Night scooter orienteering

[Jon Brooke]

Has anyone else tried this, or have I invented a new (fastest growing!) branch of the sport?

We (WSX) had a night event tonight in Poole Park - not the most technical of areas, cut across with plenty of tarmac paths. My wife decided to run it while I looked after the kids (Agnes - 7 and Arthur - 5), but as they have just got some new bike lights for Christmas I thought that maybe they could do it on their bikes while I accompanied them. However, if I wanted to take my bike too I would have had to put the roof-rack on the car to to carry my bike to the venue and I really didn't want the hassle, but on the other other hand, I've got a slight injury at the moment and didn't really want to have to run with them either.

Which led to my brainwave - amongst their other Christmas presents they also had scooters!

So, once I had fitted my 900 lumens Exposure Lights Diablo to the scooter handlebars and put on a small headtorch, we were ready to go, the kids on their bikes and me on my scooter.

What a laugh, but also, why not a serious(ish) event? It could certainly run alongside some of the existing urban events without too much extra organisation, and at least IMHO, would be a bit more appealing.

Of course there would be some serious committee work to be done first, to hammer out the various rules and regulations, not least to decide who should sanction the events, BO or BMO?

Then a few items from my experience tonight come immediately to mind. Should I have been wearing a helmet? Is it acceptable to carry the scooter across grassy areas between paths?

So there we have it. Is it a goer? Anyone want to step up and put on the inaugural British champs? Where do I go to collect my special award for an outstanding contribution to orienteering?

[NFKleanne]

My 4 youngest would be up for that!!! That sounds fun!!

[Adventure Racer]

I want pictures!

Have occasionally wondered about the idea of taking my inlines out on a night street event, but a scooter sounds altogether a better idea. Before we get all carried away with night scooter orienteering, maybe we just need a scooter class at urban events?

[Copepod]

Scooters are used in Hebridean Challenge - see last photo of this report of 2006 race http://www.planetfear.com/articles/Hebr ... 6_678.html

[Jon Brooke]

Ah, that takes me back. Actually we were 3 times runners up in the Heb, but we never used scooters. Maybe that was where we went wrong.