Training Log Archive: furlong47

To start

West Point Jackie Jones Mountain - GreenX (F35+)

As far as I can remember, new Harriman map for me. Start was at ruins of Orak mansion, which I have wanted to see for a while, though I wish I'd had my camera. Glad to see map at 1:10,000 today, also happy to see that published course stats were in fact a transcription error and my climb was 175, not 320. Length actually slightly shorter than expected too.

Out of the gate, went along the trail a very short time then dropped below the green. I was actually standing still momentarily and reading my map when I just kind of fell over (muddy ground must have given way) sending map flying as well. Picked self and map up and carried on. Headed toward hilltop I could see, as approaching it realized it was bare and my control was actually to other hill on the right. Got it.

Out to trail, in toward 2 checking off features, no problem.

Down to big trail. Followed stream in to rocky ground in white, angled up to control. Saw it way ahead of me. Awesome. Get there. Not mine. Oops. Think I know where I am, take new bearing, wandering around in rocks and green, all looks alike. Back down to stream, back into rocks and green, still no luck. Finally bump into "Mickey Mouse" rocks SE of control and able to recognize that, then find mine. Probably lost 10 minutes. Stinker control of the weekend.

S to smaller trail, find bare rock at bend, over top of smallish hill, can see dome of bare rock from a ways out and control 4 is just beyond. Like this area, lots of features I can read. Easy to 5 and 6. Across the slight uphill area toward 7, pick out the dent in the hillside pretty readily. 8, another one where I can see the feature from far off.

Long leg. Up to the smaller trail. Follow this to the NE until I encounter the stream, then cut the corner up to the big trail. Unfortunately take a minute to figure out if next trail to radio towers is to left or right of me (it's to the right). Up that trail past where I crossed between 1-2. I can see the dome of bare rock through the trees so I cut the corner by stone wall and cairns to that, pick up the trail W to fire tower.

At fire tower I intend to catch the trail to the N, found the big rock, but not the trail. Ended up paralleling power line and ducking through green until I reached the tiny pond, at which point the trail appeared to the left. Took it a short way, as second trail came in noticed cliff to left with control on it. Cut across power line here and down a bit to 9.

After this, easy. Down to power line at road. Along and across road to control at gate. At this point very tired, took wussy route of following road all the way around and up hill to go control.

Run in on sand, a little cruel but also pretty unique. Could have stayed off of it on concrete for a while, but whatever. All done WP weekend with fun courses and no major calamities, and I managed to defeat all comers in my age class (all two of them).

Sunday - Green X - Splits

Event: West Point National Meet
 

To start

West Point Lake Popolopen - GreenX (F35+)

Weather of the day, unexpected drizzle.

Upon arrival to start, discovered our course maps had accidentally been printed at 1:15,000. After turning over the map, initially found it almost impossible to read, with the course markings blending into all the black and the printing not seeming the sharpest.

Luckily, because I don't move all that fast in this terrain anyway, I still managed to figure things out okay. Not sure how, because I can barely make out what's there while sitting down in a chair in order to write this up.

Pretty dead on to 1 and 2. Was in the right area for 3 but couldn't determine which cliff. Used bigger features including the marsh below to figure out that it should be right behind me to the left, turned around, and saw the flag immediately. Doh.

Okay to 4, cut back by 2 and picked up the trail briefly, then went NE along the green patch to the wall of rock and followed that up to its end. Flag right where I expected.

Went high to 6, right up to the top of the mountain and along it, knowing the tops here are usually pretty clear. From up there I could actually see it from pretty far off. Short hop to 7, easy.

Along the top of the big cliff then down to keep the rock on my right, cutting over the top of wide spurrish thing to 8. Again, had trouble determining which cliff at first. Realized it was a lower one and dropped down and found it.

Looooong leg to 9. Went back through area of 7 & 6 and out to the road, coming out just at the curve. Stayed on the road until below the big swamp, then went directly W to control. Another short hop to 10, then back down toward 9 and out to the road again.

Road to the trail to 11. Saw cadets here packing up/out the start. Was too high to 12, above the cliffs, could see it below and had to find a place to get down. 13 seemed longer than it should have been. Sidehilling along, got drawn in by a control (not mine, not even the correct side of the hill yet, duh, but I had to climb up anyway eventually) then down on the nose of it encountered another bag I had seen while walking to start. This one was some training equipment with no punch or number. Kept going into the flatter area, finally coming to the control.

Had also noticed 14 on way to start, so went on road to S of it and went in and directly back out out to get it, knowing that area was clear. And then easy 15 and finished.

In all, pretty successful day for me at WP. I have two kinds of events here - slow and steady, keep contact, and feel good, OR total disaster either navigationally, physically, or both. Glad this year was the first type.

I think this day killed my Fitbit - after running the chrono kept turning itself on and off, then the battery died when it should have kept a charge for two more days. Monday, at home, it charges but doesn't know what time it is and refuses to sync. And the button only wants to respond sometimes. Have done several soft resets, will try a hard/factory reset but I think it's toast.

Saturday - Green X - Splits

Lesson on Orion