Training Log Archive: bl

Event: Harriman Orienteering Festival
 

Harriman O festival was once on my radar but when I learned it was a one day "festival" for driven miles exacted, I lost interest. Such spectacular terrain - I'll find a way to return again without its being the sole destination.

This month is/was the WOC '93 25th anniversary. Passing without a whimper.

KTF stewardship boundary walk with forester's simplified map & compass. 130 ac subdivision in the works. Gorgeous beech forest dropping to its knee and more for "progress." The subdiv line even passes thru Bow's biggest boulder, sitting in the woods "unmolested" since the last ice age.

Moderately brisk SPS walk. Gray & chilly by mid-PM. Saw 7 dogs, 6 with smiles and 1 small wary but silent black poodle. Also some 40 SPS XC runners. Guys a group of nearly 20 and 15' later two groups of 10 each girls, both on the XC course. Felt nice being there. Had been awhile. Thought of jogging some, esp when I was on the track, but didn't.

Visited the power line and went down to the slough. Had not been there in many months. Once Mocha got too old to walk that far it got off the radar. Beaver dam evidently breached, beavers gone as it is only a stream at this time. Blustery west wind, nice late pm lighting. After going to the slough, I did a hill loop 5 times and felt much better about it for the last two.

At Exeter TF, Oaklands section on my way back from boat work in Eliot. Parked off exit 10. Had a map dated spring,1996 - didn't think about that until feedback was not quite what I was expecting. I covered some legs from a long-ago UNO meet red course (scribble on back says "11/8/97, Northern NE Champs"). Heading back to parking, I encountered a subdivision and did my best to negotiate my way out. I passed quite a few houses before I could get back in the woods toward #9 - and by the time I finally figured out where I was, it was <200m from parking, so lost O well past #9. Interesting coincidence for me that I was baffled by #9 in '97 as I was today but for a different reason.

I seem to have forgotten that this is an excellent orienteering forest of detailed contours, abundant rock features and generally open hardwood forest floor. Perhaps it is time for an A meet day (or possibly 2) there. I can't recall if there was ever an A meet at ETF.

Came home to the last of a thunder and lightening storm, hail on the open ground in front of the house.

C • A meet at ETF 2