Discussion: Chicago's Big Blue O Fest "08"

5 Races in 3 days with great course setters on Chicago's best maps. 2 sprints on Friday afternoon, Middle and sprint on Saturday, and long distance event on Sunday. Some of Chicago's best maps, with informal get togethers. All who complete all 5 events will recieve a Blue's CD for the ride home. If you have been thinking about Chicago for a weekend.... Please check web site for more info.

This event will be held September 12, 13 and 14...only three weeks away!

CAOC website

Already looking forward to that CD!

Someone asked about camping. Cook County has no forest preserve camping. But nearby DuPage County has Blackwell Forest Preserve.

Another camping option that should be really nice right now, but a bit further away from the meets, is the Indiana Dunes State Park. These campsites are right up against the dunes, which in themselves are fascinating. They're huge. And there are some good hiking trails over and through them, to Lake Michigan. There's even a 10k run every fall over those trails, so a morning jog could be rather spectacular...for the midwest.

How about some hotels? Something that the parking would not be a fortune, but still OK quality. I know I'm almost local, but if I could avoid driving each day 2 hours back and forth, it would be nice.

Hotels? Why not try an Expedia search? The least expensive rooms are those to the south...down near Country Lane Woods. This $65 Extended Stay motel backs up to our Waterfall Glen map, which is open for training. The map can be purchased through the CAOC website.

But keep in mind that those that camp at Blackwell will have access to their Compass Course!
This course challenges users to find their way through the outdoors with the aid of a compass. Supplies for the Blackwell compass course on Mt. Hoy are available by reservation by calling Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center at (630) 850-8110.

The CD is worth the drive alone. Who would miss a chance to visit Chicago..excellent time of year, great restaurants. We have big reentrants too.. lots of history, cheap flights, the lake should still be warm enough for a swim.

Ok if you can't make Friday's sprints you can still get a Custom Blues CD. We will be using the best white woods the maps offer. Saturday's map Deer Grove also has been used for an "A" meet.

Yes, but Sunday's Classic event at Country Lane Woods will be set by current USOF #1 Ranked Natalia Babeti (F50+).

And the map was completely redone for our 2007 A-meet last fall.

On-line registration for pre-marked maps is available now at the www.chicago-orienteering web site.

On-line registration for pre-marked maps is available now at the www.chicago-orienteering web site.

For driving in from the SouthWest (which might just be me), how congested are I-355N and I-290N likely to be at 4PM on a Friday? Does it make more sense to come in on I-90E (about 30 miles longer, but would be travelling against the main commuting flow)?

BIG THANK YOU!!! For Charlie, Natalia, Maricel, Jeff and all those who made this event possible! Yes, it was the Big WET Blues, but it was fun, the courses were challenging, the e-punch worked great in the woods and I have found all markers exactly where expected.

GREAT EVENT!

Agreed! Great course setting and a fun outing despite all the rain.

Thanks to all who show up in some wild conditions. The most rain falling in Chicago since records ever being kept, events being canceled everywere, flooding all over, but the Big Blue O fest went on.