The day of the livestock

Okay so this is kinda gross.

Actually, really gross.

BUT in defense of my hygiene habits, it is really cold here and I don't sweat when I run.

Confession: I slept in my running clothes so that I would be warm in the morning to run on the beach. Yeah, that happened.

And it was worth it. The 90 mile beach (really 60 miles long) has hard, compact sand and it's perfect to run on.

I took my sweet time leaving Ahipara and shipwreck bay this morning only to be slowed even further by a road block... of cows.

They were actually being herded by a woman on horseback. Am I dreaming? I need that job.

Another thing I love about this place.. honesty boxes. Folks grow too much produce (dirt cheap here) and leave them on the sides of the roads with dirt cheap prices. You take what you want, leave the money and go on your way. But I don't need 5 kilos of mandarin oranges. Or avocados.

Ironically, another couple from the holiday park in Ahipara ended up following me (or I followed them) all the way to the Kauri parks. Weird.

We both took the ferry to Rawene, and while waiting I was attacked by chickens. Seriously. They came and presented themselves at the drivers window expecting handouts. Look chickens, I have only enough to feed myself. Try someone else.

Passing Rawene I came to Omapere. Omapere is a little seaside town with a DOC reserve on a small outcropping. Oh. My. Goodness. I had no idea that the little park would hold so much. It was stunning.

I walked down on the coastal track to the beach and tramped around past the fishermen to the other side. Mariner's bay I think is what it was. The beach was cluttered with massive chunks of rock and to be perfectly honest, very alien. It was like a giant playground, or labyrinth, of huge rocks laying in the sand. It was a feat getting around to the other side.

From there I went to the Waipoua Forest where the largest Kauri tree still stands. I grossly underestimated how big this bugger was. I walked down the boardwalk, erected to protect the fragile root systems, to see two women standing in the clearing staring at something I couldn't yet see. I was not expecting what they were seeing.

This tree is HUGE. Bigger than a house around the middle alone. Pictures can't even start to describe how large the 2,000 year old tree is, Tane Mahuta. The girth of this tree is 13.8 meters. Woah.

Pictures can't even show just how big this guy is.

Call it cliche or weird, but the Avatar soundtrack played in my head the rest of the day. At another stop, I hiked to Yaka, the 7^th largest Kauri, and touched it. It was like touching a really big kinda soft rock. Amazing. I also saw Cathedral Grove, which was like a big crowd of Kauris. Cue Avatar again.

I also stopped by Kaiiwi Lakes on my way into Dargaville. They were pretty, but after the Cape.. just ok.

Then I headed to Bayly's beach where I drove on the beach, hopefully not to the dismay of the rental company, to see the sunset. It's interesting driving onto the beach.... and entering the highway. The seagulls were having a blast on the beach, eating the heads of snapper that local fishers had cast aside to retain only the valuable bodies.

Then I headed to Dargaville where I met up with Ray and Joyce. They not only allowed me to park there, but I watched Australia with them while my bed that Joyce prepared for me heated up with an electric blanket. I had tea and bikkies (biscuit cookies) with the pair as well. It was luxurious. They treated me like family- I hope I can go back to see them again!