About IRVOC

Club history and motivation

In the early 2000s, a couple guys wanted to orienteer in the Peoria region. There was lots of land and great terrain. But no club. So they made one - Illinois River Valley Orienteering Club.

We hope that through having an orienteering club and putting on orienteering events those who know of orienteering will have some fun, and those who don't know orienteering will discover something new to enjoy.

We are pretty informal, but we strive to put on quality events. If you have any interest at all, drop one of us a line. No need to be a competitive runner or wiz with a compass. We can take the rustiest nut in the box and teach them how to have fun on the course.

The Illinois River Valley Orienteering Club, or IRVOC, is a group of folks who enjoy being outdoors within our local parks using a map and compass to guide us. The passion each of us have for this activity provides the drive to spend countless hours creating maps and courses so you can enjoy the outdoors as well. Some of us are competitive and strive to challenge our physical limits, as well as our navigational skills. Most of us simply enjoy the ability to enjoy the courses at a more leisurely pace, with the goal of finding all the controls on a course.

Why Orienteer?

Everybody has their own reasons: something to do with the family; to keep body and mind in shape; competitive spirit; love of the sport/challenge; it’s cheap outdoor fun, .... You'll have to find your own reasons. I do it because it combines problem solving and physical activity. This is a sport of decision making. Do I take the longer trail or fight the puckerbrush over the hill? Is the control near the top of the reentrant or further down?

An Orienteering course is a puzzle to be arranged in the best way for the player by the player. Your choice might not work for me and my choice might not work for you. But we'll still have a blast comparing routes at the end of the day.