Stamp books like 'em or hate 'em?

Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 5:54 pm

I know the weather made them look worse than a tye dye shirt, but let's hear what you have to say about the whole stamping/ticket system. If you have multiple choices, just explain in your post. We really want to keep it fun for all so I will be doing a few of these polls to get your feedback. Thank you! Very Happy

Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 6:01 pm

One cash drawing ticket per verified person on a team....if each person is not verifiable then one for that team. I saw folks getting multiple tickets when there was only one person caching.

Then have the book itself get stamped and get rid of the extra sheet (which I hate dragging around)...maybe have the back page used for the stamps.

WGA Member Joined: 2007-02-03 Posts: 2180

I like LB7's idea of combining the stamp sheet with the booklet. I know that from personal experience stamping something is the big draw for our 3 grankids. I'm not even sure if they would still be interested in coming without it and that would scratch one team and 5 people. I think most kids love the stamping.

WGA Member Joined: 2007-02-03 Posts: 2180

Remember when evaluating this poll that it probably only involves half of the people who attended the event and then only those who visit the forums so now we're down to probably less than 10% of the attendees.

Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 7:16 pm

I realize the local PDs were event sponsors but it was obnoxious to sit through so many trigger lock giveaways that one can get for free. Given the low chances of winning a cash prize I don't know that we'll stay next year for the raffles so the tickets don't really matter.

Its a toss up between the book and sheet being separate or not. I was able to preserve our hints/coords in the book and at least know I'd get credit for my waterlogged sheet as opposed to potentially losing them both to the rain.

Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:11 pm

This was our first Mega and enjoyed it. The stamping was fun until the monsoon hit. Then it just became a sloppy mess. I don't have a better idea, besides codewords, but then anyone could tell people the codewords to fill their sheets. But then again, most playing the game are honest anyway and wouldn't need to cheat just for an extra raffle ticket or 2. Our people are not armchair loggers, so I don't think using codewords would be a problem.

Hey, we thought the odds were bad for the drawing too...until our ticket was called for the $100. Laughing

Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:30 pm

we like the stamp sheet. but were not out in the monsoon, we were done caching by then. Other Ideas might be paper punches that would have to be punched in spaces around the outer edge. that is how the Rhinelander event works every year.

Stamping directly in the book would be a nightmare for the checkers at the end. a simple flat sheet is definitely the easiest for all involved

Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:30 pm

I don't have a better idea about the stamping sheet but I will give credit for the idea to lagrac as he mentioned getting a gallon sized ziploc bag to put the card into to protect it from the weather. Granted, it can still get wet from sticking your wet hands in the bag but it has to be better than stamping in the pouring rain. maybe Glad can be a sponsor.

Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:59 pm

sweetlife wrote:

Stamping directly in the book would be a nightmare for the checkers at the end. a simple flat sheet is definitely the easiest for all involved

I disagree. Reserving the last page or two in the book would be no more difficult to check than a separate sheet so long as they did not have to turn any pages. I'd love to see the stamping take place on the back cover.

I'm already juggling the book and a gps add the paper and its frankly a P.I.T.A. I believe in the K.I.S.S. method.

WGA Member Joined: 2007-02-03 Posts: 2180

labrat_wr wrote:

I don't have a better idea about the stamping sheet but I will give credit for the idea to lagrac as he mentioned getting a gallon sized ziploc bag to put the card into to protect it from the weather. Granted, it can still get wet from sticking your wet hands in the bag but it has to be better than stamping in the pouring rain. maybe Glad can be a sponsor.

That's what we did and cached right through the rain. Our card stayed nice and dry. GLAD someone mentioned that.

Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 9:43 pm

That baggie idea is a good one, never thought of it, but we got caught in the monsoon in the ice age trail and had all the rain gear and baggies safe and dry in the geo mobile. ( great spot for them).

I do like the punch idea too. But unless we laminate the card we are punching, it will still succumb to the elements. I will open a laminating station and charge per sheet. Very Happy

Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 9:49 pm

Please keep the stamp book in some form. My daughter absolutely gets excited about the stamps. Our sheet from the weekend is currently still drying on fridge magnets waiting to go into her scrapbook. I will post proof of this. The fact that it is tie-dyed makes it even better.

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:29 am

I was caught on the North bike trail in the first storm Friday night. I was carrying the sheet in my hand (riding my bike) and quickly stuffed it in my shirt. It was bent but mostly dry. I would love the stamps to stay and put them in the book. The book would be much easier to carry. I was using a clipboard to carry the sheet that made a great rain shield when held upside down. Smile

1) The stamps need to stay so teams with multiple people don't split up.

2) I would like the stamps in the book? The card is ok with me.

3) I think the cache bash works just fine the way it is.

4) See you next year. I had a great time.

Rolling Eyes

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 5:35 pm

We never even took the book with us, only the stamp card. never even looked at the book, all the info is in the GPS that you need, even if you only have coords, get close follow the trail, repeat at the next cache, no book needed.

If it is made part of the book, please make it removeable so that I only have to carry it.

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:41 pm

sweetlife wrote:

We never even took the book with us, only the stamp card. never even looked at the book, all the info is in the GPS that you need, even if you only have coords, get close follow the trail, repeat at the next cache, no book needed.

If it is made part of the book, please make it removeable so that I only have to carry it.

Ditto on the entire post. Took the words out of my mouth.