We had 150 minutes time to complete the event. It started at 7:30 PM and ended at 10 PM. Forecast was light rain, but it didn't rain, but terrain was a bit muddy. The open clearings on the hilltops had corn crops and we were told not to cross them.
The eastern side of the map was new to this club's map, and it presented new terrain for veteran orienteerers that ran the courses in this state park in previous meets.
The park boundary is marked with a lightly-hued violet color (for example, near the summit on the mountain top on the North West corner of the map), and we were asked to stay within park boundary.
The cluster of controls around the pond on the western side (26, 25, 15, 22, 26, 32) presented a natural loop circuit, but then, what to do with the trio of controls just north east ? (12, 18, 19)
Many people could not find 22. It was a small hidden clearing surrounded by thick vegetation.
Another control that was hard to find was 25. A clearing just adjacent to the West was were many people were going (and of course, not finding any control there).
On the long run on the main trail after finding control 2 and returning going west-ward, used the special map feature ("x") as a mental marker to where to stop running on the main trail, and start bushwacking north to find the trail that would lead me to 21.
The amazing drama happened at three minutes from the end: after finding 7 and returning on the main trail to then go for 14 and eventually to the finish with the planned "found 'em all" scenario in exactly 150 minutes, somehow forgot to turn right (East) to that line clearing towards 14, and instead kept going straight, and incredibly, there was a line clearing there as well (going North). Followed that clearing thinking it was the one I wanted, and kept going but finding no control. Finding trails and features, I suspected I overshot 14 and was close to the main trail near 9 (but in reality, it turned out, I was more near 22 !!!!). Got desperate, clock now in overtime, entirely ruined my chance of finishing within time, turned right into a road going downhill (South-East) to its bottom, saw it going uphill, got totally confused on where I was, I should be really really close to finish but no lights, no noise, no cars, pointed compass to south and ran as fast as I could through the woods, found myself in a gravel parking lot with no idea what it was, kept on going south, was desperately looking for paved road, found it, and that is when I said "I know where I am", and 20 seconds later was at the finish.
5 minute overtime. A flawless execution to the very last control, and ironically, messed it all on the easiest of all legs. One never stops learning from personal mistakes, and actually, I am happy that this happened, as it gives a story to tell.
