Orienteering in Napier

National Orienteering club event in Napier.  Oak's been a regular, so Mike and I decided to go see what orienteering events are all about.

photobomb by Oak

waiting around

Friday - short course

Saturday - medium course

Sunday - long course

Monday - relays

It was really low-key event, not crowded.  Competitors of all ages.  The most exciting moment was Jason asking Nathan Fa'avae to sign his hat.  Florian Schneider, an orienteer from Switzerland, won all of the elite events.

waiting at the finish line

love the backcountry orienteering courses-
runners came down the hill on the right and through the bush.  Plenty of mud.

evenings at the backpacker - pool and watching rugby on Saturday night.

Our family missed the Sunday event (the long course) in favour of going to church and then hiked to Shine Falls in the afternoon.

Church happened to be especially interesting - ran into Tof's family, met a gay man who's getting baptized after listening to Mormon Stories for a few years, German psychologist Sunday School lesson about why we need to turn hearts of children to the fathers, RS lesson from a Maori woman who lovingly described her children and grandchildren as "Latter-day Ain'ts" but takes comfort from how beautifully her son sings "Praise to the Man" when he's drunk. 

Shine Falls - Oak and Mercy brave the cold water.

I know this might seem like a strange photo, but I love what it captures.  Mike, who had been driving, stops the car to take a photo.  I took this picture of him from the front passenger seat.  I've loved road trips wherever we've lived!

the Taranaki team

my first time to Napier

Books of the Week

This was a fun audiobook for the 5-hour drive...  lots of laughs

and interesting insight into history. 

"like Santa in mufti" 

Thanks, Jen!  Wish you were here to discuss...