Training Log Archive: bl

Event: OCIN A-meet (Night, Relay, Ultra-long)
 

Night O, Mt. Airy Forest. Was 61F when I arrived in Cincinnati, about 54F at start. Short sleeves would have been fine. B/B+ run. Lost some time at 7, 10, 11, guessing less than 2' total. Depressions were deep, no real give-a-way except, ironically, #7 where I had the most confusion. My light hit it from quite a distance but I mistook reflection for a runner's light & did not want to just run toward it should that person be searching/clueless etc. A second look later revealed a red reflection. Saw a double reflection 15' up in a tree which was either possum or raccoon eyes, probably terrorized. Izzy Bryant 36+, PG 38+. Hard to know who's come to the event in the dark. Nice to finally settle down after a long day.

M,C,R

Looking dark - although a big moon was off to the left


MHT/Phily/CVG, 7a flt. Moonlight on front path, no baby steps to/across the bridge. 4 alarms set for 5a: old BR CR (not entirely trusted), CR fm basement (never used/untried), wrist watch (might not hear), kitchen coffee maker (same) - with 4 was capable of banishing the "what if" thought. Surprised security was not curious enough about the wires & devices noted by technology to inspect.

US_Night_2012_Brown - Splits

Gallery #3
"Out of order", Mt. Kearsage summit, November, 2012


R&R day. After dark DP walk on the PL with Beth but moon hadn't shown its face.

Bower loop with dogs, just before dark. Didn't see anyone/anything. Cloudy so saw no moon either. Sluggish, maybe just resting w/o realizing.

It was a poignant exhibit: It was a poignant exhibit. Three strikes & one is out:
A & B

DP, slough & back, gray, raw. 31F seems colder than when the ground is white. Havr called this 0.7, can't recall where measurement came from. Was not from 305 but can't say I've exaggerated - if from road, it would be just that.

Hopkinton loop, run-in-country mood except the get-up-&-go had gone somewhere else. Really tired, didn't sleep well, this was a chore. Walked maybe 12-15' worth. Missed the fields, thought they were roadside - went in looking for the SVT...nothing but woods, no road. Sat shows I needed to go further but didn't know that. Was not a point of confusion going the other way last time. Still chilly, gray, raw, no moonrise to see tonight. Encountered the same two women I met last time - walking their 3 miniature poodles who began yapping at me on the otherwise-deserted dirt road from 200m away. Petted one, yapping stopped but as soon as I got on my way, it returned. The car lic plate: "My 3 dogs". High-strung little monsters. Nice to get to car: dry shirt, heater on high & a Coke for energy restoration.

From destruction, creativity

Cozy, one supposes

Rest day from 'beat up' activity. Was indeed scratchy/grabby yesterday. Noted a near full moon leaving gym.

NEOC High Rock meet, red. Cold day! temp was around 38F but with biting NW wind, felt considerably colder. B/B- performance. About 6' total errors, best for me maybe was 79': tired/old/cold today, anyway. Map is from early 80s. Field work by Betty Andersen - helped her with the A meet there back then. Lots of big rock features, plenty of contours, and lots of new paths which added to challenge. Cps 8 & 11 were maybe 2' loss each. Dave Yee helped me at end with 8 - he'd left #7 seconds before me. I got considerably to right, finally thought I had things straightened out but came to final knoll w/ doubt til David punched seconds ahead again. A few quirky things like unmapped path to 9 which helped alot...had to believe in it. #16 was right on an unmapped path - was on that path part way but then left for the woods because that was the direction to the boulder - path soon curved around unbeknownst to the boulder.

M,C,R

Last NEOC meet of season - first year I've been a member in the past 20...? Ian seems to have been instrumental in local energy for quite a few of these meets. After, Beth & I went to Quincy market for some light, warmth & food. Lots of people around, none seemingly minding the cold.

Boston in perspective

Red - Splits

Night O - Ran a Nottingcook BD '07 brown course. Moon about 3/4ths but dark enough in woods. Parked right at finish which was a nice plus. Then jog to start on south side of forest. Got a bit beyond Woodbury lookout when I noticed cut trees & wide, fairly new rutted logging roads...grrrr! Had hard time finding old trail to start. Then brief rest in meadow, then back into a waste land only visible thru a light beam, fortunately. Might have found first cp - was prepared for land mark challenge, found that (& no swamp) but came upon a boulder that might have been it. Two was obnoxious...fallen trees, steep contouring & some rocky areas - missed but relocated on trail. Missed 7 - after stream, lots of deadfall, some logging - did not find RF - went back to road, returned carefully, could not find it..thick, scratchy etc. Forgot to restart watch, discovered that on #8.

305 later showed me I went to wrong bldr at 6 - explains the bldr I saw in the forest but not under the circle in leaving the wrong point.

Good experience, hard work but depressing at the start. Again & again, encroachments, chopping up of forest that houses may grow. Only things in the forest that lit up were a # of thumb tack size reflectors on trees along a wide trail. Think they were for snowmobilers- tiny yet effective. At the end, the car lit up from 200m thanks to a "proper" light. Made the activity/task of nite O more familiar....
M,R,C

To start. Could see trail easily enough in deciduous/leafless woods.

Nottingcook Brown - Splits