Mazeophobia

Mazeophobia: The Fear of Getting Lost

This event is the antidote to the feelings of malaise that pervade our modern society.

It's a protest against a culture that pushes passivity, comfort, and retreat into abstraction at the detriment of our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.

"But, in the long run, in the great battle of life, no brilliancy of intellect, no perfection of bodily development, will count when weighed in the balance against that assemblage of virtues, active and passive, of moral qualities, which we group together under the name of character." - Theodore Roosevelt

The Race Schedule

8:00 AM - Race materials will be available for pick up.  Race materials include 1-topographical map with a 1:24,000 scale, 1-waterproof map case, 1- clue sheet, and 1-race passport.  Racers must plot all coordinates from the clue sheet on the topographical map.  They can double check against a master map. 

8:30 AM - Teams may check in at the start when ready.  Teams will be allowed to start with a 2 minute separation.  Do not approach the start, if you see a team waiting to leave.  

12:30 PM - First team must be back to avoid penalty.  Each team will have exactly 4 hrs to complete the course from their exact start time.  For each minute over 4 hrs, the team will lose one checkpoint.  At 4 hrs and 11 minutes the team will be disqualified.

The Rules

No GPS devices allowed to help navigate. Taking pictures and tracking your activity is allowed on a device, but no GPS mapping..

All team members must remain within 100 ft of each other at all times.

Teams have 4 hrs to complete the course.  Most teams should be able to clear the course.

No outside maps are allowed.

Private property or other areas indicated on the map are off-limits.

The course is under embargo beginning Monday, January 18.  Anyone who is found on the course from the 18th till the 8:30 am start will be disqualified along with the rest of their team.

There will be no aid on the course.  You must carry whatever you need to get you and your teammates safely back to the start.

Everyone must be on a team, even if you are team of 1.

No Complaining

Team scoring will be based on most checkpoints visited, by proof on your race passport.  Where a tie exists, it will be broken based on fastest time.

Required Gear (If you need more info, let me know)

Compass - I prefer a baseplate style compass like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Brunton-F-TRUARC10-TruArc10-Baseplate-Compass/dp/B00LUKO7IA/ref=sr_1_15?dchild=1&keywords=brunton+truarc&qid=1609518948&sr=8-15 

UTM 1:24,000 map plotting tool - I prefer corner tools like this one:https://maptools.com/product/Mini24

Pens (various colors is a good idea) for marking the map

Water and whatever else you need to stay alive

The Cost

Its free, because I like you.  If you want to donate a couple of bucks to help offset my costs, awesome, but not necessary.  I simply want to get people in the outdoors doing hard things.

The Course

The start/finish will be at the Dutchman Lake Spillway parking lot.  Use 1 Fishing Hole Lane, Ozark, IL in your gps and then just keep driving till you get to the end of the road.

There will be 10 checkpoints scattered across the areas near Dutchman Lake.  Checkpoints will be off -trail.  Expect to cover 15k+ to clear the course.  

The area is rugged and it will be cold.  Plan accordingly. 

Practice

How to plot coordinates on the map:

https://maptools.com/tutorials/utm/quick_guide

Here are some great videos from some of the best navigators I know on Trekking and Navigation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Cs0VmHcQJE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK-RoM4ued8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ8537dKTHM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWz-3NDsDxk

Final Thoughts

I am hoping to do some sort of training on plotting, compass and map work prior to the event.  Stay tuned for that.  I am sure I am missing something, so please ask and I'll answer to the best of my ability.  In part, what makes these events fun , is simply not knowing...