Discussion: Billygoat 2018

If you're reading this hoping for information, join the club. Although I used to facilitate the scheduling of this event, I don't any more, but that doesn't stop people from asking me when it's going to be. So... is anybody out there planning on hosting this event? If so, let us know when (and maybe where). If there's more than one potential host, feel free to use this thread to duke it out.

What is the community feeling on a fall 2018 Billygoat instead of a springtime one?

If it's a positive feeling, I think I know someone who'd be interested in hosting in the Harriman region.

Unorthodox.... but I would not be opposed.

I hope we will be at Burnt Mtn in 2019. Probably both unreasonable to ask for UNO to do any such thing for 2018, as well as too soon anyway for most attendees. I am not volunteering here, just hoping.

Since I am required by law (well, it seems that way) to run the Billygoat, I have great interest in this topic.

One bucket list item I hope to accomplish in 2018 is Jukola. Which is June 16-17 (I think they always do it on the weekend nearest the solstice). No Billygoat has ever been that late, so hopefully it won't be a conflict in 2018. (The range so far is April 6 to to June 5, according to JJ's Billygoat data.)

As for autumn, well, there are no Billygoat rules, just traditions, so sure I suppose it could be done, but personally I value traditions. But of course, great discretion is granted anyone actually going to the trouble of making it happen, and I have yet in 39 years to lift a finger to make it happen. I've been pondering the possibility of lifting said finger a few years hence (not 2018) and using said head-goat discretion to break a tradition and allow the head-goat to run his own course--after all, I wouldn't want to break the law.

I would definitely frown on an autumn Billygoat. But my frown doesn't carry that much weight. (Fall, in Harriman, is Highlander stuff. So far, anyway.)

I'm very interested in organizing a fall goat race in Harriman followed a week later by the Highlander. It wouldn't need to be the Billygoat, just a goat style race.

I could host it in a forest near London if you'd like. Now that WOULD be unorthodox.

Ok, could be held in Colorado too :-). Any down under potential organizers? Hold it in May (traditional) in the autumn (non-traditional)?

I'm not sure whether I would make it there from Colorado, but Harriman in the fall for a goat could be fun, in addition to Highlander. ( If I were local, I might prefer them a month apart.)

OK, sounds like the answer is no, nobody currently has any plans. Maybe I'll see if I can persuade somebody from WCOC to host it. I wonder if Hurd would be a good spot...

What about a return to blue mountain? I hear it's being remapped.

I feel that BM is like the Sagrada Família. Glorious, but never done and with a few stylistic upheavals along the way.

I'll set a BG at BM.

Blue Mountain would be great, if it isn't being reserved for an A-meet.

Yay to Joe! I vote we take him up on it (assuming a local club can handle the admin end).
I'm with JJ, I prefer a spring BG if only to reserve the fall for the Highlander. Then I have events in two seasons to motivate me to train. ;-)

> Any down under potential organizers?
3 November 2018. Marong Forest. ;-)

Check w/Greg B about A-meet plans.

Alex Jospe said to me that it wold be interesting to have mass start event (Goat Race) as a part of an A-meet - 2 courses long and short (i.e. Billygoat and Pygmy Goat). I am in process of working with HVO on 2018 Memorial day weekend A-meet - most likely 3 days. More info will emerge after we meet at Westmoreland next weekend. I proposed 2 venues: Westmoreland for a set of middle courses, and super fast and fun Mountain Lakes for other 2 days, may be even US Relay Champs there one day. We will see if club supports those ideas, all are subject to change.
Oh yea, I would like it to be US Team fundraiser for travelling to NAOC 2018 in Yukon (like Sam and Ross, may be even Sandra ;)

Also, Blue Mountain has a brand new base map, I would like it to be the center piece of NAOC 2020 bid. (40 years of little known company called Blue Mountain Mapping Service)

The old basemap is probably pretty good, too?

The Board just approved (Sep 16) a proposal by the Sport Working Group that among other things eliminates the US Relay, Ultralong and Night championships. The Board will be voting on the rules changes necessary to implement the Working Group proposal at its next meeting, Dec 7.

There will also be a vote on the 2018 budget. I don't think the budget proposal has been released yet.

There is nothing preventing sanctioning of relay events. They just won't be the us champs anymore. I think relays are great if you can get enough people to attend them.

Relay format died when they switched from M21/F21 format to politically correct point format with "privilege points". I personally could not care less to compete under those silly rules.

I just read that already approved proposal. OMG. The Introduction part clearly
shows that people who wrote it are clueless about the actual challenges to sport.

I think most of the renaming/changes are pointless. Some are real bad.
Classic Champs was something both unique and valuable in the US orienteering.

we now rejoin our original discussion already in progress. Billygoat 2018....? Blue mt?

So my London offer was obviously made in jest, however...crazier things have happened. US football’s been here every year, and a UK inter student competition regularly travels to Sweden or France. The OO cup normally in Slovenia is in France next year too. And many of you have travelled to Jukola etc.

So as a one-off, never to be repeated special you might want to consider it? Flights are pretty cheap off season now that Norwegian has started from Boston and NYC, you can probably go for about $300 return. And I can ask club members to put you up (maybe).

Bit late for 2018 but maybe a later year. If anyone is interested, do let me know :-)

I'll check with the usual suspects at WCOC and HVO and see if we want to co-host the 2018 BG, presumably at Blue Mtn. I'm good with us doing this again this year.

I think, we can have BG at Blue Mountain, using map from 1998 with updates, or if RickD and HVO want to finalize my new base map, there is nothing wrong with it too ;)

Thanks Rick & Joe.

Looks like WCOC and HVO are a go to co-host the BG this spring, most likely in early to mid May, at Blue Mountain.

Also, we're close to finalizing plans for a bare-bones, WCOC & HVO sponsored winter series of O events. There should be a more detailed announcement on AP soon, but in the interest of marking your calendars, here is some basic info:

4 meets Dec. through March (dates/locations below); Brown, Green and Red courses; flags will be in the woods 10 days to 2 weeks; download courses from club web site and/or AP; you run whenever you want while the flags are out; honor system--no punching, just touch the flag (no remote visual punching allowed); self report results to result coordinator (TBA) and AP. Again, more info soon on a separate AP thread.

Tentative dates and locations:

... Dec. 14 - Jan. 1: Ward Pound Ridge, NY
... Jan. 13 - 21: Paugussett SP, Newtown, CT
... Feb. 3 - 11: TBD (HVO territory, maybe Westmoreland)
... Feb. 24 - Mar. 4: Hemlock Hills, Ridgefield, CT

A shout out to Niels O for being the prime mover on this.

Joe appears to have already listed the Billygoat as May 13.

And it sounds like UNO is on to host it in 2019, date TBD.

Rick, that's a fantastic idea for the winter series. I wonder if I can get something similar going up here - it's a shame I'm too far away to benefit this time!

Becky, I have thought of that too.. I actually set a course last winter at Estabrook (using subtle biodegradable "flags" because the area is sensitive), but didn't get to publicizing it. We do maybe get more snow than NY/CT, but if you want to pursue this we can discuss.

Quick correction to the winter series dates. Pound Ridge is having daily hunting through the end of December, and understandably does not want people running off trail through the woods. So the Pound Ridge event will now be from Jan. 4 to Jan. 15. The other dates look to stay the same.

We'll start a separate thread for the winter series shortly, with complete info.

And May 13 is looking pretty firm for the BG date.