Comments on this cache idea

[cool_and_the_gang]

Hello, All!

 

I have been designing and researching an interesting cache and would like input on it before I expend further effort in something that's going to go over like a lead baloon and get no activity. Here is the info:

 

I am an architect. My cache will educate people about the wide variety of architects that have worked in our are and the wide range of architectural styles that exist in the area. Many buildings go un-noticed and have been designed by well known architects!

 

The cache will work like this:

 

There will be posted a list of 10? architects, and the style of the buildings, ie:

 

1) Frank Lloyd Wright, Prairie Style Residence

2) Louis Khan, Modernist Style Church

3) Mead McKim & White, Greek Revival Historic Residence etc. etc.

 

On public property in clear proximity to the buildings will be placed small markers with the coordinates of the next building (The coordinates of the first will be posted). The order of the buildings, however, will not be in the same order as on the list and the game will be one of the cacher matching the buildings to the list of designers (this will be made clear on the cache page) - thus the public will be forced to observe the buildings (learning about the style in the process) and will learn about the designers and will be forced to "tour" historic neighborhoods etc.

 

The final coordinates will lead to a hidden cache box which will be started with architecturally related items that I have already assembled:

 

A log book and single use camera

A model of the Eiffel tower

An Architect's scale made out of simulated stone

Small Plastic Drafting Triangles

A Mechanical Pencil

An erasing Shield

A laminated steel reinforcing bar reference chart

A high strength, ASTM 325 steel bolt (used in steel framing)

A Pin from "The Architect's Building" in Boston

Post Cards of well known buildings

Photographs of buildings taken by me in my travels

Issues of Fine Home Building and Architectural Record

A demo CD of Computer Aided Drafting Software

etc. ALSO: A laminated card with photographs of the buildings with the correctly matched designers and styles.

 

It is my hope that this theme will be continued but is not mandatory. There is the potential that no one will bother with the buildings and will simply go from one to the next outside of the spirit of the cache simply to get to the end. If this happens, so be it. I don't want to get involved with people e-mailing me answer sheets for confirmation of finds which is common with virtual caches. People who are genuinely interested in expanding their knowledge will play the game.

 

And for those with little knowledge of buildings and styles I will post links to various architectural web sites pertaining to each of the designers or styles so they can bone up on it before they head out.

 

The next steps are:

1) charting the coordinates of each of the buildings (comment on the appropriate number would be appreciated)

2) placing the markers (I propose adhesive backed vinyl tags stuck to the backs of street signs on which coordinates are marked in permanent marker)

3) placing the cache. This is the hardest part, I think!

 

You comments would be very much appreciated before I put any more effort into this. Thank you for your time and assistance.

 

"Now may every living thing, young or old, weak or strong, living near or far, known or unknown, living or departed or yet unborn, may every living thing know happiness!"

[+mogolloyd]

Sounds cool to me. Remember anything away from a box full of toys in an insignificant place is going to be memorable and enjoyable.

[+The Leprechauns]

Sounds like a great idea in the works. I would much rather hunt for a cache like this, learning stuff along the way but ending with a treasure box, than for a single virtual cache that says "come see this Modernist Style Church."

 

You don't need to be concerned about verifying correct answers, since signing the logbook is proof that the finder at least visited all of the spots. How much they learn about architecture is really up to them. You might consider sending out an answer key in an e-mail, or a link to a webpage with the right answers, when someone logs a find on your cache.

 

From past threads, there's somewhat of a consensus that more than five stops along the path of a multicache starts to get tedious. So if you have ten spots, place two of this style of cache (perhaps one for Rochester city architecture and another for spots in the suburbs/rural areas like Honeoye Falls).

 

Purists would note that your vinyl adhesive labels ought to be removable, lest you be accused of defacing public property (a pristine road sign) with graffiti.

 

Generally I am very appreciative when someone sets up a cache that teaches me something that they know about, but I don't. It can be a tiny park on a back street, a historic spot that only the locals know about, a favorite swimming hole, or an introduction to architecture. These caches are far more memorable than "pull up to the parking lot by the baseball field and walk 300 feet into the woods."

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Next time, instead of getting married, I think I'll just find a woman I don't like and buy her a house.

[+flask]

excellent. i would hunt it in a heartbeat.

 

it doesn't matter if you get to camp at one or at six. dinner is still at six.

[+WindChill]

I agree with everyone else, this is a great idea.

 

Rather than put the next coordinates on a street sign, maybe you could use the current buildings address (or something similar) as part of the next coordinate. It makes it a bit if a puzzle instead of a simple multi, but that shouldnt deter since it is straight forward.

 

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The world is a playground. Go outside and play!

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[+Squirrel Nut & Beersnob]

Sounds like a cool idea! You could probably rig something with magnets if you wanted to stick it on a sign. If you incorperate the address of a building some people may cheat and figure out the final cache without visiting anything.

 

I've never seen an architect's scale of mock stone, sounds cool- do they make an engineer's scale to match?? I'm a landscape architect* - we don't use arkie scales too often...

 

*(thou not 'offically'. Still waiting on LARE test results).

 

I walk the Maze of Moments, but everywhere I turn to, begins a new beginning, but never finds a finish... -Enya, Anywhere Is

[+briansnat]

Sounds like a great idea. The only roadblock I see is how are you going to place the markers? If it's next to the house, its likely to be on private property. If it's on a nearby sidewalk, or street, the markers probably won't last very long.

 

"Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he'll sit in a boat and drink beer all day" - Dave Barry

[Dinoprophet]

I've thought of doing something similar with some historic homes near my work.

 

Depending on the signs in the area, you could use magnets instead of adhesive. I've seen at least one cache that did this. You could also use some simple math and the buildings' addresses, but even that much math turns some people off.

 

Edit: I missed WindChill's post about the address. Sorry, WC.

 

Well the mountain was so beautiful that this guy built a mall and a pizza shack

Yeah he built an ugly city because he wanted the mountain to love him back -- Dar Williams

 

[This message was edited by Dinoprophet on August 14, 2003 at 09:55 AM.]

[Stefanoodle]

Sounds like a brilliant idea. I would love to hunt a multi like that. Here in South Africa someone has done an historical multi. I have learned a lot about the sites, and find the theme fascinating.

 

WindChill's idea of using something on the building as part of the next co-ordinate sounds like an excellent idea.

 

All the best for your cache.

[cool_and_the_gang]

Thanks to all who replied so far. I like the arithmetic idea for the coordinates. That would eliminate a physical items that I would have to maintain.

 

Maybe the given N coords. + address, given W coords. - address.

 

I welcome further comment.

 

"Now may every living thing, young or old, weak or strong, living near or far, known or unknown, living or departed or yet unborn, may every living thing know happiness!"

[+CacheUsOut]

Great idea. I would also recommend keeping the steps to 5 or less. You may include a list of other examples of the architecture in the final cache, so those so inclined can visit them as well.

 

Instead of hand-written labels, I strongly recommend this http://www.ptouchlabels.com/brother_details.html#1800. The Brother label makers produce small, readable and durable stickers that non cachers tend to ignore as an 'official' sticker.

 

Good Luck!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If I want to see a sunrise, I'll STAY up for it!

[+Kite and Hawkeye]

Sounds like a great idea. It might be easier to maintain if the preliminary waypoints are virtual, though -- go to the building, answer a question, either have a numeric answer or a multiple-choice question whose answers correspond to numbers. If you are willing and able to maintain the markers, they'd be neat -- I like looking for hidden things, even if they're only little tags. But I know they do sometimes disappear. There was a great multi in Milwaukee called Points of Interest that had engraved dog tags at each point, attached with a little zip tie thingy. They were pretty discreet and withstood the elements. But they STILL disappeared, and finally the owners gave up. Sad. I think the plastic attachments had a tendency to weather -- I accidentally broke one myself when turning the tag to read the engraved numbers. But the idea was pretty neat.

[Jamethiel]

I like your idea alot, it would be cool to visit the homes. Check out Statues times 10 http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=60676a52-0bbc-4a4b-9a85-053ea241cb44

in Bozeman, Mt for a way to not have to use tags placed onsite. They asked a question and the answer was put into a simple equation. And then ALL the answers were used to find the final location. A very cool way to discover statues all over the city.

-Jennifer

 

Age does not bring wisdom, but it does give perspective.