin.  I'm already 5 days into my third thru-hike: the Appalachian Trail.  With only two months to spare in this "Calendar Year," I hope you'll join me as I try for something remarkable...

The self-supported fastest known time!

Queenstune

By Tyler Socash
IG: @tylerhikes

"I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike."  We sing a lot of Queen on trail.  We shout it at the top of our lungs, actually.  On top of Pirongia.  At the Waihaha Hut serenading Couples Retreat.  Along mindless road walks.  Bohemian Rhapsody is our absolute favorite, but from Lake Tekapo to Lake Ohau I hummed a different tune...

Alps 2 Ocean is a massive 301km national cycle trail linking the Southern Alps to the Pacific Ocean.  It happens to overlap with 100km of Te Araroa road walking.  Instead of pounding the pavement, Otis, Reyne, Bekah, and I opted for a new challenge: cycling 100km in one day, because darn it I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride it where I like!

The day started innocently enough with a casual late start as we soaked up free WiFi in Tekapo.  Fresh off-trail from a snowy climb near Mt. Cook, we were eager to update our families with our progress before moving on.  WiFi is a dangerous reclusive gateway.  It's the rabbit hole that's too seductive to neglect, especially when you're without a cellular data plan.  Once Instagam and Facebook updates reached their saturation points, we donned our helmets.  Finally feeling Under Pressure to get to Lake Ohau, the Bicycle Race was underway.

With mechanized assistance the kilometers melted away.  Goodbye Telegraph Hut!  Goodbye road-walking friends!  The enchanting waters of Lake Pukaki urged us down a long gravel road to a wonderful resting point.  We found a picturesque spot to belly flop into the glacially-created lake.  Otis belly flopped first with an epic two thumbs up landing.  His smile as he soared through the air gave us a good laugh.  Reyne and I followed suit.  The vibrant water color, caused by the high concentration of glacial flour, captivates every onlooker but fails to soften our landing.

Belly flops behind us, we detoured into Twizel's town center to see our friend Sebastien.  It was great to see him in such high spirits after suffering a broken cuboid bone in his foot the week prior.  We got a bit of a chuckle upon manipulating the medical terminology into "cuteboy bone."  Thru-hiking isn't accident proof.  Somewhere a sinister Geoff Chapple is thinking Another One Bites The Dust.  Resilience is the key, and Seb is resilient.  Sebastien will return to complete Te Araroa next year!

After signing his cast, we collectively realized The Show Must Go On.  Our bike seats felt much less comfortable this time, but we hopped on them to smash out the final 40km of biking.  Departing for this stretch was not without reticence.  If you are mining for ideas to improve your future Te Araroa experience, then please pay attention...

Wishing that we were all Fat Bottomed Girls to cushion ourselves, we followed Te Araroa dutifully down the Ohau River flood track.  Instead of a pathway we were greeted with character-building boulders, stones, and speed-impeding pebbles.  The gravel road shook us to the core and rawed our sore rumps.  We could hear the flood track mocking us, "We Will Rock You."  [Tyler, consider editing this weaker song title reference out before publishing.]  Making terribly slow progress towards Lake Ohau, we barely passed two brave SOBOs who were diligently walking this 100km section.  Our coccyx-crunching crew must have appeared quite pathetic as we had to walk our bikes uphill next to the walkers. 

When all hope had faded, we made it to Lake Ohau at sunset.  Bekah erupted with a series of celebratory dog barks upon spotting smooth pavement.  We laughed initially, but joined her in a glorious chorus of hoots and woofs.  We Are The Champions!  100 kilometers in one day!  Te Araroa has enough road walk sections, and we were thrilled to see that horrendous Twizel to Ohau flood track come to a merciful end.  Avoid riding there, and instead stay on the north side of the Ohau River or ride the length of Lake Ohau Road.

The largest South Island river without a bridge awaited us in the next section.  Reyne must have been thinking Don't Stop Me Now as he forded the Ahuriri above a series of dangerous rapids.  He made the crossing, but just barely through hip-deep water.  Otis went for an unannounced swim when the Ahuriri current proved to be too swift.  Bekah and I decided to walk 200 meters downstream where the river braided to make a safer crossing.

A TA highlight awaited us after the Ahuriri.  The summit of Breast Hill provided immaculate views in every direction, including a stunning 1,200-meter drop to Lake Hawea below.  "One should not neglect the Breast... Hill," someone quipped.  While hiking through the Timaru River on our approach, I fashioned a makeshift award for Reyne.  Today happened to be Reyne's graduation day, and he was to receive the "Top Student" award for his program in Quantity Surveying.  Breast Hill provided a worthy backdrop for his impromptu trail graduation.  Speeches were made, and instead of a paper certificate, I presented Reyne with a non-thruhike friendly etched rock.  He was pleasantly surprised, but perhaps a bit disgruntled when he had to hike out with his heavy and awkward award.

Reyne and I sat up there for over two hours.  When you get closer to the end of a journey you tend to give certain moments special significance.  Your last campsite, your last beach walk, your last impromptu trail graduation...  Reyne has been a constant source of fun and intellectual conversation for our trail family since Cape Reinga.  I'll miss this guy a lot.  He made singing Queen songs on trail a tradition.  He sparked my passion to have a continuous path from the Tararuas to Bluff.  He challenged me to be a better version of myself.  As we sat on Breast Hill, Mt. Cook appeared as a snow-capped giant far to the north, while Queenstown's Double Cone in the Remarkables was visible far to the south.  What a spot!  This was one of my favorite moments on the trail.  I'm glad I got to linger here awhile longer with a great friend.

Graduation celebrations continued the next day when Bekah, Reyne, and I hitched over 400km to get to Christchurch.  Bekah and Kate's commencement ceremony was filled with more obnoxious cheering than our 100km bike ride.  Our trail family reunited for an evening in Christchurch, which was absolutely awesome.  The good times were well-earned for the accomplished females in our group.  Congrats again to Bekah and Kate on earning your degrees! It was wonderful to see Kate, Dan, and Seb again before heading back to the trail.  A great surprise awaited Reyne after the graduation as his girlfriend Brooke plotted and planned in collusion with Bekah to return to the trail with us.  It's great to have Brooke as a new member of the trail family.  Her family helped us out tremendously in the North Island, and now we get to walk with her to Bluff!

Lake Hawea led to Wanaka.  Wanaka led to the Motatapu Track.  The Motatapu Track has huts that were funded by the revolutionary American singing sensation Shania Twain.  Bekah got sick in Shania Twain's huts.  The Motatapu Track led to an ambulance evacuation of Bekah.  We waited in Wanaka for three days for Bekah to return to good health.  Wanaka led to the Motatapu Track.  The Motatapu Track led to Bekah's second round of illness.  Tyler ventures out into Shania Twain Country (music) alone.  Tyler meets a man named Dene from Riverton who thru-hiked Te Araroa before it's official inception.  (Dene, as well as those walkers we passed on the flood track, will come into play later.)  Tyler hikes 55km to meet up with Bekah in the biggest New Zealand tourist trap of all... Queenstown.

When you can't find cheap accommodation because Queenstown has been booked solid for months and is absolutely overrun with gawking visitors, Queen's tunes are there for you as a welcomed distraction.  Hum any of them when you encounter life's rocky roads and you'll find yourself blissfully whisked away to a fantastical rock anthem instead.

I recently spent my last night in a hut along Te Araroa.  Martin's Hut has aged gracefully, and provides a rustic staging area for thru-hikers eyeing up their Bluff finish.  Most of the hut book entries are sentimental.  Nearly everyone loved their time in New Zealand, and they made lifelong friends and memories along the way.

My last hut entry reads: Is this the real life?  Is this just fantasy?  Caught in a thru-hike, our escape from "reality."

Pack Weight

By Tyler Socash
IG: @tylerhikes

Bill Bryson never liked talking about hiking gear.  If you read A Walk in the Woods, you know how uncomfortable a conversation about hiking equipment can be.  I don't understand the intrigue when it's happening on-trail, but alas, it happens.  We are all outside, nature surrounds us, and no I don't know how much my tarp set-up weighs.  Gahhh!

That said, I'm going to to provide an unsolicited list of the things that I currently have on my person for the TA.  Most of these things survived the PCT thru-hike as well:

● Granite Gear pack - Crown 60 (60 liter capacity)
● Rain cover for pack
● Light-weight umbrella found along the PCT
● 3-liter water badder
● Gatorade bottle
● Fuel cannister
● Mountain Lorel Design Large Quilt, Bivy Sack, and Cubanfiber tarp (8 stakes and guylines).  I also have a thermarest sleeping pad.  Thanks Harpo and Groucho for the advice!
● Down Jacket, 2 merino wool long-sleeves (one is falling apart), acrylic hat, fleece gloves, 2 pairs of running shorts, 1 pair of windpants, 1 polyester hiking shirt, 1 town cotton shirt, flip flops, 1 bandana, 2 headbands, 1 light rain jacket, dorky sun hat, sunglasses w/ band.  That's all within a water-resistant bag.
● My 2 pairs of Darn Tough socks will last from Cape Reinga to Bluff and beyond
● Breeze 2.0 Vasque boots.  Possibly the only person hiking 3,000km in the same pair of boots from Cape Reinga to Bluff
● Food bag with various amounts of sustenance
● A durable garbage bag used to hold sleeping system + clothes
● Cooking pot + lid with the following inside, bowl, spoon, knife, lighter, pocket rocket
● Trekking poles

The rest of this list is everything in my Sea to Summit dry bag...
● Small medical kit with standard items inside. (Running low on band-aids, discarded most medications and just brought some ibuprofen, triple antibiotic, and Excedrin)
● Aquatabs and Aquamira found along PCT hikerboxes
● Bug head net and sunscreen
● Passport, small wallet, cell phone
● Small journal and pencil
● Toilet paper
● TOO MANY ELECTRONIC CHARGERS (adapters for NZ outlets)
● External batteries for devices
● GPS
● Headlamp
● Deck of cards (with the jokers for some reason)
● Toiletries... Standard stuff but I'll list it all.  (No deodorant)  Mini-toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, small toenail clippers, small scissors for my mustache, tweezers, q-tips.

And finally, Leuko Tape from Bipolar.  This is the best blister tape.

The overall weight does not matter as long as you finish your hike without leaving a trace of litter in your wake.  Picking up trail trash, thereby increasing your packweight, is actually much cooler.

The river crossings were innumerable.  Te Araroa from Harper's Pass to the Rangitata River poses some daunting challenges.  If the rain falls in torrents, you will likely have to spend an extra night (or more) in huts while you patiently wait for water levels to decrease.

Entering Arthur's Pass National Park, we had heard about the notorious Deception River.  Earlier this season a woman drowned in one of the many crossings en route to Goat Pass Hut.  I hiked this stretch alone.

At one moment I had the genius idea of taking a picture of my legs mid-way across the Deception.  Tossing my trekking poles to the opposing shore, I now had the necessary dexterity to snap a photograph.  Suddenly I stood helpless without support.  My next step would be critical.  The thigh-deep current was relentless, and the algae-covered rock bed unforgiving.  I escaped with just a subtle pack dip.  Close call.

The backcountry of Arthur's Pass was beautiful, and dangerous.  Our hiking companion Sebastien actually broke his foot while concurrently snapping a photo of its splendor.  It was a sobering moment for the fractured Cute Boys Club.

Bekah's mum Adrienne lifted our spirits by surprising us with a smorgasbord of sweet and savory treats at the Bealey Hut.  Her parents also gave us a ride around the Rakaia River, officially labeled a Te Araroa "Hazard Zone."  The Rakaia is one of New Zealand's largest braided rivers, and fortunately thru-hikers are exempt from crossing it.  (Although, some brave purists will make a daring swim!)

The section of Te Araroa between the Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers is absolutely stunning.  Do not miss out!  Endless tussock fields merge with spanning scree fields and stream walks.  The highlight for me was spotting Mount Sunday, filming location for Edoras in The Two Towers.  I couldn't stop smiling as I thought fondly of the riders of Rohan while crossing the Rangitata with Bekah.

Fortuitously, heavy rain started to fall after climbing out of the Rangitata's final braided bed.  Dangerous crossings behind us, we staggered through Bush Stream towards the Crooked Spur Hut.  Up and up and up we climbed through the rain, desperate for dry quarters.  The rain fell hard, and we arrived at the tired hut near sunset.  There was no room at the inn!  At least the hut was filled with our friends Reyne, Alex, Renate, DJ, and Otis.

Pounding rain fell until approximately 4am.  Suddenly it stopped.  The cold hut walls radiated no heat, and I lied awake shivering until dawn.  Renate made a quip about New Zealand's four seasons and revealed that the precipitation never stopped.  It was snowing!

Reyne rushed outside to touch snow for the first time.  It was thrilling to see the mountains coated in a couple of inches of powder!  The snowfields helped Alex spot a herd of introduced Himalayan Tahr on the mountainside.  This was my first time thru-hiking in a snow squall.  It was a bit unnerving.   Our footing on the steep tracks was compromised, and I typically carry better gear in these conditions.  By the mid-afternoon though, the snow had melted below 1,500 meters.  We stopped early that day at Royal Hut where prince Charles once stayed to soak up the rays.

We awoke to a bluebird day.  Snow still covered the mountain tops, but the tussocks gleamed with morning dew.  I decided that going off-trail for a ridge hike would be optimal on this day.  Bekah, Alex, Renate, and Reyne agreed.  The five of us made up our own trail to find staggering views high above Royal Hut.  We followed a knife's edge rocky ridge towards a tarn-filled basin.  I knew that Sebastien would be loving this place, and I hope he enjoys this same detour next year when he returns healthy.  The scrambling stopped well above Stag Saddle, highest point of Te Araroa, at the 2070-meter Beuzenberg Peak.  Glory! 

Mt. Cook and the surrounding Southern Alps spanned the horizon.  New Zealand really was "the land of the long white cloud."  Yesterday's snowfall gave the peaks around us glistening crowns.  The 360 degree view was breathtaking.  I really felt like the journey from Cape Reinga to here was well worth it for the feeling I had perched on that summit ridge.  The glacial till-waters of Lake Tekapo glimmered blue far below, and a sea of tussocks stretched out in every direction.  New Zealand, damn it you're incredible.

I'm just so very grateful that in that moment, Bekah didn't turn me and ask, "So Ty-Lah, what's your pack base weight?"