Post by racaille on Mar 14, 2016 2:32:39 GMT
I always say that the 'worst' that can happen is to make a tit of myself. Well I have and the world is still turning.
I took P to a TREC down towards the coast near Aubagne. It is known to be really tough. I got lost. But SERIOUSLY lost.
It started out really well ... in fact it was pretty much OK until towards the end. It was really taxing as it was in pine forest with almost no points of reference, the best I could find were some power lines. But I kept calm and used my compass. I got most of the markers although I came at two control points on the wrong path: one was out by three metres and the other by a single metre. Grrr.
Towards the end we had our COP phase and bless Paco, he was great. But then it all went wrong. By this time I'd been riding for a good four hours and we were both tired. I'm not sure how it happened, but I became fixated on a high tension power line that seemed to be my only point of reference. Somehow I go too far north and then, after doing a few large circles, mistook a medium tension power line for the high tension line. In fact the line I was looking for doesn't exist any more anyway ...
But having convinced myself the power line was the correct one I followed it, regardless that the compass didn't line up exactly - it was more or less, but of course the devil is in the detail. I did eventually realise that I was coming down on the wrong side of the mountain but I was too tired - I was on foot and it was by now late in the day - so I decided to carry on down to a road. It was terribly steep and I slipped more than once on the scree but Paco was amazing, he didn't fall on top of me, just picked his way gingerly down.
But my trials were not over. To my intense relief I found a road but I could not get onto it. All the tracks I followed - at least three - ended in padlocked gates. I was on a huge domain that was entirely fenced. Eventually, in desperation, I found a place where the fence was half broken down and I put my faith on the ol' boy being sensible and we scrambled through unscathed.
The organsier came out to check we were OK but then there was nothing for it a brisk hour-long walk back to the club along the roads.
And then they asked if I wanted to do the PTV
And I said yes 
Paco was exhausted, as was I, so we plodded through it. I was a sack of spuds.
I can't honestly say it was a fun day out. All the paths were hard stone, there was nothing to see but pine trees and we were out for a total of about seven hours. I am cross with myself - not so much for getting lost as it happens easily enough - but for not going back to the last place I was sure of and then rethinking it. The problem for me was that I found a marker on the 'wrong' path and assumed it was for my group but it was in fact for the Amateurs. But having found it I was convinced I was on the right path ....
At this point (and it is silly o'clock) I can assure you that I never want to do another TREC again in my life.
I took P to a TREC down towards the coast near Aubagne. It is known to be really tough. I got lost. But SERIOUSLY lost.
It started out really well ... in fact it was pretty much OK until towards the end. It was really taxing as it was in pine forest with almost no points of reference, the best I could find were some power lines. But I kept calm and used my compass. I got most of the markers although I came at two control points on the wrong path: one was out by three metres and the other by a single metre. Grrr.
Towards the end we had our COP phase and bless Paco, he was great. But then it all went wrong. By this time I'd been riding for a good four hours and we were both tired. I'm not sure how it happened, but I became fixated on a high tension power line that seemed to be my only point of reference. Somehow I go too far north and then, after doing a few large circles, mistook a medium tension power line for the high tension line. In fact the line I was looking for doesn't exist any more anyway ...
But having convinced myself the power line was the correct one I followed it, regardless that the compass didn't line up exactly - it was more or less, but of course the devil is in the detail. I did eventually realise that I was coming down on the wrong side of the mountain but I was too tired - I was on foot and it was by now late in the day - so I decided to carry on down to a road. It was terribly steep and I slipped more than once on the scree but Paco was amazing, he didn't fall on top of me, just picked his way gingerly down.
But my trials were not over. To my intense relief I found a road but I could not get onto it. All the tracks I followed - at least three - ended in padlocked gates. I was on a huge domain that was entirely fenced. Eventually, in desperation, I found a place where the fence was half broken down and I put my faith on the ol' boy being sensible and we scrambled through unscathed.
The organsier came out to check we were OK but then there was nothing for it a brisk hour-long walk back to the club along the roads.
And then they asked if I wanted to do the PTV
And I said yes 
Paco was exhausted, as was I, so we plodded through it. I was a sack of spuds.I can't honestly say it was a fun day out. All the paths were hard stone, there was nothing to see but pine trees and we were out for a total of about seven hours. I am cross with myself - not so much for getting lost as it happens easily enough - but for not going back to the last place I was sure of and then rethinking it. The problem for me was that I found a marker on the 'wrong' path and assumed it was for my group but it was in fact for the Amateurs. But having found it I was convinced I was on the right path ....
At this point (and it is silly o'clock) I can assure you that I never want to do another TREC again in my life.
for so much hard work we thank ye!!
