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Meetings first Monday on each
even numbered month at the
Robbies Washdyke, Timaru.
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Kel (Click)
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and Renewals.
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Alexandra Easter 4wd Trip.
Setting out on my trip to Alexandra I made sure I had every
thing on board, well almost, left the kitchen sink behind. My friend arrived and
we added his gear as well., then drove on down to the meeting place. Already
fuelled up and rearing to go.
With the new Garmin Phone all set to Alexandra we drove on down the line to
seven mile road and turned towards Danseys Pass. Bouncing along on road
pressures we soon arrive at Ranfurly. Time for a little lunch. BY then my Garmin
was telling me to turn around and head back up the line. Dum thing. It had been
saying that for the last umpteen miles. Mind you she sounded ok, but refused to
listen so not a good date.
Some good country roads soon went to cow paddies when we headed up to the
Serpentine. Heading into a bog hole, I immediately backed out as I was now
dragging the undercarriage. That will teach me for bringing to much junk!! Still
you never know when you will need some good junk. The trip down from the old
church, highest in the country at over 3000ft, was also a little on the bumpy
side, well I still had road pressures, didn’t I. I required the extra height to
compensate for the load. The views were amazing and it was good to go to areas I
have never seen before. Dropping down from the Poolburn Reservoir was all OK on
metal roads and finally to Alexandra to find out accommodation. The Nice Lady
finally shutting up.
The Saturday was great, yippy no more junk, well not quite, I still carry to
much emergency gear. Back up CB, blocks and tackles, D-shackles, Ropes, First
Aid kits, compressor, Tools, Spades, Axe, Air Bag, etc. etc. etc. Never mind who
knows what is up ahead. We headed to Clyde and crossed the river, on a bridge
that is, and headed up to the tops to a magnificent views of the dam and
surrounding valleys. From there we moved on to Bannockburn, where at this stage
poor old tail end Charlie had opened and shut many gates.
Guess what more gates as we headed up Watts Rock to the Old Women Range. With my
phone now on tracking only, the old women had finally shut up. The trip along
the Old Women Range was more slippery, but good going. The track just seem to go
and go and go. We also had meet up with another Group from CHCH who were all
parked around a hut in the valley as we go ahead of them for a while, until
lunch time where they were back in front. Well I think that’s how it was. The
Rocks on the tops were awesome, one wonders how they end up stacked up like
someone had nothing else to do. After hitting some snow one other driver and
myself headed over to the transmitter tower. A quick photo of a large, thing and
a wanker to prove that I had been there and then joining the group dropped down
to the tar-mat. Well from that height it did feel like we had landed. Dinner was
arranged at the local club and so all met for a good meal.
Sunday morning was a little foggy, but soon cleared to a average day. The climb
up the mountain to Old Man range did cause a little problem of over heating. So
I had to drop into low range and take the load of the engine. Just made it to
the top without going into the red. Heater going and windows down. All went well
along the tops being helped by the lower temperatures. The track was challenging
and one vehicle decided to call it quits and thumb a ride with other members.
The going was very rocky and very deep ruts, not to mention the mud over the
headlights. Thus putting more junk into the radiator cores. Dropping down to the
end of the track for lunch, with a few having to be towed through the mud holes
and deep slush, we stopped for lunch. Some had hot Sav’s and me well just a ham
Sammy.
OK, we now had to go back up the track to pick up the vehicle left behind, so
that meant going up hill through the same rocky crops and bogs. Fun, but no
worries for those with lockers. They just crawled up and over, with wheels well
above the ground by about 3 ft in places. All looked good from behind. Not so
good when two are I the air getting no traction. We dropped down to Potters Hut,
an interesting place with lots of history. Well it was until we found out that
an old vintage car drove through. Who requires 4wd. I wounder if they had Mud
Ropes. After a look around we then headed off on our way home, to come across
the other club trying to dig away a snow snagged vehicle. We watch as they towed
it over to the side and cleared the way for us, a club that stays on the track,
well some of us, we blasted through the snow. Toyota with a rise that takes him
closer to the heavens and then an Isuzu that, no was not as high, that got
stuck. Never mind Toyota to the resque and still on the track. I head down for a
play going from side to side to help keep me from bellying in the snow and then
on came the rest. All shovels still in the vehicles. We headed off to visit a
trade Me truck for the evening, not that good, and then hit the sack.
After paying the Motel, cleaning out the radiator, so I thought, we headed off
on our way home. Our leader was not going to give up on 4wd so we soon were on
the tracks again heading down Thompson George Road. Good thing there were no
Cops on the track as it had a 20kph speed limit. I just made it through with a
hot engine and at the end we stopped to tell the locals that all the boundary
gates had been left open. Maybe because of the Easter Bunny Hunt, not sure.
However we did leave gates how we found them. From there we shot up the road for
a while and turned up the Manuherikia Valley towards Omarama with the other club
in front of us. I did suffer from more over heating as we did climb to 1650m
above sea level. The trip down soon cooled the vehicle as the outside temp was
only 3deg.
Lunch at Omarama, a few headed home, the rest took a short cut across to Haldon
Arm and Mackenzie Pass, a great trip and a must do again. Carnage was a few
overheating, one alternator packed up, one broken shock and all worth it. Yes a
grade 3.
Thanks to Pete for organising it, A Great Trip.
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