Ann Morrison meet this Sunday March 16

This Sunday's meet at Ann Morrison Park will be a "Motala" (or individual relay) style, which will consist of three short courses about 2.5 km. in length which an individual may choose to do one, two, or all three courses consecutively.  We will meet at the picnic shelter and parking area in the northeast corner of the park off of the W. Royal Blvd. entrance.  Starts will be from 11-1pm with each course timed separately so participants can check how they compare with all the others that did that course. Predicted nice weather and fast paced action should make for a fun meet!

- Karin Didisse

A Few Results and a Lot of Commentary



Advanced Course Control 14

We are always favorably impressed when we see a new young orienteer perform well on a challenging course. Such was the case when Mikayla Rose led the pack on the Intermediate Course. Congratulations, Mikayla! Mikayla is one of Ben Brock's crop of promising orienteers at Riverstone International School where Ben is the Outdoor Education Director. Ben is a very capable orienteer in his own right. From what we see of Ben's students it appears he's effectively passing on skills.

We appreciate Mikayla's performance along with all of the others on the Intermediate Course all the more when we appraise its difficulty. The course was designed to afford orienteers the maximum opportunity to exercise their navigation skills in series of re-entrants, some of which are very subtle. We see similar terrain in the spring and summer meets, but it is a rare treat to navigate in the hills during the months of rain and snow. For this pleasure and privilege we owe our gratitude to Lance and Robyn Teel, owners of all of the property on which the Intermediate Course was set.

 

 

 

 

It's always our pleasure to see the Morgan family with Nikolai and Alexsi bounding into the finish line. One day in the not too distant future we expect to see Dad tuckered out, but proudly trailing behind.

Dan and Ashley Abel come to us as adventure racers. Dan has been the secondary navigator on his team, but now with the retirement of the primary navigator wants to improve his skills. The Abel team proved to be able indeed as they logged a time competitive with some of our strong and experienced regulars on the Intermediate Course.

We've been seeing more of Jerry Stewart lately. He and Steve Fransen joined forces to tackle the Intermediate Course. Both orienteers reported into the finish with smiles and evident satisfaction. We hope to see more of you guys as the year progresses.

There is a list of reasons to explain why an orienteer can take a long time on a course, among them being lost, sustaining an injury, avoiding bears and anything else you might imagine. For Holly and Megan Peters the explanation was determination to find as many of those controls as they could. Holly and Megan took a quantum leap from their month earlier success on the Beginner's Course at Julia Davis Park to this Intermediate Course. And they did it without their partner of last month, Mark Holman. As stated above the course qualified as intermediate because of its length, not its navigation difficulty. They found most of the controls and now know a lot more about orienteering. We know they could have returned to the finish much earlier. Holly and Megan, especially, were having fun.

If there's one thing we share almost universally as orienteers, it's humility. A few moments of triumph might momentarily push humility behind a veil of pride. A thin and fragile veil it is. And that is the theme of the commentary on the Advanced Course.

Of the total of 28 controls only three were off the Teel property. And on those three controls not only hung a punch, but also a tale of hubris. Ever mindful of the worthy opinions and honorable desires of fellow orienteers at whose pleasure he serves, the course setter lengthened a course that already had an elevation loss and gain of 633 meters. That's greater than the gain experienced by Robie runners when they top out at Aldape Summit. Some consolation might have been mistakenly found in the shorter distance—8K versus 8 miles. The proud among the petitioners requesting more physical challenge dismissed the evident aggravating factors of navigation and terrain even after we regrettably informed them that provision of a motorcycle escort and aid stations lay beyond our powers. Men and women were on their own out there. We are pleased to report that all returned safely.

Advanced Course Elevation Profile Before Added Length

As for pride, read on and judge for yourself. There lingers a suspicion that any pride was seasoned either with a little humility or a dose of delusion. Michael Bading reported that his GPS recorded a course of 8 miles, not 8K. Reflection on the 60% difference brought to mind a man walking a dog on a leash. The man walks in a direct line across a city park. The dog, though restrained by the length of the leash, travels by his own agenda, sniffing a tree here and straining toward a squirrel there. We submit that, with the exception of the exceptional, as orienteers we are more like the dogs and not dog-walkers.

And Jeff Black, whose optimism is tempered by experience offered a caveat ( “I'm game for any of the options, all will expose my weak spots I expect.”), reported entering a time-space continuum at The Slump. Those of you who have never transited this slice of misplaced terrain have missed an exquisite jumble of basalt boulders and crumpled earth. That it might distort the dimensions of cognition does not surprise us. We would counsel Jeff that it has nothing to do with relativistic physics, but is very much a Newtonian reality, to wit, with position as a function of time all of those obstacles can deviate your vector and hold your first derivative in check. It's dx/dt, not E=mc². (We really never were very good at calculus and we  only know of gravity enough to keep our feet on the ground, so we confess to having plagiarized and adapted in our effort to communicate with Jeff on his elevated plane.)

Bill Leahy offered no such caveat. He did note that our early start compelled him to choose between his two hour Saturday morning basketball game and our little orienteering meet. And Bill finished strong enough to claim the second fastest time on the course and the honor of first place. More about second and first a little later. Bill did say he felt strong enough to go back out and run the Intermediate Course, but would choose not to in light of the blisters he had acquired. We commend Bill to Proverbs with our minor amendment: “When pride cometh, then cometh blisters: but with the lowly is wisdom”. We will take credit for any wisdom that he might derive from Saturday morning's experience. And we offer advice to any subsequent meet directors to whom Bill's welfare is entrusted:  Arrange for him to start early at Saturday meets.

We need look no further than the first re-entrant control to be reminded of the basis for our own humility. It was there that the first orienteer out of the gate found a post without a control bag attached. Fortunately, Melanie Schuster consented to carry the delinquent bag and set it for us. Thank you Melanie for relieving us of the torrent of derision that otherwise would have come our way.

We have nary a word for Greg Davidson, who performed well and left happy. We too were happy that you came and were pleased.

You will observe a new participant category in the results table. Sergey has long been in a category of his own. For reasons spanning our long association with him and more particularly these two most recent meets we have created a new category. In the January meet report Jeff wrote about Sergey taking a control out of order, “By conventional orienteering rules this is a DQ and so he has been marked as such.” Sometimes justice is harsh. As harsh as Jeff and Dondi were, we honor their fidelity to the rules and so approve their decision. Sadly, we too have reached a similar judgment. At the start all orienteers were directed to follow the fence beyond the recently seeded lot. Sergey alone disregarded these instructions giving himself an unfair advantage and undermining directors' authority. Be assured that we were motivated in our decision not by the affront to our authority, but by our ethical responsibility. Although we followed Jeff and Dondi's precedent (Thank you, Jeff and Dondi for your courage in showing us the path of righteousness.), we believe that Sergey's performance must be viewed from a broader perspective. Hence, a category for Sergey alone, probably alone in perpetuity, to honor speed, efficiency and expedience. We know Sergey not as the dog, but as the dog-walker. Indeed, Jeff, who kindly supplied us with photographs for this report, was unable to capture Sergey's image because he was moving too fast. We do have one reservation as an anonymous source proffered us with a dubious report of Sergey walking. 

 

Sergey, the DQ is tough love because we love you. We duly noted that you brought Braunschweiger and crackers in a vain effort to compensate for the lost culinary inspiration of our departed and profoundly missed Russ Pilcher. (Some O club in Arizona is lucky beyond its wildest dreams and a little fatter.) Let it be known that in the case of one of our directors Braunschweiger is mitigation, not to be confused with a bribe, resulting in the establishment of Sergey's new special category.

Sunday, March 16 Karin Didisse directs our next meet at Ann Morrison Park.

 

Directors

David Murray

John Murray

Updated Announcement--Hidden Springs Meet--Saturday, February 22

The recent pause in wet weather makes an off-trail orienteering event possible. In order to take advantage of the current weather and ground conditions we will be starting very early while the ground is still frozen and finishing early. The meet will be very different than what was originally announced.

1. This meet will be conducted almost entirely on land owned by private individuals who have graciously given their permission for its use. The following rules apply:

• Avoid all graded lots. They might be muddy. The landowner has recently planted grass.
• If following a game trail, stay well off to one side to avoid compounding erosion.
• If traveling in a group, walk side-by-side, not single file.
• Avoid wet and/or muddy areas.

2. In addition to the CTOC liability waiver, a landowner's liability waiver is required at registration.
3. This meet is not a Motala (multiple loops). It is a classic format. Intermediate and Advanced only.
4. The gate will be open. We expect approximately 15 cars. Park on the pavement. It will be a tight fit. The important thing is to avoid leaving evidence of our event either inside the gate or outside.
5. The start and finish will NOT be at the Elementary School. Instead, it will be at the north end of Cartwright Road. http://goo.gl/maps/55467
6. There will NOT be a beginner's course. There are no streets, sidewalks or trails.
7. I will print a few extra maps for those orienteers who did not reply to my RSVP request. When they are gone, they are gone.

When: Due to conditions an EARLY START February 22. Registration begins at 7:30am continues to 8:30am. Registration and course openings are early to allow us to use the frozen trails and hills before they thaw into mud. Courses will be open for starts from 7:30 am to 8:45am. Courses close at 10:30 am. You may arrive within the registration window as participants start separately a few minutes apart.

Start/Finish Location: North end of Cartwright Road.
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/55467 , same as above
Format: Classic

Cost: Our usual monthly meet fee for nonmembers: $5 per individual, or $7 for a group sharing a map. Or if you're a club member, it's included!

Things to bring:
1. your trusty compass, or you may rent one from the club for a nominal fee.
2. a signed waiver, to save you some time signing up when you get there - but we will have blanks handy.

We have a course for intermediates who want the navigational challenge of an advanced course without the longer test of endurance. And, as always, we will have a more challenging course for our experienced orienteers looking for a workout and navigation.

 

Hidden Springs Meet--Saturday, February 22

Please join us on Saturday, February 22, for an orienteering meet in a format to fit the weather and footing. Because Hidden Springs' diverse terrain allows flexibility in course setting come snow, rain or shine, Hidden Springs is especially suitable for a winter meet. If the trails are firm and snow does not render the hills hazardous, we will set courses that include mountainous terrain. If the conditions don't favor travel in the hills, we will set an urban orienteering course.

Because of the forecast for more precipitation and moderate temperatures there is a high probability of an urban style meet. In order to make the best use of the urban area we plan to have a Motala course. A Motala consists of multiple loops, in this case 3 or 4. Each participant will receive a package of 3 or 4 maps with each of the courses beginning and ending at the same location. That means we have to print a lot of maps. So that we can make a reasonable estimate for printing, please RSVP by Wednesday to jnm2870@cableone.net. We will print extra maps because somebody will have an unexpected opportunity to participate, but when we run out, that's it.

There will be an email update on the final plan by Thursday night. Also, you can check the CTOC blog for an update on Thursday or Friday before the meet.

Who: Orienteers of all ages and abilities (beginners to advanced)
When: February 22. Registration is planned to begin at 9:30am and to continue to 11:30am. However, registration and course openings could be much earlier to allow us to use the frozen trails and hills before they thaw into mud. Courses will be open for starts from 10 am – 11:30am. Courses close at 1:30 pm. You may arrive within the registration window to try a course, as participants start separately a few minutes apart.

Start/Finish Location:
SUBJECT to CHANGE--Hidden Springs Elementary School: Hidden Springs, Idaho 83714
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/5OpWT
Format: To be determined depending on conditions

Cost: Our usual monthly meet fee for nonmembers: $5 per individual, or $7 for a group sharing a map. Or if you're a club member, it's included!

Things to bring:
1. your trusty compass, or you may rent one from the club for a nominal fee.
2. a signed waiver, to save you some time signing up when you get there - but we will have blanks handy.


You can choose a course that's right for you. We will have a course for beginners who have never held a compass or thought about maps. This course is suitable for small children. We have a course for intermediates who want the navigational challenge of an advanced course without the longer test of endurance. And, as always, we will have a more challenging course for our experienced orienteers. Whether new to orienteering or an accomplished competitive navigator, there's a course for you.
See you on February 22!

Playing it Straight

Although the inversion hung on during our inaugural 2014 meet, we had a brisk turnout for those willing to savor a little chill in their winter park orienteering practice.

The beginner courses pulled in a healthy range of new and experienced orienteers, shown in order of starting times.  Holly Peters and Mark Holman were completely new to the club but Mark did have his share of navigation in the past.  After noting the lions were hungry at the zoo, they tackled the beginner course comfortably and plan to be back next month for a step up.  The Moore family also arrived new to the sport.  Judging from the sprint of their daughter Emily leading the way to the finish, they look equally enthusiastic and plan to return next month for something a little longer.

The Moore family finishes fast.

Ben Brock, who brought his daughter Winslow for a little tour of the park and is dealing with one of those unexpected running injuries (seems like we all are this time of year?), captured a great shot of his daughter at control 3.  Safe to say she will be back.

Winslow at beginner #3.  Photo: Ben

Then we had another scout arrive to work on his orienteering merit badge - Brett Flerchinger and his dad.  He had set up a basic course for his troop already but needed to get some meets under his belt.  They finished handily and wanted to start on intermediate, but it was time for control pickup - they got a map though for their own reference and they too will be back!

Nikolai, Aleksi, and Emily Morgan seized firm control of the intermediate course and deterred all comers in the zealous blast of speed throughout, taking first place.

The Morgans sweep the intermediate.

The special feature of the advanced course was a revival of "line" orienteering.  Rather than the control being in the control circle, it could be anywhere along the line (including the control circle as a possibility).  This has several perks - every orienteer has to pay far more attention to reading the map as they run (in effect creating many more control points for each segment), the difference between competitors is reduced as the fastest ones need to slow down, and if using a compass bearings can be practiced too.  It turned out to be particularly interesting while circling buildings in the BSU campus...

Alex handily cleaned up the course, pushing hard but making it look easy.  With the new national junior grant given to Riverstone, we can be sure more speed will be coming out of Alex and his fellow students this year!  Sergey did indeed get all the controls, but he gave a bit of a sly smile as Dondi and I confusedly watched him go back to the first line of the course.  He missed it and decided to pick it up at the end, but felt that the control was just a little further from the line than it should be.  By conventional orienteering rules this is a DQ and so he has been marked as such - certainly he would not get away with it if we used e-punch!  The time penalty for a revisit pushed him second behind Alex in net time.

Sergey returns to catch #1 at the end.

A steady string of our club regulars arrived behind them like clockwork:   Greg, Jay, Bill, the Harvey's, Melanie, Dennis, and John rounded out the competition.  A few themes emerged from the recounted experiences.  Control #5, which was tucked between a wall and a juniper proved maddeningly elusive and required very careful line tracking and observation.  A couple got away with circling the new construction fencing that appeared just that week to the north, gambling the control was not too early in the line.  They were lucky.  Control #7 also required a looking back after circling the building to see it.  I think it was the Harvey's who noted they were standing almost with their back touching it and looking forward down the bearing, and had to come back before they found it.  John Murray noted there is an extra corner on that building not shown on the map that didn't make it any easier.  When Melanie was there four police cars were active right next to it (not part of the course design), serving as an extra distraction for sure.  Control #10, tucked way near the end of its line in a boulder field was often only noticed after scouting the entire line on the way there - but sometimes the clear vegetation bought an early glimpse.  Jay got distracted by a beginner/intermediate control in the NE corner of the rose garden and lost a bit of time jumping in and out (the code of course did not match).  Dennis thoroughly enjoyed the new twist on the orienteering and he pledges to attend many more meets this year!

Dennis pedals hard to the finish.

Thank you to Andy, for printing maps at the last moment in a busy week and my wife Dondi for handling starts and finishes and even a bit of tutorial to the beginners.  Bill Leahy and John Murray greatly assisted in picking up controls.

Next month we'll be in Hidden Springs where the Murrays will track the weather closely and gauge how far in the foothills we may roam.  It's a great map of mixed urban and high desert terrain, and I'll see you there!

Ben teaches his daughter how to spot a control.

2014: Opening Meet

Come one, come all to the first club orienteering meet for 2014!

The club returns to classic format and speedy feet in the parks for January.  At least, classic for beginner and intermediate.  For the advanced crew there is a special variation in store designed to keep you on your toes every step of the way.

The map of Julia Davis/BSU has been expanded and updated to a recent degree thanks to Sergey, so there may be a few more nooks and crannies for those who think they know it all.

Date:  January 25, 2014 (Saturday)
Location:  Julia Davis/BSU, near the Friendship bridge
Time:  starts from 11-12:30.  Course closes at 2pm.
Cost:  $5 per map; free to CTOC members.
Bring:

• a baseplate compass (if you have one, otherwise you may borrow)
• good shoes for combining pavement and potentially slick grass
• clothes suited for your pace and weather, plus something warm when you get back
• your brain preloaded with map reading eyes, adaptability, and optimism, i.e. the orienteering software.  For those of you who never did this, we will be happy to show you the ropes!

Speaking of members...you know what this means.  Yes - it's time to renew club dues!  That includes the updated form this year with the new waiver.  Our fees are unchanged (amazing, we don't index for inflation), and linked on the right here on the blog.  If you don't renew this month it gets prorated if you renew later in the year as well.  It's still an especially good deal for family memberships.  Funds go directly to supporting new map efforts, of which I can assure you are underway once again.  If you need any extra incentive, let it be known that Russ Pilcher has already sent his check even though he lives in Arizona now!

Yes, you too could be as happy as this crew in January! (from 2013)

Orienteerers of all Ages/Abilities Show Up at Riverstone for Final CTOC Meet of 2013

A New Map for out East!

After a large turnout at Riverstone International School for Saturday’s orienteering course, the results are in!  But first, a quick rundown of the day’s activities! 

The Beginner and Intermediate courses were run in a Classic format and the Advanced was run as a Motala. People showed up throughout the day between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., and while those that arrived early had to navigate hard, slippery conditions (Should I wear my spikes?”), those that ran the courses later in the day were “treated” to warmer, soggier conditions, especially in the fields on the SW side of the map.  “What conditions were preferable,” you ask?  As with much of orienteering....debatable.

With 50 participants (!! largest of the year?) the event was a great mix of Beginner to Advanced orienteerers and it was great to see a few families from the Harris Ranch community compete as well.  Additionally noted by a few of the club veterans was the even spread throughout much of the final results; no matter where one finished in the final standings, just a little more effort or a little more accurate navigation had the potential to significantly improve just about any result.   

And speaking of accurate navigation, the courses did present some challenges.  Potentially due to their proximity to each other, controls 37/38 (on the IDPR property in the East) and 54/55 (near the Barber Dam in the South) were mistaken for each other a few times costing finishers their “official” spots in the final results.  Other challenging decisions stemmed from:

• The dense cattail marshes in the the SW.  “Kudos” to Alex McKinley, and Team Brittany/Olivia/Christina for gambling on the straight line paths through the frozen marshes...not sure it paid off though.
• The disorienting nature of the the Mill District roundabouts (so-called for a reason).
• The dry/frozen/snowy riverbed on the way from Control 54 to Control 52.  It will present an even greater challenge when it’s filled with water...

This month’s beginners (the Rizvis, Mascolas, Team Morgan and Team Blandt/Rivera) deserve special recognition as being the only category of participants to correctly visit ALL of their collective controls. I suspect our Intermediate and Advanced participants will start seeing those Beginners giving them a run for their money pretty soon.

And now, without further ado, the results...and a final thanks to all who came out to help, came out to run, baked cookies, cleaned up, took pictures or shuttled kids to and fro.  Hope to see more of all of you in the year to come!

Misc

• A set of keys on a string was left at the start table.  Contact Ben Brock (bbrock@riverstoneschool.org) if you think they might belong to you.
• If you'd like a copy of your map, let Ben Brock know!

Regan on a Fresh Map and Fresh Legs!

Yeah, I'd call that a boulder field...

Gabe cutting through the marshes.

Natalie punches in.

New East Boise Orienteering Course - Riverstone Meet

New East Boise Orienteering Course!

On Saturday December 14 a new orienteering map for the East Boise area will be unveiled! Ben Brock, Outdoor Program Director at Riverstone International School, and one of his senior students, Alex Pusch have been mapping the area around Riverstone and the new map contains school grounds (Riverstone and East Junior High), the Idaho Parks and Rec properties, the Mill District residential area of Harris Ranch, and the open lands west along the Boise River to Eckert Bridge near Barber Park. While the mapped area is not particularly large at this point, it will serve as the core of a larger map that will eventually include the Spring Creek residential area of Harris Ranch and (hopefully) portions of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival and the new Marianne Williams Park.

December Details:
Who: Orienteers of all ages and abilities (beginners to advanced).
Format: Classic for Beginner and Intermediate. To make the most of the currently mapped terrain, Advanced course will be a "Motala" or multi-loop format.
When: Saturday, December 14. Registration begins at 10:30 am and continues to 1 pm. Courses will be open for starts from 11 am – 1 pm. Courses close at 2 pm.
Where: Riverstone International School is located at 5521 Warm Springs Rd. Event Headquarters will be in the foyer of the Kennedy Gymnasium, (accessible via Lysted Road). Follow the orange and white orienteering markers.
Entry: $5.00 per map for non-members (individual or group). Free to members of the City of Trees Orienteering Club.

You may want to bring: a watch, a compass, a snack and a cell phone. (Some compasses will be available to borrow). Also note: with the recent snowfall and cold temperatures, good footwear will be very important.

Event coordination (including some mighty fine cookies!) is being provided by Ben Brock (bbrock@riverstoneschool.org) and Alex Pusch and students in the Riverstone Outdoor Leadership Program. We'll see you out East!

-- Ben Brock
Director, Outdoor Program
Outdoor PE Teacher, Middle Years Programme

Riverstone International School: Inspiring the Journey

Boise City Streets Met with Sweat and Grit

After a very wet Saturday, our annual Street Challenge event was greeted with excellent weather and a correspondingly large turnout.  The bike and foot classes this year were about equally popular, with some healthy competition on each, and the time limit (and large number of controls) proved worthy this year as no single contestant had sufficient time to reach everything.  There was a 10 point per minute penalty for overtime, which a few pushed to the practical limit...especially with controls ranging between 10 and 50 points.

Greg and Melanie consider strategy before the mass start.

The starting line crowd, ready to score.

The bike class had 3 hours this year.  Mike Bading, driven by years of prior experience, his bike legs, and the sheer enjoyment of this format won while managing to include all but one 50 point control.   At the base of the monster hill for #57, he looked at his watch and knew it was simply too close to cut it.  Greg, Melanie, and Madonna gave him a run for his money - especially since they had practiced their own version at Greg/Melanie's wedding!  Jay took a very close third place, and it's worth noting he was the only orienteer all day who did acquire every single 50 pointer in every nook and cranny of the map.  Rest assured he got his hill work.  Scott and Mary DeWalt (Mary being a sponsor of the mini Library version of this meet a couple years back) turned in a very solid performance while eking in about 6 minutes over.  Doug LaMott (who did make the Ketchum meet last month!) was in the running just behind them.  Dennis Ahern, who has his own pair of healthy bike legs, lost his pen around the Firemen's memorial and went on memory on the way back until his brain was full.  Upon his early return he hastily scribbled down his answers - but he never did notice his own house was a control until later!  The Wright family pedaled their way around town with Katrina on the second seat to round out the results.

Results below reflect best scoring judgement of Dondi, who faced the difficult job of checking answers.  The % of total reflects # of points collected before the penalty - 1500 possible in total.

Below is Mike Badings's route choice - he did the south half (Bench) before the north.  I have rotated here to maximize viewing on a wide screen monitor:

Mike Bading's route.

On foot, two distinct tactics played out between Sergey Velichko and Ben/Chris Brock.  Ben came in only 3 minutes over, wiped out at the grueling pace he sustained in the time limit, while Sergey gambled on as many controls as possible and came in with the largest time penalty for the entire day.  Todd Dinkleman was equal to their task as well - until his quads cramped badly at the painfully distant #51.  He never did get release and staggered all the way back to the park to finish only 2 minutes over.   The Brocks took first, Todd second, and Sergey third after all was tallied and done.  Judging from their prone position and strained expressions, the pavement took a heavy toll on the fast ones.  John Murray and Alex Pusch, both impressed by the enormous scale of the map, played heavy on the north side and came in close behind the leaders.  Then came Karin D, perhaps down to savor the last of the great weather before winter socks in up north.  I report Bill Leahy here, who had hunting on his Sunday schedule so asked to do his own run on Saturday - in the rather miserable weather.  His vetting of the course led us to simplify answers on #24, which is much appreciated.  Jerry Stewart and Diane McGarvey of Y striders fame made their own impressive go at it, and undoubtedly spent the most earnest effort at counting Shu's dudes on his windows.  (In the end for those who were clearly there Dondi allocated their points due to the ambiguity of choices.)  Christina Uhlenbrock and James Eidson from Riverstone quite possibly had the biggest smiles of the day, and clearly enjoyed their time on the course.  The Corlett's arrived a minute or two past 10, and made a purely recreational day of exploring the nooks and crannies around the BSU campus, winners of the second biggest grins.

Below is Sergey's route choice, who collected the most points before the penalty was applied.  Note Sergey took the north half first, then the Bench:

Sergey Velichko's route.

For the observant, there were shortcuts available not visible from the USGS street grid.  Several took advantage of the railroad path from #41 to #48.  Greg and Melanie found the path around the mountain that let them cut from #32 to #57 without taking the road all the way around.  Many found the slight footpath shortcut on the road version as well.  It was a straightforward path past the softball field from #24 to #23 (or vice versa), which Sergey took on foot.  It was also possible to take the schoolyard gate to the north of #46 to branch to #35 - although I know of nobody who did that.

Some statistics from the scoring:

• Almost everyone collected one 50 pointer, the most accessible being Freak Alley (#50) and Shu's (#55).
• No one control was visited by everyone.
• Not counting the "S" control (which was given to all even if not reported; it was the demo control visible from the start), the most visited 10 pointer was the library (#14).
• Most visited 20 pointers:  the assay building (#23) and the capitol monument (#29).
• Most visited 30 pointers:  the dragonfly (#32) and the O flag at our house(!) (#37).
• Most visited 40 pointer:  the F garage (#42).
• Least visited control:  #39 - only two visitors met the frog.

Of course...some controls were disputed.  Perhaps one of the more contested (but many got it right) was the color of the mailbox at #20.  As RD, I should have picked a third color choice that could not be confused on a parallel street error.  Here is that very local mailbox:

control #20.

Surprisingly, given the number of amazing murals to peruse for #50, there were no difficulties I know of.  Hopefully many orienteers appreciated being off the main roads for a moment.  The alley is a popular photographer backdrop for urban scenery.

control #50.

Dennis Ahern did not learn of the control at his own house until he got back, a control only visited by 3 people given the point/location balance of the Manitou park area in the route choices.  How many of you can remember the small details of something you see every single day?

control #28.

One more control not many got to see - much creativity is out there to be found on the street challenge, not merely window counting (but sometimes fire hydrant numbering).

control #5.

Special thanks go to my co-director, my wife Dondi, who helped split the load for scoring and kept me sane with a bit more of her organizing lists in advance of the meet where it's all too easy to forget some details.  We can all thank John Murray for creating the stitched map of the north/south USGS quads (new as of 2010/2011), a vast improvement over earlier meets.  He had no idea that I would leverage so much of the area, much to his chagrin.  Andy Hill handled printing of the massive 11x17 maps, doubled-sided with the Q&A on the back side, roughly a 1:22000 scale to fill the page.

Future meet directors:  I recommend taking a camera out on your q&a scouting expeditions.  It will save you much time in coming up with alternate answers that aren't possible when standing at the spot, permit easy vetting of the control at home, and may even serve as the final sanity check when scoring the questions.

It's now time to look forward to a brand new map and meet directors - thanks to our Riverstone branch!   We will see you on Saturday, December 14, 11am!  The 2014 schedule is forthcoming.

Jeff Black

Takin' it to the Streets

As Russ Pilcher has moved down to Arizona, the traditional street challenge has moved back to Boise!  For those unfamiliar with the event, it mostly follows the convention of a Score course, where controls may be acquired in any order, are worth varying points, and there is a time limit to meet or points are deducted.  In the Street Challenge, there are a few more twists:

* the area is much larger than a normal club meet, a large portion of Boise.
* there are no traditional orienteering controls, but rather multiple choice questions to be answered at the control circle location.
* there is both a bike and run class of competition.  Choose your favored mode of transport!  Less time for bikers this year, to make the mass finish easier and level the competition a little.

For those who remember the last Boise version, the map was very dated.  Now thanks to USGS updates in 2011/2012 (thanks Russ for pointing those out) and our dedicated club mapper John Murray to stitch north and south quads together in a 1:20,000 scale, we have a much more relevant map on our hands!

Date:  Sunday, November 17 (least amount of street traffic)
Time:  Maps passed out at 9:30 for study; mass start at 10:00am.
Start:  Municipal Park (we will be under the shelter if available if the weather is wet)
Classes:  Bike (3 hour limit), Foot (3:30 limit).
Cost:  $5 per map, free to CTOC members.

Bring:  a couple pens to circle your answers (if you use a map case, a sharpie is the easiest way to write on the plastic) and plan your route, shoes and clothing for a few hours outside, water as you need while on the course, cell phone for emergencies.  A compass may be handy to keep your map oriented.  It's also important to bring your eyes and ears for traffic.  This ain't no woods meet!

Given that the maps are larger and the attendance for this meet can vary widely, please RSVP to me (jeffwrites AT gmail.com) if you are attending so I will have a solid map count in advance.

Fall in the city of trees.

Until next weekend!

Jeff Black, Meet Director