Tunnels, tunnels, tunnels….

Posted on 8 April 2014 by SJPONeill

I’be been sitting one this one for over a month, just waiting for a spare moment in which to get it written up in my next installment of Around and About…other things have gotten on top of me and it is only this week that I find myself with a little time on my hands and able to draw it together…

The old saying is ‘Don’t Leave Town Til You’ve Seen the Country’ and I have found myself sadly lacking in my knowledge of the area in which I have lived for the last decade. When an opportunity arose for me to drove over the New Plymouth for a business trip, I opted for the more adventurous route through Taumarunui and over State Highway 43, the Forgotten Highway over the longer but faster routes north or south along SH4 and SH3 (they are kinda like a loop road).

My journey started mid-morning after I put $40 into the mighty Ssangyong to get another 6 cents/litre loaded into my AA Fuelcard (it really does all add up). I crossed the bridge north out of town and took the hard left up past the hospital onto the Forgotten Highway. The first section is just through rolling farm country…

…which slowly gives way to more and more thick native bush…I caught up with this guy and his mate – quite an unusual vehicle to see on a road like this – but I couldn’t wait to get past them both as they were clearly not used to driving a left-hand drive vehicle on such narrow roads and were all over the place. I wanted to get well shot of them before their centreline-hogging habits collected someone coming the other way……this gives you some idea of the narrowness of the road….…and why staying well left is a really good idea.Navigating one;s one side of the road is also complicated by a reasonably long stretch of unsealed gravel road, where the centreline is not marked at all and where occasional drifts of gravel encourage the inexperienced out over the centreline… DSCF7757 I like tunnels…they always seem to be an indication of adventure and times gone by… DSCF7798 …and it is just neat bursting out into the sun on the other side.Whangamomona’s main claim to fame is that it used to declare itself a republic for a day as a bit of a tourist gimmick. I’m not sure if it still does that but on this day its claim to fame was clearly hosting……the annual Americana pageant…Loads of cool heavy metal parked up here and I would have liked to have stopped and had a closer look but I was running a little behind time. I would have to question the wisdom of holding such an activity in a location that can only be accessed via narrow winding country roads – and not a member of the constabulary in sight, of course – when most of the drivers have a real problem staying on their side of the road…Some of the few that were able to stay on their side of the centreline…

A ways on and I’m closing in on Stratford on the Taranaki Plains…that darker patch just to the right of the road in the distance is Mt Taranaki, climbable in summer and ski-able (just) in winter.

My business in New Plymouth done, I headed north on my homeward leg, heading for Ohura and back into Taumarunui from the north…

This part of SH3 is very nice as it winds through another tunnel…

…and bush-covered hills…

…before levelling out again.

This opportunity was just on the turn-off from SH3 onto the Ohura road…I burrowed into the parking meter money and exchanged some coins for two decent sized banks of tangelos…I saw this and figured that I was still sweet for fuel having at least enough for another 200 km in the tank.Yep…another tunnel…

All this winding up and over these roads with some quite long unsealed section ate into my fuel reserves more than I expected…

By the time, I reached this head-hunting bridge at Ohura, I was becoming quite interested in the movement of the little orange needle as the closest fill-up point was Taumarunui. I opted not to carry-on exploring – the are at least three different routes from Ohura to Taumarunui and I took the discretion option and went for what I thought would be the most direct route.This took me back over 40-odd km of the route I had taken in the morning – but repetition beats walking – and after a longish wait at some of the inevitable summer road works, I cruised into the Taumarunui BP with about 50km of fuel left in the tank. That would have just been enough to get me home but would probably have left me with a walk to National park if I had wanted to go any further…Note for next time: toss in another $40 in new Plymouth…

Here’s a map of my journey…south west in the morning to Stratford and north east to Ohura in the afternoon. Ohura is not marked on the map but is where the dark line of my trip cuts the yellow line at the top of the map before I drifted south back onto 43 towards Taumarunui…

If you are on The Central Plateau and looking to head across to Taranaki, and you have the time, take the Forgotten Highway. If you have a good GPS and strong forearms for all the corners, an even better (IMHO) route is the back road through Ohura…go adventuring..!

Unmanned aircraft for Search and Rescue: not quite that simple, TV3…

Posted on 1 April 2014 by SJPONeill

There was an interesting item on Campbell Live last night about the use of ‘cutting edge’ unmanned aircraft for search and rescue applications (note the video in the linked article may not work for overseas readers). While it all looked very cool and exciting, it was a little misleading when it presented these small UAs as ‘…running on the spell of an oily rag…’, beyond the blindingly obvious fact that all the UA shown were electrically-powered and thus rather unimpressed by the proffered ‘oily rag’!

A reliable UA of any size is not cheap…your average Toyworld flying camera device may last for a while, but eventually you will end up with a large number of them scattered over the land- and seascapes. In addition they tend not to have the endurance necessary for any practical employment for search and rescue other than perhaps peeking into nearby spots not easily accessible by a person. You get what you pay for and if lives are relying on it, the device must be reliable and have sufficient endurance to be useful.

Unmanned aircraft systems are not really unmanned: it’s just that the flying component lacks seats in most cases. They all require at least one person to operate them and, for safe operation, generally at least two are required: one to control the aircraft, and others to observe the airspace for any other users and these may include not just other aircraft but para-surfers, kites and any of our feathered friends that may take offence at this noisy intruder into their domain. If operating at very low altitudes as shown in the video clip, the ground observers may also have to watch for vessels on the surface as well. Relying on volunteers is all very nice but UAS operators need to be trained and accredited to conduct any but the most limited flying.

The supporting infrastructure costs as well, not just in the cost of initial setup and acquisition but also in the ongoing maintenance including the regular replacement of critical components as they reach the end of their defined life. If supporting a SAR operation in a remote area, the unmanned aircraft system will probably need to include some form of vehicle, also not cheap.

All those video visors, laptops and viewing screens seen in the video clip? Again, not cheap.

It appeared that all the UA shown in the clip were flown directly from a controller similar to that used by the remote control aircraft community. While this may be practical for short (in time and distance) flights, this form of control for longer flights is inefficient and places a greater burden on the operator. All the flights shown in the clips appeared rather ad hoc and ‘zoomy’ i.e. all very cool looking but lacking the methodical search pattern essential in a for-real search and rescue operation. An effective autopilot allows the UA to maintain controlled flight and follow a methodical search pattern without constant operator input. Again, this necessary technology is not cheap; it’s not THAT expensive either but has to be reliable and also professionally integrated into the other systems that make up the UAS.

While I think that it is great that the national search and rescue community are researching the potential of unmanned aircraft for this role, and that there is a great potential for UA in this role, I also think that they would get a better return on their investment in time and money by not seeking to design their own UA or supporting the ‘I built a UAV in my garage‘ community and instead engaging directly with the existing (and growing) commercial UAS community both in New Zealand and overseas. I think that they would find that there would already be existing mature reliable designs that would meet all the requirements shown in the video item…and that reliability comes at a cost…

So who didn’t pay the subscription for summer??

Posted on 4 March 2014 by SJPONeill

So here we are….only the fourth of March, with only two really summery days all year (a really summery day being one where it feels too hot to do anything), and already we have had our first snow for 2014…I guess the ‘crust’ on the water in the wheelbarrow from yesterday’s rain and the brittle white grass on the lawn should have been a clue at home this morning….

Well, that wasn’t there when I went home last night…

Not as low as the office yet but it was hailing when I left this evening which doesn’t bode well for this summer thing…

…and a good dusting on Ngauruhoe and its offsider, Tongariro…

OK, so, yes, perhaps we were a little spoilt last year with a three month summer aka drought but SNOW IN MARCH! REALLY?

At a guess, this dusting won’t last long – although more is forecast for tonight – and normal summer services may be resumed but if you’re planning on visiting the Park, pack an extra layer of woollies, some really warm sox, good gloves and a decent beanie and take a few deep breathes before opening the door to step outside…

Three things

Posted on 29 January 2014 by SJPONeill

1

Paul Henry is back. Excellent! More excellent when they reunite him with Pippa to keep him honest…

2

Stephen Hoadley has suggested that the best future for Afghanistan may be one split into North (for the normal people) and South (for the rabid nutjobs). This is one of the more coherent options to be put forward so far, especially as ongoing Karzai intransigence draws the US and NATO ‘zero option’ closer to reality…

…and in a timely and related comment, Doctrine Man reminds us that we need to think about outcomes before we launch into any knee-jerk good ideas for military deployments post- 2014 Afghanistan…like they used to say at the Tactics School “…every task must have a purpose…” i.e. it is not enough just to be or, worse, to be nice…

3

Ha-bloody-ha…there is such a thing as karma after all…while I don’t condone death threats at all – be nice to see proof of said threats though, Cam – I think that it is funny-as that this guy who quite happy lips off at all and sundry has been taken to task for being a dick…I can not believe that he had the gall to refer to someone else as ‘feral‘…

The Road to Pipiriki

Posted on 25 January 2014 by SJPONeill

One of the reasons that I was interested in my current part-time role at the Whakapapa Visitors Centre was that I wanted to learn more about the area in which I’ve lived for the last decade. Just how unaware on my local area I was, was made clear last year when I was the census collector for the northern part of Mt Ruapehu. What kept going through my mind was that old Tourism NZ advertisement “Don’t Leave Home til You’ve Seen the Country”

So I have set a new category “Around and About” to capture my explorations but don’t be surprised if they deviate off into other (geographic) areas as well…

I attended a farewell dinner for a friend at RNZAF Ohakea on Thursday night and woke on Friday morning to a bright sunny day (I may have appreciated the brightness and the Vampire jet buzzing the airbase if the previous night hadn’t been quite so good!). After brunching at Wendy’s and doing a little shopping in the big smoke, I set off home up SH4.

About 30km north of Wanganui, there is a signposted turn-off to Pipiriki (didn’t think to take a photo at this point). I was quite keen to drive this road as a tourist on the Visitor Centre had asked about it in my first week and I had said that I didn’t think that there was a road along the Whanganui River besides the last few kilometres of SH4 and had to be set straight by another staff member.

View of the Whanganui River from the lookout at the top of the first hill after you turn off SH4

I found it to be a nice drive that follows the river for 60 km to Pipiriki where it turns inland for another 30 km to pop out on SH4 again at Raetahi. It is quite narrow (down to single lanes at some points) and winding but surprisingly busy so it is essential that a driver assumes that there is oncoming traffic around every corner and is prepared to stop in half the visible road.

Obstacles…

…and more obstacles…

There are many single lane bridges and drivers need to be aware of who has the right of way and rural road etiquette e.g. the traffic coming up a hill generally has the right of way…

The road is always at least ten metres above the river so I think it unlikely that it gets closed often by flooding…One of those single land bridges will bring you into the historic settlement of Jerusalem…

There is quite a long stretch of unsealed gravel road between Jerusalem and Pipiriki…

It is drivable in 2WD but the surface in some parts is quite loose so I popped the mighty Ssangyong into 4WD for better control and a smoother ride…

I couldn’t resist the TipTop icecream sign so popped into the Pipiriki store for a Trumpet…

Pipiriki is a nice spot…

And then it was back on the road heading inland towards Raetihi…this road is probably more travelled and, while still narrow and winding at the river end, is certainly in better condition than the road south of Pipiriki…Halfway to Raetahi, the road breaks out onto the Central Plateau…

This is a drive that I would recommend to anyone looking to head south from the Ruapehu district with a little time to spare. I found it a nice change from SH4 direct to Wanganui or heading through Ohakune to pick up SH1 south to Wellington.

It is drivable by car i.e. 2WD but care has to be taken for other road users around the any many blind corners and single lane bridges. Small campervans i.e. those of people mover/SUV chassis would be OK but I would not be that keen on driving it in a large van-like campervan even though there are numerous small laybys where such vehicles can pull over to allow other vehicles to pass…

The scenery is nice and this drive provides and opportunity to see more of the Whanganui River than you can see from SH4 without actually having to get onto/into the river itself. If you want to get on to the river, there are opportunities to do this at Pipiriki with various canoeing, rafting and jetboating temptations…

Best Ever Burgers

Posted on 20 January 2014 by SJPONeill

Whenever I do a shop, I usually grab one or two kilogram packs of beef mince, split each pack into three and freeze it. This has become such a habit that the freezer has become quite flush with packs of frozen mince.

To reduce the stock levels I made burgers the other night and these are, no lie GI, the best burgers ever…this recipe comes from the book in the picture which is one of those series that you see on bargain bin tables in bookshops – it is part of a series and so far I have the Burger, Mince, Garlic and Chili titles. I haven’t made many verbatim from the text but I find that most of not all the recipes are good foundations for local pattern modification and experimentation.

The Makin’s

1 small onion

350-450 grams of beef mince

(at least) 1 large garlic clove

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander or coriander seed (I always prefer the latter)

1 tsp wholegrain mustard

2 tbsp tomato puree or ketchup

1 dash of Worcester sauce

2 tbsp (total) of assorted fresh herbs chopped finely

One small egg

Breadcrumbs to bulk out if too much egg.

The Makin’

Slice’n’dice the onion and garlic and fry until softened.

Mix the onion, garlic and all the other makin’s in a bowl, adding breadcrumbs if the egg makes the mix too moist.

Form the mix into patties and fry over medium heat.

Serve according to taste or preference…

In this instance I served the burgers with cabbage, and mashed potato and pumpkin. A day or two before I had overhead an item on TV or the radio – unsure of the the source so I can not attribute it – about cooking eggs ‘properly’ and I gave this a shot for this meal too…

Heat water in a small pan ’til it’s boiling; remove it from the heat and turn the hotplate to its lowest setting. Let the water cool a little while you get the eggs from wherever you store them.

Break the eggs into the water and let them cook slowly over the lowest heat. This doesn’t take long and you can see them cook as the egg white changes from clear to white. This process gives you soft whites and runny yolks and is awesome as the yolks runs over and blends with the burger…

I’ve tried this a few times since and every time a coconut: nice soft whites and exquisitely runny yolks…

Dining in…

Posted on 19 January 2014 by SJPONeill

I’ve ended up with some cabbage and pumpkin getting near their use by date, and also some silverbeet that I blanched and froze before Christmas that I wanted to thaw and test. The cabbage was simple as I did it the same way as described in the Healthy Food Guide Tuscan Stuffed Chicken recipe that I reviewed in October. It is quick, easy and adds an interesting tang to plain old garden variety cabbage. As you can see I got distracted by other activities and the cabbage was a little scorched in the pan…

I tried combining the silverbeet and pumpkin into patties by mixing them with a small eggs but I need to add something else to the mix to help them combine (stick together) better – tasted good, just a bit fragile in their construction…Hard to see in this shot are the hash brown I made by modifying the kumara fritter recipe from the Curried Kumara and Salmon stacks that have been a regular fav for a couple of years now…they worked out really well and I will be doing them again…

This meal was rounded off with a couple of sausages grilled in the trusty Foreman griller…

Overall: needs work but tasty and filling…

Toasties the easy way…

Posted on 18 January 2014 by SJPONeill

Although I generally plan my daily meals, sometimes I do get the munchies late at night. As I have reduced the amount of off-the-shelf munchy food around the house – for combined health and resource reasons – toasties are my quick’n’easy recourse when the munchies strike…

While there is one of the traditional toastie pie makers in the pantry, I rarely use this as it wastes too much of our homemade bread slices…

This is so simple that it’s criminal…

Butter each slice of bread on one side.

Prepare your fillings…for me this is thin sliced cheese, thin-sliced tomato and my custom egg’n’onion mix. Other options maybe a THIN layer of creamed corn and/or spaghetti (Watties, from the can).

As there is always a surplus of eggs here, they are used in cooking at every opportunity but I always found that an egg cracked directly onto the bread would run every which way. What I do now is crack one egg plus any additional herbs, spices etc and 1/4 small onion into the Tupperware Terminator

The Terminator – greatest kitchen tool ever!

This finely slices and dices the onions and other other herby/spicy things, and slightly foams the egg so that it is not as runny and sits where it is pour on the bread.

Heat the pan to medium heat.

Place the first piece butter-side DOWN in the pan once it has warmed up. Even with our large size homemade bread slices you can usually get two slices into a large frying pan like this one…

Pour in the egg/onion mixture and spread evenly over the bread. Don’t worry if some of the mixture finds its way to the hot plate through holes in the bread – this is a self-cauterising toastie.

Layer the tomato and cheese slices evenly over the egg mix.

Add the second slice of bread butterside UP onto the work so far…

Cook until golden brown and then flip…

The lighter patches are where some of the egg mix has soaked through the bread to the pan surface – nicely cauterised and tidy…

When the second side is golden brown, remove and let it cool for a few minutes so that any liquid cheese does not make a break for it when cutting.

Slice into halves or quarters in accordance with personal preference…optional is a scattering of ground sea salt or flavoured salt…

Daily Prompt: Luxurious | The Daily Post

Posted on 22 December 2013 by SJPONeill

What’s the one luxury you can’t live without? Photographers, artists, poets: show us LUXURY via Daily Prompt: Luxurious | The Daily Post.

Well, it is hardly something that I can not live without as I have clearly done so for some time but it would be luxury to be able to just sit here on a warm but rainy day with a good book and watch the grass grow…

I always seem to be so busy now between maintaining and developing the section, looking for work (this is always a good time for that – not!!), trying to get some writing done, and also fitting in just some plain old ‘me’ time…I think that I will have to start enforcing some me time to just keep the balance right and rocking gently back and forth here would be a good place to start…

The expedition…

Posted on 21 December 2013 by SJPONeill

When the girls arrived on Thursday afternoon, they announced that ‘we’ needed to visit the pond aka the stream at the bottom of our hill…I managed to fend this off til yesterday and as soon as Elisabeth was awake and dressed, she was ready to go…although consented to wait til after breakfast…