Spring

Well it's been so lomg we've picked the first Zucchini, and Been Pigging out on herbs, Lettuce and rocket for some time now

I've been going to Ladies Night which is fun. 29 ladies downhill mountain biking followed by drinks

 I've also been riding with Aaron alot. This day it snowed a couple of times But we went for a nice bike ride up Big hill. It did feel big Pushing the Bikes up!
We also Have ridden all the New trails including out to Gibbston, and along the river to Arrowtown.

I've ben on a few Courses with St john, and had SAR practice, as well as having fun with little Bailey , and getting back to climbing so life has been very busy but quite productive lately.

I hope I'll have time to keep in touch more soon

X X sally

Spring Gardening

I'm trying to have a garden thats Organic and  Natural

I planted my seedlings as usual on Sept 1
I used newspaper folded around a balsmic vinegar bottle( beer bottles work well too) to make pottles. You can plant direct later, or remove and throw in compost.
Already the Rocket and Cos are Coming up!

Dug in Sheep poo dust and blood and bone.

I'm giving up on Cucumber this year as it dosn't give alot of vege for the space and Time.
Also Pepprs, and Capsicum take so long and only do average, so they are out. Aphid control with Nastursium if you do them.

I'm going to give brocolli another go now my Brother gave me a hoop net thing. The Green Slugs ravaged them before and picking them off was not enough.

My successes last year were Beans, Zuchinni, Rocket, cos Lettuce, Tomatoes, Parsley
Also I solved the neighbours cat pooing in my garden with Chilli Powder sprinkled around edge. Lemon dosn't work at all.

Spinach is going well already and I'll be adding Beetroot. We also Did spud in a bucket and I'll be doing it again

Mum tells me that to stop Coriander going to seed have a water dish and water from below so it never dries out, so I'll be giving that a go.

YUMMY crisp veges In a few months...Delicious

Photo Of SMS Remarks fest

Me , Shelley, Jean on Saturday Morning Special 

This photo is by Mark Watson of Highlux photography
www.highlux.co.nz/blog
Thanks Heaps mark for a great memory preserved and your generosity in letting me use it.

Mark was one of the official photographers at the Remarkables mixed and Ice festival I mentioned a few posts ago
Pretty pleased to have a pic of my hardest lead yet..Not so pleased to see I crossed the ropes ( I blame nerves)

More winter climbing

Well more winter climbing as the season comes to an end, including the elusive (for me) Friday's fool
The start is still too hard for me to lead.. but one of my one day goals. (Thank God Paul had the Kahuna's)

Keith, Millsy, Me 

Thanks Millsy, Keith , Paul for good times, support, and top ropes on the hard stuff. X X X

Remarkables Ice & Mixed Festival

This weekend there was a climbing Festival in Queenstown.
http://www.iceandmixedfestival.co.nz/

It had a great Vibe with everyone from Gerusa putting crampon's on for the first time ever, Some pro Guides, Top end climbers, and lots of amateurs, all hanging out enjoying a few beautiful sunny windless days in the Remarkables, Queenstown.

Lots of social time too to catch up with old friends and climbers from far and wide. I also got to climb with 3 people I'd never climbed with before and get to know them a whole lot better.

My Team on Saturday Morning- Jean, Me and Shelley

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

Ice climbing stuff I love

Petzl Quark Ice Tools- Disclaimer: I work for the importer

The New Quarks are awesome:
Light weight- so you don't get drag on the swing.
Hooks for leashless- Never get pumped again! Never hit your Knuckles.
All mountain- Can be stripped down, along with the lightweight this is a one tool does it all tool.

Earth Sea sky Stretch Fleece leggings


Cosy and cuddly with out ever getting sweaty. I have other thermal layers but wear these everytime. Also great for winter running and biking


The natural confectionary company Forbidden fruit


Yummy and don't go hard in the cold. A pocket full of these will keep you going on the walk out.

Primal Scream, West face, Remarkables

Lovely Tony B came to visit and we climbed a route  with Michal. Not much ice at the moment and it was hard with rock slabs under snow.

Photo by michalkarnik.com

Me on Pitch 1

Photo by michalkarnik.com

Pitch 3 This overhung chock was the crux, nothing but slab on top, feet smeared on face. Tony let out a primal scream on the lead.

The "easy" gully finish wasn't that easy

Thanks to Michal for the great photo's.  It is a lot of gear to carry.

Blue velvet

Blue Velvet dosn't have great access notes so here's a cheat until new Guidebook comes out. Acess as going to Wye creek. Where the Tarns drain out, head right along the ridge past a shed sized block, then traverse basin and go down gully next to ice.  At top (below rock band) traverse off easiest way. It may go up and down.
Grade 2 170m

Paul at the Base of Blue velvet

In the Hood

On Saturday Aaron and I spent the day together and went on a long easy bike ride around The neighbourhood. Shotover, Arrow and Kawarau rivers. Lake Hayes, Millbrook etc. We of course stopped for Mocha's and cake in Arrowtown on route. Cool to be having adventures, however small, together again.

Sunday I went back to Remarkables Ice climbing this time just behind the ski field and lake Alta. A cool day with the old school crew of Dave , Rupert, Millsy and a new friend Thierry.

We started early. Dawn photo by Rupert Gardiner of Rock n Rambles (Guided climbing/hiking)

Millsy in front of the climbs we did. Roughly 40m. Twin ropes best.

Left. Alta states

Right. White Jism

 The wee slab you see on far left leads to the alta Ego chimney. Fixed Piton here about 12m.

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!

Fist official day of Winter spent at South Face

Paul at start of Touchdown

Half way up

Top

Touch Down top on left and some stuff we had a play on in middle

( See if you can find the Abseiler)

Ice climbing with Paul . He just Learnt at the Queenstown climning club day last year. This guy is SUPER keen. A very fun way to spend the first day of Winter

Downhill Season over

Sadly the pink body armour is now packed away.

Skyline gondola has finally closed for the season after a suprise extension (thankyou Bike park/ Skyline). Ruby( my bike) and I spent the first 2 weekends of May doing laps down skyline.  I rode with a few ladies I have just met this season and had a great time, as well as a few runs with some of the Guys.

First climb of Winter

Well kind of.
Aaron and I walked up to Lake alta, His knee wasn't up to it yet so we didn't go too far. No ice at Border crag, Altered states  formed but too wet and warm right then. A cold snap and head up there.

I climbed a couple of mixed things. 1st climb I was awful but the next one was better. Maybe because it was so steep I had to use technique or maybe just getting back into the head space.

Either way with carrying rope, draws, screws, rack all by myself since Aarons broken and getting out hanging on the tools it's got to be good training.

Aaron coming up to support me when he can't play..I'm a very lucky girl.
He wasn't really up to the snow walking so if you want to play I'm looking for partners.

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

Mt St Mary

I had a weekend away with my friend Mel. We headed north to the Ahuriri and avioded the rain that hit Queenstown so it was perfect!

We stayed in a hut on the road end Friday night then Walked/ Scrambled to Mt St Mary via an alpine lake, down to snowy Gorge hut in the river valley, over 10-11 hours. The next morning it was only about 3 hours out but had a river crossing waist deep just before the car.

Map of where we went (stolen from Danilo Heggs site, as was the trip idea.)

Setting out. Melanie

At a lake about 1880m Mel is pointingto Mt st Mary( the pointy bit in the middle)

The scree slopes/ gully up to the summit were pretty chossy and loose.

The team at the summit.

Me, Mel, Catherine and Yossi

Pretty stones in the river valley

Our hut!

Massive grubber as a toilet only.

Me being silly

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.

Rail trail

Last but not least my Parents in the Summer of Family
We rode the Central otago rail trail over 4 days
Sat night Susan Hasler/ davies came to visit with Her kids and met us again on Sunday
165 km all up.
Don't miss
Omakau- Venison Pies
Oterehua- Gilchists store, Golden mine
Ranfurly- Ali's jewellery Studio

Tim in the tunnel

Big sky Country

Wedderburn Station

Via duct

NZ smallest post office

The whole team

Our last nights accomodation