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Golden State DeLorme Challenge

DiverVan

By DiverVan
in West and Southwest

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DiverVan

+DiverVan

Posted
Posted

Howdy!

 

With lots of inspiration from Hacoole and Moose Mob (and an evil streak a mile wide :P ), I have published the Golden State DeLorme Challenge. This uses the newly published California DeLorme Atlas that covers the whole state. It's pretty straight forward - find one cache on each page, except Pg 139 which requires TWO. :laughing:

 

A few questions have arisen already - so let me address them here...

 

Ouch #1: "Mystery/Puzzle caches do NOT count": Because, by their nature, the final coordinates are not known - I can't verify what page they are on.

 

Ouch #2: "Caches found for either of the other two California DeLorme challenges may NOT be counted for this one": This was a condition of getting the cache approved. Groundspeak Board of Appeals (which I had to get approval from) wanted to prevent the multiple logging of somewhat similar Challenge Caches with the same list of caches.

 

I hope this clears things up a little... Best of luck on this epic tour of the State of California. I look forward to watching your progress.

 

Cheers,

DiverVan

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Sagefox

+Sagefox

Posted
Posted

Howdy!

 

Ouch #2: "Caches found for either of the other two California DeLorme challenges may NOT be counted for this one": This was a condition of getting the cache approved. Groundspeak Board of Appeals (which I had to get approval from) wanted to prevent the multiple logging of somewhat similar Challenge Caches with the same list of caches.

 

Well I never knew about that. But, then again, this must be the first time that two DeLormes cover the same area.

 

And... I didn't know there was a new, single DeLorme covering the entire state. We just got back home from a 9 day visit to Nor. CA. Drats... I could have bought the new book while down there. I am wondering if it is twice as thick as either of the original two books or if the maps cover larger areas. I'll have to wait and see.

 

Thanks DiverVan for this new DC cache.

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DiverVan

+DiverVan

Posted
  • Author
Posted

 

And... I didn't know there was a new, single DeLorme covering the entire state. We just got back home from a 9 day visit to Nor. CA. Drats... I could have bought the new book while down there. I am wondering if it is twice as thick as either of the original two books or if the maps cover larger areas. I'll have to wait and see.

 

Thanks DiverVan for this new DC cache.

 

The new atlas is just a little thicker and is flat bound instead of folded and stapled. The maps are a little smaller scale than the previous version.

 

DV

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Gary&Vicky

+Gary&Vicky

Posted
Posted

DiverVan,

 

Great to see this new DeLorme challenge. It has been a while since we've chased the arrow around the entire state. I was sure glad to see this rule: Caches found and logged online prior to the publication of this cache do count towards pages found.

 

I am hoping that some of you smart people out there will create Google Earth grids, java scripts and/or other DeLorme Challenge tools for us. hynr, bootybuddies are you listening?

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4wheeler

+4wheeler

Posted
Posted (edited)

I picked up the new atlas last year. TA and I were talking about creating a new evil challenge cache using this new atlas only previous cache finds wouldn't count. Everyone would start from zero but we talked ourselves out of it. Glad to see someone else is not so evil. I guess my hat is first in the ring. Have 98 of the 137 pages logged.

Edited by 4wheeler
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elrojo14

+elrojo14

Posted
Posted (edited)

DeLorme was at the SHOT Show in Orlando and I asked if they had a California map. They had tons of the south, but after some digging, he found a California one. I asked how much, he said, "$20, but just take it."

 

Awesome!

 

However, I didn't realize until I started searching that I got the map for a brand new challenge. Nice.

 

I really appreciate that I can use my previous finds. I think I might go start an Excel sheet by page number.

 

[two hours later]

 

I have created an Excel file that you can use to track the pages. If anyone wants it, just e-mail me and I will send it to you.

 

I have discovered that I have 35 out of the 139 pages. It is a bummer to see where I have been and just missed a few pages by a mile or two.

 

Important question! I noticed that page 148 is exempt. Are you sure you want to do that since there is a ton of land locked Geocaches on that page in Newport Beach, San Clemente, and San Onofre? I can see exempting the Island, but the instructions make it seem like all of 148 is exempt which I don't think is quite right. Check it out and I think you should not exempt 148.

Edited by elrojo14
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Gary&Vicky

+Gary&Vicky

Posted
Posted

I just received the new California Mapbook as a B-Day. I like the new look. The 1:200,000 scale compared to the 1:150,000 scale is not quite as daunting as a challenge. Don't get me wrong, you still have cover the whole dang state but the number of caches available to find on each page compared to when we did the NorCal DeLorme is significantly greater. Each page in the old book covered an area messuring 23.4 miles by 34.5 miles. A page in the new book covers as area of 32 miles by 44.4 miles. That is big difference. Unless there is some pages down in SoCal that will surprise us, it looks like we won't have anything adventures like we like had on the infamous Page 62 (GCKE5K - 9/27/04). The first cachers to meet the NorCal DeLorme Challenge could not to complete it without sharing some common experiences since several pages only had one cache and they were miles off the beaten path.

 

We are stoked to find to new areas, particular in SoCal for this new adventures. Can't wait to get started.

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Gary&Vicky

+Gary&Vicky

Posted
Posted (edited)

I'll start on this along with the Sac. Valley Quad challenge.

Dale

 

What is the Sac. Valley Quad challenge? I did a search for it but I couldn't find it. Can you give me more information on this? Thanks

 

-Matt

 

You are looking for Sacramento Valley Quadrangle Challenge GCZPKH

Edited by Gary&Vicky
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DiverVan

+DiverVan

Posted
  • Author
Posted

.

 

Important question! I noticed that page 148 is exempt. Are you sure you want to do that since there is a ton of land locked Geocaches on that page in Newport Beach, San Clemente, and San Onofre? I can see exempting the Island, but the instructions make it seem like all of 148 is exempt which I don't think is quite right. Check it out and I think you should not exempt 148.

 

Valid point. Somehow I overlooked the San Clemente/Oceanside section of Pg 148 - I got tunnel vision on the military island of San Clemente. Pg 148 is back on - mainland section only.

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benh57

+benh57

Posted
Posted (edited)

I am pretty sure that the new requirement (as in, within the past year) for 'challenge caches' was that they be AT the posted coordinates. Has that rule been revoked, or was this one just overlooked?

 

I suspect overlooked... or possibly an exception made since this is a 'state wide' challenge?

Edited by benh57
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DiverVan

+DiverVan

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I am pretty sure that the new requirement (as in, within the past year) for 'challenge caches' was that they be AT the posted coordinates. Has that rule been revoked, or was this one just overlooked?

 

I suspect overlooked... or possibly an exception made since this is a 'state wide' challenge?

 

The cache is located at the "FINAL" coordinates listed on the page - but confirmation of finds must be accomplished before logging.

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benh57

+benh57

Posted
Posted

I am pretty sure that the new requirement (as in, within the past year) for 'challenge caches' was that they be AT the posted coordinates. Has that rule been revoked, or was this one just overlooked?

 

I suspect overlooked... or possibly an exception made since this is a 'state wide' challenge?

 

The cache is located at the "FINAL" coordinates listed on the page - but confirmation of finds must be accomplished before logging.

 

That makes sense. That method also allows you to move the 'posted' coordinates around the state periodically so others can discover the challenge.

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MotorBug

+MotorBug

Posted
Posted

 

A few questions have arisen already - so let me address them here...

Ouch #1: "Mystery/Puzzle caches do NOT count": Because, by their nature, the final coordinates are not known - I can't verify what page they are on.

Most other challenge caches are silent on this category of caches or just say that the posted coords will be used.

 

Why not do the same thing? That is the way the two owners you referenced do it.

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MotorBug

+MotorBug

Posted
Posted

:mad: I know this is a little off topic; I'm a newbie......are there quad challenges near everyone? Like the Bay Area? How would you find out? thanks......

 

Since I think you mean the San Francisco bay area (you posted a note to one of my caches today), you will find Geocachers of the Bay Area of interest. Sign up for the site (free, no spam) and then navigate in the forums to Caching Contests. Several bay area challenges are discussed there.

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Hynr

+Hynr

Posted
Posted

I updated the GSAK macro to include this challenge.

 

It's not a definitive tool for this because it has no way to know what caches someone might have used for another challenge (although it could certainly determine its own list). The way to make this work is as follows: you would need to create a separate all finds database in GSAK, delete all the caches you used for the other challenges, when deleting these, set things so they do not get reloaded, then update this with AllFInds PQs as you get them. I don't really see any other way to do this. And I see no way that DiverVan could enforce the rule, especially when someone logs the other ones after this one.

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Sagefox

+Sagefox

Posted
Posted

A found the new CA DeLorme at a local Barns and Nobel in Olympia, WA and have now calculated that we have 51 qualified pages. We have cache finds on several more pages but they will be used for the No. CA DeLorme so we will have to revisit those pages.

 

Since we live in Olympia now rather than Fort Bragg it looks like this could be a 7 year project for us. But we will be working on it.

 

P.S. I like the new book. The maps are easier to read and it looks like they haven't left out the wee little back roads.

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elrojo14

+elrojo14

Posted
Posted

It has been brought to my attention that Pages 20 & 21, which cover Yosemite Park, are not shown on the full map on the back cover. These pages are required and can not use a cache used for Page 76.

 

Sorry for this oversight on my part...

This says that pages 20 & 21 are required, but the cache description says they are optional. Which rule do you want us to follow? I say make them mandatory and make people go see Yosemite!

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elrojo14

+elrojo14

Posted
Posted

For those of you wanting a good format to save your finds as a Bookmark List, check mine out.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/bookmarks/view.a...b1-5da34c701bac

 

Note that I put the page number in front of the cache name. That way the bookmark list sorts it by page number and keeps them in order. Also note you will want to use a zero in front of the two digit maps or they will get sorted after the 100s.

 

I also have an Excel spreadsheet of them, but really it isn't necessary if I just had started with the Bookmark List. As long as you put the date in your Bookmark List notes, all the info is there.

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jsingewald

+jsingewald

Posted
Posted (edited)

I have been caching for 2.5 years now and have some 2600 finds but only recently located these Delorme Challenge caches. I decided it would be fun to try and checked my profile for this cache and discovered I had already found 37 of 138 pages. Last weekend I had to make a drive between San Jose and Bakersfield so I decided to map out a route down Highway 101, east on Highway 46 and North on Highway 99 and I was able to collect 11 new pages on my 610 mile roadtrip. So, while I only have 48 of 138, I am already looking forward to my next travels for additional pages. Congrats to those of you that have recently completed this incredible adventure!

Edited by jsingewald
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Driver Carries Cache

+Driver Carries Cache

Posted
Posted

I've been studying the maps and geocaching.com trying to decide which caches I want to find for the NorCal Delorme challenge. I especially want to make sure that on each page I find a cache which is unique in some way... scenic, historic, "oldest" caches, epic or just plain fun! Does anyone have any suggestions for the Northernmost part of the state?

 

Thanks!

 

Driver Carries Cache

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elrojo14

+elrojo14

Posted
Posted (edited)

It has been brought to my attention that Pages 20 & 21, which cover Yosemite Park, are not shown on the full map on the back cover. These pages are required and can not use a cache used for Page 76.

 

Sorry for this oversight on my part...

This says that pages 20 & 21 are required, but the cache description says they are optional. Which rule do you want us to follow? I say make them mandatory and make people go see Yosemite!

Well mandatory or not, I picked them up this week! I also got Page 76 which I missed on my run down the 395 over Easter Break by only .2 miles! I had already run one roadblock that day and didn't feel like pushing my luck since I knew I would be hitting Yosemite someday.

 

It says I have 86.5 of the pages. I wonder what the .5 is about.

 

elrojo14.CADeLorme.jpg

Edited by elrojo14
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elrojo14

+elrojo14

Posted
Posted (edited)

Why doesn't anyone cruise this page anymore? I guess everything has been answered.

 

In June I did a 1900+ mile road trip over six days and finished the entire northern end.

 

elrojo14.CADeLorme.jpg?random=5930

 

I just got a nice trail bike so I might use it some for the desert sections I am missing.

 

I think I might try to finish off the southern end again this summer and take another road trip. I better start planning that trip now. It should be nearly as epic as last summer's northern California trip. I will have to make the find on the 58 Counties Challenge when I do it.

 

And then I am missing two maps on the central coast, I might just have to get those and cruise all the way up the 1 to SF and get the final.

 

109 of 135 done and I got Catalina on my birthday last year.

 

Here is a good question. What would happen if I planted a cache on page 79? I would clearly still be exempt from finding it right since a cache planted in an area doesn't count and if I planted one there, it would be the only cache there?

Edited by elrojo14
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4wheeler

+4wheeler

Posted
Posted

I had a reunion with the Devilfish scuba diving club, that I belonged to while at Cal State LA in 1969, this past weekend and took advantage of it to return to the Bay area via Death Valley and Yosemite. Was able to log the final 5 map pages and complete the challenge. I was also able to scratch a couple more off the bucket list while in Death Valley: I will never again drive through Lippincott Pass and I will never again hike to the bottom of Ubehebe Crater.

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DragonsWest

+DragonsWest

Posted
Posted

19 to go, after hitting Catalina Island for a couple dozen earlier this month. Unwittingly picked up another Page 139 cache in Simi Valley the morning before driving down to LB to catch the boat to Avalon. Going to see if I can pick off 7 more during November on my usual trek to the desert. Should leave an even dozen for early 2016 :)

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elrojo14

+elrojo14

Posted
Posted

Unless I'm mistaken, page 89 only has two caches, both at Scotty's Castle. According to the NPS website, Scotty's Castle is closed and off limits until sometime in 2019. Are there any options to complete this challenge before then?

 

Yeah this isn't good. That might make me have to postpone a Death Valley run until it is available again and that is a long ways away!

 

https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/news/flood-damage-worse-than-originally-realized-10-22-15.htm

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elrojo14

+elrojo14

Posted
Posted

So I finally made it out to Death Valley and hit the north end. Page 89 only has one active cache and I think anyone finding it is armchairing it and not making it to the castle. I am a bit of a rebel and would dual sport up to it, but it's going to be clear I am breaking the law. So is it going to be optional until they officially reopen the road?

I got Page 79 done!!!

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elrojo14

+elrojo14

Posted
Posted

After a Yuma run last month, I am down to just two Death Valley pages left (three counting the currently closed 89)! If they are taking tours to Scotty's Castle, I wonder if I should just sneak out there when no one is looking? I am sure it is worth vehicle impoundment and huge fines. 

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hzoi

+hzoi

Posted
Posted
16 hours ago, elrojo14 said:

After a Yuma run last month, I am down to just two Death Valley pages left (three counting the currently closed 89)! If they are taking tours to Scotty's Castle, I wonder if I should just sneak out there when no one is looking? I am sure it is worth vehicle impoundment and huge fines. 

I'll just leave this here.

Personally, imprisonment for up to six months seems a steep penalty, especially when tours are (or at least were) available, but your mileage may vary.  :anibad:

On a more serious note - have you considered asking the CO for a temporary exemption?  After all, pages 136 and 137 are exempt.  I'd argue that having the one cache on a page virtually (pun intended) unavailable until 2020 is good cause for an exemption.

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elrojo14

+elrojo14

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 4/17/2018 at 7:37 AM, hzoi said:

I'll just leave this here.

Personally, imprisonment for up to six months seems a steep penalty, especially when tours are (or at least were) available, but your mileage may vary.  :anibad:

On a more serious note - have you considered asking the CO for a temporary exemption?  After all, pages 136 and 137 are exempt.  I'd argue that having the one cache on a page virtually (pun intended) unavailable until 2020 is good cause for an exemption.

The CO already has said the page is exempt, so we are good there. I have been to prison before, I am not going back! 

The tours are now over. They ended in April. I wonder if and when they will start up again?

 

Also, I went up to the final coordinates listed on the page, that is just a bush outside of the Placer County Courthouse. Don't go looking there for the cache like I did! LOL! No big deal and I enjoyed the area while I was there. 

Edited by elrojo14
added
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elrojo14

+elrojo14

Posted
Posted
On 9/10/2018 at 11:31 AM, elrojo14 said:

The tours for Scotty's Castle are back on. I just booked two tickets for Sunday December 23 at 9:30 AM. I hope it doesn't rain on us that day!
https://www.dvnha.org/programs-events/death-valley-institute-field-school-events/scotty-s-castle-flood-recovery-tours-walking-tour

So this tour got cancelled by a Trump government shutdown. Well tomorrow I am finally going to make it if all goes according to plan. I can finally remove my * find of this challenge and be legit! I will post an update next week after we get back! 

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