Santa Rosa
Saturday, Sep. 20, 2003

Contact: Scott Aster, 415-456-8118

Come on out to Spring Lake County Park in Santa Rosa for this year's inaugural fall rendition of National Orienteering Day!

Spring Lake is a wonderful location for new comers to orienteering to try out this fun and challenging sport. The terrain is gently rolling with light to moderate forest cover, and consists of very technical (i.e. tough to navigate-lots of intricate features) terrain intersected by many trails and bike paths to help you find your way. There will be two courses (one long, and one short) designed for people new to the sport, which will allow one to test one's skills while traversing the paths coursing throughout the park. I will also set a short course with intermediate and advanced level controls for people to try if they find their first course to be a snap. The intermediate course will stray well off trail, so people thinking of trying this should come dressed in a way which will allow them to crash through brush with a minimum of discomfort (long pants, long shirts, sturdy shoes). For the two beginner level courses, wear comfortable clothing appropriate for the weather.

Beginner clinics will be held continuously throughout the morning and are strongly advised for first timers. The clinics will provide you with the "quick & dirty" knowledge to successfully complete a beginner level course. Clinics normally last about 15-20 minutes.

NO PRE-REGISTRATION!!! Simply come to the Oak Knolls Picnic area located on the southeast side of Spring Lake to register, take in a clinic, and start on a course. Registration will open at 9AM and will close at 12:30PM. Clinics will begin at 9:30AM, and will run throughout the morning as needed.

The courses will be open for starts from 10AM until 1PM (last starts), and all participants should finish their courses by 2:30PM as that is when we will start to pick up the course markers. Most people take between one and two hours to complete an orienteering course.

Picnic tables, piped water, and flush toilettes are available, so please feel free to bring along a picnic lunch for you to enjoy after you complete your course.

Directions

Take U.S. Highway 101 to Santa Rosa. Once in Santa Rosa, exit onto Highway 12 going east. Follow highway 12 for 1.5 miles to its left turn at Farmer's Lane. Do not take this turn, but instead, continue straight onto Hoen Avenue. At the Hoen-Summerfield traffic light 1.5 miles later, continue straight, then take an immediate left onto Newanga Avenue. Newanga leads into Spring Lake County Park. At the ranger's kiosk, make a right and go up the hill to the Oak Knoll Picnic area.