Dusky trail- Twizel

We spent a lovely but sad weekend in Ohau farewelling Simon and Pip before their departure for Copenhagen

One afternoon we rode the dusky trail

Pip giving it hell up the hill

Simon about to rip Down the single track

Dusky trail is largely on farm roads has a couple of river crossings( they were about mid thigh in Summer but it had been raining recently) Easy terrain, fun bit of single track, big skies, great company!

Wine

Recently Philip shared a bottle of Felton road Pinot 2007 Calvert with us and it was my favorite so far Narrowly pipping the Georgetown 2007 Pinot. Rich Spiced Yummy!

Mike's Blog

http://mikesbigbreak.tumblr.com
Check this out.
A friend of ours Mike had an accident on His skateboard and Broke his spine at T12 causing Paralysis from his belly button down.
He is a great writer and has been Doing a blog. Some Big challenges for Mike and his family, But they are Funny, smart,  motivated people so I'm sure in the long run they'll overcome them

Savouring the sun/ Haslers

Winter storms are forecast for this week so on Monday Alison, Sam, Jess,Estelle, and I went rockclimbing in the last of the sun at Wanaka.

Sam leading 23 at Little Big Wall

Megan and Matthew

Mummy getting in on the mischeif

Also the Hasler/ Davies family came to visit. Riding without trainer wheels, lots of playing in the park, early morning visits in bed....Totally cute!

Cruising with our friends

Slopestyle with Bailey

Bailey took this one

 The Goss family came to stay

Isaac and Linda- Arrow river

Wanaka posing for Phil

Riding at 7 mile with the lovely Pip

 Bouldering with the boys

Rupert on Tolkein

Conrad the big bad wolf on Tussock boulder

It was also Susan Hasler Davies 40th...I can't believe we are getting that old!

I will have to Search mums for baby photo's of us kids together. (I'll try to aviod the bowl cut stage)

While in Dunedin I got to climb at Mihiwaka. Bolt free crag- nice long natural pro pitches in Beautiful native bush (the Wild orchids were flowering and it smelt AMAZING!) I Climbed with Calum Hudson the original Developer in '72 and learnt heaps about the history and onsighted a couple of fun 13's. There are heaps of climbs there that have Gone out of usage due to a little moss so Take a brush, and get them open again.

Aarons knee is healing fast after the latest round of Surgery and he's out hiking and flying again. Not long untill he's back playing with us all again!

Auckland/Rotorua March

I worked in Auckland and then detoured to Rotorua for the weekend

 Vinnie and I, didn't I tell you he was the most beautiful boy on earth!

Clementine thinks Vinnie is funny!

Off to Rotorua a lovely Breakfast with old Auckland friends Tai and Api and their kids, then off for a ride, at Whakarewarewa forest/ The redwoods

 Tuhoto Ariki..My new Favourite ride!

Rooty, Overgrown, organic native bush..Awesome.

Even had to climb over a few trees.

Family time with my friend from My teens Mike, and his family

Night riding in the forest

A 3 hour ride on Sunday. Yvoine is a Beast she rode up 3 x my speed and rocked the down hill too.

They broke me and Off to Kerosenne creek with the kids to soak it out

Mike and Clotilde

Grandpa Graham, Maelys and Moana

My Buddy Bailey

Bailey and I have been having lots of fun.
Biking has been a big thing for us this Summer, and after lots of practice riding up and down 7 mile, we got to do it the easy way and ride up on the gondola. We rode Skyline (thanks so much for discounted pass) on an awesome kids  downhill bike loaned to us by Outside sports.
It was so much fun that we rode until close and aaron met us with food to eat on the drive home (a couple of hours later than usual)
A few weeks later we hit the Wynyard  park. It's so exciting to see him growing up, and learning to make wise decisions.

Art

Bailey with his picture of Chris' mark 3 on the race track blowing smoke out the back

On a more cheerful Note had a great time with Bailey wednesday night. We went for a walk with his brother and sister around the Chinese village in Arrowtown and the did art since I am a bit injured (torn Butt)

My picture- I haven't improved much over the years

ZOOT TRACK

We shuttled( rode down and drove back up in the car) Zoot track (Old trail near Skippers), with Tracey and Iain after work on thursday. The photo's were pretty dark but here's one of Tracey and I trying to look hard core.

Remarkables Traverse

For Simon and Pip's wedding in Feb lots of people came back to town
They came through Queenstown on Holiday and a group of us all went out to do the Remarkables Traverse.
Team: Bruce hasler ( guide) Mick heli skier not climber, AD Kayaker not climber, Frog( guide) , Simon, Aaron and I who are all climbers.
The guides teamed up with the non climbers and much to our suprise they were really fast and confident.
There was cloud on the Mountain tops but it was a nice sunny day otherwise

Easy ledges
Telecom tower( or weather station) If you go here you will need to rap off the cliff- most people head to the notch and miss this Peak


Simon on the technical crux( easily avoidable)


Me up in the clouds but still smiling


Lunch on Single cone summit( very different to Winter!)
we meet 2 tasmanians, a german , and Chris Prudden up there- a very popular spot


The normal descent would be the couloir but rather than get wet feet in the snow or get our rope out we scrambled down the North ridge. 95% walking Hands on for the rest.I was wearing 5 10 approach shoes which are nice and gripy though

A fantastic day. We were back at the pub sharing a few drinks in the Sun mid afternoon

Vinyard concert series

We went to The Millbrook concert with Boh Runga, Che Fu, Bic Runga, Dave Dobbin, and Tim Finn. Great to hear a few Kiwi classics.
Saw lots of people there including the Dee's when they weren't on the bouncy castle.

Amalie and Maryanne Dee

We had a few wines in the last of the evening sun and even Kaitlyn tried to get in on the Boozy action at her first ever concert



The stage, Teresa and Kaitlyn. She has a cool dance move ..The washing machine!

Tooleys

our friends Stu and Teresa came to visit.

Riverside. Aaron climbing we also climbed Far side, Alcove,Falcon steep at Cutting
We spent a weekend climbing in Wanaka with them and their darling daughter Kaitlyn( Aaron's special friend)

Martin/Maurice visit

dan and Stacey came to visit ...Yay.
Unfortunately we had had the flu and were really low energy and boring,. managed a small bike ride and Burgers at the beach but that was about it for the week. They introduced us to their little friend Turtle

More photo's

wedding

Honeymoon

My birthday

Fancy dress bouldering followed by a BBQ at home