Training Log Archive: JanetT

Up the hill and back down. It was overcast and cool this morning so I wanted to get out before it got too hot. Low 70s.

Loop in neighborhood

"Grounded" practice (Deanna)

Nockamixon mtb trails from Tower Rd lot. Parking lot was fairly full when we arrived (fuller than usual; but expected given that it's Labor Day). Upper 70s and overcast but filtered sun.

I think there has been some trail maintenance since last time we were here, as one of the double bumps on Haycock Run was bigger than I remembered. Still fun, though.

Warmed up on the road, then headed down Cold Spot to Haycock, around part of that and then to lower Eastern Woods. Fell twice here...once when I didn't negotiate a simple turn and the wheel slid out from under me (my right forearm hit the seat on the way down) and once when I attempted the small hill near the tree/exposed roots that I can ride the other way but apparently not in this direction. Turned around where EW meets Jay Walk, and shortly thereafter met Glen, who was headed down that way. Encountered a few other bikers and hikers here and there, but no *close* encounters.

Back to Haycock which I then rode a couple more times before heading back to Cold Spot. Only one hiker here, early on. Tired enough by the time I reached the fire road to just head back in that way instead of trying to negotiate all the bumps and climbs on Cold Spot. Good ride.

Event: DVOA Warwick County Park
 

Walk (with some jogging spurts) to Hopewell Park and back. Mid 70s and sunny, lower humidity.

Stopped at one point to check out some flowers and butterflies at the edge of the mowed grass near the paved trail in the park.

Thanks to Peggy for recommending Altra's Torin Plush shoes...these (new shoes) felt delightful (although I seem to roll inward a bit...need to try different insoles) even jogging on pavement.

West End Regional Park (WERP) MtB trails (north of Brodheadsville, PA). Did trails I'd done before plus a couple new segments. The loop through the pines (mature pine plantation with no undergrowth) is short but very pretty. Mid to upper 70s and low humidity.

They've updated a couple "features" on fun stuff (last trail I rode) including turning a boand-and-batten type inverted V into a log table (using logs from trees that came down during TS Isaias in early August). I skipped it...this time. Maybe some other visit. It's nice to have three really great mtb areas within a half-hour drive (Jordan Parkway, Nockamixon, WERP).

Hike up the hill towards start of the Adv 2 Shickshinny course. Great weather (just a bit on the warm side), upper 70s and blue sky.

Shickshinny UsynligO Adv 2 course (nominally 6.7 km, a bit long for me), figuring I'd switch to Score O at some point near the end. Well I switched after 11 because I saw no need to drop 2+ contours down a steep hill to a cliff only to climb back up again. I did the route choice to 12's attackpoint, then continued to 13 from there.

I'd been to #1 on Adv 1 (#14) so knew what it looked like, though I was approaching from a different direction. #2 might have been tricky but the area either side of the trail is wide open visibly, and I could see a likely candidate (Greg might consider changing the eastern cup depression to a similar hill/pit combo, as that's what I saw first, and they're visually very similar; the eastern pit is SW of the hill instead of W).

Back to the trail to #3, where I saw a large black snake slithering off the trail into the fallen leaves (it disappeared very quickly!). All black, between 3-4' long. Missed a turn when the "main" trail continued SW instead of NW but caught myself.

Near #7 I encountered a cup depression that wasn't on the map and asked UsynligO for a distance/direction hint...turns out I wasn't far away, just over 20m.

On the way to #10 I thought I was in the right reentrant, but needed to go farther downhill (another hint used here).

On the line between #12-13, in the neat rocky cliffy area, I saw a notable rock feature which was really three large boulders forming an open-ended cave. Pic later, maybe (it's located where the red dot/waypoint is on my Garmin track).

To #15, I was standing on a trail when the tone played, though the circle barely touches a trail...

I know I stopped at least four times to retie my O shoes. I use a knot that withstands most O courses unless there's a LOT of blueberry (or other low, stiff vegetation.

#18 was in an area that had tricked me before; the trail/cliff mapping is not what I envision. Spent a little time looking in the wrong place, then continued on (I was in Score O mode) when I found the trail I thought I'd hit earlier, and decided to get #18. #19 was just down the trail. The large blob of black near #19 is actually a foundation and ruin (almost ground level on SW end, two walls with doorways on SW and NE ends, but no walls on the other two sides, and a large stone foundation/cliff on the downhill end.

Then I tried to angle for #20 but got pushed way off line by the laurel and blueberries, ending up near the trail back to finish, so I headed there instead. Glen had done the Adv 1 course, and then gone to check out some of the last few Adv 2 controls he'd skipped on our earlier visit, and was at the finish when I got there, so we walked back to the car together. :-)

Another excellent outing on another beautiful day. I'm so glad GregA has made these maps/courses available to us, despite being a ways from the main DVOA center.

From finish back to car, finding Glen along the way.

Ironton Rail Trail in Coplay, after retrieving Glen's repaired bike at the bike shop in Allentown. Overcast (a few sprinks before we got there, and light showers as we were leaving) and around 80. Good timing!

We did the 6-mile loop (counterclockwise) first, then headed west on the spur trail. We'd done this loop once before, in the other direction.

Someday they'll finish the rail trail (D&L?) section between Allentown and Coplay.

Event: Cancelled - Rocky Mountain Orienteering Festival
 

Out in the humidity, but fortunately before the sun came out. Overcast and 80 with 80% humidity. To the park and back. Progress is being made on the restroom building (when I last saw it there was a foundation. Now there are walls and roof sheathing).

Deanna's class focusing on Bridge pose