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Dale Parsons i
I guess Dave summed up the little expedition well " It. was a great trip but I wouldn't want to do: it again, well not for 10 years at least.. All in all it was nowhere near as bad as what i might have suspected. The trick to it, is to ignore the Tararua Route Guide Map and pick the right spur. I'11 take all the fun' out of it for you and tell you it's a pieçe of ease, if you take the spur upfrom the first forks (grid ref: 896 999 NZMS 1). There were a few bits of venetian blind scattéred at thë start and then you're on your own, it's easy as long as you stick to the ridge top. Problems began on Square Knob. and much dense bush bashing, tree climbing, leg cutting. and. general head scratching. were indulged in. On the way to Tawirikonukohu (I haven't. seen Janine so miserable for ages). a. .. We had a very dry lunch and things got' worse and I feverously wondered how long we'd survive without water: it's very bad sucking, toffees with no. salive, the troops started fantasizing about cokes, mellow yellows and deep pools. We wanted a: quick exit so we headed southish to peak 3775. Words fail me, to; describe the vegetation: on the way: there,, suffice to say we still can't laugh about it. I kept telling the clan this is what tramping is all about but they were past caring. r
once on 3375' we decided on a very direçt route straight down; a stream :: :
bed: nothing could be as bad as what we'd been thru. I decided we'd camp on the first good site we found, and with that the troops dashed across the river and found one! Next day was a gentle stroll past Avalanche Flats over Girdlestone Saddle with a leisurely lunch at South Ohau and dashing out down the Ohau to arrive at the roadend at 3.38pm, only to find the van parked back at the bridge and the Mediumn Trip % hour late, but never mind, after icecream at: ptaki the troops started to smile again. Bashers: (in the mountain sense of the word) - Dale Parsons (leader), Dave Evans (chief tree climber, Janine (I hate bush bashing) Tooley, Prue (only one blister) Coakley, Peter Thorn, and Ross (I made it this time) Wakelin.
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