Bedwell Bayfront Park
Date: (Sun.) Jul. 17, 2016
Location: Menlo Park, CA
Event Director: 
- 408.313.3753
Course Setters: Nick Corsano, Ann Marie Cody
Type: C; White and Yellow beginner courses, and two independent Sprint courses
Bedwell Bayfront Park started out as a landfill, but today it is so much more! Clusters of trees and shrubs, carefully placed boulders, and a maze of trails cover it now. The Bay breezes keep this place cool when the summer heat scorches the hills. Come join us in exploring it!
Nick Corsano and Ann Marie Cody are planning White and Yellow courses for beginners, and two Sprint courses and an Orange course for intermediate and advanced runners. (This park is not conducive to "advanced" courses, so route selection, speed, and accuracy will be tested.)
Venue Facilities
There is no park entrance fee. Registration will be located near the restrooms. Park here, in the lot to the north, or alongside the access road, off the pavement. Please try to use the unpaved areas efficiently—don't use more space than necessary.
Please keep in mind that we are sharing the park with the general public.
There are decent restrooms, outdoor sinks, and one drinking fountain.
Schedule
- 9:00 AM to Noon – Registration open, you can register anytime during this period
- 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM – Beginner's clinic instruction (free)
- 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM – Starts open, you can start on courses anytime during this period
- 2:00 PM – Courses close, checkpoint pick-up begins
Beginner's clinics are short, repeating sessions that provide an introduction to orienteering and enough instruction to be able to complete the Beginner (White) course. The sessions will begin at 9:30, and continue until about 10:30 (depending on demand).
Please note that everyone must return to the Finish by 2:00 PM, and check in at E-punch, even if you don't complete your course, so we can have everyone accounted for and start checkpoint pick-up on time so those volunteers can get home.
Costs
- $3 for juniors on beginner's (White) and advanced beginner's (Yellow) courses
- $8 for adults on beginner's and advanced beginner's courses
- $5 for juniors on intermediate (Sprint) courses
- $12 adult member price for intermediate courses
- $18 adult non-member price for intermediate courses
- $1 for a compass rental (optional)
- $5 for an electronic fingerstick rental (if you don't own one, you'll need one to complete the course)
- $15 for the lowest-cost individual one-year BAOC membership (optional)
For extra people on a team, add $7 per adult for Sprint courses or $5 per adult on beginners' courses (with lower prices for juniors).
More information about event pricing is available in the club FAQ.
Courses
Here are the details of the courses:
Course Length Climb Controls Technical Difficulty
White 2.2 km 20 m 14 Easy
Yellow 3.1 km 70 m 17 Somewhat harder
Orange 6.0 km 140 m 24 Moderate
Sprint 1 2.4 km 90 m 19 Moderate +
Sprint 2 2.8 km 80 m 17 Moderate +
Important! Everybody must check in at the assembly area and download their E-stick, whether they finish their course or not. That's how we know you haven't fallen into the Bay. Everybody must be back by 2:00 PM.
Beginners should be aware that the course lengths above represent the cumulative straight-line distances between the controls. The actual distance you will travel will depend on your route choices (and any errors you might make), and will certainly be somewhat longer. The climb numbers represent the amount of ascent one would experience on the "optimum route", without regard for any decent along the course.
Be sure to read the Course Setters' Notes for more information.
Request for Volunteers
We need helpers at all positions for this event. No long hikes to remote Starts, and the weather should be perfect. All the tasks are easy. Helping with set up or tear down, at the Start or Finish, or with control pickup, is particularly suitable for somebody with no previous experience.
You have your choice of:
- Beginner Clinics: Give a short introduction to the principles of orienteering so that people have fun and want to come back.
- Registration: Take their money and tell them what to do. For some people, that's a lifestyle.
- E-punch: Rosemary will be out of town and I will be busy, so we need help here. The hardest part is spelling the names right.
- Start: Get them going on the right foot!
- Finish: Welcome them back!
- Control Pickup: Because you had so much fun, you want to do it all afternoon.
Please contact Jeff Lanam by or call (408) 313-3753. Thanks!
Driving Directions
From the Peninsula, North, and South, take Highway 101 to the Marsh Road East exit. Stay to the left so you can drive straight ahead into the park at the traffic signal where Marsh turns right into Bayfront Expressway.
From the East Bay, cross the Dumbarton Bridge. Go to the fifth traffic light after the bridge and turn right into the park.
There's a map here that shows the location of the event.