Spot Tracker Batteries & water carrying capacity

Just a wee note to let you all know that you'll need a couple of lithium AA or AAA batteries for the SPOT trackers. Anything less than a lithium battery will run flat before half-way (and possibly let you down when you need it most). We know from experience that a fresh pair of lithium batteries (like Energiser Lithiums) will last the full 8 days (if you turn the tracker off at night).

If you're not careful, lithium batteries can be bloody expensive. You still have time for a little shopping around. Your local hardware store or Warehouse might have a pair of Energiser Lithium AAs for $10-$20. See Pat's comment below for an indication of which type of battery you'll need.

Another query you might want to consider now is 'How much water will I need to carry?'. I think 4-5 litres is a good minimum. You'll need to drink a lot more before Hanmer if you plan to camp out on day one - purification tablets or a billy & cooker are required. There is some reasonably nice looking water at just one location that I'm aware of between Blenheim and Hanmer - here.

On day one there is a curfew between 7pm and 7am on the road between Molesworth Homestead (at about 130km) and the Acheron Cobb Cottage (about 185km). In order to observe this curfew, you'll need to get beyond Molesworth Homestead (130km) by at least 5pm. If you get there at 5:01pm, you'll need to wait there untill 7am - not the worst thing in the world (if you are prepared for a night out) because you'll start the next day with good legs and a lot of altitude on your side, ready to enjoy a late breakfast in Hanmer.

Good luck with the planning. If you have any questions, post a comment here or on the Vorb Kiwi Brevet thread.

Also, time is running out to get your profile information sent. Please send ASAP to jeff.lyall (at) gmail..com . See the existing profiles here. There is some very useful info in some of these. The original post regarding the details you need to send is here.