Training Log Archive: Swampfox

Third and final day of training for what a very fun weekend. Now we were out at Pelican Bay (west side), and re-running the Chase course from 2002 (I think that was the year.)

Set controls, let the group go out, and then I followed 9 minutes later. Picked up most of the controls afterwards, with some help from Galen and Frances.

Some people came back claiming to have seen a bear, which seemed ridiculous--I watched very carefully as the maps were being handed out, and none ended up in the paws of a bear. So we convened a bear sighting analysis committee, and the committee reviewed the claims and other pertinent data. In the end, we concluded the sighting was spurious, and more likely what had been seen was only a fast moving, black rootstock (they are often mistaken for bears) or else a bear shaped granite rock, of which there are surprising numbers out in the forest. It's also the case that very fat marmots are sometimes mistaken for aggressive, savage bears, so it could have been a marmot as well.

By the weather and temperature, I judged it qualified as the first day of summer around here. Going up one slope thick with sage and the sun beating on my back, it almost felt hot for a moment or two.

A most excellent weekend of orienteering, and all thrown together more or less at the last moment.

C • Fat marmots 3

Got June underway with training with the group at Diamond Bay, a 10km offering by John Crowther, marked with streamers that were at times devilishly difficult to find.

And, as June got underway, so did the t-storm season, with the first hail hitting the ground shortly before we were to start. But it cleared off in time, and by the time we set off, it was sunshine, so good! However, 70 minutes or so into the thing--or whatever it was--things were changing, and unmistakable rumblings were drawing ever closer. I judged that if I kept up my pace, I could make it back to the finish before any rain might arrive, however the rain was moving better than I was, and it got there first. No matter.

Running by the line of parked cars, I saw Doug was already in his truck and facing me so I smiled and waved, and he waved back. At the exact moment, lightning struck a few hundred feet behind me (according to Doug), and it so startled me that I took an unplanned jump in the air.

A good number of bolts hit in the vicinity, and many folks came back out of the rain with their own varied lightning stories to tell.

The lesson learned is if streamers are being used, they should be long, super easy to detect, and should be the type that storms circle away from to avoid.

Set out controls for training at Granite Planite, ran the course, recovered the controls (with some help from Graham), and all accomplished before any devastating blizzards swept the area--and even if the latter is not likely to happen again until September or so...better safe than sorry.

Hung controls at Pelican Bay for Sunday, getting done right at skymning.

As you can see, Spring was moving into an advanced, nearly fully mature status today:



No danger of overheating, and 6" of new snow on the ground covered up all the rocks nicely, with a comfortable margin of safety.

The songbirds must have been in awe, because the forest was completely silent while I was out.

C • Extended gloom period?? 2

The weather forecast suggested that getting out earlier would be better than getting out late, and possibly a lot better. So I aimed for a noon start, thinking that would be early enough. 2 miles away from the designated parking area, I realized noon had not been early enough, because it started raining, and cars approaching me had their wipers on, indicating some probability of heavier rain ahead. And the skies in many directions looked quite ominous.

I kept on going, because who knows? Maybe it would turn out to be warm rain. Of course it is *never* warm rain at 8000', but why not be optimistic.

It was still raining when I pulled in, and I was lamenting my mistake. Some might think the mistake was in not heading out earlier, but the real mistake was in not bringing a book along.

Never underestimate the power of luck however, because about 10 minutes later the skies lightened, the rain slacked off, and for a few moments you could almost believe a few rays of sunshine had somehow slipped through. That was the moment I was waiting for, and I flung the door open, hit the ground running, and never looked back once.

I think today's excursion was about 8.6 kms, and the warmup will go down as "vigorous and rapid."