ARC 2016

Packing up at Boys' High on Friday morning.  It seemed like Noah was going to pop into view at any moment...

Link to last year's ARC (Adventure Race Coromandel):  ARC 2015
Last year was the first time that I served as support crew for an adventure racing team!  I've done it quite a lot since then, but obviously still getting the hang of it, since one of the most noteworthy events of the race (for me) was missing our team at the first transition point!
Lots of other unique things happened on this race...

The parking lot outside the Fat Pigeon Cafe in Piopio - 19 Ferraris!
Calum, Sam, Josh

Gorgeous 5-hour drive to Coromandel.
Race briefing at 4PM on Friday.

Race started at 6AM the next morning:

• 34 K mountain bike, 
• 5-8 hour orienteering trek with river crossings, 
• paint balling through an assault course with snipers,
• rifle shooting, 
• and then a 4-6 hour rogaine on mountain bikes.

We missed our team at the first transition!   Luckily, we have a big team, and some of the other support crews had taken a quicker back road, and they were able to send our boys off!
I took this picture from inside MAVY, looking past Mike and Keith to Richie McCaw,
whose support team parked right next to us! His thigh muscles were amazing!

another transition point

Oak shooting 5/5

  

after the race

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Everyone's legs look the same after a race.  

Comparing routes and choices

Then a swim and a "mean feed" at the bach

 

At the debrief session later that night, 3 our of the 4 boys on Oak's team said that "beating our support crew" to the first transition point was their highlight of the day!  (It made them feel fast . . .  they WERE fast!  They came in 30 minutes before the estimated minimum time, and far and away the first out of any of the teams to arrive at the first transition point)

Danny's Eagle Project

Danny planned a Benefit Concert for his Eagle Project. . . some of the best musicians in Taranaki; one of the most enjoyable programs that I've attended!  I felt very proud!

Danny learns not to believe everything you read in the paper,
as he is brazenly misquoted.  

Program:
MC for the evening: Ben Hall.  Ben had written out his comments, and they were the perfect mix of humor and personal stories.  He made a real contribution to the evening.

Check out this program variety!  The variety made the concert feel that it flew by all too quickly!

• Classical marimba
• Organ 
• Pop Vocalist
• Classical violin
• Jazz piano
• Flute and classical guitar duo -very classy 
• Danny finished with a great speech and then played a piece called "Tribute," as a tribute to the volunteer community.

instructions for the stage crew

Setting up the marimba - Dominic is AMAZING on marimba

Wonderful group of musicians

Joyce handing a program to some friends.

Price of admission:  2 items for the New Plymouth Food Bank

10 minutes before the start time - the venue is filling up.

David Codd on organ -
Bach so loud and majestic that it drowned out all sound
from the "Americarna" Festival happening downtown.

Violinist, de Jesus Silva, with his new baby.  Anne Bovett in the background.

Matt Sagen's jazz improv was a highlight.
This is his most recent CD cover.

Anne Bovett's write-up:
https://www.facebook.com/MusicReviewsTaranaki/posts/835620943216728Concert Review

The next day:  dropping off food at the Food Bank.  

Mr. Prasad, high school physics teacher, has been a great mentor for Danny - I am very thankful.  

When a Desert Girl Weeds in New Zealand...

How can I wrap my mind around the fact that these red flowers and the white and purple ones in the following pictures, are supposed to be my enemies?   I've heard them each called "weeds" in the past couple of weeks.  

I tried weeding the patch by our front door in preparation for BBQ/Swim bash for Noah and Cory and friends.  It felt like a fiasco!  I have very little power of discernment here.  Gardening seems topsy-turvy when plants like the giant lily grows as a weed by the side of the road.
.
We watched Noah's plane until it disappeared into the clouds.  His last week before his mission was the best ever - mountain and beach, mermaid lagoon, netball, farewell from the branch, BBQ with friends, finishing off our 1000K running chart...

When I jokingly asked if we should pick up a hitchhiker on the way to the temple,
the other Relief Society ladies said, "sure!" without blinking an eye.
I swallowed my surprise, and we had a nice conversation
with young man going to a meditation retreat in Auckland.

My guest blogger, Jess, married in the temple!  What a girl!

1000K

10,000 push-ups

Teenagers and Family Vacation

Over Thanksgiving in Austin, Texas about 15 years ago, I asked asked my cousin, Lorraine, to give me her best advice for raising teenagers.  At the time, she had teenagers and I had preschoolers.  She gave me some advice that surprised me:  when your kids are teenagers, plan to go on vacation with their friends' families, or with other families with kids the same ages.  As I remember it, she explained that these had been some of the happiest, most successful, and most bonding times for their family, in an environment where everyone was happy, and where you could be with your kids in their element and they could be with you in yours.

We didn't actually plan to travel with Roger and Catherine J., and their kids, Will, Charlotte, and Annabelle, and cousins, but we are very thankful that it turned out this way!  And I agree, that vacations with friends have been very successful for our family.

5 memorable days in Russell, on the Bay of Islands, in northern New Zealand:

We were fortunate to have Mom come along for this vacation,
which made it all the more memorable for us.
Great having you, Mom!

Cape Brett - an epic hike!  Noah:  "I feel like I'm in a Kathmandu commercial."

Dophins! I heard their singing under the water and saw them all around our boat!

  

Boys' method of applying 3-way sunscreen.  

On this beach, Mike was the first responder to a man who broke his neck/drowned.
Very sobering couple of hours for everyone on the beach.  

Oak and Mercy face off at the net

Mercy's birthday wasn't in a ferry this year, but in MAVY

Another example of what a strong influence Mom and Dad are in our family -
we listened to this book on the way to and from Russell.  Loved it!

Fascinating autobiography