Training Log Archive: dlevine

One loop of the River Trail with both the gas-line and Francis options.

Setting out streamers (at 21 locations) for Scout event in Sprague Brook Park. Least fun one was at the top of the sledding hill, which I had to climb twice since I put out the wrong streamer.

Following one of the two groups around. Meant to "jump" to the other group when I had a chance, but the chance never arose. Found out why later...

I put out 21 sets of streams. 4 sets (including the top of the sledding hill, the one in sight of the meeting place and the one closest to the start/finish) were visited by no teams. One set was pickup up by both teams. (The fourth one that wasn't visited by either was the one closest to the one picked up by both teams.) So, 16 of them were visited by one team only. That's why I never saw the other group!

Got some of the leaders to pick up some of the more obvious streamers, plus I could just grab the ribbons and run, so pick-up was more efficient.

Tucker Brook Permanent Course (Milford, NH)

Parking lot -> 1: Confused by new trail from parking lot sort of up the road; after engaging my brain, up the trail to it. 2:18

1 -> 2: Down trail to it, overshot a bit as 1:3000 was a new map scale. 1:30

2 -> 3: Continue on trail to bend. Momentarily confused in circle as I couldn't see the marker. 2:02

3 -> 4: Trail to bend, then attempted to go straight up hill to trail through "white" woods. Going was very slow and I needed to relocate a bit on hitting trail; then right in. 4:22

4 -> 5: Down trail to junction, then left to junction. Marker was a bit further off trail than I expected and got confused in circle again. 1:33

5 -> 6: Back to #1, across bridge and down trail. Saw two good rocks and then got confused as I couldn't find marker; relocated off trail junction and ended up at same spot, but again no luck. One more try and I found the marker. 3:23

6 -> 7: Down trail to cliff, but got hung up on rocks and then stared at waterfall (cliff) without seeing marker behind me on tree. 1:37

7 -> 8: Up stream to hill, but stopped at a rock pile too soon. Looked around, then pressed on. 2:35

8 -> 9: (Toughest control?) across bland hill side; again came up too soon albeit at a large boulder. Eventually pushed on to it. Discovered that I had lost my pencil and couldn't record codes anymore. Fortunately, had enough of the phrase that I could guess/confirm/remember remaining controls. 4:34

9 -> 10: Across stream and into rocky area. Completely lost map contact and it took a while to realize that I had one more stream to cross. Then ended up in right area but couldn't find the marker. Relocated up to trail (hill and bend) twice with no luck, then found marker less than five feet from where I'd been twice, including after the first readjustment. 11:21

10 -> 11: Through woods to trail, then winding to trail junction and up hill. Confused when I didn't see the marker on the top of the hill, but I found it eventually. 3:47

11 -> 12: Angled towards powerline/trail junction passing stick which tried to impale my leg. Across powerline into woods above other powerline heading to control. Again, stopped early at likely site, but quickly moved on. 4:00 (time is guess; forgot to punch)

12 -> 13: Up hill into flat area and then over to rocks. Yet again had trouble with the marker, but this time it because I kept checking the wrong sides of the rocks. Clearly, it was time to get going. 4:21 (rest of "double" split)

13 -> Parking lot: Angle up to trail, then down trail to car. 2:18


Nice course. Map scale was a bit odd and the woods near #4 were grody, but I really appreciated having it around. Great question (as a completion riddle), but I have no idea what the answer is and I'm too lazy to go to Google Earth to find out...

C • Tucker Hill 2

At Chestnut Ridge Park for the BFLO picnic; got there early changed at the casino and went for a short jog looking for the marker. It wasn't there, but my understanding is that it was put up after the event...

BFLO club picnic Poker-O

30 minute time limit, but I was sure that barring any two disasters, I could visit all the flags, so my strategy was simple. Write down nothing, and only punch for the royal flush. I decided to go clockwise, which in retrospect was a poor choice, both because of the way things turned out and as an objective strategic decision.

Start -> 5: Out past #1 (bad card at this and every number for which I omit the card) and up hill to #20. Crew thinned out a bit; only Jackie N. with me. As we turn around, I see Walt Lyons also turning around. It is now clear that all three of us have the same strategy and route and Walt noticed that we hadn't punched, so he saved about 25 m of running. Hmmm. We split around the bathroom and rand down to the trail and past #2 and #3. I am now leading by a small bit. Into the stream for #4 and I decide to engage in the old "fake punch" trick. Didn't look to see if it worked, though. Back to trail and down to #5 which was further than I expected, but right where it should be. Jack of Spades. 5:03

5 -> 6: Through stream to road. Saw building but not flag; as I got closer, I saw it in the woods. As I leave, Walt and (further back) Jackie are coming in. 10 of Spades. :38

6 -> 11: Into field, I overshot #8 as the "forest" had grown up a bit since the map and I went all the way around. Walt beat me to this useless one. Over to #8, saw Jackie leaving, but was determined to be certain. Walt, however, saw me verify its uselessness. On to #9 with Walt on my tail and Jackie coming across from #8. Up the hill to #10, I slowed down to plan the rest of my route, given that I was still missing three cards. Jackie and Walt caught up. #10 to #14 to #12 (tried to fake punch) to #11. Walt coming in and noticing that I punched for real. Queen of Spades. 5:34

11 -> 19: Trail to #13 trying to ditch Walt, then debated #16 before #15, but decided that #16 was too close to Start/Finish to have a needed card. #15 then through the woods and across the road towards #19. Overshot low (N), realized my error and saw Jackie punching #19. No sign of Walt. Ace of Spades. 2:30

19 -> 16: To my surprise, Jackie left to the west(!) and I thought she must have already picked up #18(?). Up stream to #18 and then into clearing. It took a moment to realize that the man-made object was the garden, not the swing set as Roger Keeney was blocking my view of #17. No luck. Head off to #16 as Jackie comes in from the right. Damn, now it's a sprint, but at least I have the lead. Flag was very visible. King of Spades. 1:47

16 -> Finish: Sprint in determined to beat Jackie. :23

First finisher, and of course a Royal Flush is top hand. Jackie came in 12 seconds later and Walt about one minute behind. Very cute and fun race. Any one of us would have won had we gone the other way, but I now think the winning order is S, 17, 18, 19, 15, 16, 13, 11, 12, 14, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 20, 1. Offers the best chance to cut off a corner with a hill.

Several other folks got the Royal Flush within the time limit (plus 30 seconds in one case) and one clever woman got a full house (aces over 8s) by visiting only seven controls! All in all a great exercise before a surprisingly nice picnic.

Doctor today was full of good news. Fracture is real, but it is in place an unlikely to move (even in the presence of exercise) unless I fall on the elbow. Restrictions include no swimming or water activities for another eight days (until done with antibiotics for infection), no weightlifting or rock climbing or anything that stresses the elbow directly for three weeks (no biggie here) and everything else to be guided by pain. Alas, no restrictions on lawn mowing - thought I'd get a bonus there. And NO SLING - which I had learned to hate in as few as 48 hours...

C • lawn 2

Two loops of the Allegany River Trail a bit slow. Took the gas-line option without the cobblestones both times. Slowness was a combination of taking it easy and traffic on State Street.

So the blood on Friday was the least of my problems... Although the wound is still "seeping", the real problem is that apparently (according to x-rays) I broke my elbow. Tomorrow I learn the seriousness of this.

(There is pain, but not what I would have expected for a fracture, so I am hopeful.)

Hunter's Creek Map Hike
(Going for the ten that I didn't pick up two weeks ago...)

Car -> 2: Down the path, across the reentrant and right to it. Tree was obviously too big for the marker, but I looked at it anyway and found a geocache! Thought about signing in, but noticed the marker and focus returned. 2:09

2 -> 5: To edge of slope, then scanned for a dry way down. Up next hill and confused more than I should have been about whether I was at the right trail. (I obviously was, but was filled with doubt.) Right to it. 5:20

5 -> 6: Back up to trail and cut the corner right to the spur. Saw the marker from a distance. 2:00

6 -> 7: This was the one that had me worried because I had missed it on my previous try - albeit in a very abbreviated search. Back up to trail, down to spur and into creek. Literally, INTO creek. I slipped while crossing and fell in. Tush wet, elbow on rock, map in water - the whole deal. Up hill to plateau and over towards where I thought the stream was. Area was familiar as was the lack of marker. Went up and down the stream (looking for the end) with no luck. Travelled south and went up another (much smaller) stream to trail. North along trail to where it angles up hill and contour at the stream. Found the marker at exactly the right altitude, but high up on a tree above the steep banked stream, most definitely NOT at the stream end as the clue said. 26:14

7 -> 14: Down to creek, but downstream from my last crossing. No matter, just wade through the knee-deep pool. Trail to where the tributary comes in from the west, across up trail to junction, west over hill and then run the mostly dry marsh to the marker. Along the way, notice blood on map from elbow. Ouch. tried to clean it in creek, but couldn't see the wound. 9:17

14 -> 13: Clean map, head up hill to trail at junction. Compass across the featureless area - which now features a significant, though unmapped, trail. See the stream junction as the stream comes into view. Straight to marker. 4:02

13 -> 12: Right up stream, getting on the left bank, right to it. 2:49

12 -> 4: Angle to trail, then south to clearing and then slowly down the largely overgrown trail to the control. Momentarily confused by rootstock on wrong side of trail, but then I realize that the map has a double-X there. Marker not on rootstock, but it's right on the trail which is nice considering the brambles by the rootstock. Dripping blood onto map and shorts now. Hand is covered in it - did I cut my palm, too? I just want to finish before someone sees me and panics. 5:25.

4 -> 3: Right back on overgrown trail and then taking the dogleg north to stay on the trail. Cut off trail when it hits the boundary of the white woods. See rootstock and go right to it. No marker. Search all nearby trees and rootstock itself; no luck. Move south a bit and scan for other rootstocks. None around. Hating myself, I move north into the slash only to find the marker near the TOP of the fallen tree, not by the roots. 6:47.

3 -> 1: Back to trail where I try to use the water from my bladder to wash off a bit, but no luck. Down trail to junction, turn right and see marker after three steps. 5:05

1 -> Car: Down trail to parking lot. Turn ankle. While trying to walk it off, I slip in mud, barely avoiding falling. Boy do I need to be done... 1:35


Cleaned up in parking lot, but it was a losing battle. I tried tying a bandanna around the wound, but I couldn't get it right. By the time I got home, the bandanna was soaked. After a shower, I was able to spot a small, puncture-like wound on the elbow in the mirror. Hard to believe that little wound produced so much impressive blood, but so it goes. Alas, it is proving difficult to staunch and the elbow is swelling a bit despite cold compresses. *sigh*

C • Wow! 3

Drove by Emery on the way home to look for #11 again. No luck as I walked around the area for too long.

C • 11 1

Two loops of the Allegany River Trail with the gas line option - Theresa leading both times.

Emery Park Map Hike

Parked between Emery Road and Tennis Courts

Car -> 10: Straight to it with only a moment's hesitation about "building" vs. "well". 2:38

10 -> 6: Again, right to the circle, but I spent time searching upstream from the marker, upstream from where it should have been, and in the adjacent stream. Ultimately found the marker closer to the stream junction than to the bend. 11:40

6 -> 7: Right to it, but overshot thinking it was at the field edge. Alas, the (hidden) fence is sooner. Had to double-back, but it was easy. 4:14

7 -> 12: Both woods and field was grodier than I had hoped, but no real problems other than runnability. 8:03

12 -> 13: Initial runnability in the field was dubious, but control was easy. 3:30

13 -> 16: Cut into the woods early and that made me look early for the marker. Once I pushed on a bit, it was there. 5:11

16 -> 20: Trail the whole way, but didn't punch watch, so time is a guess. Also, the marker is numbered "8", not "20". 3:30

20 -> 21: Slow going past that bit of green and in the creek bed. Spent a little while on the hill just west of the control. Again, time is a guess, but total for the last two legs is right. 5:10

21 -> 22: Straight to it, but the ground was mushier than it seemed it should be, so I got "careful". 3:23

22 -> 23: Angled up to trail bend, trying to skirt the reentrant systems. Off trail and right in to it, but walked within two feet of the marker and had to resort to a short "search". 6:10

23 -> 24: More or less straight to it. Alas, no watch punch, so again a guess. 3:20

24 -> 25: South of the lodge after a quick conversation with some disc golfers then right up to it. Again a guess, but the last two total properly. 3:51

25 -> 1: Right to it. 2:30

1 -> 2: Up road, in driveway, around last garage and into the woods. I knew I was too far left, but a "wall" of downed crap kept me from seeing the reentrant. Overshot, went right and came back down. Ultimately, I circled in to it. 7:38

2 -> 3: Out to road and then in from the "notch" in the clearing. Couldn't see anything that distinguished green from white. Searched in a circle, but no luck. Re-attacked from corner NW of marker. Hit same spot with same result. Circled again and attacked from SE corner of clearing to the west. Same result. Then my phone rang. Stopped watch at eighteen minutes and change. After dealing with remote computer purchase emergency, started again with attack from NW and then from NE. These last two times, I deliberately aimed off left in the hopes of improving my luck. On the second try, I did. 27:36 Ugh!

3 -> 4: No psych after that debacle, so I was slow, but there were no real issues. 4:35

4 -> 8: Up to trail, intending to take road to control, but saw fence in real world and then on map. Ultimately took the trail in which was a much nicer option anyway. Psych slowly returning. 3:51

8 -> 5: Trail to road to cut in too soon and had to head downhill, aiming at driveway until I got it. 5:00

5 -> 9: Straight to it, including running the ridge in the woods as I approached. 3:38

9 -> 17: Past car and to disc golf hole and right down to the bend. No luck. Searched area thoroughly and did a quick scan up and down stream with no luck. Bounced out to road to ski lodge and back in. No luck. Then finally, found it one bend too far downstream. 15:20

17 -> 18: Up to the clearing, around head of steep stream and then through the clearings attacking from above. 3:20

18 -> 19: Road to trail to bend to boulder. Saw marker, but had to cross stream to read it. 2:40

19 -> 15: Back to trail and trail the whole way (including skirting the "closed" section). Had some trouble locating the marker in the circle. 7:55

15 -> 11: :-( Down road, in to shelter and attack. And attack. And attack. Attacked from swamp, from building, from two trees in field, from stream/road junction. And attacked. Got many scratches, but could never make the map match up and could never find the marker. For the second time this summer, gave up on the 24th marker even though it was less than 50 meters from the road and easily attacked. ARRGH 41:05

11 -> 14: Again, no psych. I walked the clearing by the road and cut in. No issues. 3:53

14 -> Car: Phone rang again and I walked in as I talked to my mom. 3:50.


Found 24 of 25 markers. Up to 88 out of 100, now - with the belief that two of them are not there.

Chestnut Ridge Park Map Hike

Yet another failed attempt at #4. Had a brief conversation with disc golfers one of whom thought he remembered seeing it (where I thought it should be) a while ago.