Category Archives: family

around home, Aus, bikes, family, NZ

The Christmas Letter 2024

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Selling last summer to the continued Pulpmill cyclone recovery project turned out well – recency bias perhaps, it was the most rewarding, engaging and worthwhile work I can remember doing. Generally fifty hour, five and a half day, weeks didn’t leave a lot of time for much else – but I did manage a bit of gravel riding with a good mate and even-slower parkruns as I nursed a side strain. I was pleased to see pulp just starting to come out of the mill before I returned home at Easter (finally reaching the 100 parkruns milestone). I continued to support the project remotely for the next two months, but the hours decreased as the project neared completion.

Returning home and working less gave the opportunity to catch up with family and friends, get in vital firewood, try to remember how to ambulance, and get out in the hills a little. Some highlights were:

Riding from Macraes to the coast through farmland for a fundraiser.

The new, and excellent, Pike29 trail with a good bunch..

Gravel riding near Lake Brunner with the same group, and half the Heaphy with a subset.

A typical, but easy (to cater for less-fit me), West Coast hike up to Mt Brown Hut.

And the summit, only posted here because I thought I’d better put some of the rare photos of me in. Thanks to Katie for this one.

Back in Naseby, I enjoyed a couple of weekend visits from Hooges and Orlaith – as well as helping with firewood work – they bring enthusiasm for half-baked adventure plans that I never seem to get around to doing solo. In this case, finally climbing up through friends’ farm to see what it’s like at the top of Mt Alexander, near Danseys Pass.

Thanks Orlaith for this pic.

Visits from our parents to Naseby reduce over winter, but while Mum was visiting family and friends in UK and Europe I helped Dad buy an e-bike – so that was brought along during a rare winter visit. It’s been good fun having Dad suggest rides we should do and I look forward to more. A sunny, frosty ride from Oturehua to Omakau on the rail trail particularly memorable.

I successfully did my best to not go straight back to work, partly because I’d long wanted to visit a few friends in Queensland for the first time. September was the month to do so, shouldn’t be too hot. I hastily repacked and left my bike at home, forgoing the easy tour I had planned, when temperatures soared over thirty degrees higher than I was used to in Central Otago. So I had a leisurely trip spending extended time with dear friends and family.

On a Sunshine Coast walk.

I did of course manage to borrow bikes and get some short half-day rides in.

Time on farms was excellent, here having watched a bit of beekeeping, but there were general garden tasks, soap making, and dog walking to get me outside – as well as the riding, general exploring and walking.

Coming home to October snow and a week of rain was a bit much; on the plus side, I’ve never seen Central Otago looking so green! November was much better, especially with a delightful overnight hike with my young nephews and their family.

Back north later that month, there were more small hiking and biking adventures and I got to see my favourite podcast performed live again – which reminds me I also saw my favourite band perform in Auckland one weekend back in February.

Photo credit to Katie again.

And again.

In searching for portraits, I did find a couple of photos I’d forgotten about. This one reminding me that my haemochromatosis is still in maintenance with three-monthly blood donations. I continue to maintain that as far as chronic health conditions go, it’s a pretty good one – no medication, regular blood donations that help unknown others out, and I’m arguably symptom-free.

Also on the health front, I’m surprised and pleased at how good my once-troublesome shoulder now is after last year’s surgery. It certainly doesn’t clunk or stall as it used to – and it’s had a fair workout this year with firewood sawing, chopping and throwing.

Back in Naseby life, when I’m there, I spend a lot of hours on call for the local ambulance. After the long break with surgery and back in Napier, it’s obvious I’m not the medic in the family – but that’s fine, I don’t need to be to help keep our volunteer-staffed ambulance online. Small house building has stalled in the consent process, but the with a lot of help the pad for my garage was laid a few weeks ago – hopefully I can build the garage in January, with more help. It should be a fun and rewarding learning curve.

Somehow I’ve picked up a bit more work in Napier, this time on a casual basis in the sawmill (a different world to pulp), but it’ll be a couple of months before I’m back up there. Besides that and building, nothing much planned for the coming year – lots of ideas, but nothing set. Merry Christmas and all the best for the coming year!

family, hiking, NZ

Hooker Hut overnighter

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A rescheduled extended family trip to Hooker Hut came around last week. The first attempt, that I’d have missed, was thwarted by storm closures of the access track, and Adele did well to make bookings the hut that is very popular with families – due to the easy, short walk in and the spectacular setting. The forecast looked like it would be dry, but getting cold overnight – so we were all go this time.

It’s a long while since I’ve been to Mt Cook Village – the day walk into Hooker Lake certainly is well trodden, as the overflowing carpark showed. We saw scores, if not hundreds, of day-walkers as our varied-pace group headed up the the valley. Plenty of things to keep the boys (two nephews and one of their cousins – he heading for his first hut stay) interested and walking along – bridges a highlight, as was just about anything really.

Mt Cook watching over us.

Mt Sefton.

Rabi along for the walk. Too cute.

Three kilometres in and reaching the subtly marked turn-off from the highway track to the well-hidden hut.

A more engaging track beside a creek was well worth it to escape the crowds for the last kilometre. I could see on the topo map we were close to the hut, but it was a rather looping path that took us up and around to it.

Finally into view. I say finally, but it wasn’t even two hours of walking at little-leg pace.

Hooker Hut is now in its fifth location since 1910, after originally being far more alpine and next to Hooker Glacier. Various snow, avalanche, weather conditions – both long and short term – caused its many moves and now it’s in this very accessible spot with a brilliant aspect. Bunks claimed, snacks opened, there was time for much exploring of the rocks and tussocks surrounding the hut – the boys loved it and had an absolute ball. As did the adults, but with a lot less running around.

Sitting at the table looking out the front door.

A glimpse of Hooker Lake.

With an excellent rendang that James had prepared the night before and other refreshments, hut life was very good. It never got as cold as expected; even with the fireplace out of action the hut was very warm overnight. Bit windier in the morning, but the clouds that were pummelling the West Coast never made it over the range to us. We walked out in sun, but my the wind was strong on the swing bridges – thankfully behind us and not in our faces as for the morning crowds walking up to the lake. Easy to appreciate why the track gets closed.

Departure.

Much fun!

around home, bikes, family, NZ

OCRT – Oturehua, Omakau return with Dad

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Now that Dad has an e-bike, there’s even more reason to get out riding some cycle trails. During his last visit, the section of the Otago Central Rail Trail through the Poolburn Gorge (with its two tunnels and viaduct) was the one Dad wanted to do. Happily there was another big frost, clear skies and no wind for the ride to Omakau for a pie.

Leaving Oturehua, looking back to Hawkdun Range.

Thankfully the trail remained frozen and solid longer than the cross roads. Old Man Range in distance.

Bumping over the Poolburn Viaduct.

Out of the second Poolburn tunnel – the curved one that you almost need a light for.

Over the Manuherikia Valley to the St Bathans and Hawkdun Ranges.

Dunstan Range, Dunstan Peak and St Bathans Range.

Crossing the Manuherikia, more of the Dunstan Range.

Trail thawing and getting slower, close to lunch.

Returning, strangely enough – more of the same mountains.

Ida Range back into view.

Fun little half-day trip with Dad, crisp though!

family, friends, hiking, NZ

Woolshed Creek Hut overnighter

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A short overnight hike up in Canterbury for the twenty-something-st Birthday Trip for Adele and Theresa. Nice little stroll in and out (only twelve kilometres total) with decent winter weather, nineteen of us all up and a barely credible amount of curry hauled in.

Looking south once out of the short bush ascent.

With some of the party not starting as early as the families and others, we had plenty of time to stop for a long lunch in the sun. The return trip would have us up there, and coming down that face on the right.

The two youngest of the six children were determined to reach the hut first, so that kept them motivated!

Looking up the West Stour to the Arrowsmith Range.

More of the return trip – up from the left across to the Bus Stop and exit stage-right.

More time to stop and admire the views west.

North to the Winterslow Range.

Wasn’t long before we were looking down to Woolshed Creek and its hut.

After snacks in the last of the sun, we had to cross the valley to maximise this, some of us popped to the Emerald Pool (or some such name).

It’s emeraldish.

Plenty of ice around.

Certainly enough to throw onto the opposite bank.

After the early feast and much chat into the night, it was a warm night in a full hut. Well, not quite full as more people moved outside to sleep on the balcony throughout the night. I slept well and it was another leisurely start to the walking as we returned by the higher route.

First, trip trapping over Woolshed Creek.

Out of the bush again and looking southwest.

Snaking our way up, hut down yonder.

At the so-called Bus Stop, our lunch spot found just beyond.

That just left us to cross a boggy section, on new boardwalks, and then turn and head down the South Face – steep enough to make our legs aware.

A fun little overnighter with a good, large group. Lucked out with the weather too.