Your thoughts on an Event.

[XDWiggles]

I am thinking of doing an event, something different that I have not seen in my short geocaching career.

 

I want it to be a race, have some containers laid out in a large area or park. The goal would be the first team to complete all the containers you were assigned.

 

I would say about 10-15 per team of 3 or 5(larger if the amount of participants is large). The first team to report back would get a prize. Most likely geocaching related, such as trackables, clothing, and a cookie

 

Of course there would be an easy one that is handicap accessible, a harder one that would be good for kids around 5-8, and a even harder one for the more experienced. (each level would have its own set of prizes.)

 

 

Do you think people would come to an event like this and do you think it would be fun?

[+jellis]

I am thinking of doing an event, something different that I have not seen in my short geocaching career.

 

I want it to be a race, have some containers laid out in a large area or park. The goal would be the first team to complete all the containers you were assigned.

 

I would say about 10-15 per team of 3 or 5(larger if the amount of participants is large). The first team to report back would get a prize. Most likely geocaching related, such as trackables, clothing, and a cookie

 

Of course there would be an easy one that is handicap accessible, a harder one that would be good for kids around 5-8, and a even harder one for the more experienced. (each level would have its own set of prizes.)

 

 

Do you think people would come to an event like this and do you think it would be fun?

5. Event Caches

 

Event caches are gatherings that are organized by geocachers and are open to other geocachers. They are submitted at least two weeks prior to the event so that potential attendees will have sufficient notice to make plans. Events are published no more than three months prior. Some events are published six months prior if an overnight stay is expected or if the event is designed to attract a regional or international group of geocachers.

 

For geocaching events with several elements, multiple event listings may be submitted if each element stands on its own merits as an event, and meets the listing guidelines. After an event has passed, the listing is archived by the cache owner.

 

An event cache should not be set up for the sole purpose of drawing together geocachers for an organized geocache search. Such group hunts are best organized using a discussion forum or an email distribution list. While a music concert, a garage sale, an organized sporting event, a ham radio field day or a town's fireworks display might be of interest to a large percentage of geocachers, such events are not suitable for submission as event caches because the organizers and the primary attendees are not geocachers.

[XDWiggles]

I am thinking of doing an event, something different that I have not seen in my short geocaching career.

 

I want it to be a race, have some containers laid out in a large area or park. The goal would be the first team to complete all the containers you were assigned.

 

I would say about 10-15 per team of 3 or 5(larger if the amount of participants is large). The first team to report back would get a prize. Most likely geocaching related, such as trackables, clothing, and a cookie

 

Of course there would be an easy one that is handicap accessible, a harder one that would be good for kids around 5-8, and a even harder one for the more experienced. (each level would have its own set of prizes.)

 

 

Do you think people would come to an event like this and do you think it would be fun?

5. Event Caches

 

Event caches are gatherings that are organized by geocachers and are open to other geocachers. They are submitted at least two weeks prior to the event so that potential attendees will have sufficient notice to make plans. Events are published no more than three months prior. Some events are published six months prior if an overnight stay is expected or if the event is designed to attract a regional or international group of geocachers.

 

For geocaching events with several elements, multiple event listings may be submitted if each element stands on its own merits as an event, and meets the listing guidelines. After an event has passed, the listing is archived by the cache owner.

 

An event cache should not be set up for the sole purpose of drawing together geocachers for an organized geocache search. Such group hunts are best organized using a discussion forum or an email distribution list. While a music concert, a garage sale, an organized sporting event, a ham radio field day or a town's fireworks display might be of interest to a large percentage of geocachers, such events are not suitable for submission as event caches because the organizers and the primary attendees are not geocachers.

 

It wouldn't be for the "sole purpose of drawing together geocachers for an organized geocache search."

They wouldn't be geocaches, they would be containers specially for the event. It would be more of a friendly competition of who can find the containers fastest. It would also get cachers to get to know each other if they are stuck into teams with others . Of course there could be a few new ones placed on the same day

[AZcachemeister]

I have seen 'race' type activities set up as optional things to do at a larger event.

I have seen a cache series where you were supposed to post your overall time to find all the caches to potentially get some sort of monthly prize.

 

I don't think I would care to attend an event that was solely based on some sort of racing. If I could attend and casually chat with some of the attendees while others ran around like idiots, that would be OK.

[XDWiggles]

I have seen 'race' type activities set up as optional things to do at a larger event.

I have seen a cache series where you were supposed to post your overall time to find all the caches to potentially get some sort of monthly prize.

 

I don't think I would care to attend an event that was solely based on some sort of racing. If I could attend and casually chat with some of the attendees while others ran around like idiots, that would be OK.

Watching them would be fun

[+jellis]

I am thinking of doing an event, something different that I have not seen in my short geocaching career.

 

I want it to be a race, have some containers laid out in a large area or park. The goal would be the first team to complete all the containers you were assigned.

 

I would say about 10-15 per team of 3 or 5(larger if the amount of participants is large). The first team to report back would get a prize. Most likely geocaching related, such as trackables, clothing, and a cookie

 

Of course there would be an easy one that is handicap accessible, a harder one that would be good for kids around 5-8, and a even harder one for the more experienced. (each level would have its own set of prizes.)

 

 

Do you think people would come to an event like this and do you think it would be fun?

5. Event Caches

 

Event caches are gatherings that are organized by geocachers and are open to other geocachers. They are submitted at least two weeks prior to the event so that potential attendees will have sufficient notice to make plans. Events are published no more than three months prior. Some events are published six months prior if an overnight stay is expected or if the event is designed to attract a regional or international group of geocachers.

 

For geocaching events with several elements, multiple event listings may be submitted if each element stands on its own merits as an event, and meets the listing guidelines. After an event has passed, the listing is archived by the cache owner.

 

An event cache should not be set up for the sole purpose of drawing together geocachers for an organized geocache search. Such group hunts are best organized using a discussion forum or an email distribution list. While a music concert, a garage sale, an organized sporting event, a ham radio field day or a town's fireworks display might be of interest to a large percentage of geocachers, such events are not suitable for submission as event caches because the organizers and the primary attendees are not geocachers.

 

It wouldn't be for the "sole purpose of drawing together geocachers for an organized geocache search."

They wouldn't be geocaches, they would be containers specially for the event. It would be more of a friendly competition of who can find the containers fastest. It would also get cachers to get to know each other if they are stuck into teams with others . Of course there could be a few new ones placed on the same day

If they are not published caches then I'm sure the reviewers would allow it.

[Keystone]

You would need to tack on time at the beginning or the end for geocachers to socialize. And, you would need to allow people to log an "attended" even if they just showed up for the socializing but did not want to run the "race." For it is the socializing, not the cache hunting, that makes it an event.

[+The_Incredibles_]

My personal thought, a non-competitive event where everybody has a chance to 'win' may be better enjoyed and attended. I don't like the idea of people racing, due to increased risk for injuries and also for hurt feelings.

 

I recently put on an event, similar to what you have described, except non-competitive. There were 3 routes: an 800 meter route for the under-6's, a 2km route for the older kids and a 3-4 km route for the adults. The under 6's had 6 things to find, the older kids had 10 things to find and the adults had 11 things to find. As it was an Easter event, all were rewarded with chocolate and it was well received.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

A competition, eh?

 

Draw up your rules, make sure everyone knows the rules, have lots of referees, an appeal process and be prepared to moderate disputes.

 

Sounds like fun!

 

Has anyone said that geocaching is social and not competitive?

[+ByronForestPreserve]

 

5. Event Caches

 

Event caches are gatherings that are organized by geocachers and are open to other geocachers. They are submitted at least two weeks prior to the event so that potential attendees will have sufficient notice to make plans. Events are published no more than three months prior. Some events are published six months prior if an overnight stay is expected or if the event is designed to attract a regional or international group of geocachers.

 

For geocaching events with several elements, multiple event listings may be submitted if each element stands on its own merits as an event, and meets the listing guidelines. After an event has passed, the listing is archived by the cache owner.

 

An event cache should not be set up for the sole purpose of drawing together geocachers for an organized geocache search. Such group hunts are best organized using a discussion forum or an email distribution list. While a music concert, a garage sale, an organized sporting event, a ham radio field day or a town's fireworks display might be of interest to a large percentage of geocachers, such events are not suitable for submission as event caches because the organizers and the primary attendees are not geocachers.

 

That's good to know, and also that unpublished caches would likely be okay. I'm planning the same type of thing myself--I posted a similar question a month or so ago, and got some tips on how to stagger the start and so on. I'll re-think it a bit and make sure that there's a non-race aspect to the event--lunch or somesuch--so that it's not focused solely on the race. I was also planning on several unlisted caches on our various properties, full of golf passes and things in addition to prizes for fastest times at the end.

 

To the OP--obviously I think people would love this kind of thing. Getting the waypoints out there is the one thing I've thought the most about, and how many I can add to the listing so that it's clear which is which, and so that they can be downloaded a couple of days before (in addition to a paper copy and some time for folks to get everything settled and plan a route before they left). Sounds great and I hope it goes well!

[+J the Goat]

Annual GeoRally

[+DanOCan]

Getting the waypoints out there is the one thing I've thought the most about, and how many I can add to the listing so that it's clear which is which, and so that they can be downloaded a couple of days before (in addition to a paper copy and some time for folks to get everything settled and plan a route before they left)

 

Or, add another angle to the race and only hand out the coordinates at the start so the teams that can manually enter coordinates the fastest and/or can demonstrate the best ad hoc route planning skills can have an edge.

 

It's great fun watching people with hundreds or thousands of finds suddenly struggling because they have to manually enter coordinates by hand since all they've ever done is download them from the website.

[+Don_J]

You would need to tack on time at the beginning or the end for geocachers to socialize. And, you would need to allow people to log an "attended" even if they just showed up for the socializing but did not want to run the "race." For it is the socializing, not the cache hunting, that makes it an event.

 

You said it best. The keyword is "optional". Something like this should be considered an optional activity that can be done while attending the social event.

[+DragonsWest]

Sounded more like a Rally or Scramble to me, where was it written the containers would be published caches? I've seen events where something like this has happened, and Groundsqueak were hosts to a couple of them (so there! )

 

If the event used new caches, or existing caches you run the risk of non-attending cachers finding, trading out clues, etc.

 

Probably work pretty well in a large park, wrapped around a potluck.

[Clan Riffster]

Do you think people would come to an event like this

If you host it, they will come...

 

and do you think it would be fun?

It would not be fun for me, but I seem to be the exception. There are places in my life where I enjoy competition, but in those activities that I embrace mostly for the spiritual aspect, 9such as long walks through the woods), adding competition just seems to cheapen the activity somehow. I feel the same way about fishing.

 

Every October one of Florida's legendary event hosts, Ice Cream Man, holds a huge gathering in the Ocala National Forest which includes 4 days of camping, schmoozing and feasting. The main event, held on Saturday, includes something called "The Gauntlet", which is a team race. Dave will find a 5 or 6 mile stretch of trail and hide a bunch of caches along it, as well as numerous unique items, such as a plastic pumpkin with a number 5 on it. Each team draws a number before the race starts. The teams leave in roughly 15 minute intervals, with carefully documented start times. As they hike, they hunt for the caches, and must take a photo showing the entire team at each cache to get credit for it. The finish time is recorded when the last member of each team crosses the finish line. time is deducted for the number of successful cache finds, the number of assigned objects, (numbered pumpkins/etc), and bonus items such as a bear, a photo with a muggle, etc. Fastest time wins.

 

This is the highlight of the weekend, demonstrating that many people love competition.