Get your trek on: 2017 Trillian tre — day four and five

23 March, 2017

Words: Liane Clarke Photos: Liane Clarke, Jacqui Madelin Video: Black Magic Media

Over the past 27 years, those involved in the Trillian Trek charity rally (formerly the Variety Bash) have been up and down the country many, many times over. Every Trekker has their favourite bit of road, some fancy the gravel, some like long stretches of straight and some love the winding country roads. 

And in a league of its own, at least for us amateurs, is a burn down 90-mile beach.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves — day four of the Trillian Trek saw grants to a handful of extremely deserving kiddies and young people; a ferry across the harbour from Rawene; a community project in the afternoon; and an early finish at Taipa beach front for some light refreshments.

Usually on the week-long non-competitive rally, it’s a different town each night as we try to visit as many communities as possible. This year the charity convoy stayed two nights in Taipa, just east of Kaitaia, the perfect day-trip base to hit Cape Reinga and 90-mile. 

Amusingly all the cars that attempted the 90-mile beach stage of the route on day five got stuck — most before they even got to the actual beach. Luckily a couple of the fire engines in the pack had already gone through with their five and six person crews who were then co- opted into assisting the little guys! 

It was barely organised chaos for a good hour as Trekkers pushed and pulled vehicles out of the sand, including a couple of tourists in a Toyota Yaris who saw all the Trek vehicles attempting the sand and figured they’d be okay — they weren’t. 

They somewhat reluctantly gave up their keys as it was clear they had never been in a car stuck in the sand before and were confused about the need to be in an actual gear and not neutral to speed the process along. 

Once everyone had made it to the beach the pure joy of driving took over and the cars and fire engines of the Trek sped along beside each other enjoying the low tide, the firm sand, and the beautiful Northland afternoon. 

Heading back along State Highway 1, we were reminded that you don’t have to be driving it to love a vehicle, it doesn’t even have to be roadworthy. Dakota (10) and Onyx (9) cannot remember a time when this 1950(ish) Leyland Comet Bus was not parked outside their neighbour’s house. They’ve played in it, on it and around it all their lives. The kids love the ‘Aroha Bus’ and they were very proud to show us around it. They also reckon it still runs … 

Official route of the 2017 Trillian Trek:
19th March Day 1 — Matamata to Orewa
20th March Day 2 — Orewa to Dargaville
21st March Day 3 — Dargaville to Omapere
22nd March Day 4 — Omapere to Taipa/Coopers Beach
23rd March Day 5 — Taipa to Taipa
24th March Day 6 — Taipa to Russell
25th March Day 7 —  Russell to Whangarei

For more information about this event, or how you can support Kiwi kids by donating, head to trekevents.co.nz or visit the Trillian Trek Facebook page

Motorman: Blame it on Rio!

Following the third polite advisory, I figured there had to be a fair degree of substance to the warning. “If this is your first visit to Rio de Janeiro, please be careful,” came the personal hushed dialogue from the pleasant hostesses on a far from crowded Varig flight from Los Angeles to the famous Brazilian seaside city.
The previous evening I had flown into LA from Auckland en route to the 1985 international launch of the Fiat Uno Turbo. I was prepared for another long haul of just under 12 hours across Mexico, central America, Colombia, and central Brazil to that nation’s third largest city. Surprisingly the 10,500km run from Los Angeles to Rio is actually longer than the 8800km LA-London air route.
With the journey including a brief stopover in Honolulu I expected to travel just under 44,000km for the return journey to sample what was to be a low-volume version of a popular Italian car that would sell in even lower numbers in New Zealand. I like to think this shows nothing more than my deep commitment to my craft. In fact, even though I became lost on the homeward journey my total air miles would be little different.

Pinnacle Porsche

We were stopped at the side of the road, setting up the next photograph, when a faded Toyota slowed alongside and stopped. The window was already down to give the driver a good look.
“That’s my dream car,” he said, speaking for more than a few of us.
He drank in the gleaming red paint, shining in the sun, and the car’s purposeful swoops and curves. He exhaled half a lungful of cigarette smoke, gave a hang 10–style thumbs up and drove off.
On the side of the road, against a clear blue background, the Porsche stood out in all its stark red glory. It’s the classic 911 shape on steroids. It has the fat, even pouty, front lip of the G series 911s, added to comply with 5mph bumper restrictions in the US. It also has the oversized haunches to accommodate the wider rear wheels and tyres – a first for Porsche, which also confirmed its supercar credentials – and, most noticeably of all, that enormous whale-tail spoiler. They made it look as if Porsche had abandoned its restraint.