New Zealand – departure day

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Started the long trip to New Zealand today!

The decision to go to New Zealand was made pretty quickly, especially for a heavy thinker like myself. At the end of October, I decided that I could exercise without pain for the first time in over a year, and though I wasn’t going to be in great shape, I wanted to go to New Zealand for the Oceania Carnival and Sprint the Bay.

Not wanting to drive myself around New Zealand, as the events were over a good part of the north island, I emailed Phillip and asked if there was room for me to travel with the O-Lynx crew. I had met Phillip online about a year ago after purchasing the O-Lynx radio controls and results display software he created. We used O-Lynx fairly successfully at the North American Orienteering Championships in October 2012, and this would be the same technology used at the New Zealand events for the Live Results.

I was grateful that Phillip and his wife, Jane, were able to accommodate me, with the extra bonus of having the housing arrangements made as well.

So, with the travel details out of the way, I just needed to get through getting the office sorted (trained a temporary employee) and the holiday season. The time flew by, and departure day was upon me.

Extremely nervous about how I would handle the long flight from Los Angeles to Auckland, but it turned out the flight from Dullas to LA was more stressful since the plane was changed, and I ended up in an inside seat. Also, there wasn’t much time between the two flights, so I had to hustle to get between the domestic and international terminals, clearing security and getting to the gate just in time. Whew!

For the flight to Auckland, I had the two seats in my row to myself, but I was unable to get much sleep during the ~12 hour flight – only about 2×15 minutes. I watched 3 movies and multiple episodes of the Big Bang Theory to fill in the time.

Also, took in the view…

Post Christmas visit with Lailah, Sarah and Matt

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I picked up Lailah in Annapolis this morning to spend some time with her, along with giving Sarah and Matt some free time to run errands or whatever. Lailah was very serious today, probably recovering from the busy holiday season. We stopped at the pet store on the way to the house and looked at the animals, and then it was home to play on the train set.

Later, Lailah was happy to have some chocolate pudding, and to see her mother.

The timing of this visit was strategically planned for the day before I left for New Zealand, in the hopes of distracting me from the pre-trip anxiety. It mostly worked, and it was an excellent visit as well.

2012 Christmas in Philadelphia

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Aunt Nora

Roger

Sandy and Mom

Cookies from Mom

Dollhouse – all decked out for the holidays

Scrabble – alternating turns resulted in the same two words being played

At the theater in NYC after Christmas – liking the front row in the upper level

Hanging with Eddie

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Events all weekend at Oregon Ridge in Cockeysville, MD, including helping to set out controls on Friday. Spent the night at Eddie’s, and he was in the Christmas cookie baking mode.

Everything I sampled was delicious, including the raspberry tarts made with hand picked raspberries.

Silva Award recipients, past and present

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I am quite honored to be listed with some of the best names in US orienteering history on the Silva Award.

When the Silva Award arrived, and I realized that it was a traveling trophy, I thought it would be fun to try to get my picture taken with as many of the past recipients as possible.

I expected that I could get quite a few at the North American Orienteering Championships, and there were at least ten in attendance, but I only had time for two…

Linda Kohn and Rick Worner 1992

Don Davis 1996

2012 Silva Award Winner, Valerie Meyer

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At the 2012 AGM in September, it was announced that I was the recipient of the 2012 Silva Award.

From the OUSA website:
Valerie Meyer is the undisputed expert for electronic scoring in the United States. Her knowledge of the SportIdent scoring system is unmatched. She has volunteered countless hours administering the USOF/OUSA Sportident loan equipment, mailing equipment to clubs, and fielding cell phone calls and text messages from clubs and individuals in the midst of SportIdent Meltdown. She has volunteered selflessly to the benefit of the U.S. Orienteering Teams, and loaned her own equipment for U.S. Team use at no cost to the Team. She pushes the envelope of electronic scoring technology, investing her own money into radio controls and other technologies which allow a better spectator experience at major U.S. events.

Valerie Meyer’s volunteerism, work ethic, quality standards, and service to North American orienteering reflect great credit upon herself; her club, Quantico Orienteering Club; Orienteering USA; and the entire orienteering community in the United States.

Also from the Orienteering USA website:
The Orienteering USA Silva Service Award is given annually to an orienteer who, along with being a member of Orienteering USA, has demonstrated outstanding service to orienteering in the United States over the past five years. The recipient need not be a terrific orienteer, and orienteering skill is not considered in determining the award winner. The essential quality of every winner has been service to promoting and sustaining orienteering, to making the sport work in this country, and in helping to build the organizations needed to make orienteering successful.

2012 Valerie Meyer
2011 Eric Weyman
2010 Mike Minium
2009 David Irving
2008 Mark and Barb Dominie
2007 Betsy Hawes
2006 Vladimir Gusiatnikov
2005 Bruce McAlister
2004 Mark and Mary Frank
2003 Liz Kotowski
2002 Evan Custer
2001 J-J Cote
2000 Frank Campbell
1999 Mikell Platt
1998 Cathy Yekenevicz
1997 Don Tall
1996 Don Davis
1995 Linda Taylor
1994 Per Stensby
1993 Jon Nash
1992 Rick Worner and Linda Kohn
1991 Al Smith
1990 Robin Shannonhouse
1989 Larry and Sara Mae Berman
1988 Kent and Caroline Ringo
1987 Russ Bruce
1986 Joannie Gunther
1985 Peter Gagarin and Cindy Fuller

Time with my Lailah – a ride and a swim

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After horrible late rush traffic getting through WDC, I made it to Annapolis to pick up Lailah. Not finding the trail parking lot didn’t help matters, but finally consulted the web and figured it out.

Maiden voyage with Lailah on the B&A rail trail on this late summer, non-humid morning. Stopped about 15 minutes into the ride for a water fountain break and a visit with a friendly poodle named Daisy. Then out two more miles to Jones Station. Lailah was somewhat resistant to the idea of getting back in the trailer after we stopped at the turnaround point, insisting instead that she wanted to walk. Lured her back in with a stick to play with and the promise of the pool at the other end. Crackers and stuffed animals were also helpful.

Pushed as hard as I could going back, singing Old MacDonald most of the way. This pulling a trailer thing is not easy, especially into the wind.

Hard to stretch out the arms far enough for this picture, and I was shocked that we were both in the shot.

The flag was a big hit.

Then off to the pool.

Yes, indeed, it was a very good day with Lailah.

Radio Controls from A-Z

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At recent USA national orienteering events, there has been a focus on improving the “arena” experience. Right now that means having radio communications from a few control locations to make the Finish arena experience, well, an experience.

In the middle of 2010 I purchased some radio control equipment from the UK. It turned out to be a bit painful to set up and use, and I was quickly disenchanted. Nice guys and all, but clunky equipment was one of the issues. I could go into details, but that isn’t going to happen at this late date.

So, fast forward to September 2011. I was contacted by a NJROTC program out of Florida about assisting them with using SportIdent and radio controls from at their national championships in February 2012.

They were planning to throw some serious money out there, and I was convinced that this was a case of more money than brains, but I was intrigued by their willingness to listen to my opinions (huge concession for a group of retired military officers), and I was liking what I saw on the O-Lynx website.

AND, then I “met” the O-Lynx developer, Phillip H, and I really liked what I saw. However, I needed to have some equipment of my own to test things out since I am very hands on. By December, James from sportident.us had set me up O-Lynx, and the testing began in earnest.

I did a backyard test and then tested at four QOC events (details to follow). There was also a successful use of the equipment at the aforementioned NJROTC champs, and then the final exam was at the four events at the Flying Pig in late March/early April (again, more details to follow).

At present, I have five O-Lynx controls/repeaters, and I plan to expand that to eight so that there will be enough for two each at the Start, Finish, Go, and possibly a Spectator control.

Flying Pig – Day 3 Middle at Big Bone Lick

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Final day at the Pig, and if the footing wasn’t sloppy enough for you on the first two days, then there would be no complaints today.

With the wired Finish controls not working perfectly yesterday, and with only one GO control out today, I put one radio control at the Start with two repeaters, one at the GO (255), and the last one on one of the Finish controls. OK, that was kind of lame since your Finish time only got announced if you punched the right control.

After walking up to the Start to put the radio control out, and with the advent of rain, I was pretty sure that I wasn’t even going out today, especially since I was very sore after the first two days.

So, I suggested that the OCIN SI operator go out on his course, and I would decide later.

Things ran smoothly, and the rain stopped, and a rainbow was seen over the mountain (OK, the rainbow part is not true), so I got myself mentally prepared to go. The MD was pressed into driving me to the restroom and then closer to the Start about 30 minutes after the last starter.

Across the dam, and then about 400 meters down a mud slide, barely managing to stay upright, and then 400 meters up a hill. Ugh, I should have skipped today.

But now I was out there, and I hadn’t fallen down the muddy trail, so I tried to enjoy the course, and I did, apart from a little fiasco from 4-5. Like yesterday, I skipped a control in my mind, so I headed from 5-6 when I was really going 4-5. Truly puzzled on why the trail out of 5 was missing but I forged ahead. Luckily, this was not a huge error, and I was able to easily go to 5 from where I popped out of 4.

Won the course split to 9, probably based on the fact that I was able to navigate to it in an advanced fashion.

However, I had nothing at the end, and my run in split is shown as an error. I did sound like a train, and my voice has been mostly gone since.

3/16 on the course. So, a successful weekend of beating up on the youngsters. And, thanks to my rankings magic, I am 10 in the Yellow rankings. Can I move up any in Georgia? We shall see…though I am pretty sure that I have F-Yellow #1 nailed down for 2012.

Really, really enjoyed this weekend. A perfect combination of working and competing. Who knows, Yellow just may be the course for me.

And, perhaps the best part was the cleverly designed T-shirt.

I’ve run courses like that, and I have the tracks to prove it!

Distance was 3.6 km with 80 m of climb, finish time = 50:27. Placed 3/16 on the course.