Last updates:
June 23 late - Added ZIP file with checklis and link to all cache pages (Thanks, Mr.Gigabyte!)
June 23 p.m. - Updated lunch stop info.
June 23 a.m. - Added info at the end of the page about lunch stops.
June 20 - Final route, GPX, LOC, and CSV files posted.
June 12 - Draft 2 posted. Files are larger, but should work better for some people who were having trouble opening them.
May 10 - Draft 1 posted. Pre-draft overviews deleted.
April 30 - Pre-draft route overviews posted, starting and ending points established.
April 8 - New page
Files available:
| Link | Description | Size | Last Updated | By |
| PCMday1.pdf | Day 1, final route | 1.3 MB | 6/20/04 | TravisL |
| PCMday2.pdf | Day 2, final route | 1.6 MB | 6/20/04 | TravisL |
| portland.gpx | Final route GPX file | 515 K | 6/20/04 | TravisL |
| portland.loc | Final route LOC file | 28 K | 6/20/04 | TravisL |
| portland.csv | Final route CSV for Streets & Trips | 15 K | 6/20/04 | TravisL |
| pcm_list.zip | Web page checklist and links to all route cache pages. | 4 K | 6/23/04 | MrGigabyte |
''The Portland area is home to an unrivaled number of open spaces (37,000 acres to be exact). Even in the heart of downtown, you’re sure to see more green than gray as you invariably stumble across grassy oases. Portland Parks & Recreation, which offers a comprehensive outdoor recreation program, oversees parks that range in size from the 5,000-acre Forest Park to tiny 24-inch Mill Ends Park.'' (www.travelportland.com)
Most of these parks have caches. There's so many caches, this will be the first ever two-day cache machine. We'll hit a few on the Washington side of the river, too.
So fill up the tank, toss down some breakfast at way-too-early o'clock, and meet at the above coordinates at sunrise on Saturday: 4:30 a.m. Once we start our Day One route, we’re not stopping until the daylight does at 9:00 p.m., at which time we'll meet at the Edgefield McMenamins to recap the day and touch base for Sunday.
Sunday hits early again, with another insane 4:30 a.m. wake-up time. We'll do the Day Two route, ending at a much more reasonable 6:00 p.m. at the Vancouver Red Robin.
If you're still out on the road at dinner time, skip the rest of the route and come on in. Socializing at dinner is one of the best parts of machine events (and that's coming from me -- someone who usually hates socializing).
As before, if you find the cache, you'll be the one who has to re-hide it. Hide it as well as you found it.
If it's a micro cache, one ''Portland Cache Machine'' log entry should suffice for the group. We tend to fill up log books too quickly, and our stickers tend to make micro log books hard to re-stash. For normal-sized caches, or even large micros, everyone should sign in.
Bring FRS radios if you’ve got them. We’ll use Channel 2 to communicate among caching vehicles and to say 'Howdy' to listening locals. Suggestions and ''Count me ins'' are welcome below. If you’ve already found a couple of these caches, that’s fine - give us a chance to find the cache, and then we may turn to you for a hint.
The Portland Cache Machine FAQ:
When is it?
4:30 a.m., June 26 and 27, 2004. Latecomers can track us down en route.
Will it be one large group, will we be split into teams, or what?
We start each day as one giant group, which means we'll hopefully find each cache quickly. Then it's on to the next one. The group tends to fragment after the first few caches, though. The longer we can keep the big group together, the more fun it is!
Is anything going on before, during, or after?
- 7:30 p.m. on Friday night is the pre-CM dinner, which will be at the coordinates listed at the top of the page: McMenamin's Edgefield Power Station Pub (kids welcome). Last minute changes and additions will be announced there.
- Dinner on Saturday will again be at the Power Station Pub, this time at 9:00 p.m.
- Dinner on Sunday will be at the Vancouver Red Robin, N 45 39.948, W 122 35.240, at 6:00 p.m.
- Monday, man, oh man. I hope you don't have to work and can sleep in.
A cache on your map shows the wrong place to park.
By all means, let me know. I'll incorporate it into the next draft.
It sounds fun, but I've already found some of them.
Then come laugh at us, or guess when we'll be at the caches you haven't hit yet. Monitor FRS channel 2.
You don't have X cache on the route. Why aren't we getting that one?
I'll be avoiding multicaches, puzzle caches, caches that appear to be overly time consuming, and caches that the owner has asked us to avoid.
You have X cache on the route, but it's disabled/archived.
Let me know. If it's archived, I'll delete it. If it's disabled, I'll keep an eye on it.
X cache is in an environmentally sensitive area.
By all means, let me know. I'll work with the cache owner to minimize our impact, or skip the cache altogether.
I disagree with the whole idea of cache machines. I don't want you finding my cache.
Sorry to hear that. It's too bad you've got a neat place to show us that we won't be able to see. But let me know, and I'll keep it off the route.
What's this gonna cost me?
Nothing for the caching. Or, at least, nothing more than it would cost than if you did the trip solo (e.g., paying for your own gas and hotel). I'm not collecting any money for this.
Lunch? Breaks? Bathrooms?
A lunch or snack may or may not be available Saturday at GCHGWX (stop 33, ''An Oakgrove RV Park II), at River Villa Park on the Willamette river. Bring a sack lunch just in case. More details on Friday night.
On Sunday, the locals are graciously assembling a lunch at stop 38, GCGVT7 ("If I Could Just Get It On Paper").
Bathroom breaks, on the other hand, you'll have to figure out on your own.
