Elusive Spenserian Illusions

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Elusive Spenserian Illusions Simon Field Now that I've got the newsletter that smoking brigade - with the Brigadier says where the trip went and the maps featuring a clean white tee shirt set of the area, I guess it's time to do about baiting the bus driver for not the write-up. enforcing the bus company's smoking policy. While all this went on the Wednesday morning saw all eleven of conservation types kicked a noisy can us flying to Nelson, some feeling down the centre of the road. upset because they could have got the student discount but hadn't, while the With great trepidation we headed up ones that did felt smug. From the the Cannibal Gorge, Dennis and the Hutt airport Brown's Cow strolled round to Valley racers disappeared in a cloud of the Black Cat corner where, according flying mud and beech leaves. Moans to Jan's directions and Brian's faith about pack weights, ambitious plans, the Newmans bus would pick us all up deteriorating weather aside we all for the trip to Lewis Pass. Older memtrundled up past the gorge in the right bers of the trip heckled school girls hand branch of the Maruia. Camped as they rode past, the younger bods opposite the Ada Pass hut, the troops being content with huge ice-creams. had problems deciding if the stream On the bus the heckling continued, nearby was loud enough to stop sleep the point of the malicious attack was - the crisis solved we ate, slept, ate now young girls smoking cigarettes. again and headed off into the cloud. Murchison came and went; sly corned From the tributary on the true right beef sandwiches and fantastic views of opposite the hut we went over the first the lower Maruia Valley saw us at Springs pass and down into the head of the Junction. A few people trickled over Matakitaki. Below the bushline, strollto see Neil Simpson, who warmly brought ing through the open tussock terraces out tea and biscuits, so with a flood surrounded by clumps of beech, the the rest of the trip arrived. After landscape seemed idyllic again and enjoying his great hospitality we bought af fter the crappy weather on top of the a pie or ten and headed off to the pass. pass everyone relaxed. Victoria pointed Stumbling out of the bus, the antiup to the clouds saying that was the way to Faerie Queen but she didn't know a peak or two with gazelle-like speed, what it was like up there because it had while Warren exposeda few more miles been just as claggy when she was there of colour film, everyone else being last. Richard was lost, waited for, content with a few munchies and fantastcursed, found and in the rain led us on ic views. We then zipped down one down the valley. Just another wet camp- branch of the monotonous Rainbow and up site in the mud was enjoyed by all, the other branch, passing quite a few though Jackie was looking a bit dismayed. cattle on the way. These beasts are I think she was wondering what the hell having a good time in the Rainbow eating was going on and what else could happen. out all the sub-canopy trees in the pockets of mountain beech, not to the Spirits were low the next day, but exclusion of other delicate areas though. things began to look up halfway up the other branch of the Matakitaki when Terry gazelled over Rainbow Pass. We the rain lifted, and as no one knew joined him on the top and saw that our how far we had to go smiles were even two and a bit days of fine weather were seen. Lunch, bribes of brew, propacoming to an end as the clag rolled in ganda, and a group decision by the around Travers and Cupola. Richard leader saw the troops on top of the dived into a tarn and couldn't understand pass between the Matakitaki and the why no one wanted to join him. Once D'Urville. From here we sidled around down in the Travers we pitched our final to a pass that would eventually lead camp in the bush about half an hour below to the Waiau. Before the actual pass Upper Travers hut. an attempt was made on Brian's life with a piece of poisoned chocolate. Next day trudging down the Travers with Mordant wasn't as fortunate but Brian painted rocks, full huts, and tracks it escaped. felt like the trip was over. After a few wet hours we emerged at the head of Everyone struggled into the camp at the lake to be greeted by the millions Lake Thompson at the end of a long of other T & Ms that were milling around. day and enjoyed a hot meal which John Before we left for the bus at the other and Jackie received by the room service. end of the lake, Jackie and John caught Before unconsciousness took over the us up in barefeet, or one boot on and troops a truly edifying session of one off, or the boot on the wrong foot, readings from Spenser was had. Outor something. side was storming and snowing - Dennis and Simon gallantly volunteered to go Well, it was a good trip. Arnold out into the wild world and secure the muttered something to his beard about tents. "bloody pass baggers". George (Victoria) and Jan's involved botany raves Because of this valiant act the Gods were often drowned out by the fierce were kind and the following day dawned anti-development-in-the-Tararuas lobby fine, autumn sun lighting up the icing who seemed pretty vocal for the entire sugar landscape. Victoria gave directtrip. Despite the scarcity of illusions ions which were ignored and the winged to Spenser, the awesome pre-trip handfeet of the racers clad in gumboots outs, and the steep hills we all had a took off down the valley. Surprisingly bonza time in an area that exceeds its Dennis was still with the front runners, reputation and deserves another visit the secret was later revealed; he had some time. omitted to bring his pre-trip propaganda and route notes. They were so Among the Spenser strollers last Easter extensive this time that Tasman is were: Dennis Gazley, Richard Gavey, still recovering from the excess paper Terry Craig, Victoria Froude, Warren demand. Their absence obviously made Thorburn, Simon Field, John Persson, Den's pack featherlight compared with Jackie Challis, Arnold and Jan Heine, everyone else's. and Brian Hunt (leader). From the head of the other branch of the Waiau we climbed up onto a steepish pass, all surviving the numerous rocks raining down, and dropped into the head of the Sabine. Despite the cold night a few people decided to sleep out to watch the eclipse of the moon that Jan prophesised would occur at 3 a.m. In the morning she realised she was a day behind and the prophesy had probably occurred the previous night. Still, the moon was worth seeing anyway. On the morrow the illustrious band of troops gained yet another pass - this one between the Sabine and Rainbow Valleys. From the pass Richard scaled