Mangapumarumaru Epic

After Saturday's scary paddle we thought we'd try something gentler. So considering it was Lea's birthday we decided on a later start. After coffee at Lea's Lea, Barry, george and myself set out on our MTBs up the Gorge and battled a very stiff southerly to the Owhiritoa Bridge where we stashed our bikes and headed off up the road to the Mangapumarumaru Stream. We bounded up the stream and then completed the massive climb to 600m and then along the ridge. I was certain we were on the correct track as it matched our compass and George kept finding markers. Even when the markers disappeared the compass said we were going the right way. As it was we ended up in a creek which Barry remembered the last time he was in the area. After clambering down the creek we were faced with a 5m???? leap over a waterfall. It was most probably only 3m but we want to make it sound scarier. The pool at the bottom came up to Barry's mid riff so you can imagine how deep it was for poor old George! We decided to head on to Brill's for lunch which was a bit of a mistake as it took longer than expected. We didn't have lunch until about 2.40pm so we were feeling a bit empty.

However, it was a great place to take Lea out to birthday lunch.

We then headed up the grass cliff face out of Brill's which I found a bit nerve-wracking as it was so steep and open. George did a great job leading us back up over 600m again. All his tipuna were at work guiding him through the bush to each marker. After a couple of rests we made the top and started the long steep downhill to the road. The highlight was George's tumble and roll over the edge and into the undergrowth.

At some point Barry mentioned he was supposed to be home by 3.00. At 3.00 we were still over an hour from our bikes and we still had the ride home. After hitting the road we had a 3k walk back down the highway to our bikes. Marty went past in his vehicle and stopped to ask what a pack of mad buggers were doing at the time of the late afternoon walking down the road so far from anywhere!

We found our bikes and set off at about 4.45pm. Luckily Lea had a headlight and three of us had tail lights. We sped down the gorge with the southerly behind us and got back to Lea's exhausted but on a bit of a high. Barry and I managed one quick beer to celebrate her birthday with her family before I dropped Barry at home and finally got home about 6.30pm.

What another great day. What a great day to spend your birthday, eh Lea?

I found it difficult to sleep that night despite crashing at 8.30 so was abit tired, sore and not grumpy, but measured, for the day.

Just finished a marathon 12 hours at work so need to head home to farewell Mum who heads to Greece tomorrow.