DATE: October 2017 Vol. 70 No. 09

Transcription

1 DATE: October 2017 Vol. 70 No. 09 Urban tramping, Wellington s City to Sea Walkway, almost 15 kms and with a total ascent of 700 m. Photo: Keith Thomas Please submit your November 2017 H&V articles to the editor by 27 th October 2017 HVTC Postal Address: PO Box , Lower Hutt: Clubrooms: Birch Street Reserve, Birch Street, Waterloo Internet: info@hvtc.org.nz President: Phaedra Upton Trip Coordinator: Nick McBride Secretary: Marina Skinner Treasurer: Jim Cousins Editor H&V: Bruce Miller the-bruce@xtra.co.nz BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09

2 WEDNESDAY NIGHT PROGRAMME Starts 8.00 pm promptly Wednesday 4 October : Chris Ward Regional Field Advisor for the NZ Walking Access Commission Chris' area covers the South Wairarapa and across to Horowhenua in the West. Key points of contact include the 7 city council staff and councillors and the Wellington Regional Council. Chris works with landowners, DOC, and organisations such as Living Street and tramping clubs. In addition to mediating in access disputes Chris is involved with access on Overseas Investment Office approved land purchases and promotion of walking, cycling and bridleway use. Wednesday 11 October : Emily Davis (Liz s daughter) Goldie Family Travels Between August and December 2015, the Goldie family went backpacking around Europe, India, Sri Lanka and SE Asia. The experience was a mix of cultural heritage, wildlife, tramping...and some relaxation. This talk provides some stories from their tramping adventures and the perspectives of two young children. Wednesday 18 October : Bob Rowell Seeing the World Through Rose Coloured Glasses Bob will share some of the more prestigious design, manufacture and conservation of stained glass work that he has done over the last 4 decades in The Greater Wellington Area including Parliament Buildings, Government House, Te Papa, the St James, Bats and Embassy Theatres. Wednesday 25 October : Dennis Page A Bavarian - Tyrolean Odyssey At the end of August 2016, eight HVTC members, led by Graeme Lythgoe, embarked on a walking and cycling journey centred on northern and central Italy. At the start of the journey, the group assembled in Munich, Germany for some sightseeing before heading to the Italian Tyrol via Salzburg. Tonight, Dennis Page will present the first of three trip talks and will detail where the group trekked through, and the sights they saw, as they traversed the Dolomites on foot from Cortina D'Ampezzo to Campitello and eventually onto Bolzano to prepare for their 3 module cycle tour (to be covered in two subsequent talks). Join us tonight as we showcase some of western Europe's finest castles, history and, of course, alpine scenery. Wednesday 1 November : Graeme Lythgoe Haast Cattle Track Last March Graeme Lythgoe led an extended tramp into this area of South Westland. It is an area that the Club has probably not visited before. Tonight he will talk about this tramp and some of the history of the area. FORTHCOMING TRIPS Tramping T = Overnight or longer tramping trip D = Day tramp = Dog Friendly TRIP CATEGORIES = Very easy = Easy Cycling = Intermediate = Advanced NOTES Where there is no leader given for a trip, please contact the Trip Coordinator to volunteer to lead a trip, either as shown or an alternative. 2 BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09

3 OCTOBER Sat tba Carterton and environs Dennis Page T1 Contact Trip Coordinator Leena Stowell Cycle - Manawatu Geoff Norton Sun 8 D2 Tararuas, Waiopehu Nick McBride Petone Historical Circuit Battle Hill - Puketiro Phaedra Upton Tue RUAPEHU School Holidays - Week 2 Sheldon Bruce RUAHINE RANGE T1 Parks Peak Hut Keith Thomas Su 15 D1 Belmont Trig Irene Davies D2 Reeves Tutuwai Hut Cone Hut Keith Thomas Tue 17 Clubrooms Waiwhetu Stream John Smeith Clubrooms - Eastern Hutt Hills Tony Jaegars D1 Clubrooms - Walk Margaret Aiken Pizza Clubrooms Pat and John RUAPEHU Bookings Available Booking Officer LABOUR WEEKEND T1 Nelson Lakes: Travers Sabine Nick McBride Northern Manawatu F and R Usmar Sun 22 D1 6 Disc Track, Poads Road Alan Geeves Tue 24 Explore Silverstream Jackie West S rstream Bl Mtns W mans Valley Graeme Lythgoe Makara Peak Andrew Robinson TARARUA RANGE Putara T2 Cattle Ridge Hut Sa 28/Su 29 D1 Eastern Walkway Graeme Lythgoe Tu 31 Paremata - Pukerua Bay Paul Haines Pencarrow Lake tracks Phaedra Upton NOVEMBER W momona Bridge to Somewhere Chris Keen TARARUA RANGE Mangahao T1 Mangahao Flats Hut Contact Trip Coordinator Su 05 D1 Northern Walkway or City to Sea Pamela Campbell Old Whangamomona Road 3 BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09

4 UPCOMING EVENTS RUAPEHU EVENTS 2017 In Out Event Mon 09 Oct Fri 13 Oct October School Holiday week 2 Contact Sheldon Bruce OCTOBER SCHOOL HOLIDAYS Bluebird days - and few people on the mountain. Families are thinking about summer sports and the child-free stay away because it's the holidays. For the last few years we've had a week or more of bluebird weather at this time and few queues. Come and join us at the lodge with the best view and newest facilities. School holidays 2 nd week : 9-13 October a number of spaces still available contact the Booking Officer on or sheldon.bruce@opus.co.nz RAL is not planning to close the winter season until 23 October. It has been known to continue past the planned closing date if the snow conditions are good. So there are still plenty of opportunities to use the lodge for skiing, climbing, ski touring or just relaxing. Just pick a time, contact the booking officer (details listed below) then come on up. Sheldon Bruce Ruapehu Lodge Booking Officer Phone: sheldon.bruce@opus.co.nz SALES TABLE 11 October. As always, the second Wednesday of the month is the day for the Sales Table. Please bring along items that you wish to donate to this effort. Home baking and preserves are especially welcome. Garden produce is also popular so bring along all the excess from you vegetable garden. Everyone else bring some cash to purchase some goodies with. Prices are always reasonable. Graeme Lythgoe BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09

5 NO ORDINARY SHEILA Sheila Natusch was no ordinary writer, illustrator, historian, naturalist, sailor, cyclist, mountain woman The club has booked 45 seats at the Lighthouse Cinema, Petone for Thursday 19 October 2017, commencing at 6pm for the screening of No Ordinary Sheila. The cost will be $15 per person. Note: Tickets will be non- refundable. Ron and Hetty Cameron will be selling tickets at club nights. Payments can be made in cash and tickets will be issued once payment has been received. Payment can also be made by arrangement with Ron and Hetty. (Phone Leave a message with your contact details if we are not at home). Sheila was also a strong character, with a warm and witty personality, who made light of her many successes and setbacks over a long career of telling New Zealand stories in words and drawings, and getting out in the mountains and on the sea to experience the exhilaration of the 'wild life' to the full. Ron and Hetty WHANGAMOMONA TO BRIDGE TO SOMEWHERE LOOP 3-5 November Come on a MTB adventure weekend in the MUD, in south Taranaki. On Saturday we plan to ride the Whangamomona loop. You will ride through some awesome wild bush country following farm tracks and bush trails on our way to Bridge to Somewhere before we take on the formidable Whangamomona Rd. with all the rain this winter expect the Road to live up to its reputation full of potholes and mud. Afterwards we can enjoy the delights of Whangamomona Hotel. We plan to camp at the local campground unless you want to upgrade to the hotel. 5 BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09

6 On Sunday we plan to have a play in Araheke MTB on our way home through Whanganui. I have booked the club van and a trailer so heaps of room. Fitness is essential as well as a sense of humour for this adventure weekend. Costs to be confirmed closer to the weekend. Chris Keen PHOTO ARCHIVIST Max Bruce has brought to my attention an incorrect listing on page 4 of the Club s Annual Report, among the Appointments made by the General Committee for Max wishes it to be known that he was not, and never has been, the club s Digital Photo Archivist. For almost 30 years Max was, indeed, the club s Photo Archivist, ably assisted by his wife Pam. Max and Pam are artists in the media of celluloid, light-sensitive chemicals, ink and card, who have never needed to resort to digital assistance. The use of the past tense in these statements is deliberate. Max and Pam gave up their photo archiving activities at the end of the year and the mantle has been passed on to Andrew Robinson. The times being what they are, Andrew very probably will be the Digital Photo Archivist. SKIS FOR SALE Bruce Miller One pair of Rossignol Zenith 162cm with Rossignol bindings, 10 years old. One pair of Dynastar women s Exclusive 158cm. with Look bindings, 12 years old. Both pairs are carving skis & despite their age are in good order, $50 each pair. Jackie & Chris West Jackieandchris@xtra.co.nz BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09

7 SOCIAL COMMITTEE Continuing the policy of letting club members put faces to the committee members listed in August s H&V, here is a picture of the newly-elected Social Committee. Back row, from the left: Hetty Cameron, Ron Cameron, Pamela Campbell, Carolyn Lyon and Julie Lewis Front row, from the left: Helen Lukes, Liz Davis and Cathy Priest The members of the Ruapehu Committee have been so occupied with skiing and bringing in much-needed income to the lodge that they have not met together for two months. A picture of them will be published in due course. 7 BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09

8 HAPPY 90 TH BIRTHDAY BOB NEWELL Bob Newell, tramper, cyclist and current local operator for the Wellingon Mountain Radio Service, recently celebrated his 90 th birthday in our club rooms, surrounded by many family and club members. Projected on the screen behind him is one of the other activities in which he has participated. 8 BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09 TRIP REPORTS JUMBO EAST HOLDSWORTH : th August 2017 Dave Hanley The dodgy weather forecast was confirmed by the presence of only one other car in the Holdsworth car-park as Doc, Sarah and I arrived Friday evening after a nice Carterton kebab. We didn t expect to get over the tops in the forecast wet gale northerlies, but I ve never had to really grovel/crawl on the tops so a look-see would at least be educational/entertaining. The track to Atiwhakatu hut is so good that we got there dry shod in a very wet winter. The slip looked fresher and steeper than usual so it s best to climb over it, and the large crack at the top indicates it will be getting bigger soon. We had a room each in the luxurious hut which is

9 designed to accommodate family groups and perhaps even romantic getaways. The gas was absent but we bought primuses, so we had hot breakkie and ate as much as possible while waiting for the rain to ease Saturday morning. We headed up to Jumbo with light packs in light showers via the old/original track 50 mins upriver from Atiwhakatu hut. It s signposted and well-marked, though with a fair bit of light windfall from recent snow damage. Just one hail shower greeted us at the bushline, with good views of nearby tops. The weather fined up further during a nice long lunch in Jumbo hut. Mattresses and gas had been removed from Jumbo hut to discourage overnight stays, due to failing a recent engineer s inspection. At least one guy wire was adrift, but the hut is in good condition and I gather the problem relates to the original design & new ways of calculating wind loads. On the Jumbo-Holdsworth ridge there was the odd gust blowing us to one knee and a few patches of snow, but the ridge to East Holdsworth does not have any exposed spots where a badly-timed wind blast might send one sailing into the Atiwhak valley. The impressive cumulonimbus piling up around Hector and Mitre passed us by with not a drop of rain, and the gale was behind us making for a comfortable, but slightly exciting and tiring tops experience. East Holdsworth was our turnoff, as I didn t fancy the exposed slopes around the high ridge turn-off above Powell in the strong wind. 9 BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09 Due to our late breakfast/rain delay, we descended the East Holdsworth track in the dark, which was a tad slow but straightforward with only one short deviation/backtrack. I highly recommend the East Holdsworth track as it s much less of a boring stair plod than the main track up to Powell. As usual the last couple of kms around Donnelly flat finishing a 10 hour day, were mysteriously a lot longer than on the walk in. The other problem with our late finish was that every takeaway shop in the Wairarapa was shut, and once we were back into cellphone coverage we had a few text messages wondering when we would be getting home. Dave RIMUTAKA FOREST PARK : 2 September 2017 Sharman Robinson Grade 1, Papatahi Hut. What should have been a simple tramp into Papatahi Hut ended up being a very different adventure. Rain and a wet slippery piece of sidle track, a misplaced foot, a whoops, a tumble of sensations, a scream, my scream, a graunchy sensation in my shoulder, ouch, expletive ouch, and I ended up, disorientated, and sitting in a pool of water at the bottom of the slide, and hurting..a lot. And soon surrounded by a lot of legs I have little idea how far I slid, or how, head first or feet first, on my front or on my pack.confusing, scrambled, puzzling but when the helpful legs became arms and suggested getting out of my puddle, it seemed less urgent than feeling less faint; I wanted to throw up..to get some control over the sick intense pain. But the arms insisted and I was assisted out of my watery seat I may have sworn Somehow my pack was removed before or after I stood I m not sure all I know it hurt particularly my left shoulder. I shuffled supported by Ian Milne. Was it you, Ian? A calm, patient and kind yet firm voice.my memory unclear, scrambled by that infernal radiating out pain.

10 A lot of activity around me, a lot of kind interest, faces moving in and out of sight, voices, someone finding a flat place, closer to the river.a fly materialised, a ground sheet, it may have taken a short or long time, not sure my parka removed, my fleece jacket, some expletives, I was assisted to lie down on the ground sheet just wanted to lie still. Every trip should have its own doctor. Dr Ian examined my shoulder, checked the range of movement, did some manipulation, the stretching felt good, some startling blue language when it didn t. I was able to manage the pain as long as I held my arm tight against my side. Any attempt to get some support under my left arm was agonizing and finally abandoned Dr Ian said something about an excellent first aider would be more use Jeanette saying the adjective counted her out. Laughter. A sling Which way up? I was made comfortable under a surprising numbers of survival blankets I m sure I counted at least three large, silver, crinkly, useful. Clothing under my head. Jan Arts offered up his fleece, his sleeping bag, his hat. Humbled. More and more items were packed on top of me. I could feel water pooling on the ground sheet, cold seeping up from the ground. 10 BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09 The rain became more insistent. What to do? I could neither conceive of walking back to the road end or walking on to the hut, yet the now settling in rain made this a consideration, at least for the rest of the party. Somebody, Andrew? made a decision to call for help. I had said nothing about my anxiety around going on or going back,,,,,once settled on the ground I lay quietly.moving was the problem, not lying still, and I was out of the rain.the only one out of the rain!! A surprising number of survival blankets No cell phone coverage.so help meant using the personal locator beacon, and where to place it to give off the best signal. I lay hyper alert, taking it all in.a bit shocked, and cold in spite of the layers..and drier than the rest of the party Some would go on to the hut. Who? Have lunch first Are you warm? Are you warm enough? Are you getting wet? What s the code for the hut? C What was it again? C2836..Have you set off the beacon? No, I cant read the instructions. My glasses are wet.now its activated.but it may take some time for help to arrive.someone looking out.do you want something to eat? No. A warm drink? No, thanks..surrounded by kindness. I could feel the kindness.a second fly went up as the rain intensified. Half the party finished lunch and Jan, Andrew and Ian stayed with me, while Jeanette, Tanya, William, Anna and Jim went on. Those who stayed tucked themselves somewhere, under the second fly?. We settled down to wait It took about an hour. There was a false alarm when a small plane flew over the valley..back to listening and silence waiting...and then the distinctive whoop, whoop of a chopper. Time seemed to slow as it circled around us looking for a place to land. I felt suddenly less calm, overcome by a wave of relief and shuddering sobs I could just see it in my peripheral vision. It landed on a flat area in the river bed, its blades rotating. And suddenly my little home was invaded by aliens in the guise of a tall, young man with an American accent, wearing a green onesie complete with white crash helmet and a mouth piece, followed by a shorter person, a woman, in an orange onesie and similar crash helmet. He

11 introduced himself as David. She said her name but I didn t catch it. He knelt down beside me and took my pulse. Questions. About the fall? Did I black out? Did something happen before the fall? What did I remember? Where did it hurt? Did it hurt anywhere else? Lets get you up.and to the chopper. Different questions. My questions. Would they take my pack? Jan? His pack? Unasked, or did I? I don t remember thanking Andrew and Ian but felt enormously grateful inside. I managed to get down the bank and to the chopper, more or less unaided, holding my arm, the female medic alongside. Cold. Getting up the ladder into the chopper was slow and painful. I could see some big packs on the floor of the chopper and the pilot and co pilot sitting on the other side of a divide. Seems the pilot was keen to take off. He was concerned about the weather closing in. Three seats to the right. One behind the pilots. I sat on the first of the three seats. Jan appeared and his pack. We shuffled down. Seat belt on, more shuffling, and up we went. I could see the riverbed and Andrew and Ian growing smaller was there a third person? Turbulence; the chopper lurched left and right. There was an air vent open but it felt like the door. Freezing. I was wet through. The air vent was closed. Better. Lots of bush. Beautiful and wild. Houses. Where on earth were we and which hospital? Did it matter? The chopper touched down on the roof of Wellington Hospital. Seatbelts released. Down the steps. Raining. Walked to the door of the hospital and met by an orderly with a wheel chair. David insisted on carrying both packs. The two paramedics stayed with Jan and me through triage and finally waved us off when I was tucked up in ED. You can leave your boots on, the nurse said.but I couldn t or wouldn t. Jan helped me out of my gaiters and boots and dressed my feet in dry socks. I saw water soak over the sheet on the bed around where I sat. Feet blissful, but the rest of my clothes were still wet. Nurses staring at me from the control area. Tramping I heard. Nurses, a doctor. An older doctor.a nurse..a hand full of drugs..5 of them I think, different shapes, downed, waiting to see what helped To have X-Rays, including the radius.where in my body is the radius? Let s get you out of these wet clothes, the nurse said. First garment. Far out. That hurt. Let s get the scissors. Big, mean scissors appeared. No, I don t want them cut. Let me try. Good arm first, then expletive.far out Jan and nurse wincing in sympathy. This pain relief is not working. Don t want this one cut either? the nurse asked. No. Again, good arm, expletive.settling.what, more clothes. Does this bra have wire?.keep the scissors away..easier, then into the hospital gown.good arm first..know the drill now slump Now the needles How are you with needles? - Hypothetical question. A line was set up in my right arm, flushed and I was given a shot of liquid morphine. floating, somewhere around the ceiling in ED, head very clear, still in pain, given another shot. Whoo, can see why this stuff is addictive Pain still there but what the heck The third time the doctor returned to see if I was back from X-Ray, he said he would take me himself. A nurse materialised and took over from him. Five X-Rays later. back in ED. The Xrays showed: Closed, (L), greater tuberosity #, non-displaced Closed, (L) neck of the humerus #, non-displaced You have a broken shoulder, the doctor said, looking pleased with himself. He drew me a picture of the head of the humerus and showed Jan and I where. You ll be off work for two weeks, and no driving for at least six. I attempted to negotiate. Doesn t work that well with doctors. We ll get you some food and set you up with a collar and cuff, before we discharge you. 11 BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09

12 Collar and cuff set up. Discharged home in hospital gown, over-trousers and feather jacket, with a prescription for a super market bag of drugs, with firm instructions to start with the soft drugs first before hitting the opioids. I handed this responsibility over to Jan. I slept like a baby that first night, still high on the effects of the morphine. I still have a lot to learn about how to move without pain There is some spectacular bruising from shoulder to wrist. Slowly becoming more comfortable by the day. Footnote: I am so grateful to Andrew and the rest of the party, every single last one of you, Dr Ian, Jeanette, Anna, William, Tanya, Jim and Jan. Leaving your delicious biscuits, Andrew was heart breaking, and seeing your dessert on Facebook, unfair. I was very thankful for the decisions you made, knowing decisions such as these are not so easy to make. And while I lay dry under the fly, I was aware of you all eating your lunch in the rain, giving up your clothing, offering food, hot drinks and kindness. We were all wet and therefore potentially cold, getting colder, hypothermic? I may not have said thank you at the time so I say so now. I felt privileged and humbled to be in such good hands. And thanks also to the people behind the scene specifically the SAR contacts, disrupted on their Saturday afternoons, to talk to the Emergency Services. And lastly, it s a comfort to know that those Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) we carry on each trip are not just more weight in our packs. A sceptical part of me was unconvinced that once set the PLB would work. I had never seen them work. Yet lying under the fly allowed me to at least rest before something more strenuous and painful was necessary. To see the helicopter arrive has confirmed what a fantastic service these devices link to and are more than simply a tramping fantasy in the same vein as Father Christmas and the tooth fairy. Viva el PLB! And the magical and knowledgeable paramedics and pilots who are the living heart of this extraordinary service. Photos by Andrew Robinson. GOAT ROCK TUNNEL GULLY : 3 September 2017 Pat & John Tristram Sharman Following several days rather dismal weather, it wasn t a great surprise the Sunday morning dawned the same cold southerly with a misty drizzle. So we were rather astonished to have a total of ten people at Upper Station for this trip. Car pooled and we drove to the turnoff of SH2 to the Rimutaka Incline, leaving cars at this junction. It was around 9.30am when we walked along the road past the Go Kart track to follow the road up the Glider strip. We were dressed for the weather in several layers of woollens, plus beanies and parkas, although some did remove parkas on the walk up. A wander around the boggy airfield, past the club rooms (the lunch stop in the basement having been most welcome on another trip) and back onto the road. Over a locked gate/concrete blocks and a few minutes later we were on the road through from the Tunnel Gully T junction to the Rimutaka Incline. We followed this for a while in fact a while too long having to retrace our steps for around 400 metres to pick up the rather overgrown track up to Goat Road Trig. 12 BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09

13 As it was not after 10.30am, we stood around having our morning tea not every day one has morning tea under fire friendly we hoped, from the Firing Range below on the Rimutaka Incline. Fortified we pushed our way through the gorse, having forgotten the loppers we promised, except for Doreen who produced some secateurs. Doug gamely jumped on and smashed down some of the gorse, much to the gratitude of those behind him. The gorse continued and there was also some blackberry and bush lawyer to contend with as we climbed higher to reach Goat Rock a bit after midday. There is no trig and while some of the party went to find the rock (they think they found a slightly higher point) and check out the view (non-existent) the rest of us sheltered in the bush. We were now on a reasonable bush track through to Tunnel, which being only 500 metres away came up fairly quickly. Doug has been sussing out this area and knew of a nice spot not far from Tunnel that would be a good lunch spot, especially on a sunny day. Well it was our lunch spot and the sun did actually try to shine and the murk did try to lift a little, but it wasn t really much of an effort. The track became even better at this stage and we also nearly followed it down a spur that Doug has visited which goes down to one of the Mountain bike tracks off Tunnel Gully. Correction made, we came upon the Survey marker for the western portal of the Rimutaka Tunnel when it was built in the 1950s. Sure of our route, we climbed up onto the Main track and then followed the very good, but rather slippery and fast (at times) track down to Tane s Track. It took us a bit over an hour, with a lot of care and trying not to have too many out of control movements. We also stopped to check out a morepork, who wasn t the slightest bit worried that 12 people were looking at it only 3 4 metres away. Tane s Track and the knees could stop throbbing and we followed the route of Tuesday night rides through the gate/squeeze over the lovely old railway bridge up to the T junction. A scroggin stop and then up the final hill to the road where we turned right and down the cars by 4pm. Peeled off wet parkas, boots and socks and hats and back to Upper Hutt Station. Many thanks to those who joined us Doug Flux, Robyn & Frank Usmar, Jackie & Chris West, Irene Davies, Keith Thomas, Doreen Courtenay and Pat & John Tristram. Pat & John MOONLIGHT WALK LOWRY BAY CIRCUIT Monday, 4 September 2017 Pat & John Tristram Dennis made a wise call in moving this walk from the Tuesday evening to the Monday night. After a prolonged period of less than clement weather, Monday finally came right and it was a beautiful evening when we met in Cheviot Road. Unfortunately due to a road accident in Petone, Pat & John were late in arriving. However, this was fortunate, as Andrew made a last minute decision to join the walk and so hopped on his bike and rode to the meeting place. 13 BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09

14 So at 6.20pm eight of us left the cars to enter the bush at Francis Bell Reserve and put our torches on. It was a steady climb up a very good track with a couple of stops to check the views and admire a piece of native clematis beside a magnificent Rimu tree, to meet the Main Ridge after about twenty minutes. Along this for a short distance and we had magnificent views from the Lookout. Below in Seaview we watched the flashing red lights, heard distantly the sirens of two fire engines and wondered what the emergency was. The Hutt Valley glowed with lights and the sweeping view of Wellington was pretty magic. The reflections in the harbour were beautiful and we could even spot a couple of very small boats out from Petone, with just a glimmer of a light on them. A little further on and we came onto the road end at Point Howard with another magnificent view across and up the Valley, before going down the road to pick up the bush track off Ngaumatau Road. By turning off our torches we could see a tree casting a moon shadow, so bright was the moon. Jan and Felicity left us to go via Cheviot Road, while the rest of us followed the track down to Dillion Street, with a stop to check out the bricks still visible from the first house built in Lowry Bay in 1841 by James and Emma Jackson. (The Jackson s were pioneer farmers, but the steep bushy terrain and the isolation defeated them. The original approach to the house was by track from the Port Road side of Point Howard. The effects of the 1855 earthquake eventually destroyed the house and just the bricks remain). Back at the cars by 7.40pm, five (Dennis, Pam, Pat, John and Andrew) of us went around to Eastbourne to enjoy a very pleasant meal and drink at the Still Room, before heading home. Thanks to Dennis Page (trip leader), Felicity Maxwell, Jan Heine, Doug Flux, Pam Smith, Andrew Robinson, Pat & John Tristram. Pat & John WESTS EASY BIKE RIDE COMES TO WATERY END 18 September 2017 Chris West Apparently water is the main factor in tramping deaths/mishaps but who knew a small stream could cause grief! For various reasons we did not do the Saturday bike ride so with Monday being a fine day we decided on riding the river trail on the true right to Petone & return the other side. About halfway between Manor Park & Belmont a small stream crosses the trail down a concrete channel. Usually it has very little or no water & you just bowl across. It had rained heavily Sunday night so there was more water but no worries. We didn t realise the concrete was covered in algal & other green growth & with the water made it very slippery. Jackie was in front, hit the channel, & was off her bike on the other side. The channel is a v shape so I thought she got the front wheel in the wrong position so I started to cross. Instantly I was off 14 BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09

15 Usually it has little or no water. Photo: Bruce Miller the bike, lying face down across the channel with water pouring over me. When you have an accident like this you generally stay still for some seconds to assess the damage before getting up. After scrabbling on the slippery surface I got to my feet. The water released from the human dam had enough force to wash my bike down the channel to the small pool below. This was deep enough to submerge it with only half of one wheel visible. By now Jackie had recovered so she jumped back over the channel, down the grass bank, into the pool to recover the bike. The bottom was very muddy & with more water than normal she discovered herself in waist deep. When we hauled the bike out the front wheel had been turned 180 degrees with the tyre jammed on the frame hence the rapid ejection of rider. We decided to carry on but were rather wet & as there was a stiff wind with sun coming & going returned over the Kennedy Good Bridge & home to hot showers & wet/muddy clothing to wash & dry. Chris SCIENTIFIC SNIPPETS Here are a couple of items from the editor s favourite popular science magazine, which are quite encouraging for trampers. Drinking milk Milk is a richly nutritious mixture of water, proteins, minerals, vitamins, sugars, saturated fat and cholesterol. All mammals make it, but humans are the only ones to drink it beyond their early years. Should we? Although programmes in the US and UK that gave milk to children in schools were associated with huge health benefits, it is not clear why. We don t know if there is something specific or special about milk, or if it is just the fact that these children are getting more calories, protein, nutrients in general, says Andrea Wiley of the University of Indiana at Bloomington. A recent study of children in Kenya found that supplemental milk helped those with stunted growth catch up in height, but provided no benefits over a non-milk nutritional supplement for children developing normally. For adults, the benefits seem even more dubious. There is no conclusive evidence, for example, that getting extra calcium from milk is vital for maintaining healthy bones or avoiding fractures. Other foods besides milk beans and greens, largely are also rich in calcium, and most researchers now argue that a generally healthy diet and plenty of weight-bearing physical activity is what keeps bones healthy (editor s emphasis). Dementia Dementia isn t just one thing. Alzheimer s disease, which accounts for 70% of cases of dementia, is characterised by a build-up of hard plaques of beta-amyloid protein between brain cells, and tangles of tau protein within them. Vascular dementia is caused by brain damage from impaired blood flow to your brain and accounts for 17% of cases of dementia. Mixed dementia and other causes account for 13%. 15 BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09

16 It is important to acknowledge that much of dementia risk is down to genetics, about 70 per cent in the case of Alzheimer s. Still, if 30 per cent or more of dementia risk is down to lifestyle and environmental factors, there is an opportunity to make a difference. Maintaining social connections, keeping a healthy diet, exercising regularly, practising good sleep habits and pursuing intellectual challenges may all delay or lessen symptoms of dementia later in life. Walk, talk and read. And do it now. These changes have the most effect when they are started earlier in life. Physical activity may be most critical. Regular exercise not only addresses risk factors such as weight and cardiovascular health, but it increases the creation of brain cells, connections between neurons, and production of nerve growth factors and neurotransmitters. You don t have to run ultra-marathons to reap the benefits. Just an hour-long walk a few times a week can make a difference NEW ZEALAND ON FOOT Palmerston North author Denis Dwyer journeyed around New Zealand for his book, New Zealand on Foot. It isn't your usual New Zealand walking book. It's a whimsical and funny ramble along our tracks and paths. Walking is something Dwyer wholeheartedly thinks people should do more. He is a big advocate for putting one foot in front of the other. Walking, he says, is more recreational than sport. He's not out to be the fittest or the fastest, but he likes to venture out in the world. As you are walking you can't help but notice. Just noticing little things makes the landscape more personal. " "You can't help but notice what's around you. As I have walked, indulgently, my interest in plants has grown." He's also expanded his knowledge of himself, his country and what it means to be alive. $35.00(NZD) New Holland Publishers Dwyer's walked over bridges, through bush-covered canopies and under dark skies and blue ones, and from his trusty and well-worn notebook he has written a book that says 'come and walk with me'. The views expressed in the articles in this newsletter are not necessarily the views of the Hutt Valley Tramping Club. Any queries or comments should be directed to the writer of the article. Contributions to the Hills & Valleys are welcomed and encouraged but all are accepted on the understanding that the Editor has the authority to make minor changes if deemed necessary, refer back to the contributor for amendment, or return the contribution for amendment by the Writer. 16 BJFM/H&V/Vol70/No09