Challenging Dead-Ends…

Dead-ends, canal crossings, and neighborhood layouts presented interesting navigation challenges to racers participating in the 2016 Boise Street Challenge. Because of last-minute meet director conflicts, we had to scramble to put together a course in short-order with myself and Jeff Black as stand-in meet directors. We decided to use the 2014 controls, but to place the start at the northeast corner of the map, in contrast to the 2014 start toward the southwest. We renumbered the check-points and checked the clues to create a whole new course for those who had participated previously. Even after checking all the clues, I managed to forget to make a change I recorded for #47, a dead-end with a yellow shed that was no longer there! It was an embarrassing mistake especially considering every biker hit that control.

The toughest control proved to be #22, with at least two competitors wondering if I had also made a mistake on that clue.  Although I did not return to the scene to photograph it, I am fairly confident that I had that one correct, as it was also one that I struggled with when bike-checking a few controls as the sun was setting on Friday.  When I got home Friday night, I pulled the map up on my computer and "zoomed in" and did the same with Google Earth, to be sure I had it right.  The details are shown below Mike's route (one who also struggled with it) below.  

The day was beautiful, with the sun surprising us and staying out for the duration.  We had 6 bikers and 4 runners taking on the course, with a 2 ½-hr time limit for the bike and a 3-hr time limit for the run. We knocked off 10 points for every minute late on the bike and 5 for every minute late on the run, so most of the competitors kept themselves within the limit.

And they are off!

John Murray was the sole competitor in a 1-hr foot course category, which he created for himself, to support any who, understandably, might find a 3-hr foot event a bit "over the top".  In deference to John's compelling argument that there be race categories appropriate for all racers and his inability to simply participate for the "fun of it", I have created race groupings for our scores appropriate to the classes of athletes that showed up for the race.

Starting with the runners, John took first place in the 1-hour time limit category, after a time penalty of 7 minutes cut his score in half.

John Murray at the finish

One–hour run	Collected	Penalty	Total	Place
John Murray	70	35	35	1

Jerry Stewart stretched out his planned 90-minute route long enough to call it the full course and took first place in the Super-Masters category.

Jerry Stewart and John Murray

Super-masters run	Collected	Penalty	Total	Place
Jerry Stewart	90	0	90	1

Andy Olnes, who some may know through his relationship with Robin Olnes, CTOC's fearless orienteering volunteer and Riverstone supporter, took first place in our "first-time" Street Challenge runner category.

Andy Olnes planning his course

First-time run	Collected	Penalty	Total	Place
Andy  Olnes	150	0	150	1

Finally, in the category of substitute meet director who knows too much about the course, but started an hour later than everyone else, Jeff Black managed to hit an amazing 12 controls, including several 40 pointers.

Meet Director starting late	Collected	Penalty	Total	Place
Jeff Black	350	0	350	1

Our biking group results starts off with the category of tandem riders with a junior navigator for which veterans Innes and Katrina Wright claimed the prize.

Innes and Katrina Wright on the tandem, pre-race.

Tandem with junior navigator	Collected	Penalty	Total	Place
Innes and Katrina Wright	310	0	310	1

Our lone woman competitor (except for Katrina representing the juniors) was Carrie Magnuson. And boy did she prove that she didn't need her own category.  Also a first-timer in the street challenge, Carrie snagged an incredible 22 controls and a 3^rd place among all bikers, just behind Mike Bading and Doug LaMott who have several years of experience in the street challenge, including time on many of the very same controls in 2014. 

Women, bike	Collected	Penalty	Total	Place
Carrie Magnuson	680	0	680	1

Finally, avoiding the risk of classing the ages of the remaining competitors incorrectly, I grouped all of the "younger than super-masters" men into a single category for the Men's bike competition. This proved to be the most competitive category, with 4 participants. I may owe an apology to Don and Jay, who perhaps deserve special call-out as first-timers.  Mike collected an inspiring 29 controls, and managed to squeeze in with only about 30 seconds to spare. Mike's route is shown below. Doug was right behind him with 26 controls. Doug was our only biker who missed the time limit and suffered a penalty. 

Mike finishing. Bikers were forced to dismount and run the last 100 yards because of park rules. With just 30 seconds to spare, Mike had to work hard all the way to the finish.

Jay and Don finishing.

Don, Doug, and Mike post-race.

Men, bike	Collected	Penalty	Total	Place
Michael Bading	850	0	850	1
Doug LaMott	810	60	750	2
Don Reiman	650	0	650	3
Jay Morgan	440	0	440	4

Mike Bading's route.

The elusive control #22, on the map, and on Google Earth, with street names shown.  Correct me if I am wrong!

Special thanks to Jeff and Dondi Black for their work preparing and printing the maps. There were lots of winners for the day, even if it was just because everyone was fortunate to be out chasing down points on a map on a beautiful Sunday.  I was happy to be there to witness it!