Trials Comp Nirasaki...

Muddy and Mucky!
It's hot, extremely humid and there is NOTHING around save a tiny convenience store. We drove through torrents of rain at 0530 in the a.m. to have the rain stop literally 5 minutes before the comp began. Lucky? Perhaps. It meant that for the next six hours, we'd sweat while squishing our way though mud and puddles while trekking from each course to the next.

A judge takes a time out on a large stone, part of an old castle that stood in this location hundreds of years ago. The comp utilized the ruins in some comp sections.

The castle ruins sit in a small valley flanked by lush mountains, filled with rice patties with a view of Mount Fuji which we didn't see until the next day.

This small town/village is in Yamanashi prefecture and is famous for delicious fruits and so-so wine. There were all sorts of fruit trees but the only thing bearing fruit were the plum trees and chestnut trees. That's a chestnut above--Yeeowch!
Rice Seedlings and Bird

Again...lotsa rice patties....

Oh yeah, this post is about Matt's comp! Here's a photo of him navigating a slippery slope and rock obstacle. He didn't come in dead last this time which means he's getting better! :) (Nirasaki, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan)