Ray's Ravings

For the glorious month of February 2012 and all that. Well, in our quiet life style we had in this month a happening, with Margaret coming over from Australia and doing with Rosemary some walks the top of the South Island. I will let Rosemary fill you in with that.
Then after returning to 130 they did a series of walks with me dropping them off and picking them up at appointed places. In all 80 K.
Margaret turned up by Road Cat around 6.30 p.m. on the7th. and so started the little adventure.
Took them up to the Hamilton Airport on the 9th and began my bachelor days till 21st. I actually like having someone around the place.
On 22nd. Took them to the beginning of the Waikato River Trail at the north end and I came home. At 2 p.m. I visited with John at Arapuni and then picked them up at Jones Landing from the first stage of the walk.
It rained on the 23rd and Margaret started on a thousand piece jig-saw that she finally finished the day before she left. The sky was very hard to put in.
On the 24th they started from the road that passes Barnetts Bush to the quarry and to the end farm and zig-zags down almost to river level and so the walk for a long haul to Waipapa Power station. I drove to Tokoroa and bought myself a $10 pig skin coat and an all wool cardigan ($3) in an op-shop there. Onto Whakamaru and visited Dennis Wright who lives a recluse type of life four kilometers up the West Taupo Road.
So, onto Waipapa and met the girls coming along the trail with perfect timing having only arriving minutes before.
Back to Putaruru and did some grocery shopping with the parking lot filled for the first time.
The next day we went on the west side of the river and the two heroes continued on from Waipapa to Maraetai Dam and another 14.4 k.
Drove to Mangakino Golf Course and to Whakamaru 10k where I picked them up and to Putaruru and Margaret treated us fish and chips.
Then a Sunday and finally on 27th. a Monday the last lap from Whakamaru to Atiamuri 23k.
On the 29th we drove to Te Aroha and walked the circle around the swamp and so off to Matamata and the Centennial Walk.
Margaret left on the first of March and so endeth our little adventure.