Training Log Archive: vmeyer

Event: QOC Mason Neck
 

Event: USA & Canada - WOC/JWOC Team Trials OUSA National 3 day meet
 

Despite this being a “rest” day, I was up early anyway. I sat out on the deck and waited for the sun to rise and listened to a Tui and the Gannets welcoming the new day.

Next, I finally finished writing out the postcards I bought on April 10 and will mail them today, two days before I leave for home. Likely, they’ll be on the same plane out as I. Oh, it is the thought that counts, right?

Goal for today is to update my log, eat French toast and apple crumble, and watch the sunset from the beach. There will likely be a nap in there as well.

C • Loving your trip log! 4

C • Love these trees 8

Second breakfast was french toast, a first for Jane, covered in cherry jam, bananas and ice cream. Tough day so far, eh?!

I have been wanting to meet one of my most favorite bloggers, Cathy McComb, from Australia, and I finally managed it today, after forgetting the other days. The use of the technology made it happen. I put her class up on the main display computer and "watched" her come into the Finish, and then accosted/greeted her. Need to get a picture together on Saturday!

Even though I am not "training", I am on my feet a ton each day, and between set up and trips to the bathroom and back, the garmin has recorded 10-14k steps per day. I didn't get the watch for that feature, but it is fun to look at and see how I have many I have done at the end of the day.

Today was the second Long qualification race, again in the Woodhill Forest, but with the same finish/results area as yesterday. WooHoo – easy setup!!
But not so chill at times during the day…had issues keeping the generators up and running…


first off was the one running the front displays and the network. It ran out of gas about three hours in. Got the network on battery backup after that, since a lost network = lots of fiddling getting the display screens up again today. Today being different because we were including extra windows for the two day total time for each class so that people could see right away where they stood. Worth the extra effort! The competitors loved it. Yay!

It was a mad scramble to reset all of the displays. Got that done, when just a bit later, the back displays went dark, twice! Turns out the generator’s fuel vent cap had been turned to off, and it took some head scratching for me to figure it out after the second time. All was good after that.

C • Barriers 3

After things were sorted, there was plenty of time to visit the volunteer’s break tent, which they had converted to a beach club in deference to the sand underfoot for the last two days.


I scored a couple more of the chocolate with sprinkles on top. They were delicious!


Sharon and Bubo stopped by to chat. Well, you know Sharon and chatting…I think we actually adopted her by the end of the day.

The debris from the logging being put to good use. Anna working on getting the structure straighten up.




Loo related picture of the day – trucks cleaning and taking them away. Heard a rumor that there has been $18k spent on the portables for all of the events.


One the way out of the event…Toi Toi, as far as the eye can see.

I encouraged Phillip and Jane to join me on the upper deck to view the sunset, but it was obscured by a tree in the exact spot the sun was setting. Still a pretty view from the top of the property.



And, if we weren’t all crashing early anyway, a power outage at 8 PM made the decision easier.



The maps for W55 maps from today.

W55-1

W55-2

Today was the first Long qualification race, in the Woodhill Forest, close to the Tasman Sea. We drove in alone a forestry road, and while we were waiting for permission to enter, a logging truck came along.



The sun coming up over a sea of Toi Toi. OK, you'll have to believe me about the Toi Toi part. Better shots below...


The volunteers had cleared the Toi Toi from the arena in the weeks before the event.

The first starts were at 10 AM, and if you look closely, you can spot the line of black canopies in the upper right hand corner.



On the opposite side of the arena was the line of food trucks.


And, the finish chute tucked into the edge of the forest.

Loo pictures of the day…thankfully, there was a whole line of them, and not just these two orphans.


There were mirrors in all of the loos, however, I think it depended on your gender whether you noticed them or not. It turned into the inside joke of the week – did you notice that there was a mirror in the loo?

Well, maybe you needed to be there…



Each day, there has been a morning and evening briefing for the volunteers. This is the closest I have gotten to one.

Packed up and home by 4:30. The hydrangea at the house look quite lovely today.


As was the view from the back deck.






The maps for W55 maps from today.

W55-1

W55-2

Today is Anzac Day, a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand.

A rest day, but not from eating. Today will be fondly remembered as the day I first had ice cream on pancakes. Pancakes were out mid-morning “snack”, which was after breakfast and before the late morning snack. Shortly followed by lunch. Well, you get the idea.


Did not work on updating my log at all. Basically, I did nothing but lie around, getting up to take the occasional picture, and, well, eat. Though, sometimes food was delivered to my resting spot of the moment. The beach view with the waves is one of my favorites.


As is the huge hydrangea bush.

C • Ice cream on pancakes! 2

Around 5 PM, we roused ourselves for a trip down the hill to see the gannets. Like many others, we parked and did a little hike in to the viewing platform. My foot, you know. :)



Along the way, I spotted this tree – the upper limb getting support from a friend.


Views galore!






My favorite picture – the sunset with gannets flying about.

The gannet colony from the viewing platform.

We were joined for dinner by Catherine and her beau. We had sausages and potatoes, and I made a cherry cobbler. It was all very tasty.



A fine day of resting and reflection.

Event: QOC Clopper Lake
 

EX2 - Spring Backyard Burn Trail Running Series (R3) Lake Fairfax

Event: West Point National Meet
 

Event: World Masters Orienteering Championships 2017
 

Event: World masters games 2017
 

Volcano