Bonanza

This morning I gave Django a decent walk around Penicuik, and then did a bit of work before watching (on the live Turf map) the end of the Bonanza Bike event. I was pleased to see my mate Hodge come third, which means that he won a virtual bronze Bonanza medal. I then drove into Edinburgh with Django, and parked opposite daughter K's flat, which was conveniently situated near the edge of the Bonanza Foot competition area. 

I had a few minutes to chat before leaving to start the event. The aim is to take Turf zones (each worth 10 points), with the hope that no-one else will take them for a while after the 3-minute "block" when they can't be taken. Each earns a further one point per minute until someone takes it. The screenshot shows me (in green) in the course of taking a zone in the Meadows - the green bar on the left is counting the 30 seconds required to take a zone. I ended up there as a result of aiming for areas of zones with few Turfers, in the hope that there would always be zones to take, and that I'd keep them for longer. However, others are attracted to such areas, so they become over-populated, and people move on. The Meadows were most welcome after about an hour, because I was getting tired, and I liked the short flat "sprints" across grass with a 30-second rest whilst taking the next zone. However, I didn't hold them for long, so it might not have been the best tactic!

When the two hours were over, I was in Holyrood Park, just pipped to a zone by rabbit_rail. We chatted and discovered that he was fourth, and I was fifth (out of 133 - with only about 80 competing in any way seriously). I was pleased, and Strava credited me with covering 15.3km and 188m climb in 01:25 of moving time - I was essentially stationary for 30 seconds at each of the 75 zones that I took. For some of my moving time I was dodging pedestrians in places like the Royal Mile! It's not like a continuous race, and although it's hard physically, it's exciting. After dropping out of the half marathon after 7km, it was good to do a running event in which I felt satisfied. Those 7km probably did me a lot of good in preparation, even if it's an expensive way to train!

I walked slowly back to K's flat, had a chat, a shower, and a longer chat, before I realised that I needed to get up or I'd not want to walk across the city centre to the venue for the post-event dinner at Pizza Express in Morningside. I sat at an empty place at a random table, and when I asked "What is the language of the table?", I discovered that I was sitting opposite an Englishman that I'd met once before. Eventually appetizers came out, followed by endless thin pizzas, all buffet-style. The hungry Turfers dived on them like vultures, but we all had our fill by the end. 

Eventually, feeling a bit bored, I left to get Django, only remembering at the bus stop that I'd not settled my drinks bill - that was shared with the rest of the table! So I returned, creeping in past the prize-giving, only to be told by Hodge that I'd missed being given a prize for finishing fifth! Never mind, I clapped the rest of the winners, learned that Bonanza 2026 will be in Gothenburg, and left for good. 

K was playing a game with two friends when I arrived, so I didn't overstay my welcome, and drove back home with Django.  

Other than some dull photos of people at the dinner, it was a dull day in Edinburgh, and I didn't get around to taking anything appealing, so a Turf app screenshot seems appropriate.