Kaiteriteri 6hr Mountain Biking Challenge - 23rd of June

It was a frosty morning a few weeks ago when we converged on the Kaiteriteri Mountain Biking track.  I was in a team of 4 with my friends Matt, Thomas and David.  There was track which took about 45 minutes to complete.  We had to take turns and see how many times we could get around the track in 6 hours.  The terrain was muddy and slippery with some difficult uphill and downhill sections.  My teacher Mr Bussell did a circuit on his unicycle.  It was such a fun day and I would like to go back and do it again. 

Here are some of the boys from Prep before the race started.

Maitai Trail Run - 12th July

On the the last day of term the William Pike Challenge group from our school ran the Maitai trail.  I ran 6.3kms.  Some was up hill and quite challenging but I really enjoyed it.  It was a chilly crisp start to the day.  At the end we splashed our faces with cold water from the stream.  I am keen to run it again as it is nearby my house.

Thank You to my Sponsor - Russells Curtains and Blinds

As part of the William Pike Challenge we have to find a person or business to sponsor us in our journey. I approached Bill Liddell who is the owner of Russells Curtains and Blinds. He is also the coach of the 1st 15 rugby team at Nelson College. I went to meet with him and I told him all about the William Pike Challenge and he generously agreed to help me out.  His sponsorship has included the buying of a top for the challenges and has contributed towards the entrance fees for the many activities we will be doing throughout the year. Mr Liddell is a really nice man I would encourage you that if you need either blinds or curtains give him a call. Thank you very much Mr Liddell for being my sponsor

Here is a photo of Mr Liddell and I.

Learning To Cook - Baby Steps

 

 

For the William Pike Challenge everyone has to start up a new sport or hobby so I decided to give cooking a go. As you can see my Mum taught me how to make fried eggs. First off all crack the eggs into a bowl and check there are no shell's in it. Then pour the eggs into a hot oiled frying pan. Put the pan onto the element and let it sit there for ten or so seconds. Next pour a little bit of water on the eggs and  quickly put a lid over it and the steam created by the water will cook the egg all over. For the last few days I have been using this method. It works really well and makes dam good breakfast! My goal for the end of the challenge is to be able cook a yummy three

course meal for my whole family. 

My First William Pike Challenge Award Experience

My name is Harry Perkins and I am in year 8 at Nelson College Preparatory School.  I am really excited to be involved in the William Pike Challenge Awards.  The Challenge has several components.  There are outdoor challenges such as completing the Tongariro Crossing, Kaiteriteri 6 hour mountain bike race, Peppin Island Duathlon, rafting the Buller River and an overnight camp.  I also have to take up a new activity or hobby.  I have chosen cooking as it is something I would like to learn to do.  As part of the challenge I must also complete 20 hours of community service. There will be much for me to learn and experience and I cant wait.  Below is my account of our tramp on the Tongariro Crossing which I did back in February.

 

The Tongariro Crossing

This is my Dad and I on the very hard

scoria slopes.

This is me leading the Nelson College Haka.

This is my class on top of the crossing - amazing!

 

At the start we took a 20 min bus ride to the start of the Tongariro National Park. We had a while to get our day packs sorted with our gear for the long upcoming trek. Then we were on our way along a long windy boardwalk nearing the mountain with every step. Soon enough we were looking up at the dreaded 'Devils Staircase'. After 20 minutes of pure uphill we were finally at the top and inside the South Crater. Our school does the crossing every year and as a tradition we perform the school haka inside the South Crater. This year I was given the privilege of leading it. After that everybody's morale was high and we were ready to tackle the Scoria Slopes. During the Scoria Slopes it was very hard not to slip on the loose shingle. At the top we had the most amazing view of the beautiful Crater Lake. Now it was time to make the long journey back down to the bus. Overall the tramp was 8 hours long it was a great experience and I would do it again in a heart beat.