5 October 2009
12:57, sunny but only 9.5⁰C. 267971 kms on the clock and we are off! Mike rang at 11:00 from work to say he’s coming home because the weather looks good for the next couple of days (and the way it’s been going, you take every day of good weather when you can – snow everywhere this last weekend!) and we are off to Piano Flat (inland from Gore, past Waikaia). Have to stop in Alexandra on
the way through as Roxie has an appointment with the vet for her annual jab. Filled up with diesel (45L, 267982kms). 14:07 – have just had a smoke break at the rest area beside Black Jack’s Creek just outside of Roxburgh – lovely spot. Trouble is, it’s beside water (the Clutha River) and Roxie just can’t help herself, can she? Always straight into the water – which isn’t normally a problem but a wet dog on a camper and another couple of hours to travel? Anyway, we’ll survive! Travelled on via Tapanui to State Highway 1 for a bit, then ducke
d onto side roads again to Knapdale. 17:00 On our way again after stopping in Waikaia – quite a cool little place really – the store as old Arkwright’s bike on the roof. Stopped at the pub for one – lovely pub, really friendly and has a beautiful garden bar where we played petanque. Mike won – of course! – 10 to 4. 17:30 All set up at Piano Flat – beautiful sp
ot (268197kms) . Lots and lots of space to park, beautiful bush all around and the river is lovely – parked right beside a couple of likely fishing spots. Sat and listened to Kevin Bloody Wilson and had a good laugh. Had left over roast chicken and first asparagus of the season for tea (YUM). Like Roxie and water, so is Mike with fire - and he just couldn't resist building a fire in one of the fireboxes by the playground (cool playground here - lots of good "old" things like a roundabout and a bucking horse). Getting colder and colder outside – only 2⁰C while eating tea! Hit pit at 22:05
6 October 2009
Up at 07:40 after a great night’s sleep. And relatively warm, given that we were expecting
a frost – it’s 3.9⁰C out. The cloud came in during the night and stopped a freeze, trouble is, now we have cloud – probably would have preferred sun and frost! Showered, looked for fish but no sign of any fish. And it’s clear enough to see everywhere, except the really deep holes and there isn’t 1 around. Had
bacon, eggs, mushies for breakfast and at around 11:30 thought we’d take the dogs and go for a walk along the road. And lovely it was too, until we got to the climb, and Mike decided that he was going to get to a view – “just around the next corner”. Trouble is, each corner was another climb, and we got no closer to the bushline (which was the only way we were ever going to get a view. Eventually we came to a downhill bit before the next climb, and at that point Marielle was NOT going to go down only to go up again – so we caught our breath, and turned around! And then the downhill and associated jelly knees, thighs, backs and ankles! Oh well, 2.5 hours later we were back at Maggie – dogs buggered, we’re buggered! Spoke to a local for a while and had a good yarn about the area and its flora and fauna, and also fishing. Seems it’s still too cold for the fish to h
ave come down yet. While talking to him Mike got “attacked” by the strangest looking beetle – never seen anything like it, and nor had this guy (and he knew about all sorts of insects that are specific to this area!). The cloud had cleared while we were coming downhill and it’s a lovely afternoon – but still need merino and polarfleece – its 11⁰C but with a chilly breeze. Started up the gennie to charge the battery in anticipation of a cold night. Then went for a quick stroll down past the cribs to the swingbridge. Nice out of the wind. Sat and talked, had tea at 20:45 (stir fry beef schnitzel with honey soy sauce, frozen veggies and rice) and went to bed at 21:45.
7 October 2009
Up at 07:30 a
nd it is minus 1⁰C and not a cloud in the sky. Now waiting for sun to clear the hills so that we can warm up a bit – although, to be fair, we’ve had worse! While we were standing having our coffee and a smoke we both saw what Marielle had seen yesterday morning – a parry duck nesting in a hole in a tree! Neither of us knew they did that. Took the dogs for another wa
lk – yep, uphill again! This was the Piano Flat Loop Track and fortunately only an hours’ walk! Left at 11:24 and decided we would take a shortcut – missing the main roads altogether and go from Waikaia to Waikaka and then on to Heriot. Mostly dirt roads in good condition and some neat scenery. Home at 14:28 – 268373 kms. The trip back was definitely shorter than the trip in 176kms versus 214kms! Great trip – really pleased we finally got to go to Piano Flat after Mike heard about it a couple of months ago, definitely worth doing.
12:57, sunny but only 9.5⁰C. 267971 kms on the clock and we are off! Mike rang at 11:00 from work to say he’s coming home because the weather looks good for the next couple of days (and the way it’s been going, you take every day of good weather when you can – snow everywhere this last weekend!) and we are off to Piano Flat (inland from Gore, past Waikaia). Have to stop in Alexandra on
the way through as Roxie has an appointment with the vet for her annual jab. Filled up with diesel (45L, 267982kms). 14:07 – have just had a smoke break at the rest area beside Black Jack’s Creek just outside of Roxburgh – lovely spot. Trouble is, it’s beside water (the Clutha River) and Roxie just can’t help herself, can she? Always straight into the water – which isn’t normally a problem but a wet dog on a camper and another couple of hours to travel? Anyway, we’ll survive! Travelled on via Tapanui to State Highway 1 for a bit, then ducke
d onto side roads again to Knapdale. 17:00 On our way again after stopping in Waikaia – quite a cool little place really – the store as old Arkwright’s bike on the roof. Stopped at the pub for one – lovely pub, really friendly and has a beautiful garden bar where we played petanque. Mike won – of course! – 10 to 4. 17:30 All set up at Piano Flat – beautiful sp
ot (268197kms) . Lots and lots of space to park, beautiful bush all around and the river is lovely – parked right beside a couple of likely fishing spots. Sat and listened to Kevin Bloody Wilson and had a good laugh. Had left over roast chicken and first asparagus of the season for tea (YUM). Like Roxie and water, so is Mike with fire - and he just couldn't resist building a fire in one of the fireboxes by the playground (cool playground here - lots of good "old" things like a roundabout and a bucking horse). Getting colder and colder outside – only 2⁰C while eating tea! Hit pit at 22:056 October 2009
Up at 07:40 after a great night’s sleep. And relatively warm, given that we were expecting
a frost – it’s 3.9⁰C out. The cloud came in during the night and stopped a freeze, trouble is, now we have cloud – probably would have preferred sun and frost! Showered, looked for fish but no sign of any fish. And it’s clear enough to see everywhere, except the really deep holes and there isn’t 1 around. Had
bacon, eggs, mushies for breakfast and at around 11:30 thought we’d take the dogs and go for a walk along the road. And lovely it was too, until we got to the climb, and Mike decided that he was going to get to a view – “just around the next corner”. Trouble is, each corner was another climb, and we got no closer to the bushline (which was the only way we were ever going to get a view. Eventually we came to a downhill bit before the next climb, and at that point Marielle was NOT going to go down only to go up again – so we caught our breath, and turned around! And then the downhill and associated jelly knees, thighs, backs and ankles! Oh well, 2.5 hours later we were back at Maggie – dogs buggered, we’re buggered! Spoke to a local for a while and had a good yarn about the area and its flora and fauna, and also fishing. Seems it’s still too cold for the fish to h
ave come down yet. While talking to him Mike got “attacked” by the strangest looking beetle – never seen anything like it, and nor had this guy (and he knew about all sorts of insects that are specific to this area!). The cloud had cleared while we were coming downhill and it’s a lovely afternoon – but still need merino and polarfleece – its 11⁰C but with a chilly breeze. Started up the gennie to charge the battery in anticipation of a cold night. Then went for a quick stroll down past the cribs to the swingbridge. Nice out of the wind. Sat and talked, had tea at 20:45 (stir fry beef schnitzel with honey soy sauce, frozen veggies and rice) and went to bed at 21:45.7 October 2009
Up at 07:30 a
nd it is minus 1⁰C and not a cloud in the sky. Now waiting for sun to clear the hills so that we can warm up a bit – although, to be fair, we’ve had worse! While we were standing having our coffee and a smoke we both saw what Marielle had seen yesterday morning – a parry duck nesting in a hole in a tree! Neither of us knew they did that. Took the dogs for another wa
lk – yep, uphill again! This was the Piano Flat Loop Track and fortunately only an hours’ walk! Left at 11:24 and decided we would take a shortcut – missing the main roads altogether and go from Waikaia to Waikaka and then on to Heriot. Mostly dirt roads in good condition and some neat scenery. Home at 14:28 – 268373 kms. The trip back was definitely shorter than the trip in 176kms versus 214kms! Great trip – really pleased we finally got to go to Piano Flat after Mike heard about it a couple of months ago, definitely worth doing.