Thru the Richmond Range Alpine Track-headed into Nelson Lakes National Park

Ok ...so I took the fairy from Wellington to Picton on the South Island. hitched to Nelson...then to hope then hiked up a gravel road which was badly damaged by slides from the past two weeks of rain...to the start of the Richmond Range Alpine Track.....twas amazing! Being in a remote alpine mountain range...alone almost feeling like I owned the southern alps of New Zealand! Six days thru river crossings, high meak summits, including Mt Rintoul, Mt Ellis, and Purple Mtn and some narly 100K trail. The huts where great, and the weather was perfect.

          Heading into Nelson Lakes National Park after I pick up my 3rd pear of shoes...the $ is really starting to add up with these shoes that just cant make the cut. I have two large passes to hike over with 120K thru the park. I plan to carry 6 days of food with an extra day of food in case I can't get over Wairoa Pass(weather-freak snow storms can hit that pass in any givin summer day). Somehow I'm gonna try and fit in some fly fishing in on the Sabine River....the brown trout look amazing! Keep on tramping!(Tramping meaning hiking in the kiwi slang).