This is why I'm so tired today...

Ok..so i thought i had a lot to write about in my last entry...i was wrong, i have a lot to write about in this entry! This entry is like a novel, so only read it if you have some time haha.

Let's recap my life starting from Sunday the 12th to figure out why i'm so tired today.

On Sunday, I woke up did the morning stuff for the calves, then went on that big walk, then came home and did the evening calves. Lately, we haven't been getting around to dinner until like 8 at night...





On Monday the 13th, I got up...did the morning calves, then it was gorgeous out, so Jenny suggested I go on a hike up the Mt. (which I readily accepted, see below)...I hiked from around 1130-4..then I came back and did the evening calf stuff...and I couldn't sleep on Monday night at all...and I woke up an hour before my alarm went off on Tuesday (today)...





Today, I started off physically tired from yesterday and not sleeping...but today we had a big job to do besides feeding the calves, we were bringing all the calves that weighed over 80 kilos to the top farm...that took i think 5 trips. we moved around 60 calves up there (including Pam, Devon, and Sweet Baby James!). Once up at the top farm, we had 118 calves in 1 paddock! By this time, it was around 1230-so we went back, had a quick lunch and we then had to get them all into the yards because someone was coming to pick out some to buy at 1:45 (he eventually picked out 5 that were all over 100kgs to go with the 9 he picked last week). They are all leaving tomorrow. After that we had to feed them all, and get them all back into their respective paddocks. Then, we had to go finish the ones by the house. Around 3ish we went into town to get some peanut butter and mint sauce, drop off some eggs, and get an ice cream :) hehe. On the way back from that we had to stop at a friend's house to pick the asparagus because they are on holiday for a little while. We eventually made it home and had dinner around 8...and here i am...writing my blog which is going to take forever.





So...Here begins my adventure up the mountain. This is my trail map. I went up the Summit Track, and did a loop taking the Makatawa Track back to the visitor's center...then took the Ngatoro track down to the Mangaoraka Picnic area...and then some....You can also note the Veronica loop and Holly Hut tracks which i did last time.

Oh the mountain! Everywhere else in New Plymouth was sunny and in the 80's...but the mountain was covered by a ring of clouds. It was actually better that way because it ended up being perfect tramping weather! If you look at that first ridge, where the grey stuff is like falling down it...that's part of the Holly Hut track which i did the first time :)

Here is me being a dork.

This spot I'm standing in was really cool, you can see the port in New Plymouth and those weird mountainy things in the water in the background! In this pic, if you make it bigger they are just above my left hand. You can also see the ring of clouds which I was under.

Here's a pic of the port a little closer up!

Could someone please make sure Uncle Ricky sees this pic?...look what I'm holding :)

Just a cool pic of the mtn :) This is about as high up as I got this hike.

Here is where I began my decent...that little bldg is the Maketawa hut which I eventually hike down to.

Cool looking stairway up...I feel it could be something out of LOTR :) I have found I like taking pics of stairways and paths in the woods...like this one.

Another cool little LOTR path...I like all the moss hanging from the trees.

Yet another view of the forest...I'm just trying to show how diverse the forests were that I was hiking through on one trail! I was looking for a hobbit or elf or something but didn't find any :( haha.

One of the many little streams I had to cross over...this pic looks almost fake to me...but it was very pretty to look at!

Umm...another stairway in the woods hehe...see where that bottom step is? See where the stream is at the bottom? The water can get up to that bottom step! I had to be especially careful when crossing them because a woman last week got washed away in a sudden "flash flood" in a stream she was crossing on this very mountain! I hurried across them, don't worry. Sorry mom...I know that probably worried you!

Here is me being a happy hiker hehe. And yes, I am holding my cell phone...I had to text Jenny to let her know I was almost done so she could pick me up....now if only I could find some cell phone service....

This is the big stream on the Ngatoro track that I had to cross (it starts with a W...you can see it on the map)...anyways, it doesn't look that big in this pic, but I was actually a little nervous crossing it...there was no good way across and all the rocks were wet!

But don't worry! Here is a pic from the other side...I made it across safely!

Some more stairs in the woods with a picturesque tree and sunlight scene :)





Here I am standing next to a big fallen down tree. I just thought the tree was cool :) Ok, so at this point in my hike I am on the Ngatoro Track and am supposed to text Jenny when I am almost done so she knows when to leave to pick me up...so of course, there is no service...

So...I start walking down the long windy road which goes up the mountain...until I am able to find some service enough to text her...I eventually ended up walking out of the entire Egmont park...it was a long road...

Once out of the park...I kept on walking...Jon was on his way, but I figured I might as well keep on walking...I think i started walking around 3:20ish...

This is the view ahead of me while walking....farmland...lots and lots of farm land...sorry it's sideways...

Eventually, this is how far from the mtn I walked before Jon picked me up...boy was I tired! I had been hiking since 1130 that morning with no real break! It's about 4pm at this time. Even still, I had a great hike :)

Oh yea...there should be a movie in this blog (high tech i know)...I'm not sure where it will show up once I post, but it's cool :)

-Jesse-CONGRATS!! i heard you got your black belt - that is so cool!! :)

-Oh yea, there is a native Wood Pigeon...I think they feel it is fun to dive bomb people...I got startled so many times on my hike by these stupid wood pigeons dive bombing out of the trees! There was no one else around, so it was pretty quiet while Hiking, and out of nowhere, this rather large bird will swoop down right in front of you, or over your head!

-The funniest thing ever to hear, is a cow farting HAHAHA...sorry if you don't think that humor is funny...but the little babies will just let out these little farts while drinking there milk, i am laughing about it just thinking about it...hehe.

-Dad-the tree fern thing is called a Ponga!

-The cutest thing happened today. The two calves Pam and Devon (#'s 918 and 917 respectively), were bought at the same time and lived in the same pen up until about 3 weeks ago. Today, they were put back into the same pen together, and they actually went up to each other and cuddled each other! they like hooked necks together, like a nuzzle!! it was so cute i wish i had my camera with me!! See Devon, we still like each other even when we are reincarnated as cows :)

-i have started operation thin out pam's bangs (which are known as fringe in NZ!!). I feel like I have too much fringe on my head haha...so i'm trying to grow out a section of them and trim another section...we'll see how this goes!

-Matt-Matt the cow is older than the calves so he's in a diff. pen :(

-Devon-freckles are cool! and I want to watch Lonesome Dove!!!

-Bebe Panda-ahh! i miss you sooo much too! i am prob. a combination of sunburned, windburned, and tan haha...i do wear my sunblock every day tho! and i am going to miss dressing up and going on halloween so much!! it's not really big over here, though jenny said it has gotten bigger within the last 5 yrs or so...we'll see, maybe i'll at least get to eat some good candy! Oh yea...I don't get like a notice or anything if you post a comment...i have to go back and check them...so i might miss it if you post a comment on older ones (i did check this time tho :) ) So, it's best if you just post everything on the latest blog entry because that's most likely the one i'll be checking :)

omg...so my novel is done for today...i hope i remembered to write everything! Miss you guys!!