Come on out for some caching fellowship and fun in October and enjoy the fantastic fall colors at Punderson State Park in beautiful Geauga County! The photo of the very colorful view of the beach area at Lake Punderson was taken by kodiakwoodsman at last year's event.
This event will take place at the Marina shelter between the hours of 9:30 AM and 4:30 PM. There will be cachers at the shelter at all times throughout the event hours, so you can stop in any time to say hello, or spend some time chatting, maybe pick up some helpful tips if you're a relatively new cacher, or if the mood strikes you, hang out with us for the entire day. If you can find your way to the Marina shelter any time during the event hours, you've done enough to earn an attended smiley.
The Poker Run activity will be going on throughout the day, and it's totally up to you to decide if you want to participate. You do NOT have to play the poker run game to attend this event. Any way you want to do it, you may still claim a smiley for this event just by showing up.
** If you do plan on playing a GeoPoker hand at the event, please be sure to note that in a Will Attend log as soon as possible so that I can get an estimate of the number of players and hands for planning purposes. **
Poker Run Caches
This year’s Poker Run activity will feature 15 new permanent caches which may be logged on their own geocaching pages when they are published after the event. There will once again be a drawing for a chance to be FTF on the new caches. The names of seven cachers will be drawn 15 minutes before the main activity starts, and they will each be given the coordinates of one of the seven card caches. Once they find the card cache, they can also continue and be FTF on the corresponding joker micro cache. After (hopefully) getting their two FTF’s, the cachers will need to return to the shelter to pick up the rest of the GeoPoker Run coordinates.
In order to be fair to everyone, only individual cachers, not groups, will be eligible to hunt for the FTF's. If you do not wish to go to the caches alone, then please do not enter the FTF drawing.
How Do I Play This Game?
Don’t know anything about playing poker? Don’t worry! If you can find caches, you can play GeoPoker!
Once again, you do not need to play GeoPoker to attend this event, but if you do intend to play, read on!
When you arrive at the Marina Shelter at the event coordinates, you will be registered and given a scorecard and a frustrating (but fun) Chris K quiz to complete. Take the completed quiz to the coordinate table to pick up a packet with the event coordinates and a map of the park. Hopefully we'll be able to send all of the coordinates directly to your GPS unit as well. Then hit the trails and start finding caches!
In each card cache you will find a bag with an assortment of GeoPoker cards printed on adhesive labels. Grab one of the labels and attach it to your scorecard. Remember to take only one card from each cache! If you end up with more than one card from any single cache, the additional cards will not be counted and you could hurt your chances for a high score.
Each of the card caches will also have a set of coordinates on the inside of the lid. Use these coordinates to find the corresponding joker micro cache. When you sign the micro logsheet, look for a letter and number combination at the top of the sheet. Write the number on your scorecard under the corresponding letter. These will be used later to help you find the Joker cache.
Once you've found all of the 14 caches, return to the shelter to have your GeoPoker hand scored. If you have correctly entered all of the joker micro numbers on your scorecard, you will be given a Joker sheet that will allow you to use the joker micro numbers to find the Joker cache. Grab one of the cards from that cache, attach it to your scorecard, and return to the shelter before the deadline to play your joker and increase the value of your hand. If you can't find all 14 caches before the deadline, return to the shelter with the cards you have so they can be scored. If you're really short on time, you may want to consider skipping some of the micro caches so that you can find as many of the seven card caches as possible.
Notes & Activity Schedule
The event coordinates are for the Marina Shelter which is along the park road that leads to the campground. The shelter has been reserved for the entire day and there is plenty of parking nearby. The activity schedule is below, and please note the 3:30 PM deadline for returning with your completed scorecard. Cachers may sign the event logbook if they wish when they arrive, and anyone who stops by the shelter at any time during the event may claim an "Attended" log, even if they do not wish to play GeoPoker.
Please be sure to obey all park rules during the event, including the speed limit, and park only in designated areas. Parking is not allowed on the grass.
Also please note that if you participate in the poker run at this event, you will be hunting for permanent caches. All geocaching rules apply. You must sign the log, and if you take something, you must leave something of equal or greater value. Please do not plunder the SWAG (or the pens) from these caches, leaving them empty for the cachers who come out to find them after they’re published.
Finding all of the caches for the Poker Run this year will require hiking some significant distances. Please take this into account when deciding whether or not you want to participate. You will still be able to hunt for most of the new caches during the event even if you do not choose to play GeoPoker.
9:30 AM - Enter your name for a chance to hunt for two of the new permanent caches and claim the FTF's. Individual cachers only, please.
9:45 AM - FTF winners will be chosen and given the coordinates for their individual caches. After finding their FTF caches, these cachers must return to the shelter to pick up the rest of the cache coordinates.
10 AM - 12 Noon – Sign up for a poker hand at the Marina Shelter if you intend to play. You will be given a scorecard which will hold your poker hand, so it should be kept as clean and dry as possible. Note that cachers will still be allowed to sign up for the GeoPoker Run after 12 Noon, however they must return with their cards by 3:30 PM, and it is highly unlikely that they will be able to find all of the caches in that amount of time.
A poker hand may be played by an individual cacher, a couple, or a team of cachers.
There will also be another Chris K quiz to complete for a chance to win a special prize. After you complete your quiz, you will receive your cache coordinates and you may begin caching immediately. Hopefully we will be able to send the cache coordinates directly to your GPS unit via a GPX file.
If your GPS unit uses an unusual connector cord to transfer coordinates, please bring it along with you.
12:30 PM - Pizza time!
3:30 PM - All poker and joker cards must be returned by 3:30 PM!
4:00 PM - Once all cards are returned and scored, the final presentation will begin. Chris K quiz answers will be revealed and awards presented. All eligible players must be present to choose a prize.
4:30 PM - If all goes well, the award presentation will conclude by 4:30 PM when the event ends.
Please note that the Marina shelter holds several picnic tables, but seating tends to be limited. The final presentation can potentially take quite a bit of time, and some of the tables will be used for administration, food, and prize display. It might be wise to bring a camp chair along with you if you plan to stay for the entire event.