Last updates:
September 17 - Final route posted, detailed route posted, minor
page updates
September 14 - Dinner info, draft 2
September 5 - Info about pre-event dinner, draft 1 posted
August 15 - Link fix
August 14 - Pre-draft of route posted
August 9 - New page. Draft 1 to be posted soon.
Link |
Description |
Size |
Last Updated |
By |
GraysHarborCM.pdf |
The route. You'll need this. |
1.5MB |
9/17/07 |
TravisL |
GraysHarborCMDetailed.pdf |
A 33-page version of the route. Closer views of most maps. |
2.3MB |
9/17/07 |
TravisL |
Talk |
The Groundspeak forum discussion about the GHCM |
N/A |
Frequent |
Y'all |
Shipbuilders at the
Grays Harbor Yards of the Grant-Smith-Porter Co., Aberdeen,
1919
|
"On Washington's beautiful Pacific Coast, Grays Harbor is the
gateway to Washington's scenic coastal wonderlands, a key producer
and exporter of wood and ocean products, and a vibrant and dynamic
community. Come visit this gem nestled at the foot of the emerald
forests of Washington State." So sayeth the Grays Harbor County web
site.
I say it more simply: Trees. Ships. Fish. Caches. It's the Grays
Harbor Cache Machine.
Fill up the tank, toss down some breakfast at way-too-early
o'clock, and meet at N 46° 57.087 W 123° 48.750 (the parking
coordinates for On a
Clear Day) at sunrise on Saturday, September 22, at 6:30
a.m.
Then, there will be about 70 caches to get, although I don't
expect anyone will get all of them. If you're still out on the road
at dinner time (7:30 p.m.), 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).
Keep in mind that if you're out on the coast, it's a 45 minute
drive back to the restaurant. Plan accordingly.
As with all cache machines, 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 "GHCM" 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 Grays Harbor Cache Machine FAQ:
When is it?
6:30 a.m., September 22, 2007. Latecomers can track us down en
route.
Will it be one large group, will we be split into teams, or
what?
We start the 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?
- There will be a pre-CM cluster of dinners at 7:00 p.m. on Friday,
September 21. Last minute changes will be posted in my car at N 46°
58.619, W 123° 48.226 (blue Saturn with geocaching sticker), and
unofficial informal dinners will simultaneously be held at the
nearby McDonalds, Dairy Queen, Burger King, and Mazatlan. I'll try
to poke my head into all four, but no promises.
- Dinner on Saturday will be 7:30 p.m. at Ocean Palace (a Chinese
restaurant), 112 E Wishkah St, Aberdeen, (N 46° 58.470, W 123°
49.068). We've told the restaurant to expect 105 people, but show
up early in case we go over. Cost is $15, which includes family
style dinner, tea, tax, and tip.
- Sunday, you're on your own.
A cache on your map shows the wrong place to park.
Let me know, and I'll incorporate it into the route.
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 longer multicaches, complex 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, and I'll remove it from the route (if archived) or
will check with the owner (if disabled).
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. Let me know, and I'll remove it from
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,
hotel, and dinner). I'm not collecting any money for this.
Lunch? Breaks? Bathrooms?
Lunch: You should probably bring a sack lunch to eat on the
road.
Breaks and Bathrooms: There's no breaks in cache machines! Just
hold it. :-P Or find something on the way.
More questions?
Check the forums (link here soon).