Eight fields in eight days!

Eight fields in eight days!

The challenge was set. Eight fields in eight days. The players were made ready. Eight hardy skiers.

The two vehicles were carefully selected. Eight driving wheels.

Eight fields! Eight days! Eight players! Eight driving wheels! Let the action begin!

nd so it did. One winter's morning, Team Subaru and Team Mitsubishi Van assembled at Port Nicholson to commence the journey southwards. To any casual observers this appeared to be eight ordinary people with eight driving wheels heading south. But to the initiated, this was no ordinary mission. This was to be a feat of grit and stamina! Lives were about to be changed, and changed forever! Eight fields in eight days! Was it possible?

And so, filled to the brim with grit and stamina, our hardy team journeyed southwards, resting only seldom, and eating a vegetarian meal in Christchurch, training for the deprivations that lay ahead.

SKIING DAY ONE dawned like any other. It became light. The forecast was for strong winds but the team, now bolstered to a highly enthusiastic eleven, was undeterred. They were here to ski and had no appetite for shirking. And so they drove to the venerable MOUNT DOBSON SKI FIELD, and in 20 knots of wind skied at maximum pace for 2 " hours until the staff could bear the wind no longer, and the field was closed! Yet our team was tuiumphant. They had demonstrated to the locals that North

Roger Bolam

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Island skiers are a special breed. They had not only skied the first day in conditions most would find intolerable, they had enjoyed it and were hungry for more!

And so our contented team motored southwards to the Ohau Lodge where one of its number excelled herself by selflessly agreeing to judge the annual Canterbury Lakes Cake Competition - having to sample both on her own account and for her fellow judge who felt sick!

DAY TWO dawned clear and windless. OHAU SKI FIELD beckoned. The eight driving wheels quietly revelled in the abundant mud and snow that would deter so many on this exciting mountain road. And then once again our team took to the slopes with unrestrained vigour - some heading for uncharted basins, some fine tuning their technical skills, and others clocking up scores upon scores of runs at maximum terminal velocity. All were ecstatic with the excellent conditions. Morale was high. And at day's end the team headed again southwards, feeling confident at reaching their objective.

DAY THREE began in Wanaka. Our team pondered their choices. Team Subaru decided on TREBLE CONE, enthusiastic to ski this most excellent of mountains at the

Tramping and Mountaineering 2001 /2002 first opportunity. And so three ventured off, delighting in the huge vertical descents, the long runs, the quiet field, the powder snow, the stunning views - indeed a more exhilarating field they considered itwould be hard to find. And at day's end they returned weary but jubilant to the team's base, anxious to hear conquest tales from Team Mitsubishi Van.

But Team Mitsubishi Van had not been so fortunate with their choice. They had chosen the CARDRONA SKI FIELD only to find it closed due to exceptionally high winds. Highly distraught at missing out on a ski field on this day, they cunningly decided instead to ride western style on spotted steeds in the grassy fields of the Cardrona Valley - thus restoring their spirits and allowing them to still proudly boast with Team Subaru "Three fields in three days!"

DAY FOUR posed new challenges. The forecast was for heavy snow! Our team was desperately concerned that many fields would be closed. They pondered how they would outsmart the elements. After lengthy deliberations, they chose to follow the husky teams to the Waiorau Nordic Snow Farm, and there to ski cross country through the unexplored wastelands. The choice was to prove an excellent one. High on the Pisa Range they mingled with teams of huskies and sleds, acquiring new skills and venturing out into the wintry conditions.

After five gruelling hours of shuffling and pushing and sliding they returned from out of the mist - exhausted, bruised and battle scarred but once more jubilant at their success. Four fields in four days! They celebrated as custom dictated in the Cardrona Hotel, excitedly reviewing the day's challenges and discussing and planning the days ahead.

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Our team of eight decided that DAY FIVE would be spent on the CARDRONA SKI FIELD. The choice was to prove a successful but frustrating one. Sadly, the day was

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near perfect and 1000 other teams of eight seemed to have made the same choice. For Team Subaru this posed an added challenge - how to find their vehicle in a carpark of hundreds upon hundreds of Subarus? They would have to take their chances. Still, not to be deterred, our eight hit the slopes, delighted with the excellent powder snow. However, Team Subaru, spoilt by the excesses of the previous four days, left early to explore neighbouring Arrowtown while Team Mitsubishi Van made up for lost time and skied to the bitter end - some making purchases of the new "carving" skis they had trialled during the day. They were determined to out-ski Team Subaru!

And now our venturesome eight ventured southwards for the last time, arriving at their southernmost destination of Queenstown, and immediately immersingthemselves into the various entertainments the town had to offer.

Weary of the crowds of the previous day, our friends arose at dawn on DAY SIX and presented themselves as the first skiers in the "REMARKS" carpark. It was to be another long day! But as fate would have it the field was relatively quiet, and the eight set to exploring the new terrain and enjoying their newly acquired equipment. The youngest member of theparty, on telling a snowboarder of his arrival at the field 45 minutes before opening due to the enthusiasm of his associates, was offered a compassionate "Wow, unlucl<y dude!"

But the eight were not unluclqT; an excellent day was again had by all and they refurned to Queenstown, once again jubilant. Six fields in six daysl Again they partied hard!

Arising early on DAY SEVEN, Team Subaru and Team Mitsubishi Van began the road rally northwards to Tekapo - Team Mitsubishi Van outsmarting Team Subaru due to some cunning navigational tactics of its cunning and competitive owner. Such was the jovial and competitive one-up-man-ship produced by our two teams - a game they simply had to play to succeed in the challenge they had set for themselves.

Arriving ai ROUND HILL SKI FIELD at middav - up until now a safe family field - our team immediately took to the gentle slopes. It was soon discovered that by eliminating all turns and by avoiding meditating on the concept of a "safe family field" a very exhilarating half- day indeed could be had. Some of the team chose to enjoy the peaceful ambience and the restful outlook over Lake

Tekapo and Mount Cook, butthe others remained delighted with the adrenaline that this formerly peaceful family field could exact. All agreed it had been an excellent day' And as the day drew to a close, our friends headed again northwards, destination Craigieburn Valley ski field, high in the Arthur's Pass, where our team (now ten) bunked down with the locals in this most excellent of destinations'

After a gruelling night, SKIING DAY EIGHT dawned an absolute stunner. Nothing could stop our team now'

They donned their nutcracker belts and took to the infamously steep slopes of CRAIGIEBURN SKI FIELD' already jubilant in their success. Stunning powder runs were enjoyed by five of the eight and their two Christchurch companions, while three decided that a wrestling match with the rope tows would not be a happy way to end a brilliant week, and instead explored the stunning bush of the Craigieburn Forest Park.

And so ended the eighth skiing day. The eight fields had been conquered. Eight Fields in Eight Days had become

The Eight Alten Higgins, sue Higgins, Marilyn Duffy, Amanda Jones, Paul Booth, Eva Lottermoser,

Ann Mould, Roger Bolam.

Support Crew: Nick Mays (4 days), Fiona Pratt (3 days), Chris Lawton (2 days), Johnny Booth (1 day)

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a -tos j l q ) t > t r a reality! The eight driving wheels had performed flawlessly'

And the eight players were gloriously content. And on this very special night of triumphant celebration, the eight headed north to Blackball and the famous "Blackball Hilton

Hotel". And as it happened it would have been difficult to organise a more resplendent last night together' For in this stunningly authentic West Coast pub in an authentic little

West Coast town a "Murder She Wrote" night was being staged, and our team arrived to find patrons and staff alike dressed in 1910 period costume, the harmonica playing and West Coast hospitality abounding. It was to be a delightful evening. Our team soaked in the murky coal- heated spa while the boiler stoker looked on, feeling distinguished to be the last guests ever to enjoy the ancient looking cesspool. They enjoyed a delightful meal together followed by celebratory drinks and an unbeatable singsong of old wartime favourites. And at day's end our weary but contented friends retired to their Walton-style bunkroom, complete with four big fluffy beds in rows on each side of the room, and talked about the days that had been, the night that just was, and the sad reality of an adventure now over.

On returning home the eight returned to their old lives'

It was to be for many a difficult transformation after times so advenhrresome and full. And yet they had achieved their objective; they had faced adversity and tribulations and prevailed, and they were each strengthened in their spirit for further challenges and adventures that would lie on naths ahead.

Tramping and Mountaineering 2001 /2002