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Heels 1974

Toddlers in Tiger Country

Toddlers in Tiger Country

Once during that euphoric time between the end of one week and the beginning of the next, 6 boots, 6 assorted kneecaps and the brains of a newt headed for Mangatainoka and Putara with dreams of a Bannister type crossing.

Huey frowned and the mist and wind proved to be more real than the crossing. Dreams were modified to a simple, or so it was thought, Haukura Ridge. So with all the fluff and bother of a pregnant widow's convention the aforementioned headed up to Karetai, then to Hines, then off into the Mangahoe which was thought to be the Ruapae as through the mist the downhill seemed uphill and the stream was defying the laws of gravity. (Dear reader if you are confused don't worry because I was there and I still don't know what I'm talking about.)

So, more confused than a blind Eunich in a French brothel, the correction in route was made to take the party to Ruapae. However midday saw us back at Putara, a mixture of bewilderment and humiliation.

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"The compass lied" they mumbled in unison when greeted with cries of derision.

Undaunted by this savage trick of nature the kneecaps once again arranged themselves under the packs and headed uphill. So to cut a short story shorter, a rather erratic path was weaved and repeated efforts to get lost in the leatherwood of Chamberlain Creek resisted until Haukura Biv was sighted and eventually reached. Rather nice. That night it turned southerly and rained. The Biv danced a bit and the creek rose around it.

"Anyone do convincing Noah imitations", the newt asked as the water rose another 6 inches. Fortunately history didn't repeat itself and Sunday saw a wet descent of the rest of the ridge with one set of kneecaps attempting unpowered flight, luckily with no damage to the bush. Thence it was a gentle wander out back to the road and homewards in steadily clearing weather.

The kneecaps were attached to John Black, Kevin Helm, and Ken Sullivan (who also played the newt), and still are to this very day, so rumour has it.

K.S.