Another lap of the South Island

**cooneyr** · 29th April 2009, 21:44

Originally Posted by Phreaky Phil

Not to mention Traction control device. Has to be some Perks eh !!
Having problem with next lot of photos. Had them put onto DVD in Queenstown on on of these flash photo machines. Now all i seem to be able to do is view them. Cant figure out how to save them or print them

Mite take disc to local camera shop tomorrow and see if they can sort it

Try copying the photos from the DVD to your computer first then you can resize, rotate etc etc. You cannot save a photo to the DVD as it will most likely be read only i.e. cannot be modified in any way.

Cheers R

**Phreaky Phil** · 30th April 2009, 19:27

Figured out what to do but had to save 257 photos one by one.

After Ashley Gordge we headed South to Dog Kennel corner (just past Burkes pass), turning off the highway onto Haldon rd. We followed this right to the end to Black Forest Station where we paid our $5 and got the combination to the locked gates. From there the track slowly winds up a valley, the track getting steeper towards the high point of the track. You come up the last part of the climb and BAM !!!!!!! Theres this view down to the lake that incredible. From there the track continues on over another saddle before dropping down to lake level and eventually ending at Lake Benmore Dam.
Pic 1 Black Forest Station. Heading up the valley from the Homestead
Pic 2 The stunning view from the top
Pic 3 View south to the next saddle
Pic 4 Neat switchbacks on the way down
Pic 5 View towards the dam (right of lake)
Pic 6 Lunch stop. There's an awesome camp spot here

**Phreaky Phil** · 30th April 2009, 19:33

Pic 1 View back to the lunch/camp spot.
Pic 2 Coming down to the dam and powerhouse
Pic 3 View back to the saddle showing the travk down
Pic 4 Auto gate opener having a bit of trouble with the combo lock

**Phreaky Phil** · 30th April 2009, 21:59

After a night at the Omarama Pub we headed for Queenstown for a few days as there are a lot of good rides you can do from there. It rained during the night but by mid morning it had stopped. Macetown would be out of the question today so we decided to head to Skippers and the branches. I had been to Skippers several times and its always a favourite, but had never been past there to the Branches. Even better !!
Pic 1 Cyanide point (1 drop and you dead !!!)
Pic 2 Skippers road
Pic 3 Big vertical drops off the side
Pic 4 Me
Pic 5 Skippers to the left, Branches to the right
Pic 6 Stone statue on the branches road. No plaque to say what its about

**Phreaky Phil** · 30th April 2009, 22:09

Pic 1 The branches road, narrower and less travelled than the Skippers rd
Pic 2 Old Stone Hut. part of Coronet Peak Station
Pic 3 Due to the overnight rain the river was in flood and the track dissapeared into it.
Pic 4 End of the road. This time !
Pic 5 Autumn Leaves
Pic 6 Branches valley looking back towards Skippers. You can see the road on the left side

**Phreaky Phil** · 30th April 2009, 22:16

Pic 1 Restored Skippers School house
Pic 2 Back to school
Pic 3 Restored mt Aurum Homestead
Pic 4 Skippers bridge
Pic 5 Heading back out the Skippers Road
Pic 6 The road is carved into the cliff in places

**junkmanjoe** · 30th April 2009, 22:16

bugger about the road under water, how far did you have to retrack to go around.

**Phreaky Phil** · 1st May 2009, 07:22

Skippers and Branches roads are no exit roads. We were probably 3km from the end. Got a reason to go back now.

**clint640** · 1st May 2009, 09:46

Good Stuff!

We were thinking of going in to Branches when we were down there in Feb but ran out of time.

Cheers
Clint

**marks** · 1st May 2009, 10:18

the photos were well worth the wait

do you rent out the gate opener/photographer?

**LBD** · 1st May 2009, 14:34

what a blast that trip looks...great photos, thanks

**Paladin** · 1st May 2009, 17:24

Originally Posted by marks

the photos were well worth the wait

do you rent out the gate opener/photographer?

Get yer own ya pervert!!!!

P.S. Fanatstic photos Phil & Dawn!!!!

**Phreaky Phil** · 1st May 2009, 17:44

Originally Posted by marks

the photos were well worth the wait

do you rent out the gate opener/photographer?

I'm sure we can come to some arrangement. !!!!!!!
Warning, it is a high maintainance item.!!!!!!

**Phreaky Phil** · 1st May 2009, 18:11

That evevning we checked out thw level of the Arrow river, it was high still (compared to this time last year).
Later on while having a feed in Queenstown we spotted a nice BMW R90S parked outside and spotted the couple in riding gear. We introduced ourselves and chatted for a while with Peter and Leslie from CHCH. They said they were part of a group, (Canterbury BMW Register) the rest of whom were turning up tomorrow and were going to try to get to Macetown. We were invited to join them. Great, safety in numbers.