I pedalled off to the start and was a bit surprised to be given 6 maps (I had rather rashly entered the 25km medium course after some goading from Christine). The start was on top of a spur and I’ll freely admit that I wheeled my bike down the steep snow covered single-track path that weaved through the small conifers. Once I did get going I then managed to drop my compass (it was tucked in the side of the Heath Robinson map holder that I had constructed to attach to my handlebars). I saw it go but despite only having a 5 metre section of track to search it still took me about five minutes to find it again in the snow. The navigation was easy enough not to need a compass – I just didn’t want to lose it!
I managed to get through the first three controls without too much difficulty. I did briefly wonder what the high wall on the route to number three was all about until I passed a road called ‘Broadmoor Drive’. I was a bit indecisive on the route from 3 to 4. The maps consisted of a mixture of orienteering and OS maps and I wasn’t sure whether we were permitted to use the footpaths on the OS maps. It was whilst I was making a detour back to the road that things went drastically wrong: the left crank fell off! I found the screw but the small toolkit I was carrying wasn’t going to help me re-attach it. I walked my bike out to the road and asked a passing family for assistance. They directed me to a bike shop just 10 minutes walk away!
Thanks go to the guys at Berkshire Cycles who put the crank back on but they warned me that it was deformed by this point and I shouldn’t ride on. They were right and I made it back as far as Upper Star Posts before it fell off again despite my attempts to only use the left pedal lightly. This time the screw was lost to the snow and I just ran back with the bike with the crank in my hand. (Running with a bike is considerably easier when there is no pedal to get in the way!)
So, my first MTBO event was not exactly a great success but it was a lovely day to be out with the sun shining on the snow. Getting ready for the event was a bit of a faff – all the usual orienteering gear plus everything for the bike as well. My makeshift map board worked reasonably well although I think you really do need one that rotates. Trying to work out which path to take at one of the massive Star Posts junctions is very difficult when the map isn’t orientated. At £35+ that’s not something I’m going to buy in a hurry though so perhaps I should just stick to two legs in future!
Or babysitting 😉
I completed the event with a non-orienteer but finished 2 hours behind the leader. Not sure how he managed this but judging by the speed at which some people were going down the descents I guess it would be fairly easy to make up this sort of time advantage. Normally going downhill at speed on snow doesn’t present any problems but then I would have skis on my feet. Going at more than 5 mph on sheet ice is a different challenge. I came off my bike twice, the 2nd time hitting my head hard on the road. It was a good job that I was was wearing a helmet but I still ended up with a headache which lasted until Sunday evening. The helmet was consigned to the bin and I bought a new one yesterday. This is my 4th MTBO event and it hasn’t put me off – just need a better bike with front suspension (at least). Maybe SOC should organise a similar event in the New Forest?
Hi Steve,
Sounds nasty – perhaps I was lucky to stop when I did. I’d be prepared to give it another go but without the snow this time! I’m sure SOC would be happy to put on an event if you’re volunteering to organise!!
Dave
Dave,
I am curious, while I can see the point of the military needing to know
some orienteering skills, the worth of them learning mountain bike
orienteering seems a bit beyond. I know that they are always claiming to be short of helicopters but are they really going to be cycling round
somewhere with a map and compass looking for someone to shoot?
cheers,
Neil
Neil – would you prefer if they did it on horseback for the benefit of the cavalry?!