Discussion: O in Boston
in: Orienteering; General
Jul 3, 2016 8:33 PM
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Hi. I am an orienteer based in Ireland and spending a week in Boston for work over the summer. 22nd to 26th August or thereabouts. I'm hoping to explore some O maps while I'm there. Has anyone got ideas of where to run or where I could get maps from? Thanks.
Jul 4, 2016 3:04 AM
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Your best information would either be from the New England Orienteering Club, http://www.newenglandorienteering.org/ , or the Cambridge Sports Union, http://csu.attackpoint.com/ .
Jul 4, 2016 5:33 AM
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Or from the members of those clubs who will see this message here and will be contacting you directly shortly.
Jul 4, 2016 9:39 AM
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There are some nice areas to visit which are also very convenient to reach by public transportation. CSU has recently updated several of their sprint maps, and the view from the top of Peter's Hill is nice, and the surrounding green space is also fun to explore. Perhaps Ed would send you a map file from the most recent park-o held there.
More technical orienteering can be found by going north to the Middlesex Fells or south to the Blue Hills reservation. But I hope that a current Boston resident can suggest not only some excellent maps but maybe also arrange for some organized training during your stay.
If you are more mobile and can escape the city for a day, then a longer trip to someplace like Pawtuckaway State Forest in NH would be a great choice. My favorite map, at least.
Hope that your week in Boston is a success!
More technical orienteering can be found by going north to the Middlesex Fells or south to the Blue Hills reservation. But I hope that a current Boston resident can suggest not only some excellent maps but maybe also arrange for some organized training during your stay.
If you are more mobile and can escape the city for a day, then a longer trip to someplace like Pawtuckaway State Forest in NH would be a great choice. My favorite map, at least.
Hope that your week in Boston is a success!
Jul 4, 2016 3:56 PM
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barb:
NEOC is hosting orienteering meet at Horn Pond Aug 21; it is aimed at beginners but you could run around on the map and meet some people.
Jul 4, 2016 9:30 PM
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Everyone thanks so much for your replies - looks like I'm going to be busy busy. Excellent. Barb I was going to fly in on Sunday but looks like I should reconsider.
Neil does it have the same paint job as your Finnish car? Would like to see the look on the face of my Very Important Work Colleagues if I rock up on Monday morning :) Who has it?
Neil does it have the same paint job as your Finnish car? Would like to see the look on the face of my Very Important Work Colleagues if I rock up on Monday morning :) Who has it?
Jul 5, 2016 12:10 AM
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Welcome to Boston
If you write to NEOC, (as per origamiguy) they (me, since I answer NEOC's e-mail) will just send you back here to Attackpoint ;-) (as per jjcote's suggestion)
As to Horn Pond - it really is a beginner event - the map is vey simple. You are more than welcome to attend, but I just wanted to manage your expectations...
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Horn+Pond/@42.46...
If you write to NEOC, (as per origamiguy) they (me, since I answer NEOC's e-mail) will just send you back here to Attackpoint ;-) (as per jjcote's suggestion)
As to Horn Pond - it really is a beginner event - the map is vey simple. You are more than welcome to attend, but I just wanted to manage your expectations...
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Horn+Pond/@42.46...
Jul 5, 2016 9:32 AM
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Me too!
I'm in Boston for a tourist day on July 16th. I've seen most of the historical attractions before, and anyway they mainly comprise being told how horrible the British are :(
So, is it possible to get some old sprint maps, maybe with courses, for a day of O+T tourism?
I'm in Boston for a tourist day on July 16th. I've seen most of the historical attractions before, and anyway they mainly comprise being told how horrible the British are :(
So, is it possible to get some old sprint maps, maybe with courses, for a day of O+T tourism?
Jul 5, 2016 1:11 PM
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Hi guys!
We have maps, many maps, with courses. You're welcome to as many of those as you can carry away :)
Susan, I'm afraid I'll be out of town when you're visiting, otherwise I would definitely host some sort of training. At the very least, should you want forest I recommend getting into the Fells, as it is super interesting. Just be prepared that near the marshes, there is a lot of greenbriar, which is spiky and not fun.
Franklin Park can be a lot of fun - we just held two national meet races there in early June, so can provide you with those maps. Franklin Park is really easily reached from the T, our aging and sometimes-useful metro system.
As Ross said, the view from Peter's Hill in the arboretum is fantastic, especially on a clear day. We ran a race there this year, so can furnish those maps, too. Most of the city parks nearer the city are pretty one-dimensional running across fields, but North Point Park can get a little tricky, and we had a good course there for Sprint Camp. A good day of tourism would be a sprint at Boston Common, which is also the start of the Freedom Trail, a walking tour of Boston's history. The tour ends at Bunker Hill, across the river, which is within a half mile of North Point Park. Might be a long day on your feet, but fun! I recommend stopping to refuel with a cannoli from Mike's pastry in the North End along your walk.
Graeme, any chance you'll still be around on the 17th? CSU is running Forest-X, basically a trail race with the chance to take short cuts, using an orienteering map. If you can, it would be fun to have you there!
Both of you PM me, and we'll find a way to get you maps. Yay for Boston!
Alex
We have maps, many maps, with courses. You're welcome to as many of those as you can carry away :)
Susan, I'm afraid I'll be out of town when you're visiting, otherwise I would definitely host some sort of training. At the very least, should you want forest I recommend getting into the Fells, as it is super interesting. Just be prepared that near the marshes, there is a lot of greenbriar, which is spiky and not fun.
Franklin Park can be a lot of fun - we just held two national meet races there in early June, so can provide you with those maps. Franklin Park is really easily reached from the T, our aging and sometimes-useful metro system.
As Ross said, the view from Peter's Hill in the arboretum is fantastic, especially on a clear day. We ran a race there this year, so can furnish those maps, too. Most of the city parks nearer the city are pretty one-dimensional running across fields, but North Point Park can get a little tricky, and we had a good course there for Sprint Camp. A good day of tourism would be a sprint at Boston Common, which is also the start of the Freedom Trail, a walking tour of Boston's history. The tour ends at Bunker Hill, across the river, which is within a half mile of North Point Park. Might be a long day on your feet, but fun! I recommend stopping to refuel with a cannoli from Mike's pastry in the North End along your walk.
Graeme, any chance you'll still be around on the 17th? CSU is running Forest-X, basically a trail race with the chance to take short cuts, using an orienteering map. If you can, it would be fun to have you there!
Both of you PM me, and we'll find a way to get you maps. Yay for Boston!
Alex
This discussion thread is closed.