This text was read by OCR from a scanned newsletter and has not been proofread yet, so expect odd characters and mistakes.
I have resolved to leave the hills alone fr a: while, to let t e trees grow in peace, let the rain. fall freely and for the sun to shine if it feels the inclination; tht is; of course, until next.time. on with the story.- Some of the "Patrol" joined fellow trampers and headed off to the Mangahau Dam. The’ stars weré up, flys were ergcted and people disappeared preferring the warmth of a ‘down’ sleeping bag to the chilliness of the air, Two in the morning I stirred - yuk, rain on the face. I wiggled further over into the fly, as it was raining the proverbial cats and dogs. Soon it: was morning and the day looked bleak; large banks of mist and plenty of rain. A change of route and we crossed the dam in anticipation of a Braher ‘“Creek/Dick Creek crossing. I.was doing my first fittripsand it went like this: eh SRE -l. Buncks ye. « ‘année -Greenwood 2% 2. Andrew Chisholm 7. Geoff Crockford 3. William Cone 8. Claire Silcock 4. Stephen Duck 9,. Fiona Neilsoa 5. Roger Bolam 10. Jack McConchie We did a half hour boogie along the track beside the dam, then splashed into and up Braber Creek, chose a spur and bushbashed up it until our legs resembled contour lines on the map. Some faked navigation was undertaken as we became geographically embarrassed. .We went up the wrong ridge, around a big circle, down into the headwaters of a creek, slipped and fell down ‘the thing and ended up back where we had started. Rude words!! By now Braber Creek was Braber River and only suitable for rafting. Realisation struck and we grovelled up another spur. All the while it pre-= cipitated down. Eventually. we were in the saddle and decided to make camp. After reconstructing the bush and murdering the axe handle, we duly jumped into our pits and dianer was served. Thanks guys. Some spazzed out, some of us sang, sleep overcame others, while listening to the Heaven-sent raindrops on the fly. aie _ - . t
al
Up the next morning, our wounds were inspected and compared, and then we scrambled up, around, and down into Dick Creek, I was suffering from a rare disease called stiffness around the shoulders and arms, from faking those Tarzan antics of crashing through the bush, falling into the river, and getting into awkward positions as I slipped graciously off boulders and got stuck. The last situation could have been permanent but I was heroically rescued by our Leader. I stood up, swore, threw my pack down, jumped the eight feet to the ground and proceeded to boogie on down the river with the others. We soon,came upon Harris Creek and alas} A track It was a pleasant surprise but we made shdrt work of it, only stopping for a water fight to eigen. rape mud from our wounds. al at 2 a, oF oe find the sun was trying to shinel a lest la vie! rt tlt ‘Buncks: “Well; wasn't.that a giggle? Fiona :