Time:2:17:05 - winsplits - routegadget
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Friday, April 22, 2011
McKeldin - Apr 17, 2011
Course: Blue [8.3 km; 430m; 20 controls]
Time:2:17:05 - winsplits - routegadget
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Time:2:17:05 - winsplits - routegadget
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Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Westmoreland - Apr 10, 2011
Course: Line-O/Score-O [8 controls/15 controls]
Time: 2:52:00 (24/25 points) - results
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Once again the weather was damn near perfect. It was cool but not too cool but I heated up pretty quickly even though up top I was just wearing a t-shirt and a jacket.
The line-o portion of the course was hilly but not too difficult. A good deal of the line-o was along trails or well defined train features. I was completely unfamiliar with line-o prior to this event; I hadn’t even heard of it. I tried not to take that portion of the course too seriously. I focused on staying on course and didn’t worry too much about missing controls. I found them all even though I misplaced one of them (by 10 or 20 meters) on my map.
The score-o portion of the course was more challenging. The controls weren’t difficult to find, but the terrain was physically challenging; in other words, there were lots of steep hills. There was also a fair amount of mud and a swampy area that had to be crossed to get to most of the score-o controls. I was ankle deep in mud on a few occasions.
There was no e-punching. Very few people, just 11, attempted the advanced (line-o/score-o) course.
Time: 2:52:00 (24/25 points) - results
View Dave Goes Orienteering 2010-11 in a larger map
Once again the weather was damn near perfect. It was cool but not too cool but I heated up pretty quickly even though up top I was just wearing a t-shirt and a jacket.
The line-o portion of the course was hilly but not too difficult. A good deal of the line-o was along trails or well defined train features. I was completely unfamiliar with line-o prior to this event; I hadn’t even heard of it. I tried not to take that portion of the course too seriously. I focused on staying on course and didn’t worry too much about missing controls. I found them all even though I misplaced one of them (by 10 or 20 meters) on my map.
The score-o portion of the course was more challenging. The controls weren’t difficult to find, but the terrain was physically challenging; in other words, there were lots of steep hills. There was also a fair amount of mud and a swampy area that had to be crossed to get to most of the score-o controls. I was ankle deep in mud on a few occasions.
There was no e-punching. Very few people, just 11, attempted the advanced (line-o/score-o) course.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Little Bennett North - Mar 27, 2011
Course: Green [6.1 km; 200m; 16 controls]
Time: 1:52:56 - winsplits - routegadget
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The weather was perfect: cool, a little breezy, no rain or snow.
I arrived at 12:30. I helped out at the registration table from 1-1:45, after which I walked the green course. I would have preferred to attempt the red course but I was fairly certain that I didn't have enough time to finish it before 4:00.
Overall the course wasn't too difficult. I have orienteered in Little Bennett before but there was very little overlap between the section we used this time and the section used on my previous visits to the park. I probably could have done a better job with route selection, especially towards the end of the course. On the whole I am happy with my performance.
Time: 1:52:56 - winsplits - routegadget
View Dave Goes Orienteering 2010-11 in a larger map
The weather was perfect: cool, a little breezy, no rain or snow.
I arrived at 12:30. I helped out at the registration table from 1-1:45, after which I walked the green course. I would have preferred to attempt the red course but I was fairly certain that I didn't have enough time to finish it before 4:00.
Overall the course wasn't too difficult. I have orienteered in Little Bennett before but there was very little overlap between the section we used this time and the section used on my previous visits to the park. I probably could have done a better job with route selection, especially towards the end of the course. On the whole I am happy with my performance.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Pohick Bay - Mar 13, 2011
Course: Red [6.0 km; 190m; 12 controls]
Time: 1:50:31 - winsplits - routegadget
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The weather was perfect, not too cool and not too warm. I worked up a bit of a sweat. I didn’t get my feet wet, although I did walk through plenty of mud and marshy ground.
None of the controls gave me very much trouble. There were a lot of people in the woods, which made finding most of the controls that much easier. Could I have done a better job with route selection? Probably but I think I did a decent job. Next time I orienteer at Pohick Bay I should attempt the blue course.
Time: 1:50:31 - winsplits - routegadget
View Dave Goes Orienteering 2010-11 in a larger map
The weather was perfect, not too cool and not too warm. I worked up a bit of a sweat. I didn’t get my feet wet, although I did walk through plenty of mud and marshy ground.
None of the controls gave me very much trouble. There were a lot of people in the woods, which made finding most of the controls that much easier. Could I have done a better job with route selection? Probably but I think I did a decent job. Next time I orienteer at Pohick Bay I should attempt the blue course.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Manassas - Feb 13, 2011
Course: Red [8.1 km; 170m; 17 controls]
Time: 2:28:27 - winsplits - routegadget
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Time: 2:28:27 - winsplits - routegadget
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Sunday, January 30, 2011
Happyland (PWF) - Jan 30, 2011
Course: Blue [8.5 km; 380m; 13 controls]
Time: 3:35:50 - winsplits - routegadget
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Time: 3:35:50 - winsplits - routegadget
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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.
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.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Greenbelt - Jan 23, 2011
Course: Blue [8.2 km; 220m; 19 controls]
Time: 2:27:28 - winsplits - routegadget
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It was cold at Greenbelt but not quite as cold as it was a couple weeks before at Wheaton. Still, I wore long underwear and didn’t feel too warm wearing it. There was a breeze blowing but it wasn’t blowing very hard and there were lots of places in the park where I didn’t feel it at all.
I walked the blue course, which is a step up for me. It was my first time attempting a blue course. It felt more like a long red than it did a blue. The size of the park probably had something to do with that. I don’t expect that I will be attempting the blue course at all meets from here on out but hopefully some of them.
None of the controls were extremely difficult to find. The 17th control gave me the most trouble and even that one wasn’t impossible to find. It just took a little bit of time for me to reorient myself to the terrain and approach the control from a different direction. There were a few controls that were more or less out in the open, which didn’t seem right to me for a blue course.
The only other thing to slow me down was an elderly couple that stopped me to ask for directions back to the Sweetgum Parking Lot. I tried to direct them using my map. They weren’t too far from the lot. I’m not sure I was entirely successful since the o-map didn’t have the name of roads or trails on it. The husband asked me a couple times if the trail I was suggesting they take was the Azalea Trail. I finally had to tell him I didn’t know because it wasn’t marked as such on my map.
I decided not to use a Garmin 205 gps watch. I thought about it but was still feeling a bit silly about what happened last week with the device. Maybe next time I will.
The best thing to come out of this meet was the prepay addition to the online preregistration. I was able to pay for the meet with my PayPal account. I hope they use this from now on. I hate having to bring cash to pay for the meet. This is a monumental improvement. Of course, now I’m wondering how much it costs the club in fees to have this option available.
Time: 2:27:28 - winsplits - routegadget
View Dave Goes Orienteering 2010-11 in a larger map
It was cold at Greenbelt but not quite as cold as it was a couple weeks before at Wheaton. Still, I wore long underwear and didn’t feel too warm wearing it. There was a breeze blowing but it wasn’t blowing very hard and there were lots of places in the park where I didn’t feel it at all.
I walked the blue course, which is a step up for me. It was my first time attempting a blue course. It felt more like a long red than it did a blue. The size of the park probably had something to do with that. I don’t expect that I will be attempting the blue course at all meets from here on out but hopefully some of them.
None of the controls were extremely difficult to find. The 17th control gave me the most trouble and even that one wasn’t impossible to find. It just took a little bit of time for me to reorient myself to the terrain and approach the control from a different direction. There were a few controls that were more or less out in the open, which didn’t seem right to me for a blue course.
The only other thing to slow me down was an elderly couple that stopped me to ask for directions back to the Sweetgum Parking Lot. I tried to direct them using my map. They weren’t too far from the lot. I’m not sure I was entirely successful since the o-map didn’t have the name of roads or trails on it. The husband asked me a couple times if the trail I was suggesting they take was the Azalea Trail. I finally had to tell him I didn’t know because it wasn’t marked as such on my map.
I decided not to use a Garmin 205 gps watch. I thought about it but was still feeling a bit silly about what happened last week with the device. Maybe next time I will.
The best thing to come out of this meet was the prepay addition to the online preregistration. I was able to pay for the meet with my PayPal account. I hope they use this from now on. I hate having to bring cash to pay for the meet. This is a monumental improvement. Of course, now I’m wondering how much it costs the club in fees to have this option available.
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