We have justed completed the sixth day of orienteering at the Swiss orienteering week. Todays event centre was on the edge of townx and we caught a gondala 300 metres up the hill. The courses wete mostly downhill, but the forest was old rockfall, so the forest was full of large rocks and deep depressions between.
Ians course crossed below a cable car wire, and there were deep holes between the rocks. He was happy to get through the area safely. Ian saw a large frog in this area,about 50mm long with dark spots on a green body.
After a big uphill walk to the start from the gondola, Raewyn had 2 controls in an intricate rocky forest area and then a long run downhill collecting controls. It was Raewyns best run of the week.
We both have sore legs from downhill running and will have a relaxing day tomorrow in Zug, before flying out the next day for NZ.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
We have had for days of orienteering now and they have all been very unique. The mossy forest in Flimswauld, the wide open alpine valley. The courses had alot of climb and not many controls. Ihad 130m climb to the first control. Yesterday running on the scree and solid rock at the foot of the vorab glacier was fun. We needed two gondalas and three chair lifts to get to the event centre for the day. Amazing views and sunny days. Spent some time looking at the alpine flowers after our run yesterday.
Today it is a rest day so Raewyn went on a train ride through the Rhine gorge in an open carriage and then ate cake and drank coffee by a lake in the sun. Ian had his own adventure on guided climb of the historic Pinut route. He was not very reassured when the guide said the rungs of the ladder were 100yrs old. He is right out of adrenaline now but pleased he made it! The route involves about three big climbs with ladders and stairs and a ledge cut into the rock. The trip down was just about as challenging although a different route as the weather changed and thunder was rolling around the hills and some hail and rain added to the mix.
Today it is a rest day so Raewyn went on a train ride through the Rhine gorge in an open carriage and then ate cake and drank coffee by a lake in the sun. Ian had his own adventure on guided climb of the historic Pinut route. He was not very reassured when the guide said the rungs of the ladder were 100yrs old. He is right out of adrenaline now but pleased he made it! The route involves about three big climbs with ladders and stairs and a ledge cut into the rock. The trip down was just about as challenging although a different route as the weather changed and thunder was rolling around the hills and some hail and rain added to the mix.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
We are now in Flims at SOW orienteering event.
Yesterday we had a training event in the local forest. The area was an old rock fall, and it had many knolls and depressions. It was very mossy and soft underfoot.
Todays event was in an adjoining forest. Raewyns course started with 4 controls in the detailed area the same as the previous day, mapped at 1:5,000. It is a lovely damp forest area with lots of rocks and moss but if you lose touch with the map it is very difficult to relocate as every rock and cliff starts to look familiar. It is hard to stay on line due to the small rocks and holes under foot. The other 10 controls were mapped at 1:10,000. Apart from getting a bee sting at control 5 the course was challenging with one large hill climb, and was getting used to the map by control 8.
Ian is running M45 short, and he completed his course in 48 minutes. The area he ran through was less detailed than on Raewyns course, but included 2 large hill climbs.
After the event we had to visit the local petrol station to buy food for the next few days. Supermarkets here do not open on Sundays, and Monday is the national day so most shops are closed tomorrow too. It was a pity that we had to find an Italian restaurant last night, but now we have some food in our apartment.
Tomorrows event Crap Sogn Gion, and we catch 2 gondolas to get there.
Yesterday we had a training event in the local forest. The area was an old rock fall, and it had many knolls and depressions. It was very mossy and soft underfoot.
Todays event was in an adjoining forest. Raewyns course started with 4 controls in the detailed area the same as the previous day, mapped at 1:5,000. It is a lovely damp forest area with lots of rocks and moss but if you lose touch with the map it is very difficult to relocate as every rock and cliff starts to look familiar. It is hard to stay on line due to the small rocks and holes under foot. The other 10 controls were mapped at 1:10,000. Apart from getting a bee sting at control 5 the course was challenging with one large hill climb, and was getting used to the map by control 8.
Ian is running M45 short, and he completed his course in 48 minutes. The area he ran through was less detailed than on Raewyns course, but included 2 large hill climbs.
After the event we had to visit the local petrol station to buy food for the next few days. Supermarkets here do not open on Sundays, and Monday is the national day so most shops are closed tomorrow too. It was a pity that we had to find an Italian restaurant last night, but now we have some food in our apartment.
Tomorrows event Crap Sogn Gion, and we catch 2 gondolas to get there.
Friday, July 29, 2011
We are in Chur, Switzerland, and yesterday went on an amazing mountain railway to Arosa. Ian lost count of the number of tunnels and bridges. There was no straight track, the train was always going into a new bend, and often a bridge over a steep gorge lead into a curved tunnel. A very enjoyable trip.
We competed in a sprint orienteering event in the old parr of Chur last night. Lots of narrow alley ways, and heaps of squares, each with a fountain. We also met our friend Jurg who we met in NZ 20 years ago and we visited here 5 years ago.
This moring the market is setting up right outside our hotel window. Fresk veges, croisants and buns.
Today we catch the bus to Flims where the SOW orienteering event is based for the next week. Lots of mountains to run on.
Steven is safely back in Rotorua with the heater on, and the cat is home from the cattery. Angela leaves Stockholm on Sunday for NZ. Angela was a very creditable 17th over the 5 days at Oringen.
Ian and Raewyn
We competed in a sprint orienteering event in the old parr of Chur last night. Lots of narrow alley ways, and heaps of squares, each with a fountain. We also met our friend Jurg who we met in NZ 20 years ago and we visited here 5 years ago.
This moring the market is setting up right outside our hotel window. Fresk veges, croisants and buns.
Today we catch the bus to Flims where the SOW orienteering event is based for the next week. Lots of mountains to run on.
Steven is safely back in Rotorua with the heater on, and the cat is home from the cattery. Angela leaves Stockholm on Sunday for NZ. Angela was a very creditable 17th over the 5 days at Oringen.
Ian and Raewyn
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Now in Switzerland
We have now reached Chur in Switzerland, where we stay 2 nihhts before travelling a short distance to Flims for the orienteering.
Chur centre is a lovelly old town with narrow cobbled lanes and 4 storey buildings. Below our hotel is a restaurant, and there are another two restaurants either side. From our hotel room we can see the arched gate through the town wall to the newer part of town.
Last night we had fondu 2 doors from our hotel. Ian dribbled cheese everywhere!
Today Ian might ride the train 1000m vertically to Arosa. He thinks that it must be a cog train.
Raewyn has found some caches whoch are described in English, so we might be able to find one. Yesterdays cache was never found as we didnt understand the German description.
Chur centre is a lovelly old town with narrow cobbled lanes and 4 storey buildings. Below our hotel is a restaurant, and there are another two restaurants either side. From our hotel room we can see the arched gate through the town wall to the newer part of town.
Last night we had fondu 2 doors from our hotel. Ian dribbled cheese everywhere!
Today Ian might ride the train 1000m vertically to Arosa. He thinks that it must be a cog train.
Raewyn has found some caches whoch are described in English, so we might be able to find one. Yesterdays cache was never found as we didnt understand the German description.
Now in Munich
We must thank our friends, Eveliina and Petteri, and their extended family for hosting us at Kangasala. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting you all.
We are now in Munich. During the first afternoon here we did a tour which showd sites where the Third Reich and German resistance were active in the city. It was very appropriate for Steven as he had studied the origins of the second world war last year in history. It was a walking tour and we covered a large part of the city from the early stages of the Nazi party through to the party headquarters.
Yesterday we visited Nymphenberg palace which is a large palace and grounds which were built by Max Emanuel in 1664. The grounds were wonderful to stroll around. Maniqured flower beds and hedges and fountains then small forest areas.
We then visited the BMW car world and museum. Steven was fascinated by the displays of cars and dispalys. Ian was more interested in the architecture of the buildings. There were opportunities to test drive a new BMW car, but with all of the traffic on the roads, we didnt take up that opportunity.
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We returned to the city through the English garden and stumbled across a beer garden, complete with bavarian band. Lovely food, and lots of beer being drunk.
Our accomodation here in Munich is a pension just acros the road from the train station. It is very comfortable, but just outside our room is a crazy intersection with 6 roads meeting, 6 tram lines and a bus tour company. At night it has been reasonably quiet, but now (10am) it is rather busy.
Steven left our tour last night to return to NZ, so now there is just Ian and Raewyn left to visit Switzerland, land of fondu and mountains! We travel by train this afternoon to a small town called Chur for 2 nights before a short trip to Flims where the Swiss orienteering week will be held.
Angela is competing at Oringen in Sweden before heading back to Waikato Uni. She is doing very well in the competition, placing 22nd on the first day, then 27th, and 9th yesterday, making her 17th overall out of 83 competitors in womens 20 elite.
We are now in Munich. During the first afternoon here we did a tour which showd sites where the Third Reich and German resistance were active in the city. It was very appropriate for Steven as he had studied the origins of the second world war last year in history. It was a walking tour and we covered a large part of the city from the early stages of the Nazi party through to the party headquarters.
Yesterday we visited Nymphenberg palace which is a large palace and grounds which were built by Max Emanuel in 1664. The grounds were wonderful to stroll around. Maniqured flower beds and hedges and fountains then small forest areas.
We then visited the BMW car world and museum. Steven was fascinated by the displays of cars and dispalys. Ian was more interested in the architecture of the buildings. There were opportunities to test drive a new BMW car, but with all of the traffic on the roads, we didnt take up that opportunity.
:
We returned to the city through the English garden and stumbled across a beer garden, complete with bavarian band. Lovely food, and lots of beer being drunk.
Our accomodation here in Munich is a pension just acros the road from the train station. It is very comfortable, but just outside our room is a crazy intersection with 6 roads meeting, 6 tram lines and a bus tour company. At night it has been reasonably quiet, but now (10am) it is rather busy.
Steven left our tour last night to return to NZ, so now there is just Ian and Raewyn left to visit Switzerland, land of fondu and mountains! We travel by train this afternoon to a small town called Chur for 2 nights before a short trip to Flims where the Swiss orienteering week will be held.
Angela is competing at Oringen in Sweden before heading back to Waikato Uni. She is doing very well in the competition, placing 22nd on the first day, then 27th, and 9th yesterday, making her 17th overall out of 83 competitors in womens 20 elite.
Monday, July 25, 2011
More sun and blueberries in Finland
We are almost at the end of our visit to Finland, flying out to Munich tomorrow.
We have had a very enjoyable time here at Kanagasala with our friends. Petteri rowed us 6 km down the lake and back yesterday, as he was having a break from running. It was a long way and we could not have rowed that far. We visited two islands, one with a cache on a high vertical cliff, and another island about 1km long that we walked along.
Yesterdays walk in the forest was disrupted by frequent stops to eat blueberries, which are everywhere on the ground.
Today we competed at a Super Sprint orienteering event that was held around the property where we are staying. It was by invitation only, with about 20 competitors. Three maps with 32 controls, including four controls in the lake. Winning time was 9.5 minutes for 1.7 km. Sadly only 1 of the 3 NZ team members successfully completed their course, both Steven and Ian mispunched a control. But Raewyn finished a very creditable 7th, 3rd women! After the event we had a sauna, dip in the lake and food which included a HUGE strawberry cake! Yummy.
We have had a very enjoyable time here at Kanagasala with our friends. Petteri rowed us 6 km down the lake and back yesterday, as he was having a break from running. It was a long way and we could not have rowed that far. We visited two islands, one with a cache on a high vertical cliff, and another island about 1km long that we walked along.
Yesterdays walk in the forest was disrupted by frequent stops to eat blueberries, which are everywhere on the ground.
Today we competed at a Super Sprint orienteering event that was held around the property where we are staying. It was by invitation only, with about 20 competitors. Three maps with 32 controls, including four controls in the lake. Winning time was 9.5 minutes for 1.7 km. Sadly only 1 of the 3 NZ team members successfully completed their course, both Steven and Ian mispunched a control. But Raewyn finished a very creditable 7th, 3rd women! After the event we had a sauna, dip in the lake and food which included a HUGE strawberry cake! Yummy.
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