Ian's Mt. Tom Red Course
Rainy rainy day and a horrible start to the course. Opted for what I now think is the slower route to #1, trails but just too much extra climb. But then 2 was terrible! Knew where I was, knew where I was and then boom, nothing made sense and I couldn't put it back together. Went back to relocate, again went high of the dot knoll and even higher for reasons that escape me now, and figured out what cliff I was standing on and into the control.
Tried it again, because you at least have to try to learn from your mistakes, still went above the dot knoll, but at least in the right direction from the cliff above this time...
3 was all fine, but too high just at the end and I think the streamer fell down. Passed the right cliff once, thought it was right but doubted myself because no streamer, came up from bottom, same cliff. 4 was almost fine, again just didn't see streamer until I did an extra loop?
Things went smoother after that, really no issues, except I felt like I wasn't moving that quickly. Still not quickly and clean is faster than all over the frickin place like first 4...
Things to take away: don't get scared by all the extra unmapped rock. It's fine, it's allowed to be there and not on the map because it's tiny, relatively! Also, a few extra seconds to be 100% sure of features is worth it. Sometimes being only 80% sure makes the brain do extra loops of doubt and panic when things get a bit not matching slightly later on.
QuickRoute
1661/2000