Frances Slocum Two Day Event
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Topic created by rgbortz on Tue Jun 5, 2012 at 8:53 pmIf you find yourself thinking about having some midsummer time with friends and family, recreation, relaxation and just plain no pressure fun then make plans to come to Frances Slocum State Park near Sranton/ WilkesBarre, PA August 11th and 12th.
Plans are in the works for two days of orienteering related activities. So far canoe-o, foot-o, bike-o and night-o are in the mix. This is strictly for everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors. There will be no e-punch, just pin punch so you can check yourself after completing courses. Likely you will have to draw your own courses. Never did that before ? Not to worry, we will have help available to teach you how. You will just be copying off master maps.
You will have many options to choose from any time of day (or night) as there will be no particular schedule for registration or time on the courses. You will be able to run, walk, paddle, peddle, skip, jog, anything you like, to do at least four different courses in any manner you wish.
Night-O may be available Friday night plus Saturday night and maybe Sunday night. The other courses will be available anytime Saturday and Sunday.
So you see, this weekend can be arranged anyway it works for you, your family and hopefully any friends from other orienteering clubs or friends from anywhere.
The only anticipated costs will be $6 per map, canoe rental if needed and camping or lodging if staying in the area overnight. You can reuse your map for multiple courses or purchase a new map for a new course. All refreshments and food will be on your own. More details will follow as they are worked out. Check out the other cool things to do in the region. Mohican Sun Casino and Racetrack ( horses), Rickets Glen State Park ( cool waterfalls and great hiking), Great Wolf Lodge ( fabulous for kids ).
If you can't wait for further firm details ask your questions right here or email me at alliron69@cs.com.
Your questions wiil help to congeal the details. -
Reply by yoyonateo on Wed Jun 6, 2012 at 10:05 amReally hope i come out to this event! Sounds like its going to be a blast! Might even try to bring some friends up for the weekend.
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Reply by Orienteeringmom on Wed Jun 6, 2012 at 7:04 pmThis weekend is on our calendar and what you just posted makes it even better. I love the fact that there is no schedule to follow. Count the Porter's in and most likely daughter and her boyfriend as well. Sounds like a great weekend of family. friends and orienteering. Thanks Ron a great idea.
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Reply by Orienteeringmom on Wed Jun 6, 2012 at 7:20 pmRon you should get this info posted to the News area of our site to draw more people that would be interested in this type of weekend.
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Reply by furlong47 on Wed Jun 6, 2012 at 10:43 pmPlanning to come and camp. If we had enough interest and it is available, there's a group camping area for up to 40 people. Otherwise maybe we can try to pick sites near each other and make the DVOA camp area...
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Reply by Steve on Thu Jun 7, 2012 at 6:50 amJulie
Count Sharon and I in for the group camping. Do you have a cut off date to reach 40, so we can make other plans if necessary?
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Reply by Orienteeringmom on Thu Jun 7, 2012 at 9:36 amCount 4 Porter's in that group.
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Reply by furlong47 on Thu Jun 7, 2012 at 10:14 amDid I just volunteer to set it up? Hahaha. Let me see if it's even available that weekend and what it costs. It says up to 40 so I don't know if there's a minimum.
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Reply by edscott on Thu Jun 7, 2012 at 5:15 pmParks where I've reserved group sites don't have a minimum and the maximums work out to something like $3 per night per person if we would fill the area. I'd expect Slocum to work out about the same. Problem will be getting one on the weekend we need.
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Reply by rgbortz on Thu Jun 7, 2012 at 6:44 pmI am planning on going up to Slocum tomorrow or Saturday to scope out possibilities including looking up the park ranger for discussions and inquiring about the group camping site.
I am wanting to advertise this event to other clubs. If someone wants to volunteer to contact all the club presidents in the northeast and mid-atlantic regions and request they inform their memberships that would be much appreciated. This should be done within a week from now. If I don't get a response in a couple days I will proceed to do it myself or contact people directly to request help.
Watch for a posting on the DVOA Home page. Members of other clubs and the general public will see the news referencing this event and should be directed to the e-board for more detailed info. Also the necessary info will eventually be posted on the Home page.
Much to be sorted out here. There is a limited number of camping sites, group and single, so the sooner others know of this event the better for them for making reservations. Call your friends both in orienteering and other now.
Should anyone out there want to set up a trail-o, whether DVOA or other club, I would need to know before July 4th. Since this is a two day event the setter could do the setup either Friday or Saturday. No need to come to the park before then. Just communicate with me via email. I don't know all the criteria for trail-o so this requires someone with that expertise. -
Reply by Orienteeringmom on Thu Jun 7, 2012 at 6:53 pmWell, Ron, I kinda jumped the gun and posted this weekend on AP already so we can continue to add info as it comes available. I will help to get it out to other clubs for you since I posted it to AP.
Janet -
Reply by furlong47 on Thu Jun 7, 2012 at 8:41 pmOK well count me in for a spot in the group site if we get it. Will wait to hear what Ron finds out.
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Reply by rgbortz on Fri Jun 8, 2012 at 8:39 pmGroup tent site: $44 gets the site for up to 40 people. That's the good news. The bad news is most of those 40 people need to be inclined to sleep on an angle; to be specific, about 10 degrees. This is a mostly open to the sun site on a significant slope. There's room for maybe 7 tents on relatively flat ground; where all the picnic tables are now.
The better sites are in the main tenting area, but the price jumps to $23 a night for PA residents. There are some walk in sites which are decent. I believe the price is the same. The walk in distance is from 50 to 150 meters. I have noted the sites I believe to be the best for large tents in both areas. There's also sites with electric for $29. I don't see any difference in site price if you have a tow behind camper. I'm sure the whole fee schedule is online. -
Reply by rgbortz on Fri Jun 8, 2012 at 8:55 pmCanoe rental: Only 3 canoes and about 16 double kayaks are available for rent at $25 for two hours with a 10% group discount. The lake is rather large and depending on your paddling style you may need the two hours for the course. Check Slocum's web site for requirements to put in your own watercraft.
The bike -o will require a trail worthy bike. Don't know yet if the park will allow bike-o on paved areas; for the younger folks and those without trail bikes or the inclination to ride rough trails. -
Reply by Orienteeringmom on Sat Jun 9, 2012 at 12:58 pmSorry people but I rather pay more money for a flat shady or somewhat shady site than what Ron has decribed. So I plan to make The Porter Family reservation for a regular site today.
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Reply by Orienteeringmom on Sat Jun 9, 2012 at 3:58 pmI was just on the PA DCNR website about camping at Frances Slocum. They will allow 2 tents or a tent and a camper to one site and a total of 5 persons that are not family members to that site. So if we group up by 2 camping units / 5 people to a regular site it will cost $9.20 a person for the weekend or $23 per tent/camper for the weekend. I don't think that is to costly. If we decide which area we want to camp it and try to get site next to or close to each other we should be fine. So far no one has stated that they want to camp that has a camper or needs electricity, so after looking at the campground map, I would suggest we go for sites in the Hemlock Hill loop as there is no electricity in this loop at all. From experience I have found that sites with electricity are less wooded and you can end up having to put your tent on a hard sufface or gravel which is not very comfortable for sleeping.
I would like to make our reservation very soon but I would like to know what the other people that are interested in camping are doing. so check out the website and let's make a decision as to what we want to do.
Janet -
Reply by furlong47 on Sat Jun 9, 2012 at 9:13 pmI'll get my own site too then, I have a big tent for one person and don't want to take up a bunch of prime space in the group site.
