Training Log Archive: furlong47

Event: QOC Patuxent
 

QOC Patuxent - Brown Bumble

Distance from Garmin

1 LKMNO YUWXV 27

I started out with a plan to do Green (3 windows) but ended up changing my mind and only doing Brown (2 windows) so my window choices were not the best due to that.

First to the mandatory control, then to the window around it. But this was also the most spread out window, and I also don't think I had the best order. I went to L first, staying high and skirting the marsh near the maintenance complex. I had planned on N next but duh there's a lot of crap in the way. So instead I took the trail all the way out to K. I had trouble finding a place to get down into the stream, finally just sliding on my butt and getting covered in mud, then had trouble climbing up into the control as well. Stayed high out to the road but then took a second to figure out where I was before going in to M and right back out to the road. Entered a bit too early for N but it worked out ok, just dropped into the big ditch (full of really old glass bottles and other trash) and followed it to the control. Tried to climb out via a reentrant but was sinking into the mud so clawed my way up a spur instead. Then across the road and attacking off the little square fence to O, but it was too far in vague terrain and I drifted left. Wandered a bit, tried to relocate, saw a bunch of people coming from who knows where (maybe the other window) and finally bumbled into the control.

By this point I was an hour in and felt like I was struggling with the mud and the steep climbs and drops, so I decided to just do one more window. That was the right choice. I'm not sure if I picked the best window, but it put me closest to finish and there was a nice trail into it. So trails alllll the way to the bottom of the map. There was nowhere to cross earlier. What looks like a stream with open areas on the map was actually pretty lake-like in real life. The trail itself was also decently flooded and I do not have the coordination to balance on the wooden edges that were still above the water, so I just sloshed through what was at times knee deep. Climbed up to the plateau, took the trail to Y, then cut across the flat to U, then back down the same way through the flooded trail.

Went to the Critical Area Drive road, then cut the corner and dropped into the lower area before W, which was actually kind of cool with almost a tunnel under overhanging ?holly? trees. Followed the edge to X and again to V, dropping down to cross the stream. Then out to the field, across it to 27 (visible from a long way) and finish.

I was pretty sure I had only missed one Bumble - the second one, at Greenbelt. I looked back in my calendar to see why, and apparently it was the winter of 2014 when I was working at the barn on Saturday mornings. But then I realized there actually was one in 2021, and I missed that one as well. I think that was mostly due to just not doing as much at the time, but we were also required by work to not leave the state for quite a long period and I can't remember when that restriction actually ended.

Just around the neighborhood. Left hip super tight and back hurt. Not good signs for Saturday.

Lesson on Neo

Event: QOC Morven Park