Central Plateau, North Island

Central Plateau, North Island
View from a friend's farm

Friday 6 April 2012

Trucks, Graders and more



While we were camping, some road works were done. JRK from Te Kuiti came with many different trucks, loaders, graders, transporters and more.
The large transporter can carry up to 40 ton, has  a GPS on it, and another in the cab. The dashboard  itself was amazing, and so sophisticated. The cab came from Canada, and I wondered if it had been used in the Yellowknife area for the “ Ice Road Truckies”.
Dick from Te Kuiti was working further up the road from the camp, doing metal screening. If all was quiet we could hear the machinery working
But as well as this, he asked me if I wanted anything from town, and then he delivered a  “ New Zealand Herald” most mornings on his way up the road. Many, many thanks Dick, this was  something I had not imagined would happen, as last time we stayed the logging trucks were working, and they started at 3.30 a.m. 6 mornings a week.And they were so busy  they didn’t stop at all.
The news,weather, and the crosswords. Dick, it was the best!!!
The TransporterThe Loader 
Some of the fleet, parking below our shelter, the loader, and the big transporter which was there overnight.
The green flashing light in the cab and on the trailer unit  tells if it has been moved so much as a few centimetres.
Hydraulic pipes,safety signs,the weight it is carrying, all displayed .
Some of the Fleet





Here Courtesy of the Internet, is a dog GPS Collar, and the handheld GPS. Yes, it does show where each dog is, where they have been and also if they are moving or still.
AstroCollar

Garmin dog GPS







This photo was taken at 7 a.m., not long before we left for home. The sun made lovely patterns through the trees.
Not far from our tent there was a bank with bunny burrows in it.This was wide and had been excavated so thoughtfully.
7 a.m. 29th March PiropiroBunny's burrow at Piropiro

I have had a great time with the new camera, some disasters,  but am slowly starting to use more of the different modes.

When I was about 14, I had a holiday job in  Auckland, at Bond and Bond, and after 2 weeks, had saved up enough to buy my first camera, a Box Brownie. Mum and Dad came into Auckland, met me at lunchtime and we went to Kodak in Queen Street.
I still have that, maybe a real antique now.
There are 2 viewfinders, one for portrait, one for landscape, a slide for taking photos close-up, 5 to 10 feet, the other for over 10 feet.
2 small knobs to attach a strap, and it had flash contacts. I took so many photos with this, the most memorable was when Sir Willoughby Norrie officially opened the “ Karaka War Memorial Hall” in 1954
Brownie cameraBrownie viewfinderBrownie adjustments


Sir Willoughby Norrie, on the front step, From  what I can remember, I asked him to wait on the step so I could get a better photo.
What audacity from  14 year old!!! He then went on to meet members of the Karaka Farm Improvement Club, which I think was headed by Ralph Du Faur, who is  standing on Sir Willoughby's right side. The other men will be from the TeHihi ,and Karaka area
My Dad’s writing alongside the photos. What memories these bring.
Sir Willoughby Norrie 1954Ralph Du Faur, Sir Willoughby Norrie and others

Here is Bond and Bond, which from memory was where the tea and appliance office was.
My job was to collect the  mail, from a  private mail box, open each letter with a silver letter opener, and lay it neatly on Mr Eli Bond’s desk. I think I also made the tea .I was staying with  a friend in Onehunga, we went in by train, and as Onehunga was the last stop, we stayed  on the train as it went onto the turntable, ready for the next morning’s trip to the city.
Sherbert dabs, 3 for one penny!!! Real liquorice strips to suck the powder, each one in a white paper bag. And different flavours.
This was all very new, exciting and wonderful for a country girl.
Bond&Bond Auckland 1954

Night sky 7.41 p.m. PiropiroEvening sky

The night sky  had fast changing colours, and the elusive pink,red,mauve colours were not there for long.
Quotation of the day, from  Khalil Gibran
“ Yesterday is but today’s memory and tomorrow is today’s dream”
Cheers from Jean

4 comments:

June said...

Sherbert dabs and a Box Brownie! such memories for me too - thanks for sharing.

Susan Heather said...

What wonderful memories and great photos.

KB said...

Love the photos. The dog GPS looks very cool. I'll be interested to hear how it works out for you!

Lindsjö taxar said...

Great photos. We have GPS collar for our hunting dogs. You have to check my post from oct - jan I have there picures of our dogs with collar but in a west on the back. And also pictures of the tracks they did ....