Goals met at Geowoodstock 9

[GOF and Bacall]

Next year we need to get a forum topic going and set a time and place for forum folks to meet. A group shot of everyone would be way cool. It could be as simple as saying that we meet at the area where the log for the event would be or something to that effect. I am sure we can figure something out.

 

A few months ago I suggested that a Webcam cache could be set up (yes, I know they're no longer allowed) for Geowoodstock that could be used by anyone attending the event. It could be set up to trigger a photo every few minutes that was automatically posted to the gallery for a special cache set up for just that one day.

I'd be interested in one or both of these:

-- A webcam that streams video from the event.

-- A camera that takes and uploads pictures of the event once every five minutes. If no one is in front of the camera during that time, you'll see people walking around the event.

 

I like the streaming idea, though, because of what I saw at the webcam in Key West. People could call their loved ones and stand in front of the camera so the people on the other end could see video (audio was included as well). While I was eating there, I saw several people doing that, despite the cold day.

 

As for posting pictures of the event as the event happens, I already have a fully automated way to do that. My Canon dSLR has a grip that includes a wireless transfer. When the camera takes a picture, it can be set to upload the picture via FTP to any web site. If people know the URL, they can direct others to it, and even browse what would be a vast archive after the event. It would also be a nice idea if others could contribute to the archive as well.

 

You don't even need a special cache for something like this to interest people.

 

The wifi provider left something to be desired. I doubt they ever would have got the thing connected.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Next year we need to get a forum topic going and set a time and place for forum folks to meet. A group shot of everyone would be way cool. It could be as simple as saying that we meet at the area where the log for the event would be or something to that effect. I am sure we can figure something out.

 

A few months ago I suggested that a Webcam cache could be set up (yes, I know they're no longer allowed) for Geowoodstock that could be used by anyone attending the event. It could be set up to trigger a photo every few minutes that was automatically posted to the gallery for a special cache set up for just that one day.

I'd be interested in one or both of these:

-- A webcam that streams video from the event.

-- A camera that takes and uploads pictures of the event once every five minutes. If no one is in front of the camera during that time, you'll see people walking around the event.

 

I like the streaming idea, though, because of what I saw at the webcam in Key West. People could call their loved ones and stand in front of the camera so the people on the other end could see video (audio was included as well). While I was eating there, I saw several people doing that, despite the cold day.

 

As for posting pictures of the event as the event happens, I already have a fully automated way to do that. My Canon dSLR has a grip that includes a wireless transfer. When the camera takes a picture, it can be set to upload the picture via FTP to any web site. If people know the URL, they can direct others to it, and even browse what would be a vast archive after the event. It would also be a nice idea if others could contribute to the archive as well.

 

You don't even need a special cache for something like this to interest people.

All you need is a cell phone. http://www.flixwagon.com/ or http://qik.com/

Edited July 11, 2011 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+deb3day]

We did 29 PA DeLorme pages and 130 caches in the week we spent in northwestern PA. I find it hard to believe I'm saying this, but by the ride home, I was cached out. Did I just say that??? OMG!!!

 

I put over 1700 miles on my car, and we never left Pennsylvania.

 

deb3day

[+hallycat]

 

The wifi provider left something to be desired. I doubt they ever would have got the thing connected.

 

Someone said they had an expensive piece of their equipment stolen (a repeater I think) which is why the service was so poor.

 

Disturbed that would happen at a caching event

[Ranger Fox]

All you need is a cell phone. http://www.flixwagon.com/ or http://qik.com/

Précisément, Ed! At the moment, I don't have that feature for my phone, but I will when the iPhone 5 comes out for Verizon. I was told, though, reception was weak inside a building at the GW9 fairgrounds. I don't know about the GW10 park, though I've already been there and found several of the caches (which doesn't make GW10 all that appealing). If reception is fair (considering how many other cell phones will be sharing the cell), it would be possible to have live photo uploads or a live webcam.

[Ranger Fox]

Someone said they had an expensive piece of their equipment stolen (a repeater I think) which is why the service was so poor.

 

Disturbed that would happen at a caching event

I talked at length to the people, mostly because I needed a WiFi connection for a part of my Wherigo presentations. From what I understood, someone broke into their equipment truck and stole a specific piece of equipment. The individual had to know what s/he was doing because, as I was told, it wasn't a normal piece of equipment, and it was central to their operation. A repeater, in my opinion, is a little too normal to fall into that definition. The WiFi people worked hard to get the presentation laptop hooked up to their network (very commendable), but just couldn't get it to work. In the end, because of the network problems, I wasn't able to give a live demo of playing a Wherigo cartridge during my presentation.

 

I've always had a favorable opinion of geocachers in general. For instance, there have been several times I just met someone and I either hopped into their car or they mine (doesn't that exhibit a lot of trust?). I guess this little pilfering goes to remind us not all good. I hope that person has 1,000 DNFs in a row (or, if you steal, does that mean you're not into caching as much as the rest of us?).

[+hallycat]

\

 

I've always had a favorable opinion of geocachers in general. For instance, there have been several times I just met someone and I either hopped into their car or they mine (doesn't that exhibit a lot of trust?). I guess this little pilfering goes to remind us not all good. I hope that person has 1,000 DNFs in a row (or, if you steal, does that mean you're not into caching as much as the rest of us?).

,

 

I've gotten in cars, met strangers in the woods to hunt a cache of theirs that I'd DNF'ed, gone into tunnels and caves with people I'd just met, on trails with steep drop offs and probably many other things one would tell a child never to do! But hey, you could get robbed at the convenience store too.

You can't stay home and pull the shades because of a few unsavory characters. Like you said, bad caching karma to whomever did that! They'd best wear gaiters and gloves and cover themselves in Permethrin if there is such a thing as karma.

 

Not only did they cost the company money but there were a lot of people depending on that service who were disappointed!

Edited July 12, 2011 by hallycat

[+wimseyguy]

My goal at GW9 was the same as always, visit with as many old friends as possible, and try to meet a few people in person that I know only by name from lists and forums. But I also had a very special goal for this one. Several years ago I found an item in a cache that just had to be presented to someone I met at GW2 in Nashville and one of our more active forum participants.

 

I traded for a "Beware of Attack Hamsters" sign, and knew the moment I saw it that I had to give it to The Leprechauns. It's taken four years for me to accomplish this goal and was worth the wait.

 

Edited July 18, 2011 by wimseyguy