My father has lived in Taranaki all his life, the mountain is his other love and I can remember him up early to milk the cows, then going for a tramp, often to the summit and back them home to milk the cows in the afternoon. He was part of the East Ridge Cannonballs, a group of trampers, friends and comrades.

The original photo from this painting was taken by one of the Cannonballs, photographer David Sattler.