Northeast Cache Event?

[+Howie57]

I asked someone if there ever was a Cache Event in a central location that Cacher's from all the states in our Region went to on one weekend? The answer was he didn't think so. I know I'll kill myself for asking this but would anyone be interested in getting a true "Northeast Geocachers" event set up for Next spring? I'm not sure where the best location for this would be and I know that this would be a massive undertaking by all those involved not to mention the travel and lodging for those attending. But personally I think it would be worth a years worth of work if there were many, many volenteers. After all if everyone works together this could be a really big and fun event.

ok, now slap some sense into me and give me your thoughts please......

[Team GeoHoy]

Howie,

Just wanted to say hi. You know if I was still in DE, I'd help as much as possible. I still check the DE Geocaching site. Take care. We should be back to DE in 3 years for good.

[+Howie57]

Scott Thanks, you'll be coming back here but just think of all the cool cache's you'll be doing in CO......stay safe, keep in touch and keep caching.................

[Team GeoHoy]

Thanks. There are a lot of cool caches here. 2 of them are mine...lol. Yeah, hope we live in Dover or by the beaches. We miss the east coast, but are having a good time here. Just spent a ton of money on a Kelty tent and some killer hiking boots (Danner for me and Vasque for Rachael.).

[+JMBella]

<slap> Just kidding. Actually it was me that said I didn't think it has been done. Sure there have been plenty of big events and sure there have been people from several different states attend but, has there ever been anything like what Howie is talking about? Now that I'm looking at a map I would say SE PA looks pretty central in the region.

[+Howie57]

<slap> accepted....

Thanks JM , I didn't want to use your name just in case everyone wanted to throw ammo boxes and tupperware at me I didn't want you getting hit lol.

Wonder if one of our fellow cachers from SE PA knows of a place that can handle a good many people and is actually a nice park. I trust their opinion on a park like I'd hope they'd trust mine.

Next spring would be a good time I think since it wouldn't be the same time that other groups are having theirs this year and that way everyone that might want to attend would have plenty of time to line up vacation or what ever.

It would be cool to have people from different states helping out too. Cachers are afterall good people............oh, and cool too

[+Planet]

If you post it they will come.

 

GeoHo and I threw a surprise birhtday party event for Mopar on Feb 15th this year. We posted a page. We told everyone to bring something. We kept an updated list of what each was bringing on the cache page. We said when you leave you take what you brought with you. 15° weather, windchill below 0°, and we had 50-70 cachers come from 6 states to stay and cache all day, from 11:30AM to 5:30 PM. When we picked up all that was left were two melted spots where we had our fire. So you see if you post it they willl come. No one person has to spend a whole lot of money or prepare a whole lot of stuff. A couple of people can be the cache hiders before the event. Just make sure, through communication, that they are all providing something different so you don't end up with thousands of napkins and nothing to eat. And call you friendly park rangetr for event permission.

[+Mopar]

<slap>   Just kidding. Actually it was me that said I didn't think it has been done. Sure there have been plenty of big events and sure there have been people from several different states attend but, has there ever been anything like what Howie is talking about? Now that I'm looking at a map I would say SE PA looks pretty central in the region.

I would say somewhere around the Lancaster/Harrisburg area is probably pretty close to dead center, plenty of locations large enough for such an event, and pretty cache-rich. Still gonna be a 6-8hr drive from some parts of the region though.

 

Edited May 17, 2004 by Mopar

[+MissJenn]

Well, it's been done before ... and I don't see why it couldn't happen again.

SOUTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA CACHERS PICNIC 6-1-02 by Pulaski

(note the year)

 

The exterior link to photos from that cache description is no longer good, but you get the idea: close to 150 mostly-local people were there! (The gallery still works, though.) From what I recall, Crusso drove the farthest for that one, at 6 or so hours ... or was it BigCall? Anyway, it was fun!

 

This is certainly not to say that it HAS to be at this location again ...

 

Major EDIT:

The person who traveled farthest was rediguana from New Zealand!

Edited May 17, 2004 by MissJenn

[+Team DEMP]

Here's a couple of thoughts.

 

First, I think it's a great idea. A lot of work, but a great idea. I've had fun when it's been 4-15 people together on a hunt, so the more the merrier.

 

I really don't like overnight camping so it would be great if there was hotel/motel lodging near wherever the event is to be held. Or is that not permitted?

 

Would also be good to have some non-caching things to do in the area (which Lancaster has plenty) in case spouses, significant others, etc want to attend but not spend the entire day(s) caching.

 

Just my 3 cents.

 

David

[+briansnat]

Should be fairly central...in a cache rich area...maybe with camping AND hotels nearby. How's the Albany/Saratoga region sound? It's 2-4 hours away for a good deal of the Northeast (Sorry Virginia, Maryland and West Virgina, you're really not in the Northeast). Not sure about camping opportuninties, but being near a city, I'm sure there are hotels.

 

There are also other things to do, like visit historic Saratoga Springs and the Saratoga battlefield, museums, the race track and I'm sure a lot more. Haven't checked the cache density but I know there are some there.

Edited May 17, 2004 by briansnat

[+The Frantic Cachers]

Saratoga in August is awesome!!

[+Polgara]

<slap> accepted....

Thanks JM , I didn't want to use your name just in case everyone wanted to throw ammo boxes and tupperware at me I didn't want you getting hit lol.

Wonder if one of our fellow cachers from SE PA knows of a place that can handle a good many people and is actually a nice park. I trust their opinion on a park like I'd hope they'd trust mine.

Next spring would be a good time I think since it wouldn't be the same time that other groups are having theirs this year and that way everyone that might want to attend would have plenty of time to line up vacation or what ever.

It would be cool to have people from different states helping out too. Cachers are afterall good people............oh, and cool too

French Creek State Park in SEPA may be a place to consider. MissJenn just hosted a CITO there, and its a nice campground. There are also nearby Days Inn, etc., hotels in Reading. The Reading, PA area is pretty central, its 3 hours from NYC, 3 hrs from State College, and 3 hrs from Baltimore.

 

We're definetly a cache dense area, and variety at that. If you want a long all day hike, we have that, and if you want to cache & dash, we have that too. We also have Cabela's for anyone that would want to check it out.

[+Howie57]

Thanks everyone for your input so far!!

It looks like maybe Lancaster or Reading would be the most central areas. Does that sound good to you all?

 

Personally, I dont have much experience at camping and would prefer a cabin or motel to stay at. I'm sure there are avid campers and those like myself that would prefer to stay in a motel. At those two locations we have both options.

 

Opinions please: Saturday event or Sunday event?

 

Hope you all bear with me with all the questions.........

 

 

Howie

[+macatac1961]

A two day event maybe?

[+briansnat]

It looks like maybe Lancaster or Reading would be the most central areas. Does that sound good to you all?

 

That really isn't central to the Northeast....unless you are referring to what the call the Northeast in these forums. But in my book, no place where they eat grits for breakfast can be in the northeast.

[+Mopar]

It looks like maybe Lancaster or Reading would be the most central areas. Does that sound good to you all?

 

That really isn't central to the Northeast....unless you are referring to what the call the Northeast in these forums. But in my book, no place where they eat grits for breakfast can be in the northeast.

In that case, you can exclude South Jersey and half of PA too.

[+artvandelay]

The reading area sounds good for me and two days would be great.

[+Howie57]

hey I like grits!!!

 

I've never been to a two day cache event. I'm guessing that there would have to be alot of other things to do other than caching and eating? did I mention I love to eat....... And 2 days would make any trip really worth the distance that we had to travel....

[+IMLost]

This sound like a great idea. A bit farther north in the Wilkes-Barre Scranton area there are some State Parks that have decent size campgrounds and hotels not to far away. Which may make it a little more central to those farther north. The cache density isn't anywhere near what the Lancaster area has but it's not bad either. I am working on it. I tend to think of the Northeast as including Maryland/Virginia up to Maine. Just my .02 cents worth.

[+IV_Warrior]

Reading/Lancaster/Harrisburg all sound good to me. I like the idea of it being a 2 day event, where people can come either day, or both. Maybe have an "official dinner" Saturday evening for everyone to get together, and a "official lunch" on Sundayto have a central location for people coming in just for Sunday to meet up with the group.

[+MissJenn]

A multi-day event gives you time to do a CITO - even a small one! (regardless of where this is held)

[+Polgara]

There are also the VF outlets in Reading...for women who would rather shop than go cache with their other half.

Edited May 18, 2004 by Polgara

[+IMLost]

There are also the VF outlets in Reading...for women who would rather shop than go cache with their other half.

You mean there are woman who would rather shop than cache? Shhhhhhh...You can save me a lot of money if the outlet thing stays quiet.

[+PSUPAUL]

There are also the VF outlets in Reading...for women who would rather shop than go cache with their other half.

You mean there are woman who would rather shop than cache? Shhhhhhh...You can save me a lot of money if the outlet thing stays quiet.

I know for a fact that Mrs IMLOST knows about the Reading Outlets, in fact I think she knows about all the places to shop in the entire Northeast, Maryland to Maine!

 

Don't try this at home, remember she is a professional...

[+OurWoods]

Thanks everyone for your input so far!!

      It looks like maybe Lancaster or Reading would be the most central areas.  Does that sound good to you all?

 

    Personally, I dont have much experience at camping and would prefer a cabin or motel to stay at.  I'm sure there are avid campers and those like myself that would prefer to stay in a motel. At those two locations we have both options.

 

    Opinions please:  Saturday event or Sunday event?   

 

I've never been to a two day cache event. I'm guessing that there would have to be alot of other things to do other than caching and eating? did I mention I love to eat.......  And 2 days would make any trip really worth the distance that we had to travel....

 

Well it would be a 5 or 6 hour drive for me. I like the idea of a 2 day event, or even a day and a half (ie leave sunday afternoon). The choice of camping or hotels sounds great, especially depending on the weather. I don't think you really need to plan for anything other than caching. Except for maybe an event caching game (yay). If people want to do other things, they will.

 

As far as food, for a two day event you won't really want a "potluck" style on the second day as there usually isnt anything to refridgerate leftovers etc.. Not very sanitary.

 

I have been to a 2 day event, and what do you really need to do besides caching? Caching, caching, caching! They did morning breakfast on your own, potluck lunch, dinner on your own, and next day on your own. That worked well, and no one wanted to eat second day potluck leftovers anyway.

[+OurWoods]

double post

Edited May 18, 2004 by OurWoods

[+Brianslost]

Since you are talking next spring I can easily get a weekend off with that much notice. And as I have said to Howie I have a good bit of camping gear to throw into the mix. I did a lot of camping in the Lancaster area when I was younger and I can probably come up with some nice campgrounds and then pick one with lots of nearby caches. I'm in, Howie!