View Full Version : RE: Geocaching 101



firefighterjake
09-05-2006, 09:45 AM
As some folks might remember this past Spring I offered a PowerPoint presentation on geocaching to members of the Unity Barn Raisers. This group has established and maintains several trails in Unity . . . most of which now have geocaches on them. The presentation was an overwhelming success with members asking me if I could come back and do a hands-on show-and-tell.

Unfortunately, the day that we scheduled this "event" it rained so we postponed it to the following week. Due in part to the re-scheduled date and weather that was "iffy" we only had two members . . . but they enjoyed the presentation and asked if we would be willing to come back again and do this "presentation" to their other members and maybe even opening it up to the local community, high school and college. The geocachers in the group meanwhile seemed pretty happy since Dave1976 and Maniac1957 were able to pick up a few local caches and I treated everyone to pizza afterwards at UHOP.

Well, it's been a few months and I received this e-mail today.

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<i>Jason,

Thanks for the feedback on Brier's Beach and the heads' up on the cache!
We would love to schedule another gepcaching 101 and invite families and college students. A Saturday - late morning - might be a good time as we might be able to pull some interest from the farmers' market and can send out fliers through the school and UC students should be able to make it as well. Let us know if there is a Saturday that would work on your end and we can get a date set up!
Thanks,
Tess
</i>


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I know the Cache Bash is on the 9th, I've got an ATV Poker Run on the 16th and Northern ME Geo is on the 23rd (plus the Commonground Fair is on that weekend so Unity will be quite busy). I was thinking the 30th of this month would be good . . . does this date work for anyone that might be interested in helping out?

If I can get some idea if this date works it would be appreciated . . . then I'll send Tess an e-mail confirming this date (or not.)

becket
09-05-2006, 10:17 AM
jake, i could probably come help.

Cache Maine
09-05-2006, 10:21 AM
I know the Cache Bash is on the 9th, I've got an ATV Poker Run on the 16th and Northern ME Geo is on the 23rd (plus the Commonground Fair is on that weekend so Unity will be quite busy). I was thinking the 30th of this month would be good . . . does this date work for anyone that might be interested in helping out?

If I can get some idea if this date works it would be appreciated . . . then I'll send Tess an e-mail confirming this date (or not.)


Hmmmm...no mention of pizza. :D ;) :) :p

firefighterjake
09-05-2006, 11:00 AM
Hmmmm...no mention of pizza. :D ;) :) :p

You noticed that, huh? ;) I'm saving my pennies for the house renovation, but I might be persuaded to at least go to UHOP afterwards . . . now whether I buy the pizza or not will depend on the number of folks there and what the bill from my building contractor looks like.

becket
09-05-2006, 11:11 AM
Hmmmm...no mention of pizza. :D ;) :) :pjake, i'll still do it, even if i have to buy my own pizza.

firefighterjake
09-05-2006, 03:58 PM
As I said I'm tentatively aiming for Saturday mid-morning/early-afternoon on the 30th of September . . . more details will follow.

I also received this e-mail today from another group.

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Hi Jason – Tess at UBR provided me your email. I work for a group called Friends of Unity Wetlands, organized around raising awareness and protection of the 42,000-acre Unity Wetlands Focus Area in western Waldo and Kennebec Counties. I’m setting up our fall schedule of events (I’m behind as usual) and think it would be fun to have a geocaching event – to get folks out on the trails and into the Focus Area. We have a monthly speaker series and I was thinking it might be good to have a presentation about geocaching one evening and then an outdoor event on a Saturday. Tess indicated UBR is looking to do a similar thing. If you’re interested, it would make sense for us to combine forces. We are super flexible in terms of content, scheduling etc. Would love to talk with you about it if you’re interested. Holler, email or stop in if you’re interested. We just relocated our office to 93 Main St (formerly Monica’s Naturally, no sign yet). Best wishes, Jennifer


----------------

I've sent out an e-mail offering to do my PowerPoint Presentation for them at an evening meeting and then doing the Saturday thing with them and UBR if the dates work for us, UBR and this group.

Exciting isn't it to have folks wanting to work and learn about geocaching -- well I find it sort of exciting at least.

Haffy
09-05-2006, 05:28 PM
I think this will be the exact thing that this organization should be willing to participate in and helping out with. I think education is the first and foremost agenda we should all be aware of in getting the word out about geocaching and I can't think of a better way to go about it. I would be more than willing to help out in any way I can if I am available at that time. I hope we can get a good showing of people who are interested in helping out with this endeavor. Good job Jake!!!

Cache Maine
09-05-2006, 05:54 PM
jake, i'll still do it, even if i have to buy my own pizza.

What's that on your nose, Becke, pizza? he he heh

MAD-MUFFIN
09-05-2006, 06:19 PM
Exciting isn't it to have folks wanting to work and learn about geocaching -- well I find it sort of exciting at least.
[/quote]

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU GET THE 'ADULT ED.' INFO FROM THE AUGUSTA AREA, BUT THIS TIME AROUND THEY ARE OFFERING A "GEOCACHING" LESSON. I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT BUT ITS SUPPOSED TO BE AN INTRODUCTION INTO GEOCACHING. IF ANYONE WANTS MORE INFO I CAN TRY TO FIND OUT, OR ON GEOCACHING SITE - SIDE-KICK (MIKE) - WAS GOING TO LOOK INTO IT. YOU MIGHT TRY CONTACTING HIM.

Haffy
09-05-2006, 06:38 PM
Sure hope it is somebody who knows something about geocaching.

Haffy
09-05-2006, 07:08 PM
I just went to the website and didn't see where they were offering any sort of geocaching lesson. Maybe it was just talked about.

becket
09-05-2006, 08:56 PM
What's that on your nose, Becke, pizza? he he hehLOL! no, i just really appreciate jake's caches. except the ones that i have not appreciated at all! :D :D

firefighterjake
09-12-2006, 01:43 PM
I received this e-mail from another local group that is apparently working with the Unity Barn Raisers and thought I would post this here since some of our members in the past have expressed an interest in giving something back to the folks who have established the trail system and allowed us to place so many caches in the Greater Unity Area.

Please note: I am unavailable to attend this due to a prior commitment (i.e. ATV Poker Run) on the same date at the same time and due to that fact -- and the fact I just received this today I am just posting this as a FYI and not as an "event."

-----------------

Have fun with Friends this weekend! On Saturday, Sept. 16, from 8 to 12, the Friends of Unity Wetlands will host a volunteer work day at the Connor Mill Trail in Unity. A part of the CommUnity Trails system, the Connor Mill Trail crosses diverse terrain and offers exceptional views of Sandy Stream. Among the projects for Saturday’s work day are the construction and repair of several bridges and clearing of overgrown trails. Volunteers are asked to meet at the trailhead, on the Albion Road (Route 202/9) nearly opposite Quaker Hill Road. We will have some tools available but volunteers are encouraged to bring tools such as loppers and clippers if they have them. For more information, please contact Jennifer at 948-3766 or jennifer@friendsofunitywetlands.org <mailto:jennifer@friendsofunitywetlands.org>.

firefighterjake
09-12-2006, 01:49 PM
And now back to our regularly scheduled programming . . .

Per my original thread's start . . .

Here's the official scoop on what I'm doing and when I'm doing it . . . if anyone is in the area on these dates I would sincerely welcome the help (I've asked the Friends of Unity Wetlands to give me an approximate head count for Saturday if possible so I can get an idea of how many gc-ers we could use to help out).

October 19th, Thursday: I will be doing a PowerPoint presentation at the FUW office at 93 Main St. at 6:30 p.m.

October 21st, Saturday: I will be attempting to lead a hands-on presentation/demo/search for a cache or two with the folks from FUW. We'll be meeting at the FUW office at 93 Main St. at 12:30 p.m. (which would give folks from away plenty of time to look for some other caches in the area before and afterwards). This is where I could really use some geocachers . . . as mentioned I am attempting to get a head count. I've also asked the FUW contact if they plan to invite local folks, college students, etc. . . . I believe they are planning on inviting the Unity Barn Raisers to this "event" as many UBR members did not come last time due to the weather and rescheduled date.

hollora
09-12-2006, 02:50 PM
This month (September) is out for me to help but I would be interested to help with educational efforts when schedule allows. If I can help in any way, bring my Garmin, bring some show and tell (non-ammo box) containers or even prepare materials - please let me know.

firefighterjake
09-12-2006, 03:37 PM
This month (September) is out for me to help but I would be interested to help with educational efforts when schedule allows. If I can help in any way, bring my Garmin, bring some show and tell (non-ammo box) containers or even prepare materials - please let me know.

Well you're in luck then since the September dates didn't work and the above "meetings" are all in October . . . and yes I could use the help (although we don't want to give those folks the wrong impression about Garmins though do we? ;) :D )

Hiram357
09-12-2006, 03:40 PM
I'd be there, but I'm already volunteered to map out some trails for the Kennebec Land Trust out at Mt. Pisgah.

Haffy
09-12-2006, 04:50 PM
Wished we could have been notified sooner as I will be up in the county on the 16th as well.

firefighterjake
10-10-2006, 11:17 AM
Bump . . .

I've received an e-mail confirming the dates and times of this presentation with the Friends of Unity Wetlands and Unity Barnraisers . . . and I have been told that there should be at least 13 folks interested in the hands-on demo on Saturday (October 21st at 12:30) since the Board members are doing a "retreat" of sorts.

So . . . I know this is a busy time of year for folks, but if anyone can spare an hour or so it would be sincerely appreciated since I only have two Magellan GPSrs.

---

October 19th, Thursday: I will be doing a PowerPoint presentation at the FUW office at 93 Main St. at 6:30 p.m.

October 21st, Saturday: I will be attempting to lead a hands-on presentation/demo/search for a cache or two with the folks from FUW. We'll be meeting at the FUW office at 93 Main St. at 12:30 p.m. (which would give folks from away plenty of time to look for some other caches in the area before and afterwards).

Beach Comber
10-10-2006, 11:36 AM
This might work for me! I am scheduled to work in the am, but it is usually only for a couple of hours if at all. Would it be ok to say I will plan to be there and can let you know more definitively the night before?

firefighterjake
10-10-2006, 11:44 AM
This might work for me! I am scheduled to work in the am, but it is usually only for a couple of hours if at all. Would it be ok to say I will plan to be there and can let you know more definitively the night before?

More than OK . . . I understand that folks are busy and things come up. Heck, I will be working on the house before and after this session . . . so many things to do, so little time to do them . . . and I haven't been geocaching for over two weeks now -- I'm starting to go through withdrawal. ;) :D

Beach Comber
10-10-2006, 12:53 PM
. . . so many things to do, so little time to do them . . . and I haven't been geocaching for over two weeks now -- I'm starting to go through withdrawal. ;) :D

Isn't that the truth!!
I'll bring my shiny new Garmin so they can see what a "real" gps looks like - hehehehe

firefighterjake
10-17-2006, 09:27 AM
Bump

---


Trying to get a head count for this Saturday . . . and I may even be persuaded to sweeten the deal some by offering free pizza.

As mentioned in earlier posts I'm doing a PowerPoint presentation on Thursday and then a hands-on demo on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

At this point it looks like it's me and maybe Beach Comber . . . I could use some more folks to help educate these folks about geocaching. This should be an easy way to give something back to the Unity Barn Raisers and Friends of Unity Wetlands in appreciation for them allowing us to place caches on their trails.

Since I could really, really use some help (and I know folks are busy) I'll make the following offer.

1. Meet me at the Unity House of Pizza at 11:30 a.m. and I'll provide some pizza for lunch.

2. Help me do a cache find at 12:30 (about an hour) . . . we'll probably end up walking down to Bryer's Beach to do this one.

3. Afterwards grab some of the great caches in the area and check out the fall foliage . . . if you've never cached in the Greater Unity Area you should . . . there are some great locations in and around the area (Albion, China, Unity, Thorndike, Freedom, Knox, etc.)

So how about it any takers.


Cachers who will attend

1. FFJake
2. Beach Comber . . . "maybe"
3.______________

sheeplady
10-17-2006, 10:13 PM
Pete490 and sheeplady are willing to come. see you at 11:30!

d’76
10-18-2006, 02:33 AM
Sorry Jake I wish I could help again but those winter chores that you where talking about before I finally have to get to before it is too late.:(

becket
10-18-2006, 05:14 AM
i'm sorry, too, jake! i would love to help - we haven't cached together for a while. but cameo, lois and i are going to a letterboxing event in southern maine. i hope you have a great turnout!

firefighterjake
10-18-2006, 06:40 AM
Pete490 and sheeplady are willing to come. see you at 11:30!

Well that's two more who will be sincerely welcomed . . . looks like this time around I may be meeting a bunch of cachers whom I have seen logged into other caches, but have never met in person. Glad to have you coming Pete and Sheeplady.

Trezurs*-R-*Fun
10-18-2006, 06:58 AM
Sorry Jake, I should be about half way to North Dakota by Saturday, obviously I won't be able to attend. Had lots of fun the last time and hope you folks have as much fun this time!!

Have a great day!!!

Sudonim
10-18-2006, 01:38 PM
Pedalchick and I will be in Georgia to see my sister and her new baby. Hope you have a good time and good weather.

Cache Maine
10-18-2006, 02:09 PM
Sorry Jake, I should be about half way to North Dakota by Saturday, obviously I won't be able to attend. Had lots of fun the last time and hope you folks have as much fun this time!!

Have a great day!!!

Are you going to the Maine Ice Hockey game in Grand Forks? :eek:

firefighterjake
10-20-2006, 01:36 PM
Final bump . . .

Last night's presentation went fairly well with eight or so Friends of the Unity Wetlands in attendance and a couple of the new geocachers in the Unity Area (Nially and ShadowGC). The FUW asked quite a few questions and the newbies even picked up a thing or two I think about geocaching.

Tomorrow (Saturday) we will be doing the hands-on portion of the presentation. As a final reminder, I'll be at the UHOP at 11:30 a.m. providing free pizza to anyone who shows up . . . and I must confess I'm looking forward to meeting Pete/Sheeplady and possibly Beach Comber . . . and anyone else who may wander in.

Beach Comber
10-20-2006, 11:37 PM
Jake - I'm disappointed to say that I won't be there :(
Hope you have a great time!!

firefighterjake
10-22-2006, 07:40 AM
Just an update . . . thanks to those geocachers who were able to find time in their busy schedule to help me out before going geocaching . . . specifically Nially, Pete490, Sheeplady and Willowprin . . . it was nice to meet you all in person and I truly hope you enjoyed the pizza.

We had five or six muggles go out with us which was (once again) far less than I was led to believe would be going -- I blamed it on the bad weather last time, maybe I could blame it on the good weather this time.

In any case, both Willowprin and Pete490/Sheeplady were able to pick up another cache as we found two local caches.

Perhaps the most exciting thing was that we went out with 5-6 muggles and came back with two new geocachers -- flyingmoose and qajaq_gal -- a friend of our very own Kaching Karen. After finding two of the caches they went over to Dixmont and found another one.

I also reiterated to the FUW and UBR that we would probably be willing to help out with a CITO event or trail building event . . . but of course the main thing is selecting a date that works for folks.

qajaq_gal
10-22-2006, 10:06 AM
Thanks, firefighterjake, for introducing use to geocaching. It was great to meet some of the folks. I mentioned that I had a kayaking friend in Augusta who geocaches. I was surprised when Sheeplady said - "That's Kaching Karen!". I was even more surprised when I received an email from my friend today saying she'd already heard that flyngmoose and I were with you yesterday.

We picked up our first tb yesterday - it wants to go interesting places. So we are looking for an interesting place to take it. Maybe Canada - it hasn't been there yet. Or maybe an island cache? Or maybe a new cache?

Thanks for getting us hooked!

hollora
10-22-2006, 07:57 PM
Jake - as you know 2/3rds of the TGIF group was in Southern Maine with Cache Maine this weekend. We did think of you and actually watched the annotations here and on GC.com via the laptops and wifi at the hotel. It was nice to know things went well and folks came out.

You met some new cachers who come to events and have perhaps converted some others.

Help them with those TBs - you know becket has had trouble (but is getting much better) - and we do have an adventure of TBs to tell you

We appreciate you prompting our sport.

becket
10-22-2006, 08:27 PM
jake, i am so glad that people showed up - i was afraid that no one would. you know that hollora and i would have been there, had it not been for our caching/letterboxing adventure with cameoooooo. i am hoping that the tgif gang gets back caching soonly!

sheeplady
10-23-2006, 04:53 AM
Jake,

It was great to finally meet you in person after working on all the caches you have set out (some we have found, and some we still have to find). I had a great time talking to qajaq_gal and the others on the two caches we found. We ended up finding a total of 15 caches that day as we did the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Some of them we were the second person there. Wouldn't you know it, Gobler was the first at all of them! Let us know if you are planning any more days like this and we will try to make it.

Sheeplady

firefighterjake
10-23-2006, 08:59 AM
Thanks, firefighterjake, for introducing use to geocaching. It was great to meet some of the folks. I mentioned that I had a kayaking friend in Augusta who geocaches. I was surprised when Sheeplady said - "That's Kaching Karen!". I was even more surprised when I received an email from my friend today saying she'd already heard that flyngmoose and I were with you yesterday.

We picked up our first tb yesterday - it wants to go interesting places. So we are looking for an interesting place to take it. Maybe Canada - it hasn't been there yet. Or maybe an island cache? Or maybe a new cache?

Thanks for getting us hooked!

Just having you and flyngmoose start geocaching made the whole experience worth it . . . glad you guys like it . . . hopefully you'll find this hobby as rewarding as I have.

If you guys have any questions, feel free to drop me an e-mail, PM or just ask here at geocachingmaine.org . . . there's a lot of good folks here who know a heckuva lot more about geocaching than I ever could hope to know.

P.S. Welcome to geocachingmaine.org!

firefighterjake
10-23-2006, 09:01 AM
Jake,

It was great to finally meet you in person after working on all the caches you have set out (some we have found, and some we still have to find). I had a great time talking to qajaq_gal and the others on the two caches we found. We ended up finding a total of 15 caches that day as we did the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Some of them we were the second person there. Wouldn't you know it, Gobler was the first at all of them! Let us know if you are planning any more days like this and we will try to make it.

Sheeplady

Thanks again for helping out . . . and I'm sorry that helping me meant getting STF . . . but then again it truly was great pizza, right??? :D

Also, I'll let you guys know if we end up doing a CITO event or work detail at some point . . . both the UBR and FUW mentioned cleaning up Brier's Beach and/or building some bog walks for the Connor Mill Trail.

rmwllc
10-23-2006, 09:59 AM
I heard that there was a geocaching101 meeting in Union on the 21st. I was hoping to attend. did you speak? if not is is set yet when/where the training will take place?

firefighterjake
10-23-2006, 10:02 AM
I heard that there was a geocaching101 meeting in Union on the 21st. I was hoping to attend. did you speak? if not is is set yet when/where the training will take place?

I think you mean Unity . . . and yes, I did a presentation on the 19th followed by a hands-on session on the 21st.

hollora
10-23-2006, 04:12 PM
Jake mentioned outcome of his 101 might be a CITO for the groups/rec areas in his area. Bryer's Beach could be so very nice and sure needs it. I am not much of a builder so a board walk mission wouldn't me my cup of tea.

Can't wait to hear more. Sure hope to help. Get the dates with a good notice if you can Jake.