A sparking and gleaming sun came out on the morning of Sunday March 24th, its rays cutting through the fog enveloping the roofs and gargoyles of the quaint homes of Squirrel Hill in Pittsburgh. "We ARE going Orienteering", I declared to the family, still half-dormant and still wearing PJs. Apparently, it was in the spouse's subneural cortex that if it was raining like the day earlier, "no way". But this time, the evidence, with its early-morning orangy colored rays penetrating through the window's glass, proved to be irrefutable. It was going to be the first time the spouse and children were going to do a course. A first. And it helped that our neighbors, the Malagodi family, was going to be there too with their two children. In fact, Luca and Chris were in the same daycare center years ago, so they knew each other well.
The drive to Yellow Creek State Park was marred by horrible delays caused by multiple construction projects on Route 22 in Murrysville and in New Alexandria [On the return trip, we will be instead traveling by exising from 422 to the exit for Route 286, and following that on bucolic landscapes through Saltzburg and eventually to the "Golden Mile" connector to Route 22 in Monroeville].
Along the way, the spouse specified in clear terms her skepticism in doing this outdoor activity, and that she could have better used her free time by visiting friends in the city, meeting interesting people at the "Blue Slide" playground, etc. etc. I try putting her in ease, and I just say "don't worry: you'll like it". Because of other commitments, we would have to leave at 12:40, so there was just enough time for me to do a long course, and for the spouse and children to do a beginner's course.
We arrived at 11:10, later than we had planned due to the unexpected traffic delays. I start on the Green at 11:24. As I am running the first hundred meters, the muscle cramps on my legs reveal the efforts on the day before, when three of us WPOCers traveled to NorthEast Ohio for that club's first O-meet. "Boy, there must be a better way to enjoy life than this", I am thinking as I am running towards control #1. But I know it will get better. Find the control, and go for #2.
Still kind in a rush and without planning or thinking too much, did my first mistake: did a "C" approach, following gravel roads when I could have just went straight to it by crossing open fields, reach the pond, and bordering the pond. #3 was a straight-shooter, and it was about at this point that I am looking at my feet, and notice that I am wearing my "civilian" sneakers, a pair of Nike's city-slicker sneakers that look more appropriate for sidewalk hip-hop, which I purchased for $1 at a garage sale. My mud-laced trail running shoes, a pair of Adidas that I purchased brand new for $79, were atop the console of my car under the windshield, in an attempt to get them dry with the vehicle traveling east and facing the sun. I forgot to change footwear. Oh, well. 
#4 was next to a house chimney well hidden in a coniferous grove, nice surprise. On the approach to #5, from the gravel road went along the circular fence clockwise, and on the way back, went around the fence on the other side (faster). The mountain where #6 was, was well known to me. Went straight up along the ridge. For #7, should have mentally noted that the control was in the middle of an open clearing. Instead, on the approach while in the woods, stopped and read map for checking, when I was in clear view of the clearing. Should have just kept on running to the clearing, instead of wasting 20 seconds. For #8 there was a decision to make: either go into the woods slightly uphill bordering the clearing and then descending down to the creek from there, or just go east and connect to a trail, then follow the creekline to the control. Hesitated a second, then, since I ran the trail the year before, went for something sure that I knew well, and ran along the fence across the clearing, hit the thick vegetation which I know was only 10 meters wide, and quickly descended on the trail. The control was high above rootstock, and I jumped over the 1 meter wide creek waters to get to it. For #9, I gained the gravel road above, reached the saddle point, then left the road and went to the clearing just NE of it. At the end of the clearing, set my direction to E, and quickly descended into the woods to the creek below, and the slightly sloped up woodlands. Saw the orange flashing on my retina must have been 100 meters away, and wow, my direction was going right to it. Some luck here... The next control, #10, was nearby, kindish SSW, but went too much SW and downhill, and as I approached the gravel road and couldn't see it, I kind of was puzzled, then saw it on my left 40 meters away. Had to run uphill to get to it. So, I realized I made a small mistake. Should have stayed almost level from #9, and then descending slightly to #10 instead. For #11, cut through some vegetation between a gravel and a paved road. And for #12, ran through a grassy path, then gravel road. And from there to the finish it was gravel road/trail. Looks like my time was real good. And while wearing civilian footwear.Five minutes later, I see spouse and kids. They are just about to complete White. They are enthusiastic. My son says he wants to do another one. My wife says the will plan to come back to more events like this one ("as long as it doesn't rain", she would later qualify). So, her initial fears proved unfounded. Glad to hear.
We quickly eat lunch at the picnic tables, I put a WPOC T-shirt on my son, and tell him that he's now and orienteerer. We had gone geocaching together for some time now, but never with map and compass. We then route ourselves to the parking lot to ready the return to Pittsburgh. A couple of sedans are stuck in the wet and muddy grass, and folks are pushing the out as wheels spin a green soup of mashed grass and mud. From the number of parked vehicles, it was quite a turn-out for this first Sunday of Spring 2007. But one thing I've learned: when looking for those controls, gotta wear hip-hoper shoes.
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