 |
| This map will be of dubious utility in Gig Harbor |
This Saturday, May 26, is the perfect chance to try out a
Street Scramble, since there is a free one in Gig Harbor (just across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge). It's a beautiful spot, the weather is going to be great, you were going to get out of the city anyway, and did I mention it's free?
Street Scrambles are basically urban scavenger hunts: you get a map with around 30 checkpoints circled, each of which has a number from 10-59. Each checkpoint you visit is worth 10-50 points based on the number: Numbers 10-19 are worth 10 point each, 20-29 are worth 20 each, etc. The object is to get as many total points as you can within a time limit (at Gig Harbor, either 90 minutes or 3 hours) by visiting checkpoints. You prove you visited a checkpoint by answering a simple multiple choice question. For example:
Park sign
At what time does the park close?
a) 10pm b) 11pm c) open 24 hours
You must travel under your own power, except kids can be pushed, carried, etc. by older folks (so, strollers are allowed). There are numerous competition classes, based on how you get around and how old the people are on your team, so that families with strollers are not competing with adults on bikes. The prizes are pretty minimal (top 5 in each class get a ribbon, winner in each class gets a pen, I believe). But another good thing about going to Gig Harbor is they have a little festival set up at the starting line, so you can get balloons and other small prizes, there is usually a touch tank with tide pool creatures, and the last few years there has been some kind of rocket club booth where kids can build a stomp rocket and launch them into the sky. Repeatedly.
My family and I have been doing Street Scrambles for years, including the first Street Scramble in 2004 in the University District, which we did with our older son, Omar, in a stroller and our younger son, Emmett, on my wife's back. From there, we went to towing the kids in trailers, then on a Trail-a-Bike, then with Omar on his own bike. These days Omar does 90 minutes by himself on foot while I usually tow Emmett on the Trail-A-Bike. We have a good time, see a lot of new and interesting spots, learn a bit of neighborhood geography, and get some exercise. We're also good friends with the people who put these on, and I have been tapped the last few years to design the course for the Fremont Oktoberfest Street Scramble.
You should join us this Saturday in Gig Harbor, or at another Street Scramble in the future (like, say, Fremont, September 23). Let me share some of my vast experience with you...
How to have fun
 |
| I designed the course, so of course they're having a good time |
If all you want to do is have fun, you should be prepared for a 90 minute or 3 hour walk in the neighborhood (snacks, water, comfortable shoes), and not worry too much about route planning. When you show up at the event site, you'll need to stand in line to register, sign a waiver, and get your answer sheet (unless you've pre-registered, in which case you need to stand in a shorter line to sign a waiver and get your answer sheet). Once you have your sheet, you can look it over to get some idea of what the checkpoints are. If you're in it for fun, see if any of the checkpoints sound particularly interesting. Telephone pole? Probably not. Bowling ball sculpture? Now we're getting somewhere.
I'd advise showing up a little more than an hour before start time (8:50am for a 10am start at Gig Harbor) to avoid long lines. Gig Harbor's festival makes it easy to pass the time, and you'll be getting a map at 9:30 anyway, so you can spend the last half hour planning. For extra enjoyment, use the restroom before everyone starts lining up at 9:45, or if you aren't being competitive, wait until after the start.
If you're having fun, you should mostly use the map to figure out what checkpoints look the most interesting to you. Maybe you always wanted to go to a particular park, or you want to get a 50-point checkpoint (most of these will be far away, but there's usually one or two that are closer to the start). You should have a rough idea of how far you can go in 90 minutes/3 hours, but be aware that, particularly with bikes, you can't go at top speed because you will have to spend time stopping, looking for the answer to the checkpoint, marking it down, and figuring out where to go next. I do about 10mph average on my bicycle during a Street Scramble, less if I'm towing a kid, whereas I can usually do 12-15mph otherwise, even in the city with stoplights. You won't notice as much of a dropoff if you're on foot, as you can usually do things like mark your answer as you're moving on to the next checkpoint when you're walking or jogging. Once you have an idea where you're going, use a highlighter to mark a rough route on your map. You could mark the exact roads to use, or just connect the dots between the checkpoints you think you'll visit.
When you're out on the course, you want to keep moving when you feel good, while remembering to stop for food, drink and rest occasionally. You don't want to return late (there's a 10 point/minute penalty if you do), but you usually don't need to worry about time until the halfway point. After this point, you should keep asking yourself: can I get back to the start on time? At the halfway point, the answer is almost always yes, since you could just retrace your previous route. In fact, at the halfway point you can usually get back with plenty of time to spare, since your first half route was most likely a zigzag that was much longer than the direct route back. Take a guess as to when you should next evaluate where you are (15 minutes later, after the next 3 checkpoints, etc.), and continue to do this until the end. Also, be sure to re-evaluate if you take a wrong turn or spend too much time looking for a checkpoint. If you keep checking in and start making your way back at a reasonable time, you should make it back from your hunt on time or close to it, having had a good adventure.
At each checkpoint, the answer should be very obvious; there are not supposed to be any trick questions. If you can't find the object you're looking for, chances are you're in the wrong place, so double check that you are where you think you should be. Checkpoints should be in the exact center of the checkpoint circles, so use that to your advantage: if the circle looks like it's off to the right side of the street, that means the checkpoint is on the right side, not the left.
Two caveats: First, the course designers sometimes make mistakes, or things change. That bowling ball sculpture that was on the porch last week may have been moved to the backyard. Second, the base maps used are USGS maps that may be 20 years old. Course designers try to add features that would be useful (a new staircase, for example), but they don't update everything. Buildings may have been added or torn down, so treat buildings on the map (depicted as black rectangles, usually) with particular suspicion. If you're spending too much time at a checkpoint and can't find the answer, give up. If you're sure you're in the right place, proper protocol is to mark through all the answers and write a short explanation in the margin (e.g., "no sculpture here").
Having fun with kids
 |
| Kids tend to have sharp eyes |
Doing a Street Scramble with kids is a different matter. If you're carrying or pushing them about, it's just like any other trip you might take. But if your kids are under their own power, you will have to make sure they're fueled and motivated. Kids often don't pace themselves well, and wear themselves out. Or they forget to eat and drink, and melt down after a while. When I do a Street Scramble (or other active event) with my kids, I make sure there's a break every half hour, and shamelessly bribe the kids with M&Ms. Give them one after every checkpoint. And one after you visit a high-value checkpoint. And one every 50 or 100 points. And, what the heck, double it if they went uphill to get it.
Also, be sure to remind your kids to use the restroom before you start. When you're done, reward them with something good to eat and a trip to the playground. The December Street Scramble in the Market, which visits many downtown holiday decorations, is a particularly good one to bring the kids to. As is the one at Gig Harbor. Stomp rockets!
Doing Street Scrambles well
 |
| These blue ribbons could be yours |
If you crave one of those ribbons or pens, you need preparation and practice. Practice is self-explanatory; like any athletic event, the more you do it, the more likely you do it well. If you've been to the neighborhood before, whether as a resident or a visitor, you'll know your way around better, know any shortcuts there might be, and may even have been to a checkpoint or two before (Note: if you already know the answer to a checkpoint, you're still supposed to visit it to get the points. Street Scrambles are not trivia contests).
But let's suppose you've never been to the place before. That's where preparation can pay off. Look at a map of the area before you go. You can usually pick out likely checkpoint spots just from Google Maps (parks, trails, schools, prominent works of art, ...). If a likely spot seems difficult to get to, consider how you might get there: e.g., how do you get through the light rail construction to get to the UW climbing wall? If there are barriers that are hard to get around (light rail construction, I-5, bodies of water), familiarize yourself with the best ways to cross or go around them. Note that access points like this are often specifically marked on the Street Scramble map (with red arrow/triangles), but not always, and it helps to know where they are in advance.
Finally, if there are any hills nearby (look at Google's terrain view, or the Topo view on gmap-pedometer.com if you don't know), I can guarantee there will be checkpoints near the top or (this frequently happens near the water) near the bottom. Sometimes there's only one way up or down, but in an urban area, or where there's a long ridge (such as near Gig Harbor), there are usually numerous ways to climb it. Figure out which ways are best for you: do you like a steep hill for a couple of blocks, or a long, slow climb? Again, topo maps can help you figure out the most gentle routes, but following a creek is usually a good bet if you want the gentle route. You almost always only want to climb a hill once, so when you do, try to get all the checkpoints on the hill before you go back down. Given the geology of Western Washington, where the valleys were mostly created by glaciers advancing and receding, this often means you'll do a long leg heading north or south, getting every checkpoint on a ridge.
Another aspect of preparation is having the right equipment. If you're riding a bike, you'll of course want to make sure the brakes, chain and tires are working well, and bring along tools, a pump and a spare tube or two. If you're on foot, the Street Scramble organizers supply plastic sleeves that are handy for carrying your map and answer sheet around in, particularly if it's raining. On a bike, though, you'll want a different set-up to keep your map and answer sheet easy to access and mark. The simplest solution is to buy a few 8.5"x11" plastic 3-ring binder sleeves, get a couple of reusable zip-ties, and ziptie the sleeves to your bike handlebars. Then you can put your map (11"x17", so you have to fold it in half) and the answer sheet in the sleeves, and read them without having to pull them out of a pocket or pannier. The answer sheet is too large for the plastic sleeve, but you can usually fold the edges to make it stick out just a little, which is good, because you need to pull it out to mark your answers. Be sure to position the sleeves so that the opening is on the right, as that's where the answers on the answer sheet are, so you only need to pull out the sheet a little bit and then shove it back in. Zoom in on the image at the start of the previous section for a view of my bike; I destroyed a 3-ring binder to get the metal center with the 3 rings, but the principle is the same with zipties.
Whether you bike or go on foot, you will want to have highlighters to mark a route on your map, as well as multiple pens and pencils to mark your answers when you're out on the course. The answer sheets are printed on special water-resistant paper, so normal pens don't work very well. Permanent sharpies work well, as do pencils. To save time, just draw a line through your answer. It also saves time if you save up your answers and mark a few at a time, assuming you can remember the answers (even after all my experience, I sometimes forget, so I always try to mark my answers whenever I get to a high-value checkpoint, as well as after every 3rd checkpoint).
Route planning for experts
 |
| This could help |
The most important part of the race is the half hour between map handout and the start, because that's when you plan your route. The key to doing well is to have some idea how much ground you can cover. 8-10mph is a good guess for bikes. On foot, of course, it mostly depends on your base speed and your endurance. 3 hour bike teams probably have it easiest, since they can start with the assumption that they'll be able to hit all or most all of the checkpoints (which usually can be done in 22-28 miles).
The first step to making a route is to connect the dots. If there's an obvious route between two checkpoints, just mark that route on your map. Once you have a few of these segments, your route should start falling into place. Feel free to skip low value checkpoints that are near other checkpoints, since you can add those in later. Low valued checkpoints that are nowhere near other checkpoints or are inconveniently located you should consider skipping altogether, unless you're trying to sweep the course.
After you have a general route in mind, you should consider which direction to go first. Usually you can do it either way (generally, counterclockwise or clockwise; if you're making a figure eight, you're doing it wrong). Hills often make the difference: it's easier to go down to the Burke-Gilman near Magnuson Park and climb up from University Village than the other way around. Another consideration is where it would be easiest/best to drop checkpoints if you find you're running late near the end. If one end of the loop starts with a few high-valued checkpoints and the other does not, it's better to do the high-valued end first than risk having to drop them all as you rush back to the finish line.
If you aren't going to visit every checkpoint, make a marked string to measure out your route. Assume the maps have a scale of 1:25000. Before the Street Scramble, get a piece of string that's a few feet long, and mark off a starting point and 'miles' from the starting point. Every 5th mile, use a different colored marker. At the event, after you have a preliminary route, measure it out with your string as best you can; you won't get it right, but that's okay because you'll probably have to improvise at some point anyway. Verify that the map scale is 1:25000 (it's usually a multiple/divisor, so the math won't be too hard it if isn't), and assume your measurement was an underestimate. If your route is too short, add checkpoints. If it's too long, subtract. Either way, you should make contingency plans. Where do you expect to be after 45 minutes? 1 hour? 2 hours? Have a plan in case you're way ahead or way behind.
One final consideration is what to do with the collection of checkpoints near the start/finish. These are usually low-valued, but there are enough of them that you should not skip them altogether. My advice is to get a few as you start, in the general direction that you're heading, making extra sure to get any 30, 40 or 50 point checkpoints. Leave the rest. Some you will get on the way back to the finish. It's good to have a few that you can pick up if you find yourself with an extra 5 minutes, but that you won't feel bad about if you skip them.
If you're part of a team, have one person plan the overall route while the other looks at routing between checkpoints. The routing on some legs will be obvious. Others might be tricky. One easy way to mess up is to miss a turn. The map you are given typically will not name every street. If you need to, for example, take a left after 3 streets, it's better to find out the name of the street you want to turn on and write it in on your map. AAA maps can help with street names, but local bike maps are often better. If you have time, you can also use Google maps to do your routing for you, but you won't have time to do this for more than a few checkpoints.
Before you go, review where the first few checkpoints are and what their questions and answers are. When you're on the course, use your time between checkpoints to do the same (but be sure to pay attention to traffic!). Stoplights are a good place to review where you're going next, and to write down answers to checkpoints you've already visited (and make sure you didn't forget to mark any answers).
Before you turn in your answer sheet at the end, if you have any extra time, take the time to review all your answers. You may find you forgot to answer a question you were sure you'd already marked.
Up and Coming
 |
| Make like Tom Sawyer on Union Bay June 28 |
- Gig Harbor Street Scramble - May 26, free. I've been talking about this for umpteen paragraphs now. Pay attention.
- The Seattle Public Library will be hiding 1000 books around town, in connection with their Summer Reading Program. And you still have to wait until June 1 to find out more.
- Hood Hunt Moses Lake - June 2.
- Long O - June 2, Moses Lake.
- Kid and Goat O - June 3, Fishtrap Lake.
- First Thursday Adventure Run - June 7, Green Lake.
- 9-5 Scavenger Hunt - June 16-17, Gasworks Park. 9pm to 5am, you night owl you.
- Evening Orienteering - Wednesday, June 20, Kelsey Creek Park, Bellevue. I checked with the organizers, and June 20 is the correct date, despite what it may say on their website.
- Run26 Third Thursday Adventure Run - June 21, Mill Creek.
- Girls of Summer Alleycat, pt. 2 - June 23, I-5 Colonnade Park.
- Issaquah Street Scramble - June 24. If you're really hardcore, you'll bring your swimsuit in case it's faster to swim across Lake Sammamish.
- BEAST race #3 - June 28, UW Waterfront Activities Center. Start off with canoe orienteering (the WAC rents canoes), come back after a break for the running/biking section. This is the most beginner-friendly of the BEAST races, in the most urban locale and near the solstice, so you get the most daylight. In other words, a great first adventure race.
