Orienteering: Trying Not To Get Lost in the Woods

I've discovered an engaging new activity: orienteering.

According to OrienteeringUSA, "Orienteering is a competitive international sport that combines racing with navigation. It is a timed race in which individual participants use a specially created, highly detailed map to select routes and navigate through diverse and often unfamiliar terrain and visit control points in sequence. Courses also can be enjoyed as a walk in the woods, with difficulty levels from beginner to expert offered at most events."

Reading a map and using a compass are skills needed for the adventure races I love so much. Those are also the areas where I am least adept. Thanks to the Southern Michigan Orienteering Club I've been learning.

I'm learning that slowing down to read a map is more important than running fast. I've come to see that I can make mistakes in many different ways. I am excited that even though I may not end up where I thought I was, I can study the map and figure out where I am. There is no more getting lost, only taking an alternate route.

Enjoy these course pictures taken on a gorgeous pure Michigan Fall weekend at Island Lake Recreation Area near Brighton, MI.