2004-10-27 < Weekly activities > 2004-11-10
Wednesday November 3, 2004 - Tuesday November 9
Wednesday
John Thomson led 8 on the Medium Wednesday trip up Carrington Stream to Gentle Annie Saddle and back down Carrington Ridge. Despite mud on the banks and windfalls in the creek this was an enjoyable jaunt - especially as an Unknown Tramper had recently cut the route from Gentle Annie Saddle onto Carrington Ridge and our leader himself had ensured even better travel down the Ridge itself. He certainly arranged good weather!
Sunday
Michele Dickson had 11 out on a round trip from Lookout Ridge in the Kaitoke Regional Park on a fine Sunday. There was more vegetation in the creek than she remembered and more windfalls on the road at the bottom, but they had a good day.
Cycling
Jenny Gates took 7 members cycling in the Northern Wairarapa. Since one of these was on a recumbent bike and two were on a tandem, she says they created much excitement on the road. They went to Riversdale on Saturday, and to Castlepoint and back - 80 very hot km - on Sunday.
Field Celebrations
On Saturday October 30 celebrations were held at Field Hut not only to mark the 80th birthday of the oldest hut in the Tararuas, but also to remember the contribution of Joe Gibbs who - along with his mate Jack Fisk - built the hut. The gathering was a great success, thanks to the hard work a number of people put in - among them Hugh Barr who was in overall charge; members of the Social Committee, especially Chris Munn, and Liz Paton who helped purchase the food and organise the helicopter.
By Saturday morning it was fine and, after an excellent barbecue outside Field Hut, the official event started around 1.30 pm MC Hugh Barr welcomed those present and a number of people spoke, including Frank Fitzgerald who joined the TTC 70 years ago and was a mate of Joe Gibbs, and Hugh Logan, the Director General of Conservaion. A plaque was unveiled, and the cake cut by Edward, Hugh Logan's seven year old son who had walked up to the hut with his father.
58 people signed the "attendance notebook" Brenda Neill handed round. This number didn't include the four members of Dave Reynold's M/F party who, since their route to Field had been by way of the summit of Mount Hector, missed out on the speeches but not the cake. Among those at Field Hut were six life members - Brenda herself, Hugh Barr, Michael Bartlett, Peter Jagger, Maurie Perry and Tong Young. (Tong had organised the hugely successful 50th celebrations). Twenty one members stayed at the hut for the night and, as Hugh put it, "sang and talked to the morepork that nests in the big beech tree" outside the hut door. And, Hugh adds, on Sunday morning "we carried out all the stuff ourselves. No need for the return helicopter flight." It was a great weekend, rounded off with hot scones at Maurie Perry's home when the overnight party drove out. A more detailed account will appear in the Tramper, and later in the appropriate Annual.