cache awards for central arizona

[+bafl01]

I have spoken to several cachers who have brought up the idea of a “best of” cache awarding process. I personally have been in love with the idea since I visited Hawaii. They use a similar system to award caches in Hawaii and in central Texas. I am going to post this similar note in the southwest region of the Groundspeak forum. Additionally, I plan on linking to that forum thread in all of my logs(if anyone objects I will simply remove it). What I am looking for is simply Category ideas or objections to ideas already posted. I will start a poll at the end of March where people will vote on categories and use only 10 or so categories that receive votes. Soon after the categories are set I will create separate threads that will allows people to nominate caches. These threads will be open for thirty days. I think the first time around I will limit nominated caches to ones created in 2009 or before. After thirty days of nomination I will then create poll threads for each category along with a bookmark list with all of the nominated caches. I am thinking about ending the voting process with an event. This thread is to get category ideas and any objections, complains, or suggestions on the process. Please do not nominate caches yet.

The categories that I have run across being used or that have already been suggested are as follows:

best puzzle

more original container

best cache description (historical)

best cache description (amusing, comedic, or entertaining)

Best Urban Cache

Best Urban multi

Best Rural/hiking Cache

Best Rural/hiking Multi

Best nano

Best cache for Kids to find

Best mystery

Best earth cache

Best puzzle

(or should we go best non traditional/multi)

Best cammo or creative container

Most physically challenging

Best log or photo

Most scenic

Best series

Best theme cache.

 

do you find any of these redundant; are there any missing; should we combine or diversify any?

[+simpjkee]

I'm looking forward to participating in this. I sent you a Private Message about it on the azcachers forum

[+bafl01]

I'm looking forward to participating in this. I sent you a Private Message about it. 8-)

I would keep the categories very straight forward and clear. Start basic and let it go from there. With experience you’ll find where new categories should be formed. For example, I think a category like "more original container" and "best cammo container" would fall under the Best category of that cache type. So if you have an original container that’s a traditional, it would fall under "Best Traditional". Same thing with the best nano. The awesome nano cache would be in the category of it’s cache type.

 

Same kinda thing with the puzzle caches. You have "best puzzle" listed twice. I would either consolidate them all as "Best mystery cache" then all caches with a "?" icon would fall in that category. Thats a solid way of clearly showing what would belong in that category. If you decide to separate them as "Best puzzle" and "Best challenge cache" or something, you possibly may get a cache that doesn't totally fall in to either category specifically.

 

I like the idea of having a best urban traditional and best rural traditional. The question becomes “where is the border between rural and urban?”. Would a cache in the Phoenix Mtn’s Preserve be an urban or rural cache? Maybe it’s a rural cache in an urban setting? What about the Gilbert Riparian Preserve? Maybe that’s an urban cache in a rural setting? Maybe a better title would be based on terrain rating. For example, best tradition less than or equal to 2 star terrain and best traditional equal or greater than 2.5 stars. Either way, I would come up with some sort of boundary or guideline to differentiate between a rural and an urban cache. Going by terrain rating is just more concrete.

 

So all that being said, here's how I'd set up the categories:

 

Terrain Less Than or Equal to 2

Best Traditional

Best Multi

Best Mystery

 

Terrain Greater Than or Equal to 2.5

Best Traditional

Best Multi

Best Mystery

 

Overall

Best Cache of Unlisted Type (Wherigo, Earthcache, Letterbox Hybrid)

Best Log

Best Photo

 

That’s 9 categories. The least amount of categories the more nominees you’ll get for each category. I would definitely keep events out of it for any and all events deserve awards in my opinion.

I don't disagree with this system but maybe instead of the photo and the log (which could be separate situation all together.) maybe keep a few of the quarky catagories such as best overall description (historical or comedic), best cammo or container, and best series or theme cache.

 

It would be 9

MORE OPINIONS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[+ShowStop]

You can gather some info off the cache awards I did for the Socal region a few years back.

http://www.cacheaddicts.org/modules.php?na...topic&t=323

 

I also have online voting software if you wanted to do web voting rather then ballots.

[+apyro]

I like the terrain categories idea. It seems like it would ensure a variety of caches would be chosen. I do think having additional categories for camo and creativity would be a fun addition and possibility reward caches that might not have won otherwise!

[+deranja]

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...7d-930e0ef4e9a3

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...dc-93c9cb2377ec

 

Here is a link to how we do it. We have done it 2 years in a row and it is a blast, we make everyone dress up like its the Oscars! We have had amazing turn outs. If you want any ideas or have any questions about how we organized it let me know and i would be happy to help.

[+bafl01]

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...7d-930e0ef4e9a3

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...dc-93c9cb2377ec

 

Here is a link to how we do it. We have done it 2 years in a row and it is a blast, we make everyone dress up like its the Oscars! We have had amazing turn outs. If you want any ideas or have any questions about how we organized it let me know and i would be happy to help.

hey those links are not working, would you mind trying them again. i would love to see that

[+simpjkee]

new suggestion: no ties/draws. one award per category

[+thejeffs]

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...7d-930e0ef4e9a3

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...dc-93c9cb2377ec

 

Here is a link to how we do it. We have done it 2 years in a row and it is a blast, we make everyone dress up like its the Oscars! We have had amazing turn outs. If you want any ideas or have any questions about how we organized it let me know and i would be happy to help.

hey those links are not working, would you mind trying them again. i would love to see that

 

here are the links again

winter formal & "Cache-Ademy Awards"

2nd Annual Winter Formal / Cache-Ademy Awards

[+bafl01]

I agree with the no ties thing .. any voting ties on poles would be settled at the awards event

[+power69]

The thing you always get in this type of thing is there are people that are in the "clique" of others and they get voted up while someone else that isn't in the "circle of friends" could have a better cache but because they aren't in the clique, don't get votes. its pretty much a popularity contest.

[+bafl01]

I hope to detract from any cliqueness by spreading nomination and voting in such a widespread way that it would be difficult. To do this, like i am now, i will be including links in my logs to forums. I also hope others will do the same for me (hint hint wink wink o_-) . if the polls are set up on public forum and i can convince enough people to nominate caches, try the nominated caches, and vote, I hope to minimize the popularity contest. I can see how this could happen but i think i will try again. Instead of just giving the negative, do you have anything constructive that might help with this situation or are you just passively saying it is a bad idea?

[+bafl01]

Furthermore, i socialize and go to events but i personally do not do this enough to even really remember the first name of any cachers except my wife and guy

[+ShowStop]

Instead of just giving the negative, do you have anything constructive that might help with this situation or are you just passively saying it is a bad idea?

From my experience hosting awards like this, once you set it up, you basically become a full-time promoter. Posting links in the forums, notes on event pages, talking about it to people at events. You do this once for the nominations (most important). Then again to get people to vote. People are naturally lazy, so it gets depressing trying to continually get people involved.

[+Arizona Ranger Team]

Here's the problem: Some of the best caches are ones with few visitors. These great caches will never win any popularity contests because too few people have experienced them. Even caches which receive a good number of visitors, will typically pull mainly local cachers. There's no way that an Arizona awards system can truly be graded fairly and accurately because too few cachers both roam widely and sample a wide variety of cache types. Take it from one who does.

 

RA,

AzRT

[+Corfman Clan]

I think setting up an event such as deranja posted/hosted and having a short list of awards that people could vote for ahead of time may work well as a fun themed event.

 

I don't know what value the awards may have though. It seems that some sort of geocaching association should be set up and give the awards at some annual association banquet. That might give more credance to the awards than say, Bafl01's Central AZ Geocaching Awards. I'm not saying that wouldn't work, it just might appear more relevent to people.

 

Another thing I think would help is to well define and limit the geographic area the awards are to cover. AzRT RA brings this issue out. He has several really nice caches all over the state. Not too many people visit most of them. I like to think I have some nice caches too and I know you have not visited any of them. It looks like you have some nice caches but I've only been able to visit a few of them.

 

Another thing. I think the list of awards is too long. Start out small and grow from there. With too many awards, you'll get too few nominations for each category. Again, deranja's event kept the list fairly small, I think I'd mimic that approach.

 

Also keep in mind how many caches are being hidden in the area these days. I don't know what the number is but I imagine there are hundreds published each month in the Phx metro area alone. How you decide to fairly manage thousands of caches for the awards will be interesting, to say the least.

 

Good luck!

[+ShowStop]

Here's the problem: Some of the best caches are ones with few visitors. These great caches will never win any popularity contests because too few people have experienced them. Even caches which receive a good number of visitors, will typically pull mainly local cachers. There's no way that an Arizona awards system can truly be graded fairly and accurately because too few cachers both roam widely and sample a wide variety of cache types.

Very well put. When I hosted our awards a few years back, I left some time between nominations and polling so geocachers who wanted to could go out and seek some of the caches on the list. Not many did this, so obviously many of the votes were from people who had not personally visited the caches being nominated.

 

Another option is to have a panel of judges that goes out to visit the caches nominated and then decides the winners. This is no easy task, so few embark down this road. In the end, Geocaching is a fun game that can be played a number of different ways. Host the awards the way you want and honor the caches that people think should be honored. In the end, people will have fun, some recognition will be handed out, and hopefully (and most importantly) it will inspire others to put some more effort into their cache hides and make the hunt for enjoyable for all.

[+power69]

do you have anything constructive that might help with this situation or are you just passively saying it is a bad idea?

Do i have anything constructive to say? hmmmmmmm sounds like "inner circle" berating an outcast and the thing hasn't even gotten off the ground yet! *sigh*

[+bafl01]

do you have anything constructive that might help with this situation or are you just passively saying it is a bad idea?

Do i have anything constructive to say? hmmmmmmm sounds like "inner circle" berating an outcast and the thing hasn't even gotten off the ground yet! *sigh*

no sir, i happen to consider you as much a part of any "circle" as I am if not MORE. I was simply asking you for something constructive as apposed to negative.

 

as far as the most recent posts are concerned any suggestions on the boundaries?

 

Lastly, my solution to the less traveled caches is A. getting people such as yourself involved. B)creating a bookmark page that would direct people to those caches suggested by people like y yourself.