The events are designed to accommodate not only the serious orienteer, but also newcomers, families and groups. Now that he is a father, Palmquist sees orienteering as a way to introduce exercise to a child in a less-structured manner than in other sports. Palmquist said the emphasis is not on winning. The satisfaction comes from completing the course. 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.