Regular contributor Kevin Isemonger attended the New Zealand 4WD Association’s annual general meeting and was lucky enough to drive all five trips organised as part of the weekend. This is part two of his account.

Wednesday 22 May. We met up with Cam Raupi again and headed north-east to Whirinaki and my favourite day. Went to load up the Landy with the lunch box only to find it listing to starboard with a flat tyre on the rear. Since the tyres are let down using a tyre deflater that unscrews the tyre valve, it is not uncommon for the valve seal to be damaged – or pinched, hence I carry a bunch on board. I swapped the valve out and pumped the tyre back up.

Today we headed east and into better weather conditions to have a play up some disused forestry tracks in Whirinaki near Murupara.

The team leaders split us up into two bunches, so as not to cause issues on the highway north to Rainbow Mountain. The first team headed off – so I took the time to check the tyre pressure, but alas it had lost six psi. Better to swap the tyre now in the hotel carpark than later on the highway or on the dirt. Fortunately, I had not gone cheap on the spare and had a new mud-terrain tyre on board. Tyre swapped as a team effort, and we headed north to Rainbow Mountain.

We travelled up SH38 to air-down in a small car park and travel up a track following the true left of a River for morning tea in a beautiful forestry clearing. Nothing significant to report other than a tight slip on the track above the river and some badly placed Waratah stakes used to brace some stream crossings.

The clearing was a stunning location surrounded by some of the largest kahikatea I have ever seen. After morning tea, we returned on the same track then travelled on to Minginui. Here we followed another old logging track deep into the forest.

The Taupō club went to an enormous effort to find this old logging route for what was an enjoyable afternoon in very close bush in cold but clear conditions. Due to geotechnical issues, the day got away on us, as we took some time to clear a 300m long logging chute that proved to be greasier than anticipated.

By the time we emerged, it was nearing dusk – which soon turned to clawing dark by the time we hit the main road. Unbeknown to us, our return path was right across the plateau to exit near Waipunga Falls on the Napier Taupō Road. With many lefts and rights, I am sure I was not the only one hoping Cam knew exactly where he was leading us.

Thursday 23 May. Getting back so late, I was without a spare tyre and there were no tyre shops open until the next morning. Today Cam Raupi was taking us on a road trip heading south out of Taupō to Tūrangi. I kept him up to date with my repair and was able to catch them up before Tūrangi to enjoy a cheeky little side trip to ford the Waiotaka River.

Over the Te Ponanga Saddle on to National Park and then Horopito for a run in the Erua Forest. I have passed this turn off many times on SH4 and been meaning to call in and have a look – and today was the day.

The area is again an old selectively logged Forestry block with the base being a clawing black swamp mass with many sudden sink holes and wash outs. We followed the road into a gorge to cross a deep ravine and continued on a reasonably well-formed road through dense bush. This was probably an old forestry road upgraded for the power pylons located on the ridge above our terminus point. Before us stood a great challenge of a white clay track where Cam elected not to continue due to foreknowledge of a previous occasion when he was geotechnically embarrassed. The nose of his Nissan slid off the side of the track necessitating a prolonged recovery – so probably not a good idea for our larger convoy.

Lunch was at Ohakune with a substantial order placed at the Chocolate Éclair shop. These puppies are enormous – and not for the faint hearted.

We headed south on SH49 where Brett had an issue with the air-bag suspension on his Discovery 4 – which ‘let him down’. Fortunately, he had come prepared with a by-pass pressure system installed. The issue turned out to be a direct hit on one of the level sensors – which was patched-up with a wooden skewer, chewing gum – and probably vinegar and brown paper!

At Waiouru we headed back north up SH1 to head into the Tukino Road for the climb up the surface of the moon (southern slopes of Mt. Ruapehu) to the Ski village. Nothing to report – but the rough weather in the area created an angry and desolate background for some moody photos. The snow cannot be too far off where this village has its own Bulldozer to keep the road open for adventurous Skiers.

Friday 24 May. Today was a bit of a chill out day – and we had a ‘treasure hunt’. We met with Anton Romirer for our self-guided tour around Lake Taupō using the App ‘what3words’ to take ‘selfies’ at different tourist spots. ‘what3words’ breaks the surface of the world into 3m x 3m squares, each of which have a unique three-word combination to locate. Our task was to find specific locations using the what3words listed in an elaborate multi layered envelop that must have taken an age to manufacture. I think most took it as some sort of race – but Gen and I took it as an excuse to chill out after six days on the road, so we took our time with an hour-long morning tea and walk at Waihora Lagoon and a long lunch break at Tokaanu Wharf. The locations were mostly road-side Rest areas with some Tourist spots – most of which we have roared past and thought ‘That would be a nice spot for a cuppa’ – but didn’t. Biggest ‘never-heard-of-it’ was Hinemaia Dam Lake.

We timed it perfectly and arrived at the final ‘meet n’ greet’ BBQ destination bang on 5pm – for others, competitive nature kicked in and were back in Taupō before 3pm! Overall, we had some laughs and saw many places we had only ever driven past enroute.

Saturday was ‘Business-Day’ with the AGM, followed by an excellent dinner at the Wairakei Resort and we packed up and headed back north on Sunday morning.

I wish to sincerely recognise the monumental effort the Taupō Club put in to hosting five days of 4WD entertainment – and my sincere sympathy goes out to the next club to equal or raise the bar even further.

Check out youtube:Kevz110 for last year’s AGM in Methven – and for this year’s, coming soon.