He made the same observation that other orienteers noted, that besides the obvious benefit of walking or running, thinking also is involved. Young participants learn to read maps and understand the land. As a landscape architect, that is something Palmquist appreciates. The Chicago Area Orienteering Club provides a series of meets in various forest preserve locations with club members taking turns volunteering to organize the events. Most meets are on Sunday mornings with start times between 10 a.m. and noon.
Participants mark their maps and choose their routes from control to control.
They punch a card at each control. As Carl Larsson told me, if you never get lost or go off-course, you should be at a more advanced level. The first meet of the 2001 season will be on March 25 at Willow Springs. Club members receive reduced entry fees and receive the club newsletter.