Second Chance

I don't give up easily. Well, OK, I do. Sometimes. But mostly I don't. Unless I have a good reason. And even then there are rules....well more like guidelines really.

Anyway after an attempt to climb Mount Karioi back in January ended in disappointment, the quite frankly unnatural feeling of having to turn back and the sight of life flashing before my eyes as I stumbled head first off the mountain, I just had to give it another go. It was on my hit list, so to speak. Unfinished business if you will. I may not have known when the opportunity would arise but I would be ready. Yes siree. And arise it did, I just never thought that it would be so soon. 

After a friend noted that she hadn't been to Raglan yet, it seemed appropriate that we head down there for the next 'Bank holiday'. Sure we could relax, take in the cafes and bars, meander in the nick-nak type shops and generally chill out.... but not before we ticked off Mount Karioi first.

This time it would be different. We were better prepared, had done more training, had a larger team and most importantly, we were going to take the easier route. Success was virtually guaranteed!

Confidence was so high that we eschewed the usual dawn departure, had a leisurely breakfast, read the papers and generally loafed around for an hour or so before heading towards the hill. It was a stunning day for a walk and the summit was cloud free. Was it really Autumn? If every hill deserves a second chance then this was the weather in which to give it.

Abandoning the car, we set off in search of the path. Rolling farmland pretty soon gave way to steep tree clad bush. And with it the temperatures rose. Well internally at least. Sweat was soon pouring as we gained height; slow metre by slow metre. The considered view is that the best way to climb a hill is one step at a time. Maybe, but when humidity is up in the 80s, a lift in a helicopter wouldn't go amiss.

Determined to grasp the second chance in both hands, or is that feet, we slowly made our way up the hill. A few root steps, a couple of clambers over rocks and a pair of ladders and we emerged at the summit - which handily had a concrete pad on which to sit and admire the view. What there was of it. Yup, Graeme's second law of hill climbing had taken effect. Just because it's a nice day when you leave the car, the odds are that when you get to the top...it won't be. It was still a stunning view - the cloud base making it very atmospheric, if you pardon the meteorological pun.

A nibble on a cheese and ham sandwich later, and we're were off back down. The weather window was clearly closing and the thought of having to negotiate a slippery, muddy slope was driving us down. That, and the fact that a very loud American had just appeared at the summit and was loudly telling us how peaceful it was. Hhhhmmm.

Thankfully the descent was not as tricky as we had feared on the way up and, one unscheduled use of a backside aside, we were soon back at the car.

As second chances go, it was very successful, enjoyable and, more importantly, didn't involve me slipping off a mountain head first into the bush. Which is win-win in my opinion!