Schoolboy Jesse Hyde went out for a stroll one day last September, and ended up walking the length of the North Island.
Knocking it off solo, section by section, during his school holidays, the 16-year-old Palmerston North Boys' High School student walked the length of the national Te Araroa pathway.
He finished it in the July school holidays. The adventure saw him walk 1600 kilometres, from Wellington to Cape Reinga, in about 55 days.
Jesse said he wanted to accomplish an outdoors feat while in high school, and was training to climb to the summit of Mt Cook, but after reading a magazine article about Te Araroa, decided the trail would be more practical. "I had the time – I had the school holidays, and wanted to go for a walk, so I did. "I thought 'I can try it and if I like it I carry on'."
He talked his parents into letting him walk the first 200 kilometre leg, from Wellington to Palmerston North.
"They came to see me every night or so, and I stayed with my cousin one night. They were cautious, but I've been tramping quite a bit growing up, and climbing and hunting."
Jesse carried a satellite alert system with him in case of emergency, and camped out along the trail over most of the trip, carrying everything he needed.
Along the way he came across about 40 other walkers, of which all but three were overseas visitors.
At night walkers typically met together to camp and share meals and trail stories.
"It's the people that have made me want to keep doing it, the social thing – meeting all these different cultures and cool tourists doing exactly what you're doing.
"A lot of the people I met have never walked [trails] their whole life. I would recommend that every Kiwi does it at some time in their life - all these tourists doing it are seeing more of the trail than most Kiwis have seen."
The trail is largely set in beautiful bush and farmland. While it was mostly serene, Jesse was caught in a bad storm in forests near Ninety Mile Beach. He had a hard job making headway, was completely saturated, and the electronics he had packed were destroyed.
Luckily some farmers spotted him and offered him a bed for the night at their farmhouse, and the chance to dry his tent and sleeping bag out.
While making the Tongariro crossing with a French woman, they were driven off the track by hail and atrocious weather but managed to walk a loop around the base of the mountain to complete the leg.
Jesse particularly enjoyed the scenic far north and Whanganui sections.
The short areas where the trail was on the road were his least favourite, and he quickly learned hiking boots were not the best tool for the job.
"The roads wreck your feet. On the Palmerston North to Wellington walk I had hiking boots, and on my first road experience my feet just blistered.
Jesse's top tip for potential Te Araroa walkers, after trail shoes, is Nutella spread on wraps. At first he thought the combination was strange, but got hooked after noticing lots of trampers carrying the light trail treat for lunches.
After completing year 13 next year, he hopes to take two months off during summer to walk the South Island stretch of the Te Araroa trail.
- Karoline Tuckey, Stuff News
Why might Jesse have chosen to undertake this 1600km trek?
ReplyDeletea bet or fun or to be the first to do it or to impress someone.
Deletemaybe just to get away from a busy life and to enjoy nature.for a challenge to do instead of just mucking around.
DeleteYou need to answer using full sentences. A good sentence starter is: Jesse might have chosen to go on the hike because...
DeleteSo he can be proud.Or so he can relax,Maybe he gets bored in the hoildays or he just loves the outdoors.
DeleteHe might have chosen to do it because he had a rough term and he decided to have a fresh start by doing something great, such as a 1600k trek. Maybe he decided he wanted to improve his fitness for sport purposes.
DeleteWell done for using complete sentences Ben! It makes your answer much easier to understand.
DeleteI think that he might have done this for fun or to prove someone wrong. Someone may have said they were a better than him at walking, so he wanted to prove them wrong. He also might have done it to get fit and healthy, ready for school to start again. I would feel really happy/proud with myself if I walked from the full length of the north island. So maybe he wasn't happy with himself and wanted to feel happy that he achieved something so great.
DeleteJesse may have chosen to do the trek because he had always wanted to do the walk and he figured out he had the time in the school holidays and decided to set this as his goal for the holidays- Lily.J Elise.E
Deletebecause he was try to climb mt cook but when he saw the trail in a magazine he decided it would have been easier instead.
DeleteConsider our 'Wow!' habit of mind: Successful people respond with awe to the world. Write three similes or metaphors describing New Zealand's wilderness as Jesse might have experienced it.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Delete- The birds soaring above the clouds, like a plane gliding through the air.
Delete-Stray animals were running across the track, like an Olympic sprinter going for gold.
-Kauri towering over the track, like skyscrapers in the city
Bella & William
Would you ever consider doing something like this? Why or why not? Provide a detailed explanation to support your answer. Consider consequences, risks, and benefits.
ReplyDeletei would love to do this in the holidays, maybe with my best friend gabby. Gabby and i go on a lot of walking trails the most we walked together is around 10km but i think we could do it.
Deletewe would stay in a tent and take food and supplies but stop off in towns to get more food and supplies if we need them,the only bad thing that i could think of no WiFi that means no you tube and that means no anime i couldn't watch anime for 55 days.
wade
i would not do it because i would get so tired and where would i sleep and get food i'd also feel lonely and whats the point.
DeleteI would consider doing something like this because it would get me outdoors a little more.I would feel so good after completing this challenge.I would like to meet new people from other places and inspire other people to try this.
DeleteYes and No,No because i would't do it by myself or at this age because if i got lost,hurt,cold or sick i may be stuck there for a long time and i wold be scared. There would be no cell phone coverage so i could not ring people and maybe people won't pass for a while.But when i'm older i would be happy to do it with friends or family it would be a great fun and you learn heaps.I think you would just have to be really well organized and be really fit. Zara
DeleteWell done for justifying your choices, Toroa. Wade and Zara - You have been very thorough! Remember to proofread your responses everyone.
DeleteI would consider doing a tramp like the one Jesse did. But I would wait until I was a bit older because at my age I dont think I could walk far. I would also want to do a tramp that is easier and not so hardcore. Also it might be to risky do do a tramp that big by yourself I would do it with someone else. One of the big benefits would be the sense of achievement.- Myro and Amy
DeleteI might do it and I would go on the same track but just do part of it. I wouldn't really want to walk for that long because I would get really tired. I think it would be a good experience because you would see quite a different version of New Zealand. Lilly
Deletei would not think about doing this. I wouldn't because I would freak out about the idea of having a limited amount of food and water and being alone. There is a risk of getting hurt and not knowing how to heal/mend your injury. Sleep would be a big problem, sleepless night's wont be uncommen with the weather and you cant get much done if you want to sleep. The benefits would be that your fitness would go up which is very good for your health/well being-Gabrielle
DeleteWhat do you think is the youngest age someone could safely attempt a trek like Jesse's? Justify your decision with a detailed explanation.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Delete14 because
Deleteany age over 14 or 15 and under 70
DeleteBy your self 16 so you could look after your self on bad days but if you were going with other people from the age of 1 because your mum and dad could carry you but a better age would be about 8 but if your ready maybe sooner but it's mainly up to your mum and dad. Zara
DeleteI should clarify that I meant going on a trek all by yourself. What about 12 years old, would that be old enough to go on a hike like this on your own? Why/Why not?
DeleteI think 14 because you have been through all your years in primary school and a year in high school, so if any thing goes wrong, you will probably have a good idea of what to do and how to be safe and survive.
DeleteWhat a well thought-out answer Trinity. Ka pai!
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DeleteI think 16+ because people over 16 are more responsible and they could fend off any danger that come in there way like if a unicorn attacked them they could be mean and save them self.
DeleteI think that animals could kill u so people over 16 will fight.Also 16+ can make sure that they are healthy and fit and never get sick or injured and would make sure that they always have the things they need on them.wade and ashley
We think any age over 15 if you wanted to walk it by yourself, whereas if you wanted to walk it with your parents, you could be any age above 7-8 depending on how fit you are.
DeleteIf you wanted to go on a trek by yourself when you are only 11 or 12, you wouldn't be able to because no matter how how fit you are. You also wouldn't be able to keep walking or carry all your needed supplies. It could also be very dangerous if you got lost or ran out of food or water, and had nowhere dry to stay.
Bella & William
i think 16 would a good age because start to look the size of a average adult so there is a less likely chance of harm coming to you
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DeleteThe youngest age that would safely survive a trek like Jessie's is probably 15 because you need to be able to do basic safety skills eg. building a fire. Be able to carry multiple that could be rather heavy eg. food.
Deleteif you started tramping when you were little maybe it will be easy.If your doing it by yourself we think you should be 14 or older but if your doing it with an adult then you should be around ten and make sure you keep your energy up and you need to train before but if your really sporty you could go before you turn ten.What age would you let your child walk this,Zara and Lilly
ReplyDeleteI love the way you have worked together to recreate your answer after Blogger ate your first comment! Well done Lilly and Zara. You have also thought carefully about the preparation and family involvement that might be required to support such a long hike.
Delete13 i think would be okay, they would have to be aware of the struggles and what to do in sertan situations. They would have to learn how to pitch a tent and how to find there way back if they get lost, like teaching them to follow a river if they loose their way. They also would of had to have lots of experience with tramping-Gabrielle
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