I decided to volunteer to help out at this event and got scheduled to do the time keeping for the afternoon shift. I got there early to get started on the red course and finish before my shift. I thought that running all summer was going to put me in good shape to run the course, maybe get a better time than last time, but the truth is that this course kicked my butt. Compared with the last event at Blue Spruce Park this course was longer, hillier, and I think the navigation was more difficult. I only got half way through before I was going to be late, so I bailed and came back.
I made two small navigational errors right away, and then a big one. On the second leg, a long leg up a big hill, I didn't watch the compass and in trying to not drift downhill I overcompensated and ended up too far uphill and at the wrong control. Then, a couple of controls later, I didn't notice a powerlines right of way on the map that should have been a big landmark. Instead, I guessed on where to head downhill off the trail, and ended up below the control. The big mistake I made was coming up on the sixth control, which I could see was on the side of a very steep knoll. I got to the knoll, but I didn't check which direction to go down and ended up in very rough terrain with poor visibility looking for a control in a pit that I couldn't see until right on top of it. That cost me a lot of time.
The next three controls were fine, and more or less downhill, but when I came to the ninth control (at the bottom of a steep hill) I found I had lost my control card! These are supposed to be stapled to the map inside the plastic bag, and punched through the plastic, but I had been carrying mine in my pocket. In my other shorts this was never a problem, but in the running shorts I wore that day the pockets rode up and ejected the control card. Demoralized, I walked back up the hill and found the control card not too far up the trail. I went back down, punched the control, went back up, and determined that I couldn't finish the course in time. Jogging back on the most direct route I lost the control card again!
The error was embarrassing, but I reminded myself that I had gotten some good exercise and gotten out in the woods, so it was still worthwhile. It was also good to work as the time keeper and to help pick up controls afterwards. I got a better sense of how the event was run, and I had a chance to talk to the other participants.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Orienteering Blue Spruce Park 2011
This was the first WPOC orienteering event I had to drive a significant distance to get to, and the first time I tried the red course (the longest and most difficult). This was the first time I didn't feel like "well,it's in the neighborhood, so I might as well go". It was also the day of the Pittsburgh Marathon, and Frances and I got up early to cheer on our friend who was participating.
The park is located a little north of Indiana, PA, home of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, whose orienteering club formed the basis of the WPOC. It's a county park centered on a small reservoir, which was brim full after heavy rains overnight.
The red course ran counter clockwise around the lake from the shelter on the south side. Highlights of the course included some very rocky ground. Between the soccer ball size stones and the fallen tree limbs I had serious concerns for my ankles. I lost my shoe in a muddy grassy patch. I found one control when I heard the bubbling spring it was hanging over. I made a wrong turn when I mistook an oil tank for a gas well. I wiped out a couple of times slipping in mud. I got turned around in a large open field and had to reorient to figure out which corner I was in. Another competitor passed me. I was totally exhausted and dragging when I had to get up the last big hill, but coming back down it I was able to get back up to speed and finished strong on last downhill and flat legs.
I was very happy with the day. The course was difficult but I got through it. I made some navigational errors, but nothing embarrassing. I got passed, but I came in very close to most of the other runners.
The park is located a little north of Indiana, PA, home of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, whose orienteering club formed the basis of the WPOC. It's a county park centered on a small reservoir, which was brim full after heavy rains overnight.
The red course ran counter clockwise around the lake from the shelter on the south side. Highlights of the course included some very rocky ground. Between the soccer ball size stones and the fallen tree limbs I had serious concerns for my ankles. I lost my shoe in a muddy grassy patch. I found one control when I heard the bubbling spring it was hanging over. I made a wrong turn when I mistook an oil tank for a gas well. I wiped out a couple of times slipping in mud. I got turned around in a large open field and had to reorient to figure out which corner I was in. Another competitor passed me. I was totally exhausted and dragging when I had to get up the last big hill, but coming back down it I was able to get back up to speed and finished strong on last downhill and flat legs.
I was very happy with the day. The course was difficult but I got through it. I made some navigational errors, but nothing embarrassing. I got passed, but I came in very close to most of the other runners.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Lightweight Backpacking Gear - Summer 2011
Sleeping bag (REI Travel Down) and bivy sack (REI Minimalist). Blue sleeping pad, orange dry sack.
Beat up running shoes, hood of big green poncho with tarp tieouts, one liter waterbottles, backpack (REI Flash 18).
Trail clothes: running shirt, cargo shorts for trail, adventure undies. Running shorts for camp.
Warm clothes: windbreaker, long underwear, heavy socks, hat. Light socks for trail.
Food: dehydrated meal, beef jerky, energy bars First aid, book.
Cooking: pot, alcohol stove, wind screen, triangular pot stand (sits on stove), lighter, spoon, bandana, sponge (not needed). Hygiene: soap, towel, toothbrush, toothpaste. Wallet: phone, key, ID, map, cash, emergency medical and contact info.
Miscellaneous stuff: head light, cord, sharpie, tent stakes, water tablets (chlorine dioxide), safety pin, glue, tape, matches fire starters, disinfectant wipe.
Pocket items: monocular telescope, pocket knife, emergency whistle (Coghlan's) with matches, fire starter, compass, mirror.
Hygiene and cooking items fit nicely inside cooking pot.
Miscellaneous stuff fits in ditty sack.
Almost forgot my hat! Keeps sweat, rain, and branches off my glasses and sun off of, ahem, vulnerable areas.
Pad, sleeping bag, clothes, and first aid go inside dry bag.
Leaving a little room on top for food and miscellaneous stuff.
Remaining items attach to outside.
Everything else goes on me, or in my pockets.
Total weight, including food and water, just under 14 pounds.
The gear in action.
Backpacking Raccoon Creek State Park, July 16, 2011
Two backpacking trips in two weeks! Must be some kind of a record, and definitely an excellent birthday present from A. Having had such a good time on the previous trip, and constrained by the same considerations of time and planning, I had no choice but to return to the regular R.C.S.P. loop. Differences from last time: warm up activity, shoes, heat, wildlife.
R.C.S.P. is a twenty mile loop, but I upped the ante that morning by running a 5k race held by the YMCA in our neighborhood. Thanks to our friends for helping out with moral support, technical advice, and babysitting! We've been practicing on the 5k route, but this was the first time we ran a race on a official timer and without the baby, stroller, dog, poop breaks, stop lights, pedestrian traffic, etc. We squashed our previous time into pulp. A. and I are doing this as a team sport, so we stick together even though she's working harder at it. The upshot is that I had some energy left over, and plenty of time to rest and eat before making a late start on hiking.
On the second day of the last trip I kicked a big pointy stick and tore a big hole between the sole and fabric of my right shoe. It didn't stop me from finishing the walk, but the shoe was pretty badly damaged and I didn't trust it to hold together for another 20 miles. Just to be clear, I've been using two pairs of running shoes, the newer comfier ones on concrete, and the cheaper thinner older ones on trails. I could probably get away with just one multi-use pair, but I don't spend a lot on shoes, so I think it's ok. The newer ones have nice support and padding, which is good for jogging pace on hard concrete, and I don't want to get them torn, scratched, and muddied on the trail. The older ones were super cheap, so I don't mind punishing them on rough terrain, and I don't think I need as much foot protection going at a walking pace. In any case, I'm now down a pair of sneakers, and I decided to go with the medium hiking boots I got last year.
The boots definitely didn't slow me down the first day. I didn't feel quite as light on my feet as on the last trip, but I didn't have any trouble keeping up a good pace, and didn't have any discomfort. I do think that everything was a little more damp by the end of the day, and I don't think they dried out as well as the smaller shoes did. The second day I was little slower, but that probably wasn't the boots' fault.
The weather was not any hotter than the previous trip, but it was a little more humid. I definitely felt it on the trail, ended up drinking some more water than before, and had a much harder time cooling down and drying off in camp. Last time I slept really well and was comfortable inside my bivy and under (not in) my light sleeping bag, but this time I was too hot. I'm ok without a tent, but I'm scared enough of bugs and critters that I really want the bivy zipped closed, and with the small mesh face panel it doesn't ventilate well. I'm thinking that a bug bivy with a waterproof floor might be an appropriate choice for this warm weather. I was not as well rested as last time, but I did get to bed early, and I was ready to get up at 5:00 AM.
I saw a lot of wildlife on this trip. At the beginning of the hike there is a stream and marshy area below the dam. I saw some enormous fish swimming in the shallows of the stream, and I saw a largish bird swoop out of a tree. A birdwatcher I talked to later suggested it might have been a green heron. Later on I watched a family of raccoons cavorting around a tree a little way off the trail. At dinner a deer walked slowly through the campsite, 20' from where I was sitting. At night I heard something scratching in the bushes and scared it off by rustling my sleeping bag. The next morning I surprised an owl that had been munching on something on the ground, and it took off noisily before gliding silently away.
R.C.S.P. is a twenty mile loop, but I upped the ante that morning by running a 5k race held by the YMCA in our neighborhood. Thanks to our friends for helping out with moral support, technical advice, and babysitting! We've been practicing on the 5k route, but this was the first time we ran a race on a official timer and without the baby, stroller, dog, poop breaks, stop lights, pedestrian traffic, etc. We squashed our previous time into pulp. A. and I are doing this as a team sport, so we stick together even though she's working harder at it. The upshot is that I had some energy left over, and plenty of time to rest and eat before making a late start on hiking.
On the second day of the last trip I kicked a big pointy stick and tore a big hole between the sole and fabric of my right shoe. It didn't stop me from finishing the walk, but the shoe was pretty badly damaged and I didn't trust it to hold together for another 20 miles. Just to be clear, I've been using two pairs of running shoes, the newer comfier ones on concrete, and the cheaper thinner older ones on trails. I could probably get away with just one multi-use pair, but I don't spend a lot on shoes, so I think it's ok. The newer ones have nice support and padding, which is good for jogging pace on hard concrete, and I don't want to get them torn, scratched, and muddied on the trail. The older ones were super cheap, so I don't mind punishing them on rough terrain, and I don't think I need as much foot protection going at a walking pace. In any case, I'm now down a pair of sneakers, and I decided to go with the medium hiking boots I got last year.
The boots definitely didn't slow me down the first day. I didn't feel quite as light on my feet as on the last trip, but I didn't have any trouble keeping up a good pace, and didn't have any discomfort. I do think that everything was a little more damp by the end of the day, and I don't think they dried out as well as the smaller shoes did. The second day I was little slower, but that probably wasn't the boots' fault.
The weather was not any hotter than the previous trip, but it was a little more humid. I definitely felt it on the trail, ended up drinking some more water than before, and had a much harder time cooling down and drying off in camp. Last time I slept really well and was comfortable inside my bivy and under (not in) my light sleeping bag, but this time I was too hot. I'm ok without a tent, but I'm scared enough of bugs and critters that I really want the bivy zipped closed, and with the small mesh face panel it doesn't ventilate well. I'm thinking that a bug bivy with a waterproof floor might be an appropriate choice for this warm weather. I was not as well rested as last time, but I did get to bed early, and I was ready to get up at 5:00 AM.
I saw a lot of wildlife on this trip. At the beginning of the hike there is a stream and marshy area below the dam. I saw some enormous fish swimming in the shallows of the stream, and I saw a largish bird swoop out of a tree. A birdwatcher I talked to later suggested it might have been a green heron. Later on I watched a family of raccoons cavorting around a tree a little way off the trail. At dinner a deer walked slowly through the campsite, 20' from where I was sitting. At night I heard something scratching in the bushes and scared it off by rustling my sleeping bag. The next morning I surprised an owl that had been munching on something on the ground, and it took off noisily before gliding silently away.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Backpacking Raccoon Creek State Park, July 2, 2011
Here's a trip report from a camping trip earlier this summer (my first in a while!). I also have some reports queuing up for the second camping trip, some orienteering, and some discussion of lightweight camping gear.
Planning for this trip came about suddenly, when it became clear we would celebrate Baby's first birthday next weekend, not the same weekend as the Fourth of July. Luckily, I've been experimenting with how to cram enough stuff for an overnight trip into a ridiculously tiny backpack, and I was already pretty much packed up to go.
I considered trying a longer trip at Oil Creek State Park, or on the Laurel Highlands trail, but I thought, given the short prep time, the long gap since my last trip, the hot temperatures, the experimental gear, and the fear of shirking from my parental responsibilities, that I would stick with the well practiced itinerary at Raccoon Creek State Park.
The main goal of my trip (after the main purposes of exercise, solitude, and exposure to trees and fresh air) was to test out my best try at lightweight backpacking. I started that with my trip last year, trading in my tent for a poncho and a bivy sack, but I did my best this time to really minimize my equipment. The three biggest changes from my trip last year were to my backpack, my water, and my shoes.
Backpack
The back pack I used was an REI Flash 18 day pack. The "18" is for the liters of volume it can contain. Using such a small bag makes bulk almost as big of an issue as weight, but it was an important concession because the other backpacks I have are more than five pounds and way too big for what I need. I got the Flash 18 on the theory that I might be able to get enough into it for an overnight, and if I couldn't it would still be useful as a day pack or a holder for a water pouch (and it has been serving those purposes admirably). After a little testing earlier this year I got it to work. Almost.
I couldn't quite get everything I need IN the pack, but with a little tinkering I was able to get it ON the pack. I know, I know, it's bad form to have stuff lashed onto the outside of the backpack, but it's the best I could do. The items attached to the outside were (1) a ditty sack with my cooking pot and its contents, (2) my poncho, and (3) two water bottles. I'm particularly proud of the water bottle holders that I fashioned, passing some velcro straps through the daisy-chain loops on the backpack. I also strung the daisy chain with elastic cord which I used to cinch down the poncho. The ditty sack was held under the elastic, but secured by a carabiner to a loop.
Water
For water bottles I used two one-liter gatorade bottles. They're tougher than most plastic water bottles, but not as heavy as nalgene. They have a nice wide mouth, not too hard to fill up at a hand pump, and enough shaping to the body that they won't slide out from my home-made holders. I was worried about whether this would be enough in the heat. The first time I went out on this trail in the heat of July I really suffered carrying just two liters of water. On some subsequent trips, carrying the water pouch and two bottles I've been able to get through 10 liters per day! So I was a little worried about that, but I knew that water would be available at the halfway mark on both days, and there are lots of streams I could use for water (after treatment) if I really needed to. Luckily, I didn't have to. Temperatures were 85-90 degrees and the humidity was moderate but not stifling. I didn't have to work as hard, carrying a lighter load, and I've been doing some running so I'm in a little better shape than on past trips. In fact, I only drank one liter per day on the trail (more in camp).
Shoes
I skipped out on hiking boots this time and wore my beat up running shoes. I've been wearing them for orienteering, and they're not perfect, but I figured if I could wear them running through open woods I could wear them on the trail. They worked just fine. I wore some light smartwool socks with them, also fine. There was one misstep where I got close to twisting my ankle, but no harm done. I was slipping a little on the muddiest sections of the horse trail. Also, I did damage the shoes when I kicked the pointy end of a stick. It went between the sole of the shoe and the fabric of the toe and poked me pretty hard, but didn't break the skin. The verdict is that they worked, but probably aren't durable enough for extended or repeated abuse. Hopefully there is a pair of trail runners or lighter hiking shoes in my future. I've gotten a bit of use out of the last pair of hiking boots, but I may have to promote them to general purpose winter footwear if they aren't going to be dedicated adventure gear.
On the trail
It worked! Carrying a little under 14 pounds, including food and water, I really bounced along. I even jogged on some of the downhill sections. The day was warm but not humid. Thunderstorms were forecast, and one passed nearby but all I got was a nice breeze and a few big raindrops coming through the canopy. Actually, I didn't spend much time on the trail. I skipped along for nine or ten miles and got into camp well before dinner, and not completely exhausted.
In camp
I had a tricky time finding two trees exactly where I wanted them for the tarp, and the length of cord I had was probably a little too short. When I got the tarp up it was probably a little too low. I didn't get much breeze underneath, which was too warm late in the evening, but helped when the rain came later on. I propped up one edge with a stick, which helped keep things ventilated. I ate dinner early, lay down early, read for a few hours, and went to sleep. I woke up to the sounds of incredible thunder and deafening rain coming down on the tarp. After determining that everything was staying dry under the low pitched tarp and inside the bivy I listened to the storm and then fell back asleep. A few hours later and several hundred miles away, lightening from that same storm would injure five Civil War reenactors camped out at Gettysburg
At 4AM I woke up again, a little sore where I had been laying on my hips, needing to pee, and completely rested and awake. Having strong motivation to get up and no need to stay asleep I decided to pack up and hit the trail early. Another nice thing about not having too much stuff is that it's easy to pack. Less than an hour after waking up I was up, packed, and on the trail.
Second day
The only trouble I had hiking in the dark before dawn was finding the trail the first time. The little paths around the tent camp site are not well used, and actually a tree had fallen across one of them so I had pretty much just been picking my way through the bushes. I actually made a point coming back from the pump to be able to locate the campsite relative to the camping shelters that were on a bigger path and were easier to find. After a few minutes I couldn't find the trail I wanted, so I got out my dinky emergency compass, and headed in a direction I thought would take me to the trail, with the idea that if I didn't see it right away I could turn around and come back. Luckily I found it right away.
Hiking at dawn was a lot of fun. The leaves, covered in rain or dew, looked like little pieces of foil scattered across the ground. Mist rose up through the trees and morning light slowly brought color to everything. The dampness and fog in one of the ferniest sections of the park gave a much more ancient and exotic feel to the Pennsylvania woodlands, which have begun to feel a little "back yard" to me.
After the early start I had no problem getting back to the car well before lunch, and was back home before noon. All around it was a very quick, but very satisfying trip. The gear worked, the running helped, and the short duration of the trip made it very easy to fit into a busy schedule. I also feel like I'm outgrowing Raccoon Creek and I feel like I've built up enough experience to consider trying some more challenging locations.
Stay tuned for details from the follow up trip I made to this same location two weeks later, and for photographic evidence that I own camping equipment.
Planning for this trip came about suddenly, when it became clear we would celebrate Baby's first birthday next weekend, not the same weekend as the Fourth of July. Luckily, I've been experimenting with how to cram enough stuff for an overnight trip into a ridiculously tiny backpack, and I was already pretty much packed up to go.
I considered trying a longer trip at Oil Creek State Park, or on the Laurel Highlands trail, but I thought, given the short prep time, the long gap since my last trip, the hot temperatures, the experimental gear, and the fear of shirking from my parental responsibilities, that I would stick with the well practiced itinerary at Raccoon Creek State Park.
The main goal of my trip (after the main purposes of exercise, solitude, and exposure to trees and fresh air) was to test out my best try at lightweight backpacking. I started that with my trip last year, trading in my tent for a poncho and a bivy sack, but I did my best this time to really minimize my equipment. The three biggest changes from my trip last year were to my backpack, my water, and my shoes.
Backpack
The back pack I used was an REI Flash 18 day pack. The "18" is for the liters of volume it can contain. Using such a small bag makes bulk almost as big of an issue as weight, but it was an important concession because the other backpacks I have are more than five pounds and way too big for what I need. I got the Flash 18 on the theory that I might be able to get enough into it for an overnight, and if I couldn't it would still be useful as a day pack or a holder for a water pouch (and it has been serving those purposes admirably). After a little testing earlier this year I got it to work. Almost.
I couldn't quite get everything I need IN the pack, but with a little tinkering I was able to get it ON the pack. I know, I know, it's bad form to have stuff lashed onto the outside of the backpack, but it's the best I could do. The items attached to the outside were (1) a ditty sack with my cooking pot and its contents, (2) my poncho, and (3) two water bottles. I'm particularly proud of the water bottle holders that I fashioned, passing some velcro straps through the daisy-chain loops on the backpack. I also strung the daisy chain with elastic cord which I used to cinch down the poncho. The ditty sack was held under the elastic, but secured by a carabiner to a loop.
Water
For water bottles I used two one-liter gatorade bottles. They're tougher than most plastic water bottles, but not as heavy as nalgene. They have a nice wide mouth, not too hard to fill up at a hand pump, and enough shaping to the body that they won't slide out from my home-made holders. I was worried about whether this would be enough in the heat. The first time I went out on this trail in the heat of July I really suffered carrying just two liters of water. On some subsequent trips, carrying the water pouch and two bottles I've been able to get through 10 liters per day! So I was a little worried about that, but I knew that water would be available at the halfway mark on both days, and there are lots of streams I could use for water (after treatment) if I really needed to. Luckily, I didn't have to. Temperatures were 85-90 degrees and the humidity was moderate but not stifling. I didn't have to work as hard, carrying a lighter load, and I've been doing some running so I'm in a little better shape than on past trips. In fact, I only drank one liter per day on the trail (more in camp).
Shoes
I skipped out on hiking boots this time and wore my beat up running shoes. I've been wearing them for orienteering, and they're not perfect, but I figured if I could wear them running through open woods I could wear them on the trail. They worked just fine. I wore some light smartwool socks with them, also fine. There was one misstep where I got close to twisting my ankle, but no harm done. I was slipping a little on the muddiest sections of the horse trail. Also, I did damage the shoes when I kicked the pointy end of a stick. It went between the sole of the shoe and the fabric of the toe and poked me pretty hard, but didn't break the skin. The verdict is that they worked, but probably aren't durable enough for extended or repeated abuse. Hopefully there is a pair of trail runners or lighter hiking shoes in my future. I've gotten a bit of use out of the last pair of hiking boots, but I may have to promote them to general purpose winter footwear if they aren't going to be dedicated adventure gear.
On the trail
It worked! Carrying a little under 14 pounds, including food and water, I really bounced along. I even jogged on some of the downhill sections. The day was warm but not humid. Thunderstorms were forecast, and one passed nearby but all I got was a nice breeze and a few big raindrops coming through the canopy. Actually, I didn't spend much time on the trail. I skipped along for nine or ten miles and got into camp well before dinner, and not completely exhausted.
In camp
I had a tricky time finding two trees exactly where I wanted them for the tarp, and the length of cord I had was probably a little too short. When I got the tarp up it was probably a little too low. I didn't get much breeze underneath, which was too warm late in the evening, but helped when the rain came later on. I propped up one edge with a stick, which helped keep things ventilated. I ate dinner early, lay down early, read for a few hours, and went to sleep. I woke up to the sounds of incredible thunder and deafening rain coming down on the tarp. After determining that everything was staying dry under the low pitched tarp and inside the bivy I listened to the storm and then fell back asleep. A few hours later and several hundred miles away, lightening from that same storm would injure five Civil War reenactors camped out at Gettysburg
At 4AM I woke up again, a little sore where I had been laying on my hips, needing to pee, and completely rested and awake. Having strong motivation to get up and no need to stay asleep I decided to pack up and hit the trail early. Another nice thing about not having too much stuff is that it's easy to pack. Less than an hour after waking up I was up, packed, and on the trail.
Second day
The only trouble I had hiking in the dark before dawn was finding the trail the first time. The little paths around the tent camp site are not well used, and actually a tree had fallen across one of them so I had pretty much just been picking my way through the bushes. I actually made a point coming back from the pump to be able to locate the campsite relative to the camping shelters that were on a bigger path and were easier to find. After a few minutes I couldn't find the trail I wanted, so I got out my dinky emergency compass, and headed in a direction I thought would take me to the trail, with the idea that if I didn't see it right away I could turn around and come back. Luckily I found it right away.
Hiking at dawn was a lot of fun. The leaves, covered in rain or dew, looked like little pieces of foil scattered across the ground. Mist rose up through the trees and morning light slowly brought color to everything. The dampness and fog in one of the ferniest sections of the park gave a much more ancient and exotic feel to the Pennsylvania woodlands, which have begun to feel a little "back yard" to me.
After the early start I had no problem getting back to the car well before lunch, and was back home before noon. All around it was a very quick, but very satisfying trip. The gear worked, the running helped, and the short duration of the trip made it very easy to fit into a busy schedule. I also feel like I'm outgrowing Raccoon Creek and I feel like I've built up enough experience to consider trying some more challenging locations.
Stay tuned for details from the follow up trip I made to this same location two weeks later, and for photographic evidence that I own camping equipment.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Orienteering Hartwood Acres 2011
Last weekend I got to participate in the Western Pennsylvania Orienteering Club's 2011 Hartwood Acres event. I ran (trudged) the orange course, which was 4.5 km long with 175 meters of climb and 11 controls. Out of the nine teams and fourteen participants on that course I am proud to say that I turned in the fastest time by a good margin. If you don't believe me, the results of the meet are posted here. I was also relieved that the control I couldn't initially find turns out to have been misplaced. There was, of course, a much longer and harder course available, which I will have to try next year.
View Hartwood Acres 2011 in a larger map
I stumbled on WPOC's 2010 Racoongaine event while on an overnight backpacking trip. Map and compass navigation is a backpacking skill that, as a trail bound hiker, I hadn't had a chance to practice. I went to the 2010 Hartwood Acre event and did the second level of difficulty (yellow?), and had a good time, but didn't feel challenged by the mostly on-trail navigation.
Objective:
My main goal in doing the orange course was to practice with the map and compass. I'm not in enough shape to make good time trail running, but I do have some experience with uphill trudging. Taking these factors into consideration I planned to take more or less direct routes from control to control, without too much concern for difficult intervening terrain.
Results:
Navigationally this was a big success. On leg four I was going at a walking pace up hill using the compass from tree to tree, and I kept right on course. The best validation was walking right up to (and then respectfully around) the gravesite directly on the leg four line. Other successful sections were the straight bits of legs nine and ten where I dashed off into the woods and ended up right where I expected to.
I experienced a big trade off between pace and navigation. At a jogging pace with quick bearing checks, but without going carefully from landmark to landmark, I still kept pretty well on track. But at a running pace or when going through (under, around) underbrush I was not able to keep on course and had to reorient myself. Also, on leg eleven, when it was easier running, I didn’t do a good job of spotting the faint paths that I was looking for.
Overall it was a lot of fun, good practice navigating, good exercise, and I hope to make it to another event soon.
Here are my notes about the course. I also tried to sketch out and annotate the route in google maps. All point and lines are very approximate. Zigzagging lines are are meant to indicate that I was not strictly following the compass.
View Hartwood Acres 2011 in a larger map
Background:
I stumbled on WPOC's 2010 Racoongaine event while on an overnight backpacking trip. Map and compass navigation is a backpacking skill that, as a trail bound hiker, I hadn't had a chance to practice. I went to the 2010 Hartwood Acre event and did the second level of difficulty (yellow?), and had a good time, but didn't feel challenged by the mostly on-trail navigation.
Objective:
My main goal in doing the orange course was to practice with the map and compass. I'm not in enough shape to make good time trail running, but I do have some experience with uphill trudging. Taking these factors into consideration I planned to take more or less direct routes from control to control, without too much concern for difficult intervening terrain.
Results:
Navigationally this was a big success. On leg four I was going at a walking pace up hill using the compass from tree to tree, and I kept right on course. The best validation was walking right up to (and then respectfully around) the gravesite directly on the leg four line. Other successful sections were the straight bits of legs nine and ten where I dashed off into the woods and ended up right where I expected to.
I experienced a big trade off between pace and navigation. At a jogging pace with quick bearing checks, but without going carefully from landmark to landmark, I still kept pretty well on track. But at a running pace or when going through (under, around) underbrush I was not able to keep on course and had to reorient myself. Also, on leg eleven, when it was easier running, I didn’t do a good job of spotting the faint paths that I was looking for.
Something that happened several times was that as I got close to the control and started recognizing landmarks I would head towards the landmark without regard for where the control was relative to it. That always got me pretty close but I sometimes ended up standing on a log looking around in every direction to find the control.
The biggest lesson learned about reading the map was about the precision of the “fight” designation. Compared to the sharp border between clear and woods, the border between woods and fight is very fuzzy. My impression now is that a fight marking on the map is a vague “here be dragons” kind of thing, which I should pretty much just keep away from. Another thing with the map is that I still have a hard time visualizing the orange areas as clear and the white areas as open woods.
There were two places where I definitely made the wrong decision about which route to take. On leg 8 I should have followed the trails on the contour instead of climbing over the hill and then struggling back down through thick forest. On leg 11 when I found the right of way I should have followed it south to the field and then followed the treeline west to the control instead of getting lost on the faint bike trails in the pine forest.
The biggest lesson learned about reading the map was about the precision of the “fight” designation. Compared to the sharp border between clear and woods, the border between woods and fight is very fuzzy. My impression now is that a fight marking on the map is a vague “here be dragons” kind of thing, which I should pretty much just keep away from. Another thing with the map is that I still have a hard time visualizing the orange areas as clear and the white areas as open woods.
There were two places where I definitely made the wrong decision about which route to take. On leg 8 I should have followed the trails on the contour instead of climbing over the hill and then struggling back down through thick forest. On leg 11 when I found the right of way I should have followed it south to the field and then followed the treeline west to the control instead of getting lost on the faint bike trails in the pine forest.
Overall it was a lot of fun, good practice navigating, good exercise, and I hope to make it to another event soon.
Springtime rebirth
This blog is supposed to be about me, but parenting, as it turns out, is not. I haven't posted in forever because (a) I've had more important things to do, (b) my computer time has been spent keeping family and friends up to date with baby photos on Picasa, and (c) I don't feel like sharing detailed parenting stories on the open internet.
We have been super lucky with our baby. I'm scared to even describe how easy it has been for fear of jinxing it. She is a great sleeper, has never been really sick, and is happy and fun almost all the time. That being said, it has been a long, cold, indoor winter. Now that spring is here, it's not freezing cold all the time, and the baby is sturdy enough to be taken outside without getting broken, we are starting to have some more Nick style fun and I may manage to put up a few posts in this space.
We have been super lucky with our baby. I'm scared to even describe how easy it has been for fear of jinxing it. She is a great sleeper, has never been really sick, and is happy and fun almost all the time. That being said, it has been a long, cold, indoor winter. Now that spring is here, it's not freezing cold all the time, and the baby is sturdy enough to be taken outside without getting broken, we are starting to have some more Nick style fun and I may manage to put up a few posts in this space.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Never put anything on the internet that you don't want to be held responsible for a year later
"I see from your diet you haven't taken to heart my opinions and facts about foods with high glycemic index such as high fructose corn syrup, refined wheat products, potatoes and white rice. Perhaps I should send you a copy of "Good Calorie, Bad Calorie" and a copy of the dvd of Food, Inc. when it is available."
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
From the archives
Mom and Dad brought over the summer/fall 1983 album with my baby photos. A few weeks after my birth, my Dad and sister were already so fed up with my whining and crying that they decided to escape into the wilderness. They brought back this Jem, er, gem, of a photo.
Check the size of that pack! I wonder if Dad carried any of the gear, or if he just dumped it all on his offspring?
Welcome, Baby!
Our new favorite subject has been covered more extensively on Facebook and e-mails, but this seems like an appropriate platform to at least announce the arrival of our new baby. She is not a boy, despite ancient oriental wisdom.
Congratulations to Mom, and thanks to the grandparents for hanging out and helping out.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
A sign?
Normally I don't put much trust in fortune cookies, especially relative to sonograms, but today, after Ashley said "maybe this will tell us if it's a boy or a girl" we opened one to find an unusually unambiguous message:
So there you go. We've also met a little baby with our top-secret boy name, and the consensus of people evaluating the size and shape of the bump has also been toward a boy.
I know there hasn't been too much going on around here online, but that's partly because of all the cool stuff happening in the real world. I hope to get in a few more updates before it becomes 24-7 baby around here.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
In memory of Willow
This is a belated post in memory of Willow, our ancestral cat. We got Willow a day or two after the death of Mom's last cat, Jasper, from my sister's friend two doors down. They had a giant willow tree in their front yard and that's how Willow got her name. That was about 1990.
I was the one who got to bring Willow home for the first time, just a bit before the earlier picture was taken. She would chase us up and down the stairs, clawing and biting (adorably) at our heels. At night as a kitten she would hunker down on my toes, quivering in anticipation until I made the slightest movement under the blanket for her to pounce at, her little claws barely piercing the comforter. After she got tired she would come under the blankets and curl up behind my knees to sleep. Getting older and grumpier she learned advanced techniques in nighttime single claw nose poking and high pitched breakfast meows, but we forgive her.
In the garden she was an expert hunter of birds, mice, and moles. When she saw a bird she couldn't catch she would make chirping sounds and try to look feathery. At the cabin she decimated the chipmunk population and climbed 30 feet into the pine trees. She learned to climb vertical wooden ladders into the loft using a technique like an arborist with a climbing belt and spurs.
I lobbied against getting Bhu because I thought he would upset her, but eventually I think they got along. I think the tipping point was when she talked him into jumping on the table and knocking the pork loin onto the floor. He was scared by the shattering platter and clattering silverware and slunk off while she feasted.
After Catie and I moved out Mom and Dad convinced us for about 5 minutes that they had given the dog and cat our places at the dinner table. It seemed disturbingly plausible.
She slowed down a lot in the last few years, but thanks to unlimited food and careful attention from Mom and Dad she managed to keep getting up and down the stairs, up and down from the bed, and out into the garden right up to the end.
She was nearly 20 years old. She outlived the tree she was named after.
My sympathies
The other day I had to pee a lot for some reason. Ashley joked that it was sympathy bladder.
Today we got a watermelon for dinner so we decided to pose together. I think mine is bigger: I almost lost a button off my shirt.
Ashley's Mom's reaction was priceless.
Today we got a watermelon for dinner so we decided to pose together. I think mine is bigger: I almost lost a button off my shirt.
Ashley's Mom's reaction was priceless.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Wanna come hang at my crib?
Here's an update on the baby prep.
We've been registering for baby stuff the last few days (registry links coming). Today we went to Baby Land to check out some of the Big Stuff. This is a great local store that has been there forever. Ashley's mom got baby stuff there, and her mom probably went there too. We got some good suggestions from the saleswoman, a recent mother herself, and were able to pick out some stuff we really like. Ashley's mom and Auntie came along too, and couldn't wait for the shower to purchase some gifts for the baby, including the crib.
This picture also shows off the minty fresh paint Ashley and her dad put up (thanks to Vince for the Sherman Williams discount), and the new carpeting.
We've been registering for baby stuff the last few days (registry links coming). Today we went to Baby Land to check out some of the Big Stuff. This is a great local store that has been there forever. Ashley's mom got baby stuff there, and her mom probably went there too. We got some good suggestions from the saleswoman, a recent mother herself, and were able to pick out some stuff we really like. Ashley's mom and Auntie came along too, and couldn't wait for the shower to purchase some gifts for the baby, including the crib.
This picture also shows off the minty fresh paint Ashley and her dad put up (thanks to Vince for the Sherman Williams discount), and the new carpeting.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
I hope this is the grossest picture I ever post on the internet.
Steve Prefontaine said "Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it."
I don't think this is what he meant:
(scroll down because I don't know how to make a jump)
Everyone seems to be running these days, and last Saturday I felt pretty good, so I decided to see the absolute farthest I could go (about nine miles out, then I limped home). Between the cramps and thigh chafing I didn't realize extent of these particular abrasions until the hot water hit me in the shower the next morning.
I don't think this is what he meant:
(scroll down because I don't know how to make a jump)
Everyone seems to be running these days, and last Saturday I felt pretty good, so I decided to see the absolute farthest I could go (about nine miles out, then I limped home). Between the cramps and thigh chafing I didn't realize extent of these particular abrasions until the hot water hit me in the shower the next morning.
30 Weeks
By popular demand:
Ashley and the baby got an A+ on the latest checkup for weight, belly size, blood pressure, glucose, iron, and baby activity. The heartbeat has changed in character with a distinctive thump to go along with all the whooshing.
Ashley and the baby got an A+ on the latest checkup for weight, belly size, blood pressure, glucose, iron, and baby activity. The heartbeat has changed in character with a distinctive thump to go along with all the whooshing.
Friday, March 26, 2010
I want a pocket full of these
Behold the design of one of the new National Parks and federally protected areas quarters:
I remember one of those "you know you're from Portland if..." e-mails where one of the criteria was "you can point out where Mount Hood is on the horizon, even though it's covered by clouds".
Sigh.
I remember one of those "you know you're from Portland if..." e-mails where one of the criteria was "you can point out where Mount Hood is on the horizon, even though it's covered by clouds".
Sigh.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Ivy League Pop
Researchers at Princeton have found that rats whose diet included high fructose corn syrup gained more weight and had higher concentrations of triglycerides in their blood than other rats whose diet included equivalent calories of sucrose solution.
Meanwhile at Yale Pepsi is opening an independent research laboratory in New Haven and funding a research fellowship at the university to research nutrition and obesity.
Meanwhile at Yale Pepsi is opening an independent research laboratory in New Haven and funding a research fellowship at the university to research nutrition and obesity.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
2010 Inaugural Camping Trip
In observance of the first day of spring, and anticipating many busy non-camping weekends soon to come, I set out yesterday for my first overnight backpacking trip of 2010. I'm getting over a cold, so I planned on doing just half of my regular loop at Raccoon Creek State Park.
Having grown up amidst the evergreen forests of the pacific northwest, where winter in the woods is marked mostly by the absence of flowers and a slight thinning of the undergrowth, I am always impressed by the degree to which the eastern deciduous forests vary throughout the year. The trees were still as gray as they were last month when I walked the same route with Otto and there were still patches of snow, but the ground cover is beginning to show signs of life.
There was one exactly one dense patch of what must have been snow-drops. In one spot there were several great big circles of mysterious green sprouts coming up through last year's leaves. Next to the streams and right in the middle of the damper stretches of trail purple lobes of skunk cabbage were pushing up through the mud.
With the clear skies and bare trees the park was as bright and clear as I've ever seen in the last few years. It was dry and cool, perfect weather for hiking, and despite the sniffles I made good time and felt great. I felt so good I thought about pressing on and extending the trip to a full loop, but I decided to take it easy and just enjoy hanging out outside.
I am pleased to report that the new boots I got are working great. They're midweight hiking boots with waterproof breathable goretex and nice stiff thick soles. The beat the heck out of the old freebies I used the last two years. My socks stayed pretty dry, and I had no discomfort or blisters all day. I've been carrying extra socks to be able to change at lunch if I need to, but I think with the new boots I can cut back on those.
There was no rain forecast overnight and none showed up. I experimented with a lean-to style tarp set up, which was mostly useful for privacy from the other group on the other side of the campground. I hit on a good way to tighten a cord between two trees, which I won't attempt to describe and probably already has a name. I'll probably ditch the tent poles next time.
One mistake I made was not putting on my fleece, socks, and long underwear before going to bed. When it got colder in the night I had to get out of the sleeping bag to put them on, and never quite got warmed back up. Also, the bivy sack ended up a little damper than on previous trips, but I'm not sure why. Possibly the cooler temperatures on this trip (compared to summer nights) caused more moisture to precipitate out before escaping through the fabric.
It was a short hike out this morning. I decided not to extend to the whole loop because the last leg is long and hilly, I'm still feeling sniffly, and it's supposed to start raining. Better to end on a high note and enjoy the rest of the weekend in more civilized ways.
I ran into some people doing orienteering, which looks really fun. I spotted one of their markers near the campsite last night, and thought it was a bug trap until I read the tag. I've put off buying a compass (other than the little emergency one) because I stick to well traveled trails that aren't ever far from a road. But I've been reading a little about land navigation and it looks like the Western Pennsylvania Orienteering Club might offer some opportunities to practice doing cross country hiking with map and compass.
Having grown up amidst the evergreen forests of the pacific northwest, where winter in the woods is marked mostly by the absence of flowers and a slight thinning of the undergrowth, I am always impressed by the degree to which the eastern deciduous forests vary throughout the year. The trees were still as gray as they were last month when I walked the same route with Otto and there were still patches of snow, but the ground cover is beginning to show signs of life.
There was one exactly one dense patch of what must have been snow-drops. In one spot there were several great big circles of mysterious green sprouts coming up through last year's leaves. Next to the streams and right in the middle of the damper stretches of trail purple lobes of skunk cabbage were pushing up through the mud.
With the clear skies and bare trees the park was as bright and clear as I've ever seen in the last few years. It was dry and cool, perfect weather for hiking, and despite the sniffles I made good time and felt great. I felt so good I thought about pressing on and extending the trip to a full loop, but I decided to take it easy and just enjoy hanging out outside.
I am pleased to report that the new boots I got are working great. They're midweight hiking boots with waterproof breathable goretex and nice stiff thick soles. The beat the heck out of the old freebies I used the last two years. My socks stayed pretty dry, and I had no discomfort or blisters all day. I've been carrying extra socks to be able to change at lunch if I need to, but I think with the new boots I can cut back on those.
There was no rain forecast overnight and none showed up. I experimented with a lean-to style tarp set up, which was mostly useful for privacy from the other group on the other side of the campground. I hit on a good way to tighten a cord between two trees, which I won't attempt to describe and probably already has a name. I'll probably ditch the tent poles next time.
One mistake I made was not putting on my fleece, socks, and long underwear before going to bed. When it got colder in the night I had to get out of the sleeping bag to put them on, and never quite got warmed back up. Also, the bivy sack ended up a little damper than on previous trips, but I'm not sure why. Possibly the cooler temperatures on this trip (compared to summer nights) caused more moisture to precipitate out before escaping through the fabric.
It was a short hike out this morning. I decided not to extend to the whole loop because the last leg is long and hilly, I'm still feeling sniffly, and it's supposed to start raining. Better to end on a high note and enjoy the rest of the weekend in more civilized ways.
I ran into some people doing orienteering, which looks really fun. I spotted one of their markers near the campsite last night, and thought it was a bug trap until I read the tag. I've put off buying a compass (other than the little emergency one) because I stick to well traveled trails that aren't ever far from a road. But I've been reading a little about land navigation and it looks like the Western Pennsylvania Orienteering Club might offer some opportunities to practice doing cross country hiking with map and compass.
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