Michigan Geocaching Organization

[+Firefishe]

I am interested in starting a "Michigan Geocaching Organization" based out of Traverse City, Michigan.

 

If there are any interested parties, please feel free to post your comments here on the forum and at my personal email address:

 

(Stephen Brown)

 

I currently work nights, and answer my email either during the late morning or late evening.

 

I am based out of Traverse City.

 

Warm regards,

Stephen Brown (Firefishe)

[+welch]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firefishe:

I am interested in starting a "Michigan Geocaching Organization" based out of Traverse City, Michigan.

 

If there are any interested parties, please feel free to post your comments here on the forum and at my personal email address:

 

(Stephen Brown)

 

I currently work nights, and answer my email either during the late morning or late evening.

 

I am based out of Traverse City.

 

Warm regards,

Stephen Brown (Firefishe)

---

good luck

[+Don&Betty]

I think such a state-wide organization would be beneficial to the sport, perhaps providing a little clout, or credibility toward gatting permission to hide caches. I'm from Jackson, a little far from Traverse City, but would support the idea of a state group. Perhaps a state organization could promote and encompass regional and local groups. Perhaps that is getting too complicated. Walk before you run. Are there other state groups? You ought to contact them for info or help in setting up yours.

[+welch]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Don&Betty:

I think such a state-wide organization would be beneficial to the sport, perhaps providing a little clout, or credibility toward gatting permission to hide caches. I'm from Jackson, a little far from Traverse City, but would support the idea of a state group. Perhaps a state organization could promote and encompass regional and local groups. Perhaps that is getting too complicated. Walk before you run. Are there other state groups? You ought to contact them for info or help in setting up yours.

---

wisconsin has a geocaching group

http://www.wi-geocaching.com

theres also a great plains geocachers (gpg)

http://www.gpgeocaching.com

it also seems theres a minnesota group

http://www.mngeo.com/

[Zuckerruebensirup]

I think the idea is good, but being based out of Traverse City, I wonder how much participation you'll get. I live between Detroit and Grand Rapids (not too far from Jackson, actually). If there were a local "chapter", I'd definitely be interested.

[Zuckerruebensirup]

I think the idea is good, but being based out of Traverse City, I wonder how much participation you'll get. I live between Detroit and Grand Rapids (not too far from Jackson, actually). If there were a local "chapter", I'd definitely be interested.

[+Rusty & Libby]

TC is too far out of the action for most of the state so participation would be a problem. Plus I really don't see a reason why an organization would need to be "based" anywhere in particular. I'm over near Grand Rapids and I think we need some local get togethers before any kind of state organization is created. The picnic idea in Detroit didn't pan out so how about just meeting over coffee or lunch in different parts of the state. If we had a few meetings this spring perhaps then we could take the next step and have some larger gatherings in the summer. Eventually statewide or regional organizations might be created from a consensus of several cachers.

 

Rusty...

 

Rusty & Libby's Geocache Page

[+trippy1976]

I think we need something more Michigan-centric than these forums. I would propose as a start creating some sort of group or forum or club or whatever for Michiganers to join. Either here or elsewhere. Then post RE: its creation and existence periodically.

 

People can post events as they please. I agree that a 'based' operation is not really the preferable way to manage this. Geocaching does need some help in Michigan though. I have done a majority of my caches in NY, where they have nearly 500. We only list 308 in Michigan (as of today) and there's pretty much 100 each in the big areas. North, SE and SW.

 

I'm new to MI so forgive the generalization on geography But anyway... a yahoogroup or similar would be my two cents. We have no basis for a community yet, these forums tend to lose MI-centric stuff in the buzz. If we build it... they will come. I would even set up a yahoogroup for us if you guys would like. I use yahoogroups for several other 'things' I do. Primarily I use it for a mailing list, but it also does calendaring for events, etc.

 

I'll be looking at this thread occasionally for activity. Let's keep the discussion here in the forum as much as possible for maximum exposure to the topic.

 

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Trippy1976

[+trippy1976]

I think we need something more Michigan-centric than these forums. I would propose as a start creating some sort of group or forum or club or whatever for Michiganers to join. Either here or elsewhere. Then post RE: its creation and existence periodically.

 

People can post events as they please. I agree that a 'based' operation is not really the preferable way to manage this. Geocaching does need some help in Michigan though. I have done a majority of my caches in NY, where they have nearly 500. We only list 308 in Michigan (as of today) and there's pretty much 100 each in the big areas. North, SE and SW.

 

I'm new to MI so forgive the generalization on geography But anyway... a yahoogroup or similar would be my two cents. We have no basis for a community yet, these forums tend to lose MI-centric stuff in the buzz. If we build it... they will come. I would even set up a yahoogroup for us if you guys would like. I use yahoogroups for several other 'things' I do. Primarily I use it for a mailing list, but it also does calendaring for events, etc.

 

I'll be looking at this thread occasionally for activity. Let's keep the discussion here in the forum as much as possible for maximum exposure to the topic.

 

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Trippy1976

[+Don&Betty]

Seems we ought to have a "Michigan Group Forum" right here. There are on Groundspeak's home page, "Geocaching Groups by State and Region" (including Michigan, under Midwest Region), but that page just seems to be a listing of a lot of geocaches. I would have thought it ought to be a forum dedicated to/by/for Michigan geocachers and Michigan topics.

 

We certainly can and ought to set up such a "topic" right here, perhaps titled as its "subject," "Michigan Group Forum." It would serve as our virtual "state organization" prior to (and leading up to) setting up a bricks and mortar one, but would still be useful and live on after that too. With such a "topic" always out there, anyone in Michigan would know where to look for inputs regarding Michigan activities etc.--and would know where to post them or discuss them.

 

I would have thought that every state would have such a "state forum topic" and that that was what the "Geocaching Groups by Region" section was for.

[+trippy1976]

The problem with not having a dedicated forum group is that a thread can go stale and float to the bottom of the list. Then new cachers won't see it.

 

And if the picnic discussion was any indication - folks don't seem to be able to grasp the concept of keeping a single thread going for a particular subject. I missed 90% of the picnic discussion because it was on about 5 different threads.

 

Perhaps Jeremy would add a sub-forum for us. Not sure what that entails, but we could certainly ask. The worst that could happen is he'll say is no. In some fashion

 

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Trippy1976

[+trippy1976]

The problem with not having a dedicated forum group is that a thread can go stale and float to the bottom of the list. Then new cachers won't see it.

 

And if the picnic discussion was any indication - folks don't seem to be able to grasp the concept of keeping a single thread going for a particular subject. I missed 90% of the picnic discussion because it was on about 5 different threads.

 

Perhaps Jeremy would add a sub-forum for us. Not sure what that entails, but we could certainly ask. The worst that could happen is he'll say is no. In some fashion

 

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Trippy1976

[+trippy1976]

I set up a yahoo group. For now, it could be used simply as a mailing list/community. You don't need a yahoo ID to use it. You can visit the web page:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/migo/

 

Please subscribe to the group by sending email to:

migo-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

 

Other list info and addresses:

Post message: migo@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe: migo-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Unsubscribe: migo-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

List owner: migo-owner@yahoogroups.com

 

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Trippy1976

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by trippy1976:

I set up a yahoo group.

---

 

I joined. I'd say Yahoo is as good a place as anywhere to get things rolling. And then if we start getting participation and ideas of things to do, we can decide from there whether or not to expand to something more official. (From what I saw of the Wisconsin web page, they've done a very nice job.)

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by trippy1976:

I set up a yahoo group.

---

 

I joined. I'd say Yahoo is as good a place as anywhere to get things rolling. And then if we start getting participation and ideas of things to do, we can decide from there whether or not to expand to something more official. (From what I saw of the Wisconsin web page, they've done a very nice job.)

[+LoCache]

Looks like you guys are coming along with your group plans. If we can be of any assistance please let us know. Having formed our group early on, we have even made a document to assist others in getting things going faster and avoiding some of the pitfalls along the way.

 

Any info we have, is available if you want it!

 

Good luck!

Geo

 

----------------------

 

http://www.geopolitan.net/geotrex

 

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by LoCache:

 

Any info we have, is available if you want it!

---

 

Thanks, LoCache! Does your group's homepage include a link to that list of tips you mentioned, or is that something you're sharing by request? (I took a quick peek and didn't notice it.)

 

My e-mail address is Zuckerruebensirup@yahoo.com if you want to forward it. Thanks.

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by LoCache:

 

Any info we have, is available if you want it!

---

 

Thanks, LoCache! Does your group's homepage include a link to that list of tips you mentioned, or is that something you're sharing by request? (I took a quick peek and didn't notice it.)

 

My e-mail address is Zuckerruebensirup@yahoo.com if you want to forward it. Thanks.

[+trippy1976]

Yeah, if you have that info, can you forward it to me as well or post it on a web site and post the URL here so we can all see? Might be valuable as a general post as well. Thanks!

 

(mike@wunderware.com)

 

It would be good not to make mistakes Or at least double up on them.

 

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Trippy1976

[+trippy1976]

Yeah, if you have that info, can you forward it to me as well or post it on a web site and post the URL here so we can all see? Might be valuable as a general post as well. Thanks!

 

(mike@wunderware.com)

 

It would be good not to make mistakes Or at least double up on them.

 

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Trippy1976

[+Rusty & Libby]

Hey Trippy, I just joined the Yahoo group. Good idea whose time has come. It sounds like a good place for some Michigan specific discussions or threads that we don't want to get buried.

 

For the longest time I didn't think anything could get lost in the Midwest forum but it's finally coming alive.

 

Rusty...

 

Rusty & Libby's Geocache Page

[+LoCache]

For everyone interested in that document I mentioned above, please feel free to email me and I will reply with the document as an attachment.

 

I forgot we haven't published our new web site yet with all the links and such.

 

Shoot me an email, and I will respond with the goods...it's not necessarily how you HAVE to do things, but at least may give you some ideas, and I can tell you it has worked well for us so far!

 

Thanks,

Geo

LoCache@geopolitan.net

----------------------

 

http://www.geopolitan.net/geotrex

 

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by LoCache:

Shoot me an email, and I will respond with the goods.

---

 

LoCache, you have mail!

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by LoCache:

Shoot me an email, and I will respond with the goods.

---

 

LoCache, you have mail!

[Zuckerruebensirup]

LoCache came through with the file. I posted a copy of it on the MIGO board. (For some reason postings don't seem to be making to the message list. After doing a couple trial attempts with no success...Yahoo will probably eventually catch up, and post several all at once. My apologizies for the extra messages if that happens.)

 

- Zuck

[Zuckerruebensirup]

LoCache came through with the file. I posted a copy of it on the MIGO board. (For some reason postings don't seem to be making to the message list. After doing a couple trial attempts with no success...Yahoo will probably eventually catch up, and post several all at once. My apologizies for the extra messages if that happens.)

 

- Zuck

[+trippy1976]

I just got the email, but no attachement. I see that it's in the 'files' section on the web site though. If you have a yahoo account you can access that stuff. If you don't, let me or Zuckerruebensirup know and one of us will get you a copy.

 

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trippy1976

 

** Michigan Geocachers' Organization (MIGO) **

Join us for discussion of local events and topics in our yahoogroup. To join, send an email to:

migo-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

[Zuckerruebensirup]

Per our recent discussions on the MIGO site, I've added a signature line in order to help advertise our group, and the upcoming geo-gathering.

 

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Join us at our first Michigan Geocachers Organization (MIGO) gathering on 4/27/02!

[+Rusty & Libby]

The logo is not permenant but I'm going to use it for now until we get a chance to vote on one or until I make another that I like better, whichever comes first

 

 

Rusty & Libby's Geocache Page

[+Rusty & Libby]

The logo is not permenant but I'm going to use it for now until we get a chance to vote on one or until I make another that I like better, whichever comes first

 

 

Rusty & Libby's Geocache Page

[+trippy1976]

How did you guys get the graphic working?

 

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trippy1976

 

** Michigan Geocachers' Organization (MIGO) **

Join us for discussion of local events and topics in our yahoogroup. To join, send an email to:

migo-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

[+Rusty & Libby]

Substitue "[" square brackets for the parenthisis in the following line:

 

(URL=http://www.yoursite.com/yourpage.htm)(IMG)http://www.yoursite.com/image.gif(/IMG)(/URL)

 

Thanks to LoCache for the hints.

 

Rusty...

 

PS..if you change your profile and it doesn't work you need to logout after you make a 2nd change for the change to happen. At least that's the way it worked for me.

 

 

Rusty & Libby's Geocache Page

[+Rusty & Libby]

By the way you are welcome to use any of the logos I have posted on my personal geocache page if yo like them. I would recommend copying it to your own storage 'cuz I keep adding and deleting them as I make changes or new ones. You could always email me if you just want me to send you anything in particular or a specific size.

 

I am using 88x31 in my sig line to keep it byte sized.

 

Rusty...

 

 

Rusty & Libby's Geocache Page

[+trippy1976]

I'm trying to copy you Thanks for the tip on the images. For whatever reason, I was trying similar things and getting database errors on submission. Let's see if this works.

 

*Posts and checks his sig*

*woots*

 

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trippy1976

 

[This message was edited by trippy1976 on April 15, 2002 at 01:36 PM.]

[+trippy1976]

I'm trying to copy you Thanks for the tip on the images. For whatever reason, I was trying similar things and getting database errors on submission. Let's see if this works.

 

*Posts and checks his sig*

*woots*

 

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trippy1976

 

[This message was edited by trippy1976 on April 15, 2002 at 01:36 PM.]

[+Scook]

I've found that image files from Geocities web pages will not work or display properly.

At least I've never got them to work right. Only from my other web storage pages.

 

A thought on recruiting new members. We might work with Sporting Goods and Outdoor Outfitters to do GPS "seminars" to introduce others to the sport and gather in existing Geocachers.

I've already done 2 presentations for computer clubs. (SEMCO at Oakland U. and FACE in Flint)

Of course the hardest part of any organization is geting volunteers to show up!

[+trippy1976]

That's a good idea. I'd be willing to do something. I'm in the SE area.

 

Also, I was thinking of contacting some of the local scouting groups to see if they would be interested in having me come and do some merit badge counseling (not sure how GPSing works into their curriculum though... there was no GPS merit badge when I was a kid) or help them plan a trash out or something.

 

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trippy1976

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rusty:

Substitue "[" square brackets for the parenthisis in the following line:

 

(URL=http://www.yoursite.com/yourpage.htm)(IMG)http://www.yoursite.com/image.gif(/IMG)(/URL)

---

 

Rusty, I was trying that this morning...and kept getting error messages. I thought maybe it didn't like the 'gif' format, so I updated it to 'jpg', and got the same error. As soon as I would take out the img tags and change back to a simple word, the update would process with no errors. I wonder what I was doing wrong.

 

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Join us at our first Michigan Geocachers Organization (MIGO) gathering on 4/27/02!

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rusty:

Substitue "[" square brackets for the parenthisis in the following line:

 

(URL=http://www.yoursite.com/yourpage.htm)(IMG)http://www.yoursite.com/image.gif(/IMG)(/URL)

---

 

Rusty, I was trying that this morning...and kept getting error messages. I thought maybe it didn't like the 'gif' format, so I updated it to 'jpg', and got the same error. As soon as I would take out the img tags and change back to a simple word, the update would process with no errors. I wonder what I was doing wrong.

 

-------

Join us at our first Michigan Geocachers Organization (MIGO) gathering on 4/27/02!

[Zuckerruebensirup]

Thanks for the help, Rusty.

 

-------

Join us at our first geo-gathering on 4/27/02!

[Zuckerruebensirup]

Thanks for the help, Rusty.

 

-------

Join us at our first geo-gathering on 4/27/02!

[Zuckerruebensirup]

Grrr...no matter what I try, I can't seem to get that extra underline out of my signature line between the links to the MIGO page and the cache event link. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong? I checked and double checked...and there's no extra space inside the link brackets. Here's what I currently have (with brackets in place of parentheses, of course):

 

Join us at our first (URL=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/migo/)(IMG)http://img.Groundspeak.com/cache/log/196939_600.gif(/IMG)(/URL) "(url=http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=19355)geo-gathering(/url)" on 4/27/02!

 

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Join us at our first "geo-gathering" on 4/27/02!

[Zuckerruebensirup]

Grrr...no matter what I try, I can't seem to get that extra underline out of my signature line between the links to the MIGO page and the cache event link. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong? I checked and double checked...and there's no extra space inside the link brackets. Here's what I currently have (with brackets in place of parentheses, of course):

 

Join us at our first (URL=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/migo/)(IMG)http://img.Groundspeak.com/cache/log/196939_600.gif(/IMG)(/URL) "(url=http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=19355)geo-gathering(/url)" on 4/27/02!

 

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Join us at our first "geo-gathering" on 4/27/02!

[+trippy1976]

I've seen this before in regular HTML when there was a space after a tag. You could try checking if there are any extra spaces in your (URL) for the image or (IMG) tag itself.

 

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trippy1976