Day 9: Arapuni to Random Field

The beginning of today was awesome! We were tired but still making good time. We took a break and each of us ate a huge tub of yogurt and Jess downed this entire head of lettuce. 

Unfortunately, I felt a serious lag as the afternoon wore on and toward the end of the day on one of the easiest mtn bike trails on this route, I kept slipping and felt so slow in my reflexes and so tired. I just sat on a bench cried for a minute. Then cried again later too. I was frustrated with myself, tired, and mad that mtn bike trails still scare me (source of my broken arm a year and a half ago). Which makes me anxious about upcoming parts of the TA.  

I think we did about 80km today and now we are camping behind bales of hay in some field between Mangakino and the Timber Trail trailhead. We knocked at three different houses before someone was home (to ask if we could camp on their property. The guy asked if we would rather just stay in their spare room and was very friendly. The wife, however, must have disagreed because to the field we went. Not even their field, the neighbors field haha. She gave us some crusty looks too. I have no right to be, but I am a little bitter about that. 

But in my tent by 8pm and letting the bum chaffing air out. I'm glad today is over.  

Jess wanted a carrot...but only if I threw it exactly to her hand 😂