Crazy Carting!

Monday 17 February

When you’re about to turn 50, how to spend the last day of your first half century? Jeremy reckoned a spot of mad karting was the best option!

Nickie, Russ and I decided to start the day with a walk up to the Wānaka monument which had a wonderful view while Louis had a swim in the lake. The day was warm and clear with just a few wispy clouds overhead so we were warm as toast.

Late morning we packed lunches and several layers of extra clothing then set off in two cars for Cardrona - what a terrifying drive it was up to the ski field! In around 8km we climbed almost 1.5km in height round some wicked hairpins on an unsealed road… yikes! But the views were spectacular.

As we arrived at the Cardrona Alpine Resort it was fascinating seeing all the winter ski runs, the free styler hills, the Chondola (part chairlift part gondola) and the chairlifts all laid out in front of us in their naked, snow-free glory. The area doubles as a bike park and carting course in the snow free summer months - the others were here for the carting, I was there as photographer and general hanger on!

At the top the temperature was significantly lower but the team were soon in jumpsuits and helmets looking like a cut price Top Gun remake and we rode the chairlift up to the top of the mountain.

I may have opted out thinking all looked terrifying, but the other six had a wild time riding these gravity tricycles carts down some pretty hairy tracks with just brakes and handlebars to control the descent. I enjoyed the fresh air and ride up & down the “Chondola” a few times and got on with my job as photo journalist where I could - but with three courses to choose from and around 30 people in similar looking jumpsuits and helmets it was quite hard to keep track of them all!

At one point they all headed over to the "A Real Journey" track which utilised another chairlift - so after 20 minutes waiting for them to come back to the top of the runs where I was hanging out, I hopped into a gondola pod to head back down, only to see Louis, Jez, Abby & Colin heading back up on the chairlift to race down one of the tracks I had been watching! Typical - and it happened again later! I did however get a few shots of the speedy quartet racing down McDougall's - though I have no idea which one of them is which in the photos!

Nickie took a tumble and joined me for a cup of tea at the cafe (yummy Zeelong tea) but the others raced the clock for 2 solid hours! Whilst at the top earlier on, this older dude in the sunnies asked me to take his photo - he turns 70 this year and his mates all bought him a personalised T-shirt "Let the Festival of Frecko begin!" which he is now wearing as he ticks off all sorts of bucket list activities! I loved this idea and got a selfie with him after he finished his carting.

Abby & Colin had clearly been eating Jez's dust throughout the day - they came back in a right state... looking like dodgy Tiktoks for facial contouring!

The search & rescue doggo Blue got a lot of love before we left - so beautiful!

After the equally scary drive back down the dirt road, we headed along to the famous Cardona Hotel for recovery & debrief before trekking back to Wānaka. Established in 1863, the Cardrona Hotel is one of New Zealand’s oldest hotels, and is one of only two remaining buildings from the Cardrona Valley gold rush era. In it's hey-day Cardrona was a prosperous settlement and significant commercial hub for the area. During this period, the hotel - one of four in the township - offered accommodation, livery services and accommodation for itinerant travellers. The historic hotel facade is representative of this now vanished town and is an important part of New Zealand’s history.

Feeling dusty and sweaty, we popped down to the Lake for a dip and met up with Jeanette (Russ’s mum) & Peter who just happened to have arrived at our campsite for 2 nights on their tiki tour of the South Island!

Nickie & Russ stayed at the campsite for a family dinner, while Louis and I joined the birthday gang for street food dinner (amazing meal - slow cooked brisket, pork and a tiny bit of lamb with salad & fries - less than $40 shared between us Bernstones) and then we went back & hung out back at Banjo with the Fernandi gang until it was too dark - cool way to end a busy day!