Discussion: Billygoat set for April 21 at Earl's Trails, Amherst, MA

Just a heads-up to see if there are problems with this.

I've heard no other firm proposals for the 2013 Billygoat. I'm willing to set the course, using the Earl's Trails map that was used in May for the Western Mass 5-Day. Not a big area, but there's a good bit more terrain than was used in May and it should be plenty big enough.

Need to work around West Point's A meet (April 27-28) and the SML Champs / Team Trials two weeks after that. So it seems like either before West Point, or a couple of weeks after the SML. The latter will be hotter and a little thicker, so I prefer the former -- Sunday April 21. I can't do it any earlier in any case.

Also no permissions yet and other such stuff, but just trying to get the ball rolling.

Apparently no one else sees any more problems than the none I see.

Sounds good to me, I would be excited to return there.

How about a leg that runs the ridge?

Runs the ridge up and over? And then back, of course.

Making progress. Talked to the park supervisor today and we have permission -- Sunday, April 21 at Earl's Trails, Amherst, MA.

Next on the agenda is to see if Amherst College will let us park by the bunker....

Also, there was interest at the Team meeting about doing the Speedy Goat again (two-person teams, each runs two short relay legs). Need to figure out where to do that.

If you could do the speedy goat on the Umass Amherst map that would be awesome but might be a little harder with classes in session at that time of the year.

Maybe you need a new map in Amherst? :)

Isn't the point to do it while classes are in session?

Good point Neil! Would attract some curious students to all of the action.

There's an Amherst College map, too (but it's probably woefully out of date).

The UMass map will need some updating, as they've been constructing constantly since May, but would make an excellent venue. Maybe the philosophy department wants to host another orienteering meet!

They've been deconstructing constantly.

deconstructing

Not in the UMass philosophy department.

Not sure it would get permission with students in session, though I suppose we could try.

J-J: you mean a Hampshire College o-map? If there's an Amherst College o-map, I'd like to know about it.

I think the Amherst College map was a CSU map from years ago? was there an AGM or something it was made for?

The AGM in Amherst was in 1988 and at Hampshire College. A map was made there and used for a night-O. I'm not aware of any O' map made of Amherst College.

Hampshire College has a border with Earl's Trails and the Arboretum. One or two of the buildings are already on the Earl's Trails base (NE corner). How's that chunk of forest on the NW side of campus?