A 1200km 'holiday' walk for cancer

MAN OF HIS WORD: Mike Butler (centre) and his dogs Toby (left) and Idol (right), were in Gisborne a year ago during their walk from Auckland to Wellington to raise money for the Cancer Society. They had to postpone their journey after Mr Butler broke his ankle in the Whareratas. Next week Mr Butler and the dogs will return to finish the job. Picture by Paul Rickard

MANY people escape to the tropics for their winter holidays, but not Mike Butler.

With his dogs Toby and Idol he has embarked on a 1204-kilometre hike from Auckland to Wellington, aiming to arrive in the capital on Daffodil Day, August 26.

They began their adventure in Auckland on July 4 to raise funds for the Cancer Society, and rolled through Gisborne over the weekend.

A good crowd with their dogs turned out to meet them outside the hospital on Saturday afternoon to walk with them into town.

They raised about $300 on that walk alone.

“Everybody was really welcoming," he said. "People were very warm and generous in their donations.”

He calls the walk “a holiday with my dogs”, an innovative response to his employer ANZ’s challenge to its staff to raise money for the Cancer Society.

He likes walks “to refocus”, and has always loved a challenge.

“All that time walking is good thinking time.”

Walking six days a weekMr Butler walks six days a week, aiming for around 25km a day.

Having passed the half way mark, just before reaching Te Karaka, Mr Butler says they are all “feeling good”.

“The body is holding up. I have only had three little blisters so far”.

He learnt his lessons from another “mega-walk” five years ago, when he trekked 2326km around the South Island.

During that walk, with border collie Rapid and kelpie Ella, he managed to raise more than $22,000 for the Cancer Society, but experienced severe blisters the entire way.

That walk was too far and over too short a time, he says.

“I almost fell apart.”

This time around he is feeling great, especially after recently experiencing the highlight of his trip thus far, the Waioeka Gorge.

“There was hardly any traffic. It was really peaceful, easy walking and beautiful scenery. You see a lot more walking than driving.”

He would know, having done walks around the world, including in the Himalayas and El Camino de Santiago in Spain. Other trip highlights include meeting new people and staying with old friends along the way.

“They have opened their hearts. They really are saints some of these people.”

Negotiating heavy trafficThe only negative so far has been heavy traffic near Cambridge.

There have been some problems with the dogs, including Idol who split his paw week one. But he is now back to full health and the dogs get rest breaks in the support car.

Along the way Mr Butler is supported by ANZ staff members from 75 branches stretching down the North Island. He is hoping to raise $12,000 for the Cancer Society and encourages people to join him in the walk, even if only a short distance.

“Even if you can only walk a kilometre with me, it would be great.”

Mr Butler is off down to Wairoa this week aiming to make it there by Thursday. ANZ staff from Gisborne and Wairoa will be supporting him over the coming week.

Follow Mr Butler’s journey online to see when and where to join him, where he still needs a bed and to make donations to the Cancer Society: http://mikeshikenz.blogspot.co.nz/