Mount Rinopai

Opened the Moho blinds to a frosty morning and the sun shining brightly into the Moho warming her up just nicely. A cup of coffee knocked back and we’re off to walk a track I found while looking at maps that were up the Parapara Valley Road. When arriving at our destination there was no carpark that we could find and for that matter we couldn’t find where the tracks started. It wasn’t until we backtracked along the road that we spotted what appeared to be a narrow gap in the bush on the side of the road.

We found a wee space on the side of the road just big enough for our Jimny, had a quick scout of the entrance and yep it was a borrow entrance that was not that well used. Put on our tramping boots and gaiters, small backpacks with water and peanut butter squeezes and headed off on a track that gradually widened to a normal track width. After a short gradual climb and reaching a large pond, we looked at the map and decided to head further up to Mount Rinopai. I decided a route and we headed off on a straightish type course to a hilltop, with the intention of coming back down to Mount Rinopai, that was until Jude grizzled about the direction and distance. After a bit of aggressive to & fro’ing of who was the better navigator… I lost and reluctantly followed Pocahontas.

The track Pocahontas chose wound its way through the bush, the track narrowing to something big enough for a rabbit, wet slippery and we ended up breaking our way through some overgrown bush hoping we were on the right track. Because the track was barely visible we had to do a couple of small backups to find where we missed the turns. As time went on and with damaged communication now restored to normal, we managed as a team to braille our way up through the bush to Mount Rinopai.

At the top of Mount Rinopai all I saw was a blinding white flash as a wild animal came charging out of the bush and attacked my leg which left a life threatening scratch, it could have been worse if it manage to break through skin, I was fighting for my life before its owner called that damn Maltese Puppy back to her!

After a rest and chat to the two women and their dogs we headed down a different track to the one we came up, a much easier descent and a straighter line if we could manage to stay on the right one that is. We made it back with minimum course corrections… on the point of who is the best navigator… it’s better if we work as a team.😂🤣👍🏼