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CAM 2017 Information Thread

Discussion of CAM, the CAM caches, etc. NO SPOILERS PLEASE!
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CacheNCarry45
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CAM 2017 Information Thread

Post by CacheNCarry45 »

Subscribe to this thread to receive the most current information about CAM 2017 as it progresses from planning to completion!
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Re: CAM 2017 Information Thread

Post by CacheNCarry45 »

CAM 2017 Logo Contest

Now is your chance to submit your dream design for CAM 2017. Submissions are now open till November 15th! Once submissions close a poll will be opened for members to vote on your design!

Head over to this thread to submit your design!

A few suggestions:

Use a theme that ties in with the idea behind CAM.

Try to refrain from a photo or image that has rich detail.

Small details become harder to incorporate into coins and merchandise. So if you wish to have little changes made to your design check on previous years for inspiration.

Yes you can use the Maryland flag but do not use any logos from commercial industries.
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Re: CAM 2017 Information Thread

Post by CacheNCarry45 »

The submissions are in and voting has started! Head over to this thread to vote for your favorite CAM 2017 logo! The deadline is December 17th 2016!
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Re: CAM 2017 Information Thread

Post by Alzarius »

CAM 2017 is only three weeks away! :dance:

When CAM 2017 kicks off at 8am on Saturday, March 25th, the .gpx and other related files will become available for download here in the 2017 CAM Information Thread on the MGS forum. (If you haven't already subscribed to the thread, please do so in order to receive notification of updates.)

KICKOFF EVENTS
We are hosting five regional CAM Kickoff events on March 25th (West, Central, North, South, and East). The purpose of these events is to offer assistance with loading gpx files onto GPS devices and to provide an introduction to CAM for first-time CAM participants. So if you've always wanted to try CAM but aren't comfortable with the technical aspects of loading the waypoints onto your device, attend the event nearest you and we'll help you get started! These events are also a great way to share in the excitement of the Big Reveal in the company of your fellow cachers. (Attending an event is not required in order to participate in CAM; all geocachers are welcome to attend regardless of whether you intend to participated in CAM.)

GPX FILE DISTRIBUTION LIST
In addition, you can have the files e-mailed directly to you when they go live at 8am on the 25th. To receive them, send your e-mail address to 2017camfiles@mdgps.org and include your geocaching name in the subject line. Your address will be placed on a distribution list for a one-time message with the files in it. We will also include download links in case your e-mail provider blocks the attachments for some reason.

WILL-ATTEND
If you intend to participate in CAM this year, please post your will-attend for the CAM Picnic. More information can be found on the CAM Picnic cache page.
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Re: CAM 2017 Information Thread

Post by Alzarius »

The CAM 2017 Teaser Map has posted!! :shhh:

It can be viewed in its own thread here.
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Re: CAM 2017 Information Thread

Post by Alzarius »

CAM 2017 FAQ

The following is a list of frequently asked questions about CAM. Most of these questions have been accumulated from previous FAQs posted to the forum with a couple new ones added this year. Be sure to subscribe to this thread to receive the most current information about CAM 2016 as we approach the kickoff day!


What is CAM?
CAM (Cache Across Maryland) is an annual event hosted by the Maryland Geocaching Society. 10 members are chosen by the MGS CAM Committee to place a total of 10 CAM caches in various locations all over Maryland. Your mission is to find all 10 of those caches and have a wonderful time travelling around this fine State. If you find all 10 and gather the special code from each one, the location of the annual CAM celebratory picnic will be revealed, and you’re invited to attend. This year there is an exception: 11 CAM caches have been hidden, however you will still only need to find 10 to qualify. It doesn't matter which one you skip, but be warned that those who find all 11 will boast about it.

When is CAM?
It varies from year to year, but the hunt typically begins on a Saturday in mid-to-late-March, and the picnic is typically the 1st or 2nd Saturday in May. This year’s CAM begins on Saturday, March 25th, and the picnic will be on Saturday, May 6th.

Where is the picnic?
You need to find at least 10 of the caches and get the information from each one. The week before the picnic, we will publish a special decoder which will reveal the location of the picnic when paired with the information you discovered (and circled on your CAM 2017 Passport, right?) in each CAM cache. The picnic is held in a different location each year, and finding out where is part of the fun!

Who can participate?
Any geocacher can participate, regardless of experience. You must have a valid account on geocaching.com, and your geocaching.com username will appear on your Certificate of Completion. If you’re not a member of the MGS that’s OK, but you’re encouraged to join.

Do I need to find at least 10 CAM Caches to attend the picnic?
Yes! The picnic is a special event for those that find at least 10 of the caches, and you need to visit each cache to get the information needed to find the picnic.

Boy, there is a lot of driving needed to get all the caches! Can I join a group and carpool?
Of course! Just seek out other participants and form a group. You can even post in the forums and ask. There is typically a forum thread dedicated to carpooling as well.

What can I expect the caches to be like? How hard are they?
The CAM caches are usually rated no higher than 2.5 Difficulty and 2.5 Terrain. Size is at least a regular. This year there will be various cache types, including Traditionals, Multi-Caches, on-site Puzzle caches, and – for the first time in CAM history – a Wherigo!

I've never done a Wherigo. Is it difficult? How do I learn how?
Finding a Wherigo cache requires first loading a wherigo ‘cartridge’ into your device. Only a few Garmin GPSrs can play wherigo cartridges (Colorado, Oregon, Nuvi 500). Most people nowadays find Wherigos using their smart phones. There are apps available for Android (WhereYouGo) and iPhone (Wherigo). You can learn more about Wherigos and even test drive a few by visiting wherigo.com. We realize many people's devices aren't capable of playing Wherigos; this is the primary reason there are 11 CAM caches this year. If you are unable to do the CAM Wherigo, you can find the other 10 CAM caches and still qualify.

Will the Wherigo cartridge be provided in the CAM e-mail and forum download area on Saturday?
No. We thought about this, and it would be easy to do, but unfortunately Wherigos don't always work properly if not downloaded from wherigo.com. We will, however, provide a link to the CAM Wherigo's page to make it easier for you to download the cartridge.

What happens to the CAM caches after CAM each year?
The CAM caches are often transferred to the hider of the cache or otherwise adopted out and maintained like any other cache. In some cases the hides are archived, for instance if hide permission is granted by the land manager specifically for CAM and only up until the date of the picnic.

Where is the cache information for each of the caches?
On the morning of opening day, the cache pages get published in the forums as .pdf files for viewing, and are also included in a special .gpx file you can load on your GPSr. They are NOT published on geocaching.com until after the picnic. The CAM caches will be published here on the MGS forums at 8.00am on March 25th. A word of warning: You MUST adhere to any restrictions on access times for the land the cache is placed on. Violating legal land access times will not be tolerated, is illegal, and puts future CAMs in jeopardy. The MGS won’t bail you out of the Stoney Lonesome either. We try to put accurate hours on the cache listings, but it is your responsibility to comply with local laws and posted park hours.

If the CAM caches aren’t published on geocaching.com until after the CAM Picnic, what do I do about logging them in the meantime?
At the start of CAM, a topic will be opened here on the forums for each cache. You may log your experience in that topic and when the caches are published on geocaching.com after the picnic, you can cut and paste your logs. Of course, you can just keep your own notes somewhere until they are available for logging on geocaching.com.

I care what order my caches get logged on geocaching.com and I log using the real found date. If the CAM caches aren’t available for logging on geocaching.com until after the picnic, how can I keep them in order along with all my other finds during CAM?
The simple answer is that you can’t unless you wait till after CAM to log everything you found during CAM on geocaching.com. If you only worry about find milestone order, then you can use the milestone features on geocaching.com to keep milestones accurate in your account. You are strongly encouraged to backdate your logs on geocaching.com with the actual date during CAM that you found them.

I’ve got this really cool Travel Bug or other Trackable. Can I put it in a CAM Cache?
Please don’t. Since the caches aren’t published on geocaching.com during CAM, it isn’t possible to log them into or out of the cache, and that’s not fair to the owner of the trackable. So, please don’t place any in a CAM cache during CAM. If you find one, please take it with you and put it in a cache that’s listed on geocaching.com.

Is there any sort of reward for finishing?
Each person with a geocaching.com handle will receive a certificate for completing CAM. In addition, those geocachers who are able to attend the CAM picnic will receive a CAM geocoin trackable at geocaching.com.

If I cannot make the picnic, will I be able to get a certificate and a coin?
Any geocacher who does not attend the CAM picnic will still receive a certificate which can be picked up at a future event, but the geocacher will not earn a free geocoin.

Can I have someone else pick up my coin?
Sorry, you must be present to receive your coin.

Can I have someone buy a coin for me at the picnic?
Yes, once all coins have been handed out at the picnic, the remaining coins will be sold by the MGS officers. You can have someone buy a coin for you.

Each member of my family has their own geocaching.com handle, including our newborn. Will they each get a geocoin for completing CAM?
Every member of your family who has a geocaching.com handle and found at least 10 CAM caches will receive a CAM coin. Though we do not require it, we encourage families which earn several geocoins to make a donation to the MGS. Selling the remaining CAM geocoins is a way for the MGS to raise money to cover the cost of presenting CAM and other events through the year. Many MGS members with families give a donation at the CAM picnic to cover some of the cost of the geocoins their families earn. If you wish to give a donation, there will be a donation jar located near the sign-in table.

How will you know I’ve found all the caches and I’m finished?
Details on how to tell us you’ve finished can vary from year to year, but it generally involves sending an e-mail to a special CAM Completion e-mail address. (Check out this year’s CAM Information post in the forums for details.) It is VERY IMPORTANT to let us know you’ve finished so we can make the picnic as enjoyable as possible for everyone, and so we can have your Certificate of Completion ready for you.

Is there anything else to do during CAM but find the caches?
There are often some other contests going on, such as the Best Photo contest, vote for your Favorite Hide, etc., and there are a ton of competitions and awards at the picnic. Suggestions are always welcome!

What if I can’t find one of the caches, it's missing, or damaged?
You can contact any of the MGS Officers at any time to report any issue with a CAM hide during CAM. We’ll coordinate repair or replacement of a hide as quickly as possible so you can make another attempt, but you must find all of them to complete CAM. After the picnic, please contact the cache owner.

I’m really hungry after all that caching. What’s to eat at the picnic?
The picnic is a grand pot luck and barbeque. A few weeks before the picnic a forum topic will be started where you can tell us what you’re planning to bring.

Who pays for all this?
You do, through your generous donation of time, goods, or money to the MGS. You can offer monetary support in various ways, including the purchase of MGS and CAM merchandise from the RH Promos, direct donations, purchase of an MGS Maryland License Plate, donations of items for MGS Silent Auctions, and participating in other fundraising activities throughout the year. Everything goes back to the community in accordance with our by-laws.

I usually get a hotel on the Friday before the start of CAM in (Ocean City, Elkton, St Mary’s County, Grantsville). Can you let me know if I shouldn’t get a hotel room in one of those locations because there is not a CAM cache near there?
Part of the excitement of CAM is the secrecy of where the CAM locations are, so we will not make a statement, “Don’t get a hotel in Southern Maryland, because we didn’t put any caches there this year.” The CAM Teaser Map has already published; hopefully this will give you a fair sense of where you might need to travel and help you adjust your travel plans.

I’m new to geocaching and i don’t understand how to load .gpx files onto my GPSr. Is there any way i can get help with this?
Yes, we are hosting five kickoff events to help introduce new cachers to CAM and to assist with loading cache files onto their devices. The events will take place on Saturday, March 26th from 7.30–8.30am at the following locations:

CAM 2017 Kickoff Event – West (Cumberland)
CAM 2017 Kickoff Event – Central (Frederick)
CAM 2017 Kickoff Event – North (Abingdon)
CAM 2017 Kickoff Event – South (Bowie)
CAM 2017 Kickoff Event – East (Salisbury)

How can i stay up-to-date with CAM announcements?
If you haven’t already, you should subscribe to the 2017 CAM Information Page on the forums. Scroll to the top of the CAM Info Page and click the ‘Subscribe topic’ link (see below). If you need help, contact one of the MGS officers.
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CAM 2017 - CAM File Download Links

Post by Alzarius »

* * * PLEASE OBSERVE POSTED PARK HOURS * * *
DO NOT ENTER AFTER HOURS, NO MATTER HOW TEMPTING


The Maryland Geocaching Society welcomes you to

Image


Eleven geocaches have been placed throughout the state of Maryland in locations specifically chosen to showcase its diverse beauty. From the mountains of Western Maryland to the wetlands of the Eastern Shore, CAM 2017 will demonstrate that Maryland truly is ‘America in Miniature’.



Below you will find all the information needed to complete CAM. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. You can post your questions here in the CAM forums.

In the download locations, you will find:
  1. The .gpx file containing all 11 CAM caches
  2. The CAM Passport
  3. The Overview Map of all 11 CAM caches
  4. A zip archive containing all of the above, plus a .pdf of all 11 cache pages

While there are 11 CAM caches this year, you only need to find 10 of them to qualify for a Certificate of Completion. Those who find at least 10 CAM caches and attend the CAM picnic on May 6th will also be awarded a CAM 2017 geocoin. PLEASE NOTE: There will be no additional recognition for those folks who find all 11 CAM caches.


BE SURE TO FIND THE CODE IN EACH CAM CACHE! You can keep track of the codes on your CAM Passport, in a notebook, etc. THIS CODE IS VERY IMPORTANT!! Sometime during the last week of April, a decoder will post here in this forum thread. All ten codes you collect will be needed to determine the coordinates for the event.

CAM caches will not be published until the day of the event, Saturday, May 6th, so you CANNOT log them FOUND until then (even if you find fewer than 10, you can still log the ones you actually found). You may use the appropriate thread in the CAM forums as storage for your temporary logs. When the caches are officially published on geocaching.com, you can simply copy/paste your logs from the forums to the cache pages. NO SPOILERS PLEASE. :shame: There will also be a photo gallery set up on the MGS website for you to upload photos.

Speaking of photos, this year we will be doing another CAM PHOTO CONTEST, with the winners to be judged at the event. We also plan to have a vote for ‘Favorite CAM cache’ so keep that in mind when you are seeking them. We tried to keep everything uniform and bring you to each area, so rather than doing ‘scenic’ or ‘creative’, we’ll just lump it into one favorite, which can be for any reason!

There are several bonus caches being released this morning in conjunction with CAM. Here is a bookmark list: List of Bonus Caches. If these caches have not already been published this morning, they will be published shortly. Make sure these caches are loaded into your GPSr.

Also, since the caches will not be listed until the event, DO NOT LEAVE TRACKABLES in the caches. If you want to use your own TB/geocoin for mileage that’s fine (you'll need to log it after May 6th), but with no way to keep track of TBs, the CAM caches aren’t a good place to drop them until the caches are actually published.

AFTER you have completed CAM, send an email to [email=CAM2017Completion@mdgps.org?subject=CAM Completion&body=My geocaching.com username is:]CAM2017Completion@mdgps.org[/email] with the subject ‘CAM Completion’ and containing your geocaching.com name. This information will be used to create the CAM Certificates and also determine how many will be attending the picnic. If you don’t include ‘CAM Completion’ in the title, there is a chance that your email will be overlooked.

The picnic event will be Saturday, May 6th from 10am–4pm. The picnic will be potluck, please bring a dish to share. For those that have not attended an MGS event, there is always plenty of food so do not feel the need to feed a small army. At some point when it looks like you’re finished with CAM, please post a note on the event page with what you intend to bring so we don’t end up with too many of the same items.

PLEASE OBEY ALL PARK HOURS! The caches are NOT night accessible. The CAM organizers realize this is a large undertaking, but please budget your time wisely so you’re not tempted to go in after dark. You risk being prosecuted or, at the very least, having your car locked in after hours. Some of the parks open at a specific time and not at sunrise. Please respect those hours.

We are most fortunate to have been welcomed back to another National Park location this year. It would be a terrible shame if our relationship with National, State, and County parks were jeopardized by geocachers disobeying park rules and regulations. Please think seriously about this when you visit the parks. And if you see a park ranger, be sure to express your thanks and appreciation!

Good luck, have fun, be safe, and enjoy the scenery of our beautiful state. We hope to see you all on May 6th!

——————————————————————————————————————————————————

The following links contain all the information needed to participate in CAM.

To download files, right-click the link and select ‘Save As’ or ‘Download’
For the sake of compatibility, some of the files are provided in both native format (gpx & pdf) and as compressed archives (zip). If you have difficulty with one format, try the other. The files are available both on the MGS server and on a Dropbox backup.

MGS server:
 • Gpx file of all 11 caches  ( gpx | zip )
 • Passport  ( pdf | zip )
 • Overview Map  ( jpg | zip )
 • All of the above, plus a pdf of the cache pages, all in one zip archive  ( zip )
      (contains gpx, passport, map, and cache pages)
 • Last-minute notes and updates ( pdf )

Dropbox:
 • Gpx file of all 11 caches ( gpx* | zip )
 • Passport ( pdf | zip )
 • Overview Map ( jpg | zip )
 • All of the above, plus a pdf of the cache pages, all in one zip archive ( zip )
      (contains gpx, passport, map, and cache pages)
 • Last-minute notes and updates ( pdf )

* Dropbox may try to send you the .gpx file as a text file, in which case it may not load properly on your device. If you see a ‘.txt’ extension at the end of the file name, simply change ‘txt’ to ‘gpx’ and the file should work. For best results, download the .zip file instead.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————
 
Guides to loading .gpx files into popular smartphone apps.
(Currently the official geocaching.com app does not support loading of .gpx files.)

Android:
 • c:geo  ( guide | app website )

iPhone:
 • Cachly  ( guide | app website )
 • Geosphere  ( guide | app website )
 
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CAM 2017 – Notes and Updates

Post by Alzarius »

A few last-minute notes and updates:


Perry Point (GC6Y6G9)
Perry Point is located just over the Cecil/Harford County border. For those travelling from counties southwest of Cecil, you will have to cross the Susquehanna River. Be aware that if you take either the I-95 North or US-40 East bridges, you will incur an $8 toll. (There is no toll returning from Cecil County into Harford.) If you wish to avoid the toll, you might consider crossing the US-1 North bridge (Conowingo Dam) instead.


National Park Seminary (GC6Y6GH)
During the six weeks of CAM 2017, Save Our Seminary (the organization which oversees the National Park Seminary property) will offer two guided tours of the grounds and some of the buildings: Sunday, March 26 and Saturday, April 22 at 1.00 pm. The fee for the 2-hour tour is $5 per person. More tour information and additional tour dates can be found here.


Fort McHenry NM&HS (GC6Y6GB)
While there is usually a $10 Admission Fee to access the Star Fort, admission will be FREE on the two National Parks Fee-Free weekends which fall during CAM 2017: April 15–16 and April 22–23.

There are two edits which for some reason did not get included in the final gpx and pdfs (blame alzarius). They're not really errors, just points of clarification to make certain there is no confusion. The edits appear in red.
  • Location 2 – Jail
    Climb back up the stairs (mind your head!) and continue through the port. As you emerge into the Parade, turn left and enter the first door on your left. Once inside the room, you will see an archway to your right. Walk through, turn left, and follow the steps up to the farthest jail cell. Look inside for the sign on the cell wall. (A flashlight might be helpful here.) On the sign, find the lower-left paragraph containing 10 lines of text.

    Location 10 – Flagpole
    X = the first digit appearing on the sign

    Additional note:
    To access the final, follow the walkway from the Star Fort to the paved walking loop which follows the water's edge.
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Correction: Biscoe Gray Heritage Farm

Post by Alzarius »

Correction:

Biscoe Gray Heritage Farm (GC6Y6GC)
A correction for the ‘Coop Door’ stage. Apparently those are nails in the hasp, not screws. (I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere.)
  • B = # of nails
Having trouble viewing the images for BGHF?
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CAM 2017 log threads have posted

Post by Alzarius »

The CAM 2017 log threads have posted in the Cache Across Maryland forum. You may post your CAM logs in these threads, but please, :shhh: no spoilers! :shame: On May 6th you will be able to log them on geocaching.com.

  Biscoe Gray Heritage Farm
  Black Walnut Point
  Centennial Park
  Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center
  Fort McHenry Natl Monument & Historic Shine
  Friendship Farm Park
  Herrington Manor State Park
  National Park Seminary
  New Germany State Park
  Perry Point
  Welcome to Sykesville
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Trespassing

Post by Alzarius »

I hope you're all enjoying your first weekend of CAM! I'm sorry to have to put a damper on the fun, but after only one day of CAM I find myself already having to address the issue of trespassing.

On Day 1, geocachers were observed trespassing at the National Park Seminary CAM cache. People were seen disturbing some of the ruins despite very clear working in the cache description – not to mention the many signs prominently posted on the grounds – stating that those buildings are unsafe and strictly off-limits.

Please remember we have no rights to place geocaches in these locations – none whatsoever – rather we are welcomed onto these properties at the grace and generosity of the land owners and management. They have not charged us fees to place the caches, nor have they made unreasonable demands of us. All they have requested is our promise to obey a few simple rules.

You may recall that last year we were all embarrassed by a few knuckleheads who couldn't be bothered to follow directions and ended up trespassing on private land. The National Park Service was exceptionally forgiving about the situation and didn't shut down CAM. Can you imagine what it would have been like if they had? Let's not find out. Read the rules. Know the rules. Follow the rules. It only takes one selfish imbecile to ruin things for everyone.

We are all ambassadors of geocaching; each of us represents the entire group. If geocachers acquire a reputation for breaking rules and showing disrespect for property, it will become impossible to obtain permission for cache placements in parks and other public lands. If you don't believe geocaching privileges can be taken away, just ask the Virginia Department of Transportation.

To the vast majority of you who are being respectful of the rules: thank you!  To the rest: consider yourselves on notice. Some MGS officers are opposed to public shaming of miscreants on the MGS Forums, Facebook, and other social media outlets; please be advised that I am not.
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Parking Update: National Park Seminary

Post by Alzarius »

National Park Seminary (GC6Y6GH)
(View listed coordinates on Google Maps)
We've received notice that geocachers are welcome to park along Cassedy Street in spaces marked ‘VISITOR’.
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CAM 2017 Pathtags

Post by Alzarius »

:dance: The CAM 2017 pathtag is now available!!! :dance:

Image

We had hoped to have these available to you much sooner, but pathtags.com’s comedy of errors made that impossible. :roll: Their grand finale was accidentally shipping all 1000 tags to us instead of putting them up on the storefront like they were supposed to do. So in order to save time (and prevent further mishaps), the MGS officers will be taking your orders and shipping them to you instead. It'll be nowhere near as convenient as ordering them through the geocoinstore, but we feel this is the quickest way to get them into your hands. You've waited long enough, and we appreciate your patience!

The CAM pathtags will be sold in bags of 20 for $20 and bags of 10 for $10, plus postage & packing. To provide a greater opportunity for members to purchase CAM pathtags, we have decided to cap the order amount for the first two days of the sale. On Tuesday (April 4th) and Wednesday (5th) there will be a limit of 20 tags per gc-account. On Thursday the 6th, if the tags are not sold out, we will remove the limit, and you will be able to increase the amount of your existing order if you wish. Orders will ship on Friday, April 7th.

Payment will be accepted through Paypal. You will receive payment instructions when you place your order. PLEASE DO NOT SEND A PAYMENT BEFORE RECEIVING YOUR TOTAL AMOUNT DUE. The total we send you will include the shipping cost. The instructions will also explain how to avoid service charges to the MGS when paying with Paypal. We're sorry, but we cannot reserve pathtags without payment. Orders will be accepted on a first-emailed first-served basis.

If you'd like more than 20 pathtags, mention the desired amount in your e-mail. You'll receive instructions to delay your payment until Thursday, and on Thursday we'll e-mail you again to tell you how many are available if we haven't sold out. (If we do sell out, you'll still have 20 set aside for you.)

To order your set of CAM 2017 pathtags, send an e-mail to [email=sales@mdgps.org?subject=CAM 2017 Pathtag Order&body=My geocaching.com username is:]sales@mdgps.org[/email]
 
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Re: CAM 2017 Pathtags

Post by tazscouter »

Everyone who requested 2017 CAM Pathtags should have received an email back. If you did not, please re-send your email. I found two that piggy backed onto another email. (Not sure how.)


We are counting down the last of the pathtags. There are some still available. Don't miss out. There will probably NOT be a re-mint of this design.
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CAM 2017 Voting and Photo Contest

Post by Alzarius »

The CAM 2017 Favorite Cache Poll is open!
You can vote for your favorite CAM 2017 cache here.

The CAM 2017 Photo Contest thread can be viewed here.
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Re: CAM 2017 Pathtags

Post by tazscouter »

All pathtags have been claimed. Sorry if you missed out.

Ask other cachers and maybe they will give you one. Or sell you five.
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CAM 2017 Food & Volunteer List

Post by Alzarius »

Please signup on the CAM Picnic Food & Volunteer List. You can post in that thread which food items you plan to bring to the potluck picnic and whether you'd like to help with grilling or clean-up.
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Alzarius
MGS Director
Posts: 249
Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 2:07 am
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Location: Baltimore County
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CAM 2017 Decoder

Post by Alzarius »

Here is the link to the CAM 2017 Decoder:

   CAM 2017 DECODER

Hopefully you remembered to make a note of all the attributes you found in the CAM caches. :pray: Simply locate and click on those same ten (or eleven) attributes in the Decoder, and it will reveal the corrected coordinates to the picnic. It will also provide you with parking coordinates and other information you will need. Please remember this is NOT public information!

A Certitude checker has been added to the CAM Picnic event cache page to verify your coordinates are correct. Remember, don't share them! :shhh:

Have fun!
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Alzarius
MGS Director
Posts: 249
Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 2:07 am
10
Location: Baltimore County
Contact:

CAM 2017 Geocoins

Post by Alzarius »

What follows is the announcement that every MGS President hopes he never has to make:

It is with heavy heart I announce that this year’s CAM geocoins will not arrive in time for the picnic. While this is the result of many factors, many of which were completely out of our control, I take full responsibility for this situation and heartily apologize to you all. Please know every effort will be made to get your coins to you in a timely manner.

It may not come as a surprise to many of you that we have had difficulties with our mint for several years. When the same problems began to surface again this year, and it became clear that continuing with the same mint was likely to result in late coin delivery, the decision was made to switch to a different mint. While I did not make this decision without council, I did feel strongly that it was our best opportunity to get our coins on time, and I accept full responsibility for this as well.

We are faced with the reality that our former procedure for creating CAM coins is no longer viable. Previously it was standard for mints to complete production within 10–12 weeks of the design submission, however the popularity of geocoins, particularly in Europe, has greatly expanded the timeframe. Coupled with the fact that Spring is the busiest time for geocoin production, and that Chinese New Year causes a two-week disruption by falling smack in the middle of it, we can no longer expect the incoming officers to begin a coin design process in January and still expect delivery by the first week of May. (Last year's coins arrived 5 days before the picnic.)

While this won't ease the sting of this disappointing news, please know we are taking measures to ensure this does not happen in future. Next year's CAM coin will be designed and ready for production before the end of 2017.

I will now take questions from the floor:

Q. Since there won't be coins, do I still have to come to the picnic?
A. Yes. If you found the required number of CAM caches and want to receive your coin for free, you must attend the picnic. Attending the picnic is part of completing CAM. With the exception of medical emergencies and family funerals, if you do not attend the picnic, you will have to pay the usual $10 to receive your coin. We will be keeping track of attendance at the registration desk, so be sure to register when you arrive.

Q. How will I get my coin?
A. We hope the majority of you will be able to pick up your coin at another event. We plan to host a few regional events (like the kickoff events) to help with this, and the Summer Picnic is only 2½ months away. We realize this may not be a reasonable solution for many of you, so the MGS is prepared to ship the coins out to those who request it. We will provide mailers for you to self-address at the registration table, however if you are willing to donate the $3 for shipping, it would be greatly appreciated. (Shipping 300 coins at $3 each means $900 out of the MGS coffers.)

Q. I ordered a Limited Edition CAM coin. Are they affected as well?
A. Yes, all coin varieties are part of the same order, and we expect to receive them all at the same time. If you already paid to have your LE coin shipped to you, we can ship your standard CAM coin in the same package for no additional charge.

Q. Receiving my coin is my favorite part of the picnic. Will the picnic still be fun?
A. Of course it will! Several new caches will publish at 1pm, and the venue boasts a unique attraction which promises to be loads of fun. This year's picnic will also feature the long-awaited return of the "Dunk the VP" booth.

Q. I'm allergic to rain. Does that count as a medical emergency?
A. No.

Q. What will parking be like after all this rain?
A. Soggy. We have been informed that most areas are safe for parking, even in the rain, but folks with smaller vehicles should still take care not to park somewhere where they are likely to get stuck. The Decoder provided coordinates for the area that should be avoided. Don't be too nervous about it, though – there will be plenty of folks with trucks and ropes.

If you have any further questions, we will try to answer them all at the picnic.

Thank you for your patience and understanding with this difficult situation, and again, please accept my apologies. I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow!

All best,
Adric (alzarius)
MGS President
User avatar
Alzarius
MGS Director
Posts: 249
Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 2:07 am
10
Location: Baltimore County
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Re: CAM 2017 Information Thread

Post by Alzarius »

Unfortunately we still don't have an estimated delivery date from the mint. I will post an update in this thread the moment we get news. When the CAM geocoins have been delivered, we will seek permission from Groundspeak/SirCrab to make an announcement through the now archived CAM Picnic event page. In case special permission is not granted, be certain you are subscribed to this thread to receive the latest updates.

Thank you again for your continued patience and understanding!
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