Orienteering is competitive activity which puts to the test one's ability to run through the woods and to use a map and compass. Great profiency in either skill will do you no good without some ability in the other.

At an orienteering competition, also called an o-meet, competitors are timed in their ability to visit selected points on a map. The points are to be visited in order, however the path between each point is up to the competitor. A good orienteerer will balance what the map tells them about the vegitation and topography with the selection of a route that is not error prone.

I orienteer with the Minnesota Orienteering Club. I've been using my GPS unit to track my path during events. Here are the courses which I've run since beginning the practice (and brought my GPS to):

• May 5, 2002 at Afton State Park (Yellow)
• May 19, 2002 at Sand Dunes National Forest (Green)
• June 1, 2002 at Lebanon Hills Regional Park (Orange)
• September 29, 2002 at Como Park (Orange)
• November 2, 2002 at Afton Park (Green)
• October 26, 2003 at William O'Brian State Park (Green)