Whanga Road Republic Day 09

[Dace]

You & Suz are coming up for this aren't you Dace?

Yeah look like we will be heading up Saturday afternoon for the Saturday night and Sunday driving

[madaz068]

Now that we have the loop to do as well this will take you into stuff you havent seen before.

Cant wait now

[wisard2]

Where abouts is this "Loop" Nick, and what sort of time frame to do it?

[wisard2]

You & Suz are coming up for this aren't you Dace?

Yeah look like we will be heading up Saturday afternoon for the Saturday night and Sunday driving

Good, tell Suz to bring plenty of bourbon for us for Saturday night!

[crizpy]

hey , My Cruiser's going in for conversion on the 12th and will take couple of weeks... If its all ready and going okey I would like to make it up for this On the sat nite as i work friday nights.
however it comes down to if the cruisers Ready or not ..
so If im in Ill have short Notice sounds like it would be a great trip...
had a good time at the last trip up there , although i shafted my starter motor

[madaz068]

hey , My Cruiser's going in for conversion on the 12th and will take couple of weeks... If its all ready and going okey I would like to make it up for this On the sat nite as i work friday nights.
however it comes down to if the cruisers Ready or not ..
so If im in Ill have short Notice sounds like it would be a great trip...
had a good time at the last trip up there , although i shafted my starter motor

Be great to have you up again crispy. Even if the truck isnt going, bring the car up and jump in with someone. Im sure Ron will take you for a blast in the jeep

[wisard2]

hey , My Cruiser's going in for conversion on the 12th and will take couple of weeks... If its all ready and going okey I would like to make it up for this On the sat nite as i work friday nights.
however it comes down to if the cruisers Ready or not ..
so If im in Ill have short Notice sounds like it would be a great trip...
had a good time at the last trip up there , although i shafted my starter motor

Hey Chris, if your Cruiser isn't going by this weekend, see ya boss (Mark) and see if you can get the Friday night off work and come on up with me on the Friday, as have a spare seat and would welcome the company.

[SV1K]

Hey Chris, if your Cruiser isn't going by this weekend, see ya boss (Mark) and see if you can get the Friday night off work and come on up with me on the Friday, as have a spare seat and would welcome the company.

Marks' truck is broken as well, it happened on the shiny trip we did in the Akatarawa forest

[madaz068]

From todays paper

A garden party at Whangamomona? Sounds bizarre, but we live in strange times.


This is the theme chosen for this year's Whangamomona Republic Day and President Murt Kennard says it could produce some interesting sights on Saturday, January 24.

"To the outside world this is dressing like you're going to Ascot or Buckingham Palace which hopefully will attract ladies in skimpy dresses and big hats," he says.

"But we're opening it up to wider interpretation. That could mean going as anything in the gardening sense, like a tree or a gardener, a butterfly, a bumblebee, a shovel, a vegetable, a caterpillar, an earwig, a gnome or even a toadstool.

Mr Kennard's reign is highly likely to be challenged in the presidential election but he is well prepared to meet it.

"I think I'm in my sixth year and I'm aiming for 10. I've heard rumours about a possible female contender - so I've given notice of a new rule that the president must be able to grow a beard. That should take care of that little problem."

The organising committee is expecting a crowd of up to 5000, about 1000 of whom will arrive and leave by trains from north and south.

"We'll have all sorts happening like wood chopping, sheep racing, sheep shearing, demonstrations, eel counting, and that's just a few of them," Mr Kennard says.

Stall holders need to arrive by 6am, to prepare for the public onslaught around 10am.

Everyone needs a passport to get through the border and this costs $3. Those with an existing passport can get it stamped.

There's no room in the hotel but the camping ground has plenty of space at $10 per site, just turn up on the day.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dailynews/4817663a6002.html

[madaz068]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dailynews/4819977a6554.html

[wisard2]

Will be leaving Friday arvo about 2.30 ish.

[Dace]

BENNY HILL RIDES AGAIN!!!!

[Jerry]

[Dak]

What time Sunday are you planning to start??

[madaz068]

What time Sunday are you planning to start??

What time can you be there?

[madaz068]

What a brillant weekend.




Whangamomona's president got another term and jandal-wearing visitors learnt a sticky lesson at the town's Republic Day celebration on Saturday.


Bearded and nearly formally dressed incumbent Murt Kennard beat off stiff competition from "skirts" Shirley and Joyce to win re-election by one vote.

Although much of the late afternoon victory speech was lost in emotion and mumbling, a 5000-strong crowd roundly cheered when the humble Murt accepted his presidential chains of beer tabs and pig tusks. "I would like to thank all my supporters and to my opposition, well you missed out. I was looking forward to a party no matter what happened," he said.

Later while the president was relaxing with a piece of the republic's 20th birthday fruit cake he detailed his intentions for Whanga. "I promise to keep everything the same, only we'll make it faster."

But by the late afternoon there was nothing fast about the backcountry town. Blue skies, blazing sun and lack of wind meant the only things popping more than bottle tops were jandals as they got stuck in the melting tar.

More than a few left their jandals in the street, busted and stuck fast in the sticky gloop.

For most, it had been a long day with the crowds arriving early.

At 10.30am cars and sunscreen-slathered visitors lined the road leading up to the border posts and travellers passing through the town wore puzzled frowns as the throngs of pedestrians surrounded their vehicles.

Republic Day master of ceremonies Mark Coplestone was in his element and is rumoured to have stopped for breath just once in between reminding the crowds where they were and what that meant. "This is the republic so we can do whatever we want. We don't need permission from anyone."

This allowed them to run sheep down the middle of the main street with just a bit of string separating the crowds from the stampeding ruminants.

Fortunately no injuries were recorded despite Mr Coplestone making loose promises there might well be.

Instead, the most common grievances were tar-caked feet and sunburn, while yesterday there would have been more than a few sore heads as people came to terms with their republic day excess.

In between the whip cracking, possum skinning and sheep shearing displays the Taranaki Community Rescue Helicopter made two trips to Whangamomona.

One was to airlift a 40-year-old male with moderate medical problems and a second time for a 44-year-old male who had sustained a shoulder injury in a quad bike accident in the area.

[madaz068]

Above was from the local Paper today.

Well it was great as it always is at Whanga, Ryan, Alan, Rach, Jake and myself went out on the Friday night, after some ummmmm errr heavy moving (thanks guys).

Saturday was so bloody hot recorded by Ryan at 41.6 Degrees. So glad we set up the sun cover. Drunk lots, talked with locals, meet so 4wd people that we hadnt before. On the Sat night Dave, Suz, Todd and wife turned up, we spent the night giving Ryan shit about...... well better ask Suz .

Sunday we packed up the camp site (shared with about 2000 others), and headed down Whanga Road. Wasnt long before we had to pull a Nissan out of some sticky stuff . We did the loop track via the Aotuia Station and it was a great day had by all.

Thanks to Renegade for showing us that a Jeep can drive the ford in reverse. Thanks to Wikato for coming down, and thanks to Ron for turning up

Once again another weekend of fun 4wding in the Naki. We will be running another trip later in the year.

[Dace]

Thanks Nick for another great trip to the Republic, HEAPS different in the summer dryness

Fun was had, Mud was thrown and creeks were sat in, what more can I say!

Thank god there were 2 Toyotas to drag the Nissan outa the shit all the time

Can't wait for the next trip

[wisard2]

Another top weekend at Whanga. Many thanks again to Nick for organising it, and to all those who turned up for it. Was interesting to drive the track in the dry, and to also see some new area's such as Aotuia Station. Was good to meet some new people also. Am looking forward to the next trip up there.

[KyZa]

Thanks guys (especially Nick who organised the trip) for a fun weekend. My 1st time to Whanga and enjoyed it heaps (and I suppose the company was ok too ) .

On the Sat night Dave, Suz, Todd and wife turned up, we spent the night giving Ryan shit about...... well better ask Suz .

We would need to start a whole new thread if I started on that subject.....


























And last but not least, and nothing to do with Whanga trip but update picture of Kyah (cos I can )

[Jerry]

new plate on your shiny there nick

[madaz068]

new plate on your shiny there nick

Had it for years mate, never got around to putting it on the V8 have another one coming for that.

When is LEXPOS going on yours?