Sunday, 30th June, 2024
- Day 2/2
- 100%
I'm reminded what I love about Ladle Bend and return home vowing to do it all again soon.
Ladle Bend to Wellington
Safe for sleep-in.
Today
- Lounging around
- Sun safe
- DIY fail
- Ladle Bend to Maymorn
- Maymorn to Totara Park
- Totara Park to Petone
- Petone to Wellington
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My bed magically converts into a lounger!
Easy river access.
I wake up with the daylight, then indulgently snooze on and off for hours.
After doing up a couple of clips on the Therm-a-Rest Trekker Chair harness, my bed magically converts into a lounger!
Then it's time for some reading while enjoying the sound of the wind swirling through distant trees… then silence… then the faint rustle of tent fabric as the breeze reaches me.
I always remember this place for the river sound and easy access to water, but it's the wind that I love. ❤️
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Safe for sleep-in.
Trees at my back.
The sun rises in the North East.
With the trees at my back, my tent is well placed to avoid direct sunlight.
I'm pretty sure my last Venus II died from too much UV exposure while basecamping in Hong Kong. I'm trying to be kinder to its replacement while still allowing myself a sleep-in.
I try to use the compass on my watch to figure out how I'm orientated relative to the morning sun, but further analysis is futile.
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Peeling silicon.
Drier bag.
It appears that my DIY efforts were also largely futile.
The DIY silicon treatment is peeling off of the panniers, especially where I've jammed them under the metal stiles that keep dirt bikes off the trails.
Fortunately I added a dry bag inside the pannier carrying my sleep system, in case my waterproofing didn't work.
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Time to go!
Park closes at dusk.
I gave myself a deadline of 12pm to leave the campsite so when 1pm approaches it's definitely time to go!!
Returning the way I came, the ride down to the trailhead is disappointing. I'm on a high from a night spent communing with nature, but my enthusiastic ‘Good morning!‘s appear to fall on deaf ears.
Groups of people, small families and couples all mostly ignore me and I wonder if perhaps I died in my sleep, leaving my unbridled soul to tackle the 'ride home' as a form of mental closure akin to travelling towards the 'bright light'.
I then note that it's actually afternoon, but it's hardly grounds for a ghosting. One lone lass does make the effort to greet me first, but unfortunately her lapse in attention almost causes her to crash in a dip.
Exiting the forest trail at Maymorn, I notice that it's only 'open' until dusk, whereas I didn't actually leave Seatoun until dusk! The website states that:
Vehicle gates are open 6am - 6pm in winter, and 6am - 8pm during daylight savings … Parks are always open to foot traffic.
Bike access is through metal stiles which one has to dismount for, so I guess 'foot traffic' includes cyclists!
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Earthquake planning - a water station for Week 2.
Peter‘s bench.
Sign down!
The ride home is relaxing and mostly free from the challenges of the previous night.
At Birchville I learn about local infrastructure for earthquake resilience, before conducting some park bench research by sitting on one.
My siblings and I are going to sponsor a seat as an overdue memorial to our late Mum. Peter's bench in the Birchville Picnic Area (just along from the cosy toilet stop) ticks the boxes with a grassy spot amongst the trees and a dynamic view of the Hutt River, where today a fun duck family is navigating it.
Later, I'm lost again, this time near Totara Park. Although it's obvious which way is South, it's not always clear how to join up the track sections. This trip I've tried not to rely on my phone, but the signage isn't great and I've still had to refer to my digital maps on a number of occasions.
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River gulls.
The muscling mound.
At the entrance to Stokes Valley, a large flock of (Seatoun?) seagulls do their washing up in the Hutt River.
Then I see the same strange lump of a hill I saw on the way up. It appears to be adjacent to a quarry. No wonder it wanted to muscle its way out of there!
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Construction wharf.
Island of stone.
Troll awaits unpacking.
Riding back into town via the Old Hutt Road, a new jetty and piles of stone hint at the work underway on the walking and cycling link between Ngauranga and Petone.
The path is scheduled to be completed in 2026 and I'm looking forward to it. The ride out to Petone is on the edge of a 100km/h road and far from fun, while the ride back in is functional but ugly and dull.
I finally reach Seatoun just after 6pm, a little over 5 hours after leaving Ladle Bend.
I rate the short trip as a great success and look forward to doing another overnighter soon!