A group of 15 walked the new Te Awa cycleway from Ngaruawahia to Hamilton. After leaving cars at the other end at Fairfield in Hamilton, we set out at 10:25am after our intros and prayer. This was a paved track all the way, following the Waikato River with scenic views most of the way. First of all we followed the outskirts of Ngaruawahia. About one hour later we came to the Perry Bridge, the longest cycleway footbridge over the Waikato River, specially built for this trail. This would be a great bridge to go over on St Patrick's Day. The track now followed the east bank of the river as far as the Horotiu road bridge, then back to the west bank. We stopped for lunch at 12:30pm on the track at Horsham Downs just past the Waikato Expressway bridge.

I read two poems about people who were scared of flying in a plane. The first one was about a Roumanian rugby player whose ambition was to play in the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. He trained hard to achieve this, and had packed his bags, and arrived at the airport ready for the 40 hour trip to NZ. He was at the counter with his passport and ticket ready to check in when he suddenly turned away and pulled out of the team - all because he was afraid of flying! The second one was about a lady who was so fearful of planes - she was determined never to travel in a plane because she was scared it will crash and she would be killed. One day she and her husband had booked to go to Wanganui by train to see her old friends. The train was cancelled because the line was blocked by slips after a storm, so her hubby suggested they fly there. She said NO, but the husband went to buy the tickets. Putting her trust in God over her fear, she boarded the plane. She didn’t like the flight, but was pleased to catch up with her friends. Many years later some of the family were going to Aussie to visit a rellie, but she was too unwell to go. She really wanted to go there with them, and of course she knew there was only one way to get there. The message was to be like this lady and overcome your fear with God’s help; not to let fear dominate and ruin as the rugby player did.

We continued on, and passed a paintball place and a horse farm before turning inland to follow a road behind the landmark Fonterra dairy factory with its whirring noise. Further along the track went past an equestrian centre to follow the river once more, and we had another short break. From here the track went alongside the river through more reserves and strips of land between hice and the river, with some more short stops. At the last of these stops some sparrows came down for bits of bread thrown out by some of us. We crossed the Bridge With Mountains and on to the waiting cars. After 20km of walking we finished at 5pm, and we left to go home.

DISTANCE - 20km COST - $25 travel from The Bracken