Training Log Archive: RickaIn the 7 days ending Apr 13, 2012:
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Friday Apr 13, 2012 #
Running warm up/down 8:00 [2]
Several runs to and from parking lot to get heart pump 'a bit'.
Orienteering 26:12 [4]
Placing in a campus sprint was a long shot for me but I grabbed 3rd! Very satisfied. Pace was slightly stronger than I expected as i stayed with (faster) Bob Boltz for 10 controls - he pulled away at end. He hesitated more out of controls, letting me stay in touch.
My top competitors: Bob Lux MP (see below), fast Tom Nolan skips sprints; Walter S struggled. Congrats to Paul Clatterbuck of PTOC on 2nd place!
Only error was 'trick'. From 5, I followed red-line to 6 - Oops, it was 9 - very confused. Fortunately I did not proceed onward to 10 as Bob Lux did. (the red-line was the broken line from 8 to 9 which unfortunately went straight through #5). I just couldn't figure out why I was pointing to #10 so fast Unfolded map and 'found' 6-7-8-9.
Also, two route choice bobbles. Read map well, planned ahead, did not fall for 'dead-end chute' on 4 to 5 (but that is probably why I had no time to look ahead for 6 & 7.
My top competitors: Bob Lux MP (see below), fast Tom Nolan skips sprints; Walter S struggled. Congrats to Paul Clatterbuck of PTOC on 2nd place!
Only error was 'trick'. From 5, I followed red-line to 6 - Oops, it was 9 - very confused. Fortunately I did not proceed onward to 10 as Bob Lux did. (the red-line was the broken line from 8 to 9 which unfortunately went straight through #5). I just couldn't figure out why I was pointing to #10 so fast Unfolded map and 'found' 6-7-8-9.
Also, two route choice bobbles. Read map well, planned ahead, did not fall for 'dead-end chute' on 4 to 5 (but that is probably why I had no time to look ahead for 6 & 7.
Thursday Apr 12, 2012 #
Walking 40:00 [1]
Recovery day. Not surprisingly, legs a bit heavy from yesterday.
Up beautiful Mill Creek. Then return trip to look for several walking stick candidates. Rhododendron is tough - wonder how it will hold up.
Also two look like a version of ironwood.
Up beautiful Mill Creek. Then return trip to look for several walking stick candidates. Rhododendron is tough - wonder how it will hold up.
Also two look like a version of ironwood.
Running 6:00 [2]
Hmm, I'm on trail - better run. Down Mill Creek path - slight downhill was nice boost
Then took highway 61 all the way to Carrolton GA - seeing rural and small town GA was more pleasant but a lot slower than I-75.
Motel to get laundry done and repacked for SML Champs.
Then took highway 61 all the way to Carrolton GA - seeing rural and small town GA was more pleasant but a lot slower than I-75.
Motel to get laundry done and repacked for SML Champs.
Wednesday Apr 11, 2012 #
Walking 7:00:00 [2]
4 hours up from Hickey Gap CG in GA NFS up to panther Bluff. 3 hours down.
With Richard. Oil driller, lives east of Grayling MI. It was about 2000 feet climb. Panther Bluff looked like great view to west. When we got there, dense 10 foot saplings obscured view. "Can't see the forested hills for the trees."
Richard is a supervisor of small team of 10. They're finishing drilling a hole in Florida - South Carolina is next once they can figure how to get their equipment out of the hole - a vital piece broke. Not a HS grad but now self-teaching himself Chem and Physics on internet in order to master wind & solar energy, electrolysis to make hydrogen, and efficient storage of hydrogen (all this in his spare time!). Wife joined him - left two teen-age boys in MI. Great with contour map and compass but prefers 'mil rads' over degrees for bearings.
Beautiful waterfall - forced a 100+ foot climb straight up next to do it. Passed a mountain biker - about 50. Don't know how he dragged his bike up here. 3 back-packers told us the 'regular route' to Panther Bluff was tough, so we took a steep short cut. Horrible deadfall and green briar. Returned via 'regular route' - so darn easy!
With Richard. Oil driller, lives east of Grayling MI. It was about 2000 feet climb. Panther Bluff looked like great view to west. When we got there, dense 10 foot saplings obscured view. "Can't see the forested hills for the trees."
Richard is a supervisor of small team of 10. They're finishing drilling a hole in Florida - South Carolina is next once they can figure how to get their equipment out of the hole - a vital piece broke. Not a HS grad but now self-teaching himself Chem and Physics on internet in order to master wind & solar energy, electrolysis to make hydrogen, and efficient storage of hydrogen (all this in his spare time!). Wife joined him - left two teen-age boys in MI. Great with contour map and compass but prefers 'mil rads' over degrees for bearings.
Beautiful waterfall - forced a 100+ foot climb straight up next to do it. Passed a mountain biker - about 50. Don't know how he dragged his bike up here. 3 back-packers told us the 'regular route' to Panther Bluff was tough, so we took a steep short cut. Horrible deadfall and green briar. Returned via 'regular route' - so darn easy!
Tuesday Apr 10, 2012 #
Note
First chose to be a tourist for one day in Knoxville. Eastern Tennessee Museum was small but impressive:
Revolutionary War & later: French and Britain fought for Cherokee allegiance, French won. French and Indians did well against Brits.
Civil: Few or no plantations in TN so fairly few slaves. Most were maids, farmhands, carpenters, etc. The Union dominated Eastern TN - lots of really ugly raids and starvation on both sides. Split families and communities.
TVA dams in 20's and 30's finally brought electricity here. CCC's were big in the area.
One display to counter the "hillbilly" image of the area.
Great food selection surrounds Market Square. Then a walk along TN River.
Found a Starbucks to get on Internet and pick next campground and hikes. On to northern GA - next to Cohutta Wilderness. Hickey Gap was very nice NFS campground - FREE!
Revolutionary War & later: French and Britain fought for Cherokee allegiance, French won. French and Indians did well against Brits.
Civil: Few or no plantations in TN so fairly few slaves. Most were maids, farmhands, carpenters, etc. The Union dominated Eastern TN - lots of really ugly raids and starvation on both sides. Split families and communities.
TVA dams in 20's and 30's finally brought electricity here. CCC's were big in the area.
One display to counter the "hillbilly" image of the area.
Great food selection surrounds Market Square. Then a walk along TN River.
Found a Starbucks to get on Internet and pick next campground and hikes. On to northern GA - next to Cohutta Wilderness. Hickey Gap was very nice NFS campground - FREE!
Monday Apr 9, 2012 #
Walking 1:30:00 [2]
Since I stayed at Natural Bridge State Park, I figured I should see their Natural Bridge. VERY impressive and massive. I took the short "Original Route" up and the longer "Rock Garden" trail back. Rock Garden was besgt trail of 5 days: Followed base of cliff for 1 mile, then great variety of wildflowers (and 3 photographers) in woods.
Running 28:00 [3]
Since Linear Ice hinted (intentionally or not?) that trails would be good for a trail run, I ran creek trail up to Whittleton Arch, paused to admire it, and ran back down. About 15:40 up, 12:20 back. Even the slight uphill run felt very good - best run in a long time!
Then drive to motel north of Knoxville. Time for a shower and Mexican meal.
Then drive to motel north of Knoxville. Time for a shower and Mexican meal.
Sunday Apr 8, 2012 #
Walking 3:00:00 [3]
Very mild sprinkle got me going faster in the morning. I'd rather hike in the rain than pack in rain. Then cloudy, cool, threatening all AM until sun broke out - perfect. Two long uphills - legs still okay. Hiked out past Gray's Arch - fantastic arch and overhang to end the trip. Earlier I took one wrong turn. Uphill, I saw two faint trails, but left seemed larger. Hiked along base of 20 foot wall waiting to get on top of it - oops dead end. Hmm, haven't seen any white blazes in a while. Backtrack. Right branch had white blaze 50 feet ahead, just out of sight behind rock. Otherwise trails were very well marked.
Overall, my 'back to back-packing trek' went well. I packed reasonably: not much extra; nothing missing but hat for sleeping. One-burner propane stove was excellent: dehydrated for supper; oatmeal etc and coffee for breakfast; snacks for lunch. 1-man tent and new sleeping bag next time. Of course, no rain, no mosquitoes, and cool temps make everything easier.
Went to Natural Bridge State Park's resort lodge for supper and wi-fi. Easter buffet: food was only warm, still ate too much, but hot shower and catching up an emails feels good. I'll easy hike here tomorrow, then must decide next route towards Georgia.
Overall, my 'back to back-packing trek' went well. I packed reasonably: not much extra; nothing missing but hat for sleeping. One-burner propane stove was excellent: dehydrated for supper; oatmeal etc and coffee for breakfast; snacks for lunch. 1-man tent and new sleeping bag next time. Of course, no rain, no mosquitoes, and cool temps make everything easier.
Went to Natural Bridge State Park's resort lodge for supper and wi-fi. Easter buffet: food was only warm, still ate too much, but hot shower and catching up an emails feels good. I'll easy hike here tomorrow, then must decide next route towards Georgia.
Saturday Apr 7, 2012 #
Walking 3:30:00 [2]
Decided to not pack up and move tent. I liked the site and needed to test body aches. Hmm, no soreness in legs or back - pleasant surprise. With no pack, legs had good spring.
Did four day-hikes. On way to first, met a mother-daughter pair looking for "Hanson's Point". From their page description, I realized, "That's where I'm going." Easy (except for deadfall from fires) flat hike along ridge trail to awesome point. They were very impressed! Mother was very protective of her 24(?) year old "pediatrician in training" daughter - "Don't get so close to the edge."
Second was down and up to creek to resupply water. Used 'new' Katadyne (?) mini-filter. Very slow and very hard to push - not impressed. Stay with tablets?
Third was to find the ridge I'd missed yesterday for camping. It was another 80 m along trail, across broad reentrant from my camping spot. Nice site with more options for camping - no sign of prior campers. Then found nice white pine grove and small rock face and overhang.
Fourth was to knoll (1160 feet) to watch sunset and then full moon rise - both were impressive. Small campfire kept me warm.
Dusk and dawn - what is world's record for most non-stop whipper-will calls? My friend got to at least 130.
Not as cold as last two nights.
Did four day-hikes. On way to first, met a mother-daughter pair looking for "Hanson's Point". From their page description, I realized, "That's where I'm going." Easy (except for deadfall from fires) flat hike along ridge trail to awesome point. They were very impressed! Mother was very protective of her 24(?) year old "pediatrician in training" daughter - "Don't get so close to the edge."
Second was down and up to creek to resupply water. Used 'new' Katadyne (?) mini-filter. Very slow and very hard to push - not impressed. Stay with tablets?
Third was to find the ridge I'd missed yesterday for camping. It was another 80 m along trail, across broad reentrant from my camping spot. Nice site with more options for camping - no sign of prior campers. Then found nice white pine grove and small rock face and overhang.
Fourth was to knoll (1160 feet) to watch sunset and then full moon rise - both were impressive. Small campfire kept me warm.
Dusk and dawn - what is world's record for most non-stop whipper-will calls? My friend got to at least 130.
Not as cold as last two nights.