Microfest 2010 - Geocaching on a bike - 27 March

Just a reminder of this event again. I have been working hard and have 57 caches planted so far, a variety that will suit both GS and S riders.

Details here again:

http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=240749

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=258265cc-a949-4c77-adc0-f4586e76076f

You don't need to go and register and confirm on the www.geocaching.com web site, sommer tell me here. You can do it solo, or in a team of 2 or 3 etc.

List so far (please confirm or let me know if you're not joining anymore):

1. Team Lost - Corlia & Sias
2. Team Honeymoon - Daleen & Martin
3. Team Manhole - Marnus & Droogie & Bruno...
4. ....

Klink vir my reg

Okay, maar hoekom is ons team "LOST"??? Ek verstaan nie Drix, waar het jy nou al ooit gesien dat ek en Sias verdwaal...

PS. Jy moet my laat weet oor die muffins, hoor!

Drix... please help me with distances? I only have the 450 at the moment Average range about 112km before needing fuel again...

Or will there be a maxi cache somewhere with a fuel can in?

Do we have an option to only do the off-road caches?

PS... "manhole" klink verskriklik!

Corlia wrote:Okay, maar hoekom is ons team "LOST"??? Ek verstaan nie Drix, waar het jy nou al ooit gesien dat ek en Sias verdwaal...

PS. Jy moet my laat weet oor die muffins, hoor!

Hehe, nee wat, julle kan 'n ander naam kies, is seker dit is net history... Julle kan ook spanne opmaak soos julle wil.

Marnus wrote:Drix... please help me with distances? I only have the 450 at the moment Average range about 112km before needing fuel again...

Or will there be a maxi cache somewhere with a fuel can in?

Do we have an option to only do the off-road caches?

PS... "manhole" klink verskriklik!

Ok, team symbol, previously known as manhole...

100km range should be fine. You'll get a paper list with all the caches, marked as off-road and not. And we load the waypoints onto your GPS in the morning, so you don't need to type them in. I tell you which one to do first (obviously I'll take your vehicle and capability into account) - different for each team so you don't stand in a queue caching - and you plan your route/direction accordingly. Nobody will get more than a third or so of all the caches available (famous last words!), so you can be selective. And you can do 5 or you can do 20, not everyone will 'compete'.

However, I did hear rumours that Team Honeymoon is seriously preparing ...

One of the prizes is a serious bottle of whiskey... and just heard that Tracks4Africa is sponsoring 5 SD card sets...!

"Team Lost" klink vir my reg. Dit laat die opposisie dink ons is nie veel kompetisie nie, of dat ons hustlers is. Either way smokkel dit met hulle koppe!

Hierdie ronde is al die spanlede op my fiets, so niemand sal verlore raak nie

dakardrix wrote:However, I did hear rumours that Team Honeymoon is seriously preparing ...

You bet! We like winning!!!

Am I missing something? How on earth do you prepare for a treasure hunt?

You throw stuff over your shoulder in your garden and try to find it again?

Seriously...

It is all in the attitude Marnus! We are preparing mentally!

...mmm, you must see how it works.

Last event (competitive) was about 18 months ago. People arrive with laptops, mapbooks, a variety of GPS's (1 is so yesterday), pre-printed stickers, walkie talkies, cool bags, carbo drinks, Red Bulls, ladders, torches, braai tongs...

Ok wait, that was our team!

BTW, I am looking for more prizes...

So far I have 5 x Tracks4Africa SD card map sets (tx T4A!!), a Jameson 12 yr, Johnnie Walker Black Label with glasses, couple of geocoins, a few wines, shirts/socks/water bottles etc. from Irene Running Club, a worm box/farm...

Need some more... where are those with the nice products...? Dave, Pauli, Joy.... hint hint!

Latest update: Microfest 2010 – The Kosmos Run

Date: Saturday, 27 March 2010

Where: GC2381D - Clearwater Flyfishing Estate, south east of Pretoria – Severn Place cul-de-sac. S 25° 51.095 E 028° 15.988 As it is a security controlled area, I will send access details to confirmed teams.

All drivers - i.e. vehicles and motorbikes - need to show their driver's license (as we all should carry on us anyway) or ID books in order to gain access. We will be phoned by security and check your team name and only allow those that confirmed (or team names we know)


What: BIG HUNT in the morning, braai in the afternoon.

Hunt for new caches in the area stretching from Midrand through Olifantsfontein, north of Bapsfontein, not quite as far as Rayton, but that general area and direction.

• The idea with this event - keeping in mind according to Groundspeak rules the braai and social gathering is THE Event, the BIG HUNT hunt is separate and needs to be arranged not on the web listing but via the forum (here) and e-mail etc - is to do 3 things apart from the social:

a. Have fun chasing lots of caches on one day.
b. Help those who would like to boost their numbers a bit - come on, admit it, although we all like the hunt and getting to nice places (which will also be important for the Microfest), the majority like the stats part as well.
c. By getting people to donate a cache, it shares the effort and financial burden of creating non-micro caches.
d. Inject some life into the sport and the area.




Schedule:

07:00 – 10:00 : Registration of teams for the BIG HUNT.

1. Entry for the BIG HUNT is 1 x prepared cache per TEAM – bigger than micro, preferably a REGULAR – OR a R50 donation that will be used towards cache costs.

2. The cache will be handed in, NOT TO BE PLANTED BY TEAM. Organisers will use caches submitted to either replace/upgrade some event caches or plant as a new one – credit will be given to contributing teams in listings.

3. No donation or entry requirements for the braai in the afternoon!


07:00 – 10:00 : Once teams have registered, they will be handed a paper list of all the caches available, their waypoints, hints and ratings (approximately 85 new caches), including a mark sheet that they will have to return and a rudementary map to help with their route planning and perspective.

1. We will use Mapsource to load the waypoints onto compatible GPS units (mainly Garmin) – the naming format will be, i.e. ‘MF73 Zuma’

2. We will keep it simple and no Pocket Queries or GPX files are promised at this moment – however our resident genius GreenJaM will play with the formats and might conjure up some paperless option. (BTW, GreenJaM has not been involved with the cache planting and will only receive the basic information beforehand in order to assist. He will not receive any keywords, enabling him to also take part on the day, but he doesn’t qualify to take a top placing.)

3. Teams will then be set off to find a random cache allocated to them within the hour, SMS’ing the keyword found in the cache. Once found, they can plan their route from there onwards, without limitations. The purpose is to spread cachers around the ‘course’ and avoid congestion or queues at any one cache.

4. Caches are allocated points according to difficulty of cache find, terrain and distance from ‘home’ – cachers therefore need to decide which route will give them the best total. A rating for vehicles will also be given in order to help make a decision on whether to chance it with their cache mobile for the day

5. NB: Once a cache is found, the keyword in the cache must be recorded on the mark sheet and the mark sheet handed in for scoring once they return to base any time before 14:00.

6. Teams can decide on their time of caching and return at any time if they get tired and gatvol! No starting before 07:00 and return no later than 14:00 – BUT, do not speed and put yourself and others at risk!! It is only a game after all, not worth it to risk your life – also asses any security situation around a cache and walk/run away if you are not comfortable. Please!

The intention is to publish 99% of all caches available on the day, as soon as possible after the event. Thank you to Andy (Fish Eagle – reviewer for Africa) for his support of the event, the preparation and final publishing planned.



After 14:00 : All teams returned. Settling down and starting the fires for the braai – at your own leisurely time, please don’t rush home.

• The main event in the afternoon is a "dop and chop" braai where we will celebrate the humble (or is that humbling?) micro, sharing our stories and coins as usual. This is of course for everyone and will count as event attendance (a smiley) just by pitching up.

• We will provide limited (but hopefully sufficient) braai facilities, bread rolls, coffee and tea. You bring your chairs, eats and drinks. Also not too much shade available, so bring your hats and umbrellas/gazebos. If it rains the event will continue and we will make a plan with shelter.

• The normal culprits can bring their geoware and trade freely. And the usual showing off of coin collections and stories going around.

• There are 2 dams available to do some "catch and release" fly fishing (only fly fishing rods and gear allowed) and another 2 for papgooi anglers. If you are interested in fishing, please mention so in your logs and for how many people, as I need to obtain special permission - no costs involved. Bring your own rods/gear, only catch and release, keep the fish in the water when caught.



Around 15:30 : Prizegiving.

Prizes for the best cache submitted and for the top teams include 5 x Tracks4Africa SD card map sets and a 1000 Red Wiggler Composting Earthworms. Other prizes include coins donated by GreenJaM, GEO936, BruceTP, dakardrix – also various prizes from Fish Eagle, Irene Running Club, etc.


Teams so far:

1) GreenJaM
2) Cabey & Alien3Inc (4?)
3) Team Lost (2, BMW club)
4) Team Honeymoon (2, BMW club)
5) Team symbol (?,BMW club)
6) cache-fan (tentative, 3)
7) Far-Jar-Hug (tentative, 5?)
Jors (?)
9) Besem (?)
10) Happy Hunters SA (2?)
11) GEO936 (2)
12) Esitoli (?)
13) Team Ginger (2)
14) Wormgeocash
15) Team ZA (2, JPMZA & MeganZA)


Teams for braai only (main event according to Groundpeak rules):

1) BruceTP and dakardrix (+-10, organisers)
2) 2JMT (tentative, 1, from Finland)
3) RedGlobe (2?)
4) DamhuisClan (?)