Auckland Baptist Tramping Club 2000 Nineteen enthusiastic trampers enjoyed their first crossing of the Coromandel Ranges from Rangihau Rd on the eastern side to the Kauaeranga Valley on the western side Saturday We travelled to Thames Friday night and overnighted at the Thames Baptist Church, and we were joined by trampers form Tauranga and Hamilton. Gane Griffin and Peter and Nancy Lloyd from Thames delivered us to and collected us from the tramp using our vehicles - we are very grateful for their assistance. It took two hours to tramp from Rangihau Rd to our lunch spot near a low pass over the range. The views were impressive and enhanced by brilliant sunshine. We took another four hours to descend into the Kauaeranga Valley and beyond to the Pinnacles Hut. A most enjoyable meal and social interaction included a reunion with a group we had met in a cold bushline situation in the Kawekas at Easter. Our group slept well as this was the first pack-carrying weekend for some time. We realised the need to develop our fitness for the enjoyment of other tramps. Sunday Peter Osborne led us in a very thoughtful and challenging lesson on God’s love based on verses from St John’s Gospel. We set off with renewed purpose on our Christian walk as well as our physical walk. The day was bright and clear and most of us climbed the Pinnacles. The view was enthralling and sensational. Some who had climbed the Pinnacles many times pronounced this to be the beast view they had experienced. One tramper shot a whole film from all the vantage points of this volcanic plug. On our descent we took little time to get out to the road end where our Thames friends took us to Peter and Nancy’s home for a most enjoyable lunch served on a lovely sunny deck. It was with some reluctance that we went our separate ways realising that this was the end of a wonderful weekend of spiritual, social and physical activity. COST: $56 (travel $30; food $6; hut fee $15; donation Friday accommodation $5)