Text taken from the club newsletter.
Lightning greeted us as we stepped off the combie in the Akatarawa Valley on a bleak Friday evening. Was this to be 'one of those weekends?'
Off we went towards Francis Creek soon to find a campsite to pitch two flies.
Next morning awoke to a clear day. Breakfast over we headed off up the old logging road. We hadn't been going very long when we were faced with dense gorse. The party bashed its way through until the moans were too much for the trip leader, Don O'Brien. He decided to leave the track and head straight up Francis Creek. The cold water was welcomed on our torn legs. We lunched at the top of the creek before heading up towards Renata Hut.
Renata Hut was filled with sunshine and friendly chatter as the party, Dan, Clare, Erin, Shaun, Errol, Dianne and Don prepared for what was to be an interesting evening.
Brew made, Don and Dan chopping wood, then Whoosh!! Some clown, who will remain nameless, tipped an 8 pint billy of boiling water over our blazing fire. I had never seen 5 people move so fast (does that give you a clue?) Steam and ashes filled the warm hut; at least we were able to laugh about it, even hours later.
Dinner went down well with Homestead chicken and coleslaw, a new idea for some. We decided we would make a good advertisement for television.
Next morning awoke to yet another cloudless day. After packing and tidying up the hut the party headed off to Renata Peak. Then back for morning tea before heading home up the track to the Waiotauru Road end (we couldn't face another trip through the gorse). Lunched in the sun with views of the 'Southern' and South Island. We moved off down the long road for about half an hour when Errol was lucky enough to get a lift out to the Akatarawa Road. He proceeded to pick the combie up as we continued down the old logging road.
Three o'clock found us enjoying coffee and scones with cream and jam in the Fern Valley Tea Rooms; it's not all club trips that end that well.
As you can see it wasn't 'one of those weekends'.
Dianne Howchow for Trip Leader