Welcome to the Flying Pig XIV
Mapper's and Course Setter's
Notes and Information
Important
Note on Courses / Maps
There will be 10 different courses on Friday and 11 on Saturday
and Sunday. It is very important that you
get the right map for your course.
Please review the course / class structure so that you know how your
course will be designated. Each course
will be identified by both number and name.
On Friday, Course 2 and 3 will be combined and will use the same
map. On Saturday and Sunday, all 11
courses are different. Please
know your course number and name and watch out for similar names, for example
ISJVF and ISVF.
|
Course Name |
Classes |
|
1 White |
M-10, M-12,
F-10, F-12, M/F White, Group White, Interscholastic Primary School Male
(ISPM), Interscholastic Primary School Female
(ISPF) |
|
2 Yellow |
F-14,
F-Yellow, M-Yellow, Group Yellow, Interscholastic Intermediate Female
(ISIF) |
|
3 ISIM |
M-14, Interscholastic Intermediate Male
(ISIM) |
|
4 |
F-16,
F-Orange, M-Orange, Group Interscholastic Junior Varsity Female
(ISJVF) |
|
5 ISJVM |
M-16, Interscholastic Junior Varsity Male
(ISJVM) |
|
6 Brown |
F 55+, F60+,
F65+, F70+, F75+, M65+, M70+, M75+, F-Brown. M-Brown |
|
7 ISVF |
F-18, Interscholastic Varsity Female (ISVF) |
|
8 Green |
F-20, F 35+,
F40+, F50+, M50+, M55+, M60+, F-Green, M-Green |
|
9 ISVM |
M-18, Interscholastic Varsity Male (ISVM) |
|
10 Red |
M-20, F-21+,
M 35+, M40+, M45+, M-Red |
|
11 Blue |
M-21+ |
Control
Descriptions
Control
descriptions are printed on your map in symbols (Courses 4 Orange and above)
and English only (Friday courses 3 and below) or both English and symbols (Sat
& Sun Course 3 and below). Loose
description sheets may be picked up when you enter the call-up area 2-3 minutes
before your start.
East Fork Map History
A small area (less than 1 square
kilometer) was originally mapped by Mike Minium in
1992, as a pre-OCAD color copy. The map was updated and expanded in 1995
and again in 1998, mostly by Mike Minium, with some
slight assistance from Derek Hertel and Vladimir Gusiatnikov. An additional area of approximately 14
square kilometers was mapped by Vladimir Zherdev in
fall, 2003. The area was used by the classic courses of Flying Pig IX on
East Fork North /
This area was newly mapped by Vladimir Zherdev
in fall, 2004 and fall, 2005, and portions were used for the Flying Pig in 2006
and 2008. Mike Minium
has done some updating of vegetation and trails.
General
Notes that apply to all days and courses
The ground almost
certainly will be saturated, so you WILL get wet and muddy. Also,
normally we start to see our first ticks in early April. I haven't seen
any yet, but if it is a warm weekend, they could start to emerge.
Map symbols are generally
ISOM, with a few exceptions.
Brown X has been used for rootstocks. In general, these are at
least 1.5 meter tall, although a few older, smaller ones are still on the map.
Green O is a distinct
single tree. The map makes no distinction between deciduous or
coniferous.
Black X and O have also been
used. Along roadsides, the black O is generally a utility junction box,
perhaps 2 meters in height and width. Along trails, black O is often a
very small, thin 1 meter tall mileage post. There are a number of other
similar posts along trails that aren't mapped; only the ones with mileage
numbers are shown. Black X has been used for a wide variety of manmade
objects, including sign posts and larger junk piles. There has been a lot
of dumping in East Fork, and usually only the larger junk piles are shown.
In general, these are large (2 or 3 meters across or more) middens
of trash or decaying automobiles. Smaller junk piles, including old
appliances, even as large as refrigerators, may not be shown.
Throughout the park, you
will encounter multiflora rose. Armed with
sharp, downward pointing thorns, it attaches easily and releases only with
tearing of flesh and clothing. Do not wear shorts. You will regret
it. Areas mapped as dark green are often thick with multiflora
rose, but you can find it in some quantity just about anywhere, even in white
forest.
The flatter upland areas
are often mapped light or medium green, and generally, this is young, closely
spaced trees, but not excessively thorny. You can expect standing water
or muddy conditions in many of the flatter areas, especially where mapped as
seasonal marsh. Much of the light green
is really quite runnable at good speed.
There are many old wire
fences in various states of decay throughout the area. Where setters or vetters tripped over them, you may find orange or pink
streamers on them, but don't expect every fence to be marked.
In late March, buds on
honeysuckle bushes and multiflora rose begin to
open. In early April, visibility can
diminish very quickly with just a couple warm days.
If the lake level is
below pool, there can be sections of open shoreline, somewhat muddy but often runnable. But it is
unlikely that a shoreline route will be a reasonable route choice. If we
get heavy rain, the lake can rise up to 2 contours or
more above the mapped pool stage. In the major valleys entering the lake,
this can extend several hundred meters upstream, and could be a factor in route
choice. We’ll let you know more
about the expected lake level as the event gets closer.
There is a good chance you will use or cross horse trails and possibly see
horses while on your course. If you meet horses on the trail, please give
them a wide berth. If you can't leave the trail and give them at least 20
or 30 meters clearance, slow down or stop if the horse seems skittish.
Talking to the rider in conversational tones also helps calm the horse.
The Horse Trails are in a word, horrible. Some segments could
easily have been mapped as a linear marsh, instead of as a trail. Brace
for shoe-sucking mud if you dare to follow a horse trail. In the south
(Friday), they are sporadically marked with dark green blazes. In the
north, many different colors are used, often small pieces of colored plastic
tacked to trees. You probably won't see
horses on Friday, but if you do, please use courtesy and give them plenty of
room. Horses are more likely to be
encountered on Saturday and Sunday.
Courses may cross major streams. If
there are storms shortly before the events, there is a slight possibility that
there may be a need for designated crossing points. Check for any
last-minute instructions at the start.
Map comments (thanks to Matthew
Robbins):
Vladimir Zherdev has made us a great map. It
has been a pleasure to use during the course setting process.
It is
sometimes difficult to understand why
Please carry a good whistle: Did
I mention that it's steep?
Middle
Distance Courses at
Course Setter Matthew Robbins
Vetter Steve Vaughan
Consultant Scott Donald
Walk to the start (subject to
change)
registration (park office) to
parking / finish 2 to 3 mile drive
parking /
finish to start 2
– 2.5 km walk, mostly flat
finish to
parking adjacent
There is absolutely no competitor
parking at or near the start. Drop-off
of late starters is possible, but driver must remain in vehicle and move on
immediately after passengers are discharged.
Local motorists will not expect stopped vehicles in “their”
road. We will have a stony-faced TSA
enforcer to assure compliance!
On the road portion, please walk
facing traffic on the left (park) side of the road. Stay out of residential yards on the right
side of the road.
Courses
The map is approximately 8.5 x 11 inches in portrait format. Descriptions
are on the front of the map. Descriptions for Courses 1-3 (white, yellow,
ISIM) are in English only. Descriptions for Course 4 (orange) and above
are in IOF symbols only (ISCD2004). In
some cases, descriptions are split into 2 columns. On 6 Brown, 8 Green, 10 Red and 11 Blue the
descriptions will cover the map legend.
|
Course Name |
Classes |
Length |
Climb |
Controls |
|
1 White |
M-10, M-12, F-10, F-12,
M/F White, Group White, Interscholastic Primary School Male (ISPM), Interscholastic
Primary School Female (ISPF) |
1.94 |
40 |
11 |
|
2 Yellow |
F-14, F-Yellow, M-Yellow,
Group Yellow, Interscholastic
Intermediate Female (ISIF) |
2.61 |
85 |
17 |
|
3 ISIM |
M-14, Interscholastic Intermediate Male (ISIM) |
2.61 |
85 |
17 |
|
4 |
F-16, F-Orange, M-Orange,
Group |
2.90 |
130 |
13 |
|
5 ISJVM |
M-16, Interscholastic Junior Varsity Male (ISJVM) |
3.17 |
115 |
13 |
|
6 Brown |
F 55+, F60+, F65+, F70+,
F75+, M65+, M70+, M75+, F-Brown. M-Brown |
2.80 |
110 |
9 |
|
7 ISVF |
F-18, Interscholastic Varsity Female (ISVF) |
3.03 |
110 |
9 |
|
8 Green |
F-20, F 35+, F40+, F50+,
M50+, M55+, M60+, F-Green, M-Green |
3.54 |
145 |
10 |
|
9 ISVM |
M-18, Interscholastic Varsity Male (ISVM) |
3.29 |
140 |
9 |
|
10 Red |
M-20, F-21+, M 35+, M40+,
M45+, M-Red |
4.26 |
220 |
13 |
|
11 Blue |
M-21+ |
5.07 |
240 |
18 |
Restrooms
There will be indoor restrooms at the park office and registration.
However, we must do our best to keep the building clean by removing muddy shoes
and metal-studded shoes. There will be
modern restrooms near the finish (100-200m away). There will be portables on the way to the
start, a few hundred meters before the start area.
Warm up You
are permitted to warm up along the road to the start only. You are not permitted to enter the woods in
this area.
Clothing return Warm-up
clothing may be left in the bags provided near the start and will be returned
to the finish area.
Concession Stand Provided
by Live Oaks HS JROTC. Purchase on site,
near the finish.
Course Setter's
Notes
1. Check the control
codes. There are many controls in the woods, and you will see people
on other courses going to controls that are not on your course. Please
check the code so you don't mispunch.
2. There is a 2.1km walk
to the start from the finish area event center. Plan enough time to
arrive at the start before your start time. Once you get to the start
area, please warm up north and west of the start area and keep within about
100m of the walk to the start (the taped route).
3. While
this Friday map is real gem in OCIN's map
library because of the interesting terrain and less-steep-than-normal hills, there
are a few things about the map you need to know:
a. There are briars. The worst of
the briars are mapped as 3rd green or dense greenbar,
and it's best to avoid any route through a big patch of 3rd green. There
are random briars all over the map, and in general they're not too
bad. Be careful not to run into a vertical greenbriar
where it will get your face or neck, and watch for long, thick strands that
droop horizontally---Sometimes these grab you hard and stop you cold. The
smaller vertical briars are mostly benign. Mostly.
3rd Green: Terrible, extremely slow. You might get lucky and find a way
through. Don't count on it.
Dense Greenbar: Usually walkable;
scratches likely.
Light Greenbar: Light briars, usually fast runnable. You might not even notice the difference.
b. The
hills next to the major streams as well as any erosion feature (dry ditch,
gully, etc) can be very steep. Especially on Blue and Red there are
some scary major descents, and on every course there are small but steep areas
that will slow you down if you don't look for good places to cross. I
never jump down into a ditch unless I can see a way to climb back out.
c. We are expecting over an inch of rain
overnight on Wednesday, so expect mud on the flats and trails and
difficulty on the steepest climbs. We always expect mud at the Flying Pig
and try to design the courses with extreme conditions in mind. If you are
facing an enormous steep slope and don't think you can climb it, check the map
for a reentrant or spur nearby that offers an easier climb. Honestly,
I can only think of few areas on the Friday courses that are very steep, and
most of them are apparent by reading the map.
4. The Courses: A "Middle" is an orienteering course of medium
length that emphasizes navigational difficulty. For courses 1-5 (White,
Yellow, and
6. Thanks
to Steve Vaughan and Mike Minium for their
comments and suggestions as well as the time they spent in the woods. The
courses are much better because of their help. I'm very happy with the courses,
and I hope I took more of their suggestions than I rejected. If you have
any comments or complaints, please let us know. We like to hear
feedback---especially negative feedback. Thanks for coming to
Matthew Robbins
Orienteering
Friday Notes for Newer
Orienteers:
7. Mapping
Standard. On any map, certain small details in the terrain are just too
small to put on the map. Putting them on the map would make it cluttered
and unusable. The mapper has generalized
the terrain to make the map useful and readable by people who are
running. Sometimes you will see small thick patches in a large open area
that aren't mapped. Sometimes you will see small ditches and reentrants that
are not on the map. These features are said to be "Below the
mapping standard." The map was made in the fall, which is a dry
time here. There are many unmapped marsh features, including linear
marshes and the small seasonal marshes that might look like ponds on
Friday. A few of these new features were added to the map, but only
in locations we felt were crucial to fairness.
8. Yellow Course:
The point of a yellow course is to follow a linear feature ("a line
feature" like a trail, stream, ditch, fence, etc.) to an attackpoint and then to use a rough compass
to get to the control location. It also involves the reverse of that,
where you are at a point (such as a control location) and you need to use a
rough compass to get back to a linear feature. If you don't understand
what I'm talking about, please ask someone to explain it to you.
Also, "following" a linear feature doesn't mean you have to be on or
in that feature. If you're following a stream, for example, you
can choose to travel in the stream or next to the stream,
depending on which you think will be quicker and easier.
Director’s Notes
The Buckeye Trail winds throughout the area, and is marked with light blue
blazes. Following it out of the park will take you on a 1400 mile loop
through more than half of
The Backpack Trail loops
out and back through this area, sharing about half of its route with the
Buckeye Trail. It is marked with orange or red blazes. Where it
does not share route with the Buckeye Trail, it is less distinct and less
maintained. Although mapped as a major trail, there are places where an
incautious runner could lose it. Blazing is inconsistent. In some
places, almost every tree is blazed, but in others there are gaps where you
can't see a blaze or where it is blazed only in one direction.
- Mike Minium
IOF Long
distance at
Course Setter Mike Minium
Vetter David
Waller
Course Consultant
Scott Donald
Walk to the start There will be a bus ride of about 3.5 miles,
followed by a 5 minute walk of about 300 m. We suggest being at the bus
stop no later than 30 minutes before your start time. If you choose to walk to the start, you may
do so. It is a flat road walk of 5.5 km. Main parking will be in the campground from
50 to 700 m from the finish. If you wish
to park or leave a vehicle at the start, there is ample space.
Courses / Maps
The map will be 11x17 inches portrait. Descriptions are on the front of
the map (except courses 1 white and 2 yellow). Descriptions for courses
1-3 (white, yellow, ISIM) are in both English and symbols. Descriptions
for course 4 (orange) and above are in IOF symbols only (ISCD2004). Course 6 (brown) may be folded to 8.5 x 11 landscape, with descriptions on both the front and the
back. Course 1 (white) and course 2 (yellow)
may be folded to 8.5 x 11 landscape with descriptions
on the back.
|
Course Name |
Classes |
Length |
Climb |
Controls |
|
1 White |
M-10, M-12, F-10, F-12,
M/F White, Group White, Interscholastic Primary School Male (ISPM), Interscholastic
Primary School Female (ISPF) |
2.7 |
75 |
11 |
|
2 Yellow |
F-14, F-Yellow, M-Yellow,
Group Yellow, Interscholastic
Intermediate Female (ISIF) |
3.0 |
75 |
11 |
|
3 ISIM |
M-14, Interscholastic Intermediate Male (ISIM) |
4.9 |
120 |
13 |
|
4 |
F-16, F-Orange, M-Orange,
Group |
5.3 |
150 |
10 |
|
5 ISJVM |
M-16, Interscholastic Junior Varsity Male (ISJVM) |
5.9 |
160 |
14 |
|
6 Brown |
F 55+, F60+, F65+, F70+,
F75+, M65+, M70+, M75+, F-Brown. M-Brown |
3.9 |
80 |
8 |
|
7 ISVF |
F-18, Interscholastic Varsity Female (ISVF) |
5.7 |
190 |
8 |
|
8 Green |
F-20, F 35+, F40+, F50+,
M50+, M55+, M60+, F-Green, M-Green |
7.0 |
275 |
11 |
|
9 ISVM |
M-18, Interscholastic Varsity Male (ISVM) |
6.9 |
275 |
12 |
|
10 Red |
M-20, F-21+, M 35+, M40+,
M45+, M-Red |
8.1 |
310 |
14 |
|
11 Blue |
M-21+ |
12.0 |
380 |
17 |
Note for Course 1 (white) The
course has 2 steep downhills and 2 steep uphills (on trail).
Part of the course follows horse trails (very muddy in places). Another part follows an abandoned horse trail
which has fallen logs in places. Watch
for orange and white streamers to help guide you on the less distinct
trails. Because of the climb and mud,
this may be a more physical white course than some young runners have
experienced before.
Map Note for courses 3 (ISIM), 4 (orange), 9 (red), 10 (blue) Near one control
(121), between the control and a nearby trail at the edge of the circle, there
is a large pool of standing water which looks like a marsh or pond. The Course 3 ISIM maps were reprinted to show
this as a marsh. Runners on more
advanced courses will be expected to recognize that this substantial looking
marsh is only seasonal ponding and is not mapped.
Drinking water on Courses There will
be a purple cup symbol on the map at a major trail intersection. There will be gallon jugs and cups at this
junction. USOF rules require that you
drink in a hygienic manner (use the cups, no lips on the jugs!) and deposit
garbage in the bins provided. There will
not be water at any controls on most courses.
(11 Blue and 6 Brown will each have a control with water).
Restrooms The finish
and parking will be based in the campground. There are several restrooms,
some of which also have showers available. There is a pit toilet and
limited portables at the start area.
Warm up You
may warm up in the parking lot near the bus drop off point and in the woods
west of the road from the drop-off point.
Clothing return Warm-up
clothing may be left in the bags provided near the bus drop-off at the start
waiting area and will be returned to a point near the finish.
Lunch and snacks Provided
by Live Oaks HS JROTC. Purchase on site,
near the finish.
Setter's Notes The map is 1:10,000 with 5 meter
contours. Normal ISOM symbols are used. Roads and campsites are shown with
the standard brown road symbol. There are a few single trees (green
circles) and a few rootstocks (brown x). The most unique use of a symbol
is the blue circle normally used for a well. Throughout the campground,
there are concrete and brick structures about 1 meter tall. They are
either drinking water sources or waste-water disposal drains. From any
distance, they look identical. These are shown with the blue circle.
The terrain is a plateau cut by
erosion gullies. From the lake to the flat plateau is about 35m.
Advanced courses should expect do this 25-35m climb many times.
Probably the most serious hazard
on the course is the steepness of the slopes. You must read the map and
pick areas that are less steep for climbing and descending. In most
places, but not all, the lowest 1 or 2 contour lines are very steep, and the
higher contours are not as steep. Again, read the map carefully.
There is a major stream
that crosses all courses. It will probably be a wet-foot but not
dangerous crossing unless there is very heavy rain immediately before or during
the event. We'll advise you if any special precautions should be taken.
Vetter's Notes
There has been significant drying in the past week. Nonetheless, March rains and parades of
horses have altered the calculus of route choice at East Fork. Many, perhaps most, of the trails on
Saturday’s course will not offer the same advantages to which runners
have become accustomed. (Sunday is probably a bit drier.) These trails do not offer easy or carefree
passage; they offer only inescapable dreck (muck,
slop). Many “trails” in the
flatter uplands are better described as marshes. If one finds oneself internally debating
between navigating a reentrant system or taking the long way around on a trail,
realize that a main horse trail is likely not a fast option, and will
definitely not be fun. As you walk to
the start of Saturday’s race, the road will dip before rising to the
start line. If there is no mud at the
bottom of this hill, consider yourself lucky:
although there will still be mud on the course, but it could be
worse. If there is mud at the bottom of
this hill, prepare yourself for running through a lot more, and don’t
waste time early on your course trying to avoid it.
Many of the worst, most unavoidable mud pits are thickly
lined on both sides with multiflora rose. The two fragrant weeks in May when this
monster blooms do not come close to making up for the pain it inflicts and the
blood it extracts from those who cross it.
After my first day of vetting, I carried a machete to beat down this
rampant invasive. You may see multiflora rose anywhere on the course, although the deep
reentrants are thankfully quite clear.
In isolation, a stray plant or two is not much of a threat, but steer
clear of the large patches; you won’t lose time going around them. These more established patches will snag your
hair, cut your face and hands, and make you seriously wonder why you paid an
entry fee to be here. The nastiness of
the mud and thorns makes running alongside a trail in the relatively open woods
a generally preferred option.
Advanced courses offer route choices into deep
reentrants. Descending and crossing
these reentrants is typically more of a challenge (for me) than ascending, but
cleats were invaluable on many of these climbs.
Generally, it seemed faster to climb out of a reentrant up a steep spur
than to trudge up a tributary.
The map is clear and excellent, but don’t expect to
see some of the fences that are mapped – in many sections, they have
disintegrated beyond recognition.
Don’t expect some of the hunting stands to be mapped, and
don’t be surprised if a trail mapped as indistinct is truly indistinct.
If you’re lucky enough to get an early start time,
listen for the towhees, who have just returned to southern
-David Waller
Middle Distance courses at
Course Setter Mike Minium
Vetter David Waller
Course Consultant Scott Donald
Walk to the start will be
about 2.5 km, on mostly flat road. If you
wish to park or leave a vehicle at the start, there is ample parking. Main parking will be in the campground from
50 to 700 m from the finish.
Courses
The map will be 11 x 17 inches portrait. Descriptions are on the front of
the map. Descriptions for courses 1-3 (white, yellow, ISIM) are in both
English and symbols. Descriptions for orange and above are in IOF symbols
only (ISCD2004). Course 6 (brown) is
folded to 8.5 x 11 landscape.
|
Course Name |
Classes |
Length |
Climb |
Controls |
|
1 White |
M-10, M-12, F-10, F-12,
M/F White, Group White, Interscholastic Primary School Male (ISPM), Interscholastic
Primary School Female (ISPF) |
2.1 |
50 |
9 |
|
2 Yellow |
F-14, F-Yellow, M-Yellow,
Group Yellow, Interscholastic Intermediate
Female (ISIF) |
2.5 |
65 |
11 |
|
3 ISIM |
M-14, Interscholastic Intermediate Male (ISIM) |
2.8 |
75 |
12 |
|
4 |
F-16, F-Orange, M-Orange,
Group |
3.8 |
100 |
14 |
|
5 ISJVM |
M-16, Interscholastic Junior Varsity Male (ISJVM) |
4.3 |
150 |
16 |
|
6 Brown |
F 55+, F60+, F65+, F70+,
F75+, M65+, M70+, M75+, F-Brown. M-Brown |
2.8 |
120 |
9 |
|
7 ISVF |
F-18, Interscholastic Varsity Female (ISVF) |
4.0 |
155 |
15 |
|
8 Green |
F-20, F 35+, F40+, F50+,
M50+, M55+, M60+, F-Green, M-Green |
4.3 |
150 |
13 |
|
9 ISVM |
M-18, Interscholastic Varsity Male (ISVM) |
4.8 |
150 |
14 |
|
10 Red |
M-20, F-21+, M 35+, M40+,
M45+, M-Red |
4.7 |
170 |
15 |
|
11 Blue |
M-21+ |
5.6 |
195 |
16 |
Restrooms
The finish and parking will be based in the campground. There are several
restrooms, some of which also have showers available. You will pass modern
restroom buildings on the walk from parking/finish to the start. There will be limited portables adjacent to
the start.
Warm up You
may warm up along the park road on the walk to the start. You may not enter the woods south or west of
the road.
Clothing return Warm-up
clothing may be left in the bags provided near the start and will be returned
to the finish area.
Lunch and snacks Provided
by Live Oaks HS JROTC. Purchase on site,
near the finish.
Setter's and Vetter’s Notes
See
Saturday information.
Pig
Weather
In early
April, we typically get rain about one day in three. Snow is possible,
but usually melts quickly.
|
Date |
Normal High |
Normal Low |
Record High |
Record Low |
Forecast |
|
Thu. |
63 (17 C) |
41 (5 C) |
80 (27 C) |
20 (-7 C) |
Breezy, Mostly cloudy, 40%
chance of rain, high 50-55 F |
|
Fri. Apr 9 |
63 (17 C) |
41 (5 C) |
85 (29 C) |
15 (-9 C) |
Partly cloudy, low 35-40,
high 55-60 |
|
Sat. |
64 (18 C) |
42 (6 C) |
81 (30 C) |
23 (-5 C) |
Partly cloudy, low 35-40,
high around 65 |
|
Sun. |
64 (18 C) |
42 (6 C) |
90 (32 C) |
23 (-5 C) |
Mostly sunny, low 45-50,
high 65-70 |
|
Mon. |
64 (18 C) |
42 (6 C) |
87 (31 C) |
23 (-5 C) |
Partly cloudy, low 45-50, high
70-75 |
|
Eastern Daylight Savings
Time |
Fri, Apr 9 |
Sat, Apr 10 |
Sun, Apr 11 |
|
Begin civil twilight |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sun transit |
|
|
|
|
Sunset |
|
|
|
|
End civil twilight |
|
|
|
Flying Pig
2010 Event Information Page
How to Use Electronic
Punching
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