Post-Lockdown, NZ4WD contributor Richard Soult was hanging out to get out in the NZExplorer.co.nz Toyota Prado. So he teamed up with ‘Youtuber’ Jono  Hitchcox for a quick image-gathering trip through Central Otago. 

I suspect that like many people, I found lockdown enjoyable. We don’t have children or pets, but we did get to spend, however long it was, in our small community, getting to know everyone by first names, waving to everyone that we crossed on the street and getting things done that we had been putting off because “we didn’t have time”.

We found out how little we needed to spend to live and adjusted to a new relaxed pace of life.

In saying that we were working hard on developing the Adventure Tours side of 4x4Explorer and planning trips away. One we arranged was with Jono of Lost Sheep Adventures to meet up for a trip down to Central Otago to do some filming for our new 4x4Explorer Adventures website. 

In fact, probably the most stress that we had during Lockdown was that it would not be lifted before the snow arrived therefore ruining our chances of filming promotional videos for summer trips. Luckily the snow didn’t arrive and freezing conditions don’t show up on film!

First winter in a few years!

This is our first winter in a few years and we had been planning to be back in Europe continuing our trip from last year. And I don’t mind admitting that the last trip we did before lockdown had shown how woefully ill-equipped we were for a New Zealand winter.

So. Over Lockdown we had done some research and ordered a Darche Swag with 100mm mattress and -12°C Cold Mountain sleeping bag. I had tested it in the garden before leaving and was hoping that it was going to keep me warm.

As soon as we had the “green light” and a clear weather window, we blasted down to Central Otago and met up with Jono in Cromwell. Despite having had weeks to plan, the brief was pretty loose and I really left it up to Jono to find the best spots for filming. Jono wanted to get two new episodes for his Lost Sheep Adventures YouTube channel and I wanted to get some good promo material.

We headed out of Cromwell and decided that we were going to spend the first night at Nevis Crossing. We got there just as the sun was going down over the Remarkables, threw out the swags and collected some wood for a campfire. I couldn’t believe it. As soon as the sun set, ice started forming on the swag and the gas cooker gave up the ghost as the temperature quickly fell below freezing.

We spent a great evening beside the fire and finally, the time came to go to bed. Armed with two hot water bottles, I got into my swag dreading another Wilberforce sleepless night. I must say that despite being 1400mm wide, the Darche sleeping bag was amazing! Finally, a piece of kit that “does what it says on the packet”! 

Ice on the inside!

After a great sleep, I woke up to find ice on the inside of the swag and everything was white with frost. No chance of a coffee as my water had frozen solid and the gas cooker just wouldn’t produce enough heat to boil the water I retrieved from the river. Note to self; find a COLD weather cooking solution, or maybe I’m just too old for winter camping…

Perhaps the funniest moment of the morning was when I removed the pegs from the guy ropes of the swag. The guy rope slumped to the ground, but the swag remained taught, completely frozen in place!!

We headed off and up over the Old Woman Range towards Potters Hut on the Old Man Range. I was pleased that as the sun came up, the temperature rose briefly from -5°C to a balmy -3°C. The wind on the tops was brutal! Despite this, Jono did manage to get the drone up to film some great shots.

At a little mud hole before the hut, Jono decided to set up the camera to film us, as he had done frequently during the day. “Ok, let me know when I can go,” I said over the UHF. The reply to which was “As soon as my truck starts.” Oh dear. Jono’s truck was dead and there was no way of getting it started. 

Fortunately, we were close to Potters Hut and there was plenty of firewood inside. We towed the dead truck to the hut and then drove back to the top of the Range to get phone signal. Jono “phoned a friend” and managed to arrange for two mates to come and rescue us the following day.

History comes alive

I’ve been to Potters Hut many times before, in varying weather conditions, but have never really spent much time there. Our enforced benightment allowed me to soak up the feeling of the place, read the history and reflect on just how hard life must have been stuck up there away from civilisation. Even in the summer, the place is bleak. 

The night we spent there, the wind didn’t stop howling and we were both happy to have the shelter that the hut provided. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for the prospectors spending the night out on the hillside under only a rudimentary canvas shelter!

Jono’s mates arrived early afternoon with a tow and a loan vehicle for Jono to use for the remainder of our trip. We extracted to Alexandra and, after having shared a beer with our rescuers, we booked into a motel, seriously in need of some warmth and a hot shower!

Over the next few days, we explored some of the best routes in the area, with Jono frequently throwing up the camera and the drone. Every time the camera came out, I would make a coffee or anything else that I could do not to be in frame. 

Most people say that I can “talk under water”, but as soon as that camera comes out, I’m like a rabbit in the proverbial headlights. 

I’m amazed, and a bit jealous, at just how natural Jono is with the filming. Generally everything is done in one take. He has a storyboard in his mind and knows exactly what each shot will look like and how it will flow into the next. Have a look at some of his videos on Lost Sheep Adventures and remember that he does not have a film crew or any support. It’s just him and his camera. 

He’s thinking about making filming his main activity and I’m sure that he’s going to be the next “4WD Action” but in New Zealand. He does everything on a shoestring and relies on sponsorship through Patreon to allow him to produce this content, so please become a “Patron” and donate a few dollars a month to help continue producing great content for the rest of us.

What a Carry On!

We carried on and visited Jono’s amazing parents, Neil and Donna, just outside Waimate and headed into the Hunter Hills.

They say that “Time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted,” and this was very much the case this time. We drove one of the routes that we had planned for our new Goldtrails Trip. 

We arrived at the summit of Mt Studholme with a view to driving down the other side and out to the “Bottle Pub” at Waihau Forks. The drive up was easy and we had a good chat with a radio ham in Ashburton over the UHF. He had just bought a new rig and was delighted to have reached people well over 100 kilometres away. This actually happened last time I was there as well!

The track down the other side had deteriorated significantly was not something that I would contemplate taking a convoy of guests down! Jono and I are both very experienced 4WD drivers and I can say that there was very little chatter over the radio… The track was washed out in many places and generally in poor condition. Further on we found the track was heavily overgrown and finally we came to a locked gate on a public road!  Happy to say that we have now changed the start point for this trip and have found an excellent work around!

Good start

We’re now back in Marahau planning our next trips. Jono has sent me a video which he, almost apologetically, said was only a first draft. Andrea and I think that it’s brilliant and we’re looking forward to seeing the final versions.

It’s been so great to be able to get out again and we’re looking forward to where the rest of the year will take us.