Monday, April 30, 2007
Notes to self...
Learning points after doing the 15/24-hour rogaine at Strathbogie:
1. Always pace-count, even on obvious roads and tracks.
2. Sometimes there are NEW roads and tracks not reflected on the map!
3. Leap-frogging in extremely poor visibility actually works.
4. Fog + rain + thick vegetation = need for powerful, hand-held lights (HID is best, but high-output LED works too); off all lights to discern lay of the land at night
5. Pausing often on the trail to check direction really disrupts momentum. Do your best to minimise this with prior planning.
6. Plotting of bearings: check, check, and for f***'s sake double-check with your team mates!
7. Make use on numbers: spread out to comb not-so-obvious CPs.
8. Make sure you have top-quality compasses suited to the magnetic zone you are in.
9. The risk of overshooting is high if you do not slow down as you approach a catching feature.
10. The risk of undershooting is high if you are tired/on very steep terrain/going through very thick vegetation or twisty trail.
11. Situational and terrain awareness, even when everyone else is tired or pushing hard, will pay off, or at least save the team from committing costly mistakes.
12. Be prepared to spend a longer-than-necessary time on the course.
13. As a navigator, always be assertive and instill confidence in your team.
14. Aussies like to go straight line bashing a lot.
1. Always pace-count, even on obvious roads and tracks.
2. Sometimes there are NEW roads and tracks not reflected on the map!
3. Leap-frogging in extremely poor visibility actually works.
4. Fog + rain + thick vegetation = need for powerful, hand-held lights (HID is best, but high-output LED works too); off all lights to discern lay of the land at night
5. Pausing often on the trail to check direction really disrupts momentum. Do your best to minimise this with prior planning.
6. Plotting of bearings: check, check, and for f***'s sake double-check with your team mates!
7. Make use on numbers: spread out to comb not-so-obvious CPs.
8. Make sure you have top-quality compasses suited to the magnetic zone you are in.
9. The risk of overshooting is high if you do not slow down as you approach a catching feature.
10. The risk of undershooting is high if you are tired/on very steep terrain/going through very thick vegetation or twisty trail.
11. Situational and terrain awareness, even when everyone else is tired or pushing hard, will pay off, or at least save the team from committing costly mistakes.
12. Be prepared to spend a longer-than-necessary time on the course.
13. As a navigator, always be assertive and instill confidence in your team.
14. Aussies like to go straight line bashing a lot.
