Training Log Archive: PG

A little bit better view of the rogaine course, at least the part we did. Our route was 20-70-42-78-105-71-52-50-45-83-104-73 (now dark) 82-79-61-51-86-66-94-72 (now light) 40-84-62-102-69-90-30-25.

First part of map --



Second part of map --

Event: 12th World Rogaining Championships
 

WRC with Sandy. Don't have the usual data like how far we went or how we did, the former because GPS units weren't allowed unless they were properly bagged, which I didn't bother to do, the latter because SI problems apparently were allowed. I assume they have results sorted out by now, but they weren't when we left to flee back to Wyoming.

Terrain was fine, though the forest was downright ugly at times (deadfall) with little way of knowing when that might be the case. The map, printed at 1:33,000 and 10-meter contours, was the most legible map I've used in the USA. Seriously. Oh, it had its problems, but you sure could read it.

Sandy seemed to be having a low energy day, maybe altitude? So we throttled back the pace, walked slowly, took breaks as needed, We had a decent route, executed well, especially the night controls, and handily defeated various rivals, primarily JJ, Clint, and Ernst. And therefore didn't finish last. And no snakes, no mountain lions, didn't get shot at, got hopelessly lost only once but recovered pretty quickly, and didn't lose any money in the Deadwood casinos. So a very successful weekend.

Though I am getting a bit old for this 24-hour stuff, even when done at a saunter.

A really blurry image of the map, I'll work on doing better. Click on it for a larger blurry image.

Walking around a bit of the model map for the rogaine with Sandy and Gail. I assume it will be the same sort of stuff tomorrow, just 23 hours more of it.

And just marking where the event center is.

Hit rock bottom this evening after a very good stretch…. :-(

Of course I'm talking dinners, and the quality thereof, since departing the US Champs.

First stop was Salida, with a fine pizza and salad and beer at Amicas, been there once before some years ago.

Second stop was Silverthorne, visiting former Ultrarunning parter Stan Wagon and his wife, they served us a Thai dinner.

Third stop was at the western retreat of Pete and Lex Bundschuh, excellent meal cooked by Pete (plus lots of good conversation).

And then heading north, we landed in Wheatland, Wyoming, where the place that seemed least likely to poison us was Taco John's. So TJ's it was, dining in style on their patio….



And onward to Rapid City tomorrow.

C • Beau Jo's in Rapid City is very good 2

C • why not buy food in a super... 1

Went with JJ to go up what turned out to be Mt. Lincoln, 14,286, though we weren't sure where we were headed when we started. Route for the most part is the green one (#1) on the linked map, except an extra mile and a half because we couldn't get our rental car all the way to Mineral Park.

And then the word was that you weren't supposed to go to the top of Mt. Bross, private land.

So we figured we see how things looked when we got to the saddle just NW of Bross, and then decide. Got there, saw some folks heading up to the top of Bross, decided not to ourselves, mainly because Lincoln just looked a little more interesting. So off to it. And then back to the car the same way we'd come.

Nice outing. Beautiful day, got an early start, about 8 am just to avoid be up high after noon, but just a few clouds and not much wind. Just a steady hike going up. Jogged most of the way back down, getting tired towards the end, certainly could have done without the last bit on the flat dirt road. But still a really nice time, very glad to have company. And JJ did OK for a young fellow.

C • Alternative trailhead 2

I thought I should put down my own version of a strategic plan for OUSA. There will only be about 4 items, but if we could get them done, it would be wonderful.

General comment -- the time frame will much shorter, things to be done by the end of 2015 at the latest, but preferably much sooner.

Here is the first one. It's easy. All it takes is a little leadership. The cost will be minimal.

1. Make our maps more readable.

Reason -- We currently strive to follow IOF map specs, which have been developed with the elite orienteers in mind. Even they have trouble reading many maps. For the vast majority of orienteers in the USA, orienteering would be more fun if the maps were easier to read.

Action required -- Still follow the IOF specs for creating the map -- this is absolutely not to be an opportunity to add more detail -- but just print it at a larger scale. Perhaps 1:7,500 for maps that would normally be 1:10,000, perhaps 1:3,000 for sprint maps. The rules and sanctioning committees should do more than just allow this, they should be actively promoting it. As a measure of success, it should be happening at every A meet in 2015, and could even happen for some meets this fall.

It may be that for M21 and F21 the maps would continue to be printed at the usual scales, if that is what they want. With current printing methods, that is both easy and cheap. But for everyone else, just think the following -- orienteering is not supposed to be a test of eyesight, and it is a lot more fun when you can read the map.

And if it is more fun, maybe more people will stick with it.

C • 1:7500 35

C • #2 7