Colville Cache Machine, September 22, 2018

[+travisl]

Note: circumstances may change after this initial posting. Look for my posts (with the  icon) in this thread for all the important details and changes. If you think you've seen this all before, focus on the unique-to-this-event information in red.

 

(Link to dinner event cache)

 

 

The Colville Chamber of Commerce advertises "Discover our good nature! ... Come to visit us and enjoy our small town hospitality... where outdoor recreation is literally at your doorstep." That means geocaches, right?

 

So fill up the tank, grab your gear, toss down some breakfast at way-too-early o'clock, and start on the route at GC3DY9W Leap. From there, move at your own pace and get as many as you can.

 

Dinner's going to be at South Main Restaurant and Sports Bar, 993 S. Main Street, Colville, (N 48° 32.088 W 117° 54.288). Please log your "will attends" on the event page so I can let the restaurant know how many to expect.

 

Note that some caches on the route map may be marked with a "do not enter" icon . Those cache owners have justifiably asked for their cache to not be on the route, and for the cache to not be sought during the cache machine. The cache is, in the owner's opinion, in a sensitive area, whether it's environmentally unwise, socially sensitive, or physically fragile. Just don't get it. It's not like there's a shortage of caches in the area.

 

Rules:

1) Follow all traffic laws, and drive safely. This is not a race; there are no winners. The only loser will be someone who gets hurt. When someone asks what you're doing, the right answer is honesty: "geocaching".

2) Respect private property, even if the cache owner didn't. Post your DNFs proudly.

3) One logbook entry for "CCM" is fine for most small and micros. Don't go filling up the logbook just because you want to mark your territory. 50 people's names and dates will fill up most one-sheets. Be kind and bring extra paper to add to caches with full logbooks.

4) As with all cache machines, if you find the cache, you'll be the one who has to re-hide it. Hide it as well as you found it. Handing it off to someone else and pointing down saying "it goes there" isn't good enough. Don't be a jerk. The extra 45 seconds isn't going to ruin your day.

5) Be gentle. Some cache containers are fragile, delicate, or weather sensitive. Take your time, double check the cache description, do it right.

If you’ve already found a couple of these caches, that’s fine - give us a chance to find the cache, and then we may turn to you for a hint. Suggestions and ''Count me ins'' are welcome on the event page.

----

The Colville Cache Machine FAQ:

 

When is it? 

Saturday, September 22, 2018. Start time is 6:30 a.m at GC3DY9W Leap.

 

Will it be one large group, will we be split into teams, or what?

We'll start as one large group, but after a dozen caches or so, the large groups will likely fragment, and on a long day like this, you'll probably be on your own by the time most people in town are waking up. If you want to go off-route to find Munzees, letterboxes, Pokémon, portals, or Starbucks, well, you do you.

 

Is anything going on before, during, or after?

An unofficial informal they-don't-know-we're-coming pre-event dinner will be at Fired Up Brewing, 1235 S Main St at 7:00 PM on Friday, September 21. The official event dinner is this event cache.

 

Hey, there's a cache *right there!* Why aren't we getting that one?

My standard answer here is that I try to avoid most multicaches, most puzzle caches, caches that appear to be overly time consuming, and caches that the owner has asked us to avoid. The route is built around highly-favorited caches, so some just didn't make the cut.

 

A cache on your map shows the wrong place to park. // Hey, that road doesn't exist! // That's a long hike! // What's with making us ford the river?

Thanks for catching that! Let me know, and I'll incorporate it your fix into the route.

 

Why does the route go way past the dinner time? Is this a two-day event?

The extra time is a buffer, in case you're so good that you'd run out of caches before you run out of daylight. I don't expect anyone would be able to hit all of them between sunrise and sunset. Of course, if you wanted to hit them after dinner, or on Sunday, I'm sure you'll be able to find folks to join you.

 

It sounds fun, but I've already found some of them.

Then come laugh at us, try to remember where they were, look at the old logbook signatures, or guess when we'll be at the caches you haven't hit yet. Maybe pass your phone number around for us to call when we get stumped.

 

You have X cache on the route, but it's disabled/archived/a long hike.

Let me know, and I'll remove it from the route (if archived) or may check with the owner (if disabled).

 

X cache is in an environmentally sensitive area. // My cache is physically fragile and I don't want it broken.

By all means, let me know. I don't want to send dozens of people there to stomp all over it.

 

I disagree with the whole idea of cache machines. I don't want you finding my cache.

Sorry to hear that. It's too bad you've got a neat place to show us that we won't be able to see. Let me know, and I'll remove it from the route.

 

What's this gonna cost me?

Nothing for the caching. Or, at least, nothing more than it would cost than if you did the trip solo (e.g., paying for your own gas, hotel, and dinner). I'm not collecting any money for this.

 

Lunch? Breaks? Bathrooms?

There's no breaks in cache machines! Just hold it. :-P Or find something on the way.

 

Rain? Snow? Heat? Landslides? Flooding? Rattlesnakes?

Probably, yes. Do what you safely can, and skip ahead when reality or your capabilities don't match the plan. Be prepared and flexible.

 

What do the map symbols mean?

Turquoise lines show my suggested route, but if there's a brown trail or grey road that I've drawn in, ignore the turquoise. Red car icons show places to park a car for a short time (usually a trailhead).

[+travisl]

And here's a first draft for your perusal. Take a look and see if you can figure out where I'm sending people down a road that doesn't exist, or making them ford a river, or making them hike up a vertical wall. If you see something strange like that, please let me know.

[+The Jester]

We now have to log in to see the route?

[+Terrible Ts]

I have the Bookmark and number file ready for the Colville CM - Draft 1  HERE

 

Looking forward to it.

Terrible Ts

Edited August 15, 2018 by Terrible Ts

[+travisl]

On 8/14/2018 at 8:44 PM, The Jester said:

We now have to log in to see the route?

You shouldn't have to. I just right-clicked the link and opened it in incognito mode, no login, and saw it just fine. Message me if you're still having trouble getting it.

[+The Jester]

I keep getting a log into Google (window titled "Meet Google Drive") page with no way to bypass it without entering a password.  Not a big deal, just something different.

[+Sagefox]

Maybe I don't understand the problem or maybe it's fixed but I just click on the link above and it opens just like they always have.

[+travisl]

Just a heads up before I post the final route in a few weeks: there’s no unofficial pre-event dinner this time. Instead, there’s this event where we can share whatever minimal pre-event last minute stuff needs to be known. https://coord.info/GC7XAQT

 

I’ve coordinated this with the event organizer; we’re on the same page. See y’all there!

[+travisl]

 

The final route is up. Any changes after this point will be mentioned at dinner on Friday and then in this forum shortly after dinner. Three things to note:

1) I don't think a National Forest Pass is required anywhere on the route, but I could be mistaken. You might want to shell out $5 and have one in your car, just in case.

2) The rose-colored lines on the map indicate Delorme Challenge boundaries. If you're trying to fill that challenge in, note that the SW corner of the route doesn't go into page 39; you should make a side trip to Rice on Friday or Sunday.

3) The pre-event get together on Friday isn't my doing this time -- it's a separate event cache hosted by Grandkids Rock & D’Dawg.

 

Colville Cache Machine final route

 

[+Terrible Ts]

I have updated the Bookmark list and the CM Number file for the Coville CM Final route. You can get them HERE
 

If you copy the bookmark page it will keep the leading numbers in your copy.

 

Terrible Ts

 

[+hydnsek]

A bit late, but here are the potential problem caches. I posted a note on all five pages indicating the CM hoped to find the caches this Saturday.

 

GC2HQDH

003 - Color Crayon Cache-Orange

Last 2 DNFs. Last find in April.

GC1CN9R

067 - On the Flowery Trail

Last 3 DNFs. Last find in May.

GC7P1J2

078 - Quartzite Ballers T-Ball League

Last 2 DNFs. Owner said 9/15 that it may be missing. Will it be replaced in time?

GC3YR6C

091 - In Honor Of Robot Monkey Boy

DNF in July, but probably still there.

GC75PTE

097 - Gnarly

Last 4 DNFs. CO replaced it a year ago, but no finds since. CO says it's still there, but who knows.

 

 

[+travisl]

No major updates. Looks like stop 3, Color Crayon Cache-Orange, is likely missing. Stop 16, Pac-Man Mania ~ Pac-Man was also DNFed today, but it’s possible that it’s still there. 

 

See you tomorrow!

Edited September 22, 2018 by travisl