Orienteering at Pine Ridge, November 2007

The last orienteering meet of the 2007 season of the Western Pennsylvania Orienteering Club occurred at Pine Ridge park, of the Indiana County parks system. It was a slightly overcast autumn day, with temperature at around 50 F.

Orange was relatively fast, fairly easy running. Small mistake on approach to 10, at the bottom of the creek, wanted to take the trail between the two creeks, and instead went after second creek and then turned east. Much bigger mistake on approach to 12, should have stayed on the trail that would have easily led me to the paved road, and instead got sucked into a more direct route in difficult vegetagion and steep slopes. On a small grassy field next to the paved road, hit my face on a volleyball net, with some friction burn marks. Final approach to 12 was marred by the confusion of seeing too many creeks, and finally figured out that I had to climb up a spur between two creeks.

Red was a long running event, with several long legs that were very runnable. Followed a strange "S" shape route to get to 1, but it seemed easiest, following open land rathern than fighting briar thorns in the woods. For route to 2, choose to go direct, going uphill in thorny vegetation, but I had the clothing to protect me. At final trail, wasn't sure wether to go left or right, and at the end, chose to go right and guessed correctly, as the control wasn't far. The final approach to 3 was a little difficult, as the foliage vegetation really made reatures difficult to recognize, and zig-zagged a bit, and then, voila', got lucky, saw the control at my side at 40 meters distance and zoomed to it. Final approach to 4 was also problematic. Left the straight road right when it started going downhill, and wanted to keep the elevation instead of having to go down and then up again. Stayed at same elevation thinking I would bump right into the control, but instead found a big boulder, and then descended a bit and went closer to the road, and that is when I finally saw the control. For the approach to 5, choose to get to the straight wide trail, follow it to the creek, all downhill, and from there, take a trail that paralleled the creek until close enough to bushwack and bag the control. For 6, chose to find a trail that lead north straight to the small pond. Never found that trail and kept on walking uphill, and at the very end, almost 5 meters before the clearing, saw the side trail. How sarcastic, it probably was right next to me all that time, and I got all cut up by the thorny briar. Nice little pond at 6. For 7, chose the panoramic and aerobic long run. This is were the Solomon SA 3D XCR really shined, with their cushioning back heel, really feels like a traditional running shoe. For 8, saw another runner leaving the powerline trail and cued into the side woods right after him. For 9, the route was fairly fast, most on wide trails, some with crushed gravel. Remembered seeing this control while running Orange trail earlier that day, so knew exactly how to get there. For 10, chose to get down quickly and cross the creek, and then reach the open grassy area and start hiking up the steep hillside. Got into the bushes to spot the boulders easily, saw the first, then the second, a large boulder. I was thinking the control was there (didn't read the clue sheet until a minute later). Saw Mark Malagodi and I thought he was also looking for the control. Went uphill a bit, then looked back, then stopped, then read the clue sheet, and saw it was not on a boulder, so read the map more closely and noticed it was about 15 meters behind the bolder, semi-hidden in the foliage. The course setter, Byron, later explained that he did not expect all this foliage still on the branches at this time of the year, so that control was more difficult than expected. I liked that difficulty. It punished me for not reading the clue sheet. For 11, bushwacked into somewhat thick vegetation, went looking for a faint trail, found it a bit below elevation, then ran it until reaching a couple of creeks that intersected the trail. Did not see the control, and got suspicious, and hesitated a bit, then went forward another 30 meters, and on my side, saw it at 40 meters. For 11, I didn't trust my ankles to bushwack in the rocky terrain and my fatigue was showing, so I chose to go safe, and ran downhill through difficult woods to the paved road below, and after the parking lot and the easy trail, took a faint side trail to gain some elevation, then off into runnable flat-sy woods, and saw the control 20 meters on my side. For 13, nothing remarkable. For 14, I definitely doubted several times if I was in the right location, not seeing the open light of the clearing marked on the straight-line wide trail. Here, the terrain is pretty flat, and nearby the top of the hill the vegetation was still with alot of foliage. For 15, straight run downhill on an easy grassy trail. For 16, ran down the rest of the hill, then took a bearing South a couple of times, and reached the vicinity of the control, but could not see it. I thought it was on the "second" of creeks, and I just could not see it. Then, after studying the map closely, noticed that the purple control circle was covering the blue of a stream, so I understood then that the control was on the "third" creek. The foliage appropriately camouflaged the spring where the control was located. The On-In was long, on a beautiful fall foliage wide trail. Stopped once on trail for 30 seconds of walking, was definitely pretty exhausted, and then again on the last approach on the paved road leading to the lodge parking lot.

Orienteering Merit Badge

Olivetti Lettera 22


Found at a flea market. This typewriter is in the permanent collection of MoMA

Orienteering in Cleveland - North Cagrin

There was an orienteering meet in the eastern suburbus of Cleveland last sunday, which I could not attend because the Pittsburgh Hash House Harriers had, at the same time, their annual Halloween costume run. The meet was at the North Chagrin park just across from the Progressive campus II office buildings, and would have surely enjoyed revisiting that park after so many after-work explorations there.

I got this map and summary from The Lost Pole (my comments are at the end):



The score event ran for 90 minutes. I marked my map, and skipped the first start to start about 30 minutes later. In the meantime, I studied the map and planned my strategy. I would go for 20, and 10 point controls, and only get a 5 point control if it was on the way.

On the map 20 point controls are marked with a line, 10 point controls are marked with a dot, and 5 pointers with no extra marks. Scanning the map was good incidentally, because now it can easily be blown up and studied. Also, I need to start wearing my glasses since it is too difficult to refocus from the map to the surroundings.

The time started and I headed northward to 24. After leaving the parking lot to it's west, I followed a path until it petered out and worked my way down the incline and easily saw it at the bottom as I was half way down.

My goal was then to 22. I set a bad bearing too far off to the right, and was halfway down the hill toward 23 when I realized it was not the map that was screwed up. I easily doubled back and got 22, and then also 23. There was a cool castle at 23.

I was on my way to 11, and just by dumb luck I got it since the master maps were miss marked. So everyone (unofficially) was going to get points for it.

It was easy walking as I picked up 14, 10, and 4 on my way to 9, but at that point I realized where I was on time so abandoned any plans of going further south. I replanned and headed for 5. I should of took the road and cut back south, instead I crawled up the hill hanging on to dead trees, roots, and what ever I could get my hands on as I worked up the contour. I nailed 5 and also 16 without much problem.

I set a bearing for 15 and hit it dead on. It was the best hit control for the day. I then got to the edge of the gorge, and had 15 minutes left. I found a reentrant and started down, sometimes dropping 4-6 feet from ledge to ledge, sometime on the seat of my pants as I got an assist from the wet leaves.

I got near the bottom was on a six foot ledge and the creek was immediately below, and about as wide. There was no other route so I jumped the creek since I did not want to get my feet wet. It was maybe 140 feet down to the bottom of the gorge (7 six meter contours), and now I had to climb back up. The trip up to 5 was bad, this was triple bad.

Once on the north side of the gorge, I walked to the road and from there ran most of the way in. I was 1 minute late. I promptly collapsed flat out on a picnic bench, and lay there for about 20 minutes since every time I sat up the world went whirling around.

I recouped, thought twice about volunteering to pick up controls and went home.

It was alot of fun. I raced under the name of "The Lost Pole".
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I am familiar with the gorge Lost Pole did 15 minutes from the end, as I sometimes crossed it as a "challenge" while wearing hiking booths with high traction sole and sturdy ankle support, and felt for you while reading. I remember that sometimes the bottom of that gorge has downed trees, making the logs and branches really treacheous, almost inpenetrable. My room-mate and I (we rented in Mayfield Heights) after work would go to the park, and hike along the sides of the gorge, and say "lets try cross here". It was always adventurous.

The part of the park that I know best is the south east corner, where the big lake is. The western shore of the lake is really wild, and went up exploring those mini-gorges going from the lake shore towards West. I like hemlock trees, and I found a few groves there.

About 300 m NW from control 14 there are five structures in a pentagon perimeter. They are abbandoned wooden cabins. I always liked them, remnants of past civilizations. The gorge going west from those cabins is also not bad.

Where control 3 is, I think that is where there is a stone with an incription on it in memory of someone who dedicated so much for the park.

The road on the bottom SE corner is blocked to traffic, and is somewhat abbandoned, with weeds growing off the asphalt. The marshes on that corner are also very nice this time of the year. There is a parking lot for access to that corner. Check it out.

The building on control 6, i remember that: that is a bird watching platform with roof. not a bad spot, very scenic. I can see how nice the approach to 7 would be. neat.

About the area where controls 24 , 22 are: I was surprised that the park has no trails on that big area on the northern part, so once I spent three hours hiking all that area, looking for a secret hidden "Area 51", criss-crossing gorges etc etc. Lots of big trees. Not finding any trails for so long really feels remote.

Upper Glennwood Homestead Geocache

Megahash

Buttwife remembers: 1999 route

Orienteering at Co-Op Park, Indiana, PA

Orienteering in Indiana, Pennsylviania

The Western Pennsylvania Orienteering Club had a meet in a park in Indiana, PA. Courses offered where White, Yellow, Score. Temperatures in this october day where about 88 F, very unusual for this time of year. Maps of the score courses where given to the participant just two minutes before start. Chose to go clockwise: 8, 13, 14, 6, 7, 8, 19, 20, 2, 9, 18, 16, 15, 3, 12, 10, 17, 1, 11, 4.



The first problem was with control 14. I missed it by passing it south and east, then found the creek about 100 m East of the control. Thinking it might be the re-entrant in the circle where the control is, I inspect some of the sides of the creek, but then I am suspicious of the size of the creek, and realize that it is the creek east of the control, fact confirmed when I reach the trail below stream, and see the edge of the clearing just North. Eventually find the control using trail as attack point.

Control 7 location was interesting for its cat tails and semi-swampy flora. Then realized the dilemma of which control to go for next: had a hunch that maybe I should go 20-19-8, but instead went 8-19-20.

Control 8 was easy. Control 19 was not that easy, but got extremely lucky and found myself right in front of it. For 20, descended back down to the trail below, and found the creek to use it as handrail to control 20.

Gained up the steep slope and reached the trail on the ridge. Decided that control 10 was for later on the return trip and went for control 2 using trails and bushwacking at the end.

For control 9, used trail and at a curve, went parallel to a creek, did not see it, until I found myself on trail downstream, and then realized there were several spurs. Climbed up the central spur, and saw the control. Some lost time here...

The run from control 9 to control 18 was easy and fast.

The walk from control 18 to control 16 was pretty direct, and spotted the control easily.

Overshot control 15 by going too much on the East, then turned around and swept a bit back on my tracks, and saw the control.

Lost alot of time going from control 15 to control 3: ended up on the trail South-West of control 15, followed it South to the major trail intersection. Was very confused on where I was. At the trail intersection, saw a large sign and tought that on the map it was marked as the blue "x" (special) that is just North-West of control 3. So, from the trail intersection, followed the trail going South-East and saw a control at a "T" trail junction, but it was a control for the Yellow course. At this point I really was confused, and realized that I was completely lost. Studied the map looking for a "T" intersection, and used the compass to confirm the bearings of the trail directions. Followed the trail in direction North-East, and found control 3.

Got back on the major trail next to the gas tank (the blue "x") and followed the major trail near control 12. Overlooking from the edge of the hill, saw a very convoluted and knolly terrain below, and using compass, chose a direction that got me directly to control 12.

From control 12 to control 10, followed beautiful jeep trails covered in fall leaves, and once reached the powerline, went North on a steep downhill and reached 10.

It was my intention to reach control 17 by backtracking on the powerline back uphill and then take the gasline in direction West. In my mind I had fixated with "follow the powerline", and from control 10, went uphill in North direction instead of South. Once reached the top of the hill, noticed park signage of a trail, got suspicious, and compass reading and map study later, realized I was on the wrong powerline. Followed a long trail and edge of a slope to reach control 17. (Major blunder: realized hours later, after discussing with others, that the best route from 10 to 17 was to follow a trail South-West to the creek intersecting the gas pipeline, and then follow the gas pipeline in direction West).

At this point I had 12 minutes left. Thinking (incorrectly) that control 1 was worth only one point, I sacrifice it and don't go for it, and stay instead in the gas pipeline clearing to get me closer to control 11.

Control 11 was a bit tricky, due to the somewhat low visibility with vines overhanging from trees, and other somewhat thick vegetation. Eventually saw the houses nearby, and took a North-East bearing, and found myself heading straight into the control.

Reached the paved road, and quickly found control 4.

Reached the finish with 2 minutes 50 seconds left.

A much better route is shown below (post-run analysis), with an estimated length of 7.6 km.