Spend a long time working out all the
possible routes between the controls. Look carefully at the contour
lines on the map , are the check points down a valley or on top
of a mountain!! Always look to Ride up roads and down bridleways
, its alot easier to ride down a very muddy bridleway .Try to
gauge the terrain from the map - look for signs that would indicate
whether a bridleway is on a track (fast), boggy (multiple small
streams), steep or gentle gradient. Can roads be used to cover
long distances between controls. There are normally a few different
routes to the check point, the shortest route is not always the
easiest.
Work out possible routes depending on
where the overnight camp may be. If all this information is already
worked out when you get given the control point score values,
you can make a good decision about route quickly. You should
have a rough idea of the distance you will be able to cover.
You will be able to plan 2 or 3 possible routes - count the points
score for each - then recalculate the points score for 2 separate
scenarios.
1. Things go really well and you have
time to spare. Could you pick up extra control points on a longer
run in?
2. A bad day. The paths are atrocious
and you tire after 5 hours. Could you shorten the route without
missing some high scoring control points?
A good route will allow a choice of routes
in the last 1 - 2 hours. Sometimes a decision has to be made
about going clockwise or anti-clockwise. The golden rule is always
to head for the area with rich pickings first - certainly never
leave this area till last - you may not get there. Remember -
the person who planned the course will have had a good idea of
the route he would like you to take. It's his local area and
he wants you to enjoy yourself. The obvious route is often ridable
and good fun. However, if you are to win, you either have to
ride like the wind, or choose a novel route which isn't readily
apparent to others (the road is often good for this). Don't worry
about coming in a few minutes late, especially if the extra time
enables you to get an extra 30 points. Most top riders arrive
within 10 minutes either side of the 7 hours. After 10 minutes
you are deducted 2 points per minute, but it only starts to bite
when you are more than 20 minutes late (5 points per minute).
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