Course: Blue [8.5 km; 380m; 13 controls]
Time: 3:35:50 -
winsplits -
routegadgetView Dave Goes Orienteering 2010-11 in a larger map
I should have known better than to attempt the blue course, mainly I am thinking of the snow and ice, which were everywhere. I only orienteered at Happyland once before, March 2010. That time I did the red course and did not finish the course. So, I had no business trying the blue course, even though I did find all the controls.
Not all of the controls were easy to find. One control that was easy to find was the 4th control. It was right on the road at a bridge. For some reason I decided to try and cross the stream elsewhere. I probably cost myself 5 to 10 minutes with that brain fart.
The 5th control didn’t control didn’t give me too much trouble but I did not take the direct route. I took a trail most of the way there and then cut cross country. When I got near the control I looked around and found it very quickly. It was a long walk and I probably could have done a better job with route selection but I found it on the first attempt, which pleases me.
I think I lucked into finding the 6th control. The terrain was very repetitive in the area around the control. I was in the right general area when another individual who was also looking for it showed up. I took a quick look at the map, the direction he was heading in, my compass, took a few steps in the same direction he was headed in and there it was. I was very close to it, already but his appearance helped prevent me from wandering off in the wrong direction.
After the 9th control there was a lot of climbing; a lot of up and down steep gorges. The ice and snow didn’t make climbing, especially climbing up, any easier. On more than one occasion I had to put my map in my cargo pocket so that I could use both hands to climb.
The 12th control gave me the most trouble. There was a lot of ground to cover between 11 and 12. When I got to where I thought the control should be I couldn’t find it. I found another control that wasn’t on my course. I studied the map a little bit and decided that I must not be exactly where I thought I was, but I also knew that I couldn’t be too far off. So I circled around some more and eventually found it.
The 13th and final control gave more trouble than it should have. I think I was pretty worn out at that point. There was a lot of bushes and trees close together. I needed to head north-northwest but I kept veering west. Eventually I got to the control but it took me probably 5 minutes longer than it should have.
My feet were wet for much of the course. Not fun. After orienteering I took off my boots and socks, dried my feet and put on dry socks and shoes. Still, it wasn’t until I had driven 45 miles back to my apartment that my feet started to feel normal again. Just for the record, I didn’t wade through any streams. My boots are defective and melting snow and ice was leaking into them. I need to buy new boots.
Before orienteering I performed my good deed for the day. There wasn't much space to park. I arrived just behind a small pickup truck. We had to drove down a road, turn around, and then park on the side of the road. When turning around the truck got stuck.
After watching his wheels spin for about 30 seconds I got out and offered to give him a push. He didn't think it would work. I wasn't so sure myself. I did my best to push, when that didn't work I tried rocking the truck. That did the trick. I was a little annoyed that several people walked past without offering to help.
After orienteering I grabbed a bite to eat at the winter meeting. I was in the woods for so long that the meeting had already begun and most people had already had their fill. I picked and chose from what was left. I'm not sure what I had to eat but it was filling.
