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Blackout?

TeamIDFC

By TeamIDFC
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TeamIDFC

+TeamIDFC

Posted
Posted

For some reason I decided that MsIDFC and I should try to find every cache in our hometown of Bellevue.

 

- Did you know there are currently 178 active caches in Bellevue?

- Did you know there are some insane caches in Bellevue?

- Did you know anyone idiotic enough to try and find them all should be institutionalized?

 

Given that we are making good progress (down to just 15 with a decent line on 5 of them) it dawned on me that there should be some kind of celebration of this dubious milestone. Ok, but what kind of denotation should it have?

 

A cache, obviously. But what kind of cache?

 

I had two thoughts:

 

1) Moderately insane: "A century of Bellevue" - a cache open to anyone that has found 100+ caches in Bellevue (active or not).

2) Completely nuts: "Bellevue Blackout" - a cache open to anyone stupid enough to follow in our footsteps.

 

I think #1 is reasonably obtainable for anyone caching on the eastside for a year or so.

I know #2 is only for the moderately insane. But, there are a number of folks that have found a goodly number of the "harder" cache in Bellevue, so there should be some arm-chair folks that have a pretty good start.

 

What do folks think? Will anyone go for #2 or am I just going to be placing a cache and not have anyone even think of making at attempt?

 

Any input appreciated...

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hydnsek

+hydnsek

Posted
Posted

Well, we have no shortage of challenge caches already, including geographical ones (King County Thomas Guide (ahem), Counties, DeLorme, et al). I will never find every Bellevue cache (don't even want to), but I congratulate y'all on your upcoming achievement, and I'm sure a few folks would pursue #2 if you publish it. Finders will be far fewer than if you do #1, so I guess it depends on how exclusive you want the cache to be.

 

Am wondering how you will set the "found every cache in Bellevue" criteria, as new caches are published almost daily (as of a certain date, I guess?). I was reminded of this just yesterday, when ruck was telling me of his personal quest to find every cache in Kitsap County, which is pretty darn challenging, too. He achieved his goal...for 12 hours, until two new ones were published. :angry:

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Kiersolvd

+Kiersolvd

Posted
Posted (edited)

Congratulations upon getting so close to your goal. I know there are some insane caches in Bellevue, like some that need to get out on water? :D Onkle Ole would be proud of you. There are some really nice ones and some with containers that got me smiling to myself.

 

I'm aware that clearing out an area, like a city, or all within a certain distance from your home, or Tiger Mountain has a charm that many folk go after. I know of a couple folk who's goal is to keep Seattle all cleared out (500+ caches).

 

How to celebrate the achievement of that goal? Cache? Event? Other? I don't know how to advise you other than to share with others what is important to you. I look forward to the crossing of trails sometime in the future. ~K

Edited by Kiersolvd
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WRASTRO

+WRASTRO

Posted
Posted (edited)

Congratulations upon getting so close to your goal. I know there are some insane caches in Bellevue, like some that need to get out on water? :D Onkle Ole would be proud of you. There are some really nice ones and some with containers that got me smiling to myself.

 

I'm aware that clearing out an area, like a city, or all within a certain distance from your home, or Tiger Mountain has a charm that many folk go after. I know of a couple folk who's goal is to keep Seattle all cleared out (500+ caches).

 

How to celebrate the achievement of that goal? Cache? Event? Other? I don't know how to advise you other than to share with others what is important to you. I look forward to the crossing of trails sometime in the future. ~K

You stole my thunder! -_- I tend to head out and find most everything that pops up north of I-90, west of Lake Sammamish and on up to Bothel and Woodinville within a week or two of caches being published. But there are some caches that require using a boat that I just haven't gone after. Yet.

Edited by WRASTRO
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TeamIDFC

+TeamIDFC

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  • Author
Posted

The nature of the blackout would certainly be transitory - you would achieve it for a moment, celebrate, then start the clock to see how quickly it fades. (It reminds me of the software development concept of Zero Bug Bounce. The devs do all they can to get to zero - and it is usually about 3am and only lasts until the first tester comes into work in the morning to see what they've broken.)

 

Here's what I'm thinking about:

  • Subscriber-only: there are already subscriber caches in Bellevue - you couldn't do this one without them
  • GSAK required: given the nature of the wacko city boundaries the only reasonable way to check is to use Mount10Bike's city filters
  • Moment-in-time honor system: the finder is free to find the cache when they complete the challenge (since we can't do the email-the-coords thing anymore the coords will be in the listing), but they are requested to send TeamIDFC a GPX file with all their finds in Bellevue. Similar to the way King County Thomas is done.
  • I'll then update the cache listing with their completion date, find date, and how many hours it took until they were undone by a new cache… <_<

Now I just have to find a spot for a final. Back to the maps… :(

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AndrewRJ

+AndrewRJ

Posted
Posted

Just guessing but I think that FrodoB would be the FTF.

 

That said, I am only about 40 away at this point, and I need a boat.

Yah, my money's on FrodoB too.

 

And several of us have kayaks that could be loaned, so there goes that excuse. <_<

I just pulled up MTB filter. Apparently I have 69 left. But here is what I did discover. The filter leaves off 163 houses, Sunken Forest EC and the other cache there.

 

So where are you going to call the boundaries of Bellevue, the middle of the lake? or...

 

Also some of those 69 caches are disabled which would be a large nuisance if that was all you have left. Just a few other things to think about.

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WRASTRO

+WRASTRO

Posted
Posted

Just guessing but I think that FrodoB would be the FTF.

 

That said, I am only about 40 away at this point, and I need a boat.

Yah, my money's on FrodoB too.

 

And several of us have kayaks that could be loaned, so there goes that excuse. <_<

I may need to take you up on that offer just to eliminate my excuse! Do you have two so Elroy could go along?

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hydnsek

+hydnsek

Posted
Posted (edited)

Just guessing but I think that FrodoB would be the FTF.

 

That said, I am only about 40 away at this point, and I need a boat.

Yah, my money's on FrodoB too.

 

And several of us have kayaks that could be loaned, so there goes that excuse. <_<

I may need to take you up on that offer just to eliminate my excuse! Do you have two so Elroy could go along?

I only have one, Chili Pepper, which you are welcome to borrow (be sure you can transport it!). I can't speak for anyone else, I'll just say that some other cachers with similar kayaks (less-expensive 10-footers that are durable and easy to use) include MarcusArelius (who lives near me), Prying Pandora, LandRover, Johnnie Boy....

Edited by hydnsek
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TeamIDFC

+TeamIDFC

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Posted

I just pulled up MTB filter. <snip> The filter leaves off 163 houses, Sunken Forest EC and the other cache there.

 

So where are you going to call the boundaries of Bellevue, the middle of the lake? or...

Make 'em do 163 Houses!! <_<:(:huh:

Interesting. Beware the Sunken Forest and Sunken Forest EC are both technically in Issaquah, so they are already out. 163 Houses, however, would be in Bellevue (at least off-shore from Bellevue).

 

I've been using the MTB filter for my calculations and, as it is a good map of the shore lands, it would indeed avoid 163 Houses - even though it is so close to shore. Given that I've said the GSAK/MTB Bellevue filter is the toolset, I am comfortable with it as the gospel. So, no 163 Houses for the Blackout. Hey, that still leaves the Slough caches and Phantom! :D

 

Ok, so the slightly revised rules are:

  • Subscriber-only
  • GSAK/MTB filters are the gospel for in/out
  • Moment-in-time honor system

PS: MsIDFC says that if anyone completes the blackout they can portage from our house and save the 2 mile paddle... :P

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TeamIDFC

+TeamIDFC

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Posted

And several of us have kayaks that could be loaned, so there goes that excuse. <_<

I may need to take you up on that offer just to eliminate my excuse! Do you have two so Elroy could go along?

I only have one, Chili Pepper, which you are welcome to borrow (be sure you can transport it!). I can't speak for anyone else, I'll just say that some other cachers with similar kayaks (less-expensive 10-footers that are durable and easy to use) include MarcusArelius (who lives near me), Prying Pandora, LandRover, Johnnie Boy....

I/we have two, but they are mid-sized (12') and sit on a trailer. If you've got a truck/SUV with a hitch they are an easy 2-fer possibility...

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TeamIDFC

+TeamIDFC

Posted
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Posted

Woo-hooo! Toot your own horn time! I finally solved Cryptonomicon! The worst of the mysteries left has fallen!!!! (how many hours? ug! thank you for a reference to a tool!)

 

We've got a line on 11 of the 15 left (either solved or ready for another attempt). We will complete this challenge!

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Allanon

+Allanon

Posted
Posted (edited)

...can someone tell me what I need to do to use GSAK and the Moun10Bike filter to figure out what caches I have/have not found in Bellevue? Thanks.

I'm not positive that this is the same set of coordinates (i.e. M10B filter), but here goes...

--

Although all the filters have not been transitioned to the new WSGA site yet (only Counties so far), the old site still has them. Go here and copy the whole set of coords.

 

Open GSAK

 

Choose Set Filter

 

Choose the Arc/Poly tab

 

Set Filter Type to Polygon

 

In the Arc/Polygon Points field, delete what it there and Paste the coords you copied from above

 

Click on Go.

--

 

That will bring back all caches you have in GSAK inside the polygon that represents Bellevue. You can refine the filter to only include certain types, ratings, found/not found, etc. If you need help with refining it, let us know.

Edited by Allanon
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TeamIDFC

+TeamIDFC

Posted
  • Author
Posted

...can someone tell me what I need to do to use GSAK and the Moun10Bike filter to figure out what caches I have/have not found in Bellevue? Thanks.

I'm not positive that this is the same set of coordinates (i.e. M10B filter), but here goes...

--

Although all the filters have not been transitioned to the new WSGA site yet (only Counties so far), the old site still has them. Go here and copy the whole set of coords.

 

Open GSAK

Choose Set Filter

Choose the Arc/Poly tab

Set Filter Type to Polygon

In the Arc/Polygon Points field, delete what it there and Paste the coords you copied from above

Click on Go.

--

 

That will bring back all caches you have in GSAK inside the polygon that represents Bellevue. You can refine the filter to only include certain types, ratings, found/not found, etc. If you need help with refining it, let us know.

The only thing to add is to ensure your GSAK database contains all the caches in Bellevue - you need to have pcoket queries set up to do that. I have PQs for every cache within 50 miles of our house (by date) so I know I've got everything in Bellevue, for example.

 

-- Michael (MrIDFC)

 

PS: I think I've identifed a spot for the final, so I hope to get it built up here soon...

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Dgwphotos

+Dgwphotos

Posted
Posted

...can someone tell me what I need to do to use GSAK and the Moun10Bike filter to figure out what caches I have/have not found in Bellevue? Thanks.

I'm not positive that this is the same set of coordinates (i.e. M10B filter), but here goes...

--

Although all the filters have not been transitioned to the new WSGA site yet (only Counties so far), the old site still has them. Go here and copy the whole set of coords.

 

Open GSAK

 

Choose Set Filter

 

Choose the Arc/Poly tab

 

Set Filter Type to Polygon

 

In the Arc/Polygon Points field, delete what it there and Paste the coords you copied from above

 

Click on Go.

--

 

That will bring back all caches you have in GSAK inside the polygon that represents Bellevue. You can refine the filter to only include certain types, ratings, found/not found, etc. If you need help with refining it, let us know.

 

I've noticed accuracy issues with those. I used the Tiger and Squak ones recently for making bookmark lists of all the caches on each mountain, and the Squak bookmark picked up ones that were on Tiger, so they were on both bookmark lists. Also, I had one that wasn't really in either park get onto the list.

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WRASTRO

+WRASTRO

Posted
Posted

...can someone tell me what I need to do to use GSAK and the Moun10Bike filter to figure out what caches I have/have not found in Bellevue? Thanks.

I'm not positive that this is the same set of coordinates (i.e. M10B filter), but here goes...

--

Although all the filters have not been transitioned to the new WSGA site yet (only Counties so far), the old site still has them. Go here and copy the whole set of coords.

 

Open GSAK

Choose Set Filter

Choose the Arc/Poly tab

Set Filter Type to Polygon

In the Arc/Polygon Points field, delete what it there and Paste the coords you copied from above

Click on Go.

--

 

That will bring back all caches you have in GSAK inside the polygon that represents Bellevue. You can refine the filter to only include certain types, ratings, found/not found, etc. If you need help with refining it, let us know.

The only thing to add is to ensure your GSAK database contains all the caches in Bellevue - you need to have pcoket queries set up to do that. I have PQs for every cache within 50 miles of our house (by date) so I know I've got everything in Bellevue, for example.

 

-- Michael (MrIDFC)

 

PS: I think I've identifed a spot for the final, so I hope to get it built up here soon...

Thanks I will give this a try tonight. I think if I go with the My Finds PQ and then run one from a map showing only my unfound caches I should be able to easily get all of the Bellevue caches.

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