Intro to Adventure

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April 14
Sunday

Arthur the KingHave you seen the new Mark Wahlberg adventure racing movie, Arthur the King, and wondered, can I do that? The answer is, yes, you can, and the Quantico Orienteering Club (QOC) will help get you started.

Please join us for a free INTRODUCTION TO ADVENTURE event at Cabin John Regional Park on Sunday, April 14, where we’ll teach you the basic map reading skills needed to launch you on your quest for true adventure. Come spend part of a day in the woods with us to experience the fun, family-friendly sport of Orienteering for yourself. Speaking of families: kids are welcome at this event, but must be accompanied by a parent or their legal guardian.

As this event is for first-timers, we encourage you to check out the Your First Event and Orienteering Techniques For Beginners webpages to help you prepare for your adventure. Have any questions? Just use our Contact Form.

We will meet at Shelter A, near the large playground parking lot off of Tuckerman Lane (see overview). Check-in will open at 9:30am, with free instruction sessions every 30 minutes from 10:00 until 11:30. Register for the time best for you and plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early to check in.

After checking in you will then have a chance to warm up as you walk to the start area on the north side of Tuckerman Road, where you will check in with the timing team, get your map, and meet your experienced instructor who will teach you the basics of orienteering.

You will then have the opportunity to apply your newly acquired skills on one of two beginner-level orienteering courses. Participants can orienteer solo or in small groups of up to four people. You will have until 1:30pm to complete the course.

The only equipment you’ll need to bring is active clothing/sportswear, a comfortable pair of athletic shoes, and a watch. Free loaner compasses will be available, but please bring your own if you have one. You will want to bring water, as there won’t be any out on the courses or at the check-in area.

ASL Instruction: ASL instruction will be available at this event. To ensure we have enough instructors, please fill in the accommodation request option when registering.

Post-Event Social! After you finish your course, head to the nearby Cava restaurant with fellow orienteers to grab a bite to eat and discuss your experience! Get a free fountain drink (juices are excluded) with purchase - and map as proof (you must show map to cashier), courtesy of General Manager Kenya. Cava is located here, less than a mile away from our event.

Your ticket to adventure is waiting. See you in the woods!

Location

Cabin John Regional Park, Playground Parking Area, Bethesda, MD (For First-Time Orienteers)
Registration

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Registration will open at 6pm on Monday March 18 and close at 12 noon on Saturday April 13 (the day before the event). Pre-registration is mandatory.

Start TimesInstructional sessions will start at 10, 10:30, 11 and 11:30; please check-in at registration ~10-15 minutes before your selected session.
ScheduleSunday, April 14
9:00 am - 3:00 pmFor First-Time Orienteers:
Volunteers
Event Director:Sharmagh Yepremian
Event Director:Don Fish
Course Designer:Greg Lennon
Course Designer:Kathleen Lennon
Location Details

For First-Time Orienteers
Cabin John Regional Park
Playground Parking Area
Bethesda, MD
Google Map

From the East: Take I-270 North from the I-495 Beltway, exit at Old Georgetown Rd (going north), and then immediately work your way left on Old Georgetown to turn left on Tuckerman. Turn left into the park after the underpass. From the South: Take I-270 North from the I-495 Beltway, exit at Democracy Blvd, going west. Turn right on Westlake (at the Exxon/Shell station), then eventually left on Tuckerman. Turn left into the park very soon after the left turn onto Tuckerman. From the North: Going south on I-270, exit at Montrose Rd (west). Turn left to go south on Seven Locks, then eventually left (east) on Tuckerman. Turn right into the park before the second traffic light (and before the underpass).
Google Maps Link
Apple/iPhone Link
Course DetailsFor First-Time Orienteers
Course NameLength (km)Climb (m)No. Controls
White 1.9409
Yellow 2.2607
Course NotesFor First-Time Orienteers

About the Courses:
All Courses: All participants will walk the ~0.7km from the check-in and instructional area (at Shelter A) down to the crosswalk on Tuckerman Lane and then back down Tuckerman a short distance to the gated entrance area. The epunch (timing) area will be located just north of the gate, as will the start, finish, and a porta-potty. Cross Tuckerman at the crosswalk - DO NOT jaywalk across this busy road!

Yellow Course Participants: there is a creek crossing and you should anticipate getting wet feet.

About the Map:
This map is reasonably up to date, but the vegetation has sprung up in the last week+ and as a result some features will be harder to see than at other times of year. Trails will generally be dry, but there may be a few small remaining muddy areas.
The maps as printed for both the white and yellow courses will be at a scale of 1:5000, and the contour interval is 5 meters. The magnetic North/South lines are 300 meters apart.
Entry Fees

This event is just for first-time orienteers, and it's free!

At this event, we welcome those 20 or under, but they must be accompanied by their parent/legal guardian.

Group Entries

Participants are welcome to orienteer together as a group of 4 or less.

Important Notes

  • If you wish to become a QOC member you should join online in advance via this webpage (which also explains the member benefits). Membership is completely optional.
  • Most of our events use an 'epunch' timing chip for electronic timing. Individuals or groups without their own epunch will be loaned one for that event. Loaned epunches that are lost incur a $40 replacement fee. Epunches (also known as SI-cards or finger sticks) can be purchased from online vendors as described here.
  • Former QOC members who have let their membership lapse pay non-member fees.
  • Compasses are available at no charge, but if lost incur a $15 replacement fee.
  • Please provide collateral (such as car keys) when borrowing a compass or epunch.
  • Beginners are encouraged to watch relevant videos such as this one created by QOC's instructional guru David Onkst