Windswept

Fortunately we weren't crossing here when a southerly funnels straight up off the sea and through this saddle. I wouldn't want to be up here when it's windy, it's too exposed and it could get ugly quickly.

I've had a stellar day tramping 20km across Banks Peninsula. Given the choice I'll choose to go inland to the mountains. But the weather wasn't great there and snow conditions are poor.

It's been up and down, through mud, in the open, deep in gullies, and sidling through Totara forest graveyards. Sometimes we were in the cloud but mostly we were above it.

The wind changed from a bleak easterly to a milder northerly. For a brief time this afternoon it got quite hot. Lucky I had the merino long johns under my shorts with the air conditioning (holes ;-).

 3 of us went from the Purau Saddle, below Monument, to Pettigrews Rd around from Hilltop. The other team of 4 went in the reverse direction and we swapped keys at lunch. We sidled around Mounts Fitzgerald and Sinclair. It's been a mild winter so far and neither has snow.

Today's gratitude: My sister Jennie. It's her birthday today. She's a great encourager and a fine sister to me. I'm blessed indeed to have a sister like her.