Runanga 20-21 April 2013,            Report by Jeff Clarke

We stayed at the Rangatiki Lodge with Marty and family who made us feel welcome like we were friends of the family. A roast for dinner and everything.
 
On day one we managed to find a few challenges and the odd hole to get stuck in.
Being dry pumas type ground meant we could climb steep hills that would be suicidal in slippery clay terrain.
We made it to the edge of the raven that ran through the valley like a tribute to the Grand Canyon.
On 2 other previous trips we had  made it this far and no further.
So on we went down a steep drop off and into the unknown.
There should have been a way out, now all we had to do was find it.
Up hills and over ridges and eventually we made our way back to the play area.
And play we did.
Even seeing a young man do an impromptu superman trick on his sports quad when the throttle got stuck going over a large jump .
So the goal achieved we headed back to camp for a night a chillaxing.
 
Day 2 and Marty had put us onto another way into the forest. No longer would we need to travel 8 k’s down the road to unload our trucks. We could now leave straight from our accomadation point.
What’s more we discovered a vast area to explore (next time) along the way.
 
Some bumps and thrills then the discovery that Jeff had a broken front hanger on the front end.
This might explain the diving off into the scrub after landing from a jump.
A chain wrap with winch to tension was sufficient to limp home.
 
A great trip in a great area with great hospitality. A first for the others on the trip who vowed to return for another bash.
 
The rarely seen yellow breasted impi warbler.
 
 
 
Steve Knowles gets stuck in a big hole. “Little help please”
 

 
 
Play Time


More Plat Time

 
Another hole, but a different stuck.


The 3 Amegos.
 
 
 

Holey broken hangers batman.