Training Log Archive: bl

To the peninsula & botanic garden. A melt-in-ones-mouth am. A jog-run, what fun!

Happened upon a 1913 memorial to Robert Scott’s expedition to the South Pole ending with deaths of all around March 25, 1912. One part: “They rest in the great white silence of Antarctica amid the scenes of their triumphs, wrapped in the winding sheets of the eternal snows”. This memorial was in the rose garden section of the botanical garden. I recall the statement “I never promised you a rose garden”. I now see that was the title of a novel concerning schizophrenia. It might well have referred to some English explorer far away, far from sharing a lovey rose garden - with a lonely spouse hoping for his return.



Of interest

C • Also... 3

C • compass 4

Orienteering! Return to Gladbrook after 25 years! Arrived on the late side, couldn't find last bit of directions & stopped at the Middlemarch PD for a boost. Can't say I remembered anything but the bizarre & beautiful (bit desolate, too) terrain. Would like a chat with a U of Otago geology prof/student for an explanation of its origin.



Also

First & main problem was fact that compass needle would not settle or give me confidence in where mag north was. Don't recall using a different southern hemisphere compass back then but maybe being so much further from mag north calls for a different solution. The needle was sooo disinclined to point out mag N! I don't note a dip in the needle -- as we did on the boat around 33 deg S & had to remove a small, nonferrous weight under the compass card that compensated for northern hemisphere dip & caused a mechanical catching with the centerline lubber line on the compass housing. The O compass, as I look at it, appears to have a needle parallel with the ground. Or maybe not - if so, subtle.

I convinced myself I was in the start triangle & got to first point ok. #2 was ok for first 2/3rds but then compass indicated more to right & contours said keep left. Tried to use wind direction better but did not master soon enough (a fairly strong north wind) & was confused re what the needle was saying & where I felt I should be heading. To #3 was a significant directional problem & I returned & started over. The rocky terrain is laid out NW-SE so a leg like 3 to 4 was reasonably straightforward. 4 to 5, cross-terrain was harder. It seemed the needle often was more reliable when I was in motion. I made my way round the course, improving. I did this in 37.5' as an M40 in 1989, 20 minutes faster than today. I'd say 10-12' is due to being just plain slower. The compass issue (unreliability for most part) must have been worth some 5'. I also managed to step in a rabbit hole, wrenching my ankle (there were numerous rabbits & dens). That gave me cause for pause as a sprained ankle there did not seem a good time & place, if ever. Also, 25 years ago, I recall occasionally seeing a runner ahead I was convinced was going to the same point. I arrived at #10 & could see the car near the finish circle. Had to stop at the gate, some 100m early. But the finish field was about the same except for a crop of some green leafy veg growing where the finish was back then.

All in all, a most interesting few hours. Can't say I'll be back again!

Drove to Naseby & thru Ranfurly in arriving. We had a competition in the Nasedy forest in '89, featuring complex gold diggings but the map was nearly half a planet away.

Course/route then & now

(here it is: "An interesting detail is that there are northern- and southern-hemisphere compasses. This has to do with the fact that the magnetic field lines, to which a compass needle aligns, point into the earth at the north and south magnetic poles. In the northern hemisphere the north end of the needle is pulled downwards, and the south end is counterweighted to balance the needle. When you use a northern hemisphere compass in, say, Australia, the south end of the magnet is pulled downwards by the magnetic field, and is also heavier than the north end - resulting in a needle that catches and drags on the bottom of the compass housing when the compass is held horizontal." so just like the boat - not readily apparent as I look at the compass carefully.

Finding my way to the start triangle, all things considered.

M40A - Splits

To Routeburn shelter at the east end. Met Joe & Joan about 10' from the end! Started with drizzle at the hut, then dry, even some splashes of sun. This was a 31k hike done in 2 long days by some, 3 average, and we were a bit longer due to unforeseen things - but the extra day offered sunshine/good visibility for the most part which we would not have had otherwise. Indeed, hking 31k and seeing virtually none of the alpine scenery would have been tragic! Much of Fjordland sees appreciable rainfall so the weather on the scheduled dates (well in advance) is anyone's guess. Heading west toward Harris Saddle today with cloud & wind waiting called for something like "what you don't know doesn't hurt you" (or similar) in my mind. We met a number of hikers around age 70 or a bit older headed that way today.

It was a really nice hike with 3 nights in huts, rain forests, rugged mountains, a boulder-strewn stream with turquoise pools on the walkout & friends not seen for some 15 or so years to meet us at the very end.

C • Say Hi 3

To Routeburn Falls Hut with nice weather - this was the stretch where visiblity was hoped for - we were lucky.

To Lake MacKenzie Hut, still low cloud, pack probably seemed a bit heavier.

Start Routeburn to Lake Howden Hut, carrying maybe 30#, not sure of climb - low clouds, mizzle kind of day.

We drove by the mouth of the Young River valley - it all looked so beckoning, time to stop. Unscripted "runs" can be the best - even after covering only 0.4 mi or so, routine falls behind & imagination or adventure beckon ahead. Doesn't require much distance or time. Told Beth I'd be back in less than 40'. There was a car park & maybe 8 vehicles, for trampers presumably into the Young R valley - a hut 20k away or shorter destinations. All req'd crossing the river which was maybe knee deep. Time to return & get on to Queenstown.

Q'town takes getting used to...lots of people & vehicles. There are so many young people! We don't notice such at home as there is a more equitable mix of years but here, in summer vacation land, so many are under 40, even under 30. Most are from Europe (we've met only 2 American couples in the past 10 days or so). We've enjoyed talking to some. Last was a Swedish couple living in Stockholm - not orienteers but he did ask how we said the word orienteering in English.

The Haast Rver flowing to the gray sea this morning. Felt a bit sad leaving the west coast, rain forest & evening's distant surf audible from campgrounds.


When you think you've seen most things roadside, this comes along. A long line of vehicles waited for nearly 30' thinking it was road resurfacing or some such general improvement.