New Dates due to Prescribed Burns
Our next event brings us to Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland. Don’t let the name fool you. There are a lot of woods in this expansive reserve operated by the US Forest Service. The terrain is rugged and seemingly boundless, so it’s much more challenging than most of our venues. To make it more interesting, there will be some controlled burns in the area!
Do-it-Yourself Format
This event will be “orienteering without the meet” again, like we did at several meets earlier in the 2020-2021 season. 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 on the morning of Thursday, March 11, and extend through Sunday, March 21. You can choose any day and time you want to run. You can call USFS at (940) 627-5475 first, to be sure the burn schedule has not changed.
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 be 2-3 foot tall wooden stakes with multicolored ribbons marked with “NTOA” and the control number.
There will be NO BEGINNER (AKA WHITE) COURSE. There are several reasons for this:
Beginners can participate by running on the ‘Yellow’ course with a more experienced runner (ideally a family member or leader) while following safety precaution
Meet Director: Gene Wernette ……. Meet Director’s and Course Setter’s notes (rev 3/4)
Course Setter: Ray Janes……..Meet Director’s and Course Setter’s notes (rev 3/4)
We’ll be offering three courses: Yellow (shortest and easiest), Brown (short but more advanced), and Red (longest and most advanced). There’s also a Score-O option, a map showing all controls with no course on it.
Scoring: Honor system! Feel free to post your finishing time and perhaps a screenshot of your marked-up map in our Facebook Group after the event is over!
Scouts: A Merit Badge clinic will not be offered, but running the Yellow course will qualify for the badge. Please contact BSA Liaison Ralph Courtney for instructions on doing the required report.
Controls will be in the field on the morning of Thursday, March 11. The event ends at dusk on Sunday, March 21 and control markers will be removed on Monday, March 22.
INSTRUCTIONS:
We’re not charging event fees for this virtual, self-serve event, but donations are always appreciated! We’re a non-profit organization.
The Grasslands DIY-O is being held on the LBJ-North Map. This is a trickier venue to find than most — consider that your first navigational challenge of the day!
From Dallas/Denton: Exit I-35N at US 380 (University Drive). West on US 380 to Decatur. Exit US 380 onto FM 730 just after the railroad overpass in Decatur. Follow directions at bottom to get to the LBJ North Map from FM 730.
From Ft. Worth: North on US 287 to Decatur. East on US 380. Left exit in 1 mile on FM 730. Follow directions below to get to the LBJ North Map from FM 730.
After taking the exit ramp off US 380:
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