Decided to head to Haystack - one of Greg's maps - for some orienteering. Figured it would be a good warm-up for West Point with lots of boulders and cliffs, both mapped and unmapped, some blueberry and a decent amount of climb. Designed a course and put it in UsynligO this morning and left around noon. Weather was in the low 40's so on the cold side for me but I kept my jacket on and was fine.
The first half of the course was really physical, lots of climb and lots of rock and some storm damage - no big trees down but lots of branches to push through in a few places. It eased up a bit partway through the course which was a good thing as I was starting wonder if I had made the course too long but I really didn't want to bail. I didn't see a sole out there the whole time and was feeling a tad vulnerable. But the last part of the course was mostly downhill and nicer woods so it turned out fine.
Doubted myself a few times and had to slow down (from a faster walk to a slower walk) and look around to double check but always decided I was okay and really was.
1:42:xx on the course, plus the walk to start and back from finish.
Quickroute