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A Little Friendly Competition


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I am the manager of the Pennsylvania Historic Markers Waymarking category. Obviously, I happen to think that this is a cool category. :( Right now, there are 246 waymarks recorded in this category. That would put me in first place, except for one obstacle:

 

McDonald's. :(

 

I would like to see my category jump up to first place in the list of categories sorted by number of waymarks. And I'm not above bribery in order to get this done. Hmmmm, that is not a nice word. Let's call it a "bounty," a concept that the site's creators have been tossing around. I'd like to prove that concept.

 

I have in my possession a Volunteer Geocoin. These were given as holiday gifts to all Groundspeak Volunteers, and are thus hard to come by unless you know a volunteer, find a cache where a volunteer has left one as a surprise, etc. It's a very pretty geocoin:

 

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The first person to enter 40 new waymarks in the Pennsylvania Historic Markers category will win this Geocoin as a bounty.

 

Bounty Rules:

 

1. Individual accounts only -- no teams covering different parts of the state. If you go geocaching/Waymarking as a team, family, etc., it's not fair to split up.

2. Only new waymarks submitted after the time of this announcement are eligible.

3. Visits to existing waymarks in the category are not eligible.

4. Each waymark submission must include TWO photos -- one of the historic marker only, AND one showing the contest entrant, or the contest entrant's hand holding the GPS in the classic "money shot" pose.

5. Indicate in the "private notes" field on the submission form that the waymark is submitted for the Geocoin Bounty.

6. Each waymark submission must comply with all other requirements stated on the category page.

7. Waymarks count towards the total in the order received in the manager's review queue. If two people submit the same historic marker, the earlier submission wins.

8. You do not need to be a Pennsylvania resident to be eligible. (Roadtrip!)

9. The Geocoin will be activated/owned by my account. Once awarded to the winner, the Geocoin may be kept in the winner's collection, traded, sent out to travel, taken to event caches, given away, etc., but I retain ownership of the coin as well as the right to delete virtual or other bogus logs. The Geocoin may not be sold.

 

I hope that this will be a fun contest, and that it will provide "proof of concept" for the idea of "bounties" as part of the Waymarking game. If you plan on participating in the contest, post here. If you have a buddy in Pennsylvania who doesn't follow the forums, send an e-mail.

 

So, which category do YOU want to see in the lead at Waymarking.com?

 

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OR

 

422eac9f-17ce-4cdd-8834-3bf6a71ef5d1.jpg

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Bootron is a Groundspeak employee. If he wants to hop a plane to Pennsylvania and find 40 historic markers, he is welcome to do so. :( If he wants to offer a bounty in HIS category, I can't stop him. :(

 

EDIT: In other words, MY bounty will be awarded regardless of what happens in the McDonald's category. I do think that my category will take over the lead, if only for a short time. In the long term, I think that cool categories that aren't limited (i.e., just Pennsylvania) will have the most waymarks -- things like benchmarks, fountains, etc.

Edited by The Leprechauns
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laugh.gif Is there a pre-order thread for those? I'll PayPal for two!

 

$9.95 Shipping and Handling.

ummm ... you guys may not be familiar with the new policy on geocoins discussions.

 

Is the penny going to be trackable :lol:

 

Good luck with the historical markers. I live close, but I can't get up there long enough to log 40.

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I would do it if I were in Pennsylvania.  In fact, if I lived in Pennsylvania, you would not have to be making this offer, because your waymark would already be higher than the McDonald's one.  :P

 

Did I win?  :lol:

 

:P

Send me a picture of yourself like your avatar... that's in focus but without the apple... and the coveted coinage is yours. :lol:

Edited by The Leprechauns
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I would do it if I were in Pennsylvania.  In fact, if I lived in Pennsylvania, you would not have to be making this offer, because your waymark would already be higher than the McDonald's one.  :P

 

Did I win?  :lol:

 

:P

Send me a picture of yourself like your avatar... that's in focus but without the apple... and the coveted coinage is yours. :D

Done!

 

Wow, that was easy. :lol::D

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laugh.gif Is there a pre-order thread for those? I'll PayPal for two!

 

$9.95 Shipping and Handling.

ummm ... you guys may not be familiar with the new policy on geocoins discussions.

 

Is the penny going to be trackable :lol:

 

Good luck with the historical markers. I live close, but I can't get up there long enough to log 40.

This is funny. I cross-posted this contest offer to the Geocoins Forum, and in that thread they are talking about Waymarking. Then over here, we're talking about the Geocoins policy. :lol:

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This is funny. I cross-posted this contest offer to the Geocoins Forum, and in that thread they are talking about Waymarking. Then over here, we're talking about the Geocoins policy. :lol:

I'm posting over here, so I won't get flamed over there. It seems strange that people who are more interested in collecting coins and logging them when they see one at an event than using GPSr to actually find something are criticizing Waymarking because its not geocaching :lol:

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yep. i'll certainly do my part by not logging any mcdonald's. i haven't cached out of state in a while... when the weather and my schedule work out together, maybe i'll take a long weekend and swing out east to log a few...

 

that's a nice offer, lep, and i like that you won't allow it to be sold. :ph34r:

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I actually have a couple of old archived and one that isn't archived. virtuals that we've done in mind that I thought wee really interesting. Would they be ok?

One purpose of the contest rules is to encourage people to go on a wild roadtrip to collect 40 markers. But if you have the required two photos and you can otherwise meet all the contest rules, I really ought to accept the submissions.

 

It doesn't matter one bit if you submit a historic sign as a waymark when it is also a virtual cache, a stage in a multicache, etc. Geocaches and waymarks can co-exist peacefully at the same spot. :ph34r:

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OK, this contest was sort of over before it really even started. I decided to launch it on a Thursday so that people could plan their travels for the weekend. But, never underestimate the motivation of a rare geocoin!

 

Congratulations to ODragon, who dashed out last evening for a wild Waymarking journey around the City of Philadelphia. He visited, photographed and wrote up forty-four waymarks in the Pennsylvania Historic Markers category. Of those, 40 met the category requirements AND the contest requirements, so ODragon is the declared winner! The other four met the category requirements and have also been listed.

 

There are now 290 waymarks in the Pennsylvania Historic Markers category, vs. only 273 in the McDonald's category. It is great for me, as the category manager, to see my category on the top of the category directory for the first time. I am also happy that ODragon won the contest, because he had made prior contributions to help build up the category.

 

OK, where does that leave everyone who was dreaming of a Waymarking weekend, and the chance at a geocoin? After discussing that question with ODragon, I am pleased to announce that there will be a second Volunteer Geocoin given away as a bounty. Let's call ODragon's sprint to victory the "urban dash" version of the contest. For the second geocoin, you'll need to work a little harder. Only those Pennsylvania Historic Markers with a "marker type" of Roadside will be eligible this time. Those with a marker type of "City" will not count towards the 40 required new waymarks. All other terms and conditions from the original contest continue to apply.

 

By offering a second bounty for a slightly different task, it is my hope that the category will grow even further, and that nothing will be taken away from ODragon's accomplishment. Once again, congratulations, and enjoy your geocoin!

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Well I'll be snickerdoodled. That was really quick! :ph34r: Wow. That would have been a sight to see. :mad:

 

Congrats, ODragon. :mad:

 

Of course, it doesn't bother me a bit, since I sent Lep the required picture, I have earned my volunteer geocoin. :mad:

 

:ph34r:

Hoo boy, did she *ever*! Yowzah!

 

I have learned so much about geocoins ever since I received my gift of Volunteer Geocoins. One thing I learned is that people sometimes sell their geocoins for a profit. I have been studying this.

 

Stay tuned for the eBay auction of framed Ambrosia photo prints. I am not quite sure which forum to announce it in, though. I think it's off-topic to Waymarking.

 

Enjoy your new geocoin, Ambrosia. :mad:

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Dang, I'm getting killed by the popularity filter! Time to change the rules! <_<

 

Actually, the popularity filter IS being reworked so that new categories can make a mark more quickly. It is merely a coincidence that McDonald's may be positively affected by these changes. Or is it? ;)

Edited by bootron
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Dang, I'm getting killed by the popularity filter! Time to change the rules! ;)

 

Actually, the popularity filter IS being reworked so that new categories can make a mark more quickly. It is merely a coincidence that McDonald's may be positively affected by these changes. Or is it? <_<

As a user, I have *every* right to challenge the McDonald's category for its monopolistic domination of the top of the "most waymarks" list and of the bottom of the "most popular" list.

 

That is the beauty of Groundspeak's websites and of these forums. Freedom of speech, baby. I know that I can exercise my rights without any fear of my account privileges *$@!===*$#@!& +*&x||% #!``+{~~~~~

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Well the first and second coins you offered went fast !! the second went realy fastl to Ambrosia congrats to you!! :( . I'll be watching eBay for your auctions of framed Ambrosia photos ;) And congrats. to ODragon on your quick run through Philidelphia to claim the coin!! <_<

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OK, this contest was sort of over before it really even started.  I decided to launch it on a Thursday so that people could plan their travels for the weekend.  But, never underestimate the motivation of a rare geocoin!

 

Congratulations to ODragon, who dashed out last evening for a wild Waymarking journey around the City of Philadelphia.  He visited, photographed and wrote up forty-four waymarks in the Pennsylvania Historic Markers category.

I just started reading this topic today, and the contest is over already. :D Maybe I need to go post the McD's that is two blocks from home......this will give me a chance to compare my new explorist to my old eTrex

 

Congratulations to ODragon for winning the pretty coin! :drama:

Edited by PeachyPA
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First off, thank you to Bootron for restoring my posting privileges. I am very, very sorry. I hope you enjoy the McDonald's Gift Certificates, as well as the Hamburgler blow-up doll.

 

Second, let me re-emphasize that there remains a SECOND, ACTIVE CONTEST for the first person to waymark 40 "roadside" Pennsylvania historic markers. ODragon won the first contest so quickly, that I wanted to do another one.

 

It's a beautiful sunny day and we will soon be heading outdoors ourselves, plotting our latest evil geocache hide. Go take a drive, and take time to walk around a bit if one of the historic marker locations catches your interest.

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First off, thank you to Bootron for restoring my posting privileges.  I am very, very sorry.  I hope you enjoy the McDonald's Gift Certificates, as well as the Hamburgler blow-up doll.

 

Second, let me re-emphasize that there remains a SECOND, ACTIVE CONTEST for the first person to waymark 40 "roadside" Pennsylvania historic markers.  ODragon won the first contest so quickly, that I wanted to do another one.

 

It's a beautiful sunny day and we will soon be heading outdoors ourselves, plotting our latest evil geocache hide.  Go take a drive, and take time to walk around a bit if one of the historic marker locations catches your interest.

Sure, I'll do that. But I don't think that it will work in my case. :D

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Well if you ever offer to open up the Ontario Historical Markers, I'll offer to post 40-50 Waymarks in it AND take one of those coins off your hands :D

 

Maybe I'll just threaten to Waymark 40 McDonald's unless I get one of your coins :D

 

I'm kidding on all counts.... I have a Kick-Butt McDonald's Waymark already (arrogant eh?) but I would only submit another if it has significance (for now anyway.. I get bored easily :) since they are still better than the 'Classic Lamp Post Cache in the Walmart Parking Lot')

 

:D The Blue Quasar

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Well if you ever offer to open up the Ontario Historical Markers, I'll offer to post 40-50 Waymarks in it AND take one of those coins off your hands :rolleyes:

 

Maybe I'll just threaten to Waymark 40 McDonald's unless I get one of your coins :(

 

I'm kidding on all counts.... I have a Kick-Butt McDonald's Waymark already (arrogant eh?) but I would only submit another if it has significance (for now anyway.. I get bored easily :) since they are still better than the 'Classic Lamp Post Cache in the Walmart Parking Lot')

 

:D The Blue Quasar

1. I do look forward to the day when there are lots more subcategories for historic markers. All of us who are interested in that aspect of Waymarking can gather together in our own little subforum and compare notes and stories.

 

2. I agree; if I had an interesting McDonald's waymark, I wouldn't hesitate to submit it. I just haven't come across one yet.

 

3. Trading a Volunteer Coin for an equally valuable geocoin, or a couple of cool but more common coins, is never out of the question. :( You could also hit up your own area's volunteer cache reviewer for that. I have resisted all such offers thus far, and chose this contest as my first use of my holiday gift. :(

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Dang -- Just don't live close enough to PA to compete for this one and I have to be at a geocaching event in town this weekend so I can't fly up just for this!!

 

Now, if you were looking for TENNESSEE historical markers I could load at least 40 in no time since this was my personal GPS project when I first started geocaching.

 

BTW -- I really like the category as I have been a "historical marker reader" since very young. I still remember on vacation my father telling me "No Monica, we will not stop the historical marker since we have already stopped for 5 already!!"

 

The category is a great way to be a virtual tourist!

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We had big plans for Saturday after I spent a few hours Friday night searching, checking and optimizing but I tripped going down the steps and ripped my finger open that morning. I ruined half of that day by sitting home.

 

We were looking forward to the challenge of something a little different. Maybe we'll have to give it another go when we have enough free time.

 

I have enjoyed reading through all of the markers. Thanks for this idea for this category.

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The second contest remains a wide-open race. Although four roadside waymarks were submitted recently, neither waymarker indicated that they were entering the geocoin bounty contest, or included the required second photo showing the submitter or their GPS.

 

Very soon, "Pennsylvania Historic Markers" will become the first category to top 300 waymarks! (Assuming that some fast food junkie or benchmarker doesn't get motivated very quickly....)

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I just listed the 300th Waymark in the Pennsylvania Historic Markers category -- the FIRST category to collect 300 waymarks! And, by chance, it also qualifies for the Geocoin Contest.

 

The Meadowcroft Rock Shelter is the most significant archaeological site in my region, but I've never visited it because it's in the middle of freakin' nowhere. There is no geocache there, because a sensitive archaeological site is a bad place for a cache. But as a waymark, it rocks. Now, thanks to Pittsburgh area waymarker Kordite, I know where it is and I can add this spot to my itinerary the next time I'm in the area.

 

Kordite does an especially good job with telling stories on his waymark pages, and documenting them with multiple photos. This is an excellent example for a milestone waymark.

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