“On a Mish” #346 The Windy-Force Valley (Part One). Lake Coleridge Area / Wilberforce Valley. West Canterbury. 30.8.2022. Sometimes running away from reality can work like hitting the default switch. A complete system reset can be achieved by going into the wild, away from the constant pressure that is life. Of course you will have to return to the real world eventually, however after a taste of nature you will have a cleansed palate ready for the next taste of pressure and stress…
I really couldn’t have timed my injury at more of a worse time than during the Covid chaos. This has meant medical procedures that would usually only take a couple of weeks to complete took at least a couple of months. It took three months of back and forth with my doctor and a surgeon to tell me I didn’t have a hernia. You know you’re in a strange way of life when you a disappointed to not have a hernia, because at least that would be an answer to the many questions that have gone un-answered.
As time has drifted on, I was still stuck in limbo with my physio only being able to do very light rehab work due to not know what exactly was going on under my skin. This would start to get to me so to prevent insanity every now and then I have needed an out to help me cope with what’s going on. I am super lucky that simply heading into the wilderness can help soothe my sorrows. At first, I thought my outdoor days were over, but then I went on a little mish, and I realised that I didn’t need to go far to see the world I deeply craved. Injured or fixed, nothing will stop me going ‘On a Mish’, however, with I still must obey the rules Mother Nature enforces in her great world of wilderness.
A series of circumstances led to me having a free afternoon / evening, and after a frustrating week of going nowhere I needed a night out in the wild to remind me about the good things we have in this world. My weather window was very small, and it looked like I might have a ‘little bit of wind’ to deal with. I wasn’t in a position where I could travel far so I needed a mish where I could camp next to my car. With all this in mind I decided to head to the remote and yet easily accessed Wilberforce Valley.
With my location of choice now sorted it was time to pack up and get down outta town. As I drove across the Canterbury Plains, I was blown away by how little snow was left on the mountains. My mission a few weeks ago was a snowy affair, and now there was only the most stubborn snow left on the tops. As I continued further, I passed the magnificent waters of Lake Coleridge with its turquoise surface glistening in the bright afternoon sun. Already this adventure was delivering the goods!
After slowly negotiating the gravel road to the Wilberforce Canals I now found myself looking up the Wilberforce Valley, and immediately I was pushed back by a strong gust of wind that was rumbling its way down the valley. I was back in the Windy-force / Wilberforce Valley and memories of a particularly gust affair come flooding back into my mind. The conditions might turn back most, but when you MUST head into the hills, it will take more than a little wind to turn this wilderness addict back…
