Training Log Archive: SpikeIn the 7 days ending Jan 19, 2019:
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Saturday Jan 19, 2019 #
other 30:00 [1]
Morning in the geyser basin.
I like to get out early - before the sun rises. Mary likes to sleep a bit later. So I got up, put on my little headlamp, and headed out to Castle Geyser. I like the light as the sun comes up.
In the dark, I tried to keep an eye out for bison. I didn't see any. But, it turns out I skied very close to one that was hunkered down for the night. On the way back, that bison stood up and was easy to see. I took a bit of a detour to avoid going right by him. I think the rule is to get no closer than 25 meters from a bison. That's pretty close and I wouldn't intentionally go that close unless there wasn't an option.
I like to get out early - before the sun rises. Mary likes to sleep a bit later. So I got up, put on my little headlamp, and headed out to Castle Geyser. I like the light as the sun comes up.
In the dark, I tried to keep an eye out for bison. I didn't see any. But, it turns out I skied very close to one that was hunkered down for the night. On the way back, that bison stood up and was easy to see. I took a bit of a detour to avoid going right by him. I think the rule is to get no closer than 25 meters from a bison. That's pretty close and I wouldn't intentionally go that close unless there wasn't an option.
other 3:00:00 [1]
Visit to Lone Star Geyser.
We did another ski drop to avoid some climb and skied out to Lone Star Geyser. This was the first time we saw anyone else on any of our ski trips this year.
The fresh snow was really beautiful. We also arrived just as the groomer finished the trail. That was nice. Perfect timing.
More perfect timing...we arrived at Lone Star Geyser just as the geyser started to erupt. It erupts about every 3-4 hours and, unlike Old Faithful, you don't have any forecasts for eruptions. But, with luck you get to see it and it is really nice - another of my favorite thermal features.
We went a little bit beyond Lone Star. I think the trail that continues on toward Shoshone Lake will be on the plan for another trip.
We did another ski drop to avoid some climb and skied out to Lone Star Geyser. This was the first time we saw anyone else on any of our ski trips this year.
The fresh snow was really beautiful. We also arrived just as the groomer finished the trail. That was nice. Perfect timing.
More perfect timing...we arrived at Lone Star Geyser just as the geyser started to erupt. It erupts about every 3-4 hours and, unlike Old Faithful, you don't have any forecasts for eruptions. But, with luck you get to see it and it is really nice - another of my favorite thermal features.
We went a little bit beyond Lone Star. I think the trail that continues on toward Shoshone Lake will be on the plan for another trip.
Friday Jan 18, 2019 #
other 3:20:00 [1]
Garmin shows 5:44 moving time.
I'd always wanted to ski out to Fairy Falls, but we'd never done that. So we did. We got a ski drop to the trail head along the Firehole River.
Fairy Falls was a mix of frozen ice features and flowing water. Really nice. I took out my camera to take a snapshot and it didn't work - the battery needed to be recharged. I forgot that I had my GoPro in my pack. If I'd remembered the GoPro, I'd have a photo. Oh well.
On the way back we walked up to the overlook at Grand Prismatic Spring. Last time we were on the trail the overlook was closed. At the overlook I remembered I had my GoPro and I got a couple of wide angle snapshots of the view.
On the way back Mary spotted some fresh coyote tracks. The coyotes often follow the ski trails and it was fun to see how the coyote used the ski trail. Then after we crossed the river, we spotted the coyote that had just left those tracks.
The trail back to the geyser basin follows a power line. Along that trail we encountered a large bison. We made sure the bison saw us to see if that would encourage him to move. It didn't. We waited a while. The bison didn't move, just stood on the trail and kept eating. Eventually, we decided to get down to the road. That meant cutting off trail through deep snow. We reached the road, went a bit to get by the bison, and then cut back to the trail at a point where it was relatively near the road. That meant more deep snow - a tiring chore.
On the way back we stopped at Black Sand Pool. One of my two or three favorite thermal features. We hung out a little bit, but it was a bit chilly with the wind.
I'd always wanted to ski out to Fairy Falls, but we'd never done that. So we did. We got a ski drop to the trail head along the Firehole River.
Fairy Falls was a mix of frozen ice features and flowing water. Really nice. I took out my camera to take a snapshot and it didn't work - the battery needed to be recharged. I forgot that I had my GoPro in my pack. If I'd remembered the GoPro, I'd have a photo. Oh well.
On the way back we walked up to the overlook at Grand Prismatic Spring. Last time we were on the trail the overlook was closed. At the overlook I remembered I had my GoPro and I got a couple of wide angle snapshots of the view.
On the way back Mary spotted some fresh coyote tracks. The coyotes often follow the ski trails and it was fun to see how the coyote used the ski trail. Then after we crossed the river, we spotted the coyote that had just left those tracks.
The trail back to the geyser basin follows a power line. Along that trail we encountered a large bison. We made sure the bison saw us to see if that would encourage him to move. It didn't. We waited a while. The bison didn't move, just stood on the trail and kept eating. Eventually, we decided to get down to the road. That meant cutting off trail through deep snow. We reached the road, went a bit to get by the bison, and then cut back to the trail at a point where it was relatively near the road. That meant more deep snow - a tiring chore.
On the way back we stopped at Black Sand Pool. One of my two or three favorite thermal features. We hung out a little bit, but it was a bit chilly with the wind.
Thursday Jan 17, 2019 #
other 2:00:00 [1]
2x 60 minutes from Old Faithful
We took the snow coach from Mammoth to Old Faithful and arrived around lunch. The highlight of the trip was spotting a river otter at the Gibbon Meadows picnic area. It is an area where the snow coaches stop for a break/restroom stop. I'd never seen a river otter before. Everyone on the coach (7 + 1 driver) got to see the otter after Mary's sharp eyes spotted it. The driver hadn't seen a river otter all season.
We had lunch at our cabin and then went out for some skiing, visiting Morning Glory spring.
Mary noticed that her boot wasn't fitting right and went to the O.F. ski shop and traded it in for another model.
After changing boots, we went out on a bit of the Mallard Lake trail. The temp was around freezing and the snow was kind of sticky.
Here is a bit of video of Mary on the Mallard Lake trail (it is a bit more of a downhill than it looks on the video):
We took the snow coach from Mammoth to Old Faithful and arrived around lunch. The highlight of the trip was spotting a river otter at the Gibbon Meadows picnic area. It is an area where the snow coaches stop for a break/restroom stop. I'd never seen a river otter before. Everyone on the coach (7 + 1 driver) got to see the otter after Mary's sharp eyes spotted it. The driver hadn't seen a river otter all season.
We had lunch at our cabin and then went out for some skiing, visiting Morning Glory spring.
Mary noticed that her boot wasn't fitting right and went to the O.F. ski shop and traded it in for another model.
After changing boots, we went out on a bit of the Mallard Lake trail. The temp was around freezing and the snow was kind of sticky.
Here is a bit of video of Mary on the Mallard Lake trail (it is a bit more of a downhill than it looks on the video):
Wednesday Jan 16, 2019 #
other 1:00:00 [1]
Tower Falls to Calcite Springs.
We had a short wait while some bison moved off the ski trail. Then we saw a group of 20+ bison running down the hill and across the trail. It was like a small stampede and something to see. I don't recall seeing so many bison all running so fast before. They were probably about 80 meters ahead of us and running across the trail. It reminded me a bit of the start of a stock car race where all of the cars are accelerating - there's a sense of the power.
I bet I'm the only person who would see a winter bison herd and be reminded of a local stock car race.
We turned around at the Calcite Springs overlook. Here's Mary at the overlook:
We had a short wait while some bison moved off the ski trail. Then we saw a group of 20+ bison running down the hill and across the trail. It was like a small stampede and something to see. I don't recall seeing so many bison all running so fast before. They were probably about 80 meters ahead of us and running across the trail. It reminded me a bit of the start of a stock car race where all of the cars are accelerating - there's a sense of the power.
I bet I'm the only person who would see a winter bison herd and be reminded of a local stock car race.
We turned around at the Calcite Springs overlook. Here's Mary at the overlook:
other 1:30:00 [1]
Bannock.
Bannock is a really nice trail - basically flat and a variety of woods and open areas. The snow was nice (last time we'd been there it was just ice). The trail goes out of the park at the north east side and we turned around just as the trail reaches a few houses.
A non-skiing highlight of the day was that we saw five moose. On the way to Bannock we saw two sitting in a field. One the way back we saw 3 crossing the road.
Bannock is a really nice trail - basically flat and a variety of woods and open areas. The snow was nice (last time we'd been there it was just ice). The trail goes out of the park at the north east side and we turned around just as the trail reaches a few houses.
A non-skiing highlight of the day was that we saw five moose. On the way to Bannock we saw two sitting in a field. One the way back we saw 3 crossing the road.
Tuesday Jan 15, 2019 #
Note
Travel day plus a bit of walking at MHS.
Sunday Jan 13, 2019 #
12 PM
orienteering 59:34 7.02 km (8:29 / km)
ahr:156 max:180 19c
PTOC score event at Shawnee Mission Park with about 5 inches of heavy snow on the ground and lots of snow on the trees.
My legs were heavy from yesterday, but I think it didn't make a whole lot of difference.
My local score O' strategy is to watch where the pack or packs go and head a different route. I prefer running alone. In the snow, that wasn't especially smart. A better strategy would have been to go the same direction Tom or Dean headed.
The controls were put out before the snow. Some of them were pretty hard to see. I think I've got a video of one of those. I'll try to post it later.
Lots of fun.
I took a couple of photos when I was warming up.
5
My legs were heavy from yesterday, but I think it didn't make a whole lot of difference.
My local score O' strategy is to watch where the pack or packs go and head a different route. I prefer running alone. In the snow, that wasn't especially smart. A better strategy would have been to go the same direction Tom or Dean headed.
The controls were put out before the snow. Some of them were pretty hard to see. I think I've got a video of one of those. I'll try to post it later.
Lots of fun.
I took a couple of photos when I was warming up.
5
running 25:00 [2]
A bit of a jog to warm up and then picking up some controls after the finish.