Ten Tors 2013

Last weekend Ben took part in the Ten Tors 45 mile challenge (I wrote about the 35 mile challenge he completed last year here.) The Ten Tors is an event for teenagers who, after months of training, set off in teams of six (with no adult help) to navigate their way over Dartmoor using only their compass and map. They climb up and down ten selected tors along the route (where the army have checkpoints) and cover distances of either 35, 45 or 55 miles, depending on age. This challenge has to be completed within 34 hours and requires them to wild camp on the moors.

Ben's team this year was the same as last, they are a really well-matched group of boys and work so well together. The school took them up to base camp at Okehampton Army Barracks on the Friday where the teams set up camp, went through safety talks, checked their kit one last time and were assigned their route for the weekend. They went over their route and filled in their route cards. Here are the Teign Valley Ramblers early Saturday morning before they set off to the start point (Ben is fourth from the left):

We all got up early Saturday morning to drive out and see Ben's team off. The weather this year was unfortunately wet and misty, typical Dartmoor weather, and the exact opposite of last year! Here's a hooded Ben in the background walking up with his team to the start point:

There are over 2400 teenagers that take part in the event, it's quite a sight to see them all (well...kind of see them through the mist) getting ready to start the challenge:

The Brigadier started off the event with a quick speech and by saying the traditional Ten Tors prayer:

O God who has made the Earth of great beauty,
And who has given us the Spirit of Adventure,
We thank you for the beauty of the world,
For the courage and vigour of young people,
For the companionship and for the opportunity
To enjoy all these gifts.

We pray that you will keep them safe on this great venture
And grant that they may meet each challenge
And difficulty with unselfish courage and so find the
True spirit of comradeship as shown to us by
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Isn't that wonderful? There was a trumpet salute and the firing of the canon to set the teams off:

There they all go, off into the misty hills of Dartmoor:

All Saturday we kept checking the Ten Tors website; they updated the team's progress as they reached each tor so we could see what time they arrived and keep track of their progress and speed. The rain eased off by Saturday afternoon and the team made it to just below tor eight before they camped out. First thing Sunday morning the mist and rain were back, but undeterred they registered at tor eight and set off to complete the challenge. We left home earlier than planned (they made such great time) to meet them at the finish line. There were 17 different teams walking Ben's particular route, and apart from tor nine, Teign Valley Ramblers were the first team to reach each tor and the first to finish. Here is the team arriving at the finish on Sunday at 12:44pm (Ben is on the left in black):

A wet but happy team:

Collecting their medals:



Although Ben's team were doing a 45 mile route, they actually walked 51 miles (the route distances don't allow for the extra mileage of walking up and down the hills). I was so impressed at how quickly they completed the challenge, last year they finished the 35 mile walk in 28 hours 33 minutes, this year they walked 51 miles in 29 hours and 44 minutes! To say I'm proud would be an understatement.

Benny Boy

My firstborn turned 14 today! He is such a lovely boy, funny, helpful, kind, and rather handsome if I may say so. He is taller than me now, wears bigger shoes, and fits his dad's old clothes. He loves tinkering with bikes and regularly fixes up his friends' bikes and scooters. Time is flying by and I am savouring every minute of it. Happy birthday!

Weather Report

It's been raining all week and I've been worried that Ben's Ten Tors Challenge would be miserable this weekend, or worse, cancelled. But look what's happening tomorrow when he leaves for base camp!

Sunday Smile Lines

Ben: 'You're like a ninja master hot chocolate stirrer mum!'

Thursday's Smile Lines

Me: 'What did you do at school today?'
Ben: 'In drama we did Physical Theatre. Or something like that.'
Me: 'What's Physical Theatre?'
Ben: 'You act like an object.'
Me: 'What object did you pick?'
Ben: 'A microwave rotating plate.'

That Time Of Year Again

Today was back to school for Ben and Ethan.  It was Ethan's first day at Secondary school and his big brother dutifully walked him to school and showed him the ropes!  (By the way, Ethan isn't really tiny, it seems Ben is turning into a giant!)  Noah and Rosie were a little sad they didn't start today too (but only a little!).

Thirteen Years

Yesterday our house officially entered the era of the teenager with Ben turning 13.  We had a picnic in the park after church with grandparents and cousins and lots of glorious sunshine, just like the day he first came to us.  It was also the day I realised that my 13 year old is nearly the same height as me, and I'm not exactly short at 5'7''!

Perhaps the sweetest thing I have ever seen Rosie and Ethan do is this:

I had spent Saturday afternoon and evening baking in the kitchen and then put the children to bed.  When I eventually went into the living room I found that Rosie and Ethan had made lots of paper swans and laid out Rosie's party place mats so that when Ben came down in the morning he would have a beautifully decorated table for his birthday breakfast.  It just about melted my heart!

Maroon 5 Take Two

Last summer my rather fabulous friend Lisa organised tickets for me to see Maroon 5 play in London. (See here.)  Unfortunately James couldn't get the time away from work and the venue didn't allow under 18's to attend so Ben and James had to miss that trip.  When I got to chat to Lisa's brother James V. (as he shall now be known throughout this post so as not to be confused with my James) after the concert he was so kind and generous and said I should come again in February with James and Ben.  It seems awesomeness runs in the Valentine family! 

Last night James and I took Ben and Ethan to Colston Hall in Bristol for their first concert, they were so excited to go.  Ben loves rock music and has a guitar that he has been teaching himself to play for a couple of years now.  Whenever I go to a concert he always asks if he can go along too, so it was great to finally have him come.  He really enjoyed James V's guitar solos and head banging with his long hair!  Ethan likes to listen to all kinds of music (no choice really when you live with me!) and he loved seeing a live band play.  Here are my boys waiting for the concert to start, unfortunately Ben was in the middle of declining to pose for a photo when James took it (he is his mother's son!):

 

We all had a great time and the boys loved their first show.  They were also thrilled they got to stay out late and not get home to bed until after midnight... and on a school night too!  The Miles family thank you Lisa and James V.!

Here's a video of Al Green's Let's Stay Together:

My Favourite Gift

The present that surprised me the most and that I loved, was a book of jobs Ben would do for me around the house:

 Complete with pictures and terms and conditions:

Don't you wish you had one?

Little Lovin'

This weekend we had the annual Christmas get-together for James' side of the family in Wales.  The children really enjoy visiting with their cousins, aunts and uncles, but as usual I forgot to take a camera... and forgot to take more than three photos on my phone.  Here is a scrummy new Timothy laughing at my silly face:

Timothy's big sister Isabella has just turned two and she loved nothing more than Ben on Saturday, she held his hand for most of our bracing afternoon skate walk around the village:

Isabella's adoration continued... Ben had the privilege of a long cuddle before bed:

Maybe next year I'll get that photo of all thirteen cousins together.

Stormy Saturday

Today was rather grey and dull but we were getting bored indoors so we wrapped up warm and took off to Teignmouth, for a stroll along the beach.  It's breezy at the best of times in Teignmouth, but today it was positively gusty!  Noah is happy kicking up sand whatever the weather (excuse the bad mobile phone pictures):

 Ben allowed me to take a picture:

Ethan, Rosie and Daddy tried not to get wet jumping on stumps in the water:

The old Lido is now a seafront skate park, so of course Ben had to have a ride...:

...and instruct Ethan in the ways of scooting:

Anything the boys can do Rosie can too:

We ended our walk with some wave dodging:

 

Winter is officially here!

Monday's Smile Lines

Ben: 'I'm off, toodle pip!'
Me: (Hysterical laughter.)
Ben: 'I've always wanted to say that.'

Wednesday's Smile Lines

Would you trust this face?

Rosie: 'I was voted onto the school council.'

Me: 'What does a school councillor do?'

Rosie: 'Councillors look after the school and talk to the teachers about what the students want.  We put up the Christmas tree and we get to do the toast trolley and have free toast!  We do the gardening and we are Eco-warriors too.'

Me: 'What are Eco-warriors?'

Rosie: 'Eco-warriors keep the school green by recycling, re-using and growing things.'

Ethan: 'It's so unfair, I wanted to be a councillor too.'

Me: 'How do you get voted to be a councillor?'

Ethan: 'You put your name forward and the class votes.'

Me: 'Do you do any campaigning?'

Ethan: 'No, you just put your name forward.'

Ben: 'I wanted to be one too, but no-one ever voted for me either when I was at that school.'

Me: 'So basically it's a popularity contest.'

Ben: 'Yeah.'

Me: 'So what you're saying is that your little sister is popular and you two aren't?'

Ben: 'No.... (sigh) yeah!'

'This Is The Bestest Day Ever'...

... said Noah!  He obviously doesn't have high standards.  Want to know what we did?  Well, we hung about in our sun-filled garden most of the day, found a rather large frog to admire, then took the bus into town (huge treat, I'm mean and usually make the children walk rather than pay extortionate prices to travel a mile or so!) to go see Toy Story 3 at the cinema.  The advantage of being (probably) the last children to see the film in Newton Abbot is that there were only three other people in the cinema... bliss!  We had pizza in the park for dinner:

Twirled around the bandstand:

Chilled out on the swings:

Climbed on everything:

And proved you're never too old to go on springy motorbikes:

I don't think any of us want to start school on Monday.

By The Light Of The Silvery Moon

With both James and I in the youth programme, we thought it was high time night hikes on Dartmoor should been re-introduced... because we're a little insane... and it's been ten years since we last did it! We took over 20 youth from our ward and hiked uphill for most of the night:

Then slept rather snugly under the stars in a gully:

We woke early to a beautiful sunrise:

And continued our hike, passing Vennford Reservoir:

And beautiful trails:

It was also great to have Ben with us, I still can't get used to the fact he is now one of the youth:

The sight of our car at the end of all that walking with rather large blisters on my heels was indeed bliss:

Monday's Smile Lines

Today we attacked the garden.  Ben and Ethan worked hard all day as we cut back trees, dug trenches to edge the lawn with bricks and generally tidied everything up.  After I started cooking dinner, Ben popped back out to finish sweeping... in my wellies!

I have also been singing 'Dog Days Are Over' all day... James started his new job today!

Summer's Here

We were all excited to finally be free of school for the summer this Thursday and planned to go out walking, but the rain poured down and our first day was spent indoors.  I decided there was only one way for us to get through it: by watching Harry Potter while I tackled the mountain of ironing.  It worked!  Rosie had me paint her nails (which she insisted I take a photo of and put on the blog for Auntie Jay to see):

Ben made shortbread biscuits:

Of course the day ended with glorious sunshine!