“On a Mish” #432 Hanging Out (Part Two). Forest Clearing, Mavora Lakes Conservation Area. 23.3.2025. Clearing my mind by hanging out in a clearing amongst the trees in the Mavora Lakes Area was my simple and yet very pleasurable goal. A good spot to pitch my tent and a place to hang out with my hound was on the cards, I just had to transport myself and my gear (plus dog) there. Everything was going well for me to achieve my task, with the weather doing what it was supposed to, which was clearing from the rain earlier in the day. I attached Georgie to her lead, saddled my pack and then began what I thought was going to be a quick and easy trek…
We hit the trail through the forest with Georgie’s excitement of exploring a new place dragging me along. It had been over a month since I used my tent, and nearly two months since I had used it in a wild situation. I find my mood depends on how recently I have been on a mish. The more time that has past the more down I feel. It is funny how sleeping on the ground with just thin material covering you can be so beneficial!
We didn’t have to trek for very long before we got to what I hoped would be a clearing with the perfect corner for my tent. Unfortunately, the original spot I wanted to camp was too damp. The map doesn’t show that some clearings are just bogs and no place to spend the night. Luckily, not too far from the first clearing was another. More exercise, I guess!
Knowing I had to return for my second pack made each step a step away from where I had to return to for the rest of my gear. Times like these really make me think back to the days when I could carry a much bigger pack and wouldn’t have to worry about heading back for my equipment. But with that said, hopefully my recovery progress is getting me closer to being able to get back to carrying a normal pack, so I can say good by to my two-pack technique.
The second clearing proved to be perfect for camping, apart from being much further away. I dropped off pack one and began my trek back to my car. Thankfully the scenery and constant sound of the Mararoa River was soothing to me. Eventually I got to my car and then returned with pack two, and it was time to get this party started.
As I began to set up my campsite I heard an almighty crashing noise in the forest. It must have been a deer doing its best to avoid the hunters. It is around this time of the year that the hunters come out for what is known as ‘The Roar’. I only just remembered this after hearing the deer, so I hoped that Georgie or I wouldn’t be mistaken for a trophy animal!
