The Motatapu event had previously “just” involved running/walking or mountain biking along the valley floor, but this year an additional event was included: running/walking the mountain trail that was established as the link between the Wanaka and Queenstown areas on Te Araroa, our national trail.

This “new event” consists of a trail described as “3-4 days”, and featuring 3 new huts – all established when Shonia Twain purchased the surrounding land a few years ago.  The deal whereby this trail was established, deemed to be open “24×365″ and with three new huts was in fact initially suggested by Te Araroa Trust – so all credit to them, as they say.  Given that fact, it is a shame that the Motatapu event organisers did not include “Te Araroa” in the title of this new event.  But I digress!

So, mountain runners can cover a “3-4 day trail” in less than the amount of time most of us consider to be one working day, and this trail has almost 3000m of vertical climbing!  Needless to say, they didn’t need to use the huts – unless nature called, in which case they did have other options!

All-in-all, a great event in a great part of the country – even if the competitors didn’t have time to fully appreciate the splendour of the area!  That, of course, is why the rest of us take our time!

City Walker

And then I met Pat McFie from Made From New Zealand and he showed me that I can tramp around the country, get into the back blocks but still stay connected to the world (and my mates) through the use of technology that only a few short years ago was the stuff of the Jetsons… and then I started thinking…

Walking in the country needs advocates. I read of obesity, the plethora of indoor games and gaming consoles and the reluctance of generation X and Y to get outside unless it is by way of a 4×4 – walking really needs a voice. What’s more this country is made for walking.

If Queenstown is the adventure capital of Aotearoa, then New Zealand surely must crown itself the walking capital of the globe. This is my stake in the ground – one step at a time.