[Team Northwoods]

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***Opinions expressed are mine alone and will change based upon new information. ***

[Team Northwoods]

All is done. Voting starts on Monday. Thank you for your Support.

 

***Opinions expressed are mine alone and will change based upon new information. ***

[Team Northwoods]

I have been working on an angle with the MnDot. Maybe this will give somebody some ideas.  I have more information than this but here are the main parts of what I have done and communicated.

Here is the email I sent to the reviewer. — Copy of email sent to Gat R Done —
Good Evening,

GC5JA5T Heritage Lake Multi

Are all MN Dot lands considered rest areas? It is not possible to get to this cache from the rest area and there are 3 other geocaches on the same piece of property. This one would be between them.
Thank you,

Team Northwoods

Below this is what I have been working on with the MnDot and forwarding the info to the reviewer.

Now this cache is not accessible from the way side and resides on 475 acres behind the rest area. The cache is only accessible from the bike trail that runs along the north side of Highway 94 near the 95 exit to Hastings.

The cache is also on a separate piece of property but still owned by the MnDot. Now I was hoping that because it was not on the same exact piece of property (a property with a different deed) it might be allowed but no luck so far. My contact has been Alexia from the MnDot.

Here is the parcel the cache is on.

Parcel Number:  33.029.20.32.0001

Property Address:

WEST LAKELAND TWP, MN    MAPS

Class:  Exempt

Legal Description:  PT NW1/4 SW1/4 SD SEC 33 & PT NE1/4 SE1/4 S32T29R20 BEING PRCL 2 MNDOT R/W PLAT 82-48 TRK HWY SP8282 (94=392) 904 &IO94-3 (304) 248 TOG WITH ALL RIGHT OF ACCESS SHOWN ON SD PLAT Section 33 Township 029 Range 020

You can find the this information at the following website. http://maps.co.washington.mn.us/PropertyViewer

You may want to bookmark the link I added above. It may come in handy to anyone trying to hide a cache across the border.

Now I do not know if the Wisconsin Dot has rest areas that are 500 acres and broken into different parcels, so that maybe the parcels behind the rest area that are inaccessible from the rest area can have caches placed in them. Now I know that this will probably not help you get a geocache into the immediate rest area but it is a starting point.

I am reaching out and giving all the information that I have to the MnGCA to see if it can help further their ongoing probe into the Minnesota ban on geocaches in rest areas and get the Heritage Lake Multi published.

It is worth a shot.

***Opinions expressed are mine alone and will change based upon new information. ***

[Team Northwoods]

I like to go hiking and exploring new areas which does usually turn into geocaching because then I will hide one there if I find something new. I always have to see what is around the next bend in a river or over the next hill.

I go fishing, hunting and snowshoeing. I made a 2 mile loop behind my house that I go around between 3 to 5 times a night. Last year I had a moonlit snowshoeing hot chocolate event and took a group around the loop. GC4ZMBW

I also listen to about 6-7 hours of podcast each week. TWIT This Week in Tech and Windows Weekly. Very good programs. http://www.twit.tv

***Opinions expressed are mine alone and will change based upon new information. ***

[Team Northwoods]

 

For those of you reading this, what have been your experiences with the BOD (either current or past). Did we/they meet your needs, listen to you, encourage you, offer support? I know I’ve talked and listened to members from Racine to Door County to Ashland to SE WI.

Recently the support of the current board has been great. I was having a hard time getting people to sign up for the Makers workshop and event. I had the Cornell school booked and everything but not a lot of people signed up. I reached out to the WGA for some help. There was not a whole lot the WGA could do but what you did do made a huge difference. Walkingadventure reached out to me and even gave me his cell number. I called and he answered and we talked about some different ideas to help out and that was all I needed. Someone to reach out to. Make sure I was doing all I could. and the event turned out fantastic. Here is the event GC4ZQ51

When I was down at the Mirror Lake event fishing at one of the little mini-events Saturday morning. A couple board members came down and talked to me to see how some of my events were going and reached out to me so that if I needed any help I should ask them .

What more could ask for than that? It was great and I really felt part of something bigger.

***Opinions expressed are mine alone and will change based upon new information. ***

[Team Northwoods]

How about a genetically modified kittypup?

***Opinions expressed are mine alone and will change based upon new information. ***

[Team Northwoods]

 

With 9 different personalities on the board, your opinion may not be the one chosen by the group.How will you handle this? Can you tell us about a time this has happened to you?

I can easily handle this. I have quarterly board meetings as part of my job. Today in 1 hour at 9:30 I will be in one. It will be a good one. In 2014 we were in 4th place in the nation for net growth out of all National Rural Telecommunication Cooperative Members. I am used to throwing out ideas to see if any stick. If they don’t then they don’t but sometimes they open up new ideas that branched off of that one. That is what it is all about. 

There are way more than 9 conflicting personalities at the following meetings.

We have monthly nation wide meetings to discuss everything from marketing to operational issues. Same thing there discuss and suggest better ways to enhance our market share and advertise to our target markets. A fancy way of saying grow.

Then biannually we have all day conferences where we get together and try to figure out what are the best ways to further our individual businesses and discuss new products and services coming out.

…and those less enjoyable tasks (like washing dishes or typing up event descriptions), how do you feel about spending your time doing these things while everyone is off caching or socializing?

I am assuming that these things will be delegated out accordingly. Wash the dishes now with others get out so while they are picking up trash I can be out. I hope all these things are done together. It would not be much of a group effort if one person has to do it all and I am happy to do my part. I will do it all if I have to but then we are going to have a very tense board meeting afterwords. Plus during events there is always some lull time isn’t there? Like on Fridays or Sundays after the breakfast. Saturdays are when I think you could expect to get a lot less if no personal time in. Setting up and working the events. That is what we are here for. We can vicariously geocache through other members running around.

How will you handle having to lead something that is outside your comfort zone such as talking in front of a large group or coordinating a pancake breakfast for example?

Doesn’t bother me talking to large groups. I don’t know if I am any good at it but it doesn’t bother me. Then again you are your own worse critic. Getting out of your comfort zone creates challenges and challenges are fun to see what you are made of. How do you progress in life if you never step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. I can tell you that right now running for a board position was way out of my comfort zone,  but it is getting easier.

Thank you.

***Opinions expressed are mine alone and will change based upon new information. ***

[Team Northwoods]

 

Yep, they are there. All clear. I don’t know how many people read the entire cache page anymore but I try to keep them pretty anyway. Making sure you also have the blue ribbon on top advertises to seekers of unique caches that they can go to the WGA website to find more great caches.

***Opinions expressed are mine alone and will change based upon new information. ***

[Team Northwoods]

I joined back in 2010, I think. I have gone to the 4 closest events the WGA has had to my home since 2011. All the others were over 150 miles from my home. I found the WGA just by searching the web about geoaching stuff when I was first really getting into it.

***Opinions expressed are mine alone and will change based upon new information. ***

[Team Northwoods]

Only my cooler caches like GC2ENJQ and GC3GJVZ. I think 3 have WGA Blue Ribbons on top, maybe more. I don’t remember any more. Getting to many caches out there now.

***Opinions expressed are mine alone and will change based upon new information. ***

[Team Northwoods]

Lacknothing wrote:

If elected, what is your plan to be an active member of the WGA board?  When the President/Vice President are looking for worker bees, how will you respond?

When I decided to accept the nomination for the board I had to make the decision that if I am going to do this then I am going to do this. Not do half a job. If the President or Vice President need to delegate work I have no problem doing my part. That is what I am signing up for.  I also have no problems taking up the initiative to just get things done as they come up.

***Opinions expressed are mine alone and will change based upon new information. ***

[Team Northwoods]

Walkingadventure wrote:

A few ideas: Smaller, regional WGA sponsored events. Hook up with locals and offer to help sponsor or just co-host events throughout the state. Think of it as similar to Grass Roots campaigning. Surprisingly, there are many that do not know the WGA exists. I know when I joined in 2009, I had been caching for 5 years before I stumbled across the group. Host How To events

How to host an event…a CITO, do puzzles, etc.

More CITOS! Host bigger, fun events. Have you participated in any of the new game within the game events? How about a WGA sponsored Poker Run, Waterfall Tour, Road Rally, etc. Let’s keep the fun in the Association and lead the way and continue to innovate. Give people a reason to travel and meet new friends- be a part of a bigger group. Keep the BOD diverse and seek out those cachers in different areas of the state to volunteer and serve. With 9 Directors, we should have representation from more than just the population centers. We do well with this now. Lakewood (NE), Wild Rose (Kinda Central WI), Milwaukee, Eau Claire, Neenah (NE WI), Sheboygan and Madison areas. This year there are candidates from Bruce (NW), Sheboygan(Eastern), Sturgeon Bay (NE), Sparta (Western) , Milwaukee, Fox Valley (NE) and Eau Claire. With the new website, there are some great new features we can begin to explore. More blog-type posts from members across the state…how about a Post Your WGA gear pictures from vacations to trips to famous locations. Those would be fun to see on the website- imagine T&B with their WGA gear at the Eiffel Tower, Brain Bard’s Gang in Times Square…Ostermi in Washington D.C.

Encourage the use of the Suggestion Box on the website There are so many members with great ideas- I know I don’t have all the answers but you all do. Encourage more members to become involved in everything we do. Great way to meet new people and look for potential BOD members. I think we should always be trying to find people to replace us. That keeps the Association strong. The WGA does so much good already, keep doing it but do not be afraid of trying new things. Make sure we all (each member) adds the WGA Cache Page Banners to all of their cache pages. It will direct anyone that clicks on it to our website.

That is why he is the POTUS with the mostus!

***Opinions expressed are mine alone and will change based upon new information. ***

[Team Northwoods]

I am going to be blatantly honest. I used to be more into the WGA forums but rarely got a response to posts or they did not apply to me. Being on the board would definitely make them apply to me.  Even worse when you would start to hash things out you would get berated for not following the status quo or whatever it was.   Now that has been a while ago but that will chase a newbie away after so much of that. Being on the board I would never let that start to happen again. Some might not like what I am saying but if you can’t take criticism you will never better yourself. I started my own groups and placed caches and started planning events.  A change happened or something inside the group did and I came back this group and have been enjoying it more and more and do not want to see it loose ground or fade away. If I didn’t believe in this group I wouldn’t be running.  I love this sport too much and want to help it grow with the WGA.

When there are events nearby I like to put them on my public page http://www.facebook.com/teamnorthwoodsgeocaching When I am hosting an event I post it on 7 different groups and the MnGCA.  That is the only thing I can think of that the WGA can do. Go out to all of these pages and groups when there is an event or some special news and post about it on every group and page available. If there is a topic in the forum that you want more input on. Post the link on every group page. When you see members of these groups come to the events. Say stuff like nice to see the Coulee Region Cachers came out or some of the Up North Geocaching Association made it. You have to be all inclusive. Make them happy by telling them you appreciate their support or they will just break off and do there own thing.

The little groups are here to stay and the WGA must use all these groups to further participation. This will show all the groups that yes there are all these small regions but the main central group for the state to get together is the Wisconsin Geocaching Association.

One Group to Rule Them All.

***Opinions expressed are mine alone and will change based upon new information. ***

[Team Northwoods]

#1 You get access to a large members forum where you can post about subjects you like, ask for recommendation or get help.

#2 Go to events that bring geocachers from all around Wisconsin. What happens when an event is announced? You call up fellow geocachers and make plans to go. Some of us only get a chance to get together at events to socialize and have some fun. Change it up from just geocaching alone or in your usual group. How many times do you go out to make some finds and come out of the woods with more geocachers than you went in with?

#3 Hurry! Act now! Because you can have all this and much more for just 3 easy installments of $0. But wait there is more! For a limited you can give your friend or neighbor a membership for the same great price. That’s right you will get 2 WGA Memberships for the same great low price of just 3 easy Installment of $0.

***Opinions expressed are mine alone and will change based upon new information. ***

[Team Northwoods]

Noted.

***Opinions expressed are mine alone and will change based upon new information. ***

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