Orienteering 2:35:54 [3] 5.2 mi (29:59 / mi) +1316ft 24:11 / mi
shoes: MPMW15:w
Red (18 controls, 7.5 km, 200 m)
Actual Distance Traveled: 8.4 km
Actual Climb: 401 m
It was very gray at Greenbelt today. The rain managed to hold off for the most part until I was just about finished with the course. Weather predictions from earlier n the week had me thinking I would see considerable more rain than I did.
This was my first time orienteering at Greenbelt since the Bumble in 2014 and my 10th time overall at Greenbelt. My previous visits to this park for orienteering include 1 training event, 2 green courses, 3 red courses, and 3 blue courses. There was no blue course today which is sometimes the case at this park.
The first control was a long one. There might have been a faster route than the one I chose but I didn't have any trouble getting there even if I did choose the scenic route and crossing the big stream over the foot bridge.
The next couple controls weren't difficult to find. I got a little bit of help with the 4th control. I had a lof of trouble with the 5th control. I was very close to it but it took me over 10 minutes to find it. I was convinced I knew where it would be relative to the camping area but I was wrong. Several people passed though the area while I was searching for it but I didn't see any of them punch it. Eventually I headed toward the creek and then came back up the hill and found it then.
I didn't have any real trouble with the rest of the controls that were located south of the big creek although I probably coud have found a faster route to the 11th and 12th controls. I walked right past the 15th control without seeing it. It wasn't until after I reached the trail that I realized that I had gone too far north. I found the last few controls without any trouble.
This park isn't a difficult one to navigate in. There are some thorns and thick areas with lots of downed trees. It was interesting to see where the course did and did not take me in the park. The course was difficult enough to challenge we mentally and physically but not excessively so.