Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ — A Work in Progress
1. I don't know anything about orienteering. Where should I start?
(1-A) But I wanna know NOW!
2. I have some experience in land navigation or orienteering. How can I learn more?
3. What does it cost to participate in a meet?
4. What should I bring to a meet?
5. It's raining. Is the meet canceled?
6. What is a Bike-O?
7. Where are all these parks? How can I find the meets?
8. Is there an explanation of Orienteering terms and concepts on the Web?
9. Where can I find the USOF Virtual Binder and the official USOF Rules?
10. What is a Line-O?
1. I don't know anything about orienteering. Where should I start?
There is informal instruction for beginners starting at 10:00AM the day of our meets. It is very basic, but enough to allow someone to find his way back to the start/finish point. There are always courses for beginners to try as well as for the more experienced, and we welcome first timers!
For a more formal approach, Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) offers a class on Orienteering, PED 169, generally during the Fall and Spring semesters.
Also, the book Be Expert with Map & Compass by Björn Kjellström is considered the best introductory text to the sport. Amazon carries it, or you can support your local bookstore and have them order it for you.
Sub-question 1-A: But I wanna know NOW!
We feel your pain. Here’s an article on Orienteering in Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, spotted by James Sisk. Click and feast your eyes.
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2. I have some experience in land navigation or orienteering. How can I learn more?
For starters, attend as many meets as possible — and participate in the informal "how did you run this leg" discussions at the end. We are fortunate to have some orienteers who are nationally ranked in their brackets and all are willing to share their experience. The Orienteering course PED 169, offered by Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC), is a good way to make the transition from land navigation to orienteering.
Joining the United States Orienteering Federation (USOF) gets you a subscription to "Orienteering North America", a magazine full of tips on how to be a better orienteer. Finally the Orienteering Supply vendors listed on the USOF web page have books for all levels of orienteers. Their staffs are able to make knowledgeable recommendations on what books to buy based on your skill level.
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3. What does it cost to participate in a meet?
Our map fees are $5.00 for members and special groups (such as Scouts), $7.00 for all others. Please note that this is per map, not per person. You can have more that one start together and use the same map. If you like orienteering and keep coming to the meets, please join the club as your membership dues help provide quality orienteering in the Piedmont.
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4. What should I bring to a meet?
Comfortable shoes that you can walk in and don't mind getting dirty. Loose fitting clothing appropriate for the weather conditions and terrain. An orienteering (baseplate) compass. If you don't have a compass you can rent one for a dollar at the meet. Some people carry daypacks or Camelbacks, but they are not necessary.
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5. It's raining. Is the meet canceled?
Not unless there's a hurricane! COK holds its meets rain or shine. However, snow or ice storms have caused the cancellation of meets. We are hoping to re-introduce the Orienteering hot line to provide up to date information on meets, but for now use your best judgement.
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This is almost the opposite of a normal meet. For a Bike-O, there is a set route marked on your map to follow, always on trails. Along the course you will come across controls and you must mark their location on your map. Accuracy is key here. The objective is to find all of the controls, mark them the most accurately on the map and in the least amount of time.
For those of us without a mountain bike, you can run or walk the course. In that case, it becomes just like a Line-O.
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7. Where are all these parks? How can I find the meets?
We have set up a Directions page to tell you how to drive to the locations. (It's still a work in progress, so bear with us.)
Once you reach the locations, there will be orange and white arrows guiding you to the registration where the start/finish will take place.
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8. Is there an explanation of Orienteering terms and concepts on the Web?
Funny you should mention that. It just so happens that there's an excellent site right here: http://www.williams.edu/Biology/Faculty_Staff/hwilliams/Orienteering/o~index.html.
It lays out the whole idea of Orienteering, with many links to define terminology unique to the sport. It's a real mother load of information.
Webmaster's Note: The link above has been fixed. Thanks to Michele for finding the corrected address.
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9. Where can I find the USOF Virtual Binder and the official USOF Rules?
The Virtual Binder is kept by USOF Executive Director Robin Shannonhouse at the address home.comcast.net/~rshannonhouse. It's a collection of useful information about our sport for both clubs and individuals, under the website title "Orienteering Obsession".
The Virtual Binder includes a link to the Official USOF Rules about halfway down the page, the first bulleted item under the heading A-Meet Documents. It is entitled “USOF Rules of Orienteering as of [somedate, someyear]” and is usually updated annually.
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A Line-O is when the participants have to follow a line, either marked on the map or marked with arrows in the terrain. Upon arriving at a control, the competitors must mark on their map the exact spot where the control is located. It's very close to the reverse of ordinary orienteering! This is a good map and terrain reading practice.
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