Orienteering 2:30:00 [2]
Setting out controls for my courses for tomorrow's meet at Chatfield. It was a little overcast for this part of it, but no rain or wind. I carried two gallons of water in my backpack to one of the controls.
I had to cross the S. Platte river twice, and the first time was fine, with no issues. But coming back across, I reached the far bank and slid on some mud as I was climbing up the bank. My backpack made me a little unstable, so I fell forward, impaling my cheek on a beaver-sharpened sapling.
It doesn't look so bad in this picture because I was able to stop the bleeding on my way back to the car by pressing my sleeve against it for about 5 minutes. There was a lot of streaming blood.
After I got home, I cleaned it up real good and it looks better:
You can't really tell, but it's kind of deep. I probably should have gone to a doctor, but...no time.
Orienteering (Mt. Bike O) 40:00 [3]
This was my major achievement of the day. I have a water control that will be servicing two courses and I calculated they would need 4 gallons of water. Well, really I thought 5, but I *knew* I couldn't carry that. But, how to get the water out to this control that was not near any roads? Knowing that 4 gallons weigh about 33 pounds, my knees hurt just thinking about that. So, I decided to use my mountain bike. Genius!
After getting back from 2.5 hours of setting controls on foot (= I was tired already), I loaded up my backpack with the water and 3 control stands and got my bike ready. Just then, the heavens opened up with the anticipated rain and high winds. Nice. I got on my bike, practiced getting my balance with a few laps in the parking lot, and then headed down the trail, with the rain and wind whipping in my face.
The first part was on a pretty big trail (almost a dirt road), so that wasn't too bad, but then it turned into single track, right next to a lake, with the ground on the right dropping off, down to the lake. I was doing okay, a little wobbly, when the control stakes, which were sticking way up out of my backpack, caught a low hanging branch, and threw my bike off to the side, starting down the slope to the lake. I braked hard which of course usually leads to endos, and this one nearly did, but I guess the weight of the pack kept me better grounded because I stayed upright. Phew! Very scary, though.
I continued on and soon got to the control, feeling very proud of myself. The water controls had been my biggest worry because of the weight of the water and my bad knees. But, I'm determined not to let my knees get too much in the way of what I want to do and I refuse to become helpless. So, I was sooo happy to have been able to get the water out there all by myself!
Orienteering (Mt. Bike O) 1:30:00 [2]
Setting the rest of the controls (one more water control with 2 gallons) on flat, friendly terrain. And, the rain had stopped, and it was absolutely beautiful!
Afterwards, I had to hurry home to pick up the maps from the printer before they closed. I will be very glad when this weekend is over!