Training Log Archive: dlevine

Cutthroat with Syed and Steve B. I should never lose to either of these guys, but Syed really seems to believe that he is the best of us. I got there late and wasn't warmed up and fell behind in the first game and actually lost 14-15-9. The rest of the evening became progressively more one-sided as I won the next game 15-7-9 and thereafter they scored a total of 19 points combined in the last three games.

Gentle Gargoyle loop with Phil Payne and Bryan Messerly.

Map Hike at Sprague Brook. First attempt at numbers 1-10 with some concern about #10...

Parked in lot by bathroom near tennis courts.

Start->1: Past casino, up sled hill and down towards the control. Saw longer stream to my right and adjusted to correct reentrant. Couldn't see marker and was concerned until I looked correctly and saw it about six feet away. 6:14

1->2: Up hill and across field on trail. Wanted to head down, but it was too steep so I took the trail N a bit. When I got to where I could go down, I did so and headed to the hill. Alas, it was the knoll a bit further down so I didn't find the marker. After a bit of circling, I realized that I needed the pine trees to be on my hill and went back up a bit to the right hill and the marker. 8:07 (2.5 minute error)

2->3: Down to Sprague Brook, but didn't want to cross - more because of steep banks than the brook itself - so I took the trail out to the road and then the trail back in along the north side of the brook. Tried to pace count, but cut off to the right too soon. Found new trail markers and followed them back to the top of the hill, but it wasn't right. I could see the field to the west, so I knew where I was and worked my way back to the correct hill. 15:51 (5 minute error)

3->4: There seemed to be a deer path in the direction I wanted to go, so I followed it. I saw the tree from a distance and even saw the marker on the nearby tree before I really got there. 4:12

4->5: Up hill to road to pond. After edge of pond was considering heading in when I saw the marker. The "clearing" is remarkably overgrown. 6:09

5->6: Angled out to rough yellow which had a mowed path along the woods. Took the path past the thicket and then angled to the road. Cut in at clearing just outside the circle and went in. Saw the depression and then saw the marker "edge on" due to the attaching wire. 6:23

6->10: Across field to corner, down the trail until I saw the rootstock. Then I saw the bright cord attaching the marker to the nearby tree. 4:15

10->7: Doubled back on trail to new major trail running above the stream more or less from 10 to 7. Overshot a bit and nearly hit the trail. Turned around and went back 40m to the junction. 5:16 (1 minute error)

7->9: Angled up to trail, cutting in at the bend, crossing the reentrant and going right to it. "Found" the marsh by stepping in it when I was a few steps away from the marker. 3:29

9->8: Over to now disused trail, down to main trail to bend, then slowly down the steep spur as I didn't see the marker for a while. 4:26

8->Finish: As I could, down the spur, but the stream banks were too steep. Headed east until I could spot a place to get both down and up. Had to cross through two knee-deep channels that were VERY cold, bu t it was an easy exit from Sprague Brook, down the trail and up the hill past the bathroom to the car. 3:21

Quick change to dry clothes (socks, shoes, and shirt) before heading home.