Training Log Archive: Ricka

Event: MNOC Camp Ripley Fall Orienteering weekend
 

'Lomng' Sprint course on Ripley (MN) map. With 1:5000 scale and short legs, it was easy to stay in contact since there were only 2-4 contour features per leg perhaps. Very good contact and map reading, weak pace. Spotted Molly out of #3, stayed on her heels through 9. At 9, I took 2 steps into grassy area - knee deep in mud for 8 steps - UGH. Chose not to pursue Molly right, went left and clean. Beat Molly in by 1-2 minutes - Without hearing me, she wondered, "Is this the right way? Where is he?" She took bad route to road. Finished middle of pack.

Sprint: Warm-up up and down road. From old map, read contours on both sides of road to get use to vertical scale. I thought terrain would be flatter than Cat's maps in WI; actually very similar except wetter.

Middle: Took 1 hour between runs - warmed up on road again.

Medium Middle course. 1:10000 map. Much harder than AM. Since legs were longer, there was a lot more to plan and read on each leg.
S-1: Short first leg. Compass to saddle, into marsh.
1-2: No firm plan after I left pond. Compass bearing, missed left. Depression was mapped with pond - but dry. Probably too dependent on seeing water and may have just missed it. Hit medium green, confused, which? Wandered back, found dry depression with my control. Slow and uncertain leg - I ignored several small readable features.
2-3-4-5: Good plan and execution - read ocntours well.
5-6: First flat area. Confusing, left without a plan. Ended up way right near large ridges, climbed one and down, "control" - my #3!
3-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-F: "Wow, these small contour features are really well- mapped. I should read them and check them off." Only a bit slower - but it worked! Also, started to spot ridges on map and use them more frequently (I tend to focus on depressions.)

Lessons: I CAN read these maps, plan and execute a route. To stay in contact, use more of the small features. Favor the ridges.

Sad news :(. After 5 successful flights, TSA St. Louis confiscated "Red Stick". (4 foot long, 1.5 inch diameter hande-made walking stick.) Instead of cane or hiking stick, he was declared to be a 'weapon'. But of course, a 'real' cane is fine. How insulting! Could have used it on slippery hills and tired legs on Sunday.

Sprint - Splits

Great day to run around Hawn SP. I focused on flat area SSW of picnic shelter where I'd often been confused. Map is great there! But terrain is much more subtle and flatter than rest of Hawn. Easy to miss a flat 'reentrant' or ditch feature. Also, deadfall was bad at first, then scrub oak was pretty widespread - lessened visibility added nicely to orienteering challenge. Nice to be on a map and practicing 'O-basics'.

C • nice Dad! 1

45 more minutes or so walking around on map.

Sure hope I didn't miss anything important at all-day meetings at Meremac CC

Felt good.

9 machines at Y - felt good, back needed the work. Watch Rams hold on for a win - strong game.