Stage Outline

The tenth day of our trip sees us travelling from Plummers Point Motor Camp and Hot Pools through the Coromandel Ranges (choice of two routes – hard or easy) ending at Miranda Hot Springs Holiday Park.

The hard route is via Thompson’s Track – a very well known hard yakka track – that could take a morning or could take till night. The easier route is via Waihi and the Karangahake Gorge with stops at Waihi’s working gold mine as well as the old goldmining relics in the gorge.

Once through the gorge, participants have the choice of either going up to the Thompsons Track saddle (the easy way) or up the Maratoto Valley for lunch. After lunch we all continue, by road (SH2) across the Firth of Thames to Miranda Hot Springs Holiday Park.

Tim Warburton in his trusty Land Rover 101, in the process of conquering the notorious Thompson's Track	More of Tim on Thompson's Track
Chris Thompson in HIS trusty Land Rover, ploughing through his namesake's track	Dave Broome, rugged truck, totally stuck, Thompson's Track, note which lights are lit up

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Trip Report

Trip Report – Wednesday 24 January 2001

DAY 10 – H TEAM

H Teams Fun Day

It was a very interesting day out. We managed to get lost from the others but even though we were still heading in the same direction as the others, the track was getting better and better as we drove down it. The ruts in the road were getting wider and some of the mud holes deeper.

H1 managed to do wheel stands up hills and down driving through the mud holes as if they were not there. He managed to bend a mudguard and broke some lights. H2 Toyota Landcruiser long wheel base did very well going over the rough ground – still having to be towed a few times and even managed to break rear lights also.

H4 drove very well also in his Toyota Landcruiser short wheel base. He broke his bullbars again and managed to get stuck a few times. We all had fun and all got damage – another good day had by all.

Signed Gadget

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DAY 10 – CHRONICLES OF A MEDICAL WIFE

This trip has been quieter than most:

- cramp in the pectoral muscle

- foreign body in eye

- infected foot – requiring antibiotics

- puffer wrapped in towel – lost along the way

- Taupo Motor Camp – 10.30 pm in the cabin and a knock at the door – er…er… could I see the Doc? The Doc in his sleeping bag, reading, gives the diagnosis and appropriate tablets. The patient noted that it was the only consultation he had had where the Doctor was lying in bed and the patient stood at the bedside.

- Ankle sprain. Walking up river at Wires Track trip, patient slid on a rock and twisted ankle. Doctor Ken was called to the river. The Doc had just got out of the swimming hole wearing only his underpants. I thought I had better check out the seriousness. After all I didn’t want the patient to have a heart attack. Doc Ken appearing in his underpants at half mast, carrying his tool box. (Must explain, most 4x4 drivers carry spanners, screwdrivers etc in their tool box. Doc Ken has syringes, drugs, bits and pieces to treat all sorts of conditions – not a tool in sight!).

A quiet trip so far.

MM2 Chriss-Ann Menzies

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DAY 10 – THOMPSONS GORGE – HARD YAKKA TRIP

Karen, Carlysle and Shirley

11 Vehicles led by Chris and Tim. 8:00am start on the road at Plummers Point Camping Ground. Went in convoy as only a few in each team went. 4 Toyotas; 4 Nissans and 3 Landrovers. The 101 went 1st as it was decided he would have best chance to get through.

After driving to track entrance at Carpark on Warakau Road we came upon 1st hazard. An hour later after much discussion and procrastination we had negotiated this one. Some went straight through, others squeezed around the side of this one. Onto next bog just a few metres along and people had grouped up into small teams and helped each other through which sped up the progress. Every hazard or boghole, big rutted ditch needed manpower with picks and shovels before attempting. Mike measured water and mud level by crude method of wading. Photos show evidence of depth we avoided. We still had mud up to bumper level and more.

Came across a sole tramper very relieved to find us as he and wife and daughter and dog had spent an anxious night stranded up the track in the BIG BOG by themselves in their Hilux.

Lunchtime, by now we took a bit of time winching Tim and his 101 through so he could winch them out. Sandwiches on the run, no time for lunchbreak. The men worked tirelessly through until the Hilux popped out. The family were gleeful and repaid us with light refreshments much later in the evening.

Back to the bog story. This one needed to be tackled in 3 stages by winching and polished teamwork and guiding each vehicle through. After this one we thought it would be so easy, but NO! This did not happen. More negotiating of HUGE ruts and massive washouts continued. They were very intricate and required technical driving skills. No place for sheer impulsivesness, bush bashing, rip go and bust as we quietly progressed up the track. A couple of mishaps of 2 blown tyres on rocky surface on same hazard for one vehicle so we needed to stop and get him on level ground to change spare and then re-inflate 2nd tyre.

After that it was just the same technical progress and skills that helped us meander our way up to the summit where we were met by the Marshalls to make sure all numbers were accounted for. They were intrigued to see we had multiplied to now be 12 vehicles with very minimal damage. Only an 8am to 5pm working day for us all! Journeyed down the other side with much ease on a maintained track. From there we carried on to Miranda with a short stop for fuel and food. Arrived approx. 7:30pm.

Many thanks to Tim and Chris for a very interesting piece of North Island track.

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Waihi, famous for gold mining, historically and today	Willie giving instructions through the trickiest part of the Maratoto
Dave Jones, organiser extrordinaire, preparing to repair Ron Wadham's Nissan's bumper, where they thought nobody would catch them!	Ron and Dave, caught in the act

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Route Map

The map below shows the route followed the Challenge vehicles today.

Map portions used with permission of Wises

The North Island Four Wheel Drive Challenge has been put together by a small dedicated group of 4WD enthusiasts (all experienced club members) on a non-profit cost-recovery basis.