What could have been better when 12 keen members assembled at the end of the road ready to start. It was a beautiful day, good company, and everyone soon headed for the hills with an autumn spring in their step. With a brief run down on the history of the area and what we would see there was a glint of fortunes to be made in everyone’s eyes. After walking and climbing all over the nearby hills we reached a high point for lunch and a view to die for. Soon after this the extreme need to be recharged with lattes soon set in and we again heading for the cars and most people were last seen speeding towards Ngatea. So what did those that did not come ready miss. Well nothing really as the trip turned to the proverbial custard. Since the unnamed anonymous leader did the pre trip reccie the pine forest adjoining the track had been milled and the track was almost obliterated by debris. So after scrambling over and under, going down and around, climbing up and along we finally stopped for lunch on a logging skid which was just over a km from the cars as the kokako flies. If fact we could see the cars and we had been any closer we could have read the number plates Some trips just do not always work out and go to plan. What did we learn, I love your commands more than gold more than the finest gold. The gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard