Adventures in Onionism

I did my first orienteering race(s) this weekend, through the Bay Area Orienteering Club . I did an intermediate course with 14 checkpoints first to try and figure out how it worked, and then tried the hardest course they offered. I think I finished top-5 in the intermediate event, but I misunderstood some instructions so I missed the first checkpoint, and thus my time didn't count. I incorrectly assumed the rules would just tack on a time penalty if you missed a checkpoint, but you have to hit all the checkpoints in order. There actually may be events with time penalties, as I know there are other events where you get to pick the order in which you hit the checkpoints, but at this event, you had to go in order. Clearly I don't yet know what I'm doing. But I do know how to run and bushwhack. In fact, they're two of my favorite things. On the advanced course, there was a long stretch between two checkpoints and it was a pretty clear, and interesting, choice between a sho...

I went to Mojave National Preserve for a few days of vacation. It didn't turn out as well as I had hoped, partially due to George's inability to rockclimb. Instead of thru-hiking from one end of the park to the other, I did a couple overnighters, and then just runs and day hikes. I stopped on the PCT in Angeles National Forest on the way home, as well as Carrizo Plain National Monument, where I came upon a family on a pig hunt who had rolled their minivan. Thankfully, they were OK. I righted their van and pulled it off to the side, and gave them a ride to a hotel. Solar Power Keystone Canyon A random wash I explored that George had to be carried down. Carruthers Canyon Carruthers Canyon Wind scratching Good morning Mid Hills to Hole in the Wall Trail PCT near Gobbler's Knob Lucky hunt, SOL drive home