I'll upload track from Garmin/computer later. For now...
We went to the Haystack UsynligO courses near Wilkes-Barre today, figuring it would be slightly less humid than tomorrow (and tomorrow we'd have more Turnpike users). It was about 74 when we started, 78-80 when we finished.
I did the Adv 1 course, 3.9 km straight line, designed by Greg A. Beyond a total brain fart to #6 (hadn't gone far enough and made other features match up), I think I did well...saw most if not all features before the song played to indicate I reached the control. Sandy did 8:19 on the #6 leg and I added 1km and took 35+ minutes. (5.5 km total for the course)
Very nice area! I enjoyed the visibility compared to the woods at Lost Lakes.
11 AM
Hiking warm up/down 12:53*** 0.59 mi (21:49 / mi) +14m20:20 / mi ahr:112 max:137 shoes: 2019 VJ Falcon 6.5 scot
To the start of the Adv 1 course from parking, along a large jeep road.
12 PM
Orienteering (UsynligO) 1:57:48*** 3.19 mi (36:56 / mi) +116m33:11 / mi ahr:115 max:167 spiked:15/17c shoes: 2019 VJ Falcon 6.5 scot
Haystack Mountain, 3.9 km Adv 1 course designed by Greg A (thanks!!).
Great map and a fun course in interesting woods/terrain. Except for #12, I think all the rock features mapped were highly visible. When the tone sounded at #12 the bit of rock I saw wasn't nearly as noticeable as all the previous boulders had been, where I could see the feature before hearing the "you're here" tone. (I wasn't quite sure about the cliff halfway between 11-12 either, which coincidentally was a control on Adv 2.)
I think what happened on the way to 6 was 1) I didn't go far enough despite counting paces; 2) I had trouble reading the narrow yellow clearing on the narrow spur east of the control; and 3) not identifying precisely where I first relocated from (which was NOT where I actually was). Need to remember those skills! I ended up using UsynligO hints/clues more than once to figure out how far and which direction to go when things didn't make sense.
Great views north and south from the start location on the power line clearing! Also, I had some tiny wild blueberries (while searching for #6), saw a red eft, and a 6+ point buck (antlers still in velvet) which crossed the trail when I was heading back to the car from finish. I also saw Glen once on the course (he was heading from my 3-2 as I headed the opposite direction). I was sure he'd finished already but he caught up to me on the hike back to the car.
Great location, about 1:15 drive for us; an hour north of the Allentown tpk exit .
Hiking1:10:06 6.08 km (11:31 / km) +86m10:46 / km ahr:105 max:132
Walked at Jacobsburg SP on almost entirely shaded trails; mid-80s and sunny. One almost-fall but I caught myself. I try to pay a lot of attention to the trails when they're as rocky as some of these are. Few others on the trails today, though I encountered a pair of dog walkers (with leashed dogs!) twice, one mtb'er who remarked on how slow-going it was (he was on the rockiest part of that trail), and a family looking for a good place to wade in Sobers Run. Also, at the "ford" mid-stream, there were at least a half dozen moms with toddlers, so maybe 8-10 kids. The ford looked almost crossable-without-getting-feet-wet, which is rare, but I didn't attempt because of the crowd. ;-)
Patch of wild bergamot near the starting trail junction was pretty.
Neighborhood, starting around 8:45when it was more reasonable. Five medium to large toads and one small one (~1").
A clear night! Glen got out the spotting scope to check out Jupiter and we saw three of the four moons J-J mentioned. Glen also got a good view of Saturn but I couldn't get it focused well enough for my eyes for a good look. And Neowise was still visible (binocs and scope), though fading a bit.
Biking (gravel rail trail) 1:42:29 22.81 km (4:30 / km) +2m4:29 / km ahr:113 max:145 shoes: Trek DS 3 hybrid
Biked on the D&L Trail on this hot day. We got started at 10:30 so not the hottest part of the day, but still plenty warm (clothes were soaked with sweat when we finished). 83-90 degrees
We parked at Giving Pond Recreation area and first pedaled north to finish a section we hadn't ridden on, where Rt 32 crosses the trail, south of Riegelsville...I think it was a town called Upper Black Eddy. Then we turned south and rode past Tinicum Co Park and Uhlerstown covered bridge, almost as far as the Tinicum Creek crossing (but not quite) in Edwinna, where 32 crosses back over the trail again; we didn't see much of the Delaware River at all here.
Saw a few turtles and two great blue herons in the canal.