R O A A A A D T R I I I I I P ! ! ! ! ! !

[+cownchicken]

We had a room with 2 single beds for R350 - self catering. Are these all taken for that weekend?

Otherwise we can highly recommend the Protea Hotel Willow Lake where we spent two nights on our way back to Cape Town.

Rate R1360 for the Friday and Saturday nights for two people. A Prokard would bring this rate down to R1292.

The card is worth it as it gets you plenty of benefits.

Edited August 12, 2010 by cownchicken

[+trevorh7000]

Thanks for the coordinates CnC and the website trevorh7000!

 

The prices:

Chalet: R650 per night with 1 double bed and two singles. (At the moment 4 available)

Room: R520 per night with 4 beds. At the moment 6 available.

Camping: R200 per night max 5 persons per stand. All available.

 

Tel no for bookings: 0515233888

 

I will start compiling the event today!

Website: http://www.reynekepark.co.za/

 

This is what I am talking about - come up with an idea and get the ball rolliing and then have a friendly local Bloemfontein cacher list the event! Makes sense as its your backyard!!!!!

 

I will probably capitulate and get myself a little tent!!!!!!!! Don;t want to be the only one in a room!!!!!! - plus I am told I snore up a storm.

 

I'll see if I can come up with something for the listing as well over the weekend - and then we still need a special name for the Event - we have had one or two suggestions so far

 

So it looks like we have a place to stay and a place to kuier on the Saturday night as well - nice..........looking forward to it.

 

Hey Durbs and the rest of the Country - any representatives gonna make it!!!!?

 

Trev

[+Henzz]

I had a two man tent many, many years ago... Used it twice and then gave it away...

 

Question > Where should I be looking for affordable tents these days?

Makro and Game comes to mind, but is there other options as well?

[+Gr8Scot]

I had a two man tent many, many years ago... Used it twice and then gave it away...

 

Question > Where should I be looking for affordable tents these days?

Makro and Game comes to mind, but is there other options as well?

 

Outdoor Warehouse have a pretty wide range.

[+cownchicken]

I had a two man tent many, many years ago... Used it twice and then gave it away...

 

Question > Where should I be looking for affordable tents these days?

Makro and Game comes to mind, but is there other options as well?

 

Not too sure how waterproof the ones from Game are.

Cape Union Mart also sell tents.

[+malo mystery]

What are the night temperatures in Bloemfontein at this time of the year, that you are going to be camping? better pack some extra sherry.

[+CapeDoc]

I had a two man tent many, many years ago... Used it twice and then gave it away...

 

Question > Where should I be looking for affordable tents these days?

Makro and Game comes to mind, but is there other options as well?

Borrow my 3 man tent?

[+paddawan]

Borrow my 3 man tent?

If you can squeeze 3 in, at least it won't be quite so cold.

 

I see low temperatures are ranging in the 1-4 degree area at the moment.

[+Henzz]

Borrow my 3 man tent?

 

Thanks for the offer Doc..

 

A kind gentleman going by the name of Mylo Mystery already offered me exclusive usage of his two man tent for that weekend.. But I appreciate the offer..

 

Hopefully the Winter chill will not be an issue anymore by the time we get to Bloem..

But then again...

Many, many, many stories will be told and retold about this weekend for a long time to come...

And telling others how we woke up with ice crystals on our nose tips will just spice the stories up...

 

Come on guys, this idea was born here in Cape Town...

We don't want to show up in Bloem, surrounded by masses of Gauties and Sharks...

Who wants to break away for a crazy caching weekend??

And one day you can tell your grandchildren that you had a shot at a South African record..

Or even better still... You held the South African record...

[+Louise_Gerhard]

Borrow my 3 man tent?

 

Come on guys, this idea was born here in Cape Town...

We don't want to show up in Bloem, surrounded by masses of Gauties and Sharks...

Who wants to break away for a crazy caching weekend??

And one day you can tell your grandchildren that you had a shot at a South African record..

Or even better still... You held the South African record...

 

So 'n mond moet 'n groot lepel jam kry.

Ons gaan so baie wees dat julle gaan omsingel voel.

Gautengers moenie wag vir my as 'n MP man nie, moet ek julle kom optel ????????????? Kom ons wys hulle wie bly ander kant die Jukskei.

Gerhard

[+cownchicken]

Ag, Gerhard - vir ons is dit 1000km se ry.

Ermelo tot Bloem is maar net 600 en Sandton tot Bloem maar net oor die 400!

Ons kan ongelukkig nie die 'Event' die bywoon nie want ons sal in PE wees. Ons het probeer om ons vlieg kaartjies (wat ons al vroeg in Julie gekoop het) na Bloem te verander, maar ongelukkig vlieg 1Time nie Bloem toe nie.

Geniet julle maar die Event sonder ons!

[+Louise_Gerhard]

At the end it does not matter who attend from where but how we do it.

 

This is my planning at this stage. I will run a check on cache density in this area. To do more than the normal for the weekend I will then make sure I arrive on the Friday. We will then focus on the ones outside of the high cache density profile but we will focus on the ones the furthest away. On the Saturday we will then hit the area with the highest density starting from a cache that can be done in the dark and we will end with the ones in the dark. Target is simple – 50 for the day and it are good for me. Anything above - is a bonus. Breaking the record is the additional bonus but I am sure there are other cachers that are more competent and have a better chance than me. I just hope there is a cacher that are prepared to do this with me and that can stay on his feet from sunrise to sunset.

 

Saturday I will attend the event and it will be great to meet the guys from WC. Sunday we will hit a couple more and then I will go home again. Please let me know if anyone is interested in doing this trip with me – I would appreciate it. By the way – thanks for the assistance given by cownchicken when we just had to found a cache 1.6 km away from the waypoint somewhere in KZN. Thanks.

 

Gerhard

[+cownchicken]

Glad you found it!

Anybody who needs help while on your cache dash - give Andre a call. If we have done the cache we will try to help. (We only have about 20 still to do in the centre of Bloem and suburbs.)

[+DAN404]

I sent the event in for publishing but did not know that the event must be totally social and an caching only event is not allowed. My mistake. I edited it tonight and are now waiting for Rotsip. I hope it is in order now.

I will report here when published.

Looking forward to see all!

[+DAN404]

The event has been published. Thanks to Rotsip for advice. It is GC2D950. I'll try to give the URL - I don,t know if this will work: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...bd-f82c4de28a7c

Maybe somebody can tell me how to do it!

[+DAN404]

It worked!

[+malo mystery]

It worked!

 

I was wondering the same thing a while back until someone kindly explained.

 

Type the sentence you want, then go to the page you want to link to and copy the URL. Highlight the word that you want to represent the link and then hit the button, paste the URL, hit "OK" and it should work.

 

You can do the same thing with an inserted image. Highlight the entire code for the inserted image and then do the same as for the highlighted word.

 

Hope that makes sense.

[+Henzz]

My attendance has suddenly became very uncertain..

Some IDIOT went through a red robot on Wednesday morning, and caused severe damage to my car..

A carefully structured budget was thrown upside down in a matter of seconds..

If I can get the owner of the "guilty" bakkie to cough up the excess before I have to fork it out, I'll still be there..

If not, I'll be out of pocket, and not be able to go..

 

I should know within the next few days, and hopefully I can join in the fun...

[+trevorh7000]

If I can get the owner of the "guilty" bakkie to cough up the excess before I have to fork it out, I'll still be there..

If not, I'll be out of pocket, and not be able to go..

 

I should know within the next few days, and hopefully I can join in the fun...

 

Don't let this get you down - I am sure we can make a plan. Is your insurance company not helping you recover the excess from the other driver. Otherwise you might be able to sue in the small claims court as I am guessing your excess is less than the R7k or R9k limit imposed by the smalls claims court. Also get your insurance company to apportion blame to the other driver that will help your cause sometimes they just settle for 50-50

 

Hopefully see you in Bloem!

 

Trev

[+Louise_Gerhard]

Ok, it appears as if all is resolved and I will attend. I will be in Bloemfontein the Friday. I hope to give Besem a surprise; he is now getting too close to my finds.

 

No cacher accepted the free lift offered so I am on my own. Maybe someone brave enough to cache for 12 hours non stop will join me. Wazat what happened to you; why are you hiding under the bed? Bakgat why are you running?

 

Please take care, I will not sign the log but I will stick a label. Ok, not on the container but in the logbook. Do not stand still too long I could place it on your forehead.

 

I have a couple of TB’s with me and I hope they move to the Cape Town area. See you when I see you. Gerhard

Edited August 31, 2010 by gerhardoosMPsa

[besem]

Ok, it appears as if all is resolved and I will attend. I will be in Bloemfontein the Friday. I hope to give Besem a surprise; he is now getting too close to my finds.

 

No cacher accepted the free lift offered so I am on my own. Maybe someone brave enough to cache for 12 hours non stop will join me. Wazat what happened to you; why are you hiding under the bed? Bakgat why are you running?

 

Please take care, I will not sign the log but I will stick a label. Ok, not on the container but in the logbook. Do not stand still too long I could place it on your forehead.

 

I have a couple of TB’s with me and I hope they move to the Cape Town area. See you when I see you. Gerhard

 

Haha, I hope your stickers are tiiiiiiny! You haven't done an Oom Louwtjie cache yet...

 

Ek't daai surprise verwag... met of sonder Bloem. Ek't 'n verhandeling wat 1 November moet in, so die volgende twee maande gaan maar staaaaadig oor die klippe wees. But come December...

[+Louise_Gerhard]

Thanks Besem, I am glad you are watching. We still have the 2000 finds bet, but I think I should start to bet on you from now on. By the way I did not forget about the coin. Battle to find one with a broom… It will get to you when least expected.

 

Is there any caches that need special tools- please do not say all of them? Something like a ladder, money to bribe the cache owner, patience, Internet, rope, small children to get things out of its place, dynamite, etc. Gerhard

[+trevorh7000]

Time to log your "Will Attend" to the event guys - so we know whos gonna be going.

 

This includes the lads coming down from JHB on Sunday morning

 

There are behind the scenes discussion in Cape Town so I expect some more people to log "Will Attends" soon

 

Looking forward to it.

 

Trev

[+DamhuisClan]

For us coming on Sunday. Where do we meet you guys? At the event or the place where you will be staying?

 

We are 3 or 4 teams (in one car) and plan to leave JHB at 3AM, to be there at 7AM. Meet up till about 8AM, and then go caching till about 2PM, then on our way home. Back in JHB (30 caches richer) at about 6PM.

[+Elsies]

Just a ? what time will the B&B start

[+DAN404]

Just a ? what time will the B&B start

 

Sorry my mistake - 20H00. Made the change to the event.

[+trevorh7000]

For us coming on Sunday. Where do we meet you guys? At the event or the place where you will be staying?

 

We are 3 or 4 teams (in one car) and plan to leave JHB at 3AM, to be there at 7AM. Meet up till about 8AM, and then go caching till about 2PM, then on our way home. Back in JHB (30 caches richer) at about 6PM.

 

Anton - I would say come straight to Reyneke Park Camp Site. I am not sure about the other Campers but I will probably not be doing much self catering - so I suggest riding to the nearest Wimpy or whatever for a breakfast.

 

Of course I have a longway to get back to Cape Town so depending on the tinme of the trip up may decide to leave earlier and therefor miss meeting you. But I do hope to stay for breakfast.

 

Trev

[TeamPhantom]

Team Phantom has left Lesotho for Bloem, will try to do some caches on the way.

 

Update: Flat tire!! Hopefully this won't set us back too much - luckily the driver's skill kept the vehicle on the road (in spite of the mind-altering drugs).

Edited September 10, 2010 by TeamPhantom

[+trevorh7000]

Just got back from The Bodacious Bloemfontein and Back Cache Dash Braai event.

 

A W E S O M E

 

A few quick thanks -

 

Firstly the star of the show who makes caching in Bloem a one of a kind SA caching experience - Oom Louwtjie

 

Secondly Dennis of Dan404 for listing the event and playing host to cachers from all parts of the country - teams came from Cape Town., Pretoria, JHB, East London, Bloem, Welkom

 

Thirdly to the teams that came and made this a memorable event

 

Lots (hundreds) of logs will be made in the next few days as teams get to their keyboards, The tale will be told for a while and the next events and challenges are being though about - the nine provinces in 24 hour challenge and the SA 10 year Sentinel View Celebration.

 

Well done to Team Phantom on the record of 111 caches in one day

 

Trev

[+dakardrix]

START OF TeamPhantom Free State report:

 

Who knows what creates inspiration for any human?

 

Was it... the many discussions about records and what is possible? The topic seemed to surface a couple of times over the last year or so. Or was it the fact that another event was planned for the same day as an event of one of our own friends, and it did not bother anyone that a lot of people therefore can't go down to Bloem? I don't think it was really a North/South thing, or was it...?

 

Whatever it is, it made dakardrix mentioned to Elsies a week and a half before the event... "What if...?" Now Elsies, having only started caching a couple of months ago and admitting to an ever so slightly addiction concern, is not the person that you talk to about a crazy idea. No obstacles from that side, quite the opposite.

 

It was at this stage that I knew we needed the rainmaker's intervention. I could see the grin expanding on the other side of the phone. "I'll get back to you..." I knew we had GreenJaM. Suddenly, the idea became real!

 

To be continued...

Edited September 13, 2010 by dakardrix

[TeamPhantom]

TeamPhantom arrived home in Lesoth. No flat wheel this time... Friendly people - we don't understand Africaans, but lots of smiles. The people from Cape Town translated some, so we knew we were at the right place. The Rastaman in our village would give his holy underpants to have such a hairdo.

 

Oh yes, sorry about the misunderstanding - since we were given separate coffee cups, we thought it was a gift. Just a question, we followed the map to find the cash, but when we got there somebody already took the money? Oh well, our kids love the funny containers and toys.

 

Thank you for making us foreigners feel so welcome - still don't get this hunt thing, wouldn't it be easier to use a GPS, we discovered we have maps on our phones?

Edited September 13, 2010 by TeamPhantom

[+trevorh7000]

I have just upgrade Oom Louwtjies membership to premium.

 

Thanks to all the teams for the donations. There is about R60 left in the kitty so I what I will do is send Oom Louwtjie some Travel Bug Tags

 

Special Thanks to Oom Louwtjie for all the creativity and hopefully you will take full advantage of and enjoy your Premium Membership.

 

Thanks

 

Trev

[+Louwtjie&Vroutjie]

I have just upgrade Oom Louwtjies membership to premium.

 

Thanks to all the teams for the donations. There is about R60 left in the kitty so I what I will do is send Oom Louwtjie some Travel Bug Tags

 

Special Thanks to Oom Louwtjie for all the creativity and hopefully you will take full advantage of and enjoy your Premium Membership.

 

Thanks

 

Trev

Firstly thanks to Trevorh7000. The vision he had for the RoaaaadTriiiip to Bloem, was a great success.

Secondly thanks to all who came to the event. Thanks to Dan404 and his wife for the premises and facilitys provided.

Congratulations to TeamPhantom for a new SA record.

Lastly thank you so much for ALL who donated towards my membership to Premium. I do appreciate it.

 

Thanks

 

Louwtjie

[+DamhuisClan]

I'll be running a PQ every day for the next 2 weeks on all the caches in Bloem area. Hopefully I will capture all the logs, and can run some stats on them and see how it went.

[+GreenJaM]

From the Urban Dictionary: Bodacious:

Prodominately used during the 80's and early 90's, bodacious is a combination of the words bold and audacious. To be bodacious is to be: impressive, awesome, brave in action, remarkable, prodigious.

 

There is so much to say about the event(s) of the past weekend... If one considers the words provided as the definition for the chosen name of the concluding event, I think most will agree that they're all applicable!

 

For a start, hats-off to iPajero for giving us a sense of what can be achieved - your approach to this game is nothing short of awesome!

 

Trevorh7000: what were you thinking?? You started something bold and audacious that, I for one, will remember for a long time - thank you. Cape to Bloem and back = bold in action!!

 

dakardrix: Nothing is ever too way-out for you. Thank-you for pulling me into your world where anything is possible and the remarkable is commonplace. It was great sharing our simultaneous 500 and now 1000 find milestones with you.

 

Elsies: Great meeting you! Your cache finding skill impressive, but more importantly I really enjoyed your company!

 

None of this would have happened if not for the cache owners: It is an amazing privilege to be granted access to the effort, ingenuity a care that has gone into all the cache hides - Awesome!

 

To our hosts (and residents of Bloemfontein in general), a huge thank-you for your hospitality - I felt incredibly welcome and comfortable.

 

My thanks to all that made this Bodacious R O A A A A D T R I I I I I P ! ! ! ! ! ! a reality