Why: 2020 is .27% longer than 2019! That's valuable caching time! Many cachers who have only been playing for a few years have been trying to find a cache on every day of the year. Well, if you missed the last Leap Day in 2016 you won't have another chance until 2024! All are invited - if you've found caches on 4 leap days or none - we hope to see you!
The History: Around 500 BC cultures all over the world started inventing calendars to help them track the sun and moon. Soon they noticed that important days like the Equinox and Solstice were slowly sliding from where they were decades before. This is because the year is actually closer to 365.242199 days long. The Egyptians (in 238 BC) and then the Romans (in 46BC) figured this out and added an extra day to their calendars every 4 years making the year 365.25 days long. This was close, but in 1582 Pope Gregory XIII changed it up a little so that every 400th year was not a leap year making the year now 365.242222 days long. Close enough! Not every country adopted this modified "Gregorian" calendar right away. Great Britain waited 170 years and Lithuania finally adopted it less than 100 years ago. This caused oddities as calendars got back on schedule like the occasional February 30th and one crazy October with only 21 days. This will be the 62nd leap day since the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar.
Traditions: As the leap day balances the calendar, it also balances the genders. Tradition holds that women may propose marriage to men on the leap day and, if he refuses, she must be compensated with some kind of gift ranging from a dozen pairs of gloves to a new dress. Beware gentlemen! If you see a woman wearing red on the leap day, she's looking for a husband!
What: Just a small morning gathering to fuel up before heading in our separte ways for hiking, caching or brunch. We will hang out talking caching around the calendar, swap some trackables, solve some puzzles and warm ourselves by the fireplace. We'll provide a box-o-donuts so first come is first served!
Where: Join us in Holmdel Park. The park features 565 acres of land, 10 miles of trails, a score of caches, a pond for skating, a hill for sledding, an arboretum, a living-history farm and a spot to get warm if the groundhog was wrong about an early Spring.
When: We'll be occupying the picnic area near the shelter between 9 and 11AM. The event will be held Rain or Shine or Snow. Caches are available in all weather - so is this event! Feb. 29th is a Saturday this time around so it wont get any easier than this!
This event is certified Central Jersey.
