Big Boreal Adventure

[Mechman]

Just a note for you cachers with kids.  There is an event going on in town called the Big Boreal Adventure.  It is a program designed to get kids (and families) outside, and learning about the forest and nature.  You can pick up the information pack from any public library.  Basically there are 25 sites across the city, that you need to visit.  All will have a cedar post with a steel plate on top.  You go to the park, find the post, do a rubbing of the steel plate, and try and learn/teach a little bit.  All while getting out in the Boreal Forest. 

I managed to meet one of the organizers at this weekends Lake Superior Day celebrations at the Marina Park.  The great news is that they were thinking of including geocaching in next years expansion of the series, but were not all that sure how to do it.  I've left her my e-mail and our website link, so it should be a natural fit for our for our two organizations, that will mutually benefit us both.  Will let you know more as the situation unravels...thinking of perhaps making a multi cache or two - a brass or steel tag with a number on it an each of the existing stations, that reveals the location of the final cache...I dunno....other ideas??

[CanadianStock]

maybe do the count your steps type hide, say like 20 steps this direction etc etc, starting from the post...get more involved and you dont need a gps and give the the thrill of finding a big geocache with lots of trade items in it for the kids.

[Mechman]

..good idea, always nice to be simplem but in order to be listed on Geocaching.com they need to have a GPS coordinate - otherwise I'd list them at letterboxing.org

[CanadianStock]

list it as a multicache on geocaching.com with the starting point the post yet leave it clearly visable on the post for anyone going on this boreal adventure to easly find the directions to the second cache

[Mechman]

Is anyone interested in helping me out with this?  Basically there are 20 posts scattered about the Thunder Bay area....I would like to have a cache at each post, however, since the BBA people only have compasses for next year - I am thinking that we can use the post as the GPS coordinate of a multistage.  Then we can have the clue say something like walk 20' at a bearing of xx degrees....and lead them to the cache that way.

Problem is that I need people to help me find hiding spots near each of the poles, that would be family friendly, and I also need to have help with getting the GPS coords of each post, and the coords of the hiding spot.  Hoping that I can get a couple helpers that are interested....

I'll try and upload the map (and booklet) somewhere on the site so you can have a look at it.  The booklet will be revised next spring to reflect the geocaches that we add...it will be a great way to hopefully get a few more members....

Dave

[ChrisDom]

I'm up for a couple of post, lets see the map.

[Q and A]

Hi Dave... we'll help you out with a couple of posts also... let us know what you need done.

[Hunters-5]

Depending on time frame (I've got lots of travel soon) I can help with a couple.  Post the map and give us some dates and we'll get on it!

[Mechman]

Those of you that expressed an interest in this little project, I have sent you the map...we'll organize on this forum thread....please post which posts you would like to tackle, so that we don't duplicate efforts.  I live in Current River so I can take care of the 7 up at this end of town.

Here is what to do....

Get GPS coords for the post - and try to find a hiding spot for a cache (normal size if you can - micro (film can type) only if you need to).
Mark the hiding spot on your GPS for future reference.  Keeping in mind that this is a family thing so hides should not be all that difficult, or we shouldn't send people too far into the bush that the bush will get trampled.  Also keep in mind that we will need to give fairly simple compass readings to direct people to the cache.  Also please remember that the cache needs to be 150 meters away from another that may be in the area for it to qualify as an official geocache.

We don't have to actually supply the caches, the Big Boreal Adventure will do that.  But we may need to reserve the coords with groundspeak so that they can become official.  Not sure how we are going to do this, but I think that perhaps we should get the Big Boreal Adventure people to get a generic caching name for them, and that they should be listed as the cache owner.

I just need to organize with them over the next few weeks...thanks in advance to the helpers...lets make this fun for families!

[ChrisDom]

I'll take the two posts at Vanderwees and the one at Mills Block.  I can also take a couple in town if they aren't picked up.

[Mechman]

If anyone is interested I am going to be having coffee tomorrow (Sat) with the BBA people to try and figure out how we are going to do this caching integration. -I am looking for 1 or 2 people to join me with some constructive ideas to toss around. We will be at Calico (just beside Hoito) at 10 AM

[Mechman]

Just starting to look at my 7 - and am running into issues where the posts will be within the 160 meter rule.  I am hoping that the cache reviewer may give me some grace seeing as the actual cache will not be located at the post.  Otherwise we may be only able to make certain posts as geocaches, or we will need to ask people if they mind moving their cache, or we ask the BBA people to move the post.

[Mechman]

Just wondering if any of you that said you would get the data for some of these posts have actually done so?
The BBA group is looking to get their book together for printing early January.

I'm not so sure that we are ready to get them what they need as of yet...comments???


Dave

[Hunters-5]

I'm sorry to report that I have nothing to report.   My enthusiasm is still there, but apparently not my time committment.  Sorry.