Greetings From LandyTown - UK

Greetings from the UK to all fellow Land Rover nuts in New Zealand!

I’m writing to invite you to take a look at our brand-new forum – LandyTown – and to join the equally brand-new LandyTown Association.

We are a club of like-minded people who have come together through a British Land Rover magazine forum to set up our own independent group. Although we do, admittedly, spend a lot of time online chatting, there’s more to LandyTown than that. Our regional groups organise all kinds of activities, from green-laning to overseas trips, from visiting pay-and-play sites to sitting around in pubs and – yes! – chatting. We’re already planning our stand at major Land Rover shows throughout the year.

The Forum is open (and free) to anyone who cares to drop in. Here you can make new friends, swap news and gossip or find someone to offer help and advice with your Land Rover problems.

Our members already come from all four corners of the British Isles, as well as Europe. We’re still growing and we especially welcome visitors from overseas.

Click on www.landytown.com/forum and say hi.

With warmest good wishes – and hope to meet you soon!

Patricia Stoner

Life In The Slow Lane

Sometimes there's more to this wonderful four wheel driving life than hitting the hardest tracks you can find in the (sometimes vain) hope of getting through the impassable. After a childhood of growing up camping, hunting and the great outdoors I suppose it was inevitable that a four wheel drive would feature as another way of getting out and seeing as much of the natural magnificence that we call NZ as possible.

Late September saw Karen and I running away from life for a few days and heading to the central plateau. Sightseeing, Army Museum and peace and quiet high on the list. We decided early on to visit Waiouru (my home for five years) and then return north checking out Tukino before settling in a night of (relative) luxury at Tokaanu. The real adventure would start the next day with trekking south, camping trailer in tow, in search of the perfect winter campsite. We found it early and there we stayed, nestled in the lee of the mighty Kaimanawa Ranges.


Too much food, almost enough wine by the fire, dead to the world sleep, late rises and absolutely nothing to do but enjoy the solitude (in great company of course) and recharge.

Was it perfect? I think so. The photos say it all.




Cloud shrouding Ngaruhoe as seen from the Tukino Ski field road. The view from the mountain was spectacular despite the atrocious weather in Waiouru and north to the Three Sisters.


The mighty Waikato Falls at the outlet of the underground water race that has it's beginnings at the southern end of the Moawhangao Dam in the Army training area. We turned off SH1 towards the Pillars Of Hercules and just followed our nose. This is the jumping in point for many kayakers and rafters.




I think Robert Frost would be happy to call this 'the road less travelled'. The whole area is criss-crossed with roads and tracks originally put in to build and then service the hydro schemes constructed by immigrant Italian workers last century. Pity you can't hear the bird and animal life in the background.


Ruapehu from the bush up behind Waikato Falls. Despite the isolation there is a Vodafone tower nearby. Blimmin cell phones! Turn 'em off.

Tongariro River long before it hits the Waikato. Plenty of flood damage along the bed and banks showed that a campsite up away from the river might be the best option. . . .

. . . . and that's what we found. Five star accommodation in Paradise!

And people pay money for this? In the lee of the Kaimanawa Ranges. Stopped the weather nicely. . . .


. . . . but it couldn't stop the frost. -4 degrees in the tent on the last morning. That first cup of coffee was about as close to heaven as we could get I reckon, . . Oh and the french toast, bacon, bananas and maple syrup for breakfast of course, all served up with a helping of sunshine.

The worst part of any trip? Heading home of course! But with more adventures to be had, and more of this awesome country to explore, it just whets the appetite.

WooHoo!

Video - Colin Oops

Video - Marcel towing a log

Minginui Recce October 2009

Sunday the 11th of October saw what felt like the first fine day this year and so four intrepid souls hit the tracks (banks, stumps, trees and rocks) in Minginui to explore and possibly re-open a few routes for future club trips into this awesome area.

Along with Colin, Marcel and Griff was a prospective new member, Trent and family.

To say Sunday was one out of the box would be an understatement; bright sunshine, no wind and cold enough to chisel chunks out of. Perfick! A convoy of land rovers is a marvellous sight at the best of times and this day was no exception all the way to the first track.

The plan was to explore a few rumours and hopefully find some new tracks. Initially we hit a few side tracks running off the main Old Te Whaiti Road which, although leading nowhere were obviously old benched routes that may well have been logging and access roads in times past.

Old Te Whaiti Road leads into Minginui from the Murupara side but is blocked by a gate at the far end. Times must have been hard in the morning because most of the group found it necessary to attempt to scale a long abandoned (and rotten) log pile with varying level of success.

After perhaps the tenth turnaround the call was made to check the condition of the usual tracks and we headed out towards Hydro Access via the Cathedral and a few more possible routes.

Lunch was highlighted with the news that Griff had proposed to Karen and in a fit of dementia she had accepted.

A not long re-opened track was followed through pine, gum and bush that ended back up at the lunch spot, nice.

Since the last visit about a month ago, another club had been in the area and while some digging had been done there was still much fun to be had. By the time 4pm had rolled around though and with; plenty of track to do, school the next morning, and travel home yet to be done, the call was made to turn around.

And of course the fun then began. Griff got himself well and truly in the wrong spot and then after being winched out by Colin, the cable wouldn't wind back in. Half five and we're finally ready to hit the road back out! Murphy is a toe rag sometimes.

But at the end, all four trucks wandered out, back into a convoy and home to Vegas and beyond.

Good day, good company, good tracks and no real damage.

WooHoo!

Daniel's Project - Vinnie

Daniel's Series 1 LandRover is up and running, well more like crawling really. The chassis has had major repairs thanks to Marcel and has been galvanised. Then it was up to Daniel and myself to find the bits to put it to together. We fitted the axles, springs and steering then on to the trailer and up to Marcel's one wet Saturday to fit the engine, gearbox, brakepipes and other little bits and pieces. Another very big thank you to Marcel. Back home again we have fitted more parts now its all go from here, hopefully. Here are a few pics for starters.

This is where it all started - Vinnie being collected from Marcels.

Day 4 - Daniel was at this stage!

Hmmm - what's next, I'm sure there were more bits than this when we took it apart?


I'm ready to go, but I think we should change the seats before the WOF.

Hey Dad are you sure that's how a dash board goes on?

Keep watching this article for further progress!

Oops photos

These pictures are my favorites oops moments! The top one is of Marcel and Vicki. We came up a hill and there was a vehicle at the top. Marcel opted to go to the left and park beside it. Little did he know there was a big rutt there. Notice you can only just see him at the rear end of his vehicle as he couldn't get out quick enough (didn't want to get photographed). Mean while leaving me in the vehicle with my feet on the dash holding myself up.

The second picture is of Brent. We were doing river crossings and he tried to get up the bank and couldn't quite make it. After the third attemp I think it jumped out of gear. We sent Marcel in to hook the tow rope on. Mean while Brent was busily stacking up his seat squabs up to keep them dry. Lucky for him there were no open windows in the back because his wallet was floating around in the back. After draining the water from his fuel tank etc his Landy was up and going again.

Photo Gallery Of Past Trips

PHOTO GALLERY OF PAST TRIPS

(THERE'S ROOM FOR PLENTY MORE)

Wangamomona Road - April 07

Wind Farm - Wairarapa - April 07

Okay Trevor - on your mark, get set .......

I've got that sinking feeling!


Do you want a push?





Ooooooh - not again!

Christmas Trip - 2009

Land Rover Enthusiasts Club Rotorua
Christmas Trip – Sunday 6th December

Meet at Rotorua Museum - Government Gardens – 9.30 am.

The day will start with a tour of the Bath House. For those not interested in doing the tour arrive by 11.00 am. We will then travel in convoy out to a local lake for some off-roading fun. You will have the option of doing a shiny or tough truck course or just relax beside the lake.

All food and drinks will be provided but please bring your own plates and cutlery, chairs and hot drinks if required.

Please also bring a wrapped present ($10 limit) for children you are bringing. You are welcome to attend without children and we would also like to invite any old members of the club that you may still be in touch with.


We will need to know numbers attending so please RSVP to Colin by 20.11.09
(07) 345 9891 – 0274 996 023 - partons@xtra.co.nz