RCA777

Happy to send over to you Ken, with my compliments. This is actually one of the proofs for a coin I designed a few years ago. If the year/COG reference is too specific - you could always mount a ring in front of the wording! There's also one of these...

Just an internet hosting glitch (the provider are migrating services/systems... and something was pointed the wrong way) apparently. Discussed/covered in the NCR Facebook group.

In the "Geocaches" screen, press the Funnel in the top right. When the filter screen appears, press the smaller filter/folder icon in the bottom right. Then press Show All. If nothing appears -- you're probably too far away from your loaded caches.

To answer the question(s) I've been receiving: Number of coins minted: 150 x Standard Edition 100 x Limited Edition 50 x Collector Edition Split into : 50 x Standard Set (1 x Standard Geocoin) 50 x Limited Set (1 x Standard Geocoin + 1 x Limited Geocoin) 50 x Collector Set (1 x Standard Geocoin + 1 x Limited Geocoin + 1 x Collector Geocoin).

Thanks to everyone - all non-pickup orders that were received this week have already been mailed.

The Central Ontario Geocachers are please to announce that "Snowflake Compass Rose" geocoins are now available. Produced by Landsharkz, there are three versions of the this geocoin available. All coins are trackable on Geocaching.com - the obverse side features the traditional COG logo. Pricing details and images can be found at geocoins.centralontariogeocachers.com This is the 9th annual geocoin edition from COG; a gallery of previous COG trackables can be viewed by clicking here.

Premium Membership gives you additional features on the Geocaching.com website Those Premium Member features include the ability to "see" caches marked by others as "Premium Member Only" - and the ability to create Pocket Queries. The paid Geocaching App is a portal to the website; if you are a Premium Member on the website you will be able to see "Premium Member Only" caches through the Geocaching App. Also, the paid Geocaching App will be able to use Pocket Queries.... if you are a Premium Member on the website. The paid Geocaching App has a price. The Premium Membership on the website has a price. Two different "products"/purchases. The "paid" Geocaching App does have the capability to be used "offline" to some degree, if you pre-acquire data from the Geocaching site before you head out. The Geocaching Intro App is free -- however, I believe it will only work when you have a "live connection" to the website. It has slightly different functionality. This link might help -> https://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=514 --------------------------------------------------

The COG Cache Theory Mega was featured in a recent Geocaching HQ Blog (http://blog.geocaching.com/2014/07/the-theory-of-caching-is-found-in-canada). As a result... the COG Mega Organizers have been asked a -lot- of questions about Lab Caches and our planning process! Every organizing team will be working with different locations, different circumstances and different resources. This post is intended to explain what worked in our situation; if it helps anyone else - that's great. The questions asked by the organizing/volunteer team during the Lab Cache design process were: How can we make the most of Lab Caches not needing to follow the 528ft/161m saturation guideline? Can we provide a physical logbook with some of our Lab Cache hides? How can we avoid the Lab Cache keyword being web searched or guessed? What amazing cache containers can be created that will only need to be in place a few days (possibly with high maintenance requirements)? How can our Lab Caches be adventures and experiences - and not just a hunt for keywords in seemingly random locations? Not everyone has a SmartPhone device; not all locations have good signal - how can we give folks the best chance at enjoying the Lab Caches? The Lab Caches took a few weeks of planning - as well as many hours of building by some of the event volunteers. A few days before the Lab Caches were activated, an announcement was posted on the Mega listing to ensure that all attendees were aware of the Lab Cache URL for the event. The URL was also placed in the main body of the Mega listing. This allowed everyone to "bookmark" the Lab Cache page ahead of time. - The event site had a few existing caches; Lab Caches were placed in locations that were best suited to cope with hundreds of visitors over the course of the weekend. A few of those locations would usually have been unavailable due to the 528ft/161m saturation guideline. Space was given wherever possible to existing caches; it's less fun when you are working on one cache and see a crowd of people at a tree nearby signing the log at another cache! - One of the Lab Caches required a visit to a historic monument to gather the logging keyword. The Lab Cache listing simply provided a set of coordinates. At those coordinates a physical cache had been placed. Within the container was a logbook and an information sheet outlining the history of the nearby location. The sheet also included the question that needed to be answered in order to obtain the logging keyword. In other words... you wouldn't know what the question was from the Lab Cache listing -- you had to get to the coordinates first. Even if you were to research the location online and find a photo of the monument in an online gallery, you would not know the question that needed to be answered from the Lab Cache listing alone. - A couple of the Lab Caches required battery power; the creators of the electronic Lab Caches had spare batteries on hand as well as pre-planned maintenance runs. Complex caches with electronic circuitry are fun and creative; they are also sometimes fragile and not built to withstand the elements. They were hidden in locations that were easy to get to and therefore easier to maintain during the Lab Cache finding window. - The organizing/volunteer team were given the opportunity to create 10 Lab Caches for this Mega. In the end, only 8 were released. The other two Lab Caches we had worked on simply didn't seem as good as the others. The feedback on the Lab Caches we did put out has been fantastic. We are very glad we didn't push out the other two; the experiences would not have been as good for the Mega attendees. - The location of the Mega had very spotty cellular coverage; many attendees did not possess a Smartphone and/or a data plan. A sheet of the Lab Cache names and coordinates had been made available at the Mega registration desk. This allowed coordinates to be manually entered into GPS devices, so that the keywords could still be found - and the attendees could still log their Lab Caches after leaving the event site. A team of amazing volunteers created/built the Lab Caches at GC4NRG1. To ensure their efforts are never forgotten, we posted a "Thank You" on the Mega Event cache listing before it was Archived. Here are a few examples of some of the Lab Caches from GC4NRG1. The Spherical Divination Experiment (Find the ball that has the log and the keyword!) The Light Bending Experiment (Redirect the laser into the sensor with a prism to open the door) The Rock-Paper-Lizard Experiment (aka put the right blocks in the right places and the trap door opens with the logbook and keyword!) The Big Potato Experiment (probe the spuds to illuminate the digital displays on the top of the container!) Much fun was had by all!

As a few folks know, I've had GCDFB on the drawing board a few times. The logistics had been worked out, but there were two (or three) unknowns that simply outweighed the cost for a group of us to head out there. When I called a few float-plane companies and told them the final destination... I either received an "Ooh. That place has been flooded" or an "Oh. That's an area likely damaged in the forest fire". Great! Decimation at GZ and I'm looking for a square yellow Tupperware container... that's either floated away or melted into goo. Flying out to the site and landing on the river is simple enough... but getting from the plane, to the shore (without swimming).... was another unknown. There's that additional detail of paying for the plane to sit and wait while the cache hunt ensures, before it makes the return trip, also. Over the past few years, I've been in contact with the CO. He has been incredibly helpful; it's one of the reasons I don't consider this cache a "wild goose chase". The CO is responsive. Nowadays, caches in these remote regions are very unlikely to be published -- COs can't really provide a maintenance plan. GCDFB was placed long before the Listing Guidelines are what they are today. Finding this cache may sound the death knoll for it. If a DNF is logged, it's very unlikely anyone else will go. If the logbook is signed, it's no longer the oldest unfound active cache.... it's very unlikely anyone else will go. Canoes *do* seem like the way to go; if you've got the time, it gives you control. I'm sure it will be a great adventure, regardless of whether there is a smiley at the end! Caches are there to be found; I wish you the best of luck Stormgren-X!

Hi there! The previous series of caches had to be "Approved" by Groundspeak prior to being published. My suggestion is to reach out to Groundspeak first (even if they are tributes to factual events, they could be seen as having an agenda) and run any ideas you have by them first. That should make things easier, regardless of country. RCA777

Hi there! The Listing Guidelines would prohibit agenda/promotional based caches; the Canadian caches that were published previously were done with special permission from Groundspeak. My Region 7 cache was Archived; there was regrettably a lack of coordination across the regions, so it was a short lived engagement. If anyone were to re-life this approach, they would need to contact Groundspeak (or work through their regional Reviewer) first. RCA

A big thank you to Groundspeak for featuring the project on the Latitude 47 blog! The Is That A Geocacher In Your Rear View Mirror? blog post was also linked from the Geocaching.com Facebook page.

Hi Everyone! Time for an update! I'm thrilled to have seen so many folks post pictures of their own plates/plates they've encountered on the project Facebook page -- thank you all! I do know that a few people have bought personalized plates from Service Ontario already - and a few have bought the "regular" issues of 03GCxx plates, also. Reminder -- if you have been asked by family to put something on your "Wish List" for the holiday season... you can always ask for new geocaching licence plates, as they can now be bought directly from Service Ontario! You can thank the original 200 project participants (and Groundspeak) for the plates now being available in the regular Service Ontario catalogue. Essentially.... don't forget to tell your friends and family that geocaching licence plates are now available DIRECTLY from Service Ontario! Visit their website (or their offices) for more info.

Plates have begun to ship to purchasers; thanks to everyone for their support (and patience). RCA

Looks like I've got a lot of paperwork to do this weekend! ****** Mailing of plates will begin NEXT WEEK ****** Your patience is greatly appreciated! If you happen to be in the Newmarket area TODAY (FRIDAY AUGUST 3RD), or on MONDAY (AUGUST 6TH) you might be able to stop by and collect your pre-ordered plate. Drop me a note via my profile on Geocaching.com (RCA777) to arrange pickup! (Service Ontario offices are open on Tuesday!)

...while we wait... we notice that Service Ontario have updated their website... http://www.ontario.ca/en/services_for_residents/ONT06_023115#Sports ...which can only be a good sign, right? Information will be posted as I receive it!

....as before, July 29th is the "scheduled" date of manufacture. Seeing as that's a Sunday (!) I'm going to guess that means the 30th.. then Service Ontario have to "Register" the plates in the system and then ship them. The nice lady said that 'should not be too long'. And so. We. Wait...

Once "Spring Fling" (the Mega event this coming weekend) is over-and-done-with and a couple of days of de-brain-gooing occurs, the plan is to have an "update" email going out to all the plate purchasers, which will include their plate #.

As soon as we have a manufacture date from Service Ontario we will post it here -- folks are still requesting plates! Thanks again to everyone for their support!

Once Service Ontario produce the plates for our project (scheduled for July), the graphic will be added into the "regular catalogue" and from that point, other plates can be ordered from Service Ontario. There will be several options that will be available directly from Service Ontario: - A new personalized plate (6 characters or less, incl. spaces) can be ordered with a graphic ($$$) - An existing personalized plate (6 characters or less, incl. spaces) can have a graphic added ($$) - Incremental/random issue "GC" plates (starting with 03GC03 and continuing from there) will also be available ($) * Breaking News! * While typing this post, a courier arrived and delivered the "approval plate" -- so, below.... is a photo of a REAL sample plate received moments ago! I now have to sign the back to "Approve" the plate and return it to Service Ontario.

WE DID IT!!! SOLD OUT! Yes, all 200 sets of plates are now spoken for! A July manufacture date for all of the plates is still expected from Service Ontario. We will be "checking in" via e-mail with everyone who bought plates, shortly. Until then... a HUGE thank you to everyone who supported the project!

Just to keep folks updated.... the project has been a great success. There are only 3 sets of licence plates left (at time of writing) from the production run of 200; Service Ontario have scheduled the production run for July. Once COG receives the very large box of plates, they will be distributed - folks who bought plates will receive a "touching base" e-mail in the near future. Thanks to all those who supported the project!

ANNOUNCEMENT - PROJECT APPROVED Central Ontario Geocachers have exchanged contracts with Service Ontario. * Service Ontario has confirmed that licence plates are scheduled for manufacture in/around July of 2012. * The licence plates for this project are confirmed to have the "GC" lettering. * The Geocaching.com graphic has been approved for use by Groundspeak and Service Ontario on the licence plates. A decision had to be made.... and 150+ people would have been disappointed if we didn't go ahead with the project. As a result... "We" now have a moderate inventory of licence plates that we are even more motivated to sell! The http://www.driventogeocache.ca site has the up-to-date list of available numbers. Thanks to everyone who has supported the project.

75% there! Yes, the project has sold it's 150th set of plates. The banner ads on Geocaching.com (thanks Groundspeak) and Facebook page have certainly help raise awareness in the past couple of weeks. Thanks to everyone for their ongoing support.

We have updated the http://www.driventogeocache.ca website; it currently shows the remaining number combinations that have not been spoken for. The plan is to offer folks the choice of remaining plate numbers for a limited time -- ordering early will give greater choice. Of course... the point of the project is the graphic and the unique "GC" lettering... so any of the selections remaining are great ways to dress-up a vehicle! (A few folks had no number preference, so there are actually more choices of number available than plates to be sold). The plates make great gifts for that hard-to-buy-for-geocacher...! Thanks again for your ongoing support.