Date: 7th - 8th November 2009
Trip leader: Bill Knowles / Bob Dickinson / Kevin Page

Trip report: Rae Watson f. Saturday / Leo Van Workum f. Sunday
Photos: Diane Page, resp. Leo v. Workum - photos here

Saturday
Arriving late at the campsite, there were twelve trucks passing us on the way going in the other direction. Bob came back to meet us. We dropped off our camping gear and off we went. Heading up Mt. Campbell a thing called a Toyota started steaming (a hose to the radiator had come off) and we ran out of water. That meant I did not get a coffee on the way up.
We came across a stream, filled up the radiator, then on our way. Got to the top, had lunch; it was a nice view over Motueka. Just a light breeze.

Jill had her bike. She biked some of the way up. Bob was very kind - he picked her up half way up. Jill biked all the way down and ended up with some skin coming off her knee. She biked all the way back to camp. It was steep in places.
We went on some forestry tracks. That was fun. Back to camp we went. Got there around .30pm.

Had a few drinks before tea. The club supplied the meal. People who came for the BBQ made some nice salads. Jill and Gail had made a gup (? - ed) each. It was a shame to put them on the bonfire. There was a good turnout to the evening. Lex and two others organized the fireworks. They did a good display. Thanks Lex and your helpers, and thanks to Hillbilly for he is a good laugh. If you saw Hillbilly in the morning: he looked worse than he did the night before. I wonder if he knew what day it was.
Thanks to the three old farts for a good weekend.

Brooklyn Valley
Sunday

Trip leader: Bill Knowles

We returned to Knowlesville after a night of fire works, BBQ and sitting around the bonfire.
Everyone was emerging from their tents, caravans etc.  Bill gave us a briefing and 11 vehicles headed
for the Brooklyn Valley.  At the head of the valley we were met by the land owner Ron Post, who gave us a
rundown of his 500 hectare farm, mostly supporting about 1000 goats he thought.  He had a key to the
power station so we all had a look around this before heading up a farm track to a ridge line for a view
of the bay. After back tracking some way Bill showed us all his cowboy skills (minus the horse), by
rounding up some cattle that had got through a gate that was meant to be closed.
Next stop was the hydro dam about 300 vertical metres above the power station then a short move to
the ridgeline and a lunch stop with amazing views of Tasman Bay.

After lunch we drove to the top of the property and into the native bush for a short stop at the Boys
Brigade hut, which has doubled in size in the last year even though the 'new' half looked 100 years old.
On our way around the top and back to the valley road the clouds came down quickly and we had
limited visibility for some time.

All in all an easy great day out.  Thanks Bill, Lex, Kevin, Gordon, Bob for the trips, BBQ, fireworks and music.
 
Leo Van Workum