Denmarks first Waymarking Event

[+pstidsen]

Right now the Waymarking World is growing in Denmark. Being very clever Danes we make lot's of mistakes but we will get there eventually. One thing we learned already is how to laugh at our self and how to share good stories. This is a little story from our corner of the world. I hope it will entertain and maybe be inspire those who, like us, feels like they are living all by them self in a place with so many great things to show and tell about but no one to share it with.

 

How it all started

I am still a newbee in many ways but I found out I'm not alone. In my area, Henriette, a fellow geocacher showed interest in Waymarking too. Benchmarks was one of the things she talked a lot about, and she is know for using every chance she gets to host geocaching events even if it is just to share a piece of cake. We are not the only waymarkers in Denmark and suddenly out of nowhere came a new category: Danish Benchmarks, creating quite some fuzz in the Waymarking society. A side effect was a surprisingly fast growing interest from geocachers who wantet to know more. Henriette saw an event opportunity right away.

 

 

Being two individuals with different approach to Waymarking we decided to announce two events on the same day. Henriette hosted a event on the very spot that got her focused on benchmarks and I hosted a guided tour in Randers, Denmark to some waymarks with great stories.

 

Does anybody care?

Starting out slowly the list of Will attend notes reached the 25-30 people we where hoping for but it didn't stop. Mails started arriving with one question after another. What is this? Is it for free? Can I use GSAK for Waymarking? Is it boring? Do you plan on releasing some geocaches too? Why is it so hard to find out how to log a Waymarking visit? etc. etc.

 

The number of members in our little danish Facebook Waymarking group exploded and it was hard to keep up with all the requests and questions. To our suprise it wasn't hard at all to create interest and now we startet to feel the weight on our shoulders. Would we be able to fulfill all this expectations? Henriette created a Youtube

in danish showing step by step how to use the Waymarking.com website. I created a GPX file with all the nearby waymarks ready to use and we prepared our self with all the knowledge we could find.

 

We thought that using geocaches would be a great way to show some of the Waymarking aspects if we did it the right way. 5 caches was prepared and placed in ways that would bring focus to Danish Benchmarks, Looking for details and Category Examples

 

The Event Day

 

 

It was hard to believe. 50 people where waiting when I arrived at the event location. After a short welcome we started out with a guided tour in the area. First stop was Frihedsmonument Skovbakken which is a WWII memorial site. One of the things I like about this very location is that it is way more than you can see with your eyes. On this very spot more that 12.000 Danes showed up, not just once, but on a weekly basis during the war. They were not "allowed" to fight against the foreign soldiers and all attempt's to grow national feeling and team spirit where considered treason and punished with death. Again and again those 12.000 Danes showed up here and they did nothing but stand still and sing! To me this is Waymarking! Imagine you could show and tell others about this and imagine the moment when you realize that some in the audience feel this story and virtualy hear the singing among the old trees... the same trees that where there in the old days.

 

After a detour to some interesting but not waymarked location a short stop was made at WMFR7N Frederik VII, a former danish King and K-61-09334 Højdefikspunkt which is a Danish Benchmark (one of the not so exiting ones) before entering an old abandoned cemetary.

 

Den Jødiske Begravelsesplads is another one of those places that very few know about and it is a great example of the places and stories that can be shared though Waymarking. An old jewish cemetery hidden in the middle of the city and still hard to spot and find. In the 1800 century the jewish community played a major part in economics and trade in Randers. They fought long and hard to get this place of their own. It is no longer in use but it tells a great story about a culture very different from Denmark and it is in a remarkable good shape.

 

Last stop of the Tour was a local Sleeding Place - Kælkebakken Randers Centrum - with a scenic view over Randers.

 

 

The second part of the day took place literally on top of the waymark that got Henriette into benchmark thinking. You couldn't ask for a better way to end the official part of this day. Champagne and homemade cakes looking like small benchmarks and lots of happy people with lots of new questions talking about Waymarking and learning more and more.

 

What happened afterwards

Today, the day after the day, one log after another tell stories about geocachers exploring this to them new world of Waymarking. I think it is fair to say that our goal was fulfilled. We had a great time and it seems like all our "guests" had a great time too. Danes are known to think that they know better and I would like to apologize here up front if any of you recieves stupid or dump waymarks and questions in the near future.

 

It is my hope that this story can be an inspiration and an example of what could be done if you want to show all those statistic focused geocachers (one of them is myself) what Waymarking is all about. We took a chance planning this day knowing that it very well could end out with no other impact than what could be blown away in the wind. Luckily it didn't go that way. Go for it... if you think about doing something similar.

 

At last I would like to thank a lot of experienced helpful waymarkers around the globe. Without your open and helpful communication we wouldn't have had the chance to share this amazing world with the people that showed up at our event.

 

THANK YOU!

[+Max and 99]

Very nice story!

[+lumbricus]

Great event and also great post here.

Thanks for your effort