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What Do People Want / Expect At An 'event'


Pharisee

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The first 'Event Cache' that I went to was Paul Blitz's Late Christmas event in January 2003. This was a great success (followed by more of the same a year later). Folks turned up at the pub, they ate, drank, chatted, played a silly game or two an generally had a 'Good Time'. There was even a special cache (just the one!!) for the event which involved all of a 5 minute walk up the road. The emphasis was very definitely on the 'social' aspect.

However.... as more and more 'Event Caches' are organised the emphasis seems to be moving away from the social aspect and more towards the caching aspect. Now it seem the norm, even almost obligatory, to have a dozen new caches in place and ready to go 'on-line' the morning of the event. Some cachers/teams only make a token visit to the event location before rushing off to do the next new cache and I suspect some don't even bother turning up at all. (Yet I'll bet they all log the event as 'found')

 

Personally, I'm now less, not more, inclined to travel miles to an event that states "There will be XX new caches for you to do".

 

I enjoy the social side... I can go caching anytime but the opportunities to meet and have a leisurely chat with cachers from other areas are fewer and I like to make the most of them, so an event that says "1 new cache (needed to get the event approved), good food and beer in a nice pub." is much more likely attract me.

 

This is just my personal preference and NOT intended as a criticism of any particular event, past or proposed.

 

What do other cachers think..............???

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I hear what you are saying Pharisee :lol:

 

I would have loved to have had more time to chat to you guys from down south when you were up at Fort William... but alas I couldn't walk fast enough :blink::huh::(

 

Seriously, I think there must be place for social meet ups like you describe....and I would make a serious attempt to attend if it were near enough my home location.

Mark you with the really cheap flights being on offer....it has opened up a window of opportunity that wasn't previously there!!

 

If a site, with say, camping and hotel/B&B accommodation (where one could retire to sleep off any effects of a wee drink :blink: ) and was say near the Scottish/English border....I think would be ideal...as it would cast the net for cachers that bit wider!

 

Ullium.

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Hi John

 

I met you at the first event cache I attended which was near Leeds back in June(?). :huh: A well-attended event where much drink was consumed :blink: and we didn't actually leave the pub until well after 5pm to go and do a couple of caches which were nearby (which hadn't been specifically set for the event). It was very much a social occasion arranged by Slytherin to swap TBs which he had brought back from a recent trip across the Atlantic.

 

I digress.... :lol:

 

The second event cache I attended was the first N Yorks cache meet arranged by Harrogate Hunter. An excellent event which was, again, very well-attended and a couple of caches had been set nearby especially for the occasion.

 

Again, I don't think we actually left the venue until well after 7pm to go and find a couple of local (regular) caches and I don't think I got home until nearly midnight having stayed to have some supper in a local hostelry with Seasider and AdrianJohn (it's all their fault!). :(

 

I digress again....! :blink:

 

One thing which made the Harrogate event that much more enjoyable was that we were all given a travel bug to set off on a race (see NYM 2004 TB Race) for progress).

 

******

 

It would seem that there are two types of event cache. One where people meet and chat and swap TBs and maybe do a couple of local caches (which may, or may not have been set for the day) and actually spend time together in a social setting.

 

The other type being an event arranged specifically to tackle a particular cache, usually a 5 star difficulty, where specialist equipment may be needed (eg. Don't Look Down and Ben Nevis), and which can end in a p1ss-up/social gathering afterwards.

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I hear what you are saying Pharisee :blink:

 

I would have loved to have had more time to chat to you guys from down south when you were up at Fort William... but alas I couldn't walk fast enough :huh::(:lol:

 

Seriously, I think there must be place for social meet ups like you describe....and I would make a serious attempt to attend if it were near enough my home location.

Mark you with the really cheap flights being on offer....it has opened up a window of opportunity that wasn't previously there!!

 

If a site, with say, camping and hotel/B&B accommodation (where one could retire to sleep off any effects of a wee drink :blink: ) and was say near the Scottish/English border....I think would be ideal...as it would cast the net for cachers that bit wider!

 

Ullium.

The SGDO thing at The Ben was different and for me, very special... We all knew what that involved (well.... I thought I did until I was half way up :wub: ) and it was 'billed' as a 'day out'. Even so, Ullium, I did feel a bit guilty not making it to The Kings House :huh:

 

I have no real problem with events that have a lot of new caches set; it's just that the more new caches there are, the more cachers will want / feel obliged to go and hunt for them and the less time they'll spend buying me beer :wub:, so I'm less inclined to attend.

 

Like I said, it's just my preference but I find events like the recent Bucks Caching do at Startop are ideal. Lots of good company (and Simply Paul :huh: ), just one (new) cache and the chance to meet a lot of new cachers in pleasant surroundings.

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This is all interesting.... especially from en event organiser.....

 

keep the coments going..... I am listening.... :blink:

 

My aim, especially for the 2nd North Yorkshire Cache meet (June 2005) will be again on the lines of a social...... maybe a short 10 min walk cache from the pub) as per the 2004 meet.....

 

Arrive midday, chat, swap TB's, a quiz in the afternoon !, and more drinking and ending up with an early evening meal ?

 

Midday arrival gives cachers chance to get there and do a few caches on the way, and for the dedicated leave around 6-7 for a few on the way home....

 

I was actually approached by two people at the event, to arrange a Xmas social.....

 

1) Is the layout right for the 2005 event

2) Would anyone want a Xmas 2004 social

3) Is Harrogate OK ? (brearing in mind it is a North Yorkshire Event Cache ?)

 

and yes the cheap flights come/go from Leeds/Bradford 15 mins away.

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:blink: Having only been to 2 event caches, the first near Manchester in the spring where it was a more social event than a cache hunt, although several people did go caching both prior to and after the event. The second was the Shropshire meet at a pub where again it was a social event. Of course, no matter where you have an event bash there will always be a cache nearby.

The event cache we are having on Sept 5th will launch a new cache sponsored by The Shropshire County Council. The cache being less than 1/2 mile away and not going on the GC site till the day after the event.

This event is family oriented and a temporary cache will be in place for the children. Adults can socialize and the children won't be too bored either. Sitting around a pub for several hours with children can be nerve wracking both for the parents and the others around. A lot of families go caching together and should enjoy an event cache together as well. The opportunity to go caching is available before, during and after the event, if that is what the individual wants to do.

Marquees will be up all day in case of bad weather, 4 legged cachers are invited, BBQ grills and facilities are also available. Some food is also being provided but it is requested you bring your meat and/or special dietary foods as well as any beer/alcohol. Bins of ice will be provided as well.

All the organizers want is for everyone attending to have a good day out.

 

Lynn (Team Mady)

Edited by Mady
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I think the social side should be quite important, If you have travelled a good distance to an event do you really need to rush around all day/weekend find a dozen or so caches? I would rather enjoy a couple of nice walks followed by a relaxing cold beer.

I personally find that having a small child with me limits the terrain that I can go to and also the time that it takes to get to places.

You also have the danger of over saturating an area with boxes, or defacing the wow factor by not having such brilliant locations as you try to get them all fairly close to the event meet point. (if only everywhere had so many nice spots as aviemore and surrounding area)

 

I think one or 2 new caches would be fine with some sort of gps based games/quizes to solve on the day at the location followed by a (weather permiting) BBQ and beer at a nice campsite with some small prizes for things like furthest travelled etc.

If more caches are hidden they could be a set of micros leading to a final box close by the venue which is removed at the end of the day and it can count as the "event" cache which gets archived after everyone logs the find.

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Just another wee addition from Team Mady, this time from Martin,

I think there is room for all of the above. Different people want different things. For some with families, the pub venue might not be ideal. Others (myself included) love to retire to a hostlerie and have a good chin wag over an equally good beer.

I say, keep them all coming. They all have their value and place. <_<

 

Martin

 

PS: I like the idea of a borders meet. Snce Lynn and I didn't start this excellent persuit until after we moved south of the border from Abergeldie in Aberdeenshire we would love to explore some of Scotlands caches. Camping to us is a great option.

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I think there is room for all of the above. Different people want different things. For some with families, the pub venue might not be ideal. Others (myself included) love to retire to a hostlerie and have a good chin wag over an equally good beer.

I say, keep them all coming. They all have their value and place.

I couldn't agree more with Martin - I've been to quite a few "events" so far. Mostly they've all been different and ALL have been enjoyable - especially the odd pint or two with Pharisee and many many other friends I have made through Geocaching.

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The first meet that I went to was very soon after I had discovered caching - and my GPSr had been in for repair all of that time. A nice chap let me use his Magellan Meridian to find the meet cache (thanks, Hornet!) and it was great just meeting many of the people who's tags I was to see on cache notebooks over the coming months...

 

The next one was the recent Dreaming Spires meet, and I got to Oxford early to find some of Chester's caches - only to find his assistant under the family car... Anyway, I thought I might get round to twenty one caches that day, but I only managed nine or ten by the time of the meet, and then it was just far too relaxing just nattering to the cachers who came and went, that I only got a very few more finds! I just gave up on that caching target for the day, and achieved it a couple of days later (and Interceptor was probably a better target for number 200, anyway!)

 

So, as far as I'm concerned it really doesn't matter if the meet is not in a cache saturated region, so long as the surroundings are pleasant and the companies good. And that second one's a "given" anyway with cachers!

 

Bob Aldridge

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I'll reserve judgement until after the Exeter Event and let you kow how it goes. I've only been to one Event, but planned the Exeter one way before attending the one at Ben Nevis with you. I've left it open to all as to whether they stay in the pub chatting, or going out caching for the new caches. I suppose it depends on the weather too of course.

 

The one thing that is common to us all is Geocaching. That's why I thought we had these events. <_<

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The one thing that is common to us all is Geocaching. That's why I thought we had these events

 

Yes, geocaching is what it is all about but the event caches, I feel, are about meeting

other cachers not necessarily all deciding to do the same caches on the same day.

 

As Pharasee stated:

I can go caching anytime but the opportunities to meet and have a leisurely chat with cachers from other areas are fewer and I like to make the most of them

 

Martin

Edited by Mady
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Naefearjustbeer - you've clearly thought out all the details of what sounds like a smashing forthcoming Scottish event! I look forward to it sometime in 2005!

Me too, FoF.... I also like your suggestion of another SGDO on Bute. I've done some of BTs caches there and would welcome the opportunity to do a few more.

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How about an urban multi/puzzle cache meet?

 

We recently did Stamford Taurus (the clues were very easy though :lol: ) which had eight locations to solve around the town before getting the final cache location.

 

Using this type of cache you could have cachers or teams setting off at two or three minute intervals and have prizes for the quickest team (or three) to sign the log.

 

I would think an average of 2 hours to complete the thing would leave plenty of time for socialising in the pub afterwards. :o:P

 

This is a GCing slant on the traditional puzzle treasure hunt. You could also do it in the countryside by car but I think an urban one would be more fun. :(

 

I would love to do something like this - may have been done before?

 

Simon from The Hokesters...

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At the recent Oxford Spires Cache Bash, their was a number of new caches in the area, but only one or two that were close enough to be described as event caches, the others requiring a three to five mile drive to get to. These were placed for those that wanted them but were not compulsory.

The event attracted a variety of cachers from those desperate to get off and get FTF's on the new caches, to those like ourselves who spent the whole afternoon socialising and enjoying a small amount (driving :lol: ) of fine ale. Many of those who went off caching dropped back in to the pub occasionally for much needed refreshment and some socialising and giving first hand stories on the caches they had just visited. I see no reason why an event like this cannot cater for all tastes, although I do accept that their is also a place for events with a specific aim be it caching or socialising.

One problem with the social side of events is that it is often associated with having a drink or two, which is a problem with many cachers due to having to drive home afterwards. Perhaps organisers should try and organise them so that reasonably priced accommodation or even camping facilities (our favourite :o ) are available within easy walking distance from the event. The camping option IMHO would greatly enhance the social side, sitting around a fire with a few cases of beer into the early hours on a fine summers evening, what more could one want.

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We`ve been to a few events, but find that without name tags, we can never remember who was who.

 

Maybe a good idea for the organizer to print some name tags for the people attending, so people know who they.

 

We usually just hanging around with the people that we know there, would be nice to know who the others were sometimes. We find that seeing the photos later, thinking, Ohhh so that was "Team Etc", or that was "Mr ?". Would also be good for newcomers to identify some of the old hands who tend to hang around at the bar.

 

Just a thought anyways...

 

Pengy

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We`ve been to a few events, but find that without name tags, we can never remember who was who.

 

Maybe a good idea for the organizer to print some name tags for the people attending, so people know who they.

An excellent idea which was suggested to us at the DSCB and I will be implementing at any other events I might do in the future.

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We've now been to several event caches. I think we've only done one cache as a result. We'd much rather sit in the pub and chat to people - although at Dan's bucks meet it was good to go out with a group of people we'd just met to tackle the multi.

 

New caches are absolutely not a draw for us, and may even detract if we think there won't be people at base to chat to.

 

Cheers,

 

Stu

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New caches are absolutely not a draw for us, and may even detract if we think there won't be people at base to chat to.

We tend to do caching on the way there and on the way back, but once at the event we are usually one of the last to leave as we like to chat and get ideas about caches, containers, hint tips off people who are there.

 

Also it`s a good place to test out ideas on puzzle caches and the like on others there. It`s nice to get peoples opinions before going ahead with a multi or puzzle.

 

Pengy

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