Sunday 19th Dec. 2004 sure looked better than Saturday 18th.

Saturday was a real stinker of a day, dropping snow and hail around the top of the south. I checked the club magazine to see what happens in event of bad weather. It reads “Rain hail or snow we go.” You beauty. We’ve had all of those so it’s still on.

I’m braking my guts to get out on my second trip in my own truck and at a prearranged time Harald arrives in his “Red Beast” and leads us off to St.Arnaud to
rendezvous with the main bunch. We’re running a little late and are not sure exactly where we are to meet the others so Harald has a couple of “Can you hear me Sav?” over the PRS with no response. “Ah! Look! A couple of 4x4’s in that paddock. That will do.” But after a quick inquiry we find we are about to join the local boys on a day’s glider flying. One guy who is a little bit more intelligent than Harald & I points in the direction of a bunch of vehicles assembling 200 metres up the road and says “Ask them they look like they mean business.” (Jeez. I’ve not been in this club long and I’m making a dick of myself already.)

About 24–30 cars were present (did anyone count them?) and we were split into two groups. Group one, led by Scotty, were last seen disappearing over the horizon chatting away on channel 15 while the rest of us formed group two, switched to channel 20, and were led away by trip leader Andrew “Sav” Satherly.
‘Now at this point I would like to digress a little to relate an incident from the Golden Bay trip. This was my first trip in my Cherokee and I took along my brother-in-law Vince. We assembled at the required point. As I was still making tyre pressure adjustments, I asked Vince to go and listen to Des Clark give the pre-trip briefing.
Vince arrives back and tells me that we are in a group being led by some guy called “Um! Um! I think they called him “Sausage” or something.” I guess that’s a similar thing to a “Sav.”
Back to “Sav’s” mystery trip we find we are under way across farmland of varying terrain and the first to have trouble was Kevin Page who with some help fixed his ‘what ever it was’ and quickly caught up. Bouncing along in front of us was a lovely, well presented Toyota Hilux driven by Mr. President Murray Martin. I see a chance here of scoring a few brownie points with the top dog and decide to protect the President from the dangers of the world around him but it was to no avail. He had not removed his towbar, became hung up, and had to be towed clear.

About this time Sav. called and informs me that Tracey had chosen me to do the trip report. “Sweet! No trouble!”
‘Damn! Second trip. First trip report. ’‘I haven’t met Tracey yet. Does she know how big I am? I’ll introduce myself later.’
Underway again and we do some leaping around in some rocky streams. I’m now following a family in their Nissan Terrano as Murray has pulled aside to remove his towbar. Whilst turning on a little island mid stream the Terrano becomes lodged on an obstacle. The car in front tries to tow him off but he finally ends up with all four wheels spinning in mid air. With a tow from behind we manage to pull him off a log, which, I think, was left over from the building of Terauparaha’s canoe.
We traveled on to a nice spot beside a stream and all parked up safely for lunch. Well I thought it was safe. After having introduced myself to Tracey we had a chat for a while when she made a comment about “how bad the bees were around here.” With a bit of investigating I found I had parked my right front wheel in a wasp nest. (‘Here I go again. Trying to impress Sav’s Lady and I’m making a dick of myself again.’)
After a few careful movements I managed to get into the truck without being stung, backed into the stream and drove to a safer place. I was once more settling down for lunch when my wife Linda informs me that it is really stupid leaving the rear end of the truck parked in the stream when the food is in that end of it. When I finally got everything sorted Sav’ says, “OK. Lunch is over. Lets go.” Oh well! I’ll eat later.
The afternoon progressed in much the same manner. We had some wonderful views of Mt Robert area, showing a dusting of snow from the day before, & Lake Rotoiti. Linda commented on the nice man who was leading the trip. “He seems to know what he’s doing.” We traveled into an area of boggy ground and most trucks crossed ok. Sav called me on the handheld radio and suggested I try another spot to make it a bit more challenging. Now that nice man knows what he’s talking about so off I go. I now know what the passengers on the Titanic felt like on that fateful night. I’m still digging frogs out of the glove box. (‘ My second trip, first trip report, & now, first major bogging.’ ‘That bloody Sav & Tracey are working as a team.”)

We witnessed a white Suzuki having trouble climbing a steep area of loose dirt and, from where we were, at one time looked almost as if it would roll.
We later met up with the other group and had a chat & a cupatea. (Isn’t that where Terauparaha came from? Cupatea Island. Or was it Kapiti Island?) A suggestion was made that the Sheriff should collect some funds and I could see it costing me a small fortune. A well timed “Lets go.” from Sav saved the day.
We made our way up a dry riverbed, with various comments being made about a sudden flash flood, and came to an area which can only be described as a “Hippopotamus Wallow.” Several trucks were picking about around the edges being overlooked by Sav sitting safely on the hilltop. “C’mon. Go through the middle.” is Sav’s call. Now he wouldn’t do it to me twice. Would he? I carefully tiptoe my truck into the pond, expecting at any moment to see crocodiles swimming passed the windows as we drown inside. To my surprise we waltz through with ease and in short time are up the steep climb and perched on the hill with Sav watching others playing about below.

After a brief drive over a bit more of this beautiful farmland, with views of the main road far below us, we finally made our way home at about 4.30pm.

Thanks Sav for a wonderful day and thanks to the trip leaders & organizers who put in so much time so the rest of us could have such great outings in 2004.
It’s very much appreciated. Thanks also go to the landowners who allow us on to their properties.
Lex Bloomfield.