Erwin Park DIY-O

The third orienteering event of the year will re-introduce us to an old partner! Erwin Park was one of our popular venues many years ago.  But alas, we drifted apart.  We have been through some fun times with other parks, many that are bigger and wilder.  But you’ll find that the years have treated Erwin well.  There are a few more trails across the open hills but the woods and grasslands are more runnable than ever. Are you ready for some fast times with Erwin?  

News Alert! Erwin has given us the cold shoulder!  So we are extending the event for another week through Feb. 28th.  For those advanced runners who like a real challenge, we are offering an additional set of maps soon that will not show the trails.   So if you want to try something different, test yourself with the BrownNT or GreeenNT courses.  (see amended Course Setter Notes)

Do-it-Yourself Format

This event will be “orienteering without the meet” again, like we did at Gateway and Harry Moss in the fall.  The DIY format will follow state and local COVID regulations, adhere to COVID guidance from Orienteering USA, our sport’s national governing body, and hopefully, protect the health of participants and organizers. We will encourage distancing by extending the duration of the event and eliminating the need for anyone to touch equipment that is used by other runners.  

The event will begin when the park opens on Saturday, Feb. 13, and extend over 16 days through Sunday, Feb. 28. You can choose any day and time you want to run. Think of it as a training event, or a permanent course that only lasts nine days. There will be no onsite organizational presence: no registration tent, no lines, no cost, no punching, no scorecards, no scoring, no DQ’s, no awards. Just orienteering fun. Bring your own water and gear. Controls will just be colorful ribbons hung in the terrain.  

There will be NO BEGINNER (AKA WHITE) COURSE. There are several reasons for this:

1. Beginners are more likely to get lost and we won’t be there to find them.
2. Courses will be active for several days in a popular public park. Beginner controls must be easy to find, so they’re hung in obvious locations on well traveled trails, and therefore most likely to disappear over a number of days. Advanced controls can be hung off-trail in less frequented places. 
3. Beginners tend to run in groups. Groups aren’t socially distant.
4. We don’t encourage groups to travel to our events on buses at this time. 
5. We will not have the usual training session for beginners that we have at most meets.