Author: Graeme

November 2024 update 

The year marches on far too quickly and Xmas will be here before we know it, which means we  would have been to the USA and Costa Rica and be back home! 

Welcome 

to Jill Thomas, Martin and Robyn Hickley, Rhonda Wilson and Peter Beal – we have enjoyed  walking and talking with you. 

Committee deliberations and follow ups 

– As part of the ongoing ‘upgrade’ of web information, the upcoming trip programme will  indicate a ‘P’ for permission required. Access to the details of private landowners are to be  requested from either John Gardiner (trampers) or Wendy Langley (hikers). Details of access to  private land is a courtesy from the landowner and the information is to be used solely for the  purposes of organising club trips. 

– Both the trampers and hikers bags that hold the emergency locator beacon for each group now  also have tape, gauze and a splint to assist with managing minor wrist damage. 

– Please note that the trip leader / tail end charlie must carry the beacon at all times, so for  instance it is not appropriate to leave it behind inside a pack on the ground whilst everyone  heads to a point of interest. 

– The club uses three locator beacons, the trampers and hikers as mentioned and a third held by  Phil K that is used mainly for the track clearing days. It was also to be used for recces where a  plb is required. After discussion should a club plb be required, it was agreed that this third plb  should be the one used for recces. 

– We identified a gap in our procedures as recces are not listed on the trip programme. Where  this plb – or either the trampers or hikers plb, if in your possession as leader for a walk the  following week – is used a text or email to Clive Crossman 021866410/[email protected] needs to be done to advise him where you will be. If the plb is turned on our contact point can   to the authorities when they call that a group/ someone is in that vicinity. Phil will also  leave the 3rd plb with Clive (who resides at 15 Calluna Crescent, Heathfield, Mosgiel) when he  is away from home. Thank you Clive for this support. 

At the combined walk to Deep Creek Weir, John and Wendy provided a demonstration and chat  on the use of plbs and how the process works. 

– John Gardiner and Wendy Langley agreed to be the trip coordinators for the trampers and  hikers respectively, and subsequently led the development of the summer trip programme now  published. Any changes to the trip programme should be discussed with either as this helps to  keep the left and right hand in sync. Many thanks to everyone for your trip suggestions,  especially Spen and Jane who have enlarged our store of walks considerably. 

– Barbara Shackell will be the social convenor (assisted by Jenni Wright and Raewyn Keene) and  note 11 December for the Xmas walk and lunch at Takitakitoa Wetland and Momona Hall. 

– As time moves on ‘things have changed’ as Bob Dylan sang, so Phil will edit the trip guidelines  to reflect those and have this ready for the next Committee meeting in the new year.

– Ross Davies redid the fuel calculations and a revised cost per km was agreed to be reflected in  the summer programme. A reminder that where a recce is done for a trip that has a fee per  passenger of $10 or more then the driver can claim three times that fee for the recce. An email  to the secretary confirming the recce was done and the date is sufficient to initiate payment. 

– It was agreed that the webteam would send the pre-trip note to leaders requesting details of the  nominated trip about three weeks in advance of the actual date. This helps get the final details  of the trip identified and confirmed and aligned with the upcoming programme. If you find  five minutes at some time have a read Trip Leaders and the Webteam 

– When trip leaders submit the trip information for trips ‘over the hill’ in town or North of town  or on the Peninsula to the web team for inclusion in the weekly update they need to be aware of  and include the practice of where those who live in the City should meet. 

City trampers meet
at Bayfield Park if the walk is on the Peninsula
at the Otago Yacht Club if the walk is down West Harbour
at Malvern Street, Woodhaugh if the walk is north over the Northern Motorway. 

In these cases there is a $5.00 ‘discount’ from the passenger fee ex Peter Johnstone Park.  Approximate the meeting time at these places should be no later than 20 minutes from the Peter  Johnstone departure time. 

Please also make sure in your notice that where to park cars at the start of a walk is clear and  precise. 

– As mentioned, our trip guidelines will be revised in the New Year. They do and will require  that recces need to be undertaken. We do not want to be too prescriptive about the ‘how’ these  are done but as a minimum access/bifurcations (forks in the road or track) need to be checked  and assessed and be sufficient to ensure leaders are conscious of walkers needs on the day.  Relying on memory is risky as the weather conditions could be different as well as the  landscape has changed since you last undertook the walk. 

– To let you know that Neville Griffiths has recently been inducted into the JP hall of fame.  Anyone requiring of JP services feel free to contact Neville, he can bring his stamps along on a  walk! 

– thanks to those who have volunteered/apologised for our first track clearing day on Monday  18th Nov. We have a high-quality team and there will be more opportunities to assist in the  New Year! 

Wishing everyone all the best for the festive season and keep up that walking to offset the increased  calorie intake. Note our first walk in 2025 is 15 January.  

Cheers
Phil

Link to President’s Update information Library  for previous updates