Al's annual birthday winter trip: Ikamatua

[H2OLOVA]

Well i couldn't just sit here now could I

[albundy]

nice of you Jase to edit that,lol

Just proves you can't trust a toymota driver.
Al

[albundy]

I've been following the long range forecasts for the entire SW pacific to try and guage what our trip will incur. Latest +72 hr prediction link below:
http://www.metservice.co.nz/default/index.php?alias=swp72
If you go through the sersis you'll notice the lows slowly disappearing. My guess is that by the end of the week we'll have a band of highs East to West from Oz below 40*S by the end of the week. Shit hot. What you reckon Richard, I know you've been watching the weather as well. Still looking at what they are about to get this weekend in rain, and what they have had since ANZAC weekend, me thinks we are in for bit of hard yakka road building. Shit hot. Thinkin of heading over thursady night after I pick Rude up and meeting up with some of the boys at Bealy Hotel. Just another excuse to get on the juice really
Al

[Bulletproof]

I've been following the long range forecasts for the entire SW pacific to try and guage what our trip will incur. Latest +72 hr prediction link below:
http://www.metservice.co.nz/default/index.php?alias=swp72
If you go through the sersis you'll notice the lows slowly disappearing. My guess is that by the end of the week we'll have a band of highs East to West from Oz below 40*S by the end of the week. Shit hot. What you reckon Richard, I know you've been watching the weather as well. Still looking at what they are about to get this weekend in rain, and what they have had since ANZAC weekend, me thinks we are in for bit of hard yakka road building. Shit hot. Thinkin of heading over thursady night after I pick Rude up and meeting up with some of the boys at Bealy Hotel. Just another excuse to get on the juice really
Al

Hi Al
Little bit too far out at this stage but as I said to you in a PM I think we should keep options open for doing the chasm track on the Friday.
If we went in by 10am we would still have plenty of time to go through to snowy river.

At the moment it looks although it could turn to custard on the Saturday and we cant afford to cross the Clarke and get trapped in there because the Clarke rises real quick.
When you look at that met. site go up to the top to "long range rain and the look at 7 Day's"

We'll just have to play it by ear but I think we need to keep our options open.

Thats my thoughts and it would be good to get a bit of feed back because it could affect others plans.

Cheers Richard

[SMOKEY]

Hi all, If you want to do the CHASM on the Friday that is OK by me as long as I can let my Farmer know by Wed/Thurs;. I finish work at 0600hrs Friday so can be at Ikamatua by 0800 , opps hang on where not in John's GODY , make that 0930.
Just a thought for those staying at the Bealey, If the weather really turned to custard you could be stuck between passes, where as from CHCH; you have the choice of the Lewis.

ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND PROBABLY WILL, ,

FITZY.

[hosehustler]

Just a thought for those staying at the Bealey, If the weather really turned to custard you could be stuck between passes,

No problem....just drive down the Mak

[wjw]

0600hrs Friday so can be at Ikamatua by 0800 ,

Drop me a text (0211904411) on Thursday night when you know whats going on.., if Al goes over Thursday I might tag along with you on Friday ...

[rude_01]

Whats wrong with you Kiwi's......scared of a little water......ohhhh thats right you dissolve in water!!!
It's the FARKING TEMPS I'm worried about.........Have RUM ALL GOOD!!!!!

[Bulletproof]

Whats wrong with you Kiwi's......scared of a little water...

All our water comes from across the Tasman....Enough to make anyone scared

Cheers Richard

[Pradozer]

Well if you over there right now the best thing you could own is a life jacket.

[rude_01]

If anyone is missing any gear for the trip......i have all recovery / gear required.
Not to sure if Husquy chain saw will fit in back pack.....but mattock and crow bar should be right.
How do you get this avatar thing working??????.....white mans witch craft if you ask me!!!

[SMOKEY]

Rude, don't bring to much with you, that way you can take a few AUSSIES back home , .

GOT YA ------THONGS (4 YA feet) PACKED??? IT'S SUNNY AND 24deg OVER HERE ,

FITZY.

[H2OLOVA]

Weather update. Not looking to bad from what i'm seeing ..... but then i ain't no Jim Hickey either

Westland 10 day Regional Forecast

Sat 12 Showers, some heavy with thunderstorms. The showers becoming lighter and less frequent this evening. Gusty northwest winds turning southwest by evening.

Sun 13 Fine and cloudy periods. A few showers developing south of the Glaciers in the evening. Westerly breezes.

Mon 14 Mostly cloudy, with occasional showers south of Hokitika. Southwest winds.

Tue 15 A few showers, mainly in the south. Light winds.

Wed 16 Mainly fine. Easterly breezes.

Thu 17 Mainly fine with light winds.

Fri 18 Dry. Light winds.

Sat 19 Dry with not much wind.

Sun 20 Showers with light winds.

[PR]

[Bulletproof]

I suppose if you cant kill them on the track you have to come up with some other way to get them.

Cheers Richard

[H2OLOVA]

And you'd have to set a trap cause they'd never stop by themselves

[hiriklux]

might have lost my winch bitch for the friday trip but will be there for the rest will i need a passenger for friday?? and where do we come out and at what time??? on friday so i can arrange to meet up with him??? he should be there for afternoon

[H2OLOVA]

We will (hopefully ) all be at the Ikamatua Pub on the Friday night. Opps did I say Ikamatua nah we are actually staying in Ashburton so we'll meet you there Rik

[Bulletproof]

Getting ready for trip this morning and have discovered some of my Nissan stuff has bent just thinking about the trip.



Replaced radius arm now and fitted tyres. Ready to go

Cheers Richard

[DaveM]

So you found a replacement arm then?

[Bulletproof]

Hi Al and all
I don't want to upset peoples plans but the way the weather is shaping it looks like Friday will be the only day for the Chasm track.
We dont have to make a final decision until Wednesday ,but we do need to be mentally prepared.

Cheers Richard

[Pradozer]

Well I think we best wait and see, the weather will change alot in between, who knows what it will do

Best you put some Toyota radius arms in Richard, one half of your truck will be roaring to go and the other half will be stuck with the other Nissans

[Bulletproof]

the other half will be stuck with the other Nissans

Heaven forbid...Can I have my leaf springs Back ?

Richard

[SMOKEY]

Richard, If we do the Chasm on Friday, do you want to go back and do my Trip Saturday or Sunday ??? It does seem like a lot of backtracking. May be better to stay and do tracks around Ikamatua area and do my trip another time. May be make the call Wednesday night which will give people time to may be change there plans.

I'M LIKE PADDY WITH THE RENT, I'M EASY,

FITZY.

[albundy]

Well looking at the 7 day rain forecast yesterday I would have agreed with you Richard, but looking at it again this morning I would say that friday , saturday and sunday will all be wet with saturday the worst. Link below:
http://www.metservice.co.nz/default/index.php?alias=rainfcst_7daytas
Lets wait until Wednesday when we have a more clearer picture. I will make the call wednesday night.
And Richard, have never seen a nissan radius arm bent when in a nissan Its the product rebelling from being put into an inferior vehicle
Al

[Pradozer]

Hey Al

I bet its the Toyota rejecting the inferior transplant parts, you might need to get some medication for the Hilux to help stop the rejection.

[rokhound]

What you will find is that something else will break on the nissan way before you have had a chance to go hard enough to bend an arm.
Good luck with the weather gods guys, and take lots of good vid and pics

[Pradozer]

These must be the same gods that Nissan use, not very reliable when you have to count on them

[Bulletproof]

Richard, If we do the Chasm on Friday, do you want to go back and do my Trip Saturday or Sunday ??? It does seem like a lot of backtracking. May be better to stay and do tracks around Ikamatua area and do my trip another time. May be make the call Wednesday night which will give people time to may be change there plans.

I'M LIKE PADDY WITH THE RENT, I'M EASY,

FITZY.

Hi Fitzy it is really Als call.
The other possiblility would be to do it on the way home.

I have put the regional forcast on. For Thursday and Friday we are looking at 4-5 mm per hour. On Sat 21mm and Sun heading toward 40mm. Once the Grey rises there is no way across for 2-3 days.

That why at this time I think earlier rather than later. The other thing is that if we have a major break down the chances of recovery will be lost if we cant get back in.
Its not the end of the world if we cant do the chasm,but would be a pity.

This weather is for the Hoki area and quite often there is a corridor that misses the rain around the Ikamatua area.

http://www.metservice.co.nz/default/ind ... rmwestland

Cheers Richard

[H2OLOVA]

Will see how it pans out but if we don't do Smokeys track on the Friday then theres not much point staying at the Bealey on the Thursday night. So we will have finalized the plan by Wednesday? Will need to cancel booking at the Bealey by then at the latest.