A LITTLE SNIPIT FROM LEW SHAW, CHAIRMAN OF THE MT SOMERS WALKWAY SOCIETY. THESE HARDY SOLES CONTINUOUSLY WORK TO KEEP OUR FAVOURITE LOCAL TRACK IN GREAT CONDITION. THEY ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HELP. Hi, Like the rest of the planet, you`re probably as busy as a bee with a bum full of honey, but here`s some of the goss as it applies in our corner. The DOC chopper operation last Wednesday didn`t happen, the weather having other ideas. I was on my way to Mt Somers when the pin was pulled, so Robbie Martin & I did a bit of pruning on the Nature Trail & the adjacent Rhyolite Ridge track. Crumbs that woman can talk! I reckon she`d yarn the leg off a camp oven. Anyway, between puttin` the world to rights, we actually got some work done, had lunch, a few laughs & got wet tail feathers for our trouble. The Sharplin car park to Hookeys Knob section also has had the fluffy stuff removed; fern over a track is always problematic but it`s now greatly improved. When Huey lets the chopper op happen, DOC will have two chainsaw guys & two minders come through from the Acland Shelter & clear the forty-odd trees off the track down to the Sharplin car park. It was cleared after the June snow but two decent wind events have left their mark; the worst I`ve seen the track in my time.DOC had a blanket-ban on chainsaw use until tickets were updated, a subject I`ll bring up at next meeting. They have agreed, however, to supply us with an axe; apparently OSH don`t mind manual surgery, that done under power is for the pros! A recent Walkways working bee has done some track clearing close to the Shelter & installed a toilet sign. Wayne & Gary & a couple of ring-ins sorted it out. If the chopper goes in next Wednesday, Barry Austin, Joe Mayer(plus John Morgan if you can make it) & I will fly in to the Shelter & walk back to Coalminers Flat car park,& clip the fluffy stuff back to where Robbie & I got to this week. Joe by the way, is just north of 80 years young & never been on a chopper. It`s never too late!That man is a legend. He wont see this as he ain`t into email, so we`ll celebrate his birthday when it arrives. Most of us are over the hill but it doesn`t mean we can`t contribute. As we say in SAR, even if you can just make a cuppa, we all need a brew sometime! Len(another non-email type)has graduated from his wheelchair & is now hobbling around after breaking his foot. David H is another of our members who is suffering-he`s had to go up north with Heather & farm-sit in the Bay of Islands-tough yakka, but someones gotta do it. Master Joseph has had some health issues & we wish him well in his recovery. The other person I will mention, unrelated to Walkways, but a big part of our community, is Alan Thompson. Alan was well involved with the Methven Hall revamp & is chair of the Hakatere Heritage Committee(plus many others) but both Alan & Andrea just keep popping up with their sleeves rolled up. Overnight, almost, Alan developed Guillain Barre Syndrome, which can be very serious & has Alan in Hospital(now Burwood) learning to stand, walk etc with Andrea running up & down supporting him.The Mt Somers community has got together & with donated prizes being sold & cash to ease the burden somewhat. Some have helped with gardening, lawns, running the cattery & general fellowship to get them through. Talk to Deb Stanaway on 021 99 55 17 if you can help, donate etc. Alan & Andrea have given to our community so now it`s maybe time for a little payback from us. Just when you think you`ve heard it all! I got a ring from one of our SAR guys, Ronnie Smith, who wanted a couple of punters to walk the Mt Somers Walkway with a measuring wheel(because GPS only produces a horizontal distance).The cherry on top was it was a paid gig, but in subsequent discussions, this will be a bottle Captain Morgans` Finest, probably delivered to SAR HQers for the great unwashed to imbibe. C`est la vie. So Don Geddes, Ron, Verity Lyford & I are doing it on Show Day, rain, hail or snow, because an accurate distance is required for the Big Day at the Office event on Nov 30.I mightn`t be able to run around the mountain in 4 & a bit hours, but I can still make a cuppa & have a yarn while I`m smelling the flowers. So if you see a joker with a flouro vest on walking round the track with a measuring wheel ,it`s not Fulton Hogan off the tarseal! On a recent camp at Nimrod reserve, we did some sightseeing & saw some Maori rock drawings, a flock of dolines on a hill(google it) & walked through the Pathway to Peace at Maungati. Here, we met the charming Fi Elworthy (who spoke fondly of Mark Acland & Robbie Martin) & she asked if we`d like to view the Eagle Cave?She organised it with her Craigmore farm manager & even drew us a mud map. What a treat. Magic bit of country on our backdoor. Another story. Go Walkways!
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 02:02:49 +0000
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