awesome geocaching event!

[mypaperpast]

i was thinking today of starting a car give away geocaching event...

 

i would contact some geocachers in my area and hide a set of keys in a single cache....and have the cachers participating go try and find the cache that it's in...i would make a list of about 50 different caches in the area just to narrow down the chances...would this be a good idea or just a waste of time...

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

Hide 50 sets of keys and then have an event. The person who finds the set that starts the car wins.

[+slukster]

Wow, you must have some deep pockets to be able to give away a car. Will this car be worth winning? LOL

[mypaperpast]

Wow, you must have some deep pockets to be able to give away a car. Will this car be worth winning? LOL

 

i was thinking a 2004 ford ranger edge...my buddy has a crap load of extra cars he's trying to get rid of...he just doesn't have the room to store them or the time to sell them...

Edited August 12, 2010 by mypaperpast

[mypaperpast]

Hide 50 sets of keys and then have an event. The person who finds the set that starts the car wins.

 

this would definately make it harder

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

Hide 50 sets of keys and then have an event. The person who finds the set that starts the car wins.

 

this would definately make it harder

 

Sure it's harder. But you have to admit, it ads to the suspense and excitement.

[mypaperpast]

Hide 50 sets of keys and then have an event. The person who finds the set that starts the car wins.

 

this would definately make it harder

 

Sure it's harder. But you have to admit, it ads to the suspense and excitement.

 

sure would...i like that idea...

[+briansnat]

One point. The other cache owners might not appreciate your using their caches for your game so be sure to ask.

[mypaperpast]

One point. The other cache owners might not appreciate your using their caches for your game so be sure to ask.

 

yes this is why i would contact a few to see if it's alright...i know 90% of the cachers in my area and they are all very cool people...

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Hide 50 sets of keys and then have an event. The person who finds the set that starts the car wins.

 

this would definately make it harder

 

Sure it's harder. But you have to admit, it ads to the suspense and excitement.

 

It would also mean that the first person to find a single key would keep on looking for caches to try and find as many keys as possible to increase their odds. It might be fun, but I also have reservations about yet another attempt to turn geocaching into a competition.

[+randco]

 

It would also mean that the first person to find a single key would keep on looking for caches to try and find as many keys as possible to increase their odds. It might be fun, but I also have reservations about yet another attempt to turn geocaching into a competition.

 

It's already a competition. The numbers are all that some cachers care about.

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

Hide 50 sets of keys and then have an event. The person who finds the set that starts the car wins.

 

this would definately make it harder

 

Sure it's harder. But you have to admit, it ads to the suspense and excitement.

 

It would also mean that the first person to find a single key would keep on looking for caches to try and find as many keys as possible to increase their odds. It might be fun, but I also have reservations about yet another attempt to turn geocaching into a competition.

 

This is more along the lines of the FTF game. A sort of side game. Easy and simple to avoid if you want to. Unlike the numbers hunt where so many people want to know your find count before they classify your place in the geo-community.

[+the family bu]

sounds a great idea - but I just know that one person will race around all the caches and find all the keys - just to make sure they win - similar to those that almost break their neck to get FTF on a newly publshed cache that is within a 50 mile radius.

[+The Blorenges]

sounds a great idea - but I just know that one person will race around all the caches and find all the keys - just to make sure they win - similar to those that almost break their neck to get FTF on a newly publshed cache that is within a 50 mile radius.

 

He could get around that by making it known that the various car keys are going to be 'seeded' into various local caches, at random times, from now until Christmas. Then there could be an event sometime at the end of the year when everyone could bring along their keys to discover whose unlocks the prize.

 

MrsB

[+GeoGeeBee]

sounds a great idea - but I just know that one person will race around all the caches and find all the keys - just to make sure they win - similar to those that almost break their neck to get FTF on a newly publshed cache that is within a 50 mile radius.

 

He could get around that by making it known that the various car keys are going to be 'seeded' into various local caches, at random times, from now until Christmas. Then there could be an event sometime at the end of the year when everyone could bring along their keys to discover whose unlocks the prize.

 

MrsB

 

I LOVEthis idea!

 

The only thing wrong with it is that the OP appears to be on the Texas Gulf coast, and I'm in North Carolina!

[+wimseyguy]

One point. The other cache owners might not appreciate your using their caches for your game so be sure to ask.

 

yes this is why i would contact a few to see if it's alright...i know 90% of the cachers in my area and they are all very cool people...

 

I too like the idea of spreading out the distribution time line to prevent someone from racing around trying to nab multiple keys. But if you are dropping them in existing caches, that may be a moot point as there are a lot of caches in your area. It's a major metropolitan area.

 

It would make an awesome Holiday gift to a lucky cacher. Another way to do it is simply host an event and make the car one of the door prizes. Maybe even get 49 toy cars for the second place finishers.

 

But unless you just starting logging online, how is it you know so many of the local cachers? There are probably hundreds if not thousands of cachers in Houston. The ones I have met are very cool, so perhaps they represent well?

 

just sayin'...

Edited August 12, 2010 by wimseyguy

[mypaperpast]

One point. The other cache owners might not appreciate your using their caches for your game so be sure to ask.

 

yes this is why i would contact a few to see if it's alright...i know 90% of the cachers in my area and they are all very cool people...

 

I too like the idea of spreading out the distribution time line to prevent someone from racing around trying to nab multiple keys. But if you are dropping them in existing caches, that may be a moot point as there are a lot of caches in your area. It's a major metropolitan area.

 

It would make an awesome Holiday gift to a lucky cacher. Another way to do it is simply host an event and make the car one of the door prizes. Maybe even get 49 toy cars for the second place finishers.

 

But unless you just starting logging online, how is it you know so many of the local cachers? There are probably hundreds if not thousands of cachers in Houston. The ones I have met are very cool, so perhaps they represent well?

 

just sayin'...

 

i don't really cache in houston..i live in a town called baytown and know pretty much all the cachers in this area...just a few from bacliff and galveston...but anyways i look at it this way...if a cacher has a list of 50 or so caches it's thier choice which one to start on...they could start on number 23 and go from there or start on 49 and skip around...just the luck of the draw is the way i look at it

[+ihorn]

The one way to keep people from grabbing all the keys is to limit 1 key per person. That way there is no want to collect more than 1 key. Just a thought.

[mypaperpast]

The one way to keep people from grabbing all the keys is to limit 1 key per person. That way there is no want to collect more than 1 key. Just a thought.

 

yeah there's an idea....on another note...i have no idea where i'm going to get 50 keys that all look like the working one...i don't have a supply of car keys just sitting around...

[Bolivar Bill]

The one way to keep people from grabbing all the keys is to limit 1 key per person. That way there is no want to collect more than 1 key. Just a thought.

 

yeah there's an idea....on another note...i have no idea where i'm going to get 50 keys that all look like the working one...i don't have a supply of car keys just sitting around...

 

1 good key plus 49 copies of a key that doesn't fit.

[+mimzthingz]

The one way to keep people from grabbing all the keys is to limit 1 key per person. That way there is no want to collect more than 1 key. Just a thought.

 

yeah there's an idea....on another note...i have no idea where i'm going to get 50 keys that all look like the working one...i don't have a supply of car keys just sitting around...

 

 

Contact a few locksmiths, they usually have "bad "cut" and you can get them for free or for a small fee, call around and see it you can get a few here and a few there for free to keep the cost low or actually free. Or craigslist for "wanted" old non unusable care keys, but as keys are sometimes car or make specific, some people will know that the key they have found is not for the specific kind of vehicle if they know what car it is. Only way to avoid that it to get keys only for that model or make of car in your freebie keys. Good luck, wish I was in that area to cache for it.

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

The one way to keep people from grabbing all the keys is to limit 1 key per person. That way there is no want to collect more than 1 key. Just a thought.

 

yeah there's an idea....on another note...i have no idea where i'm going to get 50 keys that all look like the working one...i don't have a supply of car keys just sitting around...

 

 

Contact a few locksmiths, they usually have "bad "cut" and you can get them for free or for a small fee, call around and see it you can get a few here and a few there for free to keep the cost low or actually free. Or craigslist for "wanted" old non unusable care keys, but as keys are sometimes car or make specific, some people will know that the key they have found is not for the specific kind of vehicle if they know what car it is. Only way to avoid that it to get keys only for that model or make of car in your freebie keys. Good luck, wish I was in that area to cache for it.

 

Try local junk yards. You really need to have all the keys be similar. If you are giving away a Ford a Chevy key will obviously be the wrong one.

[+SwineFlew]

Get one of the big three (or any auto maker) to help ya out. I am sure a couple thousand will show up for the event.

[+ihorn]

As far as getting a key I say go to a lock smith and have him do a bad cut of the correct key, then just produce 48 more of that same key. That way the keys are for the same vehicle, but only 1 will work.

[+SwineFlew]

Hide 50 sets of keys and then have an event. The person who finds the set that starts the car wins.

 

Most today car use a chip inside the key and it will be cheaper get 50 blanks and only one will open the car door. Third party blanks arent that expensive.

[+SwineFlew]

Another idea is to use a toy type key and stamp a number on it and have a drawing at the event.

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

Another idea is to use a toy type key and stamp a number on it and have a drawing at the event.

 

Wouldn't be as much fun as lining everybody up to try their keys. But it would get the job done.

[mypaperpast]

Another idea is to use a toy type key and stamp a number on it and have a drawing at the event.

 

Wouldn't be as much fun as lining everybody up to try their keys. But it would get the job done.

 

yeah that would work...but you're right i would like the idea of lining everyone up to try thier keys...i may call ford in a couple days to see if they can help me out

[knowschad]

Be sure to make 50 copies, not 49. Otherwise, the correct one will be obvious. You will keep the original.

Agree to the need to limit 1 per caching name (not just per cacher... there are couples and even groups).

 

Keep in mind that there may be folks out there that don't want an old used pickup truck. You might want to be prepared to donate, it in the name of the winner, to some charity.

 

Awesome idea, and extremely generous of you and your friend.

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

Another idea is to use a toy type key and stamp a number on it and have a drawing at the event.

 

Wouldn't be as much fun as lining everybody up to try their keys. But it would get the job done.

 

yeah that would work...but you're right i would like the idea of lining everyone up to try thier keys...i may call ford in a couple days to see if they can help me out

 

Worth a shot. I'd go through any keys you get and make sure only the one set works.

[+dakboy]

If your friend has too many cars and just wants to give them away, call the National Kidney Foundation or Salvation Army. There are a lot of people who need reliable transportation and my guess is that any geocacher capable of taking on such a challenge doesn't have that problem.