Files available:
| Link | Description | Last Updated | By |
| vancm.pdf | The cache machine route, with turn-by-turn instructions | 3/21/04 | TravisL |
| vancm.ptm | MapPoint 2004 route | 3/21/04 | TravisL |
| Other Data Files | GPX, PDB, WPT, MPS, TXT, HTML, and ZIP files of the route. | Updated daily | Team Giblert |
''Vancouver is the largest city in the province of British Columbia and the third largest city in Canada. It's surrounded by water on three sides and is nestled alongside the Coast Mountain Range. Vancouver is home to spectacular natural scenery and a bustling metropolitan core, and boasts one of the mildest climates in Canada.'' (www.city.vancouver.bc.ca)
The City of Vancouver and the surrounding area supports a wide range of destination sites -- more than 200 parks, and for our event, more than 60 caches.
So fill up the tank, toss down some breakfast at way-too-early o'clock, and meet at the above coordinates (the Metrotown Ramada) at 5:15 a.m. We'll leave at 5:30 a.m., at the crack of dawn. We'll stop at Vancouver Airport Bug House for a sack lunch. The sun sets at 7:00 p.m., but we'll have BFLs to hit a few more caches before we arrive at the Metrotown Sammy J. Peppers around 8:00 p.m. to recap the day, quaff a few drinks, and embarrass a few waitresses.
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 ''Vancouver 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.
If you're a US resident, you'd be best advised to read Customs Information for Visitors to Canada and Seasonal Residents, in particular the sections about documentation of citizenship (passport or birth certificate), radio transmitting equipment (which includes FRS radios), pets, and children. It looks like it might be a good idea to tell the customs agent if you're bringing any big ticket items into Canada, too, such as laptops, cameras, camping equipment, and probably even your GPS, so that you don't get charged a duty on them on your way back out.
The Vancouver Cache Machine FAQ:
When is it?
5:30 a.m., March 27, 2004. Latecomers can track us down en route.
Will it be one large group, will we be split into teams, or what?
One giant group, which means we'll hopefully find each cache quickly. Then it's on to the next one. This event is all about quantity in neat places. The group tends to fragment after the first few caches, though.
Is anything going on before or after?
- 7:30 p.m. on Friday night is the pre-CM dinner. It will be at the Ramada's 'Jaguar Pub and Steakhouse',at the same coordinates as the starting point of the event. Last minute changes and additions will be announced there.
- Dinner on Saturday is at Sammy J. Peppers. Reservations are for 7:00, but I warned them that we'll trickle in for the next 90 minutes.
- Sunday, I plan on sleeping in late.
A cache on your map shows the wrong place to park.
By all means, let me know. I'll announce it at the pre-CM dinner.
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'm avoiding multicaches, puzzle caches, and caches that appear to be overly time consuming. If you think it's quick and easy, let me know.
You have X cache on the route, but it's disabled/archived.
Let me know, and I'll announce it at the pre-CM dinner.
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.
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?
Bring a sack lunch, and catch your breath at the Vancouver Airport Bug House. Bathroom breaks, on the other hand, you'll have to figure out on your own.
