Discussion: It's corn maze O' time again… :-)

We are good to go for the 5th annual corn maze orienteering at Mike's Maze in Sunderland, MA. The date is Saturday afternoon and evening, August 23.

From the farm website:

This year the maze explores the complex and little known minds of animals.

The maze will form an image of a raven alongside a chess board and an idyllic farm scene. The scene summons thoughts about the game of life and the future of local agriculture, and begs us to question what goes on inside the animal mind.

Once again, we will have a virgin maze, open to us a week earlier than the general public by special dispensation from Mike. Perhaps because we are a good source of revenue with no added work on his part…. Actually, he's just a really nice guy.

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First up is a "classic", first start at 3:30, red group starts last, I expect times will be from 15 to 45 minutes. There will probably be a shorter version for those that wish.

Next is a "sprint", first start about 5:00. I expect times for this will be from 10 (or less) to 30 minutes.

Then we'll head over to Bub's BBQ for some nourishment and optional adult beverages.

And then finally the "night-O". This will be a mass start score-O format at soon as it is dark enough. For anyone worried about getting lost in the maze in the dark, this was unanimously declared last year to be really fun. Especially for those watching from the platform (me and Mike and his girl friend).

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Pre-entry is required. To enter, just e-mail your name, O' age, gender, club, and SI number to pg@crocker.com

Entry fee is $20 for adults, $10 for juniors, free for those with special dispensation, pay on the day. Bring a headlamp or flashlight, all your O' skills, and a sense of humor. I'll send out more info as the date gets closer.

Note — I don't expect this to be necessary, but entries will be limited to 50 or thereabouts, first come, first served. We had about 35-40 last year.

Directions -- From the intersection of routes 47 and 116 in Sunderland, Mike's Maze is 4/10 mile south on route 47, on the right side. If coming from I-91, use exit 24.

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Courses from past years:

2010: classic, part 1, classic, part 2, sprint.

2011: classic, part 1, classic, part 2, sprint.

2012: classic, relay, sprint.

2013: classic, relay, night.

2014: ??

Full disclosure and spoiler alert, the image of Mike's 2014 maze has been uploaded to their website.

http://mikesmaze.com/

Who can help me reach at Sunderland Aug 23, 2014 for U.S. Corn Maze Champs? I don't have a car and I living near of Springfield, MA. I will pay your extra costs for me.

Entry list so far, 48 if I count right and haven't forgotten anyone. Anyone else wanting to come needs to let me know ASAP as we are about at the limit.

I'll be sending out more info in a couple of days.

Gail Gagarin
Charlie DeWeese
Rhonda Deweese
Phil Bricker
Dean Sturdevant
Ian Smith**
Noelle Brunelle
Patrick McNeal
JJ Cote**
Guy Olsen
Alex Jospe**
Ed Despard
Susie DeWitt
Rick DeWitt
Clint Morse
Hayden Morse
Anna Morse
Dave Yee
Barb Bryant
David Bryant
Isabel Bryant**
Glen Tryson
Janet Tryson
Gheorghe Fala** (from Moldova)
Jim Henderson
Bob Lux
Nick Jospe
Kitty Jospe
Steve Richardson**
Gail Richardson
George Walker
Lyn Walker
Greg Lewis
Jack Greenberg
Kseniya Popova**
Dai Teramura** (from Japan)
Bill Duncan
Brendan Shields**
Yiwen Chu
Evalin Brautigam**
Pavlina Brautigam**
Peter Goodwin
Adam Caplan-Bricker
Ken Walker, Sr.
William Hawkins**
Jenny Hawkins (from Australia)
Bob Hawkins (from Australia)
Ben Gallup

** Red group (tentative)

Event has gone International!! So cool!

Just a heads-up about the map scale….

Due to the increased and unrelenting demand from the geezers for legible maps, countered successfully so far by the younger crowd's slavish devotion to the IOF map specs, so what if the maps can only be read while sitting down and under a bright light, this year's corn maze champs is expected to offer competitors a choice of map scale -- either the traditional corn maze standard of more or less 1:1,000, or, as demanded by the elites, the compact and efficient orienteering standard of more or less 1:5,000.

It is hoped that with clever design both will fit on the same piece of paper, on the same side (even though that may mean sacrificing the logo). But it may be necessary to use both sides. In that case the geezers will get the 1:1,000 on the front and the 1:5,000 on the back, while the elites will get 1:5,000 on the front and 1:1,000 on the back. We'll see who sticks by their principles when a championship is on the line!

Note that this is not yet certain, as it is possibly a budget buster.

Waitaminnit, I know I'm not quite old enough to qualify as a geezer, but I hope my listing in the Red group doesn't mean that I'm considered elite!

In corn maze O' you are, a former champ if I remember correctly.

C'mon, splurge for the ISSOM!

Also, where's the trail-o?

Also, where's the trail-o?

Surely you jest?

And anyway, too busy right now working on the results. Seems advisable to publish them in advance just in case my meager e-punch computer skills are not up to the challenge. Initial indications are that Ian will win the classic, with newly minted doctor Brendan a close second and Boris, a very late entrant, in third, helped immeasurably by being caught by Ian at the first control and catching a ride the rest of the way.

When contacted for comment as to why she wasn't coming, Tove said, "No way I can beat Ian, though a silver medal in corn maze O would be pretty cool."

Sprint and night results are still being processed.

Yeah, well, in regular-O you're a former champ, but you're definitely a geezer!

Surely you jest?

Of course. That's what CMOUSA is all about!

And here I am dreaming up a really excellent maze trail O. We have the viewing platform. Imagine a control off in the distance sticking up out of the corn. Where is it? Just one control, all or nothing. Might have to test it out.

Preliminary results indicate that Ian will win.

trail O...
Will your jury have the capacity to handle the 44 ensuing protests within a reasonable time frame...?

How can you tell which is the front and which is the back if you pick up the wrong map?

Now at 48, see list above.

Deadline is tonight.

Trail O plans are shaping up nicely. Will be the best corn maze trail O ever.

Will be the best corn maze trail O ever.

Oh jeez, look what I started...

Now at 48
Thierry and Tove had better hurry up, unless they're scared...

Event info, for those coming. It would probably make sense to read this…. :-)

General rules. #1 — no cutting through the corn under any circumstances, and no punching by reaching through the corn. #2 — we are guests at Mike's farm, let's leave it as clean as when we came. #3 — have fun. Entry fee is $20 for adults, #10 for juniors or the indigent, cash is just fine.

There are now 4 events.

First is the Classic. The start list will follow. Standard orienteering, 18 controls. No clues. Codes are in order, 31-48. E-punching, including punching a start box. Similar to the first event in other years. The course is on one map, no map exchange. The map is roughly 1:1,000. There will probably be a north arrow on it, but definitely no north lines. You might wish to consult the photo of this year's maze at mikesmaze.com.

Make sure you take the controls in the correct order. Download as soon as you finish. If you want a map case, bring one, map is 8.5 x 11. I have some cases, but not enough.

If you are late arriving, don't panic, I'll adjust the start list. But it would help if you are on time, and it would really help if you brought an e-punch with the same number you told me you have. (If you need to borrow an e-punch, no problem.)

Second is the Sprint. The start list will follow. 5 controls. No clues. Codes are 51-52-53-54-48. Same procedures as the Classic. For many this is an opportunity for redemption. :-)

Intermission — we head over to Bub's BBQ. Go back to the center of Sunderland, turn right on Rt. 116 towards Amherst. Go 3.2 miles and Bub's is on the left. The deal there is you order and pay, take your drinks and as many and as much of the sides as you wish and find a place to sit, inside or out. After a bit, they call your name to come pick up your main course or sandwich. Very casual. But no point in everyone going there all at once, just makes a long line. So just head on over when you wish.

Third is the Trail O. Done while we are waiting for it to get dark. Corn maze trail O is much more sensible than all other forms of trail O. It is also definitely not handicap accessible, since the viewing station is on the tower. There will be three controls visible above the corn. You have to mark on your map where they are, well, mark the spot which they are above. Clues are all the same — at the end of dead ends. Scoring — 10 points if you are correct, 5 points if you are within 1 centimeter on the map, 2 points if you are within 2 centimeters on the map. Scoring is self-service. Figure your points, put your name on the map, and post it. Protests — protests are allowed against other competitors only (i.e for incorrect scoring), not against the organizers. Protests will be resolved by the laws of the jungle — rip up the other person's map, eat it, pee on it, whatever, it's not the organizer's problem. Awards to the winners!

Fourth is the Night O. There will be about 25-30 controls. Time limit is 1 hour. Mellow mass start. Get as many as you can, or wish to. Make sure to bring a light of some sort. Scoring. You get one point for each control you find, and one additional point for each control you find which has a higher number than the one just previous to it. Most points wins. So if you find 4 controls in the order 34-42-38-46, then you get 6 points, 4 for the 4 controls and extra points for 42 (it's greater than 34) and 46 (it's greater than 38). Got that? Guaranteed to confuse all but Ian, but so what. :-)

If you are overtime, you're DQ'd, plain and simple.

And that's it, for now

I'm a little disappointed that the trail-o involves controls at all.

I can't wait till Ian makes it to WOC (ahem, the non-corn variety, yes, wrong thread...) With early map study for Corn Maze orienteering, I wonder if he'll be as map-study prepared for WOC as the Danes were this year for the WOC Sprint Final (who used Google-Earth + Streetview to make maps, and 'run' through practice courses they designed...)

While I haven't registered yet, the vote is currently 3-1 in favor, just gotta convince the one that counts...

The Night-O format sounds incredible - 25+ controls? Optimal scoring length of > 5 km?! Traveling salesman optimization? Amazing. The Trail-O also sounds excellent, and I will fill out my protest forms well in advance of the event.

I hope you+3 and Boris and Alli can make it, Wyatt; a deeper field leads to a more satisfying BBQ.

@Wyatt: Did Multy vote?

Is the start still at 3:30 with the additional event?

Yes, first start is 3:30. I'll send out the start list this evening.

Might as well waste a few more electrons….

Sent the following out to what I have for e-mail addresses, but I'll put it here too just in case --

Here is some more info on the corn maze O'. Please share it with any family members or friends you may be coming with as I don't have e-mail addresses for everyone.

I have already posted a bunch of info on AttackPoint here:
http://www.attackpoint.org/discussionthread.jsp/me...

Read that. You might also want to read the whole thread. Or might not.

A few additions --

Rough ground — It's flat and it's hard-packed dirt, but it can be uneven. If you normally use ankle braces, I'd suggest bringing them and using them.

Don't forget a light.

The map is in full color this year. Well, two colors, green (the corn) and white (the paths). The course will be drawn in red. Is there anyone color-blind for whom this will be a problem? If so, let me know in advance.

The map of the maze is once again excellent. The map outside the maze is terrible. This should only affect you for the Trail O — meaning, the viewing tower is not on the map. You just have to figure out where it is. The start/finish for the three foot-corn-O events will be just outside the entrance to the maze. It is uphill to the finish, but that is also not mapped. I'm pretty sure you can deal with it. :-)

For the classic, I expect the best time will be 12-15 minutes, with some taking quite a bit longer. You can always cut it short if it is getting the better of you. :-)

Schedule after the classic. Next is the Sprint, We'll have first start at 5:00 pm, 30-second intervals, so last start will be about 5:25. I expect best time will be maybe 5-6 minutes, again some will take a good bit longer.

After that, head on over to Bub's BBQ. Go left when you leave Mike's, north on 47 to the light in the middle of town, then go right on 116 towards Amherst. Bub's is 3.2 miles on the left. There is a shorter route using Old Amherst Road if you are clever.

Back to the maze, the trail O takes place between dinner and darkness. Best (only?) place to view the controls is on the tower, though it probably will not be a good idea for all of us to be up there at the same time. Take a blank map, three controls, all on dead ends, mark where you think they are. And then protest.

And then dark, and the night O. Rules are on the AttackPoint posting.

Parking — there is plenty of parking between the road and the maze. Just park smart (leave roads open so Mike can access the fields). Parking to start/finish is 50 meters at most.

Toilets — Two, right at the building at the start/finish.

Weather — Right now there is a slight chance for a shower the first part of Saturday, and then improving. Who knows.

Start lists for the Classic and Sprint follow.

Cheers,

Peter

Start order for the classic --

3:30 Rhonda Deweese
3:31 Gail Gagarin
3:32 Anna Morse
3:33 Bill Duncan
3:34 Kitty Jospe
3:35 Ken Walker, Sr.
3:36 Noelle Brunelle
3:37 Nick Jospe
3:38 Gail Richardson
3:39 Hayden Morse
3:40 Jim Henderson
3:41 David Bryant
3:42 Lyn Walker
3:43 Greg Lewis
3:44 Janet Tryson
3:45 Jack Greenberg
3:46 Yiwen Chu
3:47 Peter Goodwin
3:48 Susie DeWitt
3:49 Charlie DeWeese
3:50 Jenny Hawkins (from Australia)
3:51 Bob Lux
3:52 Phil Bricker
3:53 Dean Sturdevant
3:54 George Walker
3:55 Guy Olsen
3:56 Ed Despard
3:57 Barb Bryant
3:58 Rick DeWitt
3:59 Clint Morse
4:00 Dave Yee
4:01 Glen Tryson
4:02 Bob Hawkins (from Australia)
4:03 Patrick McNeal
4:04 Adam Caplan-Bricker
4:05 Ben Gallup
4:06 Greg Balter
4:07 Keith Durand

4:10 Gheorghe Fala (from Moldova)
4:11 Isabel Bryant
4:12 Dai Teramura (from Japan)
4:13 Evalin Brautigam
4:14 JJ Cote
4:15 Kseniya Popova
4:16 Steve Richardson
4:17 Pavlina Brautigam
4:18 Brendan Shields
4:19 Alex Jospe
4:20 William Hawkins
4:21 Ian Smith

Start order for the sprint

5:00:00 Rhonda Deweese
5:00:30 Gail Gagarin
5:01:00 Kitty Jospe
5:01:30 Ken Walker, Sr.
5:02:00 Anna Morse
5:02:30 Noelle Brunelle
5:03:00 Bill Duncan
5:03:30 Gail Richardson
5:04:00 Hayden Morse
5:04:30 Nick Jospe
5:05:00 Lyn Walker
5:05:30 Greg Lewis
5:06:00 Yiwen Chu
5:06:30 Janet Tryson
5:07:00 Jim Henderson
5:07:30 Peter Goodwin
5:08:00 Jenny Hawkins (from Australia)
5:08:30 David Bryant
5:09:00 Jack Greenberg
5:09:30 Bob Lux
5:10:00 Susie DeWitt
5:10:30 George Walker
5:11:00 Guy Olsen
5:11:30 Charlie DeWeese
5:12:00 Ed Despard
5:12:30 Phil Bricker
5:13:00 Glen Tryson
5:13:30 Bob Hawkins (from Australia)
5:14:00 Patrick McNeal
5:14:30 Dean Sturdevant
5:15:00 Barb Bryant
5:15:50 Rick DeWitt
5:16:00 Ben Gallup
5:16:30 Clint Morse
5:17:00 Dave Yee
5:17:30 Greg Balter
5:18:00 Adam Caplan-Bricker
5:08:30 Keith Durand

5:19:30 JJ Cote
5:20:00 Evalin Brautigam
5:20:30 Dai Teramura (from Japan)
5:21:00 Pavlina Brautigam
5:21:30 Gheorghe Fala (from Moldova)
5:22:00 Steve Richardson
5:22:30 Kseniya Popova
5:23:00 Isabel Bryant
5:23:30 Ian Smith
5:24:00 Alex Jospe
5:24:30 Brendan Shields
5:25:00 William Hawkins

Let the trash talking begin ...

Appalled that balter is not in the Red Group :)

Balter is injured.

Appalled you will be absent. :-)

The model event for the corn maze trail O is now open. For the convenience of the participants, it is presented in an electronic version. For the convenience of the organizer, it is only presented in an electronic version.

Participants should be aware that there is a possibly significant difference between the model and the actual event. In the event, the three controls will be red, white, and blue. The model only demonstrates the red control.

In addition, in the actual event you will have a map…. :-)

I heard through the grapevine that the current reigning New England Corn Maze Champion is attending tomorrow and didn't get put in the Red Group - sounds like a shark to me! He even has this trophy to prove it!

Mere local honors don't really count for much. And that "trophy" is particularly ugly. :-)

Notes for the corn maze champs, due to start in a few hours --

1. Codes for the classic are in order: 31-32-33…47-48. So 18 controls, numbered 1-18 on the map.

2. Codes for the sprint are 51-52-53-54-48. So 5 controls, numbered 1-5 on the map.

3. For the night O the controls are numbered with their codes, very easy.

4. The beautification operation is progressing. Looks like the trimming and raking will be 95% or more completed. The maze looks great, the corn is tall and lush.

And then there is the ground surface. In many areas it is hard-packed and a little uneven, maybe just a little slippery in a few spots. In other areas they have roto-tilled it (or something similar), so it is nice soft loose dirt, just a little too soft if you are trying to run fast. By the time we are done, of course, the soft stuff will be starting to resemble the hard-packed again.

4. Based on recent information that e-punching is not to be trusted, we are instituting plan B for the results in advance -- in addition to, not instead of, plan A, which is that the e-punching will work just fine.

Plan B is you take you own time and post it on AttackPoint.

5. There will be the winners of each event, of course, and there will also be an overall winner. The math is pretty simple. You must do all four events, add up your places in each one, and the lowest total wins. Very sweet prize to the winner!

And for Ian, the overwhelming favorite, the best in the world at running fast and navigating cleanly in the maze, the question is -- Is he any good at corn maze trail-O?

Given the dearth of trash talk, some predictions:
- Alex will be involved in at least one high speed collision.
- I will eat too much at Bubs.
- In her collisions, despite flying at least 6 feet in the air, Alex will still manage to not damage the maze.
- No more than 6 competitors will pass me.
- Anyone involved in a collision with Alex will not actually notice.
- At least 6 competitors will pass me.

I'm working hard on plans for cheating. Unfortuately, the wind is not cooperating for my initial plans to fly over for aerial reconnaissance.

I may hang back and let Steve get by me so that I can pass him.

The wind, however, if there is any, might play a factor in the trail-O. The corn maze trail O expert will know how to adjust.

I hope the trail O model was indicative of the actual course. I will be submitting my entry and protest for the trial O via email from Poland.

Absolutely. The only question is whether I will manage to get a suitable photo this evening in the waning daylight.

You could also submit your answer for the model event, just to see if you got it right. Already had one submission, close but just a little off. Note that the model control was not on (above) a dead end.

I am torn. I want to go for a run, but I have also heard an appalling rumor that the Live Coverage isn't going to be archived for later viewing. I just hope it's not true.

Certainly Gail has finished by now.

Top finishers in the classic --

1. Ian 11:27
2. Will 13:14
3. Brendan 15:15

1. Barb 17:25
2. Izzy 18:10
3. Alex 18:39

Splits for Classic and Sprint are posted.

Top finishers in the sprint --

1. Ian 5:09
2. Brendan 5:54
3. Will 6:02

1. Izzy 6:33
2. Alex 6:38
3. Kseniya 7:09

Night O goes to Ian too, but not the Trail O. But he did good enough in it to take the overall result and the winner's award of a box of fine fudge.

Rest of the results in the morning. Party at the house right now -- hey, it's one of the requirements of corn maze O -- and that takes precedence.

But it seemed like the event went well. And no even a hint of a protest…. :-)

It just occurred to me that whistles were not being checked as required equipment. What an appalling oversight. Especially for the Trail-O.

Thanks to Peter for a fantastic set of races! To answer a question posed earlier in this thread, it is apparent that I am not any good at Corn Maze Trail-O despite considerable effort. I particularly enjoyed the Night-O - trying to keep up concentration and focus for 35 minutes in a corn maze is really hard.

Night-O results. One point for each control, and an additional point for each control that was a higher number than the one before. So the maximum was 49 points, if you took them all in order. Max time was 60 minutes, after that DQ.

1. Ian Smith 25+24=49, 34:41
2. Ben Gallup 25+24=49, 40:23
3. Alex Jospe 25+24=49, 45:56
4. Izzy Bryant 25+24=49, 46:36
5. Kseniya Popova 25+24=49, 48:02
6. Steve Richardson 25+24=49, 49:34
7. JJ Cote 25+24=49, 51:36
8. Barb Bryant 25+24=49, 56:24

oops, breakfast time, Barb and Dave are cooking, also a few others here, mmm….

9. Ed Despard 24+23=47, 48:29
10. Patrick McNeal 24+22=46, 54:36
11. Greg Balter 23+22=45, 54:12
12. Greg Lewis 23+22=45, 56:24
13. Rick DeWitt 25+19=44, 40:44
14. David Bryant 23+21=44, 58:45
15. Jack Greenberg 23+21=44, 58:45
16. Phil Bricker 23+19=42, 49:46
17. Pavlina Brautigam 25+16=41, 28:47
18. Peter Goodwin 24+17=41, 46:33
19. Dean Sturdevant 25+14=39, 28:00
20. Evalin Brautigam 25+14=39, 29:50
21. Guy Olsen 25+14=39, 49:16
22. Gail Richardson 20+19=39, 55:46
23. Dave Yee 25+13=38, 25:58
24. Charlie DeWeese 25+13=38, 29:10
25. Gail Gagarin 25+13=38, 33:54
26. Rhonda DeWeese 25+13=38, 33:55
27. Dai Teramura 25+12=37, 16:52
28. George Walker 25+12=37, 25:36
29. Susie DeWitt 25+12=37, 29:21
30. Janet Tryson 24+12=36, 39:22
31. Glen Tryson 22+13=35, 35:12
32. Clint Morse 23+11=34, 21:03
33. Bob Lux 23+10=33, 23:12
34. Keith Durand 22+11=33, 30:32
35. Anna Morse 18+11=29, 21:05
36. Jim Henderson 18+8=26, 26:12
37. Hayden Morse 11+6=17, 21:06
38. Gheorghe Fala 24+23=47, 61:54, DQ

A few pictures:

Corn Maze Trail O

An unbiased observer, like myself, could come to only one conclusion and that is that this was the best trail O ever. By far.

No protests, no fistfights, no bad behavior, none of the normal stuff that is the heart and soul of trail O.

Just some really good trail orienteering.

Three controls, balloons, a red one and a white one and a blue one, hung over different dead ends in the maze. Ten points for getting a control correct, 5 points for getting within 1 centimeter on the map, 2 points for within 2 centimeters. So the max possible was 30 points.

Red and blue are in this photo (look carefully, click on photo for a larger image).



Blue and white are in this one.



The obvious viewing spot was from the tower, and going in the maze was not allowed, but that didn't stop some ingenuity.

JJ attached his camera to a long pole, hoping the higher angle would bring clarity. It didn't.



Ian Smith went around to the other side of the maze and climbed a tree, but that didn't help either.

Peter Goodwin lamented leaving his golf clubs at home, and therefore didn't have the range finder he normally would have.

Ben Gallup swore that next time he was going to bring an octicopter.

When all you really needed was good technique, demonstrated here by co-winner Keith Durand in the classic Trail O viewing pose. Sometimes simple things are the best.



Results
1. George Walker, Evalin Brautigam, Barb Bryant, and Keith Durand, each with 17 points.
5. Ben Gallup, Peter Goodwin, and Clint Morse, each with 15 points.
8. Alex Jospe, Bob Lux, JJ Cote, Guy Olsen, Pavline Brautigam, Phil Bricker, Izzy Bryant, and Ian Smith, each with 12 points.
16. Rick DeWitt, Glen Tryson, Gheorghe Fala, Janet Tryson, Hayden Morse, and David Bryant, each with 10 points.
22. Anna Morse, 9 points.
23. Ed Despard, Susie DeWitt, Steve Richardson, Greg Lewis, each with 7 points.
27. Jim Henderson, Dave Yee, Charlie DeWeese, Dean Sturdevant, Kseniya Popova, Gail Gagarin, each with 5 points.
33. Gail Richardson, 4 points.
34. Patrick McNeal and Dai Teramura, each with 2 points.

And here is the answer sheet for the trail O.

Superb event! Thanks to all the organizers: the course planners (PG), the course setters (PG), the course vetting (PG), the marketing team (PG), the registration team (PG), the start crew (PG), the finish crew (PG), and the results team (PG). Wonderful courses, all controls in the correct locations, with correct numbering, clue sheets 100% accurate, all e-punch systems working. Outstanding!

I was very impressed to get an e-mail notifying me that results had been posted to attackpoint about an hour after the sprint - while I was eating barbeque at Bub's.

It should be noted that Dave and Barb did the control pick-up early Sunday so the guy doing everything else didn't have to do "everything". I will also note that the assembled group that was running the courses made a great orienteering event. I don't know if Bub knew that the Bar-B-Q was an integral part of the event but it sure was good. I had a great time! My only regret is that I didn't do all the night-O controls in order. It would have given me more time in the Maze.

Agree with PGoodwin! In retrospect, I probably could have taken them in order, but didn't think so early on -- and went to #33 first. After that, my approach was ad hoc at best, random at worst; but I did get to all of them. No outer-perimeter, next-to-the-cemetery controls this year, though... :-/

An attempt to reduce our impacts on the Bub's line by spreading out our arrivals had limited -- if any -- success. This is partly because another large group of Bubs patrons apparrently didn't get the memo; but mostly it had a much simpler reason: hunger.

Well, here has now appeared one possibility of what one (PG) could do in life next, after concluding a successful career in tax preparation: beginning a new career consisting of going around and presenting clinics on how to do a proper trail-O' event. Whether or not demand would be overwhelming (actually, better were it not, considering desirability of having many and long vacations) is an open question, but the need for it is not.

Forget Trail-O, could PG persuade Mike Wissemann to partner him in a worldwide joint venture producing corn mazes for orienteering?

I wander, if Mr. Swamfox also noticed almost live results posting on Attackpoint for less important races than Corn maze Trail-O, like classic and sprint. The sun was still well above Medicine Bow Pike, last Saturday and the curious world could witness Ian's dominance in those tricky events, which I found quite overwhelming for my aging O-skills.

worldwide joint venture producing corn mazes for orienteering?

Not worldwide, but there's a company that actually produces corn mazes across the US, making maps and games and such.

Mike's Maze isn't one of these, and neither is Bob's Corn (the one I work with here in WA).

My wife and some family friends went to a Mazeplay maze last fall, and that maze had basically re-invented orienteering. Get a map with "monsters" marked on it. When you visited each monster, there was a cutout of a cute monster there, and a hole puncher, which you used to punch a punchcard. Hmmm, sounds really familiar!

Working with Mazeplay would be a great connection for Orienteering USA. Maps are already made. Terrain is ready to go. Most event staff are already covered. It's a demographic chock full of young adults and small kids. And it's during a time of year that leads directly into the orienteering season of most orienteering clubs.

I believe Mike's Maze has started contracting with an outside company for implementation of the maze, although the design is still done in-house. In the past, Will Sillin was out there personally pulling up seedlings.

Bob does his maze on graph paper, and a grid of stakes in his field.

The first year I made the ISSOM map, you may remember that I needed some AP love in getting the skewed aerial photo (taken from a hot air balloon) into a basemap. Last year, I asked Bob for the graph paper version, and the map was a heckuva lot easier to make. His mazes aren't as graphically complex. It's just narrow passages and a lot of intersections, which eventually draw out an image.

There's another local maze that uses the same exact maze every year, in the shape of the state of Washington, with the maze paths representing the state's highway system.

After our "success" with the corn, we are signing up to try another form. At least this one will be in wine country so we can console ourselves properly.

I had quite the surprise when Ben Gallup showed up at the maze and gave me a 3-D print of the maze, which he'd made using the photo of the maze that was posted at www.mikesmaze.com. He suggested I give it to Mike.

But it seemed more appropriate to give it to the other half of the team, Will Sillin, the artist who designed the maze.

So I stopped by this afternoon to visit Will and give him the 3-D print. We had a nice long chat about things, including the intricacies of cutting a maze. He was delighted to hear that things had gone well.

Will is an accomplished artist in a variety of media (besides corn). Have a look at his work at www.willsillin.com. You will be quite amazed.

Thanks again to Will and Mike for hosting us in such a wonderful way.

So rewarding following this thread from afar! Thank you, Will, Mike, Peter, and all of the cornheads!

@ Walk - yes, am just finishing off the map for that one. Will you be here on 8th
October?

Plan to be. Signed up for the Champs week and will do the SWOT signup as well once Lyn decides her plans. Looking forward to it.

I can't see that anybody has calculated the final standings, so here's my cut at it, assuming I didn't miss anything. Only people with valid results in all four events are included.

clss spr trail night total
1 Ian Smith 1 1 8 1 11
2 Ben Gallup 4 6 5 2 17
3 Izzy Bryant 6 4 8 4 22
4 Alex Jospe 7 5 8 3 23
5 Barb Bryant 5 15 1 8 29
6 JJ Cote 16 12 8 7 43
7 Evalin Brautigam 10 13 1 20 44
8 Pavlina Brautigam 13 9 8 17 47
9 Ed Despard 9 7 23 9 48
10 Steve Richardson 11 11 23 6 51
11 Peter Goodwin 18 20 5 18 61
12 Dean Sturtevant 15 14 27 19 75
13 Rick DeWitt 24 28 16 13 81
13 Phil Bricker 30 27 8 16 81
15 Patrick McNeal 19 22 34 10 85
16 George Walker 20 37 1 28 86
17 David Bryant 40 17 16 14 87
17 Guy Olsen 22 36 8 21 87
19 Bob Lux 25 24 8 33 90
20 Glen Tryson 21 23 16 31 91
21 Dai Teramura 8 26 34 27 95
22 Janet Tryson 23 30 16 30 99
23 Dave Yee 26 25 27 23 101
23 Charlie DeWeese 31 19 27 24 101
25 Greg Lewis 34 39 23 12 108
26 Gail Richardson 32 31 33 22 118
26 Susie DeWitt 28 38 23 29 118
28 Hayden Morse 43 33 16 37 129
29 Jim Henderson 35 34 27 36 132
30 Gail Gagarin 39 43 27 25 134
31 Anna Morse 46 41 22 35 144