Alchemy Quest - Markb

April 5, 2004

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=113270

Wow!.... What a sequence of caches!..... I know what I'm doing this weekend (and the next, and the next, and th...)

Thanksyou, and Well done MarcB!

Tony.

Edited April 5, 2004 by westonwanderers

1.6k · April 5, 2004

Thanks WestonWanderers! This will be my last lot of caches for a very long time!

News is that Seasider is trying to be first to do them all!

MarcB!

Edited April 5, 2004 by MarcB

April 5, 2004

Opps... Spelt your name wrong, Sorry.....(Spellings never been my best point )

Tony.

Edited April 5, 2004 by westonwanderers

1.6k · April 5, 2004

lol sorry!

I'm not usually pedantic like that- my name gets spelt wrong on *everything*!

Good luck with the caches!

MarcB

1.7k · April 5, 2004

Now normally cache advertising is not allowed here, but this series of caches has got to be the exception. I'm very happy to see them given all the publicity they need.

I know MarcB has spent an awful lot of time setting them up and I was delighted to be able to approve them all in one hit.

Go get them guys and gals......

Now who's going to be FTF??????

April 5, 2004

I've just checked this series of caches out..... WOW!

So can anyone recommend a good B&B or motel in the area? :-)

- Neil.

April 5, 2004

MarcB

Really appreciate all your hard work. I guess the symbology of the caches will not be lost complete with gold at the end of the rainbow - given all the Shropshire rain there is sure to be a rainbow!

Peter

3.8k · April 5, 2004

Sure has boosted the caches in my area :) and well planned too. I am looking forward to finding them all after the FTF rush (I am betting aRRKs or The Haywood Hornet)

Thanks MarcB

p.s you can always post it in the New cache section on G:UK

1.6k · April 5, 2004

p.s you can always post it in the New cache section on G:UK

Just done it now!

My money is on Seasider being FTF. I'll be happy when they are all found as some I placed over two months ago!

MarcB

3.8k · April 6, 2004

My money is on Seasider being FTF. I'll be happy when they are all found as some I placed over two months ago!

MarcB

Naw he is in retirement :D

April 6, 2004

So tempted to just go for gold. Even if we spend 2 solid days searching, it'll be quicker than doing all of them!

Not really... this looks like a great series, but I don't think we'll be rushing a FTF.

Cheers,

Stu

April 6, 2004

Naw he is in retirement :D

He didn't look very retired when I saw him between the "Sodium" and "Lead" caches!

3.8k · April 6, 2004

Naw he is in retirement :D

He didn't look very retired when I saw him between the "Sodium" and "Lead" caches!

That Guy's a FIBBER :D He told me he was taking a break

Edited April 6, 2004 by Deego

April 6, 2004

Sure has boosted the caches in my area :D and well planned too. I am looking forward to finding them all after the FTF rush (I am betting aRRKs or The Haywood Hornet)

arrks has until tomorrow 9am to find it, then at least one of them is meant to be working for three days. Sure they'll be chuffed to be mentioned in the same breath as hornet :-)

But their latest logs were found whilst their kids were still in bed - now who's telling social services? ;-)

1.6k · April 6, 2004

Sounds like it's complete chaos out there!

Iron

I'm busy updating some pages with extra clues.

MarcB

April 6, 2004

arrks has until tomorrow 9am to find it, then at least one of them is meant to be working for three days. Sure they'll be chuffed to be mentioned in the same breath as hornet :-)
But their latest logs were found whilst their kids were still in bed - now who's telling social services? ;-)

Operation Chemical aRRKS commences with deployment of kids to grandparents 18:00 08/04/04, second stage commences 05:00 09/04/04, final stage to be confirmed (hospital/pub as required)

3.8k · April 6, 2004

But their latest logs were found whilst their kids were still in bed - now who's telling social services? ;-)

I might I had planned to be the FTF on that cache saw it sunday night,I was going to get it monday night on way home along with the TB. But NO they sneak in first thing in the morning

As for the quest Unless seasiders done it (No logs yet) looks like The Haywood Hornet is closest

Edited April 6, 2004 by Deego

April 7, 2004

well if arrks hadn't have gone, then I or Stormcat (or both) would have gone Monday too...we were debating sneaking out at lunchtime again but decided this was a little too far for us.

3.8k · April 7, 2004

Well done to seasider looks like he was FTF for the GOLD

1k · April 7, 2004

An excellent series with a brilliant theme, well chosen locations and well hidden caches.

And with a joker thrown in at Ironbridge!

It was a great idea to have a multi level series in spread out locations - there was a real sense of anticipation when I opened each log book to see whether someone was ahead of me in the gold rush!

In the end I bagged 13/15 FTFs but it was only when The Haywood Hornet & myself discovered that we were FTF at Iron (my 11th cache with Steel, Mercury and Sulphur left) that I knew I couldn't be beaten to Gold!

A superb couple of days out - my most enjoyable to date.

Many congratulations to Marc B! :mad: :mad:

Cheers!

Seasider

April 7, 2004

surely such a good series should be made available to all. i have been caching for 4 years now but due to uni i dont have the funds to subscribe and with both parents retired i am a bit stuck

this series should not be members only

April 7, 2004

this series should not be members only

I hadn't noticed it was subscriber-only. I also don't particularly have a problem with this - especially with the current cache-clearing antics in the neighbourhood.

We took advantage of the very good exchange rate to join in March. It really is exceedingly good value at the moment - only £16.67 for a year.

I also think it's up to the hider to determine if it should be subscriber-only or not.

Cheers,

Stu

1.7k · April 7, 2004

I hadn't noticed it was subscriber-only. I also don't particularly have a problem with this - especially with the current cache-clearing antics in the neighbourhood.

That's exactly the reason. I had a chat with Nige and we decided it was the best way to try and safeguard what was a very complicated series.

As you say Stu, the annual subs are really very modest and I reckon good value, even if you only get to do this one series :lol:

1.6k · April 7, 2004

[edited]

Edited April 7, 2004 by MarcB

1.6k · April 7, 2004

I've made them normal again. :lol:

If the Clearer does read this - please, please have a heart and stop doing this.

Why not become a proper cacher instead of ruining people's hard work?

Best of luck to everyone,

MarcB

April 7, 2004

In view of MarcB's change of heart, I have edited out my gripe. :lol:

Aisledog

Edited April 7, 2004 by aisledog

1k · April 7, 2004

In view of MarcB's change of heart, I have edited out my gripe.

Aisledog

I think it was Ironbridge you were really griping about!!

Cheers!

Seasider

April 7, 2004

If nothing else the 'member' debate has made me reflect that I should seriously consider thinking about perhaps signing up as a full member.

We do get good if not excellent value. I wonder what the % is of cachers who have paid up?

Peter

1.6k · April 7, 2004

Judging by the number of red crosses at the bottom of here I'd say that there are quite a lot. This is only the forums though.

MarcB

2.2k · April 7, 2004

No idea how many people are paid up. However I only paid up in the last month.

Even if you do pay to help support the system it costs very little. Less than the petrol for one months caching trips.

April 7, 2004

I sense some sort of right-wing geocaching conspiracy at work here! Is it a coincidence that this awesome multi-level multi-cache experience appears the day after an unnamed North American-based cacher travels back across the pond to the colonies? Could The Powers That Be want to keep this cache trek out of the hands of non-UK cachers as long as possible? Enquiring minds want to know!

Seriously folks, congrats and kudos to MarcB for what appears to be a fantastic caching marathon! I always look forward to my next UK trip, but now have even more to look forward to!!! I wonder if NeilFord will be available for my next trip to act as my chauffeur again? And is night-caching an option? :lol:

And only 13 of 15 possible FTFs for Seasider?!?!? Apparently he was hampered by his walker as he stumped around Shropshire!

Oh -- my 2 pence on the Members Only issue -- I would have kept it Members Only for longer; for something as good as the Alchemy series membership SHOULD have its privileges!

April 7, 2004

Is my new avatar going to warrant a warning? :lol:

April 7, 2004

Oh -- my 2 pence on the Members Only issue -- I would have kept it Members Only for longer; for something as good as the Alchemy series membership SHOULD have its privileges!

What he said

I hadn't even noticed that it was members only, but then being a member i probably wouldn't.

I set my first "Member Only" cache last month and thought about changing it for every one, but then as you said, it's nice to have a few perks as a paid up member, especially at the small cost.

BTW, congrats to MarcB on the series of caches, i look forward to starting my quest on Friday, but I think I will take my time over it.

I also look forward to other cachers comming up with something even better (if that is possible???)

April 7, 2004

Seriously folks, congrats and kudos to MarcB for what appears to be a fantastic caching marathon! I always look forward to my next UK trip, but now have even more to look forward to!!! I wonder if NeilFord will be available for my next trip to act as my chauffeur again? And is night-caching an option?

I was seriously considering trying to escape this weekend to tackle this, but family commitments (and Natalie with a baseball bat and muttering something about wedding anniversary) have prevented that.

So I'm up for it when you are next over. I now have a reliable gpsr, have invested in a head torch and will endeavour not to break any part of my anatomy between now and then :-)

Congrats to Seasider btw.... funny understanding of the word retirement though.

- Neil

(who has Premium Membership under the SmudgyPixels ID).

April 8, 2004

Whats this reliable GPSr you have Neil? :lol: ...It looks like a hasselblad.

April 8, 2004

Whats this reliable GPSr you have Neil? ...It looks like a hasselblad.

Oh that.... it's Nikon D100 plus vertical grip with 24-120 lens plus hood. The picture was taken Natalie, probably at the wide end of her 28-200.

I actually don't lust after a 'Blad as I've embraced digital and medium format digital is just too darn expensive to be practical. Though if someone was to give me an H1 and digital back I wouldn't turn it away :-)

Getting this slightly back on subject, I'm now the proud owner for a Geko 201, having relegated the Fortuna Clip-On to the in-car use only.

- Neil.

1k · April 8, 2004

Congrats to Seasider btw.... funny understanding of the word retirement though.

:lol: I've retired from cache tours but will still do day caching where I can drive there and back in a day - and Shropshire/South Staffordshire are within range for me (certainly for a series like this) being only 100 miles away!

Cheers!

Seasider (semi-retired)!

April 8, 2004

members only is not £16+ - its way less than that - partly because of the excellent exchange rate and also because you can subscribe for a month, get the details and then cancel your subs - costing you about £2. And if you can't afford that......then i doubt you could afford the petrol to do the caches (i'm assuming you are not going to walk to them all!)

1.3k · April 8, 2004

Congrats to Seasider for being the first to finish the Alchemy Quest. If the rest of them are anything like the ones I did today then it will probably take me a long time to complete them <_<

Mady

April 10, 2004

arrks has until tomorrow 9am to find it, then at least one of them is meant to be working for three days. Sure they'll be chuffed to be mentioned in the same breath as hornet :-)
But their latest logs were found whilst their kids were still in bed - now who's telling social services? ;-)

Operation Chemical aRRKS commences with deployment of kids to grandparents 18:00 08/04/04, second stage commences 05:00 09/04/04, final stage to be confirmed (hospital/pub as required)

:rolleyes: :tongue: Well we did it. Started at 04:00 and finished at 19:15. Probably took us less time than we had planned due to meeting Starfix at the first cache and discovering that he also intended to do them all in one day. This turned it into a bit of race and the best bit was we had worked out slightly different plans so the anticipation as we got to each new cache helped to build up the excitement of the find. Our paths crossed several times but we knew we could do it first when we met at Sulphur to find that he hadn't done Mercury.

The final stage was neither hospital nor the pub - it was shower and bed.

Thanks again to MarcB for the huge amount of time and effort that must have gone into placing the series, each cache was in it's own great spot but to combine them into this brilliant multi was inspired.

PS Just to squash any rumours of child neglect I had also left 'K' in bed to do Above the Deep. And he was still there when I got back :bad:

April 12, 2004

We started on the Alchemy Quest today, and it has really struck me what a great sport Geocaching is. Having seen all these logs for doing the series in a day, we decided that four of the first-layer caches would make a good start. The second one we tried, however, killed us off (Copper, incidentally).

It really sunk in that this is a sport you can take at your own pace. A fit, outdoor enthusiast can go for the series in a day. We can potter at two and still make progress.

Neither team is better or worse than the other.

We're quite competetive about FTFs in our local area, but knew we'd never get this one, so left it to the pros.

Thanks to MarcB for 2 locations so far, and looking forward to many more.

Cheers,

Stu

3.3k · April 12, 2004

No idea how many people are paid up. However I only paid up in the last month.

Even if you do pay to help support the system it costs very little. Less than the petrol for one months caching trips.

Less than the petrol for a day in my case

6.2k · April 12, 2004

Same here. But the good weather is coming and at last I'll be able to put the Jag (4ltr and single-figure MPG in town ) away and jump back into my one true love (other than geocaching, of course)

SP

April 13, 2004

erm..are you sure that car's suspension is designed to take the weight of that arch?

6.2k · April 13, 2004

Suspension? What suspension?

For those of you wondering (wandering? More appropriate for cachers!) that's just by Dan & Pid's The Secret Garden cache near Buckingham. A great location, especially when the sun's shining!

SP

April 15, 2004

So anyway, as I was saying on the log of Alchemy Quest (sodium), it struck me as I walked back to the car that Marc must have a formidable knowledge of the country between Stafford and Wolverhampton to know all these superb locations he's used in this and the road to the Wrekin series.

I've been in Wolverhampton now for sixteen years and walked quite a bit of the west side in that time. However, I've found more treasures (in the sense of scenic spots) in the last three months of geocaching than I did throughout the rest of that time. Unfortunately, they are all places with caches already in situ.

A huge thank you to Marc, Jim Stabler and all you others who have set these fantastic hides.

April 19, 2004

Well done MarcB. We've only tackled three of the Quest so far, but each has been a gem of a place - even Iron :huh: What a well thought out series - thanks, we'll be attacking more shortly.

April 20, 2004

So, am I the first from the London area to complete the Quest?

I did it in two trips - got the first layer on the first, and finished it on the second, which was a long weekend based in Rhayader, mid Wales...

I refuse to calculate the amount of petrol used, but it was far more than my annual Geocaching subscription - which would barely have bought me enough to get to the first cache!

Bob Aldridge

3.8k · April 23, 2004

Might do a couple in the morning now the MAD rush is over :rolleyes: . its close to me though so I can come and go as I please might throw in a few other caches and a couple of trigpoints

1.6k · April 23, 2004

Thanks for everyones great comments so far! You're all too kind!

MarcB

Alchemy Quest - Markb

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