Day 2: I was Sore, but Now I’m Just Numb

October 12, 2019

Kilometers 12.1-40.1

Twighlight Beach Camp to Maunganui Bluff Camp

We woke up just before 7 am and started packing up camp. We had our usual two bars for breakfast with a cup of coffee and got on the trail just after 8 am. Of all the people staying at Twighlight camp we left right in the middle of the pack. A quick 3.5 kilometer hike on a 4WD track brought us to a staircase that took us onto 90 mile beach. Other blogs we have read and the TA Facebook group warned that the beach was hard, causing many blisters and having to navigate around the high tides.

When we got to the beach it was basically peak high tide. We walked on top of the dunes, about 20 feet above the tides crashing into them. The dunes quickly became unwalkable and so we slid down the dunes onto the beach. Immediately a crashing wave hit our lower bodies and we knew our feet would stay wet for the remainder of the day.

At that point we had caught up to and passed the hikers who had left camp before us. It is early, but Ethan and I seem to be in very good shape as we lead the way for the rest of the day.

With the same sounds and view on the horizon for the rest of the day we decided to plug in our headphones and listen to some music. Ethan took his pack off and started taking his electronics bag out. As he was most vulnerable a monster wave crashed on us. He was able to get most of his possessions out of the path of the wave but his rain jacket was hit by the wave, soaking it. I couldn’t help myself from laughing, but only cause there was no rain in sight.

Ethan with his wet rain jacket on the ground.

The music must have given us an extra energy boost as we kept a quick pace of about 4 miles per hour from then until lunch. We had put 20km behind us by lunch time.

Ethan crossing the Te Paki stream. His feet get wet here despite his best effort.

After lunch we plugged back in. Ethan went back to his big bootie mix playlist while I started listening to “Extreme Ownership”. Hopefully the book offers some good lessons and advice that i can use both on the trail and back in the real world. Between that and Andrew Yang’s book, which I read yesterday, this has been the most reading I’ve done since the night before my gen-ed literature final sophomore year of college.

As we walked we saw cars using the beach as a highway. Very similar to the 4x4 beach in the Outer Banks.

We arrived at Maunganui Bluff campsite just after 2pm. We hiked 28km in exactly 6 hours including a 45 minute break for lunch. As we set down our packs Ethan said with a limp “wow after lunch I was really sore but now i’m just numb”. A few Advil should get him feeling better. We have two more days and about 60km left of this beach walk.

We set up camp quick and I took off in search of the cell service I heard existed. I found it on top of a bluff not too far from camp. I was able to catch up from the last couple days, let my parents know we’re alive and track the last few innings of the nationals first ever NLCS win (Anibal you the man!).

As I sat on the bluff the other hikers started to roll in. Everyone got at least one blister today, including me and Ethan.

We had penne pasta with a teriyaki sauce and a pita for dinner. It didn’t really go together but we bought it because it was easy to make. We did the dishes and caught the sunset before climbing into our tents. Tomorrow will be about another 30km on 90 mile beach. Hopefully we can avoid the high tide and blisters.

Just after midnight I woke up to horse sounds. Sure enough when I looked out my tent there was a group of wild horses walking through camp. Unfortunately didn’t get a pic but hopefully we will see them again.

-Alex