Training Log Archive: vmeyer

As some of you know, I don't tend to want to do much else when I go to orienteering events, except the orienteering related stuff and then veg out. With that in mind, I decided to find an activity to try in New Zealand, which was new to me. After looking around, I chose a guided trek on a horse. Selected www.boutiquehorsetreks.co.nz as the most suitable place and made arrangements for this morning for the sunrise ride. The pictures with me in them are courtesy of my guide, Dzidra.

Of course, I then decided that I needed to actually ride a horse ahead of time, so that I would more enjoy the experience. So, I signed up for lessons, which I took on Ed in February and March.

With my newly acquired right side driving skills, I took myself off, in a fog soup kind of morning.



I met up with Dzidra, who paired me up with Onyx, while she rode Bowie (named after David Bowie). Onyx was not much for small talk and was a bit of a handful, but I enjoyed the challenge, though it did take me a while to exert enough muscle to rein her in when I wanted to.

[I didn't remember to start my tracks until about halfway through...]

We wound our way around and through some adjacent farms from the stable, even having to dismount to deal with disabling an electric fence. I got to hold the fence handle, coming and going, and I was a bit nervous of that.

Dzidra on Bowie on the bike path.


Along the canal, lots of swans.


D leading Onyx and me around the edge of the Tuki Tuki river after Onyx refused to go along as planned, even turning around after we were in the water. I was too nice to pull her as hard as I should have, so we were led for a bit until we reached the beach.


Hawkes Bay













Back along the canal on a grassy path this time. Along here, I inadvertently gave Onyx the size to trot, and she was off, and she is not nearly as slow as Ed, that's for sure! After an exciting minute, I slowed her down...that was enough excitement for me.




When we came back through the electric fence area, I held both horses while D put the fence back to rights. Bowie was quite aggressive in scratching an itch. What a hoot!




Headed back...sheep 1


More sheep - hard to take pictures in focus when on a horse.


Back at home base, with Onyx enjoying one of the apples from the tree outside of the cottage's front door.


I really enjoyed the ride on Onyx, despite her recalcitrant attitude at times. I am glad that I took the lessons on Ed from Emily. Talking with D was also nice, like chatting up with an old friend. It was just the right amount of time, and I would do it again, if the opportunity arose. I.

C • horses 1

In the afternoon, I helped label and test the radio controls for the upcoming events. Also admired the results of Philip's 3D printer, the piece attaching the usb cable to the laptop.



And, a custom built box to hold the two monitors for the commentary team...








A chill afternoon...nap, giving the horses apples, being fed a home cooked meal...a good day.

I am staying in the cottage that Jane's father lived on, which is on the corner of their property. Not unexpectedly, I woke up very early. Talked to Roger at 5 AM, ate breakfast, drank some diet cokes. Then, as a follow up to my driving lesson of last evening, I took the old Ute out for a spin into town, buying postcards, stamps, NZ dollars, a book by a NZ author, and a freezee pack for my sore foot. [April 18 - still haven't sent the postacrds, spent much cash, read more than a few pages, and I left the freezee in the place we stayed two stops ago.]

Right outside the cottage is an apple tree,



and conveniently, the neighbor's horses. Fed them an apple a day,



and a quince one day, when the horses stood on front of that tree and looked longingly at the fruit, just out of their reach. They had already eaten the ones they could reach.



Note: if one didn't close the curtains when coming into the bedroom after taking a shower, then one might have found the same horses peering into the window, up close and personal. No, I didn't get pictures. :)





A lazy day = a good day.

Event: QOC Lake Needwood
 

Got up earlier than the rest, got help getting the bed converted back to a seat, and then watched La La Land. Entertaining, but I have to agree that it probably wasn’t worthy of Best Picture.

Finished that up just as the hot towels were being delivered. So soothing!



My breakfast started with granola and berry yoghurt, and a fresh slice of warm raisin bread. Then I chose pancakes off of the hot menu. Topped with dried fruit compote, vanilla cream, and syrup. Using the syrup was probably overkill, but the pancakes were tasty, and just the right amount.



Things were picked up and we landed in Auckland right on time. I got into a conversation with a woman from Auckland on the shuttle from the plane to the terminal, and when I mentioned orienteering, we bonded…her husband is on the team putting out radio controls at the events. Cool.
The hardest part of the trip was next…

First , I stopped at the Vodafone shop for a burner phone and NZ minutes for the month, in order to stay in touch with my hosts. I was first in line, so that was good, and the dollar is strong right now, so the package was something like $60 NZ, which I was fine with. But, every time I translate NZ to US, I get a smile on my face. I also added the $10 daily passport to my US plan. That math didn’t make me quite as happy, at the time.

Anyway, getting the phone first put me behind all the people off of my flight, negating the value of being off the plane first. Learning curve, though not a big deal really. However, I got into the All Other Countries passport line, where I probably could have been in the faster, self-serve lane. Still learning. Luckily, a bunch of us were moved to the New Zealand line, and thank goodness, because Ii may have had to have words with the young love birds groping each other in front of me, while a woman kept ramming me from behind.

Next, we got to declare stuff, another long line, which I was eventually moved out of to a shorter line. I had food (Skittles and Reese peanut butter eggs) and my orienteering shoes. I had the shoes out in a separate bag, and I had scrubbed them thoroughly before I left. So, I passed the shoe test and did not have to report to the long lines of people having to have their items dipped in a bleach solution. Yay for the internet!!

Finally, off to the domestic terminal to fly to Napier/Hastings. A brisk ten minute walk later, I was at the terminal. I checked my second carry on, since only one is allowed. The flight was only a quarter full, so I probably could have carried it on, but you don’t know that at the time…



No, the propeller didn’t fly off.

http://rg.orienteering.org.nz/gadget/cgi-bin/reitt...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vmeyer/albums/721576...

I foolishly thought I could do Red Long...heck, it was only 3.8 km - piece of cake, right?! Wrong.

First, a visit to the loo. Ah, the fond memories of the memorial toilet. Quite a fine facility on a not too warm day...



Then it was off to the start...



The 360 degree views confirmed that it was a steep area, as I Iwas advised.



The Start area - all a blur to my jet lagged brain, obviously.


Did I mention that it was steep? If not, well, it was very steep, and the climb was brutal, and my route choice to 1 was not optimal. I didn't realize that the map was 1:6,000 for a bit and was confused why there was a stream so quickly coming out of the Start. After climbing on my hands and knees to 1, through lots of tall grass, which I HATE, I found the control. That was the one which was a pile of tree branches passing as a rootstock.



And, now we have to go OVER THERE to #2!!


Still a ways to go...


Yup, it is down there somewhere.


Anyway, not the best route to 2 either since I had to slide down to it on my butt. At least it was mostly grass, and I avoided the lava rocks on my descent.

At this point I strongly debated walking it back in, but I didn't see a good wayto do so, so I climbed back up towards 3, which is where I had just come from. My host, Phillip, was coming back up from 2,


and again, I considered walking it in, which is why I went on the trail for a bit. Then, I changed my mind and followed Phillip, King of the Mountain, up the hill.


I made it to the top as well.


so, I decided to just hang with Phillip and continue,


Control 4 in a little patch of white woods.



Then, as I got close to 5, the travel caught up with me, and I just couldn't imagine doing 5, much less 8-9-10, so, I headed back. My tracks are correct...I didn't go to 5, or 6, even though I was so close, and I only got 13 because I ended up right by there, and it looked easy enough to slide down on the pine needles.


Looking back at the Red Long winner, Will T.


Back at the event arena...home, sweet, home. Well, until I leaned my shoulder against the electric fence and the zap went right through my butt.


The park was beautiful...with beautiful areas of redwood trees and tall pines.


The pictures don't lie. I am glad I went out, and I didn't get injured, so it was a good day, indeed.

And, perhaps Sandy can calculate the whole course climb for me. :)

C • climb 1

Lost day...

The second flight was San Francisco to Auckland. The trip through the airport was uneventful, and we were back in the air again about midnight my time.

We each had individual cubicles, with the two in the middle having a bit more contact with each other than the ones by the window. I had read the seat guru reviews, so I picked 7K which was last row, and seemed to be the most secluded. It was closest to the service area and bathrooms, but this wasn’t an issue. Especially since I probably set the record for trips to the loo...about 10 over 12 hours. Agh!



I was so sleepy, so I chose the quick bite dinner of soup and dessert. A hot towel beforehand was so nice.





This turned out to be the right choice because the full meal was delivered in freshly prepared stages, and I got help getting my bed sorted, and I was asleep before the last were served. Slept well, in between trips to the loo.

Event: OCIN Flying Pig XXI
 

Off to New Zealand today.

I let Pepper out at midnight, and she found another loose board in the fence and was off fox hunting. Fifteen minutes later, after much barking in the woods, she was at the front gate, like nothing happened.

What an angel, right?


One last look before I departed.


After a late lunch out with Roger, we drove to Dulles for the first flight to San Francisco.

I splurged and flew first class, spending about $6300 on the ticket. Thanks, Mom! The seating was 2/4/2, and I was in the front left 2 on the aisle. I ended up sitting one row back by the window in order to let two young brothers sit together. The rest of the family of six were a few rows further back… This worked well, because I leaned against the window and took a nap during the rest of the boarding process.

I woke up after we were in the air…the skies were clear.

OK, sort of lame, but I wanted to fit that picture in.

A hot towel to freshen up a bit, followed by dinner – chicken ossa buco. It was tasty.



I reclined the seat all of the way back, mostly flat, with no qualms that I was smashing the person in the row behind me, and I was asleep again before the dessert course.

Between naps, I watched one 30 minute comedy, read a little, and spoke to my seat mate only about 100 words the whole flight. A good flight.

Actual = 26:42

Actual = 40:00

No time for Brake the Habit race recap - sidetracked by work, which finally involves prepping my fill in, thank goodness! Then lots of peppering, printing maps for next two QOC events, folding laundry, and fretting about LOADS of other stuff.

Actual = 38:32

C • Peppering 1

Actual = 30:26

Actual = 52:07