Who am I?
Hi, my name is Jonathon Moake, I am a tramper (that's hiker to those of
you from the UK/US) from Christchurch, New Zealand. I have been a
regular visitor to the mountains for many years, spending periods from one
day to several week's exploring our wonderful outdoors.
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| Me tramping on the Queen Charlotte Track, March 2016 |
I first heard about the Te Araroa Trail (TaT) several years ago and thought that hiking its length would provide me with an excellent tramping challenge. Over the next few years I will be devoting time to working my way along the trail.
Am I a "Thru" hiker or a "Section" hiker?
Most people walk long distance trails as "Thru" hikers. This means they walk the track from one end to the other in one extended trip. Generally that would be anywhere from 2-5 months. The TA is no exception with the majority of hikers finishing the 3200 km trail this way.
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| Henry River swing bridge, on the Te Araroa Trail |
"Section" hiking is when you break a longer trail into sections and then work you way along its length. The sections might still be 40-700 km long, and may not even be in order. It can take several years to finish the journey but at least his method allows for a life outside of hiking.
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| Pelorus River...start of the tough Richmond Ranges |
I have a partner and full time job so I have decided to tramp the Te Araroa as a section hike.
This website/blog will be a record of that journey...
