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If this email is not displayed correctly, to view an online version. When I was 10, my parents hatch
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When I was 10, my parents hatched a plan with some family friends: wouldnt it be fun, they thought, if we all walked from Devonport to Long Bay, sticking only to the coastline?
Thats 22km, more or less, and much of the coast is unpassable at high tide, so our adventure involved some careful planning we didnt want to drown and win a Darwin Award. We checked tide charts, and appointed drivers to drop off, pick up, and re-provision us walkers: the North Shore circa 1980 was rather less cosmopolitan than today, so we couldnt rely on beachfront cafes along the way.
Our epic family stroll started at 6am and ended as night fell which must have been about 9pm, seeing as this was high summer. It was a grand adventure, with many shoulder-rides, blisters and swims along the way and seeing it was a slow news year, it even merited a group photo and a wee article about our feat in the North Shore Times.
Almost every summer since, Ive had a vague ambition to round up some friends and family and repeat the exercise, but somehow never quite got round to it. But then, at very short notice, I was cajoled by a running chum to sign up for last Sundays [Cargo Plus Coastal Challenge]( which covers much the same sand-and-rock route except in the opposite direction (there were five options, ranging from 6km to 33km, all ending in Devonport).
For nostalgias sake, I should really have done the full 22km route from Long Bay, but seeing as this was a run rather than a stroll, and seeing as I didnt have Dad to piggyback me across Wairau Creek at Milford, and seeing as Mum wasnt going to be handing me sandwiches as I arrived at Rothesay Bay, I settled for the slightly more achievable 17km route from Browns Bay.
It was a beautiful day and, apart from a brief moment in the middle where I experienced an endorphin- and endocannabinoid-based runners high, I found it hot, exhausting and kind of horrible.
But I felt great at the end, and there was free beer right next to the finish line. Next year I think Ill start at Long Bay.
NEWS - TRAVEL - RUNNING
Western Springs speedway is [vowing to fight for its future]( after being told [its lease wouldn't be extended]( past March 31. Speedway bosses were taken aback and are now refusing to move until a new home is secured for the sport. With the dispute accelerating, Stuff took a look at [the future of speedway]( and what's planned for the stadium once the roar of the engines fades.
Fancy seeing the country for $5? Turns out many camper companies have a problem: they need to get their campervans from Queenstown or Christchurch, where overseas tourists leave them, back to Auckland. To save paying a driver, many companies will offer heavily discounted deals to people who will bring the vans home. We put the $5 campervan getaway to the test [here's how we got on](.
Northwestern cycleway
Sometimes a run through what seems the most glum of places can reveal hidden delights. The northwestern cycleway (pictured) can be a drag to run on, with the hum of cars whizzing by on the motorway. And then you get to the Great North Rd interchange near Waterview. Right under the motorway underpass is a veritable visual feast, plants and a stream forming a jungle amidst the concrete. Find the beauty around you.
Enjoying this email? [Check out Stuff's other daily and weekly newsletters](.
NEIGHBOURLY - FOOD - WHAT'S ON
Neighbourly received hundreds of entries from across the country for Resene's Loveliest Letterbox competition. The entires ranged from recycled bikes to elaborate art pieces, so it was no easy task choosing finalists. However, after much deliberation, 10 have been chosen, and now we need your help to pick the four winners. Which is your favourite? [Let us know by voting](.
The madness of Christmas is a distant memory, saving the lawn is an idea long given up on, but the deck is still crying out to be made the most of on these hazy afternoons. Anna King Shahab writes a last-minute gathering doesn't need to fluster you if you've got a few staples at the ready - like cheese, relishes and crackers. Check out her [recipe for birdseed crackers here]( - they're dead easy to whip up.
Summer may be technically over, but it's still warm enough to take the family movie night outdoors. Auckland Council's Movies in Parks runs until April 20, so pack a torch and some cosy clothes and watch your favourite films under the stars. On Friday it's [Despicable Me 3]( at Monte Cecilia Park in Hillsborough and on Saturday [Ferdinand]( is screening at Papakura's Central Park. Check out [the full line-up here](.
[Click here]( for Stuff Pix competition terms and conditions.
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