First of all...Geocaching?
Geocaching is an outdoor leisure activity -- a sport, to some -- in which you load a GPS receiver with coordinates that mark the locations of hidden caches, then let you GPSr lead you to the caches. Caches are typically hidden in attractive or "undiscovered" places and filled with little trinkets or oddities. In standard geocaching, which you can read about at geocaching.com, finders of caches sign the cache log, then trade something they've brought with them with something already in the cache (ideally of equal or greater value).
In November?
Right. Well, we couldn't really change the date of GIS Day. It would affect millions.
How GIS Day Geocaching Will Work
Download the cache coordinates as either a .gpx or .csv file (kml also available). Alternatively, you can hand-enter them into your GPS device:
| 40.42338, -86.92962 | Rating: 3 -- This one takes a real nutcase to find. | |
| 40.42974, -86.91447 | Rating: 2 -- Foliage comes and goes, structures memorialize, caches are in between. |
| 40.42717, -86.91425 | Rating: 1 -- Not too high not too low. Not too hairy not too bald. |
| 40.428171, -86.935907 | Rating: 5 -- From the ashes of autumn rises a cache. |
| 40.42440, -86.91109 | Rating: 1 -- P.U.R.D.U.E.! A good one for the little shavers. |
| 40.42444, -86.91265 | Rating: 2 -- We can lead a horse to knowledge. Optional to think. |
Alternatively, Purdue-affiliated players may check out one of our GPS receivers to use.
Some caches will be harder than others and will be rated on a scale of 1 to 5.
The caches will have some free items for you to take (one per, please).
As in "real" geocaching, you are welcome to also leave a small item (not necessary, however).
All caches will have a log to sign.
email addresses from the log will be entered into a drawing for one of two prizes (to be determined). The winners of the prizes will be determined by totaling the cache log entries by their difficulty rating (so finding one cache with a rating of 2 and another cache with a rating of 5 will give you a score of 7).
logs will be picked up some time Tuesday afternoon/evening, Nov. 18
Prize winners will be announced following the "Neogeography" presentations session on Nov 19 (so ~12:45 pm, but you need not be present to win).
Prizes
The top four finishers will choose, in turn, from the following prizes:
very good recreational GPS receiver (Magellan Triton 1500 or equivalent)
good recreational GPS receiver (Garmin GPS 60 or equivalent)
Geocaching.com Premium Membership"
1-year subscription to
Google Earth Plus
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