Tokomaru Mission

There are few things I love more than an exploratory adventure run with friends in the middle of summer, especially when unusually it only takes just over a few hours and everyone comes out warm and happy. We had an absolute pearler yesterday, which included part of the Te Araroa trail and the Tokomaru gorge.

A good gang of eleven of us started from Gordon Kear forest, where many of us have been orienteering for years and ran south along the new route. The route follows gravel roads and four wheel drive tracks until close to the high point where it veers into the bush. The bush track is fun, cruising along the ridge for a bit until dropping quickly into the river, great terrain running if you are confident enough with your feet.

Once we hit the river we just followed our noses, down through big pools, narrow canyons, good running on dry stones. There are lots of deer tracks in here and some amazing native forest; nikaus, ratas and totara were a few that I noticed. And right on time we turned a corner and found Horseshoe bend picnic area where we had left some cars. Special kudos as well to Mrs Flynn who had arrived with some cold beers, next time though she will be out running.