Map and routeThis was more or less a last minute decision. Peter said he was going so I caught a ride with him. Very pleasant chatting about old friends, old races and a bunch of other stuff. I had given myself a talking to about trying to stay on compass, stay focused, and then there was the question of what course to run - M-75 on Brown Y (2.2k) or M-70 on Brown X (3.8k). Ended up with the latter, and I was pleased with the choice. Just about the right length for me and good entertainment.
1. A friendly trail route was available, but for some reason I thought it was a good idea to test my new commitment to compass and head through the woods. Not so good. Drifted right after I passed the hill and headed E, hitting the trail, so trail from there, and also a little fumble in the circle, heading a few steps too far left and low. An inauspicious beginning, and probably dropped a minute and a half or so compared to just taking the trail around.
2. This was fine, pretty much straight line on compass, seeing the hill from a bit away.
3. Also fine. Saw Peter heading the other way on his course, and Greg Lennon on my course. Got to the control ahead of him.
4. Headed down toward the long marsh and along it. Greg got ahead of me and gradually disappeared. I was tripping a fair amount, so going slowly. Seemed like it took a long time to get to where the marsh widened and went downhill to the right, turned left and into the slot between two hills, but saw the rocks to my right so I knew I needed to go over one hill N. Greg arrived again right behind me.
5. On compass and down the reentrant, seeing hills and boulders to my left. Thought I would go a little left and down the side of the reentrant, got a little too far left, but figured it out quickly. Saw Greg leaving the control and heading W as I was going E and toward it, and didn't see him again. So maybe 30 seconds lost here.
6. Thought I would go due W and head for the reentrant, then curve around the hill to the beaver dam, but the hill kept pushing me down to my R (but not as far as some folks) as I kept trying to correct. Eventually bumped into the hill, not as big as I had thought, so right over it and came out right at the trail to the dam. Saw Ed Kotowski there drinking water, but I didn't drink because I thought I'd rather get out of the sun and get back in the shade. Took the trail around, feeling a bit foolish about not just cutting directly over, then trail to the larger trail, left to the place with bend S and in fiarly directly from there, up the reentrant, past the hill with the two small dry ponds past it, the next dry pond, left of the first green marsh, and then the second one looked passable enough that I just pushed through, came out by the dry pond and right in. Very satisfying spike.
7. Stopped at the top of the steep drop down to the narrow marsh, but I saw footprints so I guessed it would be ok and it was. Across and turned where the marsh widened and up to the spur and dot knoll. Another spike.
8.S/SW to the trail, around to the open area, then missed the small reentrant and found myself on the W side of the narrow hill instead of the planned E side, so had to cross over, so another small loss.
9. Fairly straight, although I had to correct a bit, and also had to circle around because I was on the wrong side of the rocks.
F. Percentage-wise, worst leg. Went to the wrong side of the building!
Overall, quite fine, though, and I think 2nd in M-70, 2 minutes behind Jeff.
Fun to see everybody after, some whom I haven't seen in quite a long time. Jeff and Judy, Lex, Pete and Kristine Bundschuh, Alar and Eva. Bob Lux, Aims, Jim A, Jim H, Clint, J-J and Nancy, Ali and family, Tony Muffati, Peter Goodwin, Phil, lots of others.