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Mega Event 2 - 2009


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....I have just had an idea. No come back, this is a good one.

 

Us northerners could look at running a bus service across the country for those just coming for the day. An example would be to run a coach from Leeds or Sheffield, down the M1, round the M25, and on to Bristol. With pickup points at key public transport locations and free car parks it could be a real environment saver. We could also car pool to coach it's self.

 

Just a thought.

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Rather than reply to everyone! I'm taking notes....

 

There's an issue with dates of School Holidays in different parts of the UK. Hence why early August is favoured I believe...

 

Yup Scottish Schools finish as close to start of July as poss and go back middle of August. E.g this year most of us go back in a week's time.

 

This year we based our Summer holiday around the Mega Event and so spent 9 days pootling enroute and around Harrogate caching. It was brilliant and we would do it again wherever the Mega was.

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....I have just had an idea. No come back, this is a good one.

 

Us northerners could look at running a bus service across the country for those just coming for the day. An example would be to run a coach from Leeds or Sheffield, down the M1, round the M25, and on to Bristol. With pickup points at key public transport locations and free car parks it could be a real environment saver. We could also car pool to coach it's self.

 

Just a thought.

 

That's a good idea.

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If its in the Bristol area I'd be tempted to offer some help and assistance (though I don't know what that would be).

 

If the next is in Scotland, although the distance would be considered prohibitive from South Wales, I'd be quite inclined to make quite an effort to go as I haven't been to the land of the Scottles since I was 12 years old and have brilliant memories of the one and only holiday we went on so I'd probably make it a full blown holiday.

 

Present circumstances sustained of course - a lot can change in 2 years...

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Another 'the event goes where people are willing to organise it' vote.

 

As an aside Bristol suits us nicely. We'd probably camp even though its just over an hour away, depends on the date really but most likely be there.

 

I'd like to help out but don't know that Basingstoke is really 'striking distance' from Bristol. Maybe put my name down and get in touch when things lift off and i'll see what I can do.

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I'm sure Alex will be along shortly with his cockney rhyming slang.......... :D:huh::)

 

There's no rhyming slang related to Bristol Cities surely? :)

 

Its not THAT bad surely? Bristol is right next to the M4/M5 and so has good access from the North and the East (probably a lot easier than Harrogate) and the South West, not to mention South Wales.

 

Heh, yeah the great old M4/M5 interchange, driving bliss... :D especially with Cribb's bloomin Causeway full of shoppers all weekend...still, I was worrying about the A1M, but seems the Mega Committee sorted that for the day too, I've never known it so roadwork-free! :) The airport is pretty good though...flights should be cheap being a regional...again perhaps a minibus shuttle could be arranged?

 

We'll help out if we can - no longer down that way, but family are...

(this is bikermel by the way, I can't be bothered to log out and back in...)

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I'm in favour of it being where the organisers are. We are still relativly new to caching and with holidays etc already booked this year, couldn't justify the trip to Harrogate with a toddler for the day (alas, no annual leave left!)

 

Would happily go to Bristol, not too far from us and certainly more doable in a day than Harrogate!

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South next year and then Scotland the next?

 

If the Scots want to organise one, why not? :) I need an excuse to go there for a few weeks camping holiday some time. :blink:

At the present moment discussions are taking place on the Scottish forums reference the Mega event taking place in Scotland in 2010. These discussions have came about by the above postings and once it is decided that Scotland will be a definite venue for 2010 an official announcement will be made.

 

Watch this space! :D

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Anyone who's offered to help - should of had an email from me. I think I'm up to date.

And my thanks to everyone - it's quite amazing the helps that's out there.

Steve/Birdie

Email received & awaiting the further details you mentioned. Thanks.

 

I'd also like to support the idea of holding one in Scotland in 2010 - nice one HH.

Me too!! Go for it folks!

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At the present moment discussions are taking place on the Scottish forums reference the Mega event taking place in Scotland in 2010. These discussions have came about by the above postings and once it is decided that Scotland will be a definite venue for 2010 an official announcement will be made.

 

Watch this space! :(

 

Excellent - We're already looking forward to it (and have started putting all our coppers into a piggy bank to save up for the petrol!).

 

Striling looks like a fantastic venue. Easy to get to and on the doorsteps of the Highlands.

 

We're looking forward to a pre-Mega Event event at, oh, I don't know, say, Bannockburn to celebrate the arrival us Welsh and English cachers north of the border...

 

Its probably a good idea to announce the 2010 event asap as it will give us insular southerners time to make the necessary mental adjustments to (and bleatings about!) the distances involved :D

 

Best of luck,

 

Mike and Helen

 

ps - Has there been an event at the summit of a Munro yet?

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Never been caching around Bristol but it is easy to get to for many people and sounds like a good plan. Deciding to go to Scotland in 2010 does redress the geographical balance a little and there are some excellent caches in the Stirling area. Both ideas get a big thumbs up from me!

Lovely! [:D]

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Never been to a meet before with geocachers but would love to attend one if noobies with five kids and a folding camper are welcome this one would be ideal as it is not far from us so if we can we would like to put our names down for this depending on dates :D

 

Sorry to be off topic (but I am helping a noobie).

 

Check out the GFAB event, lots of kids, and camping and stuff, a good way to end the school hols and not too far.

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Bristol 2009 and Scotland 2010 both look good to me.

 

 

Opposite ends of the country means that those travelling the furthest to one will find the other much closer to home.

 

 

We are bang in the middle and would hope to visit both depending on dates.

 

 

Good luck to those organising, The Harrogate event has set the bar high for you !!

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Not wishing to tread on any toes.......

 

Could I point out that the Harrogate Committee are having a well earned rest before meeting next month to evaluate the event.

It has been informally mentioned between ourselves that a few of us might wish to put on another event at the same venue sometime in the future - not next year, but 2010 could have been a possibility.

 

Reading Michael's encouraging words earlier in this thread, he suggested that the UK could support two events per year, and I agree.

So if (and that's a big if) we did decide to try again in 2010 it would probably be earlier in the year, leaving the summer hols to our friends in the North.

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ps - Has there been an event at the summit of a Munro yet?

Yes, one or two, we usually try to organise one climbing event each year. It does appear as though this year has fell by the wayside though?

 

How do-able are Ben Vorlich and Stuc a' Chroin? Could an ascent of one (or both) be included as a side-event?

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Not wishing to tread on any toes.......

 

Could I point out that the Harrogate Committee are having a well earned rest before meeting next month to evaluate the event.

It has been informally mentioned between ourselves that a few of us might wish to put on another event at the same venue sometime in the future - not next year, but 2010 could have been a possibility.

 

Reading Michael's encouraging words earlier in this thread, he suggested that the UK could support two events per year, and I agree.

So if (and that's a big if) we did decide to try again in 2010 it would probably be earlier in the year, leaving the summer hols to our friends in the North.

I think two events in one year will depreciate the numbers attending significantly, more so the second event of the year. People just can't afford to travel to two major events in one year. I know I can't.

 

I must say that your statement that Harrogate wishes to hold another in possibly 2010 has came as a blow. I personally do not wish to put in a lot of effort to find that another event has been organised in the same year, which will take numbers away from the further to travel event. So if it has been informally mentioned, can it be formally decided please, so that the Scottish cachers can make an informed decision?

 

ps - Has there been an event at the summit of a Munro yet?

Yes, one or two, we usually try to organise one climbing event each year. It does appear as though this year has fell by the wayside though?

 

How do-able are Ben Vorlich and Stuc a' Chroin? Could an ascent of one (or both) be included as a side-event?

I'm not sure, but it is something we could look at as a lead up event.

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I agree with Haggis Hunter on this one. An early 2010 event in Harrogate would almost certainly put a lot of southern folk off a later event in Scotland because of the extra distance to travel. The novelty of the mega will wear off if too many are planned and the drop in numbers could put their mega staus at risk.

 

 

Stick to one per year and let it move around providing there are enough volunteers willing to organise at different venues. That way those who like to travel get to see new places and those who don't might end up with a mega a little closer to home one year.

 

 

Harrogate may be fairly central to the UK but it is still a long way from the corners !!

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I agree with Haggis Hunter on this one. An early 2010 event in Harrogate would almost certainly put a lot of southern folk off a later event in Scotland because of the extra distance to travel. The novelty of the mega will wear off if too many are planned and the drop in numbers could put their mega staus at risk.

 

I disagree - obviously can't speak for everyone, but I imagine that an earlier in the year event wouldn't appeal to as many people, especially those with families, or that are tied to school holidays. therefore we, and many others I imagine, would always pick the summer holiday event, assuming we were able to go to either that year!

 

Having said that, I DO agree that the UK could probably only really manage 1 mega per year anyway, despite Michael's post earlier. I strongly believe that this one was SO well atended BECAUSE it was the first, and future ones would probably not get quite the same numbers, regardless of where it is held.

 

only my opinion though - happy to be proved wrong in the futuure!

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I must say that your statement that Harrogate wishes to hold another in possibly 2010 has came as a blow. I personally do not wish to put in a lot of effort to find that another event has been organised in the same year, which will take numbers away from the further to travel event. So if it has been informally mentioned, can it be formally decided please, so that the Scottish cachers can make an informed decision?

 

As I said, it's a "big if" at the moment - Robin is on holiday so it wouldn't be discussed until the end of September. A few of our committee have said "never again", so it really is a very slim possibility at the moment; but bear in mind we have a venue that has said we are more than welcome to come back, and the experiences and practices in place to make it happen again.

 

I'm just putting the possibility out into the ether before all the Mega Events up to 2020 are pre-arranged :D

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My 2p worth....

 

I'd say let it move round a bit Jamie, for now I'm all Mega'd ( can I say that :( ) out but by 2011 if no one wanted to run one I may change my mind and say OK I'll help out..

 

Having said that there is a slight ulterior motive for supporting an event in Scotland... I used to live in Dunblane so going to a Mega any where near there would be great...

 

Now a smaller camping event... may ( just may :D ) be a differant matter

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Although don't live there I have visited Bristol many times and love it, but one word of advice (not criticism) if travelling down there along the M6 & M5. Do yourself a favour and go on Thursday or Saturday, avoid Fridays at all costs, it usually doubles our travelling time to about 6-7 hours. We find going earlier or later is much, much easier.

Some cracking caches down there too! :D

Edited by gingerbreadmen
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Yay Bristol, less than 2 hours away! Will def try and be there and will try and drag along a few others this time. My 10 year old nephew has been introduced to my addiction and enjoys it so much he wants his own account and a GPS so I can always bring him along with me!

 

I agree that 1 Mega per year is probably best but is there were 2 in 2010, I would plump for Scotland over Harrogate as good to go somewhere new. I loved the Mega at Harrogate but maybe a little soon to do another one there, if there are others willing to organise then let it keep moving around!

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Any chance that discussions regarding 2010 onwards could be talked about on another thread? It hardly seems fair to the 2009 organisers that the majority of this page has been taken over by discussions for further in the future.

 

I'm also not sure that 'bagsying' all future years now is at all helpful given that 2009 is not done with yet.

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Any chance that discussions regarding 2010 onwards could be talked about on another thread? It hardly seems fair to the 2009 organisers that the majority of this page has been taken over by discussions for further in the future.

 

I'm also not sure that 'bagsying' all future years now is at all helpful given that 2009 is not done with yet.

 

Yes I agree, thanks. I do hope that announcements for any 2010 event don't put people off attending in 2009 if the 2010 location happened to be more convenient. I personally think that there is room for just one Mega per year at the moment, and I do worry a little bit that Mega 2009 errrrr might not be "Mega" even without a 2010 announcement.

 

Let's keep focussed on next year please :D

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/me sits on the fence...

 

I'll go wherever there's a mega event - or most other events, for that matter, so long as there's camping, the chance to stay for longer than a few days and it fits in with what I have planned in my life (yes, I DO have a life outside of eventing!)

 

However, a Mega event in Scotland or Bristol, or wherever, in Februay (ie not a great time to camp) would be off the cards for me...

 

Have tent, will camp!

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We'd probably be up for Scotland in 2010 too if it is in an area easily reachable from public transport.

 

Mega Scotland 2010 is clearly at the feasibility/early stages of planing but the current thoughts are that it would be in the central belt so should be easily reachable by public transport but we will keep this in mind.

Edited by Big Wolf
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