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Topic created by bobburg on Sun Mar 20, 2011 at 10:05 pmI so much agree with your request for feedback to course setters, for obvious reasons.
I loved the Brown course today. Was going to run Green, but I had already exhausted my climb for the day with the walk to Start. But then the course started. Challenging (with lots of climb the first half), but always with guiding features to bring us into the controls.
Thanks for re-running the courses from 2003. Besides the vegetation (innevitably changed from 11 years ago when it was mapped and today mercifully sparse in early Spring), the rest of the map holds up very well. Thanks for the heads-up about reading features rather than trails (which probably change every week with mountain bikes).
And what a great day to be out in the woods with plenty of clear sunny sky and moderate temperatures. Loved our early season visit to the heart of DVOA-land.
Do you plan to have it available for Route Gadget? -
Reply by JohnyWrongWay on Mon Mar 21, 2011 at 6:57 amGreat event. Great day. GREAT to see my friends again. See you all at Warwick.
Ron-- Hiking green was a solid challenge. Plenty of controls were just technical enough to be out of the comfort zone... mentally & physically. Good job! Likewise to Angelica, Wyatt & all involved in.
Best, J. -
Reply by edscott on Mon Mar 21, 2011 at 8:40 amA record number of participants for the Antietam map.. that's two weeks in a row for map attendance records. Wonder if it is just the great weekend weather or are we gaining some ground we lost over the past couple years.On the courses... Brown was perfect for me.I would have probably dropped the two westernmost controls on Green both to reduce the distance and climb a bit and to stay out of that steep rocky area. (Did that one last time and was exhausted, but would like to throw that time into this weekend's results.
) I also checked out the white course. I thought it was good to get them out to see some of the hills and rock features beyond the thick woods and stone walls.Went over Orange with another Orienteer after they came in and also looked good... a bit more technical than some because virtually every control was of Orange level.... no breaks given by throwing in a couple beginner gimmes along the way. -
Reply by kathyu on Mon Mar 21, 2011 at 11:40 am
Orange was really fun for me -- lots of navigation, some nice spots to jog on the trail, some very challenging climb and rocks, not too many thorns. Lots of all the things that keep me coming out. Challenging but not impossible. I like this park, and the two-seater outhouse was funny. Thanks to everyone who made it happen. The dogs were pretty funny too, sorry I forgot my camera.
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Reply by rgbortz on Mon Mar 21, 2011 at 11:56 amHere we are, lazing around on this Caribbean island, I was having a great day already, and then I read this thread. You all just put the icing on the cake. Thanks so much for coming out and enjoying your time in the woods and appreciating the effort that goes in to setting courses. I owe a really, really huge thank you to the Riley's for making sure the event happened successfully. I am hopeful a bunch more people will log their comments here. My knee is still on the mend while waiting anxiously to set courses for Hay Creek. Hope to see most of you at Warwick.
Ron
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Reply by DSevon on Mon Mar 21, 2011 at 9:05 pmAt this point, I haven't been able to determine if there is an Condes or OCAD course file for loading into RouteGadget. I did pick up extra maps at the event so I've re-created most of the courses. However, I'm missing a map for the orange course. If someone who did orange would scan their map and email me (dsevon at verizon dot net) the image, then I can get all the courses into RG. Thanks, Doug
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Reply by WindWalker on Mon Mar 21, 2011 at 9:47 pm
First timer here - I took Mary's beginner's course a few weeks ago at the Nolde Forest since I have my sights set on some Adventure racing this summer. Some of them require Orienteering, so I figured I better get started. My wife has called me a map head for years and I just started running around the first of the year in prep for racing, so it seemed like a good fit.
I did the perminent cousre at French Creek the day before Mt Penn, thinking if I could make it through that I'd be OK. That went well, so Sunday morning I jumped on the motorcycle and off to Mt Penn I went.
Joined DVAO online the night before so I could get the club discount, and sign up went very smooth and the staff was most helpfull for this first timer. Mary did look a bit surprised when I said I was gonna do Orange. But I felt I was up to it. Besides what the worst that could happen? I get twisted around and have to walk back on the roads with my tail between my legs?
So after a warm up walk to the start I was off. Compass and map in hand, and a magic wand on my finger. My plan going in was to go slow and take my time and stay on course. That worked well for the first control, but after I found that one right where the map said it would be I got pretty excited and stepped up the pace. #2 was a direct hit. Moving faster now, orientating the map at each control and setting off towards the next. #3 was a slight overshot, but quicky got redirected. #4 had me at the ruins, but no control, a bit more map study and I needed to be at the ruins next door. From here on everything was going smooth and I was keeping what I felt was a good pace. Well that was until I left control 11 and started moving before I got orientated. That turned out to be interesting, thinking I was at one place on the map when I was actually at another. After what seemed like forever and some head scratching and some laughing inside, I decided to head back to the last control and start over. On the way back to control 11 I managed to get back on track and was was back in the game. I had a big chuckle when I found control 12 and realized I turned around within eyesight of it just a few minutes before. Off to the finish line where I was very impressed with the technology, and walked away with a print out of my run. Turned out I walked around looking for that control for 20 minutes, couldn't do nothing but laugh about that. I was still very happy and surprised that I was able to find them all.
It was very cool and I truly enjoyed the mental challenge of the hunt. I studied the map for hours already thinking about what I would do different. Still learning the symbols which I'm sure will help. But I think one of the biggest things for me is just to take more time looking at the more detailed features and make sure I head off on the correct heading after the contols.
Thanks to all involved, I had a blast and hope to do alot more events between other races this year.
Mike Carter -
Reply by yoyonateo on Mon Mar 21, 2011 at 9:48 pmRon Bortz was right when he said the blue course was the best of the courses. I enjoyed every control out there! They each had their own unique way to attack them. Also I loved the early spring woods with little thorns and being runnable and clear. The controls on the western side of the map was great. I was able to run along the mountain and have a great view over Reading. Got to love scenic orienteering. Plus the weather was pretty good for orienteering. I could spend all day running a course like this. Thank you so much to all of those who made this event happen.
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Reply by Steve on Tue Mar 22, 2011 at 9:15 amWelcome to the club Mike. It sounds like you will be hooked in no time. At the next few events you attend, plan on staying around afterwards and talking to other orange runners. We all have a tendency to see something one way , and when someone else points out a different idea, it can look totally obvious. Also, circle the Hickory Run training weekend in September. You will learn a ton of tricks of the trade, get to know your fellow orienteers, and maybe even try your first night O.
See you in the woods,
Steve -
Reply by o-maps on Tue Mar 22, 2011 at 11:10 am@Mike. Glad you had such a great experience in teh woods. As a member, one of the benefits available to you is the library. We have a great collection of books, that can be pretty helpful at any time in some one's O' development. The library is usually at our Winter and Summer club meetings, but I haven't seen it at meets in a while... Anyone know who's carting those crates around nowadays? It'd be nice to have them at a meet once a month or so.
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Reply by hughmac4 on Tue Mar 22, 2011 at 9:46 pmYes, if you've got the library, and it's got "Murder at the 14th Control" in it still, I'd love to check it out!
-Hughmac4 -
Reply by furlong47 on Wed Mar 23, 2011 at 1:06 amThere's a couple used copies for sale on Amazon... if you want to pay dearly
Looks like they're going for $30-50. Mine wasn't nearly that much 10 years ago. Looks like if I hang on to it for a few more decades I can sell it and retire
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Reply by DSevon on Wed Mar 23, 2011 at 7:38 amCourses are now loaded into RouteGadget. Have fun!
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Reply by hughmac4 on Wed Mar 23, 2011 at 6:06 pmThanks Doug! I love RouteGadget!
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Reply by chand on Thu Mar 24, 2011 at 10:16 pmGreat Orange course Ron! Usually I stomp through this place with 800 other runners in a Pagoda Pacers race. Even better place for orienteering than trail running.
Still plowed right through the thorns at the fringes of Rotary Field, even though I've seen them many times, they're on the map, etc :(
I thought the legs were all appropriate for an orange course. Loved the climb from 3 to 4.
