Training Log Archive: Charlie

Event: WCOC Five Ponds meet
 

Five ponds red course. This was perhaps the best course I've ever been on. Excellent use of the forest, lots of route choice, avoided the nasty green (of which 5 ponds has much). Even a fine spectator opportunity, although not many spectators out on a rainy cold day. Well worth the drive up from North Carolina.

Red - Splits

Event: Blue Ridge Classic and Interscholastics
 

Green Y course day 1 at NC A-meet. Had to get out early so we could drive back. First out at apparently about 8:45, as I was back around 10, and on the road at 10:15 back to Asheville to pick up Rhonda and Zack, who elected to stay at the hotel and avoid the rain. Good navigation on first half, then lost it. Real trouble getting myself up hills. Obviously I need a lot of work.

Green Y - Splits

US Team Sprint at Dupont State Forest. Not a particularly fine effort. Got caught in the green, got off on some unmapped parallel features, lost a lot of time. Fun, though. Plenty wet.

Sprint - Splits

Lazy day, paddling around at Lake Oolenoy in South Carolina for a bit.

Woke up around 4 to lightning and thunder. Seemed to go away, and then came back fast with a lot of rain for an hour or so. This changed our plan of going down the Gunter's fork trail, which is only passable in dry weather, so back along the Mt Sterling Ridge trail to Pretty Hollow. At Pretty Hollow Gap, the second storm came through, with serious lightning, very high winds and hail. The wind was the scariest, bending the trees quite a bit Had planned to head to Walnut Bottom and camp one more night, but Zack was determined to hike out and set a merry pace. Tough on Rhonda's blister. Feet were pretty tired the last few miles. Zack was the horse all the way down, but flaked out at the car and slept most of the rest of the day. 40 pound packs will do that to a young whippersnapper.

C • An old whippersnapper too, and... 3

Day 2 of the backpacking trip, from Mt Sterling to Laurel Gap shelter. Supposedly the flattest high mountain trail in the Smokies and did not disappoint. Lovely streamside picnic lunch shortly before getting to the shelter. Not feeling too lively though, so turned in fairly early. Zack was not amused about sharing the shelter, so we pitched our tent instead.

A fine chorus of barred owls, starting in mid-afternoon, and then picking up again in the evening. Then late, after midnight, a short burst of coyote activity.