Geocoin mega-event ... is it arduous?

[+Korichnovui]

Hey guys,

 

So I’ve been getting kind of excited to attend a mega event at the end of June, a geocoin challenge, my first one. Apparently you go get 28 caches and then you’re awarded a fancy geocoin.

 

I’ve got it on the calendar and the intent is that the whole family (spouse and kids) are going to come along and have a fun time. We’ll pack a lunch and snacks, etc.

 

But lately I’ve been thinking, whoa wait, 28 caches spread all across town? Can we even accomplish this in one day?

 

I don’t want it to be something where I start snapping at the family to pick up the pace so we can cross the finish line...

 

I was interested to hear some stories from you more experienced types about how this sort of thing ends up playing out.

[+mertat]

I thought I’d reply to this since I’ve been caching for a while (since 11-2004) but haven’t found massive amounts of caches and don’t tend to do a lot of caches in one day.   However, I did a Heritage Trail series a few years back with a couple of friends – here’s one of the caches.  There was an event where the cache coordinates were handed out and then we all set out to find the 30 caches in the series.  My friends and I completed the challenge that day and got our coins – the caches were great, btw – you could tell a lot of thought and effort had gone into making and placing them.  It was a lot of fun although I did start to get just a little cranky by the end of the day.  I’ve never found 30 caches in one day before or since but was glad I did it.

 

I think you’ll have fun.  Just take your time and don’t take it too seriously.

[+Max and 99]

This is very similar to a Geotour I did recently. It was just two of us, no kids, and I was constantly saying "Hurry, hurry!" We only got about 20 caches and didn't complete the goal, although mostly it's because I got sidetracked a lot with Waymarking. 

But we had a lot of driving around, really spread out!

i suspect your caches will be much closer together, and a little easier numbers wise. A suggestion: get the kids to help keep track and maybe read the hints. I used to put my kids on Navigation Duty to keep them involved with the task.

Good luck and have fun!

[+cerberus1]

If they're able to amass enough people to be a mega event, I'd think that every cache on the list will have a line or group at it.  

Only been to two, but each had so many people at all the local caches, I lost interest and played tourist in the area instead.  Those needed for the event should be simple (unless there's a couple with higher D/T).

[+niraD]

4 minutes ago, cerberus1 said:

If they're able to amass enough people to be a mega event, I'd think that every cache on the list will have a line or group at it.  

Only been to two, but each had so many people at all the local caches, I lost interest and played tourist in the area instead.  Those needed for the event should be simple (unless there's a couple with higher D/T).

Yeah, to me it defeats the purpose of an event to leave and search for caches. When I attended a nearby mega-event, had more than enough activities to keep me busy on site.

[+Max and 99]

31 minutes ago, cerberus1 said:

If they're able to amass enough people to be a mega event, I'd think that every cache on the list will have a line or group at it.  

Only been to two, but each had so many people at all the local caches, I lost interest and played tourist in the area instead.  Those needed for the event should be simple (unless there's a couple with higher D/T).

I never imagined that. That is funny. 

[+The A-Team]

4 hours ago, cerberus1 said:

If they're able to amass enough people to be a mega event, I'd think that every cache on the list will have a line or group at it.  

This.

When I was at the 2015 Block Party at HQ, there was a literal line of people waiting to try their hand at GC32A0H. At other caches there and at other Megas I've been to, there'd be a group of people and the container wouldn't get rehidden all day, being passed directly from one person to the next. I expect the caches for the Tri-Cities Mega are probably not all that far away from each other, so there will almost certainly be a group at each one.

 

I'll have to try to get down to the Tri-Cities some time.

[+Korichnovui]

Tri-Cities WA has a mega each year, and in simply doing caching around town, you run into the ones that were hidden in previous years, and in general they're above-average containers, well made, and not very difficult. Probably the area we are talking about is a circle of maybe 10-15 mile diameter. Yeah I wondered if there would be a line up. Actually that doesn't sound very fun, but neither does rushing from hide to hide to get 28 in 1 day sound all that fun either, the more I think about it. Hmmm. I mean I could do it myself, but I'll be having the whole family in tow....

[+J Grouchy]

On 5/7/2018 at 1:04 AM, Korichnovui said:

Hey guys,

 

So I’ve been getting kind of excited to attend a mega event at the end of June, a geocoin challenge, my first one. Apparently you go get 28 caches and then you’re awarded a fancy geocoin.

 

I’ve got it on the calendar and the intent is that the whole family (spouse and kids) are going to come along and have a fun time. We’ll pack a lunch and snacks, etc.

 

But lately I’ve been thinking, whoa wait, 28 caches spread all across town? Can we even accomplish this in one day?

 

I don’t want it to be something where I start snapping at the family to pick up the pace so we can cross the finish line...

 

I was interested to hear some stories from you more experienced types about how this sort of thing ends up playing out.

 

To each their own.  My family would never play along for that many...so it would be me alone or not at all.  It all kinda depends on how enthusiastic your family is just about caching.  Forget the coin/prize...if you ever find yourself having to convince people to go get a cache with you, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to make a whole day of it.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

21 hours ago, niraD said:

Yeah, to me it defeats the purpose of an event to leave and search for caches. When I attended a nearby mega-event, had more than enough activities to keep me busy on site.

 

Agreed.   I also thought that geocaching events were supposed to be *about* geocaching, not *for* geocaching.  It seems however the placement of a few, dozens, or hundreds of geocaches for attendees to find while "at the event" as an incentive for attending the even has become commonplace, and even expected.   The Guidelines for creating an event state that and event "Cannot be set up for the sole purpose of finding geocaches" which leaves a lot of wiggle room.    

[+Korichnovui]

Realizing I could figure this out, I looked at some of the caches hid in prior years for the geocoin challenge and counted the logs. Nearly 300 people were logging a find on the first day of these caches being published. So yeah, line ups I guess?

[+Korichnovui]

So I attended the mega and did the challenge, 28/32 caches spread out across the 4-City area.

 

It was a lot of fun! It’s true that I was never alone at any of the caches, and only once did I (and 2 other groups at the same time) have to look for one. But it was great. It felt like an extensive social event spread out all across town, which was really different, neat and enjoyable.

 

Was it like normal geocaching? No. But was it enjoyable? Absolutely! I’ll be looking forward to this event next year, for sure.