62 people braved the chilly and really windy conditions to participate in the Night-O and Search-and-Destroy-O at Cricket Holler. But not followed by the traditional potluck party. Due to COVID concerns, we took the event back to its roots and it was just the Night-O and Search-and-Destroy-O, using the Freeman Shelter.

The rules were simple: a mass start at 6pm, with 1 hour to punch as many controls (out of 20) as you cared to find. We need to get a new air horn, so instead we yelled "GO!". At 7pm, Ben attempted to use the air horn again, but it still required a manual yelling of "GO!" to start the Search-and-Destroy-O. Each control returned was worth 1 point. 3 of the controls also used the white controls stands, and each stand was worth 1 point on Search & Destroy-O. Again this year, people were pulling the control off the stand, leaving it behind for another person to find and get the point.

The course was designed by Ben Bond, who made it just as difficult this year. The challenge control this year was #15. The camp has become so overgrown with honeysuckle and autumn olive that you cannot go along the fence very easily. The best way to attack it was to find the stream and bushwack your way through the area along it. But one advantage of the heavy growth is that the wind was almost non-existent when going through it.

We did not institute the "Matt Bond" rule again this year, mainly because we forgot about it. Once again he cleared all 20 controls but his finishing time was just barely under the 1 hour time limit. Chris Haas almost beat him by picking up 3 controls, and Chris had the faster Score-O time, but Matt came back with the lone control stand, eking out a victory.

We had some groups that DNF'd due to time but they all said they had fun. There was also some confusion as 1 group could not remember which group number they were in the set of Beavercreek High School groups. No one got too lost - I think they were all trying to get back so they could get on the warm bus! Next year we hope to either return to the K-Lodge, or move the event to Camp Birch and use the Turner Center. Stay tuned!

Thanks got to Beavercreek HS for bringing leftover snacks and water, and to Matt Bond for setting up the shelter and running registeration.