Nordic Skiing and Diamond Lake
25th-26th AUGUST
It was an early start with Maurice collecting us in the van just past 6.30 on Saturday morning. We met four more of our party at the Snow Farm Base which sits at the top of Pisa Range. There was little time to wake up before the lesson, in which the crew was taught the Cross-Country skiing rudiments of double-poling, diagonal striding, the herring bone (to go uphill – very awkward, and even more so to look at) and stopping. A few of us had a bit of trouble with the last essential skill and just had to sacrifice our bodies in a more abrupt (and bouncy) braking technique.
A timely lunch-break gave some skiers time to recoup their energy for a ski (shuffle) out to Meadow Hut. It was a picture-perfect day with snow-covered rolling hills and blue skies as far as the eye could see so the 2.5km ski to the hut was more a delight than a hardship. You can stay at Meadow Hut and there’s also half a dozen snow-caves surrounding the hut so that will be us next year !!! A couple keen skiers, Jane and Di, pushed on to Bob Lee Hut to complete the loop back to base. A few more decided, prudently, to mind their frames and try to perfect their cross-country skills on the trails.
All twelve of us reconvened at the end of the day, body-worn, a bit bruised, but really happy with what we’d achieved. Dinner at Francesca’s was an excellent reward.
The next day, seven of the team donned their tramping boots and headed up the 3 hour return Rocky Ridge walk at Diamond Lake. The crew got to stretch out their tired muscles from the day before and said the views at the top were totally worth it. They got a flawless panorama of Wanaka and Mt Aspiring and Handy-Nev was able to pinpoint and name each mountain.
A double-scoop icecream in Omarama was the perfect ending to a great weekend.
Anna
Station Peak 885m
19 August 2018
One of the rewards tramping to a high point on a fine day are the views that unfold on the way up and especially on reaching the destination.
Leaving from a shaded and frosty SH 82 it was straight into a steady up hill track which soon had the blood pumping and the need for less layers. Once on the ridge top we then followed the road terminating at one of the communication towers where a lunch break in the sun was taken. The views of the Waitaki and Haka Valleys also across the Waitaki River to the high peaks of North Otago were just reward.
The return journey was down a steep track where at the bottom we were expecting to see a colourful display from a grove of Kowhais. Unfortunately spent flowers with dead looking branches was the disappointing scene. Maybe the frost had an effect.
A short walk back up the road to the cars completed the days walk, along with icecreams at Kurow.
Thanks to : Jane, Kim, Julian, Mark and Phyllis.
Maurice.
Club Night August 2018
The committee has been working on amendments to the Club’s constitution mainly to enable it to become an Incorporated Society. This will be voted on at a special meeting at the next Club night.
Trip Reports:
July saw a mystery bike ride which entailed visiting a series of local attractions, including Devils Bridge wetland, the reservoir mountain bike track, Glen Reserve, the Oamaru Historic Precinct and Harbour, the Art Society Gallery and concluded with a refreshing visit to the local brewery.
In early August 7 members did two day walks below Dunedin. The first up the Taieri Gorge from Taieri Mouth and the second on the next day, up Berwick Forest’s Government Track near Waipouri Falls, both return trips of 18k each.
The Wednesday Walkers climbed Elephant Hill, returning via Mussen Hill, a Tapui farms round trip and another round trip on Roseneath Run near the Waitaki Dam, returning down the Awahomoko Creek.
They did 3 short walks near Waikouaiti of the Hawksbury Lagoon, Matanaka historic site and the Karitane Peninsula and last week a new Blackcap Scout Hill circuit. All walks were in the 12-18k range.
A new group are doing short, up to 4 hour walks, doing sections of the A2O bike track at the moment.
Coming Club Trips are Station Peak from the Waitaki River returning via the Kowhai Grove which should be in flower, a cross-country ski day on the Pisa Range snow-farm followed the next day by a walk to Diamond lake and walks at Mt. Nimrod Reserve and Hook Bush. On Labour weekend there will be 3 day trips in the Glenorchy area. The “What’s On” Page has more details.
Guest Speaker was club member Jane Green on her and Graham’s bike ride in Central America. She started off with 3 vivid video clips of the inside of a live volcano, leaf-cutter ants carrying their loads 150m home, and a howler monkey doing his thing.
The cycle trip was 15 days with some bussing in between starting in Nicaragua, going through Costa Rica and finishing on the Panama Canal. Temperatures were around 30 degrees with high humidity.
We saw pictures of bright coloured buildings, some modern, some just shacks, rubbish everywhere, high fences and tall mountains with no snow because of their proximity to the equator. In Nicaragua the average income is just $2 per day. Bikes are the main form of transport with freight cartage by anything from horse and cart to large trucks. Navigating around is not easy as there are no street numbers or names.
The best photo was of a squirrel eating a large nut with its head buried inside the nut.
The most stressful episode they had was getting left behind by the bus at the first border post, though luckily someone eventually noticed and the bus driver came back for them.
Mystery Bike Ride
Sunday 22nd July
Six keen cyclists set off from the Medway Street carpark at 9am on a fine sunny morning and rode through the Oamaru Gardens and along the Alps to Ocean Trail.
We continued on up Saleyards Road to meet Weston Road, turned off into the new sub-division at Waiareka, riding the streets and down a landscaped pathway to link up with the A2O Trail once again.
At Weston we rode around the sports field and then on to Twin, Parsons, Homestead and Devil’s Bridge Roads. By this time we had to battle a mild Norwesterly wind but we were soon at the sheltered Devil’s Bridge wetlands where after lifting our bikes over the stile we explored the outlet before cycling around the track and on towards Eden Road.
After a short hill climb we enjoyed an exhilarating ride down on a very smooth compacted gravel surface, turned into Ardgowan road and cruised along to the stile leading to the Oamaru Reservoir tracks. A short ride through the forest and around the reservoir lead us to Reservoir Road which we rode to the end and the entrance to the bike tracks in the Glens Reserve.
These single tracks required a bit more skill and concentration as it was a bit slippery and had some sharp corners in places. However everyone managed to negotiate them without any mishaps.
With midday approaching, we stopped for a lunch break on the 4WD track above where some members had helped clear broom and flowering currant in March. This area has now been planted out in native trees.
Our ride then took us across the stream back to Eden and Humber Streets and through to view the new bridge across Oamaru Creek.
We then followed the pathway around to the steam-punk playground and on to the penguin colony, where we left our bikes and went for a stroll out on the breakwater. There were several seals basking in the sun on the rocks below the penguin viewing shelter.
Scotts Brewery for refreshments was the next stop and then a bit of culture with a visit to the nearby art gallery to view paintings which Lyn’s husband Jeff had on display.
Our bike ride was no longer a mystery as it concluded at the carpark at 2.30pm with some riding home to Kakanui and Weston.
Thanks for the company of Jane, Lyn, John, Gary and Maurice for an enjoyable day out in the country and around our local places of interest.
Phyllis.
Podocarp Track Closure
The Podocarp Track in the Herbert Forest is now closed because of logging operations.