But then again not many people walk from Dunedin to Naseby.
Dunedin’s Victor Gray did that deed back in March, 1960 and now 62 years later it is a children’s book by Auckland author Aimee Chan.
The book called The race to Pigroot, which is illustrated by Laura Bee, is based on the walk, though a few changes — for dramatic effect — have been made.
Mr Gray’s walk was inspired by those close to him and others he did not know.
In early 1960, army cadets had been set a challenge to walk from Dunedin to Naseby through the Pigroot — a 143km trip.
The cadets failed and Mr Gray said two friends then went and did the walk.
That led to some banter and Mr Gray, then 18, decided he would have a crack at it, too. So one Friday in early March after school at King Edward Technical College, Mr Gray grabbed his oilskin jacket, put some chocolates in his pocket and set off for Naseby.
"I just had my school shoes on. I told my dad and he said 'rightio, away you go.'"
So he left with the instructions to walk to Palmerston — turn left, then get to Ranfurly and turn right.
He went over Mt Cargill, up the Kilmog hill and rightly got to Palmerston.
"I walked the whole way, on the road.
"I had a torch to start with but that soon run out of power. Then I ran into these guys who told me to look out for the pigs, the wild pigs. I was getting a bit tired by then so from then on I thought every bush was a pig."
He simply followed the road all the way to Naseby.
His father caught up with him late Saturday night and walked the final few kilometres.
Mr Gray touched the Naseby town sign about 3am on Sunday and it was walk completed.
He was glad he did it and slept the whole of Sunday to recover.
Mr Gray said the book came about when he was talking about the walk with a friend who knew Ms Chan and things quickly took shape.
He was thrilled with the book and said it was great his walk was now entertaining children.
