Greenbush day 1 (Kettle Moraine State Park)
Green course, DNF
I was so psyched to come back to Kettle Moraine Park. I really enjoyed the 2009 Champs, and I came back her with Disorienteer and Linear Ice for a training camp a few years later. This place is hard and it kicked my butt the first few times, but I loved the challenge and the open woods.
I was a bit cocky coming into this event, figuring I had 10 years experience under my belt. Even so, I promised myself I would walk slowly and carefully to the first control (I messed up the first control in 2009).
I tried in the beginning but I was distracted by two other starters. And the fact that I could not make sense of the contours. I walked very slowly, around and around the first control, I relocated to the start triangle three times. It didn't help that the vegetation was thick and the visibility was low. But I still could not understand what was up and what was down. In hindsight, I didn't realize that the contour interval was 3 m. But still. I was about to give up on 1 when I saw the marker out of the corner of my eye. By now I had been out for 26 minutes, and I only wanted to be out about an hour today.
I looked at the rest of the course, and decide to go from 1 to 11 and then the rest to the finish.
I walked slowly towards 11, checking off features. Thinks were making a little bit of sense and then suddenly they were not. I tried a little bit but then decided to give up and head out to the trail. Of course, I stumbled upon 11 while I was doing that.
I decided to keep going and try to salvage the day. I was still surprised sometimes to see something was up when I expected it to be down, etc. but I went slow enough that I manged the short legs without any more disasters.
I still had fun because I love this park, and I appreciated that the Badger group was hosting us. I stuck around to help with marker pickup (but only the beginner course, I didn't want to get lost again!) and to help with results.
Nice dinner that night with Chiori and Shin.