Training Log Archive: Bash

Dontgetlost Peak-2-Peak
Waterdown

I've barely done any orienteering since the winter but I've just decided to do Raid the Hammer so I figured I'd better get out into the woods with a map. (Click for a larger version.)



Peak-2-Peak is a 2-hour score-style adventure run. I planned a route that took me on a fairly direct line to Grindstone Creek, where I could do a small loop to pick up some higher value controls that would more than compensate for the lower value controls that I skipped to get there. I've trained on a lot of hills this year so I figured I'd do better with a lot of climbing vs. a lot of running.

I got off to a terrific start by screwing up the first control I'd planned to visit (36). It was a low value control but I wasn't sure of my exact position for 5-10 minutes. I was heading the correct direction and counting ridges though. When I finally emerged from the thorny forest onto a path, I could hear voices of people off-trail looking for my 2nd planned control (45). So it wasn't a disaster although it took me almost 34 minutes to punch my first control in a 2-hour race - yikes!

After that, I turned my brain on and executed my plan about as well as I could have hoped for: 39, 43, 44, 41, 49, 48. My original plan was to go to 42 next but I realized I could get 40 points more easily by looking for other controls on the way back to the finish. After all, I'd skipped almost all of them! That turned out well. I was able to get 34 as planned, then decided at the last minute to go for 46 in the "Bullseye" section where part of the map was blanked out. It was worth 75 points, With 10 points/minute as a late penalty, that bought me 7 minutes!

After that, it was just a scramble to get back to the finish line at the Harry Howell arena. Anvil had mentioned that the map was incomplete for the plaza near the trail to the finish line (which included control 100 worth 150 points). I couldn't remember the name of the store he'd mentioned that was near the trailhead. In trying to decipher the map (not actually that hard, now that I look at it on the couch), I ended up in a field with vegetation over my head. That couldn't be it. I went back out to the parking lot and saw Emil Gadjanski running around Value Village. Value Village!!! That's what Anvil had said!! I ran as fast as I could but let's face it - that's not very fast. I finished 38 seconds overtime.

So much fun and what a spectacular autumn day in the forest! Bob was a rock star, clearing the course in 1 hr 32 mins with 1150 points. Given that my navigation at RockstAR in July was dubious, I was happy to be 1st of 21 Female Masters with 695 points (705 minus 10 penalty points). As validation of the "high value controls" race strategy (which I learned from GHOSLO years ago), the 3rd Female Masters visited 15 controls compared to my 10. I went for a nice lunch afterward with Bob, Hermes, Amber and WandAR. We missed Goose, who had to go to the hospital with a family member.

I didn't take any photos during the race but I couldn't help being a leaf gawker in our own neighbourhood on the drive home.

Humber Station Road



Beside our driveway

Random ride on the Collingwood bike trails on a crisp, beautiful autumn morning. Lots of people were out enjoying the sunshine. Time includes some waiting around at road crossings.

'Bent and I went exploring on some trails between Camperdown Road and Georgian Peaks. We'd seen some of the higher elevation trails in the Snowshoe Raid but the lower ones were new to us. The escarpment is very steep near Georgian Peaks and there were a few places where the trail was slick and challenging. It was a fantastic forest and we got a different - and spectacular - view of Georgian Bay when we emerged at a lookout. I'd give this hike a perfect 10 but I have to deduct some marks for poison ivy.

Dee and I started from the Osler Ski Club parking lot and followed their dirt road to the top of the ski hill.



Then we followed the Bruce Trail into Pretty River and did a combination of blue and white trails almost to the bottom of the valley before heading back to the top, then back down Osler. I really enjoyed this route. Great company, amazing autumn leaves, and we only heard one gun shot. (Turkey season.)

TEDx Collingwood - Ideas worth spreading. An interesting afternoon!

Feeling extremely proud and kinda shocked... Red Bull picked Wilderness Traverse as one of the top 10 adventure races on the planet!?! It's crazy to see our old school Ontario adventure race listed alongside some of the classics like Eco-Challenge, GODZone and the Patagonian Expedition Race. Kudos to Bob!

Red Bull advised, "Do this race if you… want to lose yourself in remote wilderness."

Honestly, we always find everyone eventually. ;)
https://www.redbull.com/ca-en/best-10-adventure-ra...

'Bent and I paddled from Arowhon Pines to one of the entrances to the White Trail, which is maintained by the lodge.

We were on a mission to find the ruins of Camp Minnesing - the historic Algonquin Park lodge on Burnt Island Lake that had eluded our party of canoeists in August. Given that our group consisted entirely of orienteers and adventure racers, we were surprised to be unsuccessful! 'Bent and I had visited the ruins before but hadn't approached them from the water.

Timato's Chrismar map was very detailed but - as it turns out - inaccurate in this area. My "Friends of Algonquin Park" map showed the lodge in the correct location but didn't look as believable as Timato's map because it lacked detail.

We hiked the quiet trail past Baby Joe Lake. It rained on and off. I love autumn leaves in the rain.









After a few kilometres, the trail got wider and looked like it could have been a wagon trail 70 years ago when the lodge closed.



Taking an easy-to-miss hairpin turn off the wagon trail, we arrived at the ruins of the lodge.



Various metal objects were rusting away.



From what I've read elsewhere, I think this may be the old septic tank.



There were 4 or 5 of these old chimneys. I lost count.



There is a canoe campsite at one end of the ruins so that would be the easiest way to find the lodge from the water. Embers of a recent fire smoldered in one of the chimneys. Here's the view looking west from the campsite for future reference.



Comparing today's GPS track with our track from 10 weeks ago, we were searching for the ruins about 100 m too far west.

August canoe trip - unsuccessful search for the ruins using an inaccurate map



Today's hike - the ruins are spread out along a trail near the water



After we'd wandered around for a while, the rain started up again and it was *cold*. We ran the first 2 km of our return trip to warm up, even though 'Bent was wearing hiking boots.

Then we paddled back for another huge, delicious lunch at Arowhon - the final meal of Thanksgiving weekend.

On the way home, we stopped at Algonquin Outfitters to pick up the discounted SUP I bought on Friday. I don't own a paddle yet but I think SUP season is pretty much over so I have some time to shop.