Geocaching Presentation for the DNR – Bong Rec. Area

[Buy_The_Tie]

Thanks everybody for the offers of help.

I have given this class a couple of times up at the Ice Age Center in the Kettle Moraine Northern Unit.

What we did last at the last class (last summer) I thought worked really well. We had two short hiking loops with several temp caches hidden on each. We had three experienced geocachers (Beast, Geopink and Myself), so we split up into three groups. One group went to ONE geocache, just to see what it was about, then they chose to go home. One group finished an entire loop, got more of a taste for it, then decided to go home. The third group found all the caches on both loops and were very gung-ho about the whole thing.

I figure if we have a half-dozen or more experienced geocachers showing up, we can split up into more (and smaller) groups for an overall better experience.

In the past, I have hidden event style “temp” caches – decon containers with a stamp inside. I have also hidden an ammo box (properly labeled, of course), that the Naturalist has loaded up with Smokey The Bear trinkets & such for people to take with them. No need to trade in that geocache. I plan on doing more of the same this time.

In the classroom portion, I mention other variations on the game…. multi-caches, mystery caches, and virtual caches, but for the outdoor portion, I try and stick to the simple single-stage “normal” geocache.

I have been working with the Naturalist at Bong, and we are coming up with a “jthorson” quality camo hide for one or two of the temp geocaches. It should be a lot of fun.

I will try and post a link to a “.gpx” file containing all temp caches I place, as well as all the permanent caches in the park (for the really adventureous).

I already have a dozen spots picked out on the self-guided nature trail to the south of the visitors center, I’ll probably wind up using only some of them. There doesn’t seem to be many short loops originating from the visitor’s center, so I might just place some more heading out one of the trails, maybe towards the closes permanent geocache.

I might try and head down there this weekend (Memorial Day) to pick a few more spots. If somebody closer wanted to head out and choose them for me, that would be great too. Just send me an e-mail. I need the co-ords, description, name etc.. for all temp caches so I can have the DNR print up some handouts for the class.

[LightningBugs Mum]

My son has signed up for a day-long scouting thing that day, so I will have to bow out. Sorry I’m going to miss all the fun.

[Buy_The_Tie]

I was down at Bong this weekend, and I think I have all of the spots for temp caches nailed down.

I will post a link to the “.GPX” file for the temp caches. That file will also include all of the permanent geocaches in the park as well.

I will have my laptop, along with the “Eggplant” download thingey there.

I will post a link to the file here a little later in the week.

Thanks.

[Buy_The_Tie]

The class is a “Go”. The Naturalist at Bong (Beth G.) is very excited about this class. I have gotten help from Team Deejay, and there will be 18 temp caches to hunt.

Today I have been contacted by a reporter from the Kenosha News. She will be in attendance for the presentation.

Here is a “.GPX” file of all of the temporary caches that we will place, and most of the nearby permanent geocaches that are in the park.
(Right click on the link and “save as”)

Please clear all waypoints out of your GPSr’s, then download the attached GPX file. That way, your GPSr will only have relevant waypoints in it. Might make it easier for the students who may be using your unit.

If you need your GPSr loaded with the file, there will be a little time before the presentation to download the waypoints. I should be able to do all Garmins, and most Magellans.

If you have a nifty laminated nametag from the campout this year, please bring it along and wear it to identify yourself.

Virtually every temporary cache will have a stamp in it, and each class participant will be given a printout with the temp caches listed, just like we give out at our WGA events. The naturalist has a whole bunch of “Smokey The Bear” trinkets she is willing to donate to some of the bigger caches for people to simply take something out. So, for the temp caches, please have them leave the stamp, but if there’s Smokey Bear stuff in the cache, they can take something if they want.

There are 3 or 4 different ways that teams can leave out from the Visitor’s center. My plan is to have each of you leave with a group in a different direction (if possible). There is one permanent cache close enough that would be do-able (Sunrise At Bong) during the temp cache hunting.

Each person taking a group will be given a printout, containing all of the hints already decrypted, plus extra information used to find the cache. It would be nice if ideally nobody had to log a DNF all evening.

I will also be looking for a few hearty folks to head out after the class to collect the temps. Please bring a flashlight if you want to help.

The co-ords for the Visitor’s Center are: N42 38.016 W88 07.630
The classroom portion will be held inside of the visitor’s center.

Thanks in advance for all of your help. It should be a good time. See you on Saturday!

[jthorson]

Maybe I missed it but when?

[Buy_The_Tie]

@jthorson wrote:

Maybe I missed it but when?

Details…. Details…… 😕

I am going to be there at 4:00 PM
The park naturalist is going to be there at 4:00 PM
Volunteers needing a download should be there no later than 5:30 PM
Presentation starts at 6:00 PM (first 20 minutes the naturalist has the floor)
Classroom presentation ends about 7:00
Out hunting caches 7:00 ~ Dusk

[jthorson]

And how are the tics (Bong has a rep)?

[Sean Connery]

Brian, the Bond Girl and I will be down at Bong around noon to hunt the permanent caches. We will meet up with you at the visitor center by 1700 hours. Will have 2 garmins. 8)

[Buy_The_Tie]

@jthorson wrote:

And how are the tics (Bong has a rep)?

And it is deserved. I have seen a few wood ticks. Flicked one off my jeans my first time out, had one hictch a ride on my clothes and show up in my basement the second time out.

I’m going to treat my clothes with Permethrin to try and further avoid the little buggers. I will also have some 100% deet along for those who may need it.

[Buy_The_Tie]

@Sean Connery wrote:

Brian, the Bond Girl and I will be down at Bong around noon to hunt the permanent caches. We will meet up with you at the visitor center by 1700 hours. Will have 2 garmins. 8)

Cool. The more the merrier.

[Buy_The_Tie]

Due to technical difficulties, “Hiker Crossing” has been moved.

Here is the updated file.

bong.gpx

[MajorBrat]

Sorry I wasn’t able to make it out to help with this one! Commander Bob tells me it was a great success! Thanks Brian, for putting it together and getting the newbies off on the right foot!!!
Congrats to the current list of cachers who were also on hand to help out.
On a personal note…thanks for the shiny Brian! (Yep! He handed it to me when he got home, and now it belongs to the Team!) 😆

[jthorson]

Some pictures of the well done Saturday evening Geocaching Intro class at Bong. Lotsa work by Tie and aided by Deejay (David).

---

Tie and Brad (Team Sean Connery) hiding the temps with the photog and reporter from the Kenosha paper. The Racine newspaper was also represented.

On to the next…

The briefing…

…covers the attractions and technical aspects of geocaching.

There are caches out there… scramble

TS’s universal download box gets to go everywhere.

Bong’s mascot and trademark — we learned later that they manufacture them underground in the abandoned Air Force base with alien help. But maybe I’m confusing the stories.

[Sean Connery]

8) Wow! Wasn’t last night fun. I would love to do it again sometime without all the TICKS. I think the final count was caches found by our group 13, ticks we took off ourselves and our clothes last night and this morning 24. The ticks win!

[Buy_The_Tie]

Thank you one and all for coming out and lending a hand last night.

Beth, the park naturalist, was very pleased with the turnout from the WGA and the good program we all helped put on.

Special thanks to Team Deejay for planting temp caches for the event on the north loop, JThorson & Sean Connery for helping plant the last two caches I had planned out, and Commander Bob for helping me pick all of mine up at the end of the night.

* Knock On Wood *
I didn’t see one tick on me the entire night. I had treated my clothes with Permethrin, and evidently, the tics don’t like that very much.

I would have loved to go out and find Team Deejay’s caches on the north loop, but the naturalist wanted to keep the visitor’s center open, but also wanted to go and hunt caches, so she put JThorson in charge. We stayed back and made sure nobody made off with the stuffed coyotes.

[Author]

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