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Labour weekend traffic crawled north on Friday night and we crawled along in'’the middle of it, setting a new record for the slowest travel on 4 club trip: Assorted tents and flies were pitched on ansivel, Sreoaro on by the light ‘rain. ‘Neil, tae leader’ for the ‘Med Ltiis ; ‘showed alarming eagerness. to depart the. next . morning ~ 1 couldn't believe it as dawn had only” ust broken, “and it.was still..raining.,. However. by. 8.15am or so we were off to Ngapuketurua’ and wée-spent all ‘* morning climbing steaGily. We had.lunch under a fly near the summit, ', sheltering ‘fromthe wind behind a rock. Then we. set. off. again and dropped down to a patch of bush at the. ‘head of a stream leading into the Rangitikei. A sika& deer strolled past - we tried to send it off in Jack's direction, but apparently it got the message wrong as it didn’ t show up. All aftérnoon we slithered and clambered down » the stream -- not aifficult travel. but not exactly fast either. After we met the main river we started looking for campsites qnd found one ‘that looked fairly promising. Dinner was superb; "chicken . casserole a la Woodie" “Followed se fruit salad and .- oream~ (thanks. Sue)... “The next day started: too: neat Ly = - again! We set off down river for a little way but it was _.. fairly slippery... After,.the river.forked therefore, “ we climbed out up’a spur’ on to Ignimbrite Saddle. Most of the travel was quite easy, through fairly open undergrowth. After a very hot iunch in the sun (the weather was somewhat: varied on this trip), we travelled along the tops up to Junction Top and then down to Waipakihi Hut.- I was impressed in a negative sort of way, by sonia of the. primus lighting techniques -, other parties used. However, we escaped unsinged. ‘Warren developed a néw fly pitching method Y URS - . involving a wooden horse and much string. Although very decorative, the system was not totally success- ~° ful; Doris departed at. about 2am, between showers, * put. Sue. and Warren. stuck it ‘out. Bie i3 The next day was windy and fairly cold. The rain set in again so we didn't pause going over Umukarikari. > Wé had lunch at the road end under a fly. a It was altogether a reaily’ ‘enjoyable trip, a Fey Ss Pry “notable for the. “Aumber of’ ‘dates offered to trip “Ao agin: og 9 members (very. nice they were tool) i i i Ger haa a