Lake Dunstan 13 to 15 November 2013

13 November 2013

Great weather, work finished but can't be bothered driving far, so Lake Dunstan beckoned.

 

14 November 2013

Just as well we didn't go far - the boat split a seam in the bow and needed a repair job. Would have been very disappointing if we'd gone over the hill to then not be able to use the boat for a whole day! Fortunately we had some repair stuff with us, so patched it up.  Should be ok tomorrow.  Glorious day although a cool southerly did pick up in the afternoon.
 

15 November 2013

Will head off home sometime today. Kirsty is coming over & then tomorrow we're going out to lunch & wine tasting with a whole bunch of girls (& Mike, who'll be the sober driver!).  ended up going home earlier than expected as the glue on the patch was letting go, so Mike only had a quick fish and then a zip home before it deflated completely.  Oh, well - was still a lovely morning parked beside a beautiful lake!

 

Testing the new rig 7/8 November 2013

7 November 2013

Spur of the moment decision - let's go up the lake to test the new setup.  This at 1 o'clock - so Mike off into town to get the new rig (trailer has been modified and now has the boat rack - bigger aluminium box to come). Once back home he had to remount the box, load up the boat and tie it all down, so that we could head off up to the dam. But first, Mike had an appointment to see a specialist at Dunstan Hospital about his shoulder.  Got to the lake at just after 4pm. While Marielle kept an eye on the dogs, Mike unloaded the boat and quad, and went and had a play on the Lake. Beautiful afternoon - not a cloud in the skies and 29 degrees when we left home. Sat outside 'til what we thought was news time. But in fact, it was an hour later as the clocks on Maggie were still on winter time! Had a beautiful steak from The Fridge for tea, cooked perfectly on the bbq, with salads. Bed at 10:20.
 

8 November 2013
Up at 07:15 - misty and 13 degrees. Not a breath of wind though - not that it matters as we have to head home again this morning as the truck needs some work done on it (leaking seal) & we have to get ready for Mike to start day shift tomorrow. But a very successful test trip -the set up is just great.  Bring on next week and good weather! Fingers crossed!

Over the hill 13 to 16 September 2013

Friday 13 September 2013
13:18. Off to go and see if the rumours about escaped salmon are true. Could be a bit cool - they keep say a period of snow showers tonight or maybe tomorrow but Sunday & Monday are meant to be good. And bugger the weather anyway - it's been way too long between drinks! 314211kms on the clock. Stopping in Cromwell for lunch as Mike has just finished work (& not due back 'til Tuesday lunchtime). Yummy lunch at Nichols - roast mushroom and Blue cheese salad (with baby spinach, crunchy bean combo, sundried tomato) & the almost obligatory giant cheese roll each. All set up in our usual spot below Ohau C by 17:30 after a quick drink at the Top Hut. Had stir fry chook & veggies for tea, bed at 22:00.

14 September 2013
Up at 06:30 - brrr: minus 2!  But a beautiful day. Started off fishing in the canal below Ohau C which was awesome - lovely weather - but no fish. So moved to true left bank below the salmon farm - no fish. Moved to just below Ohau B (getting windy now & headworks of B too blustery) and although we saw the biggest jack ever - no fish. So eventually back to our usual spot for the rest of the day.  Wonderfully relaxing day with full on sun - just a very cool wind so never got out of our sweatshirts and mostly sat inside watching the rods! Had lamb steaks on salad for tea. Mike watched the start of the All Blacks vs South Africa game and then came to bed.

15 September 2013
Up at 06:20 because Stoney decided he needed to be sick!  Watched the America's cup race (OMG nothing short of a miracle that Team NZ stayed upright!) and spent rest of day fishing various sites. 8-0 was the final score, to Mike!

Beautiful day but very cold - bitter southerly kept temp in single figures all day! Now after 17:00 and still parked beside the headworks of Ohau C and it's beautiful now - no wind and still a gorgeous sunny, cloudless day - could be a cold night! Went back to the usual spot - and did the usual things! And I was right about the cold night - 0.2 degrees when we went to bed at 22:00!

16 September 2013
Up at 07:00 & it's minus 4! Once it warms up it'll be awesome though and anyway - not moving off Maggie until after the racing! Fished a bit along the canals (10-1), had lunch at the Wrinkly Rams, did some shopping at Cromwell and all unpacked and tidied up by 15:45. An awesome couple of days away in Maggie!
 

 

The "can anything else go wrong?" trip, August 2013

10 August 2013
Left home at 9:30-ish at the start of the trip north to go and pick Henk Zaaiman and Yvonne up from Christchurch to take them to see Dad. First stop - Timaru to see the Flynns and the Mulcahys. Great night catching up.

 

11 August 2013
Had coffee at the Shearers Quarters with Marise and then on to Weedons. Cold easterly blowing at Weedons and raining. Miserable.

 

12 August 2013
Planned to go into Animates to get an  anti bark collar for Stoney. But to do that you need a vehicle that starts! Which I am sure Maggie would have done if I hadn't left the lights on! Thank god for the AA. Very quick service and soon underway. Took dogs for a long walk at the Groynes. Back to Weedons.

 

13 August 2013
Picked up Henk and Yvonne and headed off to Kaikoura. Did shopping and got diesel. Talked the afternoon away. Had a lovely pizza at the Groper Garage. Went back to Peketa and had a glass of wine and off to bed.

 

14 August 2013.
Not such a great night. Maggie really a bit too small for 3 people and 2 dogs! And it was also very windy during the night so very noisy! Anyway, on the road just after 9am and typically along this bit of the trip - blowing a crosswind gale. Does it ever not blow round here? Got to Ward and thought we should have a coffee and let the dogs run at the Domain. WRONG! Long grass hid a bog and as soon as I realised it was already too late. Stuck. Thank heavens for friendly locals and red tractors! Got to Blenheim 11:30. Visited Dad and then checked into the top 10 holiday park. Went to Dodsons Brewery for tea. Early to bed - been a big emotional day!

 

15 August 2013
Up early despite 4 trains rattling us during the night and because Henk & Yvonne are in a unit it meant I could get moving and take dogs for a  long walk along the Taylor River Reserve. Lovely morning although it's still blowing a very stiff wind! Visited Dad. Stayed beautiful all day and warm too - 20 degrees. Washed my muddy jeans(!), brushed the dogs and sat and did some stitching. Went to the Grove Tavern for tea. And that's where the third (& final! They come in 3's!) thing went wrong - an earthquake. Not a biggie but enough to be felt by everyone in the pub. Anyway, the good thing is that all the things that can go wrong are out of the way (fingers crossed!).

 

16 August 2013

Up early again, another long walk and will go and visit Dad once again. 14:30 - can anything else go wrong? How about a 6.6 earthquake followed by a 6.0 and numerous aftershocks - in the 70's by 9pm. Good thing is, no trains waking us up tonight as route south is blocked. And I cooked a thai red curry as wild horses would not have got me into a building of any size tonight!

 

17 August 2013

The final snoring session by Yvonne at 05:48 was the last straw - I was now wide awake and after a very rocky night I'd had enough. Time to get up. Went and got some more chicken for the trip home, said goodbye to Dad and was on the road to Murchison at 09:30. Got there at 11:30. In the meantime SH1 had reopened after being closed due to earthquake damage, but I am happy I came this way. For starters, I am out of the shake zone. 2ndly, it was peeing down in Blenheim and all along East Coast but here it is 20 degrees and a lovely sunny day. And thirdly - there is NO way I am driving along underneath the cliffs by Kaikoura with the earth still moving so much! Took the dogs for a walk to Riverview Terrace and back and spent rest of day doing some much needed relaxing! On to Christchurch tomorrow and then home!

 

18 August 2013

Up at 06:30 feeling refreshed. Great night's sleep - no trains, no traffic, no snorers and NO quakes! Feeling great and looking forward to the drive through the Lewis Pass to Christchurch and closer to home! Got to Weedons just after 2pm. Blowing, raining and parked on the tarseal as everything looks very wet and muddy!

 

19 August 2013

Up early (5:20) thanks to low flying incoming flight!  So thought I might as well get moving. Had a long shower to empty the water tank, took dogs for a walk in the cold wet drizzle and hit the road at 7:20. Dumped at BP Rolleston and got diesel at Ashburton. At Burkes pass the weather lifted a bit but it wasn't until the Lindis Pass was behind me that the weather became lovely! Home at 1pm - 1, 877kms since leaving! Have never been so happy to be home again!

Haast Beach 11 to 13 July 2013

11 July 2013
10:43 314211kms and minus 4º! But clear skies and sun sun sun. And that forecast is the same for next few days on the West Coast so we  are off to Haast Beach. Hopefully the sand road into one of our spots will be dry enough to get in without getting stuck!
 

11:13 - in foggy Cromwell as I forgot to pack the chips to go with the dip and the crackers to go with the smoked cheese! Hopefully Maggie will start thawing out soon - tried to run the tap just now and can't even move the handle let alone see if the system still works and is water tight. Hopefully it'll thaw out before we get too much further! Oh, and of course we have to get the usual brunch - pies from BP! Tested the water at our break stop at Boundary Creek - all systems go!

Oh, and 2013 will be remembered as the winter of all the snow photo's! Lots of snow from the Pass on.

All set up at 14:15. And then the normal Haast Beach routine kicked in. Although Mike didn't come for a walk as he has a very sore, infected big toe. Lovely weather - at one stage the thermometer said 19º - to be fair, that was in full sun! No dolphins, though which is unusual!
Had baked spud (from the fire) and chicken and garlic mignons for tea. Roxie wasn't too comfortable with being out in the dark so we ended up putting her on a lead so we could guide her around obstacles as opposed to her falling over them due to her now complete night blindness. Her tail never stopped wagging though! Even though there's no frost it is bitterly cold outside due to a cold breeze and it being only 3º.

 

12 July 2013
Up at the normal time of 07:15. 2.4º and a stiff offshore wind blowing. Did all the normal relaxing stuff. Lovely afternoon and spent a lot of time outdoors. Collected wood for another baked spud which we had with a beautiful steak. And the steak was cooked on the bbq.  A first -
we do not have the trailer with the quad (Mike decided no point in taking it across for just a day - and anyway, it's too cold at this time of the year!).  But we did take the bbq - just lying in the back.  No smell, so all good!Not as cold as last night.




 

 

13 July 2013
Up at quarter to seven. Had bacon & eggs for breakfast. Another gorgeous morning but all good things come to an end and it's now 10:30 and we are on road to Haast to dump and then head home.  Got home after stopping at Boundary Creek to let the dogs out and in Cromwell to do some shopping.
 

The big winter storm trip to Blenheim 17 to 25 June 2013

17 June 2013

11:05, 7.5 ºC and raining, 312399kms. Going north to check up on Dad, who is now in fulltime dementia care. The weather couldn't be worse - not sure how far we'll get because roads are closed everywhere: east coast due to flooding, round here due to rockfalls and slips, up the middle due to snow! But we're going to try! Oh, in between last trip & this one Maggie was serviced in QT,  hence the increase in mileage.
11:35 Cromwell for quick shop and a pie!
13:00 One pass safely out of the way! Snow on the Lindis but the road is gritted and open!
14:25 Lake Tekapo: 1.5º and lots of snow around but roads ok. Hope it stays that way over Burkes Pass. And then: flooding!

Got to Kaiapoi Club at 18:15, after about 15kms of traffic jams through Chch and going slow to manoeuvre through flooding. Picked here because it's not grass or dirt. It is soooo wet that we need tarmac or concrete under our wheels! And I feel sorry for the people here - the earthquake damage is still very evident, especially when it rains, let alone floods! Had a couple of drinks in the club and now cooking yellow thai curry for tea.
 

18 June 2013

Up at 07:00 after being woken several times during the night by planes (right under the flight path to Chch airport), trains (right beside the railway) and automobiles (right beside a side road which we didn't think would have any traffic!). Anyway, 4º and clear skies so hoping for a better day travelling today! 08:30 ready to move - aiming for Peketa Holiday Park so we can chill for a bit and also let the dogs run.

Had breakfast at Amberley Beach and stopped for a coffee at Cheviot. Checked out Alexander & Emily Craighead's grave at Homeview Cemetery - they were from Spotswood (Parnassus) & he was Mike's 2nd cousin.  11:30 - at the Kaikoura Coast and the end of the sun - seafog! Bugger! 12:10 - sitting waiting for lunch (blue cod) at the Adelphi in Kaikoura. Grey, wet mist but not cold. Just bought some new shoes - my new boots leak like a sieve so have bought some little black ankle boots & we'll see how they go!  13:00 @ Peketa Holiday Park. Let dogs run along beach - still misty and damp but not cold as it's 13.5º. Spent afternoon stitching/reading/walking dogs/nana napping/doing surveys and showering.  Played rummikub (which we bought especially to have on Maggie as it's the travel version and then forgot to pack last trip because we play it at home too!). Steak, mushie sauce and veggies for tea.
 

19 June 2013

Up at 07:40, 8 degrees and drizzling but at least the snow hasn't arrived yet! Got to Blenheim at 11:30 & stopped at Warehouse to get new mat (forgot it) & had lunch (pumpkin soup and toast) sitting outside Pollard Park. Went and saw Dad & spent couple of hours there.  Then arranged to park up at Blenheim Top 10 Holiday Park as it's raining, raining. $39 for the night and once all settled in and taken dogs for a wet walk we realised that there is a railway line right beside us. A mere couple of meters away! And over the other side is SH 1 & we are under the flight path! But we are on tarseal. And then we realised we had left the new mat on the tarseal at Pollard Park! Anyway had a drink at the Grove Tavern.. Mike bbqed the pork steaks for tea and that was the end of a tough day.
 

20 June 2013

Up at 06:45 after a very restless night with trains, trucks & rain, rain and more rain! Not cold though - 6.5º. Spent 4 hours with Dad with the dogs while Mike mucked around in town. Just as we left the home the rain arrived again. Got to Rarangi about 3pm and took dogs for a play just before the storm hit. Heavy rain and winds. Had stir fry chook for tea.
 

21 June 2013

Up at 7am after good night's sleep. Rain and wind are much nicer noises than trains! 6.5º and not raining! Snow on hills all around and a ferocious surf the only evidence of a storm that has caused chaos around the south island. Took dogs for a couple of walks which they really enjoyed - no leads necessary! Now 10:20 and off to see Dad while Mike goes for a haircut and to get a leak in Maggie's cooling system looked at. And we left yet another mat behind! What is it with this trip. No probs with Maggie (phew). Mike had a haircut - lunch parked at the garage.  Not at Dad's long. Went to the Omaka Aviation Centre - really cool but really expensive at $25 pp! Back to Rarangi. Still not sure if we can get home - biggest snowfall in Canterbury and Otago in decades! Yummy pork mignons for tea with delish mashed spuds.
 

22 June 2013

Up at 07:00 - raining! Went and said goodbye to Dad and left Blenheim after being doormat number 3! And as we drove out the warning sign said "Take extra care flooding and high winds". And at Ward we saw why. Glad we weren't driving through the winds that not only toppled some very large macrocarpa and gum trees but cracked heaps of them in half! Then we hit winds and battled our way in to Kaikoura. Put some more diesel in the tank and did some shopping. Had lunch at South Bay and thought about stopping at Peketa but in the end we decided to get over the hill to Parnassus. The wind disappeared as soon as we left the coast and was rapidly replaced by snow! Got to Parnassus at 15:00, 4º and raining. Had a spectacularly goodlooking yet completely tasteless piece of garlic & herb steak for tea! What a disappointment! 
 

23 June 2013

Up at 7:20 after couple of wake up calls during the night (Stoney & trains). Minus 1 & not a cloud in the sky! Yay it's going to be a good day. Still can't get home though - all roads into Central still require chains. Had showers and bacon & eggs for breakfast (finally - last 3 mornings has been cereals & now 11:00 and on the way south. Had BK for lunch at Belfast at 13:00. Stopped in Ashburton for more fuel and decided to keep going. Now 16:20 and checking into Fairlie Top 10 Holiday Park (we didn't extend our membership WHY? LOL) because there is soooo much snow around that we can't get into Lake Opuha or in behind the pub. No point in carrying on because Tekapo is even worse. Played in the snow with the dogs - snow makes Stoney go more than a little crazy! Bunny hopping, rolling and just running flat out - all normal snow behaviour for the Stoneman! Mike helped some asian tourists park their camper - it was either that or watch them scrape it to bits on the snow mounds! Had meat balls and spaghetti for tea. Freezing when we went to bed.
 

24 June 2013

Had a good night despite being parked right beside the State Highway - bugger all traffic! Up at 07:45 it's minus 3.6º. No clouds to be seen so another good day ahead. Drove through amazing amounts of snow and at one stage it was minus 6 (@11:00)! Hit fog just outside Pukaki and now about to have lunch parked beside the walkway in Twizel after letting the dogs run round and round for about an hour! They both seem to really love the stuff - even Roxie is bouncing around like a puppy!  14:00 Parked up at Fisherman's Bend after checking out all the other places - too wet, too windy or too much snow!  Very bitter wind blowing which makes the 5.8º feel much, much colder! Relaxing afternoon. Steak and pasta for tea. 1.6 degrees at 20:15 which means temp. is dropping now that wind has stopped.
 

25 June 2013

Happy Birthday Roxie! Up at 08:00 after a restless night caused by noisy wind! It did stop at one stage and the temp. dropped below freezing but then it picked up and howled around for hours. Good thing - no frost this morning. Was 5.8 when I got up but dropping now and it's 3.6! Left at around 10am and had our usual brunch at the Wrinkly Rams. Lots of snow through the Lindis but road clear. Clyde at 12:45 after stopping to dump in Cromwell.  Overcast and 7.5º. Have done exactly 1,980kms - 314187.

South 9 to 11 June 2013.

Sunset at Fortrose

9 June 2013
I know what you're thinking - we're back! After nearly 2 years of no blog we have decided that we miss not being able to see where we've been! And with mobile technology it's now much easier - we can blog on the go rather than having to sit for a couple of hours when we get home. So here we go: 11:56, 311661kms, very mild 9.5 degrees and we've looked at the weather forecast and south it is.
Did the normal as in fill up with diesel and some shopping for essentials and it's now 12:35 and on our way.
Had lunch (Chinese takeaways from China Rox) parked at the Roxburgh Rugby Club. Nice and warm and sunny - just hoping the Met. service have got it right because it looks pretty grey and cloudy in the direction we're heading!
16:30 - set up at Fortrose by the boat ramp after travelling on some new back country roads between Tapanui and Waipahi. And 30 seconds after we got here, Stoney decided to roll in some left over fish bits. Eeewww - thankfully it wasn't really horribly smelly so no major panic in the end! Phew. Moved Maggie to the grassy camping area we found when we were playing with the dogs. Lovely evening - the weather is clearing and currently 8 degrees.
Had a few beers, spoke to Gretchen & Jeff who thought we should go and visit them (but this is our weekend and they're working so not a good idea!) and went to bed at about 22:30 after Mike's homemade veggie soup for tea.

View coming into Fortrose from Balclutha end

10 June 2013
Up at 08:00 after a really good night. Not a cloud in the sky and 1.8 degrees. It's going to be a beaut day.
Had lovely lazy morning after b&e for breakfast. Walked dogs along to the harbour mouth past the remains of the shipwreck Ino. Lovely weather 10.5 degrees but slightly cool breeze. Had left over soup and chinese for lunch and then decided to go for a drive and check out Fraser's Beach but the road down looked very muddy and greasy so we have decided to go back to Fortrose.
But the best laid plans of "Mike & men" - give Mike time and a steering wheel and there's no telling where you end up. Spent the afternoon driving up and down dale and ended up in Wyndham. Had a drink at the pub there and then decided it was too far to go back to Fortrose. Checked out the parking at the Wyndham T&C - nah. So drove out to the Seaward Downs scenic reserve.  Thought it might be boggy - and it is, but managed to find a dry spot in a corner. Thought we might be surrounded by cows - and we are, but the bush is so far filtering the smell!.  All set up before 17:00 and 6.5 degrees. Great day of tiki-touring. Oh and went and checked out the Gorge Road Country Club for old times sake (went to meet Silver there years and years ago as he was coming to Fortrose for whitebaiting but he never showed. That was when we were still in Roxburgh and before cellphones! ). But the club was closed so didn't stay.
Had stir fry chook and veggies in hoisin sauce for tea. Marielle read in bed while Mike stayed up and watched TV. Lights out 22:30.

Seawards Downs Scenic Reserve

11 June 2013
Up at just before 08:00, 5 degrees. Will have brekkie in Gore. Now 09:34 and ready to get on the road. Dumped at Edendale - good facilities.
Had brunch in Gore at Capri - Marielle seafood chowder and Mike oyster soup, both of which were ok but nothing to write home about. But the cheese rolls were worth coming back for!
For the last couple of days we have pretty much forgotten that it's winter. But a sharp reminder coming home - peasoup fog and 1 degree coming in to Alex!
Home at 13:30, 312179kms - another 500kms plus trip!