Houston Bike Orienteering Meet: Pre-Meet Letter

Location: W.G. Jones State Park (30mins from Houston, directions provided at the end of this letter)
Date: Sunday, December 2nd, 2007
Orienteering Tutorial: 8:00am
Pre-Meet Info Session: 8:30am
Start Time: 9am (depending on attendance, may be a staggered start. If so, starting times will be emailed before Sunday)
Duration: 1st orienteer should be in at around 1.5-2hrs
Cost: $5 per person (1 or 2 person teams)
Maps: 1:10000 scale, pre-plotted points

Mandatory Gear:
• Bike
• Helmet
• Compass
• Pen or pencil
• Bug spray
• Food and water for duration of event

Recommended Gear:
• Bike shoes
• Bike gloves
• Gaiters or Long pants
• Map case
• Eye protection

Object of Meet:
This should be a nice, fast, and fun course with minimal difficulty. If you have any questions about orienteering on a bike or just orienteering in general, just ask. Help is allowed for all parties prior to the start. If needed, starting intervals will be 3 to 5 minutes to spread the group out.

Rules:
1. You must sign a waiver before competing.
2. Please, NO pre-scouting this week.
3. If you are unfamiliar with orienteering maps or control descriptions, please view the IOF control description sheet and a sample map HERE. Also, there will be a tutorial at 8am on meet day.
4. Boundaries are clearly marked on the map. You must obey them or be disqualified.
5. You have to obtain the points in order. Identifier numbers are provided at CPs to confirm your location.
6. No help is allowed from outside parties or other teams after the race begins, except in the event of an emergency.
7. Teams of 1 or 2 are allowed.
8. You must record your visit to each point by punching your passport in the correct order. Some CPs do not have punches and require you to write down a code of some sort. Bring a pen!
9. Some points will be 50-100m off of main roads or trails. This is the only time you are allowed to drop your bike. You can only be 50-100m away from your bike. Penalty is disqualification.
10. In order to qualify for prizes, teams must visit all CPs in the correct order. The team with all CPs and the fastest time wins. Teams are considered unofficial if not all points are visited.
11. There is no official cutoff time, but everyone should be back within 4 hours. Please let us know if you abandon the course before you leave for home.
12. Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams.

Directions:
• From I-45/I-10 interchange in Houston, go North on I-45 for 33 miles
• Take Exit 81 toward FM-1488
• Take FM-1488 W ramp to Hempstead/Magnolia (on right side of feeder)
• Take FM-1488 west for 2.5 miles
• Turn left into park (there should be a sign for W.G. Jones State Park. Be careful as traffic is fast and the turnoff is a bit hidden)
• As you enter the park, take the first left and park where there is space. This is where check-in will take place.

Finally, this bike orienteering course is for fun and is NOT officially sanctioned by any organization. You must let me know by Wednesday if you plan to race so I know how many maps to make.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Kenny
kennyar(at)gmail(dot)com