A day trip through the mountains

I've been itching to get out of the city. I'm in the middle of a two week break between terms so the opportunity is definitely there. I've been working on a paper which I'm dying to get done so it's tough to determine what I need more: to get the paper done or to get out of town. The sunshine this morning provided the answer. The pups and I were heading west to the mountains.

We got underway around 10:30 a.m. The idea was to drive to Arthur's Pass, about a 2 hour drive, do some hiking, and then head back to Christchurch. A wonderful thing about driving west is that the car's windshield frames the snow-capped Alps the whole time. It didn't seem to be too long before we were in the foothills. Sammy and Tatum hung out in the back seat, their quiet cooperation encouraged from time to time with bits of carrots.

About an hour out we passed amazing rock formations jutting from the mountains at Castle Hill. I just looked it up on the web to understand what it is that I saw. Apparently they are "water eroded remnants of limestone formed during the Oligocene age 30-40 million years ago when much of present day New Zealand was covered by the sea." (http://www.castlehill.net.nz/castlehill/castlehill.php). It looked like a spot I'd like to discover without the kids, so we continued on our route.

As we continued westward, I was on the lookout for dog-friendly paths. Many of the ones I saw were wildlife reserves so dogs were not allowed (understandably) but there was a good candidate near Broken River, which we would come back to.  First, however, the driver needed  lunch.  Unfortunately, the road to the west coast is not very populated. It winds up and around mountains, and over lakes and basins. There are few buildings, let alone gas stations or cafes. There are several opportunities to turn off the road and head towards ski areas but "we" decided to stay on the main road until something presented itself.

And it did. The historic Bealey Hotel/Backpackers/Bistro/Cafe/Family Bar. *Family* bar????? hmmm... That aside, I have to say that the historic venue was a bit underwhelming. Neighbour Jeff described it as a "has-been" and I'd have to agree that it's probably seen better days. Nonetheless, the cook made me a good sandwich which I enjoyed while admiring the scenery.

From there we headed back to Broken River. The sign on the gate said that entry was prohibited in November and December because of sheep and cattle grazing. But it's August so the kids squeezed between the chain-link fence gates, and I climbed over. From there, the kids were off leash and we were all free to explore!! The landscape here and throughout the mountains/valleys is a really interesting mixture of alpine and desert: there are evergreens but also lots of tall grasses and other vegetation that I could imagine seeing in a desert. Broken River proved fascinating. (By the way, they must have fixed it; the river looked fine.)

Back in Christchurch, I have two pups sprawled out exhausted on the couch while I watch the All Blacks vs. the Wallabies.

Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and warm. It looks like working on that paper may just have to wait until Monday. :)

Cheers,
Beth

The New Normal

Not sure I can believe it but this week is our six month anniversary of living in New Zealand.  It's been interesting to notice how things that seemed so new six months ago, just seem normal now. Here are some examples:

- I look over my right shoulder when I cross the street.
- If the 'r' in 'Kia Ora' isn't pronounced as a flap, it sounds weird.
- The weather is warmer in the north.
- When taking the dogs for a walk in the upper reserve, I need to be careful not to step in sheep poop.
- Saturday morning means going to the other side of the hill to Lyttleton Market for fresh fruits, veggies and bread.
- Weekly hikes along the Banks Peninsula involve evaluating coves as potential kayak launching sites.
- Buildings that existed last week, may have been demolished by this week.
- Most cyclists are super conscious about being seen; lime green high visibility clothing and backpack covers are everywhere.
- When a bread recipe calls for flour, you don't use a measuring cup; you weigh it.
- Noon is a good time to call folks back home.
- I know what experiencing a mild winter really means.
- The weather report goes from north to south so I can ignore the first part.
- The recycling bin is bigger than the garbage bin.
- PVC = College Dean, VC = University President
- When they say 'hockey', they mean 'field hockey'.
-  Going for a walk usually involves climbing hills.
- Compost is picked up every week but garbage and recycling alternate every other week.
-  On a clear day, you can see the Alps on the other side of the country out the living room window.
-  Excellent and inexpensive sauvignon blanc is easy to come by.
-  If you want to hear American news, NPR streams well online.
-  El Paso refried beans are priced as an exotic food.
-  What you see is what you pay: taxes and gratuities are included in the listed price.
-  I'll know the words, but need to turn to Wikipedia to understand the phrases, e.g. "It quickly turned to custard" (no custard is involved).
- You can always negotiate a price.
- You watch "American Idol" a day late, but "The Voice, Australia" live.
- The All Blacks vs. the Wallabies is like OSU vs. Michigan (though OSU really needs a haka).

And that's a taste of the new normal. :)

Cheers,
Beth

Akaroa hike pictures

Here are some additional pictures from the hike in Akaroa, thanks to Darcy Rose. 

Right below is one showing the jetski-powered above-the-water ride. It was pretty amazing to watch!

A view of the pier.

Walking up the trail.

A view from near the top.

Darcy, visiting from Colorado, and Beth.

Happenings

Last weekend: Had a great day trip with two visiting students, Darcy (Colorado) and Dan (Arizona). First stop: Lyttleton's Saturday morning market to pick up fruits, veggies, fresh fish, and most importantly, picnic supplies. Next stop: Akaroa, about 1 1/2 hours from Christchurch to go hiking/tramping.

First things first though: a winter picnic. We had quite a feast on our table-clothed picnic table (not to mention cloth serviettes!).  What was really amazing though is that while we were sitting there, a scene that will probably be in a future James Bond movie was taking place. There was a person driving a Jetski and coming out of it was a thick hose that powered a space-like contraption that raised another person upright out of the water into the air. I'm hopeless at describing this and definitely need to get one of Darcy's or Dan's pictures to illustrate. Next blog, I hope!  I really felt like I was in a dream as I watched this so I think I also need to see the picture to prove to myself that I actually saw what I think I saw.

Next up: hiking. We got information about a hike that would take about 3 hours. Perfect since it would get us back home in time to walk the dogs. Heading through town to the start of the trail, it became apparent that Dan had a keen eye for identifying potentially misinterpretable signs, e.g. the sign saying 'waterfront' pointed towards the hill even though the beach was 6 steps away in the opposite direction. (Turns out the sign is for the route that cars need to take. :) We passed another one put up by some kind soul encouraging folks to enjoy their garden.

And then there was the garden of eclectic art with, among other things, lots of old boots overflowing with plants.

Then it was to the trail and a good three+ hour hike up and down the hill. First exclamation at the top of the hill: you can get here by car!!! Yeah, but then I wouldn't have been able to sleep in until 11 a.m. the next morning to let my poor muscles re-energize. :)

As for walking Sammy and Tatum when we got back...thanks, Darcy and Dan!

----

Another hike today: Tatum, Sammy and I headed up our street and followed Mount Pleasant Road up, up, up to Summit Road which goes along the top of the hills and gives wonderful views of the ocean, hills and valleys. Along the way, we passed lots of sheep who stared at us with great wonder. The one in the picture below wouldn't let us out of his/her sight.

Then there were the cows. This time is was Sammy and Tatum who were staring. They sat on the safe side of the fence and just watched. An older gentleman walked by on his way down the hill and smiled at the pups, and then told me about his two dogs that he would walk up the hills; one was 13 now and found it a bit tough. They too enjoyed watching the sheep and at home, they sat and stared at the birds. The cat, who unfortunately didn't survive much past the earthquakes despite being 20 years old and blind, wasn't much interested in birds. Then he continued down the hill.

 

Other sightings: hardy cyclists plugging their way up the hill; invigorated cyclists speeding down the other way; skate-boarders crouched low on their boards trying to coax as much from gravity as possible as they zoomed down the hill.

Next adventure: Navigating my way down our road (brakes on all the way), through the city and to the university tomorrow on my bike.

Cheers,
Beth

Going home

I'm sitting on our deck in Mount Pleasant, Christchurch with the sun beaming down on me. It's so beautifully warm; I have to remind myself that it's winter. Jon tells me that it wasn't always this nice  the last few weeks. I wouldn't know since I was doing my whirlwind northern hemisphere tour of homes, visiting Thornbury/Meaford/Hamilton in Canada, Columbus and Rochester in the States, and Paris (the one with the amazing croissants).

It was great going home to the peacefulness of the cottage. Of course, it would have been even more relaxing had I not had a couple of "little" deadlines to meet (according to my brother, I always seem to have those...hmmmm...not good.) Nonetheless, I managed to temporarily tame the forest in the backyard, have quality time with the original Humes of Meaford, sister-in-law Karzi, cousin Kim, the aunts and uncles, and others. Having dinner with dad, just the two of us, and going out onto Georgian Bay in his friend's sailboat were special times.

I also went home to Hamilton, my stop between Paris and Rochester (naturally). Had a brief visit with Jen & Lou at their home away from home ... er, cottage. What a treasure to have friends who you may not see for long stretches of time (sometimes 25 years!) and just start where you left off. Next visit is in NZ, right?

Then it was back to my American home, Columbus, for work and for play. I arrived two days after a horrendous storm tore through the city. There were huge trees uprooted and many homes without power. This also meant many suffered with no air conditioning in the 100F plus temperatures. Fortunately, I was staying in a hotel that didn't lose power. It's hard to stay inside all the time though and so I got practice using sun & heat avoidance strategies, like walking behind Zachary to stay in the shade.

Speaking of which, I swear Zachary must have grown in the 4 1/2 months since I'd seen him last; when did he turn into a man?!?! Music producing seems to be on the verge of switching into high gear with one of the musicians he represents about to go big time. You go boy! (I could feel his eyes rolling as I typed that.) Besides hanging out with my "boy", other highlights included visiting with Kitty & Oliver, Deb, Julie, Claudia, Jen & family, Monica, Kathleen, Peter & Diane and, of course, Jeff, Robin & friends at their wedding.

Finally, it was back to my new home, sitting out on the deck enjoying sunny, warmish winter days. :)

A First Season

Today marks the fourth month since our arrival in Christchurch, somehow a season but to be honest, I’m not sure which one.

We arrived in Christchurch in February, technically the end of summer, but all we heard was what a crap summer it had been.  Having said that, coming as a follow up to February in Ohio, it was more than pleasant.  Autumn started and there didn’t seem to be much change.  There’s nothing like the change of colors in the leaves but nature let’s you know winter is coming in other ways.  The days get shorter, the nights get colder and most noticeably, you feel the winds.

My first season coaching has provided me with ample exposure to the winds as well as an intimate view of sport in Christchurch.  First, allow me to continue on the joys of our new weather.  The adage of don’t like the weather, just wait an hour, is more than an adage, it is Christchurch.  People talk about the weather in terms of layers of clothing, I’ve come to be a three layer man.  

Most of our training sessions are in the evening, typically between 7-9pm.  As soon as the sun sets, the temperature starts dropping.  On a good night, that means we go from 12 to 8c (mid 50s to mid 40s for you farenheiters).  On a not so good, we go from 5 to -2c (40 to 25f) with the wind and rain element being unpopular features.  So you  start in one layer and if you’re standing around like me most of the night, you keep your layers handy.  This concept of hockey as a winter sport is a new wrinkle, but when in Rome…

As to the actual coaching part, I can’t say enough how fortunate I’ve been to have the opportunities I’ve found here.  Sport is different here.  Coming from America and a Big Ten collegiate environment you take so much for granted, starting with the fact that what I did in the States was a full time job.  You have your own facility, prime practice times, equipment, resources, etc…   Here, we have our game on Saturday and a one hour training session Monday and Wednesdays.  Our Monday slot is on a half pitch at a high school and we share a full field with our Men’s team on Wednesday.  There are only three full field pitches in all of Christchurch and more than 4,000 players.  Training slots are hard to find and we’re fortunate to have two, regardless of time and weather.

I came to the Selwyn club via a string of e-mails and persistence, mostly on their part.  When we arrived in February I was particularly keen to play, not necessarily coach.  The trouble is, the season starts in February and most clubs have their trials for their teams in January so I missed that boat and having said that, most clubs have their coach well in place.  On that front, my ship came in with Selwyn.

I had been warned we would be young and inexperienced and naively thought, I’m old and experienced, we’ll be fine.  We had our first couple of trainings and I thought we were a bit rough around the edges, but we’ll be ok.  I took stock of our strengths, hashed out a game plan, had my game board and pre-game notes ready and we went out and lost our first game 9-0; so much for old and experienced.

First, I need to say I love my team.  They were selected before I came on board so I have nothing to do with that.   I had this glorious plan of goal setting, positive reinforcement, you know the story.  We have one player with previous Premier league experience, everyone else is completely new to this level.  Most of our players are students in Christchurch at university or just recently out of school teams in the area.  Our first three games we had 13 players and struggled to get more than ten players to training as many had commitments with school, work and family.  Life gets in the way of my master plan yet again.

The master plan for our season has had many revisions.  As a competitive person, I like to win.  This season has not been about the result, but the process.  We are now twelve weeks into our season and we still have yet to win a game.  There are five other clubs in the Premier competition and the league consists of playing each teams three times.  After our first five games, we had scored four goals and conceded 29, losing all five.  In our second round of games, we scored five goals, conceded 18 and tied one and lost four.  In our first two games of this last round, we’ve scored one goal, allowed two and lost one and tied one.  Our hardest games are still to come but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

One of the greatest parts of this experience has been getting to know the players.  While my master plan was all about success on the field, that life obstacle has provided me a window as to so many things New Zealand beyond hockey.  What it means to be a student, a young person, a part of a family, a part of a club, a part of a team, these things are somewhat different here and I’ve learned to appreciate and respect what our players bring to our team.  We do the best we can and that’s the only thing we can control.  One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned this season is that you never stop learning.  Things that may have worked in one place, don’t always work in another.

With three games to go, we won’t be playing for a championship.  We’ll be playing.  This season will end and another will come.  The good news, after winter comes spring.

Cheers,

Jon

Winter

Last week I learned that it was winter in New Zealand. Normally, I can tell that it's winter by the freezing temperatures and snowbanks by the side of the road. But it was sunny, there was no snow, and it was 55F. Not really like my past winters, but one that I certainly don't mind getting used to.

Classes ended last week for winter break so Jon and I decided to get out of town to celebrate our anniversary (11th, for those who are counting). After hearing about the wonderful time that Andy and Adam had had visiting the west coast, we decided that that's where we'd go. We looked forward to driving across the plains, over the Alps and into the sub-tropical forest -- all in a little over 3 hours! It wasn't meant to be, however (this time at least!). The weather forecast was calling for heavy rain so we decided that we'd go to Hanmer Springs instead. This is Christchurch's resort town, located about 2 hours northwest of the city. The town was built up around hot springs that the Europeans re-discovered in the 1800s, after the Maori had discovered them centuries before. 

We arrived Tuesday afternoon and spent a couple of hours exploring the hot pools. There are about ten of them, some 35C - 37C and then the sulphur pools at 40C. Finding the hotter pool became kind of a quest. At first 35C felt wonderfully warm. Until we tried the 37C one. After we'd been in the 40C pool, the 35C one felt almost frigid! Our favourite though was the one with the large faucets spraying water from the sides of the pool with various intensities. If you'd like a gentle massage, try the one over there. A stronger massage? Try that one.  This was all totally up my alley. Massage, hot pools, pampering. Yes, please!!!!

Jon, not so much. Generally, that is. The pools may have done the trick though. I think I even heard him say that it was good. (It really was. :)

When we arrived at our hotel earlier in the day, the desk clerk mentioned that they were expecting snow. Cool, no big deal. Wrong. It snowed and snowed and snowed. So much so that the town lost power and the roads were closed. Now this is the kind of winter I'm familiar with! It brought back fond memories of being at the cottage in Thornbury two years ago and being snowed in for three days.

The snow was magnificent. It draped the trees and mountains, and glistened in the sun. Being snowbound in Hanmer for an extra day, we decided to go for a walk up the hill along the snow-covered roads. A man in an SUV stopped along side us to ask if we needed a ride into town. We let him know that we were just out walking and then reflected on how nice it was to have been offered a ride. A few people further up the road eagerly accepted the offer and hopped into the truck.

We ended up heading back to Christchurch the next day. It had apparently been a record snowfall. The university was closed for a day and a half to allow maintenance workers to clear the snow and clean up the many tree branches that had sadly broken from the weight of the snow.  People were out clearing sidewalks and driveways -- with rakes and brooms. Love it, love it, love it. A very good sign that snow is not a common occurrence.

55F today. Back to the winter I'm looking forward to getting used to.

******

p.s. A few shots of a trail at Governor's Bay, just a short drive from where we live. We took the dogs for a walk/run the week before the snow arrived. In the one shot, Jon is drying Tatum off before she gets into the car. The pictures don't do justice to the beauty of the area. Will try to get better shots another time.