November 3, 2009

Boise Street Challenge starts on Sunday, November 15th!

Yes, you heard correctly...we are trying out a new name this year. The event formerly known as the Metrogaine shall be henceforth the Boise Street Challenge for 2009.

On top of that, the date has been slightly reset to Sunday, November 15th, instead of Saturday. This minimizes the traffic hazards out there on our city streets.

Our meet format remains unchanged, however: Given a USGS map of downtown Boise and the surrounding terrain, the challenge is to get as many "points" as possible in the 3 hour time limit. Points are obtained by answering questions at a circle on the map, a question that can (usually) only be answered by being there. Like a traditional orienteering score course, some answers are worth more than others, but can be filled out in any order, so there is some strategy involved.

Although the long distance runners remain big fans of this meet, given the scale of the map, it remains wildly popular with the bikers of the group too. We'll keep them in a separate class. But if you just want to wander the city on a beautiful November fall day and see it through new eyes, here's your chance! Walkers will have their own class too.

Key details:
Date: Sunday, November 15th
Time: Start area set up at 10am. Maps distributed at 10:15am. Mass start at 10:30am!
Time Limit: 3 hours (10 point penalty per minute overtime)
Cost: $5 per map (for club members, it is free)

Recommended items to bring to the meet:
1. Water bottle (or your favorite hydration system) - you'll be out for 3 hours!
2. Clothing appropriate for the weather that day, especially footwear you can walk or run in.
3. Your favorite reliable pen or pencil for circling answers to questions.
4. A completed and signed waiver (essential for non-members).
5. A watch to keep track of time.
6. Cell phone for emergencies, if you have one.

Look forward to seeing you there!
Meet directors Jeff Black and Karin Didesse

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I HAVE NEVER PARTICIPATED IN AN ORIENTEERING EVENT, BUT I AM INTERESTED IN LEARNING. WOULD THIS BE A GOOD EVENT FOR A BEGINNER? ALSO, WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING?

Jeff Black said...

Homedale Ambulance - this is an orienteering like event, a fun way to practice navigation on a city map. It's a good place to start, but traditional orienteering normally takes place over a smaller, much more detailed map area, and uses flag controls hung for the day. We will have a traditional meet in December, and you should find plenty to enjoy or learn in both meets.

For this meet, it's a good idea to bring water and a pen for marking answers. I'll add a list to the post.

Jeff