WHAT A WASTE OF WINE!!!1111!!1!!!!

When I collected your black and white flight plan at the start I thought it ambitious, but if anyone could pull it off it would be the two of you. Except for the track between 101 and 51. That was where the earlier picture (on page 3) of Mike was taken, riding in the opposite (and only sensible) direction. Go out and ride it some time from Battle Hill in the correct order 52, 81, 51, 101, 52 (just take some safety glasses, its a bit over grown but great riding, even on a single speed)

The Mud Slingers low score, when compared to last year came about partly by the fact we had to favour a 4 hour course and the hills are BIG out Puketiro way. There was no sensible route and we probably gave you to many options for too few riders. In retrospect we could have dropped 37,38, 52, 101 and 81 and moved them else where, but then you would have probably mopped them all up.

Some useless facts to make you feel better
Entries were split about 85/15 between the 4 hour and 8 hour teams, and the flags were 15 / 25 in favour of the 4 hour riders.
The 2008 total was a mere 1680 ( 2007 was 1910 ) 800 points were on the 8 hour map and about 960 within the 4 hour area ( yes I know it does not add up as some were on both maps )

Note to self when planning next years course: Select some where that Simon and Sifter do not know very well to make them look like mere mortals again.

And finally some useful orienteering tips

the higher the number the more points a flag is worth

[list]“the map is flat, the terrain is NOTâ€

[quote="JungleJim"] Some useless facts to make you feel better
Entries were split about 85/15 between the 4 hour and 8 hour teams, and the flags were 15 / 25 in favour of the 4 hour riders.
The 2008 total was a mere 1680 ( 2007 was 1910 ) 800 points were on the 8 hour map and about 960 within the 4 hour area ( yes I know it does not add up as some were on both maps )

Note to self when planning next years course: Select some where that Simon and Sifter do not know very well to make them look like mere mortals again.

And finally some useful orienteering tips

the higher the number the more points a flag is worth

[list]“the map is flat, the terrain is NOTâ€

mob: Nice report sifter. Will have to bust out my map to see where you atually road.

Nick_K wrote: mob: Nice report sifter. Will have to bust out my map to see where you atually road.

Nick, I can sum it up for you, they rode a long bloody way.

Great thread and even greater story from sifter. That was THE best "story of my race" I have ever seen, most of them are "... we started off... and then we... and then came... and then we..."

Can I make a connection between this thread (and the dreaded word ...map) and other threads in which people say "where can I go riding..." Contributors rightly say you need to know what you're doing in the Aka's. Well are you gonna wait until Colin chaperones you in there? What about getting a decent map? The topo is hopeless. The one on the Karapoti website shows the course and not much else. But the Ak Attack map shows everything we have found. Even (according to sifter) tracks unknown to the bro's.

If there's a demand (by say a month after the event) we can do a reprint. Price $10 for set of 2 A3's, $2 P&P. This covers this year's event up to Orange Hutt. For $16 we'll throw in last year's maps (O Hutt to Maungakotukutuku). Enquiries to michael.wood (at) mapsport.co.nz

What an awesome account sifter.

Badly makes me want to orienteer again.......maybe one day

sifter wrote:...This was a mistake, and we had two very good clues - the map said "Very steep" and a sign at the top of the track read "The Widowmaker" ... It would have been much easier without the bikes ... Then, as if the Maze wasn't bad enough, we rode into hell...

classic MTBO

Are the maps going to have next years course on them ? That way I can start early with my planning and build up.