Events

[+Cache Heads]

I have never attended a geocaching event, but sometimes I wonder what exactly makes them caches... I know we all have a somewhat different idea of what a cache is-- but lately, with the move of virtuals and locationless to Waymarking, the definition seems to be getting a little clearer. So, where do events stand in all of this?

 

What do you think makes an event a cache?

[+briansnat]

In theory you use the posted coordinates to find it.

[+kati3l3unny]

we just attended our first event, there were 21 caches, you register, then they uploaded the cords and clues to our gps's, and then we got a book with all the cords and names and just used a stamp (found at the cache) to mark the ones we went to.

 

the only thing we didn't like about it, was it was so well attended that we were basically following groups to caches, rather than finding them ourselves, but we did find a couple of permanant caches while we were there too. =)

 

lot of fun putting faces to the names we see on line all the time. and lots of help for us newbies.

 

kate

[+theUMP]

Depends on the kind of event to me.

 

If it's just a social event, then I log it as a note rather than as a find.

If there's temporary caches to be found at the event, then I'll log it as a find. (Only one find, mind you, not one per box/film canister found!)

 

That's just me, though. I like to be able to look at our numbers and know that that's how many actual caches we've found, not have to think about how many of them were just dinners with friends.

-Bear_Left (Papa)

[+Renegade Knight]

Nothing really if caching is all about the box. Some events have logs. some don't.

 

In the end they are caches for no better reason than we as cachers attend, enjoy each others company, then write about it in the online log.

[+StarBrand]

All the events I have held had a box for trades and a logbook to go along with some posted coordinates. Just time limited to a few hours is all.

[+Moose Mob]

Events are gatherings of cachers. Logbook or not. Box of goodies or not. Travel bugs or not. It's a social thing. It doesn't allways follow the pure definition of a geocache and TPTB decided that it was OK anyways.

[+mtn-man]

In theory you use the posted coordinates to find it.

I'll never forget the time I was a speaker at one of our GGA events. I was late. I took a wrong road and ended going close to the event, but at .35 miles the distance started to grow again. I kept searching and searching down a few roads and finally found the right way to the park. I used a GPS to find it, which is what caching is all about. If I have been to a location before I typically don't log finds. The nice thing is that the GGA usually is in a different location each month so you use your GPS to find the meeting.

 

Last month I was at a meeting in TN. Autorouting took us the wrong way. We finally found it after using good old geosense. About three hours into the event I realized I had actually been there before a few years back. It was very funny when the cogs clanked together in my head.

 

Snoogans, I don't like the practice of mega-multiple logging personally. I don't care if people do it though, but I feel I have the right not to like it without being accused of being on a high horse. The same could be said about you with the way you phrased that response. Something to think about I hope.

 

There is no winner. It is a game. Play and have fun.

[+Cache Heads]

I like to be able to look at our numbers and know that that's how many actual caches we've found, not have to think about how many of them were just dinners with friends.

I guess that's where I'm coming from. I've thought about attending an event or two in the past, but I was never too sure I'd want them figuring into my stats-- just because, personally, I never saw the connection between them and an actual geocache.

 

Events are gatherings of cachers. Logbook or not. Box of goodies or not. Travel bugs or not. It's a social thing. It doesn't allways follow the pure definition of a geocache and TPTB decided that it was OK anyways.

Fair enough. Like I said before, I'm not attacking the idea of event caches-- I'm simply trying to understand them better and get an idea of whether or not I'd be comfortable logging one as a find.... just wanted to hear other's thoughts on it-- and I appreciate the comments that have been made so far

[+sbell111]

In theory you use the posted coordinates to find it.

... Snoogans, I don't like the practice of mega-multiple logging personally. I don't care if people do it though, but I feel I have the right not to like it without being accused of being on a high horse. The same could be said about you with the way you phrased that response. Something to think about I hope.

 

There is no winner. It is a game. Play and have fun.

You realize that Snoogans hasn't posted to this thread, right?

[+The Cheeseheads]

So, to put forward the next logical leap of this thread...

 

Since virtuals and locationless caches are gone because they don't fit the original definition of a cache, a logbook in a container, perhaps event logging should be done away with entirely?

 

I'd still like to see events posted here in some form, but maybe the time has come where the "attended" logs no longer count towards one's find total?

[+tozainamboku]

I like to be able to look at our numbers and know that that's how many actual caches we've found, not have to think about how many of them were just dinners with friends.

I guess that's where I'm coming from. I've thought about attending an event or two in the past, but I was never too sure I'd want them figuring into my stats-- just because, personally, I never saw the connection between them and an actual geocache.

 

Events are gatherings of cachers. Logbook or not. Box of goodies or not. Travel bugs or not. It's a social thing. It doesn't allways follow the pure definition of a geocache and TPTB decided that it was OK anyways.

Fair enough. Like I said before, I'm not attacking the idea of event caches-- I'm simply trying to understand them better and get an idea of whether or not I'd be comfortable logging one as a find.... just wanted to hear other's thoughts on it-- and I appreciate the comments that have been made so far

 

Originally, you logged a find when attending an event. Events were added as a cache type because you could list the coordinates of the event so they would show up on list of nearest caches. That's how they got advertised. People could post a note that were attending and then a note or a found when they attended. Eventually, GC.com added new log types just for events. You now post a Will Attend log to indicate you will attend and an Attended log that indicates you attended. The website counts the Attended logs in your find count - but that is mostly because prior to the Attended log the Found It log was used for attending events. If you personally don't want to count events you can post a note instead of an attended log. I know some people who do that. (I know some people who post a note instead of a Found It log when then find any cache as a protest against numbers in general). Or you can log Attended which will increment your find count but still be easily identified as being associated with an event instead of a cache. Many events (but not all) have a log to sign and a table for trading travel bugs. For some this is enough to make events caches.

[+mtn-man]

In theory you use the posted coordinates to find it.

... Snoogans, I don't like the practice of mega-multiple logging personally. I don't care if people do it though, but I feel I have the right not to like it without being accused of being on a high horse. The same could be said about you with the way you phrased that response. Something to think about I hope.

 

There is no winner. It is a game. Play and have fun.

You realize that Snoogans hasn't posted to this thread, right?

Yep, I just don't feel like posting in the train wreck topic.

[+Snoogans]

In theory you use the posted coordinates to find it.

... Snoogans, I don't like the practice of mega-multiple logging personally. I don't care if people do it though, but I feel I have the right not to like it without being accused of being on a high horse. The same could be said about you with the way you phrased that response. Something to think about I hope.

 

There is no winner. It is a game. Play and have fun.

You realize that Snoogans hasn't posted to this thread, right?

Yep, I just don't feel like posting in the train wreck topic.

 

ROFLMAO!

 

A train wreck could be fun if the train were entirely populated by Taliban and AlQuaida operatives. It's a matter of perspective.

 

MTN-MAN,

 

The irony was not lost on me. I almost posted that my horse was taller, but I didn't want to disappoint the folks who actually got the hidden meaning by making the joke so obvious.

 

Good read that an event thread would attract my eye. I certainly don't feel the need to read or respond to every thread.

[+Semper Questio]

Depends on the kind of event to me.

 

If it's just a social event, then I log it as a note rather than as a find.

If there's temporary caches to be found at the event, then I'll log it as a find. (Only one find, mind you, not one per box/film canister found!)

 

I'm in that camp with ya Ump.

[+cimawr]

I'm simply trying to understand them better and get an idea of whether or not I'd be comfortable logging one as a find.... just wanted to hear other's thoughts on it-- and I appreciate the comments that have been made so far

 

I've only been to one, and actually didn't realize until after I'd logged my "attended" note that it would add 1 to my total count. However, I don't have a problem with it, given that:

 

1. Participation in the event DID involve searching for a number of temporary caches.

2. It clearly shows in my detailed stats as being an event attended rather than a cache found.

 

If not for #2, I might feel a bit odd about it; as it is, it's perfectly clear to anyone who looks at my profile.

 

WRT "discovering" coins and bugs, there were a huge number of them there; I only "discovered' the ones that I looked at and thought were pretty cool, rather than just plugging in numbers for all of them. Although I did only see one of the Jeeps as it was being vroom-vroomed across the floor by a 4-yo.

[+mtn-man]

Yep, I just don't feel like posting in the train wreck topic.

 

ROFLMAO!

 

A train wreck could be fun if the train were entirely populated by Taliban and AlQuaida operatives. It's a matter of perspective.

Now THAT'S funny.

MTN-MAN,

 

The irony was not lost on me. I almost posted that my horse was taller, but I didn't want to disappoint the folks who actually got the hidden meaning by making the joke so obvious.

 

Good read that an event thread would attract my eye. I certainly don't feel the need to read or respond to every thread.

Yep, I knew you would catch it here. I know you know how I am about events and how far out of the way I will go to attend them, sort of like you too. No smiley, one smiley, ten smileys... they are always a blast.

[+BlueDeuce]

I have never attended a geocaching event, but sometimes I wonder what exactly makes them caches... I know we all have a somewhat different idea of what a cache is-- but lately, with the move of virtuals and locationless to Waymarking, the definition seems to be getting a little clearer. So, where do events stand in all of this?

 

What do you think makes an event a cache?

 

Funny thing Event caches.

 

You cannot hold one to just go caching, but you can't hold one unless it's about caching.

 

Still, it would be a smaller world without them.