Training Log Archive: vmeyer

As I was lying in bed, struggling through another night of insomnia, and the wind was roaring through the trees at 20-30 mph, I was thinking that this was a really dumb idea to be putting out controls today. Roger expressed the same opinion, but, by then, I was mentally prepared to go. And, as we all know, IT IS ALWAYS BETTER IN THE WOODS!! And, it was.

Met Peggy at Patuxent River Park to put out control bags and control boxes for Day 1 of the NJROTC Orienteering Championship next Saturday. I was running late, but Peggy was running a few minutes later, so as far as she knows, I was on time, tapping my foot, waiting for her. ;-)

I had 14 controls in a ~5 km loop, and I also wanted to see if I could get some radio controls out about halfway into each course. I gathered all of my stuff, 14 control units and bags, master radio, 8 repeaters and stands, and walked into the barn area (the road into the area was locked at that point).

I went to set up the master radio, only to find out that it was dead - the power button was left on. What to do? go and put out the control units and bag the radio testing, or what?

Remembered that I had a USB to AC (or is it DC) thingee for my iphone, so I walked back to the car, and tested that it would power the master station. By now, the road into the barn area was open, so I drove in and parked. Set up the master station by using the power at the barn, and then ventured off to set out the repeaters and visit the 14 control locations.




Down the Orange trail just past where the other Orange trail crosses, I put a repeater. Then another one directly west, and a third one west again once I crossed the marsh. Headed off to 125 only to totally botch that up and eventually ended up at 127. Whew! At least I knew where I was now. Really had no signal from the radios at this point, but I left a repeater at 127, 130, 125, and at the indistinct trail north between 130 and 127. Optimism...

Went onto hang 113, 107, 105, 108, 126, 122, 112 (scouted only - will hang on Friday), 119, 123, 109, 121.

Then I went back to collect the repeaters at 127, 130, and 125, but I failed this loop again. Agh! Getting tired, and suffering because I had no water with me, sitting on a log, and the phone rings. It is Amy who had come out to do a course but had not met with success.

I told her that I had no idea where I was and asked her to collect the master station and the three repeaters while I sorted myself out. Sitting down must have helped because I was able to navigate to the repeater in the middle of no where, as well as to the control that had been flummoxing me. Picked up the other three repeaters and headed in towards the blue rail to the road and called Amy and asked her to pick me up, which she did. What a good friend! I was pooped and running on empty after almost four hours in the woods.

And, speaking of woods, it WAS way better in the woods! I had to shed layers almost right away. I wish my magic knapsack had 3 less shirts in it and at least one more water bottle in it (or one water bottle, period!).

Anyway, babbling - enjoyed my time in the woods. It was a very good day.

~3:45 total time, 2:15 moving time.

C • better in the woods 5