Loggers, Gods and soldiers are awake early to get the day started, as we discover waiting in the carpark of the Pan Pac mill, just north of Napier, at 3.30am on a chilly Monday.
We’re meeting Platoon Sergeant Storm Harrison from the 5/7 Battalion NZ Infantry Regiment Army Reserve. And his two standout log trucks named Tāne Mahuta (God of the Forest) and Tūmatauenga (God of War).
The military and logging trucks have been dual career paths for Napier-based Storm. And it’s a combination he continues to be busy with approaching 26 years of service with the New Zealand Army.
Storm has made the early start to introduce his drivers Ben Morris and Tre Brooking. They’re taking us north on State Highway 2 to Willow Flat Road and then west into the forest in a run timed for the trucks to be loaded at first light and work their way through some rugged Hawke’s Bay scenery for our images.
Later in the morning Storm will rejoin us after a few hours at his other job. He’s putting in some desk duty for the army before he’ll take over one of the trucks around lunchtime to cart a couple of loads and be home with his family by about 9pm.
It’s a dark run north through the traffic signals controlling the single lane repairs that continue on this section of SH2 before reaching Kotemaori and turning into Willow Flat Road. It’s 5.20am and the temperature is three degrees Celcius.
I’m riding with Tre Brooking, who is back in the logging industry behind the wheel of the month-old Kenworth T659 named Tūmatauenga. Tre’s a third generation Hawke’s Bay truckie who has mixed logging stints with freight work and also time operating tractors and agricultural equipment.
The new T659 has clocked up 9000km in four weeks on the road. It’s hard to imagine any truck with much greater visual impact – it’s painted in black cherry and candy apple red with woodgrain and gold details to match Storm’s Scania S 730 Tāne Mahuta and his father’s almost year-old S 770 named Rūaumoko (God of Earthquakes and Volcanoes).
The new T659 is laden with lights and extras with the skills of Darryn Caulfield’s team being called on for the murals, air brush effects and woodgrain finish.
“I’ve driven a couple of nice trucks, and this one is right up there,” Tre says.
“My dad drives a 659 as well, for Shaun Thompson. But the only other IT cab T659 around here is Ray Beale’s one, so this is getting a lot of comments.
“It’s got a real staunch look. And the colours, and the lights really set it off nicely.”
The interior is also a treat with a leather trim package and a PearlCraft hi-rise gearshift and steering wheel.
Another modern feature of the T659 are the ExTe auto chain tensioners fitted to the Patchell log gear and five-axle trailer.
“They definitely make the job a bit easier,” Tre says.
Tre joined Storm’s crew...
Gallery
