March 30, 2008
Waterfall Glen Southwest

Meet Director: Lisa McNerney Course Setter: Jeff Shaw Schedule: 9:30 a.m. Registration Opens and Beginners' Clinic 10 a.m. Courses Open 12 p.m. Registration Closes 2 p.m. Courses Close (Maximum time on course: 3 hours) Cost: (per individual or team) CAOC members $7 non-members $10 additional maps $3 rental compass $1 ePunch stick purchase $30 (red & green & orange courses) ePunch stick rental $5 (red & green & orange courses) Secure on-line registration and payment is closed. Please register and pay on-site.

Update:

There has been a lot of publicity for this meet, so we are expecting a large turnout, especially if we have a good weather forecast. To handle the anticipated crowd, we need lots of volunteers. Please contact president@chicago-orienteering if you would be willing to volunteer for a 1-2 hour shift (you still get to run your course).

Course Setter Notes: (26 March 2008)

White: There are muddy and standing water sections on the trail. These sections are easily avoided by simply walking alongside the trail on the dry grass. Legs between Controls 6-7, 7-8, and 8-9 will be off trail and will have orange streamer tape to help guide you to the next control. Use your map and compass to practice using the available handrails, on 6-7 use the intermittent stream on your right, on 7-8 and 8-9 use the vegetation boundaries.

Yellow: There are muddy and standing water sections on the trail. These sections are easily avoided by simply locating an adjacent section of dry grass. Control 9 is a fallen tree, marked by hand with a green "X" on the master map.

Orange: STAY ON THE TRAIL TO AND FROM CONTROL 5. Control 5 is at the "bend in trail" above a cliff. My intention was to provide an uncommon view of the rock formation and lakes below. Although the trail has reasonable distance from the cliff edge, please provide appropriate caution for fall hazard. Control 1 is a small low knoll. If you see an intermittent stream ditch parallel to the vegetation boundary and trail, you've gone too far south. Control 13 is a fallen tree (not a distinct tree as marked on the map).

Green: Control 14 is a ruin (not a building as marked on the map). Control 17 is a fallen tree (not a distinct tree as marked on the map).

Red: Control 9 (first water station) is located in the second smaller reentrant. The nearby trail intersection on right is indistinct and should not be used as an attack point. (the map shows the trail intersection to be distinct). Control 20 is a ruin (not a building as marked on the map). Control 23 is a fallen tree (not a distinct tree as marked on the map).

PARKING: Parking is on the WEST side of the road only. For those interested in an informal post race social and good grub, we're talking up Norb's, 212 Stephens St., Lemont, IL

See you at the Glen,

- Jeff Shaw, Course Setter

Details:
The Chicago Area Orienteering Club (CAOC) spring season opener is one of our most popular events. We look forward to seeing everyone's happy faces after a long winter hiatus.

The Punisher is an inside joke... don't be scared... Last year, due to a technical glitch with OCAD, courses were 50% longer than intended. Many advanced and expert orienteers who staggered into the finish late were utterly crushed when it appeared they had lost so much speed and endurance over the winter. When they learned the course was actually 50% longer, joy spread across their face and all was good. Volunteers kidded that they were "punished" for not conditioning more over the winter. Favorable reviews came in. The majority of reports, including the beginner, novice and intermediates, indicated they enjoyed the bonus distance and the extra controls.

So with "tongue-in-cheek", we present the Return of Punisher.

Five courses will be offered and are appropriate for all ages and experience levels. The Punisher courses will have bonus distance and controls compared to a standard meet, similar to the 2007 event. We encourage participants to select courses based on orienteering experience, rather than distance. If this is your first time, enjoy a white course and learn how to interpret an orienteering map. If you want to go back out on a yellow, there's no charge. Orienteering is a lifetime sport, so take your time to learn the skills before advancing to the next level.

2007 Punisher Course Review: Distance, Finish Time and Pace

CAOC is hosting 19 events in 2008. We invite you to be a part of the volunteer gang and be on one of the several shifts throughout the event. We need help with gate/parking monitor, registration, start and finish and control pick-up. Volunteers can schedule an early or late start. If you are willing to give us a hand, please let me know at president@chicago-orienteering.org.

For those interested in an informal post-race social and good grub, we're talking up Norb's, 212 Stephens St., Lemont, IL.

Directions:
Take I-55 (Stevenson Expwy.) 21 miles southwest of the Loop. Take exit 271A and go south on Lemont road 2 miles. Turn left (northeast) on Bluff Road, just past the large white temple (you can't miss it). Follow the orange and white orienteering signs through the forest preserve gate.

Parking is restricted. You must park on the West (exit bound) side of the gravel drive. Violators will be towed. If parking is full you must find a legal parking place on the public roadways. Since parking is limited, please carpool with other participants.

Public Transportation: Bring your bicycle for this one--they are allowed on buses and el trains now. Take Pace bus #381 from the 95th Street Terminal (in the middle of the Dan Ryan Expressway) on the Red elevated line at 8:30am. Get off as the bus at Moraine Valley Community College (about 40 minutes later). Bike west on 95th Street about 3-1/2 miles to turn left on Archer Avenue. Follow Archer (Hwy 171) southwest to turn right (north) and cross bridge on Hwy 83—Kingery Expwy. On north side of bridge, turn left on Bluff Road, and after a mile, continue through gates into forest preserve. Ride paved/gravel roads of forest preserve southwest and west to Registration, near the model airplane field, in the southwest area of preserve. On the return buses depart every 30 minutes all afternoon from MVCC. It makes carpooling sound pretty good, no? Links to public transportation for other CAOC meet locations.