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Post by NeverSummer on Sept 17, 2013 20:55:25 GMT -9
What this one is all about is more of a single location, fun-filled campout, which happens to have an afternoon CITO/service project on site that is coordinated with the host agency/location.
The Hobo CITO ideas are separate.
I'm hoping to create a weekend-long celebration ala the Champoeg events I mentioned above. Having attended those, I think we here in Alaska can make an even better party if we put our minds to it.
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Post by SSO JOAT on Sept 18, 2013 1:03:24 GMT -9
Ah so... we are adding a whole new thing to the mix. If you are looking to Labor Day weekend on this, then we may want to do just the single Hobo weekend in the Spring. Otherwise we are getting too many irons in the fire (unless we can round up some fresh meat to join in the event planning/hosting duties around here).
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Post by NeverSummer on Sept 18, 2013 6:43:26 GMT -9
The main reason I was thinking about this for an idea was so that we might have a single site, weekend-long event. Essentially, take the Kenai BBQ and our Hobo event and put it together.
I wonder if our ambitious original Hobo idea made it more difficult for people to want to come; the idea of hobo camping instead of outposting from a single location.
Also, I thought that it might be fun to simply have a big outdoor get together over a 3-day span. People can come an go as they please, but the core attendees would be there to coordinate events, and make sure people know they should have stuck around for the whole weekend worth of fun.
I'm not sure that this would take the place of the Hobo event(s), but it could take the place of the fall one. The main point to make here is that I really, really like the Hobo events we have been planning together. I think it is a great, unique idea. We may have been too ambitious in trying to have 2 overnights like last spring, and I think this fall's event will shed some light on that hypothesis.
I think the timetable for a "Hobo" weekend looks much more doable the way you've got it planned for the Pass/Russian River campout and CITO versus the longer version from last spring.
That said, I was looking at planning a big shindig to celebrate the close of the summer season, and do a project before the snow flies. If it were a big event, we would need an easy-to-attend weekend like Labor Day. Most folks have a 3-day weekend, and those that don't can come to part of the event, or take a vacation day.
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Post by akgh519 on Sept 18, 2013 9:07:20 GMT -9
The idea of a single location multiple day campout with multiple events and activities will have a widespread appeal. The 3 day weekend is a must. Maybe we could include some questions regarding this event to be held on Labor Day weekend in Homer on the survey monkey list of questions?!?? GCAK is doing that this year correct?
You might ask about HOBO CITOs events on the survey also.
NeverSummer...you might ask the sponsors of the solstice weekend fun for their feedback about their events. Those would be burtonsinak, tomanoble and blazing pathways I believe.
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Post by ladybugkids on Sept 18, 2013 10:29:33 GMT -9
The idea of a single location multiple day campout with multiple events and activities will have a widespread appeal. The 3 day weekend is a must. I can go either way on this. I don't mind moving from point to point, night to night, but I also like settling in at a single location. Three-day weekends seem to be helpful for most people, but aren't an issue for me with my workplace's flexibility and available paid vacation. Good idea for survey questions if the survey is hosted again. I've asked that the survey be put on this Thursday's Board meeting agenda.
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Post by NeverSummer on Sept 18, 2013 10:47:53 GMT -9
The idea of a single location multiple day campout with multiple events and activities will have a widespread appeal. The 3 day weekend is a must. I can go either way on this. I don't mind moving from point to point, night to night, but I also like settling in at a single location. Three-day weekends seem to be helpful for most people, but aren't an issue for me with my workplace's flexibility and available paid vacation. To be clear, at this point I'm proposing something apart from the Hobo series. I believe the Hobo CITOs are excellent, fun ways to have multiple sites and events where cleanups are the focus. This event is meant to be a weekend-long shindig that is "gathering" event focused, with a CITO event worked into it as a thanks to the host campground/agency for their hospitality. Again, see the Campoeg event series in Oregon, versus the Hobo series Joat, Firefly and I helped coordinate last spring and Joat again this fall.
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Post by NeverSummer on Sept 18, 2013 11:03:31 GMT -9
I think we might need to pin general Hobo planning to this forum topic, and have actual events unpinned below. I believe there is some confusion about what I'm trying to get set up...
I don't want to impose on or confuse about the existing plans for the fall 2013 Hobo events, or future 2014 Hobo events. What I was thinking was something aside from any Hobo events in the fall of 2014...that is, unless we want to plan it in lieu of one?
I really, really like the Hobo events, and the idea to have a spring and fall event each year (pending interest). I don't necessarily think that it has to be on the Kenai Peninsula each time, however. We can be the early adopters and help to plan events, but I think leaving dates and sites open-ended might be a fun way to get the event around the state a little more.
I'm thinking that the earlier we plan an event, the better the turnout and fun can be. If we decide to plan the 2014 Kenai Campout and CITO instead of a 2014 fall Hobo CITO, that's just fine. The only thing is that I don't want to smother the flames of enthusiasm we have created for the Hobo events in general.
If the Hobo event idea can be flexible, I suppose it doesn't have to involve a roving/moving CITO set. I do think that the roving/moving aspect is what makes it "hobo", and a lot of fun with good outreach to agencies/orgs that we help with cleanups. If we decide to keep all Hobo events as roving and flexible with dates and locations along the road system, it can create a great following of hobos event after event, year after year.
The idea for the Kenai Campout was to have a big, silly, fun campout for folks to attend in the fall (at a time when most tourists will have left campground available for us to commandeer) that could attract folks who might not otherwise make it to a big GeocacheAlaska! event (such as Geofest) for whatever reason. I wouldn't want it to necessarily take the place of a fall Hobo CITO event, unless we decide that it could/should.
SO, let's do a factory reset:
-Is there interest in this idea for a weekend-long campout as described in comments above? -Would an event like what I have in mind take the place of a fall 2014 Hobo CITO event? Should it? -Is the hope for a Hobo CITO tradition? How often/year? Would it be an event series only involving the Seward/Sterling highway communities?
Again, I think the Hobo concept needs its own pinned thread to hash this stuff out. Once we get that conversation started, I would like to revisit the idea as stated in the OP as a separate event series altogether...unless the proposed "fall Hobo CITO event is ditched in favor of having only a spring Hobo event and a Fall campout planned annually.
To me, it would seem logical from a GeocacheAlaska! standpoint to have Geofest in the winter, Hobo CITO event in the spring, plenty of fun summer events like the Solstice and Kenai BBQ, and then a fall KP Campout weekend.
Of course other events happen as people want them to, but as far as getting the GeocacheAlaska! usergroup (especially this smaller sampling of members who participate in the forums...) involved on events requiring more logistics and planning, maybe we can consider getting these "quarterly" event ideas penciled in?
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Post by ladybugkids on Sept 18, 2013 11:54:31 GMT -9
I think all the proposed event ideas have lots of merit and can stand on their own. The biggest challenge will be recruiting and retaining sufficient volunteers to make them happen while also maintaining focus on other GeocacheAlaska! objectives. For example, Event Chair, Roberta/polgera has requested someone to take the lead for Geofest, which traditionally has been a big deal for Southcentral Alaska cachers eight consecutive years and attracted Washington State cachers and Groundspeak Lackeys. To date, one person has offered to help and no one has stepped up to lead, so the event is unfortunately on its way to going the way of the dodo bird. That said, these camping events attract a different crowd of geocachers (with some overlap) than other event types, so the volunteer base is going to be different as well.
I enjoy roadtripping in our beautiful state and the HOBO CITO idea is a fun way to do it. There are lots of route and location ideas that can be rotated...Girdwood to Homer, Girdwood to Seward, Anchorage to Talkeetna, Anchorage to Glennallen, Anchorage to Valdez with a ferry ride thrown in for a looped event, Fairbanks to Glennallen (I just spent a night a the very nice BLM Paxson Lake Campground and Quartz Lake and Fielding Lake are also good locations), etc.
A Champoeg-type event would be a blast and the Kenai Peninsula could be a great location for it since people from all over the state go down there each summer anyway. Byers Lake could be another nice location in September after Labor Day (the campground was almost empty last Monday night) to entice Interior cachers to join in the fun and there are plenty of waysides in the area that could be CITOed.
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Post by NeverSummer on Sept 18, 2013 12:35:02 GMT -9
I think all the proposed event ideas have lots of merit and can stand on their own. The biggest challenge will be recruiting and retaining sufficient volunteers to make them happen while also maintaining focus on other GeocacheAlaska! objectives. For example, Event Chair, Roberta/polgera has requested someone to take the lead for Geofest, which traditionally has been a big deal for Southcentral Alaska cachers eight consecutive years and attracted Washington State cachers and Groundspeak Lackeys. To date, one person has offered to help and no one has stepped up to lead, so the event is unfortunately on its way to going the way of the dodo bird. Well, not to derail this thread further, but if I knew more about past Geofest events and lived in closer proximity to the event itself, I would be happy to take the reins. Is there a way that I can help out to make sure it happens again? At this point I'm not even positive that I can make it there for the event myself, but I am more than happy to do what I can remotely.
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Post by ladybugkids on Sept 18, 2013 13:15:42 GMT -9
Well, not to derail this thread further, but if I knew more about past Geofest events and lived in closer proximity to the event itself, I would be happy to take the reins. Is there a way that I can help out to make sure it happens again? At this point I'm not even positive that I can make it there for the event myself, but I am more than happy to do what I can remotely. Geofest Thread
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Post by TheFirefly on Sept 18, 2013 14:50:46 GMT -9
I like the general idea of this....but I also think that I personally will be able to put more focus toward it after the upcoming HOBO weekend. While they are different events, the ideas and the thread titles are similar, and it is easy to get them mixed up. You can expect to hear more from me on this particular event idea/thread in a few weeks.
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Post by NeverSummer on Oct 28, 2013 15:59:08 GMT -9
JOAT, what would you think of hitching a campout onto your Kenai BBQ event? If others (such as myself) coordinated those efforts, we are more than halfway there for a well attended campout event.
From what I heard at the Open Mic event last week, folks are interested in a campout event series. That's what I'm hoping for! Soon enough, I might have to pull the trigger on a date set and go for it. However, I'd love to coordinate efforts that might make for a solid turnout for all...
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Post by SSO JOAT on Nov 7, 2013 9:30:08 GMT -9
I'm all for it. I've pondered the idea in the past, but never carried through, mostly due to lack of manpower to assist with the legwork required (my picnic has predominantly been a one-man show since the beginning).
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Post by NeverSummer on Nov 7, 2013 16:02:06 GMT -9
The only problem on my end that may occur is that July is when I might, possibly, maybe could be heading to the Pribilof Islands for a couple weeks of research work. It's all up in the air, but that doesn't mean that I can't help with planning and other logistics.
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Post by akgh519 on Nov 7, 2013 16:52:28 GMT -9
NS...Let me know if you need an assistant on your field trip !
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Post by NeverSummer on Nov 7, 2013 16:57:54 GMT -9
NS...Let me know if you need an assistant on your field trip ! I tell you this much: Depending on which island I get to, there will be some caches found, and likely some caches hidden. I've got my maintenance help all lined up. Mwahahahahaaha!
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Post by akgh519 on Nov 7, 2013 17:22:13 GMT -9
Thanks for the 'ET' cache name!!!!
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Post by barnacle9 on Nov 12, 2013 8:40:58 GMT -9
I regret that my schedule prevents me from going anywhere between April and mid to late September . . . But the October HOBO series was fun -I'd probably participate again next year!
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Post by TheFirefly on Nov 14, 2013 22:12:18 GMT -9
I like the idea of the campout, but looking ahead to Spring/Summer 2014, I've already got a lot on the books! So, I'm not sure about an additional long weekend event. So much I want to do.....only so many weekends, doggone it.
I like JOAT's picnic as a stand alone event, but it would also be easy for my crew to make it into a weekend with a night or two of camping. (The girls never turn down a chance at camping, and in fact, we have camped before the picnic at least one year, when we had to be up there on a Thurs and the picnic was on Sat.) Especially given the increasing turnout each year, I'd hate to lose folks who might skip the whole thing because they could only make it to the picnic, not other events, and they felt that it was all or nothing from a social perspective (if not from the actual number of posted events). Maybe not something that has need for concern, but throwing my thoughts out there.
Spring HOBO CITO & Fall Campout? Interesting possibility.
If we're looking to get folks to commit to a weekend in Homer, I think that planning WAY ahead is crucial. Many folks plan their vacations a year ahead of time, and Homer is (sometimes) considered a destination. If we wanted to start rallying for a large group (not necessarily mega, but upwards of the 2-10 that normally show up in Homer), maybe we wage a full on campaign for something in 2015. (While still doing other events in 2014, of course.)
Ramble, ramble, ramble...
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Post by SSO JOAT on Nov 15, 2013 8:25:14 GMT -9
I will look into the possibility of hosting a campout event the night before the picnic. I don't think that would detract from anyone attending the actual picnic, and might actually be a draw to bring some more down from the big city if they had a campground social with a pre-planned campsite for the night prior to the picnic. I'd have to work my pre-picnic checklist and daycache setup such that it is all done early enough to do a campground social. But it could be another draw toward hosting the picnic at a new site where camping is allowed. Our previous two locations have not been campgrounds. The Scout Lake idea has some interest, though that site is not a campground either. I could talk to the city about looking at a site like Centennial Campground, which does have a big picnic pavilion. But the prospects for securing campsites there in July would be pretty slim. That place is usually packed from late June through mid-August.
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Post by akgh519 on Nov 15, 2013 11:09:22 GMT -9
Is there a venue we could use at one of the federal refuge locations...may be an opportunity to work with them?? Something that popped into my head while reading joat's post
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Post by NeverSummer on Nov 15, 2013 15:38:02 GMT -9
I think that a campout event would be great before the BBQ day. What day of the week is the BBQ usually? If it is Sunday, then Saturday could be treated a little more like the other all-day social campouts I've been to. Day-long events, a CITO project midday, and so on. There can be simple games and activities to draw people in like GPS accuracy games (ala what I did here for the Learning Lab event), film canister toss, silent raffle, paint an ammocan, biggest fish/smallest fish contest, etc. Scott, I wouldn't want you to have to do any additional planning for this than what you do for the BBQ portion aside from perhaps helping to secure a block of campsites...or just helping to find a site that has a campground too. Is there a venue we could use at one of the federal refuge locations...may be an opportunity to work with them?? Something that popped into my head while reading joat's post I think that the Hidden Lake option would be possible. The sooner we get in touch with Kenai about it, the better. There is a good chance that we could start drumming up interest for the event to get a head count for a block of sites from KNWR. There are good meeting and cooking facilities at the lakefront at Hidden Lake, but it is a busy place in the summertime. I think the exchange of a CITO event on one of the days for the stay could be another "in" with them. I have contacts internally, and Scott has the same for the Ranger in charge of campgrounds. We can spearhead this talk if a campout option for the BBQ weekend gets enough steam behind it.
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Post by NeverSummer on Nov 15, 2013 15:51:02 GMT -9
Summers are busy for lots of people, but the sooner we can get these events on the schedule, the sooner we can see where people's geocaching allegiances lie!
But seriously, if people want to have a blast with some awesome folks, and do a little geocaching at the same time, this is an event for them. The BBQ proves that fact, and a campout makes it easier for folks coming from points north to get a few more smilies and smiles at the same time.
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Post by akgh519 on Nov 15, 2013 16:32:49 GMT -9
Do you think temporary caches would be allowed around hidden lake?
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Post by NeverSummer on Nov 15, 2013 17:27:34 GMT -9
Do you think temporary caches would be allowed around hidden lake? Do you want to know my opinion, or a hard answer? I think temporary caches would be an easy sell for me wearing my USFWS hat and mentioning it to another person in their USFWS hat... I also think that temporary caches set up around the Hidden Lake campground and trails would be a very easy sell. Around the Skilak Lake portion of the Refuge? Hmmmmmm... We'd have to see. I'm still working on a meeting with their Ed Specialist to talk about what we're doing to incorporate GPS and Geocaching in our ed programs at Alaska Maritime.
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Post by SSO JOAT on Nov 15, 2013 20:09:39 GMT -9
Hidden Lake might be a cool spot to look at for a base camp during a Fall camping weekend, such as what this thread is primarily discussing. It would not be a good location for my picnic event. Too far out of town for all the work that the host needs to do. I typically have to make 6-8 separate site visits to do my daycache game layout. I really don't want to have to drive 2-1/2 hours for each of those visits. So, the Kenai River picnic is going to stay somewhere between Sterling and Kenai.
Steering away from the picnic and back toward this camping weekend...
Since we're looking at late summer, and possibly as late as Labor Day, I'd put Hidden Lake high on the list of destinations. You'll never get in there during July, but the place will be quite accessible by the end of August. They have great facilities. There's an awesome lake, so folks can bring boats. (And Hidden Lake is one of the sites that I have on my list for an Earthcache, so it might be kinda cool to get that completed and published by next summer). From that basecamp location, one can travel out to various CITO events (Wouldn't be hard to perform CITO on every trail head along the entire Skilak Loop road over a weekend), and it's a fairly short trip to the Cooper Landing area for group caching expeditions. Those could include an afternoon group hike up Russian River trail to hit some of the caches up there, amongst other locations that are more than a park-n-grab that many drive by because they are going somewhere when they pass through Cooper Landing.
We had such good impact with the Hobo CITO weekend last spring at Hidden Lake, that I'm sure we would be welcome back in for a weekend of camping with numerous site reservations to go with it. Just be sure that we lead with the carrot of another CITO at the site (which may be doing something more constructive than just picking up trash, it we ask for it). I'll also be following up on that Friends program when I get a chance to swing in there.
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Post by fuzzybelly on Nov 15, 2013 20:19:23 GMT -9
If we're looking to get folks to commit to a weekend in Homer, I think that planning WAY ahead is crucial. Many folks plan their vacations a year ahead of time, and Homer is (sometimes) considered a destination. If we wanted to start rallying for a large group (not necessarily mega, but upwards of the 2-10 that normally show up in Homer), maybe we wage a full on campaign for something in 2015. (While still doing other events in 2014, of course.) Ramble, ramble, ramble... I think posting an event page as far ahead as possible for a Homer event would be critical, and possibly the answer to gain a high number of folks attending. I don't think there is a rule on how far ahead it can be, but I shoot for posting something ASAP to allow as many people as possible to find the event and plan to attend. I think a homer event sounds very fun, I love homer. It does cost a bit in gas for me(seems like my camp destination ring just keeps shrinking), but I haven't been there in way to long.
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Post by SSO JOAT on Nov 15, 2013 20:45:18 GMT -9
The guideline is 3 months in advance. However, they allow you to petition your local reviewer to publish an event up to 6 months in advance if an overnight stay may be required or the event is intended to attract regional geocachers. I think we could easily make the case to GLR for allowing up to 6 months publish time on some of our major events that include camping, such as Hobo CITO or the yet-to-be-named Fall Camping weekend. I'd argue that the regional interest in the Kenai River Picnic has grown to the point where 6-month publishing should be allowed on that one, though I usually don't have all the final permissions and such in place until we're nearing the 3-month window.
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Post by fuzzybelly on Nov 16, 2013 8:24:46 GMT -9
STILL, Realistically, A Homer event probably wont draw cachers from farther than Anchorage,within the state of course Cavy as an exception, but publishing 6 months ahead Would probably draw more tourist cachers who would adjust their schedules to attend.
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Post by NeverSummer on Nov 16, 2013 11:27:06 GMT -9
Hidden Lake would be great for a campout for a number of reasons including the ones listed.
Homer is a toughie. There is the Hornaday city campground, and it doesn't get a ton of traffic in the summer. Most folks stay on the Spit...which is busy, windy, noisy, and doesn't have a solid gathering site. Karen Hornaday has ball fields, a really awesome playground, and more space to spread out.
Either way would be fun. I am starting to feel really worried about planning something in July (which is a great peak salmon and fishing time for out-of-towners to be drawn to the Kenai Peninsula and down to Homer), as I might be on that research project in the Pribs. (I have no idea right now if that will be the case...which is a total buzzkill)
Anyway, Homer is a fun destination, and makes for a great tourist attractor. As does Soldotna/Kenai, but for different reasons. Either of those locations would be a great candidate to get the Chambers of Commerce on board for some "help". If we can sell the idea that hundreds (ok, that's hopeful...) of people could be coming to town for this event, we could perhaps start to see some interest in some kind of possible involvement.
I know that some of the events that started to get bigger in Oregon ended up having some fun getting local CoC to produce a geocoin award for completing a set of caches around town. Now we have the [expensive for small CoC in Homer and Soldotna] GeoTours, but some kind of incentive could be fun to look into for an event held in Soldotna/Sterling.
I'm just spitballing. Mostly trying to figure out how to build in some intrinsic and extrinsic incentives to attend this campout, or other events like this around the state.
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