Welcome
to you all to your MHC 2008 AGM.
This year
has been a difficult year some of our members, and we think in particular of
Rose Dix and Chantel Beattie. We also
think of Warwick Keating who is still battling with his health. It has also been quite an exciting year for
a number of our members who sold their old homes and moved into Amber Valley, a
big move for them. A year or so later,
the gardens are looking wonderful and everyone is well settled.
Membership: Our
membership numbers have reached a record number again this year. Thanks must go to all those who encouraged
new members to join. Our yearly costs are fixed – up to a point, so the more
members we have, the easier it is to keep our yearly club subs at a reasonable
level. I still meet people who do not know that we are here. That is despite
having our week end hikes in the paper – thanks to Margaret. So please, tell
anyone you know about us.
New
members may bring new leaders, and we desperately need new leaders, and new
hikers.
MHC
Website
www.gohiking.co.za
- probably the best club web site on the web.
Once
again, I would like to extend my thanks and those of all the members of the
Club to
What
makes a website work? Keeping
it up-dated. Who keeps it up-dated ?? ---
Contributions from the hikers – no one else, so please keep the news flowing to
Rod. Thanks Rod ,
and Sam for your great contribution to our Club.
Past
Year’s Activities: Our Socials at our venue – this Church of Ascension Hall, have been in
the main well attended. The venue is
casual and informal, and I believe suits the club well. Here we must thank Allison for finding this
venue for us.
Again
this year, hikers have had a good number of hikes to choose from,
Week end
and longer hikes include:
The One
Day Hikes: Have met with varied success, some hikes have been cancelled, and others
well attended. Day hikes have been to
Boston, Swartkops, Byrne Valley, Dargle, Richmond, Bulwer Mountain, Bisley,
Cumberland, Umgeni Valley, Amber Valley, Kamberg, Mt Gilboa,
From the
2 day and longer hikes - we have had week ends in luxury, to week ends in wet tents and windy
caves. From easy
campsite day hikes to the more strenuous adventures into the mountains.
Areas
include Cobham , tenting and caving, Mt Shadows, Keith and Margaret’s cottage,
Mary’s cottage and Mark’s mountain hide away, Injisuthi, Aasvoelskranz ,
Sinclair’s shelter, Swagman’s hut, White’s Cave, Lothian , Monks Cowl, Bali to,
Park Rynie, Giants Castle.
Five of
the week-end camping and caving trips were cancelled due to very few takers.
Also a number of day hikes were cancelled. Winter hikes seem to be a particular
problem , with nearly all hikes being cancelled.
Longer
and Harder Traverse
Mountain Backpackers / MHC 2008
– Grand Traverse Hike – South to North took place. This was the
ultimate challenge as all participants of the traverse were completing the
double challenge, the UP and the DOWN hike. This is no mean feat as only a
handful of hikers world wide have achieved this.
To the
following club members we offer out congratulations,
Once
again, these hikers rely on friends and family to help with the re- supply of
food on top of the mountain. Again our club rose to the challenge and we thank the following club members
for climbing to the top of Organ Pipes
Pass in the Cathedral Peak Area for
friends – Brian Henwood, Mark Wisdom , Peter Wedge, Mark Nellist, Mary Clover,
Philip Grant, Brian Checkley, Allison Gunning, Cecil Hackney, and Dave
Sclanders.
Thanks to
all of you. It was a great
week-end. Our thanks also go to other
members of the re supply team for making this Grand Traverse possible.
In
recognition of those of our Cub who have either done the Traverse, or helped
with the re-supply, your Committee has decided to have special certificates
produced to issue to these hardy souls. This will be done in the near future.
500 Kilometer Cycle Ride: Allison Gunning’s dream of a cycle ride from Pietermaritzburg to Rhodes
along the Freedom Challenge Route finally took place in April. Many months and
a few thousand kilometres of cycle riding around the Natal Midlands to get fit
for this trip took place before the start date. Members from the club who rode
with Allison included Grethe Simkis, Irene Wisdom,
Iron Man and Woman of the MHC: Two names spring to
the fore when you read the above two epic challenges. Keith Ashton and Irene
Wisdom. To do any of these trips
one needs to be fit and sound of body and mind. To do both within a month of
each other, one no doubt has to be extremely fit, and strong. One wonders about
the “mind” side. The MHC salutes these
two club members and a great achievement.
Social
Evenings: These have been well and also badly attended. Poor attendance has been
during evenings of poor weather. Surely as hiking club members, the outdoor
type – strong and rugged , and being able to drive right up to the venue, poor
weather should not reduce the number of folk attending the evening with
inclement weather. !!!!!!!!!
We have
had talks on:
Chantel
Beattie – 2007 Grande Traverse
Bridgette
Ringdahle – Blond on a Bicycle –
Teresa
Whitfield - St Johns Great Epic School Experience
Mark
Clover – Transkei Wild Coast hikes
Tim
Baynes – Climbing in the Antarctic
Allison
and Teresa – Quiz evening
Peter
Grant/
Christine
Bro – Hiking in Nepal
Allison
Gunning – 500 k Cycle ride to Rhodes.
So all in
all a lot of interesting hiking , walking , riding , sharing, talking, learning
time was offered by your club this past year to all its members. If anyone
knows of interesting speakers – on any subject please let your committee know.
Even you may have an interesting story to share.
Xmas
Party: Unfortunately
was cancelled due to un co-operative weather
conditions.
Club
Subscription: We will be discussing this is shortly.
As already mentioned, as our membership grows, so do
club funds. The more members we
have, so the burden of keeping the club running becomes lighter.
Mountain
Backpackers Club: The club has and will continue
with its close co-operation with Mountain Backpackers where we share dual hikes
withy them. With the rising cost of
fuel, it makes sense to get more involved with Mountain Backpackers to try to
increase the number of people on a hike, so reduce the number of vehicles
travelling to a hike area. Hopefully
this will help reduce the cost of petrol to the hikers taking part.
General: To all
the leaders, who offer their time to decide on a trip to lead, plan and
organise the trip, and take the responsibility of leading that trip, a big
thank you.
It has with a great sense of satisfaction to
se the growth of a few club members into Hike leaders. We need new leaders to join us, or to start
to lead short hikes and get to learn the paths and routes. Your “Old Leaders” are getting older, new
replacements are eagerly sought.
Once
again I must say “The tricky part of the evening is to name and thank certain
people for their contribution to your club.
To Rod
for our Web site
To Teresa - for stepping
in as a new leader
To Allison for her numerous ideas and thoughts.
To Irene and Ossie- (under sometimes trying
conditions – and Libby for her support of Ossie), and Margaret , thank for the work behind
the scenes that you do. Noël - one can hardly say
that “Shooshing me around” to get the Chairman’s report out on time is always
welcomed, but the Newsletter is always on time.
Also to
our leaders Brian, Mary, Graham, Philip, Bushy, Mark, Selven and Graham, –
without you guys the club could not operate – thank you.
Also thanks
to Brian and Veronica, Mark and Mary, Keith and Margaret for hosting committee
meetings at your homes and providing great teas and eats.
All that
remains now is to thank you all for coming to share and contribute to this AGM
this evening. The club looks forward to
your continued participation in the new club year, whether it be hiking, club
socials, introducing new members or whatever, your contribution is important to
the continued social role of this MHC.
May our
new hiking year be happy and fulfilling for all of us? Enjoy the evening.
CLUB
SUBSCRIPTIONS
At the
Annual General Meeting it was agreed that Club Subscriptions for the year
2008/9 be increased to R65 single and R100 per family. Members are reminded that the new year commences on 1 August 2008 and subscriptions for
the coming year are now due and payable.
Please either mail your cheque to our Secretary, Keith Ashton, or make a
direct deposit into the Club’s Bank Account at Nedbank Hilton Branch, Brach
Code 151925, Account No 1519007299 with a copy of the
deposit slip including your personal details faxed to Keith on 033 239
5023. If depositing in cash please include the
cash deposit fee or the Club has to pay it.
In terms of the Constitution subscriptions should be paid within three
months of the start of the new Club year.
Thank you for your co-operation.
COMMITTEE
FOR THE YEAR 2008/09
Your
current committee were re-elected en bloc for the coming year. Members please give thought to members who
you consider eligible to serve on the committee for the year 2009/10, as some
of the current members of your committee have been there for many years and are
starting to feel in need of a rest.
CHRISTMAS
PARTY
The Club
Christmas Party has been scheduled for Sunday, 7 December, at Cumberland Nature
Reserve. Please make a note in your
diaries not to miss this annual event.
We trust the weather will play fair with us this year and not rain us
out. Full details will be provided in
the November Newsletter. In the
meantime, look forward to knowing that you will all be there.
ERICA
JACOBS
It was
with shock and sadness that we learned of the sudden death at Kosi Bay of Erica
Jacobs. To her family and friends we
extend the sympathy of your committee and the members of the Club. God bless her and may she rest in peace
KEITHS
COTTAGE WEEKEND ‘SWEETWATERS’ – 4-6 JULY 08 Roseanne Dix
Keith and
Margaret Ashton: Christie Exall; Margret Kirsten; Margaret Robberts,
Peter and Anica Wedge, Gill Plummer; Tony Moreno; Rose Dix.
A weekend at
Keith and Margaret’s Cottage is always eagerly awaited and this was no
exception. Having arrived quite early
on Friday, most of us had a short walk to Three Pools – however Peter took an
interesting diversion but I won’t sully his version of what really happened!!! I am sure you will enjoy his story!
Margret
Kirsten made a delicious Gluwein which we sipped next to the roaring fire,
while making plans for Saturdays hike.
On the way
home, we watched a Rhebok sprinting gracefully and effortlessly up a vertical
mountainside. We had sightings of
several solitary eland – as well as a small group of 3 who watched our progress
with interest.
That night,
the crisp winter weather provided the perfect opportunity for a roaring braai
fire.
Keith, we
will be thinking of you constantly and wishing you well with the forthcoming
foot operation…how good you are to keep your fitness going with those really
strenuous bike rides!
Thank you,
Keith and Margaret, for your hospitality and for giving us all another
memorable weekend.
And a huge
Thank You to Margaret for leading us so thoughtfully and so well -.
You are SUCH
a good leader…