“Corona†training course in Walnut Creek
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Sugarloaf Open Space
Dates: April 18, 2020 to ??
Location: Walnut Creek, CA
Course Setter: 
Type: Training; Streamered course for practice/exercise during the shutdown
Related Information
February 28, 2021 Update
- This course is considered to be "closed".
General Notes
- This is a training course, not an organized BAOC event. We do not have a park permit for this course.
- Be careful for your safety. You are on your own—tell somebody where you will be and when you expect to return.
- You are doing this at your own risk. Each participant assumes full responsibility (BAOC accepts no responsibility) for any and all injuries, losses, and damages that he or she incurs while attending or participating in this course.
- Be mindful of the general COVID-19 restrictions, and any specific restrictions that might apply to the park.
Another do-it-yourself Pink Streamer training course, at Sugarloaf Open Space (https://www.walnut-creek.org/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/14/664) in Walnut Creek (at 2161 Youngs Valley Rd), which fronts the 680 freeway! (Have you ever orienteered by a freeway?)
- 3.8 km
- 230 m climb
- 10 checkpoints (actually only 9 pink streamers—one control is used twice)
- 1:10000, 5 m LIDAR contours
Read the course notes, download the PDF map, get travel directions, and see photos of the park and the control locations here: Sugarloaf Training Course (https://sites.google.com/view/terraloco-training/2020-04-18-sugarloaf).
As mentioned on that webpage, the trailhead is at 37.876167,-122.037722.
I just put the streamers out today, so go enjoy them tomorrow! Before the grass gets higher. It's not bad for pants, but it is bad for shorts. Only 1/3 of the park is mowed down.
Also, if someone could send me a photo of the streamer at CP #8, that would be appreciated.
And, I think some of the streamer tape is vulnerable here, so maybe you can help maintain the course by bringing some streamer tape in your pocket?
Enjoy!
(April 18, 2020)
Course Comments
Whew, that was physical! Between the long grass, thistles, uneven footing, and steepness, the only places I was doing anything even remotely resembling running was on the trails. I can't imagine going out there in shorts, as Rex did. Even with long pants and gaiters it was still pretty prickly in places.
According to the results page I am the first person to go out there, but there were definitely elephant tracks heading towards some of the controls. Made by Rex when he put out all of the streamers, I guess? In any case, it will probably become easier to get to the controls, as more people go out there, and continue to make tracks.
I found all of the streamers without too much trouble, although I did make a mistake going to #2, and wound up at an unmapped feature higher up the hill that looked like a dirt bank to me, and assumed the streamer was missing. While going to #9, which was the same control, I found the streamer lower down the hill than I had been the first time.
Thanks to Rex for doing this! What other little open-space areas that could never be used for a normal BAOC event would be appropriate for "social distancing" orienteering?
Steve Gregg
(April 21, 2020)
Status Update
I've discovered that for some reason when you Publish a Sheet with Google, it defaults to “only those who you’ve shared it with.†So I had to go through another step to fix the “results†page for this event. You should now be able to see what happened, with stats and GPS tracks, here (https://sites.google.com/view/terraloco-training/2020-04-18-sugarloaf).
No one has said any streamers were missing.
(May 22, 2020)