From the Green Crocs – May/June 2010

This coming Saturday May 29th, the committee is holding a planning day. Although we meet monthly, we don’t always have time to discuss some of the strategic issues that the club faces. For example, at recent years’ planning days, we have spent time discussing what the club should do around transport. While we do not … Read more

Christmas Tramp: Lewis Pass to Nelson Lakes

New Years Day 2010 a bunch of keen yet slightly crazy trampers jump onto the interislander on a 9 day excursion taking them deep into the heart of the Southern Alps going from Lewis Pass up to Nelson Lakes. The initial plan is to head over three alpine passes Three tarns pass, Thomson Saddle and … Read more

Masterton Mystery Cycle Trip

If people sign up for a Mystery Trip, they might expect that at least the trip leader might know where they’re going, what transport would be used, how long the cycling would take, and where they’ll sleep. This was however a Mystery Trip of the better kind, where such trivial things even remained unknown for … Read more

Richmond Range midnight special

The special theory of relativity formulated by Albert Einstein in 1905 predicts that time slows for fast-moving objects. Presumably then, by moving quickly objects should have plenty of time to reach their destination. But we now have irrefutable proof that Einstein was wrong – because on a recent trip to the Richmond Range although we … Read more

Pohangina Valley Cycle Trip

During a cycle trip last year Hans was positively surprised by the landscape of the Pohangina Valley so this year he made sure it was on the trip schedule again. He suggested that, although you can easily camp near the bridge north of Komako, the campground in the Totara Reserve next to Mt. Richards might … Read more

Four Seasons in the Tararuas

As I passed Wellington airport with the orange needle horizontal on Cobham Drive, and the radio informing me that wind gusts of up to 140km/h were being recorded, I was beginning to wonder why I was heading into the hills. The horizontal hailstorms announced that summer had ended and autumn had begun. Buses were crashing … Read more

Christmas in the Coromandel

After spending Christmas Day with the family, and Boxing Day with thousands of intoxicated young people at the Pirongia races, Sandra and I set off for 8 days in the Coromandel. In general, the weather was glorious, and we lay around at beaches working on our tans, but we did pack our tramping boots, and … Read more

Cycling Port Underwood

At the end of February six punters (Harry, Roger, Nicole, Rita, Mika and Hans) gathered on an early Saturday morning at the Bluebridge terminal with their bikes, awaiting the moment when they would be allowed access on the oh-so luxurious ferry to Picton. A lazy start of an active weekend; as hours passed by and … Read more

Dragon’s Teeth

We began with a beautiful morning on Friday 2nd April, clear blue skies & no wind at all. Heading up Brown Cow Ridge we eventually reached the bush edge & then sidled across to where the track drops to Boulder Lake. Here wonderful views of Boulder Lake, Green Saddle, Dragons Teeth etc opened up in … Read more

Kai on the Fly – April 2010

with Aunty Rata Ki Ora fellow trampers. I hope you managed to get outdoors to enjoy adventures in our conservation estate over the Easter and school holiday period. The government has finally made public its proposals to open up more conservation estate to mining.  John Key reckons New Zealanders are evenly divided on this issue. … Read more