Bellingham Cache Machine III

[+Berta Nick Zoey]

(Things can and will change before the actual date of the Event. I will post periodic updates in this thread)

Cache listing will be available very soon with a link to it.

 

The folks in Bellingham keep planting caches so its time to head back to find them.

Saturday, August 22, 2009, at 5:30 a.m.

 

This route will keep most hunters busy all day. It has been planned so that the casual

hunters can call it quits after cache #70 and the energetic folks can head further north

for another 40+ caches.

 

Please drive safely. No tickets!! This is not a race; there are no winners. The only loser will be someone who gets hurt.

 

If you're still out on the road at dinner time (7:00 p.m.), skip the rest of the route and come on in.

Socializing at dinner is one of the best parts of machine events.

 

The most important rule:

 

As with all cache machines, if you find the cache, you'll be the one who has to re-hide it. Hide it as well as you found it.

 

For any micro cache with a tiny logbook that we find on the event, one "BCM" log entry should suffice for the group. We tend to fill up log books too quickly, and our stickers tend to make micro log books hard to re-stash. For normal-sized caches, or even large micros (like key holders), everyone should sign in.

 

Bring FRS radios if you’ve got them. We’ll use Channel 2 to communicate among caching vehicles and to say 'Howdy' to listening locals. Suggestions and ''Count me ins'' are welcome on the event page, which will be up soon.

 

If you’ve already found a couple of these caches, that’s fine - give us a chance to find the cache, and then we may turn to you for a hint.

 

-----

 

Bellingham Cache Machine III FAQ:

 

When is it?

5:30 a.m., Saturday, August 22, 2009. Latecomers can track us down en route.

 

Where are people staying?

See the thread below. There are at least 8 hotels within a mile of the dinner location

 

Will it be one large group, will we be split into teams, or what?

We start the day as one giant group, which means we'll hopefully find each cache quickly.

Then it's on to the next one. The group tends to fragment after the first few caches, though.

The longer we can keep the big group together, the more fun it is!

 

Is anything going on before, during, or after?

- Friday, August 21, 2009, there will be an informal pre-event dinner at the

Food Court of the Bellis Fair Mall located 3/10 of a mile SW of the starting point of the route.

N 48 47.116 W 122 29.522

 

- Saturday, August 22, 2009, at 7:00 p.m., dinner will be at Lorenzo’s Mexican Restaurant,

N 48° 47.397 W 122° 29.048

190 E. Bakerview Rd, Bellingham

 

A cache on your map shows the wrong place to park.

Let me know, and I'll incorporate it into the route.

 

It sounds fun, but I've already found some of them.

Then come laugh at us, or guess when we'll be at the caches you haven't hit yet. Monitor FRS channel 2.

 

You don't have X cache on the route. Why aren't we getting that one?

There's too many caches to get them all, so I've had to prune a lot of them off the route.

 

You have X cache on the route, but it's disabled/archived.

Let me know, and I'll remove it from the route (if archived) or will check with the owner (if disabled).

 

The route goes past dinner time, into Sunday. Is this a two-day event?

Nope. The extra time is a buffer, in case you're so good that you run out of caches before you run out of daylight

I don't expect to hit all of them, and designed the route so that those who want the extra challenge to keep going can do so. If you want to get them all, stick around and head back out on Sunday!

 

X cache is in an environmentally sensitive area.

By all means, let me know. I’ll skip the cache altogether.

 

I disagree with the whole idea of cache machines. I don't want you finding my cache.

I totally understand if you don’t want your cache on the route. I will remove them, no problem.

 

What's this gonna cost me?

Lots of money?….Naw. It all depends on how you plan your trip. Lodging, carpooling, meals, etc.

 

Lunch? Breaks? Bathrooms?

Lunch: Saturdays mid-route lunch will be put on by local cachers at Whatcom Falls Park Pavilion.

Which is in the same parking lot as the Go Chasing Waterfalls Earth Cache.

Time 11:30AM til 1:30PM Donations accepted.

Edited July 8, 2009 by Berta, Nick and Zoey

[+AndrewRJ]

 

For any micro cache with a tiny logbook that we find on the event, one "VCM2" log entry should suffice for the group. We tend to fill up log books too quickly, and our stickers tend to make micro log books hard to re-stash. For normal-sized caches, or even large micros (like key holders), everyone should sign in.

 

comment irrelvent since the edit was made.

Edited July 8, 2009 by AndrewRJ

[+Berta Nick Zoey]

That proof-reader has been fired!!! He was retirement age anyway

[+Berta Nick Zoey]

First Draft Edited July 8, 2009 by Berta, Nick and Zoey

[+franc333]

I was just wondering if you were aware of this taking place the same time at the Northwest Washington Fair? One the the caches is at the front of the fair...

[+Berta Nick Zoey]

I was just wondering if you were aware of this taking place the same time at the Northwest Washington Fair? One the the caches is at the front of the fair...

 

Not being from Bellingham perhaps you could let me know what particular cache it is that you are referring to and I will look into it.

 

Thank You

 

Nick

[+WRASTRO]

I was just wondering if you were aware of this taking place the same time at the Northwest Washington Fair? One the the caches is at the front of the fair...

 

Not being from Bellingham perhaps you could let me know what particular cache it is that you are referring to and I will look into it.

 

Thank You

 

Nick

The fair is in Lynden and I am guessing this The Fair is the cache.

[+Berta Nick Zoey]

After looking at the Bing aerial view of the area, I will be adjusting the route away from Front Street. This will be reflected in a future draft of the route.

[+Half-Canadian]

After looking at the Bing aerial view of the area, I will be adjusting the route away from Front Street. This will be reflected in a future draft of the route.

 

As I asked you earlier, please make sure that you have removed the Whatcom Spirit quest cemetery caches from the route -- they would not be appropriate for a large group of cachers descending on one day.

 

Thanks, Laurie

[KobayashiMaru]

alot of the caches on your route draft were archived today. its not looking good.

[+Pyewacket]

Would any out-of-towners attending be willing to trade a seat in your cachemobile for sleeping on my queen-sized AeroBed and properly-made tea and a vegetarian brekkie in the morning? I live in Sumas, which is 25+/- miles from B'ham.

[+The Jester]

First Draft

While checking this out, I noticed one thing, if you'd include the GCxxxx number along with the name in the route discription it would make it easier. Thanks.

[+Berta Nick Zoey]

alot of the caches on your route draft were archived today. its not looking good.

 

I did notice that 5 caches were archived. It appears to me that some were muggled, some were damaged. I've been pondering about the Cache Machine for the past week or so. I will give it until the end of the month to see what the participation is.

 

I know that having CM's in addition to Travis's may be overload to some people. But then, maybe not for others. My first two were successful (at least I thought so) and I'd spoken to others who wanted a CM in Bellingham.

 

Even though theres been CM's there previously, there are only 5 caches on this route that were on the last Bellingham CM.

 

One of the hardest things to do is find a date that works.

 

I'm open for suggestions from anyone who offers anything good or bad.

 

Nick

[+Berta Nick Zoey]

First Draft

While checking this out, I noticed one thing, if you'd include the GCxxxx number along with the name in the route discription it would make it easier. Thanks.

 

Thanks Jester, I'll see what I can do to fix that for the next draft.

[+Berta Nick Zoey]

Due to various circumstances I am pulling the plug on the Bellingham Cache Machine Dinner.

 

Thanks go out to those who had already signed up for this event!!

 

And a huge Thanks goes out to Theresa (Three Bottles) and Laurie (Half-Canadian) for thier help in route planning.

Edited July 22, 2009 by Berta, Nick and Zoey

[+magking1971]

I vote for the 15th, only because I will be in town that day

[+Sagefox]

We are thinking about it. Haven't given up yet.

[+fairyhoney]

So, does this mean it is a GO OR a NO ?

[+Berta Nick Zoey]

The Bellingham Cache Machine and the bellingham Cache machine Dinner have been canceled. So its a no go!! Sorry

Edited August 4, 2009 by Berta, Nick and Zoey