Checked in on this list and figured I'd throw in my two cents in again. I don't think the naming thing is all that big a deal. If we pick a name and then decide we want a different name later, can we change it or are we stuck with it forever?
Naturally Central Coast makes sense for our area. Why? We live on the Central Coast. This whole thing got me curious and I decided to do some quick internet research. I searched the Monterey area phone books for businesses that used Central Coast in their name - result: 30 businesses and in the Santa Cruz area: 20. Then I searched the San Luis Obispo area yellow pages - result: 172 and Santa Maria: 111. Clearly people in this area believe we're the Central Coast more so than people in Monterey Bay. I even called a buddy of mine that lives in Monterey and asked him, "Hey Teak, do you live on the Central Coast?" His answer (while laughing), "No dude, YOU live on the Central Coast. Why?"
To show how mixed up it is, I remember when I first started geocaching, I saw the logo for the Central Coast Geocachers of California on a cache listing. I wrote the guy to inquire what the group was all about, and he replied that the group was actually not from our area, but up in Monterey. He then added that I shouldn't feel bad because he got that question a lot. Gee, I wonder why?
Personally, I've been okay with all the names suggested so far. Does our name have to convey a regional context? I actually was a little fond of Poison Oak Cachers as it reflected the tounge-and-cheek nature of many of the members of our group. Maybe if we need to show were we were from we could even be the Poison Oak Cachers of the Central Coast. I'm envisioning a motto: "Leaves of three, let me be... geocaching!"
Regarding the Middle Kingdom cachers. Well, okay, sounds a little Dungeons and Dragons to me, but I'm not opposed to it. I have never heard our area called that once in the 28 years I've been here, but maybe I've just been hanging out in the wrong circles.
I still like Pacific Coast Cachers too. It carries some nicer connotations and is certainly inclusive of pretty much everyone I've seen attend the events so far - including those from Santa Maria and even farther south.
I'm happy with lots of the suggested names. I say we pick one and move along. Wish the poll feature would work for us here. But since it doesn't, if I were to vote, I'd say, I like Pacific Coast Cachers or Poison Oak Cachers best so far.
Perhaps to settle the issue we should have a VERY informal "Let's Pick a Name" event cache at a local restaurant some night. Of course, that might just be me wanting an excuse to give my wife to go out to eat and talk geocaching.
