Discussion: OMG WTF
in: 2015 North Florida Orienteering Championships (Dec 5, 2015 - Silver Springs, FL, US)
Nov 13, 2015 9:42 PM
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Here is some information for those who may be thinking of coming to the North Florida Orienteering Championships and the Navi-Gator long distance O on Dec 5-6.
The closest flight option (unless you fly your own plane) is Gainesville. Delta (through Atlanta) and American (through Charlotte or Miami) have several flights a day. DC to Gainesville for that weekend is around $200. Gainesville is one hour by car from the event venue, Silver Springs State Park.
Hotel rooms in the area are plentiful and generally cheap. Holiday Inn, Rodeway and Days Inn are just three of many adjacent the park. The park campground is not taking reservations due to some construction in the campground but they are accepting ‘drive-up’ bookings. The campground is right beside the event arena.
You may want ot make a week of it in which case you could arrive in Florida (probably Orlando) participate in the North Florida Orienteering Championships, etc one weekend and the Florida Orienteering Championships just outside Orlando the next.
What to do in between? Well there are some tourist attractions in Florida, there are a couple of seas, and there are lots of orienteering opportunities (and mapping opportunities if you would like to become a hero by helping a local school team make a map of their campus or local park.
Entry forms and event information are available here.
Most importantly bring your cell phone as sometime during the event you are going to want to text OMG WTF which everyone with a cell phone knows means “orienteering mighty good; what terrific forests!”
The closest flight option (unless you fly your own plane) is Gainesville. Delta (through Atlanta) and American (through Charlotte or Miami) have several flights a day. DC to Gainesville for that weekend is around $200. Gainesville is one hour by car from the event venue, Silver Springs State Park.
Hotel rooms in the area are plentiful and generally cheap. Holiday Inn, Rodeway and Days Inn are just three of many adjacent the park. The park campground is not taking reservations due to some construction in the campground but they are accepting ‘drive-up’ bookings. The campground is right beside the event arena.
You may want ot make a week of it in which case you could arrive in Florida (probably Orlando) participate in the North Florida Orienteering Championships, etc one weekend and the Florida Orienteering Championships just outside Orlando the next.
What to do in between? Well there are some tourist attractions in Florida, there are a couple of seas, and there are lots of orienteering opportunities (and mapping opportunities if you would like to become a hero by helping a local school team make a map of their campus or local park.
Entry forms and event information are available here.
Most importantly bring your cell phone as sometime during the event you are going to want to text OMG WTF which everyone with a cell phone knows means “orienteering mighty good; what terrific forests!”
Nov 14, 2015 2:23 AM
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That is interesting Yurets but I'm aftraid you have the wrong forest. There is the Ocala National Forest which is referred to in your link. Florida Orienteering has three good maps in Ocala National Forest. No one has ever been killed while orienteering in Ocala National Forest, at least that I know of.
However the event in the works for Dec 5-6 occurs near the City of Ocala, outside Ocala National Forest but in Silver Springs State Park which recently absorbed Silver River State Park which is where the events of the 5-6 Dec will take place.
Referring back to your link the entire state park is ringed by a fence which dicourages ne'er do wells from squatting.That is unless you include people camping for orienteering as ne'er do wells.
However the event in the works for Dec 5-6 occurs near the City of Ocala, outside Ocala National Forest but in Silver Springs State Park which recently absorbed Silver River State Park which is where the events of the 5-6 Dec will take place.
Referring back to your link the entire state park is ringed by a fence which dicourages ne'er do wells from squatting.That is unless you include people camping for orienteering as ne'er do wells.
This discussion thread is closed.