Rural Adventure Labs

[+G0ldNugget]

I was awarded an AL to place. I live in a rural area and the only existing AL around is in the single largish city nearby. I would like to do something that highlights some of the amazing scenery, history or geology of the more rural areas. Like a wildlife refuge or a drive down a historic country highway. But this presents some problems. First is cell service. In some locations it is spotty. How important is 100% reliable cell service to a successful AL? Are there workarounds or no-gos I should consider? What about locations that you drive to? Most ALs seem to be urban walking adventures but some of the locations Im interested in might be more spread out. Finally, how likely are players to even tackle a rural adventure? Should I just give up on country caching and focus on interesting city walking tours? 

Thanks for your advice.

[+elyob]

The choices are all yours.  Go with what interests you.  When you test your adventure lab before it goes public, you can test connectivity.  If it's inadequate, try your next ideas.

[+barefootjeff]

4 hours ago, G0ldNugget said:

How important is 100% reliable cell service to a successful AL?

 

Phones need to be able to connect with HQ's servers in order to confirm right answers so yes, there has to be sufficient service for that to work reliably. If there are spots close by that have better service, you can make the geofencing radius wider so that finders can move there to lodge their answer.

 

4 hours ago, G0ldNugget said:

What about locations that you drive to? Most ALs seem to be urban walking adventures but some of the locations Im interested in might be more spread out.

 

I did one recently that was a long drive (about 70km I think) from one end to the other so that's not a limitation.

 

4 hours ago, G0ldNugget said:

Finally, how likely are players to even tackle a rural adventure? Should I just give up on country caching and focus on interesting city walking tours? 

 

My own one is a long steep hike through a national park (it would have been rated terrain 4 had it been a normal cache), so they're certainly not constrained to city walking tours and I for one would prefer ones that are real adventures out in the wilds. Diversity is good so I'd say go for it!

[+rragan]

Though I have not tested it, I've heard that once you are in the radius and have the Answer page up that you can go away to a spot with coverage and complete answering that location. 

[+ecanderson]

2 hours ago, rragan said:

Though I have not tested it, I've heard that once you are in the radius and have the Answer page up that you can go away to a spot with coverage and complete answering that location. 

True, but not helpful if the lab is sequential and the next stage is near to the last one, also out of coverage.  That would entail bouncing in and out of cell coverage to complete the AL.

 

[+rragan]

Just now, ecanderson said:

True, but not helpful if the lab is sequential and the next stage is near to the last one, also out of coverage.  That would entail bouncing in and out of cell coverage to complete the AL.

 

Yep, that was clear but it's the best I could suggest. Walking back and 4th several miles to do each location would not be enticing. 

[+JohnCNA]

On 9/25/2020 at 5:03 PM, G0ldNugget said:

How important is 100% reliable cell service to a successful AL?

Cell reception is extremely important.  A couple times when I was in a spotty reception area, it would not accept my answer. 

[+ecanderson]

3 hours ago, JohnCNA said:

Cell reception is extremely important.  A couple times when I was in a spotty reception area, it would not accept my answer. 

Yup.  Had that happen to us last week when we got a bit too far outside of Ft. Collins in a little burgh called Bellvue.  Two AL stages there that had us in contortions trying to get a signal.

[+Max and 99]

 

[+Max and 99]

On 9/25/2020 at 5:03 PM, G0ldNugget said:

I was awarded an AL to place. I live in a rural area and the only existing AL around is in the single largish city nearby. I would like to do something that highlights some of the amazing scenery, history or geology of the more rural areas. Like a wildlife refuge or a drive down a historic country highway. But this presents some problems. First is cell service. In some locations it is spotty. How important is 100% reliable cell service to a successful AL? Are there workarounds or no-gos I should consider? What about locations that you drive to? Most ALs seem to be urban walking adventures but some of the locations Im interested in might be more spread out. Finally, how likely are players to even tackle a rural adventure? Should I just give up on country caching and focus on interesting city walking tours? 

Thanks for your advice.

This is what can happen when you place an AL in an area with bad or no wifi:

 

 

[+NLBokkie]

On 9/26/2020 at 12:03 AM, G0ldNugget said:

 . . . Should I just give up on country caching and focus on interesting city walking tours? . . .

 

Not at all! But if the tour you've got planned isn't working as an Adventure Lab, you might still consider to create a multi or Wherigo instead and use the Adventure Lab for another . . . well . . . adventure.

[+terratin]

Please don't give a mandatory order to the different locations. If signal is poor at one point (or the information to answer vanishes) then people can't do the other locations either.     

[+G0ldNugget]

Well, I did it. I created a rural AL which is in test mode now. Thank you all for your help. I found my cell service was pretty decent along most of the way and I applied generous geofencing to allow for fluctuations. I focused on sites which had good service.

Are there any Northern California geocachers who would like to test it out?

https://labs.geocaching.com/goto/a6634682-e159-4e14-ad36-9c1c76ec59d9

Edited October 11, 2020 by G0ldNugget
new test-typos