Tramping 11:00:00 [3]
Stage 2 - Trek into the shotover. Started out with tiki and yealands. We all jogged together along the track to Arrowtown. This seemed to be at a reasonably comfortable pace. Split with tiki at the track junction as Chris and us had decided to go further up the stream over the hill. This was probably 10-15min slower but I don't think I'd pick any other route if I did it again. It just turned out that there was a track the other way and the sidling was nice even though it looked crap on the map. Jogged with yealands down to the next control at the waterfall catching tiki here who were sitting down doing something. Pace seemed to be just fast enough that I could keep up but never quite catch up, I always ended up hanging off the back a bit. We took it easier after the waterfall control cruising out the gorge and just walking the road and track eating some food. I was happy to take it easy as there didnt seem much point now given the dark zone.
Timed our "lights on" point badly just before the turn off to the last control and ended up messing around a bit in some scrub. Probably should have been aware of this happening and gone a bit harder on the track to get the control in the light.
Up and over the hill with some help from Ash and Stu and down with some nice bum sliding. The guys seemed to find a pretty good way down the hill.
I think we arrived after midnight sometime so probably got about 4.5hrs sleep. Tiki tour got up quite early in the hut but I was awake anyway so it didnt matter. Tooke the opportunity to eat two meals and a smoothie :)