Countdown is on to Invercargill and Bluff
25 April 2018
Like “John of the Mountains”* our hero Te Araroa trailblazer, raconteur, and veritable hard-man born of the south of the South; Bruce Hopkins has become as one with the mountains of the Southern Alps in recent weeks” as the Scottish-American poet and conservationist, John Muir himself.
In some “live” Facebook video posts he’s even morphed into wolf-man, albeit with the help of a bit of digital tech!
If you have been following his journey via Facebook, Radio NZ podcast or snippets here and there in the media, you will know that the countdown is now on for his final leg of the trail to Invercargill and Bluff after what has been a staggering journey of determination, will, near death experiences, days trudging in deep snow—balanced by sheer wonder at the beauty of our country.
At the same time Bruce has had his sights firmly on raising funds for GRG to support our 4,000+ member families nationwide through our support services, and for that we are deeply grateful for his efforts highlighting our cause and to all the wonderful people who have donated to our cause. Thank you a million!
At this stage, Bruce is aiming to be in Invercargill around 10 May and is looking forward to a cool glass of bubbly to celebrate his journey of 3,000km the length of this beautiful country of ours. He then aims to join family and friends over on Stewart Island - the island of his birth.
We will keep you posted here again soon. In the meantime we encourage you to share his amazing story with friends and family and the link to donate to our cause here.
Go well Bruce!
" Oh, these vast, calm,
measureless mountain days,
inciting at once to
work and rest!
Days in whose light everything
seems equally divine,
opening a thousand windows
to show us God.
Nevermore, however weary,
should one faint by the way
who gains the blessings of
one mountain day;
whatever his fate,
long life, short life,
stormy or calm,
he is rich forever."
- John Muir*
*Thank you to Bernadette Barnes for her post on Bruce's Facebook page with this wonderful poem above which is so apt!