Sunday Oct 9th

Weather conditions ideal for driving. 12 mustered at the wash bridge assembly point for the Manuka Island grade 2/3 Trip.

A quick big tick check (good mud tires only) and we’re off lead by Scotty ably assisted by Cooge, while Sav collected the trip fees at the gate.

Left turn into hydro road. Whoa hang about, too wet, back out, and proceed down the main drag, turn left into circuit road at the beehives.

Now I have no doubts that our intrepid leaders knew our exact whereabouts at all times… But I did see the yellow jeep mounting a pine tree and shaking the manure out of it, while the driver did an impersonation of Big Chief Foo Kawi.

As we traversed clay, mud and gravel tracks, average ascents and descents with the odd pine tree squeeze thrown in, Sav was away scouting trails for later in the day. After a loop through the quarry (with a few rocks being re-arranged) we lunched at the D.O.C. hut up Boulder Road.
After lunch and a short retrace we crossed boulder stream, followed the plantation boundary track around to the “very steep ascent” where Cooge was advising “one at a time” and “engage low gear”.

Well around the bend and there is was, steep, rutted and loose rock, the top half still out of sight thru the trees.

Everyone clawed, scrambled and bounced to the top without problems. A quick regroup then steep descents of ridges and firebreaks with spectacular views up and down the wairau and across lake argyle to the branch river beyond.

After more pine tree and manuka bashing, a pass thru the mud puddle and a regroup at the Goulter River we arrived at the old homestead and woolshed for smoko.

The interesting old house of rammed earth construction had walls about a foot thick.
It hasn’t been lived in for at least 35 years. (my last time thru this way, if my memory serves me correct.)

Another loop thru the plantation and back over the quarry saw us back at the gate by 4 pm.
A quick re-inflate, farewells tendered and away home.
Many thanks one and all for a fun day out.

Mountain man