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Cache across MD

Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2003 10:37 am
by outsid4evr
I have an idea for a weekend event. This would be a whole state event, in the most literal sense. It would be a contest/race to find certain caches across the state. We would have an initial meeting near one end of the state (perhaps Western MD or Salisbury) At the meeting, participants would be given a printout with a list of caches that should be found. Inside each of these pre-existing caches is a puzzle piece, or part of a map. Participants would go from cache to cache, finding the pieces. The first group to find all of the caches and bring back a completed map to a "finish line" would be the winner. A lot of details would have to be worked out.

I think this would be a great way for the club to reach out to cachers all over the state. In addition, it would take all of us to some areas that we have not cached in before.

Thoughts?

Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2003 2:53 pm
by robert
Sounds like a nice idea, something to definitely look into for the spring. Though it may be interesting to try it in mid-January. 8O

Anyone else?

Yes that would be cool

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 12:01 pm
by Last Lap Gang
Yes that sounds really cool to try. I would be warmer weather when a safer drive is more guaranteed. :wink:

I'm a little leary of cache-racing

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 12:27 pm
by JoeCthulhu
Running through the woods is dangerous enough, but this event would most likely be won by the guy driving 90+ miles per hours. Peeling into and out of parks where children play. Domino's drivers are bad enough, I think that there would be some liability to holding an event like this.

I agree with Joe C

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 3:23 pm
by Last Lap Gang
JoeCthulhu is right. It would not be safe to make this a race because things are dangerous enough out there. But to make it an oragnized cache across the state all weekend with a stopping point on Saturday noght where we can all have dinner together and meeting. Say we started at Ocean City at 8:00 AM on Saturday and cached at designated spots until we stopped to hotel at Montgomery county or thereabouts. City rates are too high. We could hit Eastern Shore, Annapolis, Southern Maryland and D. C. with two or three caches sponsored by regular cachers in the are, prechosen by the MGS. For example I will pick on the Lakemaster to hide out in OC area. Then we would get up the next day and all head through the Baltimore area, back across through Frederick and up to Hagerstown and possibly the panhandle with each cacher finsihing where ever they wanted to. Sort of like a "GEO Rally". The First Annual Maryland GeoRally sponsored by the MGS and its members. Outside4ver has a good idea here. We kust need to make it into something safe enough to do. :idea:

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 5:06 pm
by robert
http://gpsgames.org/

Some of this may have been done before, but maybe we can get some ideas from this site. L33T_Hacksta pointed me there once before but I didn't read into it too much yet.

Idea...modified

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 5:26 pm
by outsid4evr
Yes, a race might be a bit much.

LastLap's idea of a rally got me thinking... I wanted to have some sort of "end" point. Maybe instead of an outright competition (race), cachers would have to find all of the listed caches in order to decode the place and time of the ending "celebration" In essence, their finding of all the caches across the state would be their invitation to the "celebration". The ending celebration could be far enough into the future (allow a week or two) that cachers could take multiple days to complete the caches. This would encourage more people to participate. It would avoid the situation at the picnics where everyone hunts a cache in one large clump of people. You could still group-hunt the caches if that was your desire.

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 5:39 pm
by robert
I'll bring rolls. :wink:

This is a fresh meeting idea for next year.

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 5:48 pm
by Last Lap Gang
I think the core should have a core meeting before the next meeting and plan out some meeting strategy for next year. There are two fresh ideas on the table for next year between the campout weekend and the geo rally. Combine that with the Summer and Fall picnics and the fact that December is usually an off month and we have almost half the meetings covered with great events. Also Crash was thinking of an winter indoor training meeting (Ie: just how do I use my GPS Correctly, PDA Downloads, Combining S/W for the Total Package, Safety and so on......) . You could set stations up where groups mosey from one station to another sort of like S/W conferences. So now you have more than half of the year covered. Pretty cool! :D

Re: Idea...modified

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 8:00 pm
by crashmore
Great idea. This is just the kind of stuff we need to keep the game fresh and exciting!

outsid4evr wrote:Yes, a race might be a bit much.

LastLap's idea of a rally got me thinking... I wanted to have some sort of "end" point. Maybe instead of an outright competition (race), cachers would have to find all of the listed caches in order to decode the place and time of the ending "celebration" In essence, their finding of all the caches across the state would be their invitation to the "celebration". The ending celebration could be far enough into the future (allow a week or two) that cachers could take multiple days to complete the caches. This would encourage more people to participate. It would avoid the situation at the picnics where everyone hunts a cache in one large clump of people. You could still group-hunt the caches if that was your desire.

Re: Idea...modified

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 10:08 pm
by robert
crashmore wrote:Great idea. This is just the kind of stuff we need to keep the game fresh and exciting!
I thought that's what the pirates were for. :roll:

<rant> The gc.com forums are back, and bitter (sic) than ever! I just don't understand how people can expend that much energy just b*tching about everything. :? </rant>

Now that I got that out, I'm glad Outsid4evr suggested this variation. I'm sure between the lot of us we can come with a real kick (bleep) game we can play at different times of the year. Maybe a set of themed caches that get planted, or one big multi with the same destination? Or "multi multis" with the same destination for the lunch/dinner/picnic?

Wonder where our Events Coordinator is these days? He should be here taking notes. :twisted:

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 10:11 pm
by L33T_Hacksta
I love the ideas boiling in this forum! I agree, we should have some sort of dash across the state event that would last over a certain period of time. This would probably be nicer to do during the warmer months to enjoy the scenary!

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 10:12 pm
by robert
Another thought about the multis... has anyone found or done a large "cross-state" multi-cache? Jason, could this sort of thing be approved? FTF on a giant multi like that would be sweet though the logistics of maintaining that thing would be nasty. Maybe if the parts were in areas we all covered it would be a community maintenance. :)

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 11:00 pm
by crashmore
I think a cache like that would be ok to approve. I don't believe there are any real rules against them so it would really be up to the local approver in this case me :) And I would approve it.

Glad we got ya Crash

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 11:15 pm
by Last Lap Gang
Crash I was thinking of this state wide multi theme and am intrigued as using this as the crux of a Geo Rally meeting from a start point to and end point. Its premiere would coincide with the rolling meeting Geo Rally that would have a half time stop or layover on Saturday night for dinner and the meeting and some socializing. We are talking a major highlight event of next season. Could we go one step extra and think of this large muti as having a POC for the whole statewide cache and regional POC's who maintain local in their area.

For Example:
JPatton becomes POC of the Multi
Cache parts are maintained and designated by regions
Eastern Shore: Metaphor
Annapolis: Kablooey
SoMd: LLG
Northern Va: JoeCthulhu
D.C.: Crashmore .............. thru the state.

I think there is a great deal of excitement here that wets the chops for a can't miss cool event next year!!! :idea: :D

Hey hacksta what's with the new avatar. Has somebody said you resemble someone? You got my curiousity. :?: :D

Re: Glad we got ya Crash

Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2003 6:52 am
by robert
Last Lap Gang wrote:Could we go one step extra and think of this large muti as having a POC for the whole statewide cache and regional POC's who maintain local in their area.
Is there an echo in here? :wink:

I think this is probably the only way to do it. Having one person maintain these things would be nuts. Jason is up I-270 so he can take that leg, I'm south of Baltimore so I can take that leg. You guys--SoMD, Metaphor--Eastern Shore, and so on. It would have to be agreed to ahead of time, of course. I also bet we don't get a LOT of hits on it if it's a huge multi so maintenance shouldn't be too difficult. :)
I think there is a great deal of excitement here that wets the chops for a can't miss cool event next year!!! :idea: :D
Definitely a fun thing, but a huge project. Let's keep the ideas flowing and it'll only get easier! :D
Hey hacksta what's with the new avatar. Has somebody said you resemble someone? You got my curiousity. :?: :D
Must be all the donuts. :lol:

FYI

Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2003 7:23 am
by robert
Not that I advocate using all of other people's ideas, but if it spurs some other interesting stuff here, there's a thread on games in the Organized Caching section on gc.com forums.

Here's the specific thread

I think we've come up with some great stuff here. We definitely have some premier members here and can make an awesome event that other states will want to copy!

Bravo!

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2003 10:27 pm
by trev
Been away all week and very pleased to see all the forum activity! Great ideas, I look forward to helping in any way.

Trev

Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2003 7:15 am
by outsid4evr
Could an in-person committee be established to look at the planning and execution of this idea? The committee should encourage input from more than just the core members. Online forums are very difficult to use to formulate ideas and make decisions A lot of misunderstandings might be created. (from experience :!: )

If possible, could an article be written and placed on our main page that mentions the "Cache across Maryland" thread and/or asks for input into an in-person group meeting (at a time other than the monthly gathering)? This would be a way to involve other cachers who are not part of the core that posts to the forums. :idea: I think if you get interested cachers to sit down together and work this through, it could be a really great "geo rally" or whatever they choose to name it.

Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2003 8:40 am
by robert
That's a good idea, Outsid4evr. Since I'm home all day today (mix of laryngitis and snow :wink: ) I'll see if I can put something relatively coherent together. You want to take a stab at it since it was your idea? I certainly don't mind doing it but you're more than welcome to do it. People may be tired of hearing from me all the time 8O

You can use the link to my PM in the article. If you want to write one, let me know. You can write the article, and then use the SUBMIT NEWS link on the sidebar to send it. Here's the link directly:

http://www.mdgps.net/modules.php?name=Submit_News

thanks :D