Training Log Archive: cedarcreek

Quick checkout ride of a bike I'm thinking of buying---Cannondale F29 2014. It was set up as 1x10, but the double crank is back on. The rear shifting is a little jumpy. Need to add front derailleur. Magura is sending a free replacement part for the fork lockout lever.

2m ARDF Classic at US ARDF Championships, Parrie Haynes C5 Youth Ranch, Killeen, Texas. Course by Jennifer Harker.

more later. Maybe.

2m ARDF Classic at US ARDF Championships, Parrie Haynes Equestrian Center, Killeen, Texas. Course by Jennifer Harker.

More later.

80m ARDF Sprint at Parrie Haynes C5 Youth Ranch, southwest of Killeen, Texas.

ARDF Sprint is always very difficult. You tune to a frequency (3510 MHz) with 5 "slow" transmitters and get the ones you're supposed to (I was supposed to skip 1 and get 2, 3, 4, 5). Then you tune to a beacon frequency (3540 MHz), which is also marked on the map, and punch there. Then you switch to a frequency (3570 MHz) with 5 "fast" transmitters, and again skip 1 and get the other 4 (this is for my age category).

I got distracted and went to S1 first, then backtracked to a trail where I thought a bunch were. Going through the Ash Juniper (aka Scrub Juniper) was generally a mistake. I make some pretty good choices. One ride had a powerline and make the receiver almost completely useless.

The road near the beacon also had powerlines and a surprising amount of noise. As I did the fast transmitters, I remembered to skip 1, and did a fairly decent route and order. For the last one, F2, I thought I was in a different place than I really was, and I got suckered into a long traverse through the Juniper.

Hurried back to the finish, trying to pick a quick route, which I did with a bit of hesitation.

Really fun course. A really good use of the map. The map could be better, but it's a good map. I've orienteered on much worse.

Apparently we're using this area again for the 80m classic event on Sunday. The sprint area is entirely within the 700m start exclusion circle, so we will just be moving through it as quickly as we can on Sunday.

Dana Peak Park, Killeen, Texas. 2016 US ARDF Championships, set by Jen Harker.

Walked almost the entire time. Ran a bit into the finish and almost cramped my leg muscles.

A really fun course. The map was adequate. The vegetation couldn't be trusted but the main details were right. The Scrub Juniper was pretty difficult to move through. The geology was very different than the midwest. Very little soil, and lots of exposed rock and eroded rock bits.

Drove through "Comanche Gap" on the way to the park. There must be some history there.

I believe more than ever that last year's Fox-O transmitters with very short antennas are a complete mistake. I could hear transmitters from at least 100m away, and occasionally from much farther. It's clear to me this is the way it needs to be.

I was a little rushed at the start, and didn't see the assigned skips for M50. Instead of turning back, I just decided to get all of the controls. I asked to be moved to M21 if possible (which is kinda medal scheming, but hey).

Event: OCIN Flying Pig XX