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I do appreciate the time and effort it takes to set up an event like this. I’ve planned and chaired 3 regional conventions that encompassed 7 states and 200+ clubs. Big events equal a lot of work. So kudos to all those stepping up to help even in the smallest capacity!
With that being said, our bash experience was less than eventful. Our car crapped out Friday morning while out caching. From that point, we were pretty much stuck at the hotel all day. Did a few caches we could walk too at Ridge Run and Regner Park and points in between. I loved the idea of clustered caches this year (far less driving around), but because of our car issue and our group size of four, we couldn’t do any of them – to far to walk and too large a group to bum a ride.
Registration was painfully slow. We got there shortly after noon and still waited 45+ minutes in line for what? to get our name checked off in a book and receive a goodie bag? There has got to be a faster system for this. I’m not sure what – but something.
It would’ve been nice to have food available for purchase at the park. Spent a lot of time there – in line, at vendors, caching. The dance team has a booth set up on Main Street. Maybe another group could have a small stand at the park? Don’t know if it would be worth the time/money/profit, but throwing the idea out there.
We will be back next year. Hopefully our car won’t crap out and we can enjoy/partake in the bash more than we did.
@Bushwhacking Queen wrote:
@ldove wrote:
@Bushwhacking Queen wrote:
@ldove wrote:
One last thing, the winner of the $250 price this year was KM Snoop’s daughter. KM is not on our committee. He was Geocaching with the family of someone who is on our committee however.
Really? Hm, looked like an Ecorangers went up for the photo.
Yeah they were caching together as a team. Ecorangers did not win anything.
Again as I said its “appearance.”
Barb & Mike have two boys, you said it was his daughter who won….
I misspoke, sorry, KM Snoop who is Mike Chern One the $250 and his name is on the check. The child who picked up the check is Tami’s daughter, Mike was being nice to let the kid in the group go up and get the prize. I don’t know Tait, I havent seen her in years so I did not know that was her. I just assumed it was Mike’s daughter.
@todd300 wrote:
Archive a hide just so you can put a new one in the same general area? That’s called “churning”.
Todd it could be your comment is based on an incorrect understanding of the SE Wisconsin area. Many popular parks have all the good spots blocked by other caches. Around here it is preferable for many of the caches to be archived after 2 or 3 years to make room for new ones so the game can continue with quality hides. It’s a welcome happening when old caches that seemingly everybody has found and have little to no current activity are archived to make room for new caches by new hiders in the same general area. I plan to archive many of my caches in two to three years so others can hide caches in their place. Otherwise some great parks in the Milwaukee area will have almost zero caching activity. About a year ago 100 Battleship caches were archived after 2-1/2 years, freeing up many many spots and creating hiding opportunities for many new cachers including me. I think perhaps you’re thinking of situations where one archives a cache and the same person hides another one in the exact same spot. That’s not exactly what Goldie was referring to. Not only that, but in certain areas, including the Milwaukee County Park System, caches are required to be withdrawn after two years to reduce environment wear & tear, although lately they haven’t been enforcing that. 🙂
Very interesting reading everyone’s take on the Cache Bash. I think it has been a great even these past six years, but I also think that it will lose its’ luster without new and fresh ideas and hides. Personally, I like the clusters of hides in a nice area….a park where you can get out and hike. I think more challenging hides are fun. A lot of these cache bash caches will be more fun to come back and do at a leisurely pace without 1000 of your dearest caching friends handing you the container as you walk up. But that’s part of what happens with the Cache Bash and there is no way you are going to avoid that.
West Bend certainly does have a high saturation of caches – I do not think anyone would argue with that. Does it have a high saturation of quality caches? No…not really. There are a lot of park and grabs – but again, that means there is something for everyone and for everyone’s caching style. It would be nice if the cache owners of the area would care enough about their existing caches to do cache maintenance prior to the West Bend Cache Ba$h. That just seems like common sense to me. But apparently not.
I loved that we have CO’s like Dr. Doolittle and Goldie Diggers involved who care enough to do event site cache maintenance and even moving cache ba$h caches to allow nature to recover from having 1000+ cachers trample her.
I do not think those involved on the committee should win prizes. It is not that I do not value their time and effort…I just agree with BQ – it’s all about appearances….to me it seems tacky.
I like more post-ba$h event options – even though I did not attend either this year. I liked that there that was a BBQ option right at Regner. Great idea!
If the West Bend Cache Ba$h hopes to stand the test of time, then they must infuse new and fresh ideas each and every year and they must cater to those coming from outside of the WB community. The reality is that this event bring a TON of money into West Bend. I cannot even begin to imagine how much – hotels, gas, food, ice cream, custard, batteries at Walgreens/WalMart….
I love themes – do a theme for next year….I think theme helps a CO develop more creative and challenging caches.
The views expressed here are that of myself only and do not necessarily represent that of the WGA board.
I just wanted to comment on the most amazing part of the WBCB that no one can control.
THE WEATHER!!
This was a dream year weather-wise, and everyone that attended, whether 1 day or 3, was treated to the best caching weather in 6 years of Cache Ba$h. Low temp, low humidity, partly cloudy skies, and a sprinkle to end the Sunday breakfast.
If we had bad weather, the negative points that have been brought up would be taking a backseat to a rain out.The WGA had over 300 attendees for the Pancake Pig Out and we are wondering if we may hit MegaEvent status in the coming years.
All the input here MAY help in future years, but stick to the Mega Event guidelines listed on the GC definition page. The WBCB isn’t a competition to see how many Events can be held in 2 1/2 days. BQ does make a valid point, though. You may need 2 or 3 side Events at the same time, just to disperse the growing numbers of people attending. I must admit that having 1.5 bartenders at Muggles showed a lack of planning on someones part, either the EO or the establishment, or both.
These opinions are mine, and not the BODs of the WGA.
I agree…more events after the event is a MUST. I went to Midwest Geobash several years ago and they had one event after the main event was done for the day….you could not even walk in the lobby much less enjoy the post event. I applaud BQ for having the foresight to create a published event after the bash…We need at least two or three destinations post bash.
@hack1of2 wrote:
@todd300 wrote:
Archive a hide just so you can put a new one in the same general area? That’s called “churning”.
Todd it could be your comment is based on an incorrect understanding of the SE Wisconsin area. Many popular parks have all the good spots blocked by other caches. Around here it is preferable for many of the caches to be archived after 2 or 3 years to make room for new ones so the game can continue with quality hides. It’s a welcome happening when old caches that seemingly everybody has found and have little to no current activity are archived to make room for new caches by new hiders in the same general area. I plan to archive many of my caches in two to three years so others can hide caches in their place. Otherwise some great parks in the Milwaukee area will have almost zero caching activity. About a year ago 100 Battleship caches were archived after 2-1/2 years, freeing up many many spots and creating hiding opportunities for many new cachers including me. I think perhaps you’re thinking of situations where one archives a cache and the same person hides another one in the exact same spot. That’s not exactly what Goldie was referring to. Not only that, but in certain areas, including the Milwaukee County Park System, caches are required to be withdrawn after two years to reduce environment wear & tear, although lately they haven’t been enforcing that. 🙂
That’s too bad about having to archive a cache every couple years or so. I’ve always liked caches that has been around for a long time because I enjoy reading the time tested logs on the cache page.
I realize that once everyone in an area found the cache in a park, activity drops. So the owner archives it and either puts a new one in a different spot or someone else does. Then they return.
Up here, caches have been around for a long time. We are in a tourist area. Out of towners pass through all the time and find our caches. Many are placed with the view in mind and many out of towners like it.
I don’t think a cache has been archived here just to make room for a new one. Most archivals are a result of the cache gone missing, damage, or the owner goes MIA.
I’m surprised though with all the caches in SE Wisconsin, there has not been a single incident of a bomb scare call. I’ve had my share of people looking at me wondering what I’m doing when I’m urban caching and even was suspected in a bomb scare call myself a few years ago in Green Bay.
Anyways, enough of my rambling. I’ll probably be in your neck of the woods next month – with the emphasis on “woods” – when I go to Pike Lake for some caching. Going to Kettle Moraine for a football game so I’ll do some caching there on the side.
Also, reading Astro-D’s post, I can’t believe cachers had to wait 45 minutes to register. Sounds like they didn’t have enough people manning the registration tables. Maybe staff more next time to get the people moving through. Like someone said on here, the WBCC do not want people staying at Regner Park. They want them out in the city spending money. So it would be wise for them to get the registration line moving quickly and get the cachers back out in the city.
We waited to show up until 1:25 or so and walked straight up to the table with no one in front of us. Only took us 6 yrs to learn that trick.
Following the signals from space.
I just want to stand up for Goldie… re: archived caches, especially in West Bend — Out with the old and in with the new… I wish I could say that about a lot of caches in West Bend. I really liked the 2010 Sports series caches I was able to do. I wish I could have done them all, but that’s my fault for not getting up there and doing them. I had 2 years, that’s enough time. With the exception of historical Jasmer challenge caches that I hope never get archived if caches haven’t been found in a long while, why not put out something new to reintroduce the area. Glacial Blue Hills is a great park and has a lot to offer. I definitely saw new parts of it this time searching for the 80s one hit wonder series and all the hides were creative and fun. Churning is only applicable if you put the same cache in the same exact place.
Please note: my comments are mine alone and may not necessarily reflect an official stance of the WGA Board of Directors.
We did the same thing, checked in around 1:15 or so, no line at all.
Val and I really liked the fact that there were 16 or so on a walking trail, even though they were not handicap accessible, the fact that we can go out together and find some on a trail was one of our highlights this year. We met up by chance with Whiskey33 and had a great time walking along with them on 10 of the finds. We only had time to cache on Friday, with the WGA booth being our main concern on Saturday.
To me the event stacking (Multiple Events in the same place at the same time) was a bit too much, but to each his own, after a full day in the park we just wanted to head back to camp and did not partake in any of the Post Bash events.
The vendors were great, would be nice to see geocoin club / pathtags there one of these years.
Thanks to the WB chamber for letting us set up to the Right of the stage as we had a great area for the WGA sales and pathtag wheel.
Thanks to all who supported the WGA on Saturday and/or Sunday.
@walkingadventure wrote:
We waited to show up until 1:25 or so and walked straight up to the table with no one in front of us. Only took us 6 yrs to learn that trick.
I had a similar experience, no line at all for me.
Not all who wander are lost. -J.R.R. Tolkien
@todd300 wrote:
I’m surprised though with all the caches in SE Wisconsin, there has not been a single incident of a bomb scare call.
That’s probably why Milwaukee county requires a geocaching label on the outside of the cache on all hides in their parks. Of course not everyone does that but it sure helps.
I’ll probably be in your neck of the woods next month – with the emphasis on “woods” – when I go to Pike Lake for some caching.
Beccaday has some GREAT hides in that park, all with a Dr. Seuss theme. Of course there’s a lot of great caches in that area. Just look at the favorite points. 😎
@beccaday wrote:
@walkingadventure wrote:
We waited to show up until 1:25 or so and walked straight up to the table with no one in front of us. Only took us 6 yrs to learn that trick.
I had a similar experience, no line at all for me.
I think we only waited maybe 1 to 2 minutes. We arrived Friday evening around 5:45 to 6-ish.
I didn’t hang out at Regner much, but I think that the comments about waiting in line for 45 minutes only applied to those cachers who were at Regner at or before noon on Friday. I arrived shortly before noon, found that there were no parking spots in the main lot, so I parked on the street. Found that one line was about 3 times longer than the other, so I got in the short line. I was registered before others that were waiting in the long line. I waited in line about 20 minutes. I did notice that the people doing the registration were often slowed down by cachers with questions. I know that they were just trying to be helpful, but perhaps the registration personnel should be told to refer all questions to the information booth, in order to keep the registration lines moving.
All opinions, comments, and useless drivel I post are mine alone and do not reflect the opinions of the WGA BOD.
Interesting read after several pages of postings. Here’s my take on some of what I read…
A theme of 7 for next year is good idea… perhaps combining 007 with lucky 7; after all Bond spent good deal of time in casinos.
There should be several pre- and post-bash events for attendees to choose to go to one or more. Stuffing 500+ people in a bar is not my idea of fun! And not very family friendly.
Good variety of cache hides… especially liked the Eisenbaum hides ( mostly because they were geared to all ages and abilities)… and at age 66 my tree climbing days are over 😥
No problem with archiving older hides and placing new caches… the practice of doing so keeps the game fresh.
And as 6th year vet… I must say the weather was exceptionally great this year… Mother Nature loves WBCB.
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