Well! a proper weekend away to tell you about! been far too long (like 2 weeks or something ;)

firstly though – on Wednesday headed out for pints with friends – celebrating a year in ChCh.. incredible really to think that a year’s gone by.. hmmm, am tempted to get all philosophical, but I’ll refrain!

So – onto the Queen Charlotte Track and quite a lot of fun it was too.

There’s a map here

The ‘Xs’ are places we stayed the night.

Left on Thursday night we (Neil, Paul, Jenny, Anthony and I) – and stayed up close to Picton (where we got the boat out the next morning)

Bikes looking quite clean at this stage really. Nice 40 min spin out into the bay. Started at Ship Cove, which is where Cook hung out when he was on the S.Island. You can see why, it’s a good place. Good choice that man :)

The first day (each day was a leisurely 22->25km on the bike) was by far the most technical (well it was my first time). Was able to cycle most of it, some of the hills were too steep to cycle up – but most were ok. Mhairi had very very kindly lent me her bike while she was off doing another excellent mountaineering trip (though not quite my cuppa.. maybe when the serious snow is off it…) I didn’t trash it too much. I think ;)

AAAnyway – so yes, steep slopes, beautiful views

Though that pic had 3 power lines running through the view (hail to photoshop).. we were pretty lucky with the weather.. it was a lovely way to do the track I reckon – I mean some ppl do it in 1 or 2 days.. but for me – heading off at 11am, being cruisey about it all and just enjoying it was quite nice really. Sometimes it’s good to chill methinks.

So yes, stayed Friday night (bank holiday) at Camp Bay, had a swim, had a few beers.. all good. Totally enjoyed the walk home (all 7 mins of it) back in the dark.. if you’re ever there – there are glowworms on the embankment (lots of them) on the left handside as you walk from the pub to the campsite.. just so as you know.

Next day looked like it was going to be hell on toast from the cross section, but it was actually far easier than Friday.

There were a lot more hills (it was all up – or down – zero flat!) but the surface was easier so you could let go – well that and a bit more confidence I guess.

Paul and Neil were the experienced bikers in the group… and quite a lot faster they were too..

(Neil in front – Paul the smiling blur)

Though I guess that comes with practice. I must admit.. I’m kinda tempted to get into it.. but then it’s another $2000 to get a decent bike.. hmmmmm.. we’ll have to see… can’t do everything?! perhaps.

(Anthony in front – Jenny behind)

Anthony, Jenny and I were not quite so fast.. but sure twas all fun. Mind you.. it’s kinda hella impressive that Anthony is off doing a 60km mountain bike ride 3 weeks after falling down a mountain.

That evening stayed at Portage… and had a nice drink down by the lake (I went to order a handle (pint) but they only had jugs/glasses…. just my luck ;)

Then Sunday morning off to Anakiwa – again, a pretty cruisey ride out – and just as we got to the end, it started to rain – we were so lucky with the weather, it was supposed to be miserable all weekend! but nope :)

So – thanks to Neil for organising it all (shame he leaves NZ in 2 weeks..) – Paul (for speeding off at 10am on Sunday and getting the cars – one fit guy that one), Anthony for giving me faith in miracles! and Jenny – for giving us time to enjoy the views ;)

Where to next?

Hmmm, another weekend in ChCh.. this must change, though it was fun. Firstly though a pic from Kite-Surfing. This one is of Sam doing some body-dragging.

I’m kinda tempted to take it up, but might stick with kayaking for the moment – can’t do everything!

Sat morning – went Kayaking in the surf again out at Sumner. Mhairi and a few of the others from the tramping club were off doing a multisport race. Mhairi, Jana and Clare did incredibly well – and came second in the womens category, with Mhairi picking up the fastest womens time for the run (1 hour 9 mins to do 17Km up a mountain track.. insane/impressive/both ;)

Then some climbing in the new rock-gym. It’s quite impressive, but they need to get some concession cards going or something, as at $12 per session it’s kinda expensive. I really want to get back climbing 3 days a week – really meant to improve a lot this year, and while I’ve improved, I’m still not where I want to be – yet.

Then there were a couple of parties (incl my first toga-party – lots of fun). But it was absolutely great to see Anthony (bloke wot had nasty fall)

He’s in the middle of the photo (with the beer). It’s incredible – he seems in perfect form after what really could have been a fatal accident.

Sunday – most lazy day – for the first time took the kayaks down to the end of garden and had a lovely paddle for an hour or so up and down the river – it was really great fun.

And today – Monday – Glynn has just arrived back from the N. Island and is busily pottering around his room getting organised. I’ve been really really looking forward to him moving in actually – I can see fun times ahead.

Can.. but don’t really want to believe George W won.. dear oh deary me… on a lighter note – from Rec.Humor.Funny :

Q. What’s the difference between the Vietnam War and the Iraq War?

A. George W. Bush had a plan to get out of the Vietnam War.

Working from home quite a bit this week.. making some progress on a couple of projects… though ’tis hard when the sun is shining outside, and there’s French Vanilla ice-cream in the fridge, a smoothie maker and loads of fruit…

At last! After learning to roll a kayak, finally got out on the river on Saturday. Warick took 8 of us down the Hurunui – a grade 2 river. Learned the basics of moving around on a river – which are mainly ferry gliding which is where you point your nose looking upstream and then move horizontally across the river. The other major one was getting in and out of eddies – which are patches of static / slow water on the river. These allow for a rest!, and to scope out how to get through the next set of rapids!

The beginners – being Neil, my boss Andrew and I – all took at least one swim (I just had one ;) And I was really happy that when I did manage to capsize in the middle of one of the biggest rapids!, that I was able to roll up again really quickly! Excellent – really makes it so much more fun not having to pull the spreydeck and empty the boat etc…

Party on Sat evening, it’s barbeque season now – there’s at least one if not two barbecues a week to go to..

Then on Sunday had a game of squash with Thor – I’d not played in over a month so was really missing it.. And then went climbing with Jana and Mhairi at Britten crag (the sport climbing crag 20min drive away). I even led a route… but then wussily top-roped.

Here’s a pic of Mhairi on a – well.. supposed to be a 20 (I think) but I’d say nearer a 18 or 19. Nice climb though, and really a beautiful day to be outside climbing.

Wee development in work too.. I’m hopefully going to get to go to Wellington a couple of times a month to sit in on the planning meetings for rolling out a complete change in IT infrastructure for the Ministry. So that’s kinda cool. I also have the opportunity (if I want it) so spend some time – a month or two – working out of Wellington, Hamilton or Auckland. Of the 3 Wellington is definitely where I’d want to be… Also, getting a months unpaid holiday early next year sometime is also on the cards. I really have been quite disgustingly lucky with this job. But that’s ok ‘innit ;)

Hardly know where to start with this one. Saturday morning at 6am Mhairi picked Marcel and I up and we headed up to Murchison and met Dave (Bones) and Anthony (Goile) at the carpark by Mt. Owen.

Took us a wee while to get sorted, but at about 11:30am we were ready to start walking up towards Mt. Owen. It was quite a nice walk, even with the river crossings (I hate having wet feet all weekend!) through beech forest mostly.

Quite a steep track through the bush, and as we got to the top, the markers changed to cairns, which were quite a bit harder to spot.

Anyway, got onto the ridge out of the bush, contoured around and then went up a snow slope..

didn’t need crampons just kicked steps in and used the ice-axe for support. I must admit, it’s not my natural habitat, and I was looking forward to Monday evening for most of the day – though I did settle into it a bit.

This isn’t quite a map of the whole route, but you can see where we went ish – quite a steep ridge, most impressive cliffs all around.

So that was fine, up onto the plateau and pitched our tents, cloud cleared for a bit so we went off for a walk.. it’s open limestone on the summit so quite interesting formations – an excellent place, though we didn’t make it to the summit of Mt. Owen, electing instead to head back, cook dinner and get into our tents.

Marcel, Mhairi & I were sharing Florians tent. He had warned me (quite correctly as it turned out) that it’s a pretty shoddy tent.. well, not up to Real Weather.. so it was quite a wet night.

At about 11 am the next (Sunday) morning, with the visibility still bad, we headed back down the quite steep slope to walk out. 3 of us – Mhairi Dave and I, put our crampons on. It’s tricksy really, the ground was very wet and slippy, so crampons help.. on the other hand, if you get em snarled in a tree root then you can end up tripping yourself up and loosing control.

So we set off down the slope, quite slowly.

All going quite well until I heard a scream.

And saw a body go cartwheeling – just bouncing down the mountain. Fell over a bluff (10->20m cliff) and keep on going. Honestly, and no, this isn’t bravado, we all stayed utterly calm.. Dave was ahead of me and he got down to Anthony first…. he was concussed, badly bruised around the head, and not moving much. Dave did an excellent job of just getting down to him, starting talking to him and assessing the situation.

I started putting up a tent (it was raining a little – and was on a 35->40 degree slope).., and once Mhairi and Marcel had joined us – Dave put in anchors (used ice-axes hammered into the ground) and we put him in the tent secured by the anchors incase the whole tent slid away (a real concern). Mhairi had her mobile phone, and very luckily again, there happened to be a mobile phone mast on the mountain (otherwise would never have had reception). She got in contact with the police (who the Search and Rescue work through), gave them our grid reference and that was the start of help arriving.

We drew lots (short straw got to go) and Dave and Mhairi left at about 6pm (the fall happened at 11:30 am) after the tent etc. was sorted.. I stayed in the tent talking to Anthony (you’re not supposed to let someone sleep after they’ve been concussed.. I remembered some of my Rescue and Emergency care course) and at about 8pm Larry – the first of the rescue people arrived. With his two incredible dogs – Wolf and Mishke. They had followed the scent from Dave and Mhairi straight to us.. it’s hard to describe the relief once Larry arrived.. even though they couldn’t do much more than we had done.

It was such a relief though, I was still getting text messages on Mhairis’ phone, and as reception came and went we’d get bursts of 3 or 4 messages, one of which saying that ‘help was on it’s way’ and another saying that they ‘might not be able to make it in that evening’.. though I know now that meant that the helicopter wasn’t going to make it in..

So yes, Larry arrived with Archie and Ben, and they made hot drinks and food and set up radio contact etc..

The paramedic and a bunch of other rescue people arrived at about 3:30am. It took so long as they had to come from Nelson, and then walk in (4 hours by day – 5 at least by night – with heavy packs) finally relax a little bit – catch an hour ish sleep, and waited for dawn.

This gives an idea (I hope) of the steepness of the mountainside that we had to work with – it was taken in the morning

The weather still was bad, so at 9:30am Larry, Archie, Ben, Marcel and I walked down the mountain – we were all wrecked and the situation was under control..

Back at the rescue center, we heard that they had managed to airlift him out at 3pm.. and have just heard he is in a stable condition being held overnight in hospital!

It’s unbelieveable really just how lucky he was.. wearing his helmet (now battered)

certainly saved what could have been far worse injuries. When he fell over the cliff he must have landed flat on his back… but becuase he had his pack on it totally cushioned his spine, and I dread to think what it would have been like otherwise… not one broken bone.. can you imagine how much harder it would have been with a broken leg?!

Anyway – on a far lighter note; on the way back Marcel, Mhairi & I stopped at Maruia Falls, my housemate Warick has gone off this in a kayak

But heard from Anthony yesterday and he sounds like he’s on the way to a total recovery.. also, in the paper the Search and Rescue ppl were quoted as saying that “they did everything right” (which yes, I reckon we did)