[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

Everyones Time is valuable for sure. I probably have more available than most.

* I work 12 hr shifts – 3 a week (36 hrs/wk…OT?? What’s that???? LOL)
* I work every 4th weekend. The other 3 I don’t make plans on til they come closer.
* When it is my weekend on, I normally work 6 days in a row than have 7 off..yup basically a vacation every other week.
* With advanced notification I can usually switch a weekend.
* I have no children, therefore no commitments on that end.
* The planning I do DO for weekends is for caching, having or attending and event, or in the summer….a week up North, but that’s flexible.
* I multi-task…so I get a lot done in a shorter period of time.
* I always MAKE time for things I enjoy! 😀

As for visiting the WGA Forums.. it is usually more than once a day. The longest I have not been on here, might have been a cpl weeks, during the busy holiday season, otherwise a week to 10 days while on vacation. If one can not visit and is a BOD member… they should at least note they will be gone.. for whatever reason….always good to leave an FYI out of courtesy!! The only ohter times I may be busy with things is if another organization, such as Woodland Dunes or Adult Envirnmental Ed. requests me to do a Geocaching “Thing”.

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

Excellent question and always a concern of mine.

It’s a difficult idea to promote, since many cachers are so eager to place the perfect, difficult cache. True, not everyone is wanting to do that, but many of us do… I admit to that. The education and promotion of the idea is what should occur. An idea to have a “Chair-iot Cachers” week or month or something to that order is and idea that came to me. A week or month in the Spring or early summer, promoting the placement of TRUE wheelchair accessible caches.

I know zuma! has that great bookmark with such caches listed, and I have added a few to them myself, BUT here is a problem which needs to address also. I can’t tell you how many times I have been out caching and done hides that were suppose to be 1-1.5 STARS on terrain, but there is either a huge curb to go up or a small hill, medium grass or low foliage. There is no WAY a wheelchair can get up that, without significat help. I know many of us use the GC.com Difficulty/Terrain rating system, but it’s not always accurate. What I do AT a cache I place.

1. I take a good look at the terrain for a couple different prospectives and assess if w/c cacher can get there by themselves or with a little assistance. Could “I” get there if I were in a w/c or with a little help???

2. I actually crouch down as if I would be in a w/c, at that height and reach to the cache. If I can’t… neither can they. So… the rating goes up past to a 2.

#2 is the other issue when placing. Sure a w/c cacher can get there but can they REACH it??!!! One other thing to consider, especially for those caches along a LONG trail. A w/c cacher is probably NOT going to travel a long distance down the trail, but will approach it from another location, as many of us do. It may be a 1 terrain from up top, but it helps if a cachers states that on the log page. Something like “This is a 3 difficulty/1 terrain, only if approached coming doen the train..if you park and come from the road, it is becomes a 3 terrain” This makes it helpful to all caches!!

Another help to promoting w/c Caches would be for those of us who DO caches, to help the owners re-rate them. Maybe there are some out there we KNOW a w/c cacher couuld get to, but the rating is set too high or the other way around. I often ask for assistance in RE-rating a cache!

Thanks for the great question!!

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

I have traveled around the NE, NC, SE and Central parts of the state as well as a number of Other states!! I find it important to see consistency in the quality and abidance to GC.com rules, on cache placement trends, but also look for the creativity in hides and containers. I have often assisted cachers in my home area and around the state, with questions and concerns that are sent to me via e-mail.

Having traveled to a number of other states, I have seen some interesting things, which I wonder how they even got approved. I HAVE found some awesome ideas on hides and containers also. I feel it’s important to bring in new ideas, while abiding by GC.com rules. Why is this important to me??? Well….I feel it helps to retain cachers, hence retaining WGA members. Doing the same type of hide over and over again, can become discouraging to some, especially new cachers, who then can become bored and quit caching all together.

Traveling around the state, if I see something in question, I am not afraid to make a friendly, non-threatening approach to a cache owner, via e-mail, and inquire about their placement or ask questions on why they chose to do what they have. I stress the importance of proper technique in an approach. Remembering that e-mail or PM’s have no emotion or body language and often times come across very threatening when one does not mean them to.

All in all…..I enjoy visiting new areas in state and will continue to do so. Looking forward to the SW corner of things. Have not ever visited that area in the 8+ yrs I have lived in this state!

Thanks for posting the question!!

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

@GrouseTales wrote:

WHO????? 😯 😯 😕 😕 ❓ ❓ ❓ 😕 ❓

We only get Mud Duck TV up here so I have no clue who that is.

And what EXPO?????

I Believe it is the Milwaukee Sport Show

As I mentioned earlier…this show brings in people from all over and it would great to be there. I have HEARD of our fine Vince Condella, thanks ot BQ, but if not for her… I would have had no clue the segment exisited in the first place.

I’m with you on the Mud Duck TV thing Dave. LOL We barely get Green Bay stuff here in TR. LOL

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

@Vegas Gamblers wrote:

@GrouseTales wrote:

Vince Condella, a Fox6 meteorologist, has a nightly “Caching with Condella” segment on his newscast. He has done more to spread the word about geocaching, then we could ever do at the sports show.

This was all we needed to start up.

This is true you guys, but there are many people from other parts of the state who have never seen nor heard of Vince that may be drawn to the Expo!! All many of us get in other parts of the state are the nagative news stories (aka the Appleton Alderman and the bomb scare issues)

Wish we did get Vince way up here. It would be fun to watch the segments. I get to see the post shows via links that people put on here, but that’s ok for me, since I am already a cacher.

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

Hey.. what do ay know!!!

Another WGA event on my weekend to work!! Guess if I make the BOD.. I’ll have to bribe someone to change with me.
😉

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

Boy.. this might be a toughie for me. Hmmm A couple things I was thinking about:

1. As great as our BOD is, there is a lot of work out there to be done and so few people can get everything worked on thru the year. Initiating a larger supporting BOD group may be in order. I am sure there are people who have interests in the WGA’s issues but may not have the interest in being ON the Board. This would allow them to partake, while being more indirectly involved. Just a thought!!

2. I would like to put more GEO in the word Geocaching, by educating on, promoting and encouraging more Earthcaches be created. These are not only interesting at times, but educational also. The greatest part is that there is typically no maintenance to them and you can create one anywhere, such as being on vacation and in National Forests. This is unlike a regular cache which we are no longer allowed to place at a distance. I know for a fact that Wyoming has a NO Earthcaches and after having lived there for 5 yrs… there is a ton of interesting prehistoric and geological stuff to see and learn about.

So…. that’s what I am looking at – 1/2 for the WGA and 1/2 for Geocaching in general!!

Thanks!! Anne

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

I think LightningBugs Mum hit the biggies. Hate to just go with the flow, but no use restating what is already posted. And as Dave states….I wish things could be predicted. I don’t see a Mega-Event really being an issue but more of an idea to build upon.

For me, the biggest issues are pleasing all the peole all the time and we all know that AIN’T gonna happen.

One issue I see is that of making sure the WGA and it’s website continues to grow. Getting more cachers to participate in WGA events, on the website and stay interested in caching. How to do that.. I am not sure, except keeping events fun, interesting and exciting and ensuring the information provided on the WGA site is current and usefull. I see no problems there so far, but always room for creative ideas!!

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

Since I am not currently on the WGA BOD, I can not speak for them. I can see where the WGA could be of help but not take over 100%. I know I, personally, would help in any way I could.

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

Have not thought about it a while lot, but…

* Re-assess my Fishing Hole series
* Work on acheiving the Platinum Earthcache Master Level
* With the above, creating several more Earthcaches
* Developing one or more CITO events (with help of my N.E.W. caching buddies)
* Working Adult Envirn. Ed. again this yr, in a day long class for Caching.
* Work on my Way up Nord Event earlier this year
* Get to the WGA camp out IF it is NOT on my weekend to work 😀
* Get to other WGA and individual events if I am not working!
* Whatever else pops up! 🙂

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

@rush-2112 wrote:

… how about Fonfericks Glen (sp) up here in the GB area… We did the one and only single solitary cache there, and trash abounded as much as rocks and water (that day!!)….

Nothing says we can’t do more than one CITO and they don’t need to be in April!! so…..keep adding to the list. If we see the need, I can toss together a Pre-CITO get together to discuss more ideas and a plan of attack!

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

No, no no…. you all got it wrong, It’s

I came, I saw nothing after looking for only 30 seconds, I used Phone-a-friend!!

😛 Just yankin’ ya Marc!! 😉

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

Thanks for staying on it Jim!! Just absorbing al the info at the moment. I am not familiar with Roe Park. Is it a City, Co. park??? Just curious. Sounds like one that really is in desparate need for sure! Just don’t throw the cache away!! LOL

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

Another note on CITO and Earthday.

Though I would like to see them staggered thru the month of April, when Earthday occurs. I think we should definately have at least one, since the Earth Day founder, Gaylord Nelson, was a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin. Maybe we can get some pull and get national NEWS too!! Ok…. don’t know HOW to do that but there is time to figure it out 😉 Just thought I would add this note since I was only recently educated on the fact that it supposedly started in this state. Looking through some other articles, there seems to be some conflicting information and that some say it was started in California.

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

I chose maybe, only because I don’t like using the clues unless I HAVE to and I get teased for that LOL So…..all depends on the situations I guess.

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