.

[mike]

Might simplify things a bit.

I will put something up either tomorrow or tuesday depending how much OT I'm working. Will wait for some details from

Surflover -> Will have the free shipping done early this week so then you can order the shackle and tow hook. Can help you putting it on if you need help. These will be plenty for pulling your V6 surf.

Looking forward to this trip

Mike

[DieselBoy]

Cheers mike.
Umm, more thoughts
If we started out on friday, we would have the hut at big river all to our selves gauranteed, as most people wouldn't walk or drive in untill Saturday. Fridays are easier to get of work as well. Camp Sat night at lake brunner and i would should be finished up at about 2pm on Sunday so every one can have a stress free cruise home with plenty of time.
accomodation in WP is my bigest worry due to the time of year, but saying that, it is WP, and its always quiet AND it will be a thursday night.
I'll ring some places tomorrow and post up what i have found.
I'm changing the start day to Friday the 14th, its only logical

So every one, start nagging the Boss for friday the 14th off
Day one is probably going to be the best day if the weather is clear!!!

[DieselBoy]

Talked to Doc, the hut sleeps 23, $10 per night, and there is room for pitching tents.
The track is currently closed due to and old mine shaft opening up, and they are being held of by the weather from sorting it out. It will be fixed by the time we go through i would have thought. Track should be good condition for when we go through if they are doing work in there.

The hut isn't booked, but they have made a note we are going in on friday the 14th of Jan

[Danielle]

Well, I haven't been on this site for a little while (the internet at all actually) but I live on the coast, between big river and nepoltian (sp.) hill. I will talk to my dad and uncle as this sounds quite good and we wouldn't have to travel very far at all! We know a few good places up big river way and stuff too.

[DieselBoy]

Awesome, local knowledge is the best!!!!!
Do they know of a good camping ground/area at lake Brunner???

[Danielle]

Um, no I don't sorry. I haven't really been there much. The main place that we know well is big river and around that area.

[mike]

Ok added the trip to the trip booking system. Just goto the trips section in the top left menu.

Go through and book. It is easier to confirm bookings and pay the access fees while booking so the organiser(dieselboy) does not have to chase money off people. Since it is going through the site the nice credit card people will take 5% off each transaction so I added $2 on to cover this. After all we need the site not the credit card companys.

For those that dont have recovery gear I added an option to buy it through the site at near to cost prices just to get you along on the trip. I believe it will be a pretty good trip

Mike

[wjw]

Can you keep us updated with numbers?

Do you think spark arrestors would be a good idea, considering it could be quite dry....

[DieselBoy]

Awesome Mike, its really starting to shape up!!!

Danielle, we should have some time up our sleves on saturday before we hit Napoleons Hill, so your on. Nothing like exploring, i'm sure every one will agree!!! Nothing two seriouse mind

[mike]

You can see the numbers booked on the trips page. upto 3 confirmed so far out of 15.

Mike

[wjw]

okay well I now know the dates I'm going to Nelson, my aunt and I will be heading up there on the 22nd and heading back on the 30th so anyone know of anything good to do in Nelson for two weeks? hehe

[DieselBoy]

Ah, that sucks!!!
So who have we got signed up at the mo then??
T

[padero]

im signed up.. jst gota get hold of the boss to get the friday off work ! so you can count me in. have you got a final plan of events ?

[mike]

I'm a definite just like padero

So that makes Padero, Mike and the trip leader so far. Surflover? and any others should express their interest soon so organisation can take place earlier rather than later

Mike

[DieselBoy]

I think it may be best to let you guys sort out your own accomodation in WP if your heading over on thursday. If you need a hand with phone numbers though, just email me.

[wjw]

Hows the organising going? Have just about worked out what I'm doing... just waiting to see if some friends of mine will be coming along...

[DieselBoy]

So we have Mike and Padero sorted and from the Members 4wd bit i know what they drive. The other two??
Show your selves
What do you drive? How well is it set up??

Just an update:
My folks paid me a visit from Hamilton, so i dragged them out for four days to the back of Greymounth. Looked for Liverpool Bills, and in the process found some other really great tracks up creeks!!
We started on Cockeye creek, but we decided against carrying on as some of the entrie and exit points into the creek were starting to test my old mans skill in the LWB Safari. Would a great track if we have only a few vehicles and the days is nice and sunny and clear!!!

Looking forward it!!!

[wjw]

So we have Mike and Padero sorted and from the Members 4wd bit i know what they drive. The other two??
Show your selves
What do you drive? How well is it set up??

I'm coming... I drive:

93 LWB Prado
Hankook Muds
Snorkel
PRS & AM CB's
Dual Batteries
Rated Tow Points Front and rear...
Snatch Straps tools etc....

Any thing else you think I need?

And I'd love some accomodation numbers in westport I stayed in a nice old style victorian hostel last time I was there, but cant remember the details

[DieselBoy]

No worries, I'll get them for ya. Give me a day or two
No, you should be fine with that, and i don't know why I'm asking really, it doesn't matter, there are so many track options on all days that we can just decide what we want to do the night before, or just get busy and see how far we get on a hard one. Doesn't matter, group decisions the whole way.
Looking forward to it, as i have done some tracks a few times, others i have locatedthe start points and some i have driven by my self a bit from either end untill i chickened out, so we are all going to be doing some exploring hopefully!!!!

[padero]

hi, i got a 93' swb pajero with bfg muddies and will have my snorkel on by then ... nice nd new towing points (made by mike ) so im sweet there .. its got a 3L V6 autotransmission.. and i am up for any tracks hard easy woteva long as there's mud lol and recovery gear but no winch unfortunatly. whats happening with accomdation cus i'm quite happy sleeping in my tent or back of the truck, depends what the gf wants to do so there will be 4 trucks in all ?

[DieselBoy]

Four vehicles will be heaps of fun!! We can do a lot more with a small number of vehicles than we can with say 15!!
I'll get the numbers for you when i get a chance in the next few days, going over Molesworth and Porika and braeburn in the next few days so bare with me!!!
Saying that i realise you will all want to get things sorted ASAP so i"ll get onto it.
Westport Motor Hotel 7897889
Albion Hotel 7898203
Black and White Hotel 7897959
Cosmopolitan Hotel 79896305
Criterion Hotel 7898200
McManus Hotel 7896304
Melbourn Hotel 7897140
Palm court motel 7897247

And I'll get some more, cause they don't appear to be listed in the Yellow Pages.

[wjw]

Cheers for that.... now phone numbers

Mines 021 222 4440, will call you when I get to westport... whats your number(s)?

Cheers,

Bill

PS: Who's gonna be up for a beer the night before 13th. Am Planning to drive up from Wanaka in one go.... all 9 hours....

[DieselBoy]

Good to see its all falling in to place!!

I'll be around, i work four days on, then four off, and i took four days leave to do the trip, so i get 12 off in a row. I will be around all week, prolly getting things sorted out after the mission to Central Otago. The trips I've packed into this Christmas.
Already spent four days exploring the Brunner area with out a decent map (not my fault), just got back from a three day trip going through Rainbow/Molesworth Stations, over the Mangatapu track to Nelson, then Porika and Braeburn on the way back to WP.
Off down to Otago next week, then you lot coming over here for three days a week later, then its the Buller 4x4 club annual trip (read"piss-up") into Station creek for three nights at the end of the month. Awesome. All i need now is a pay rise at work work to fund it all

By the way, if any of you want to swap wheels over when you get here or somthing, or are having probs getting somewhere to stay, give me a call.
Theres a spare room here with a fold out couch, and plenty of floor space if it comes to that

[wjw]

Good to see its all falling in to place!!
You can get me on 021 433 135, or 03 789 7323.
Off down to Otago next week, then you lot coming over here for three days a week later, then its the Buller 4x4 club annual trip (read"piss-up") into Station creek for three nights at the end of the month. Awesome. All i need now is a pay rise at work work to fund it all

Is that the one leaving Naseby on Sunday/Monday, if so see you there

By the way, if any of you want to swap wheels over when you get here or somthing, or are having probs getting somewhere to stay, give me a call.
Theres a spare room here with a fold out couch, and plenty of floor space if it comes to that

Sounds good, will keep that in mind

[DieselBoy]

Yep, thats the trip. Meeting the guys at the Duntroon Pub on Sunday.
A bit dissapointed though, after 2000k's my engine knock is back. Time for some custom made oversized crank shaft thrust washers. It'l have to wait untill feb to get done, so i will just have to put up with the noise. And so will every one else

So is everyone thats booked clear on the plan??
Anything you want to know or somthing i have forgotten to mention??
I'll do a final trip out line if you want, but its largly the same as i put in the first post way back on page one, except that day two is open to what ever you guys want to do. There's heaps to choose from in the area we will be in.
Day three is just going to be Mount Greenland. It could be a mission in its self. You just never know.

[wjw]

I'm pretty flexible really and yes I think I know whats going on

As far as Sunday goes, I spent two hours taking my radiator out and water blasting it today . Was absolutely full of mud.... We'll be leaving Cromwell at 3pm, so will see you at the pub

Just hope this rain eases up, has been raining since Tuesday... Haveing been up on the Old Man Range on Tuesday, we are going to get very wet, and things will be boggy as hell.... so have had to run around today and find a sack for my radiator....

[DieselBoy]

Yeah i was wondering about the weather and that trip. Sounds like its hard going in good weather up there, let alone in weather like we are having.
Wonder if its time i chickened out??
Or is it really not that bad??

[wjw]

Yeah i was wondering about the weather and that trip. Sounds like its hard going in good weather up there, let alone in weather like we are having.
Wonder if its time i chickened out??
Or is it really not that bad??

Well it stopped raining today so that makes over 3 days of solid rain... I wouldn't chicken out, it won't be that bad.... just means we'll be doing more recoveries.... just glad I wont be the leader....

Have made a few changes to the truck after tuesday, I now have a radiator blind, and have worked out how to have snatch straps permenantly attached front and rear, to save me getting wet & muddy....

[padero]

gud day guys,
that all sounds good, iam going to sort out with mike about traveling to yours in convoy... i'm gessing we are meeting at dieselboy's house on the friday.. me and mike are coming home on the the sunday as we both have to be at work ! that offer of a fold out bed sounds good and will proberly take you up on it. not sure if the gf is coming yet she is still trying to decide if to go wiv me, or go 2 the sounds... bloody women! im going to travel across wiv my tyres on as there 2 big to fit in my truck lol .. i have got loads to do on the truck before the trip put my snorkel on change my wheels and get everything sorted... looking at the weather is proberly best i bring a nice big sack to cover the radiator ??? or would a piece of tarpolling do the job ??

happy new year guys
ad

[wjw]

Diselboy, you got space in your garden for my tent?

Also does anyone have an exhaust bag and a chainsaw as we will probably need both of those....?

I've just got hold of:

Tirfor Handwinch
Some more Tow/Snatch Ropes

Then we should be all set