iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Winter 2020 NZ road trip

Started by Ianab, August 21, 2020, 03:37:04 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Ianab

Bonus pic that Lil took. This is NZ State Highway 6, the number 2 main road in the Sth Island, and we come across a couple of thousand sheep being moved. :D

You know you are in NZ when....




 
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Ianab

Woke up this morning to this view. Fine day, but a bit of wind blowing. So off exploring again,



Glenorchy is a small village up at the top of the lake. Originally it was accessed only via Steamboat. That was operated by the Govt Railway Dept. So they had a regulation storage shed, and possibly the worlds shortest railway that ran ~200 yards up to "town".


 

The wharf is still there and maintained.



 

The old wagons are still there too.



 

So then we headed up the road a bit further. Started looking like Lord Of The Rings Movie....



 




 

Turns out that some scenes were actually filmed here :D


Well up into the alps here.


 

The road at this point was down to 1 lane gravel with fords across the streams. Eventually it ended with a washout with a 4WD detour, but that was only a couple of hundred yards from the road end. This is the native beech forest that covers the lower hillsides.



 

Looking back up the lake one the way back to Queenstown. The Westerly winds will be dumping rain over the other side of the Alps (like Milford Sound), and some spilling over onto the central lakes,




 .

Queenstown is on the left, Kingston is up the lake to the right.



 

Queenstown, with the old Steamboat leaving the wharf. Tomorrows trip is on that.



 

Kids wanted to go ice bumper car driving, which is fair enough. I went and scoped out the trees in the park next to the ice rink. Here's Douglas Fir and a Giant redwood.



 

A quite impressive Pine tree



 

And a pretty impressive Douglas Fir.



 

This Giant Sequoia caught my eye too.



 

About 8 ft DBH?



 

None of these trees would be much over 100 years old as the park was only established in the late 1800s.

Looking out over the lake. Wind was gusting enough to create rainbows over the surface.


 

Stopped at the local supermarket for some supplies. They had a very impressive beer selection (Queenstown is pretty "upmarket"). Fortunately these don't come in 6 packs. It's Russian, it's 8% and it's 0.9 litres  :D



Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

thecfarm

Rainbows on the lake!!
I like that snow line too.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

petefrom bearswamp

Thoroughly enjoying this tour, looking forward to more.
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

Magicman

This is a wonderful tour through some beautiful and interesting country.  Keep it coming!  8)
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Ianab


Posting from a ship again 🙂
Earnslaw is a 1912 steamship that used to service the lake before the roads were built . It runs tourist trips now. 



 
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Ianab

The trip included "barbecue lunch", but wasn't expecting a 4 course sit down meal. Letting the first 3 settle, then its desert time  digin1

 
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Ianab

Another photo dump and run. Went into Queenstown today and just acted like tourists.


The Earnslaw steamer tied up at Queenstown wharf. Ship was built in 1911, shipped by rail to the lake, then bolted back together and launched.


 
Just some sky scene and the ranges on the west side of the lake.



 
Looking back to Queenstown




Taylor and I check out the engines. That's the cylinder heads of one of the 2 engines. The con rods and crankshaft are below.

 


Out on the fore deck. Yes its windy.

 


Inside has pretty much restored to original, with the addition of a modern bar / coffee shop. Before the ship sails you can walk onboard and by coffee like any normal shop.

 


The "farm park" on the other side of the lake. It's not accessible by road.

 



View from the top of the gondola ride.

 


They have a luge track and various spots to leap from, attached to a bungee cord or a para glider... we stuck to the luge track 

 
 
 

Looking across the lake. The steamer trip goes to the small flat you can see on the right of the picture.


Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Ianab

Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Ianab

Another day on the road. Stopped in Queenstown again to meet an old friend of Lil's for coffee. We don't drink coffee, but the had milkshakes and mulled cider ;D


 

Found another Sequioa on the way back to the carpark. Can't be much over 100 years old though.



 
Lookout at the top on the Crown range leaving Queenstown. Car is going to need a wash when we get home. :D


 
Cardrona hotel. From the gold rush days, but the village now has  large ski field, so it's been restored.



 
NZ's most photographed tree at Wanaka. Wind was getting up at this point as you can see by the lake surface.


 

We carried on to Omarama, which is further North in the McKenzie basin.  Weather report has wind / rain AND snow warnings for tonight / tomorrow. AND a wildfire has closed the road to Mt Cook. Hopefully the rain will put that out, but then the snow will close it again ::)

So we shall see what tomorrow brings. We should be able to get through to Tekapo as planned, but if the weather is to rough we may gave to stay here another night.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

sawguy21

Thank you for the tour, it is fascinating! So much of the couuntry looks a lot like British Columbia.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

Ianab

Quote from: sawguy21 on August 31, 2020, 11:36:19 AM
Thank you for the tour, it is fascinating! So much of the couuntry looks a lot like British Columbia.
Probably similar climate in places. The trees that grow best are PNW species like Doug fir.
Woke up to this view this morning. 


 
Next stop is about 600ft higher up towards the Mts. But road to there should be OK. Dont have to go up over any passes for a couple of days.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Ron Scott

Ianab

Is that near the Cardrona Ski Area?
~Ron

Ianab

Quote from: Ron Scott on August 31, 2020, 06:28:57 PMIs that near the Cardrona Ski Area?


Yes, you head up the hill from the village to the ski area.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Ianab

OK, not so much for sight seeing today, drove up to Lake Tekapo today through light snow all the way. Was settling on the road for a bit in the higher spots, but nothing serious. At least the rain and snow has put a dampener on the wildfire that had closed the Mt Cook road, and that's open again now. We had planned to head up there today, but we have 2 nights here in Tekapo and it's only a 30 min backtrack to the turnoff, so we will head up there tomorrow. Supposed to be cold tonight / clear tomorrow, so it should be a good day. 

This is the historic Church of the Good Shepard here at Tekapo. Usually it's surrounded by bus loads of tourists. today about 5 cars in the whole carpark. That's not dust on the lens, it's still snowing but the air temp was up to about 2C by lunchtime, so the snow wasn't settling down at lake level. 



 

So we told the kids we would go to the (outdoor) swimming pool instead....



 

Still snowing lightly, but the water is from a natural hot spring. Was fine as long as you stay in the water.



 

Possibly the country's coldest lifeguard tower? Where the lifeguard uniform is a puffer jacket / ski gloves and a wollen hat. :D



 

After that we could check into our cabin, although the park is pretty empty, so they upgraded us to one of the new t"fancy" kiwi batchs, which is basically a small 3 bedroom house.  No extra charge, but I think we owe them a good review online.   ;)



 

I think the whole place is being renovated after a fire a year or so back. But the hot pools are just down the road there. Lake is to the right.



 

View from the deck. Normally the lake would be higher but they are doing repairs to the lake control gate that feeds the Tekapo A power station, so the water is drained to the lowest possible. Water from here goes through 8 hydro stations before it gets to the ocean.  



 

The cabin is nothing "special", but it's all solid wood inside. OK it's pine because we are in NZ, but it's solid.  :D



 

Anyway, not much for the scenery today, but the cloud is lifting, I see some patches of blue sky and hint of sunset. Forecast is for -5C overnight, but fine tomorrow, so should be able to make up for things tomorrow. :)
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Ianab

Some of Lil's pictures. Lake Pukaki, looking up towards Mt Cook (as we drove past) 



 

At the Church of the Good Shepard.  8)



 

This is a bronze statue from just along from the church. It's a sheepdog which are highly regarded in these parts. 



 

Then my Sis found this picture from ~50 years ago. 



 

Dog hasn't changed much... :D
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

WDH

No, the dog still looks good ;D. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

caveman

I just stumbled across this thread tonight.  Thank you, Ian, for sharing this.  I could use some cool weather, mountains and some salty water right now.
Caveman

Ianab

Weather played ball today, but I'm dog tired. Walked a lot further than we really intended. 

Teaser picture of Mt Cook (NZ's tallest peak). Views don't get much better than this. :)



 


From the cabin a few minutes ago. Sun setting on the hills across lake Tekapo


 
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Ianab

Out of the high country and back to the coast. Staying in Akaroa tonight which is very picturesque and has a French sort of vibe. ( It was originally settled by French colonists).

Still on limited internet, so just the view from the cabin deck this afternoon.



 
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Ianab

Went into Christchurch to see the sights and catch up with Lil's cousin. This is Akaroa harbour from the "scenic" route in.
The township itself is basically straight across from this point. Winding roads no matter which way you go.



 
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Ianab

OK, last night in the Sth Island. We have an early start tomorrow to get from Kaikoura to Picton to catch the ferry back to the Nth Island. 


internet here is a bit slow, but unlimited, so I can do some more pictures.

Rock up to the carpark and snow everywhere.



 

Meuller lake which is the lower of the 2. Its fed from the upper lake and the ganging ice shelf up above in the peaks



 

the path and one of the bridges.



 
Think you have problems problems with rocks? This one is ~20 ft tall and 40 ft across.




 

The hydro canal that takes water from Tekapo to lakw Pukaki


 

End of the canal feeds into penstocks down to the power station by the lake


 
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Walnut Beast

Fantastic pictures and updates 👍

thecfarm

Why are the rocks so small??  :D   :D
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Ianab

Back on the ferry heading home. Nth Island is somewhere in that cloud bank. Weather isn't as good as the other crossing, but only small swell so the ships not moving too badly.



 
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Thank You Sponsors!