Training Log Archive: Charlie

with the dog and Rhonda at Lake McDonough, including some stick throwing.

Pretty punk after getting home late last night, but no worse than expected. Generally got better physically each day while away and certainly felt better at the end than at the beginning.

We had quite a nice time at the Rocky Mtn O Fest, and Rhonda was probably the most enthusiastic I have seen her about an o-meet, asking if we could come back if they have it next year.

The whole experience was particularly nice sharing a house with George and Leslie, Dennis, Sarah, Andy and Forrest. A really fun bunch of people to be with. Also very cool seeing a lot of people I haven't seen in quite a few years, including Gene Wee, Fred Zendt, Al Newman, many others.

Rhonda tried to talk her way past the young men manning the gate at the University of Wyoming football game, but they were too clever for her. The team lost, alas. We did see the stands full of people in what I mistakenly thought were yellow shirts. I now have learned that they are "game day gold", and not yellow at all.

Home today and had the traditional heirloom tomato and cucumber sandwich, verifying that it is still summer here. Delicious.

Brown course at Superfly Marsh, last day of the Rocky Mountain O-Fest. This was my best day, probably due to the most excellent pizza and fine companionship last night on Inca Drive. Truly a highlight of the trip.

Map

1, There was a flag on the fence corner on the direct line, and that made a good target, then up on the spur and headed for it, when I saw Leslie and some others on my course streaking for a hill a little left and further down the hill. Since they seemed to be going to punch, I figured I must be a little off and so I headed down there, only to find they were only running by it on the way to #2. Had to backtrack and climb a line back. Felt pretty foolish.

2. This was easy, just under the cliff I had visited the first time, and keep on toward the rocks beyond.

3. Leslie in sight a ways ahead, aimed for the general area of the marked marsh crossing, then along the marsh a bit, climb up over a spur or two and in. Passed Leslie on the first spur

4. A slog getting up the hill to the trail No navigational issues, just slow.

5. Very slow, and had trouble following a compass line, getting off to the left quite a bit. I had in mind to go under the two bare rock areas and come up the far side, but saw Paul Clatterbuck going up between them and hallucinated that it might be a good way to go. Of course I got too high and had to scramble down among unfriendly cliffs. I would say about 2 minutes lost here.

6. Lots of ways to do this leg. George was a ways in front of me, contouring all the way around to the left. I thought about climbing the steep reentrant and attacking from the top. I later found that was how Sarah went. It looked a little dicey for locating the control though. Paul went over one and climbed up the next reentrant, much less steep, and I went over a bit further and just contoured around and under between George's route and Paul's. George Paul and I arrived pretty much together.

7. Time was a bit slow, probably because of the very dicey descent. Probably would have been better to contour around to the left. But no trouble, and could see the flag from the top of the prior spur. Just slow getting down to it.

8. Through the aspens and easy to see.

9. Long slog, mostly along the fence.

F. Gritting my teeth.

Western States Day 3 Brown - Splits

Brown course at Twin Boulders. Again some real walkabouts, particularly 5, 7 and 9. 1 of course was easy. Then 2 I went straight, climbing up and over. Maybe contouring from below was better, but my split was pretty good. Long leg to 3, I got off to the right, correcting when I came to the white woods patches. Couldn’t see the reentrant from below, so went up the reentrant just behind the big rock and went up and over to get it. Maybe 30 seconds. Straight to 4, then a lot of trouble with 5. Couldn’t find the reentrant, back and forth for a while, finally got it, although the bag was hard to see. 6 was pretty straightforward. Just past the sharp reentrant and down the spur, came to a giant boulder. Was it the middle one? Anyway it had a flag. Then 7 I thought I was reading it all so well, but apparently didn’t go far enough and spent about 10 minutes scouring the dozens of cliffs on the hillside. Finally went down to the stream end and climbed back up on compass. 8 was fine, pretty much on line and hitting it right on. Then a little parallel error on the way to 9 resulted in being too far right and then going too far. The rest was fine.

Map

Western States Day 2 Brown - Splits

Brown race at Pelican Bay. Best day physically by far, although certainly not able to run with the big dogs. Glen went by me very quickly on the way to #3, and out of sight almost immediately. A little bobble at 4, maybe 39 seconds, and then disaster struck at 5. Back and forth along the spur and not finding it, until suddenly I did. Bag a little faded? I dunno. Then low energy going to 6, bounced back the rest of the way and did ok the last several legs. So lost about 10 minutes at 5, otherwise just fine.

Map

Western States Day 1 Brown - Splits

Middle distance at Granite Planite map. First half was awesome, following compass, good straight routes. Then a bunch of trouble. Somehow thought it would be a good idea to go right around the big rocks. Left would have been straighter and better and when I got around I couldn’t relocate and spent 8 minutes wandering. Then left 9 in the wrong direction, so a bit of a roundabout route, and misread the clue sheet (6 meter boulder) as .6 meter boulder, so a bit slow to approach the control. Then 11 was just horrible. I had been there once, as it was also number 4, but crossed just below it and then spent 10 minutes searching along the hillside. 12,13,14 were fine, but then I was pretty dead. Went by 15 and lost another couple of minutes, staggered in, pretty spent.

Map

Middle Brown - Splits

One cowboy relay at Rattlesnake Hill, or at least some of it. Woke up this morning with the knot in the left glute almost gone, so much jollier. This was a motala with four loops on one side of the road and a fifth longer one on the other side. I got pretty tired on loop 4, though, and number 5 wasn’t going to happen. Generally not too bad. The loops were pretty repetitive, and a good intro for the races to come. Just had to go home, shower and lay down for a while.

Event: 2018 Rocky Mountain Orienteering Festival
 

Travel day, heading to Wyoming.

Very difficult back day. I have had some pretty debilitating right side spasms since Saturday, but today I had it on the left, which is always worse. A lot of rolling, stretching, hot tub, vitamin I and by late afternoon well enough to take the dog swimming. Throwing sticks was not as jolly, however. Better tomorrow?