Volunteers Needed

Rufn jeepIt is that time of year again. Various groups throughout the area are planning their summer schedules and we have received several requests for geocaching classes. We are looking for volunteers to help out.

Generally speaking the classes will consist of a short presentation on geocaching and, for most, a short trip into the local wilds looking for caches. NoVAGO has several presentations in hand from previous classes and we are looking to update them before all the classes start, so there is very little prep work to be done. A typical class lasts around 2 hours anad could be any time of day or day of week.

What we need are speakers to give the presentation and a few helpers to accompany the students on a cache hunt. The bottom line is we need YOU, whatever level of support you are comfortable with. As classes come up, we will contact volunteers to check their availability and provide details. By signing up in the forum, you are not committing to anything, we just want to know who might be interested in helping.

We need your help whether you have 1,000 finds or 50 finds.
This is an excellent chance to give something back to the hobby we love.

Just a hint of what’s already been requested:
Loudoun County Library’s Teen Program
Arlington Nature Centers – Long Branch and Gulf Branch Centers
Walter Reed Senior Center in Arlington
and ???

The first class is Sunday, February 10th 2-3:30pm at Long Branch Nature Center
There is a topic in the Volunteer Forum area for this class, and we have no responses so far …
Please consider helping out and add your name to the list …

dave

Looking Ahead …

Rufn jeepWell, hope everyone is over the holidays and back into the swing of things.

Lots happening in NoVAGO. Trying to set up the winter event, looking into a couple requests for assistance in Geocaching Classes, and generally trying to stir the pot.

Winter event – I have been looking for an inside venue and have not had much luck. I did get a suggestion that maybe one of the communities has a community center we could use for a nominal fee of course … Just don’t know which one ..That is where YOU come in … If you have a center that may be available early February, please let me know and we will look into it.

Classes – We have had a couple requests so far for support in Geocaching Classes. If you are interested, your time permitting of course, and can help out with teaching, helping explain GPS operation, leading small groups around looking for caches or just providing moral support, please post your availability in the “NoVAGO Volunteers” topic in the forums. Putting your name in implies no commitment only that you are interested if you are available … Looks like lots of opportunities to give something back to the community this year and we are looking forward to helping out …

Events – Check out the calendar, we are trying to keep it up with all the upcoming events … several are scheduled in the next week or two. Look forward to seeing you at one or more …

Suggestions – We are always looking for new ideas and suggestions on how to do things better. If you have something you would like to see implemented or changed, please let us know. the best ideas come from you the members …

Cache on …
dave

Happy New Year …

Rufn jeepJust wanted to say a few words to kick things off.   This will probably be the only time you will get a “few” words out of me 😉

First, I would like to thank the outgoing Officers and Directors for all their work in the past year.  We have come a long way this year with many new members and milestones galore.

 

I would ask everyone to welcome in the new Officers for 2013:

President                   rufnredy
Vice President        Schwandt
Secretary                 WVKiwi
Treasurer                 KanukGirl
Public Relations    Nicole and Jim

We are all looking forward to a great year and much success.

Part of our plan is to have a number of events throughout the area.
The first is GC42XH3 Thanks!  We want to invite everyone to attend this Thursday evening.  It is a chance to thank the outgoing officers for a job well done and to meet the new officers who will lead NoVAGO through 2013.  Please mark your calendar and attend.  It is guaranteed to be a fun time.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the event and many more to come.

Please watch this space for more announcements and event dates.

Cache on …
dave

October 2012 Spotlight: B-Sharps

Tell us about your caching name
B-Sharps was bestowed upon us during the GC2R3K0 incident. You’ll have to check that cache page out for more details. Our original name was .trabpukciP but we immediately realized how horrible that was and it gave us an idea for our first cache.

How were you introduced to Geocaching and what was the first cache you
found?

Geocaching was just something we learned about through osmosis. We wanted to go hiking one day and so we loaded up coordinates for GCGCCF. It was all we needed to start the addiction full on.

Tell us about your receiver and any other “tools” (hardware and software) that help you cache:
Heather frequently calls me a tool, so I would say that I’m the most important tool aside from our Garmin Oregon 450.

What essential items do you always carry in your cache bag?
Other tools have been, chain saws, napalm, Ouija board. Seriously though, what we bring depends on the day. Sometimes we are extremely organized and we have all of
our widgets in neat little bags. On those days, we each carry a camel back with: first aid kit, multi-tool, tweezers, 100 oz of water each, magnifying glass, cliff bars, lighter, head-lamps, smart phone, B-Sharps stamp logo, flyingmoose coin #69, rain gear, and warm weather gear if needed.

Do you trade items in and out of caches?
Yes, normally just trackables, but we once traded a coin for a sweet set of monkey lights in one of flyingmoose’s caches. The funny thing is that it was Mr. B-Sharps had told FM recently that trading stuff was lame. Kids, remember this, your words will always come back to haunt you. Therefore, I will never, ever win the lottery.

Do you have any signature items or ones in the works?
Yes, we have a series of geocoins with our logo on it. If you’re wondering where our logo came from, there are serious hints in our cache GC36N59. The hints in this cache actually have nothing to do with solving the cache and more to do with what our symbol means. Yes, we are sadistic, and a little egomaniacal, well, Mr. B-Sharps is, Heather is definitely the softening of the team, which is a good thing.

What is your favorite thing about caching?
Trees. Actually, right now our favorite thing is probably the Hot Potato contest. The problem with the HP thing is that you have to share it and it doesn’t move around enough. We’re thinking about starting our own spin off: MD/VA Tug of war, where instead of put in the other team’s state, you hide it in your own. We welcome any feedback on this idea you may have, including “that’s a stupid idea B-Sharps.”

Do you cache by yourself or with another person?
How often do you go caching? B-Sharps is a wife and husband team. We are not numbers cachers, so our frequency swings back and forth. Mostly we’ve been focusing on the adventurous side of caching and less on the park and grabs. Although, we’ll hit a few of those if we’re trying to even out on a milestone, like our recent one at Heir To The Throne. If you can’t tell, we’re a little obsessed with flyingmoose caches.

What is your favorite type of cache (traditional, multi, puzzle, virtual etc.)?
Yes.

Tell us about your favorite cache. If you’ve placed a cache, which one are
you most proud of?

Favorites: Hole in the Wall GC2HKAF, which we made a three part video of our trip there. We are still the only people to find this remote cache.

We just published our 54th cache, but the one we’re probably most proud of is Pull and Pull GC3CQ22. More thought, more construction, more sneaking around and conspiring went into that cache than any we’ve made so far. Ignorance too is one of our favorites also, but that just seemed to fall into place for some reason. Not that it has been easy to maintain mind you.

Tell us about a memorable caching experience that you have had.
Oh wow, this is really hard because we really like to challenge ourselves. I think that we were extremely proud of ourselves for finding Shenandoah Mountain Trail Cache
GC2NVJW. The CO was very sloppy with the coordinates on this one. We figured out that the coordinates were probably good when he collected them, but he transposed one number and it put the coordinates over half a mile off. Fortunately, we were able to muddle through with hints in the cache description. It was also a beautiful day and one of the last caches published in the VA National Forests.

Where (states/countries) have you cached?
Mostly east coast. We went for a 70 miles canoe trip through the Adirondacks in upstate New York in July but came out empty handed. Every cache that we went for was placed in a bad spot that we couldn’t get to, for instance, there were two that were placed near remote lean-tos that happened to be occupied. Others we just couldn’t find and weren’t being maintained by the people who placed them.

If you could take a vacation anywhere to cache, where would you?
We just spent a night camping down on Chincoteague Island, VA and we both left wanting much more. So, we’ll probably head down there for a long weekend maybe next
spring/summer.

Tell us about your other interests or areas of expertise.
Mr. B-Sharps is an expert contrarian and befuddler. Mrs. B-Sharps is interested in agreeing with stuff and getting unbefuddled. Also, we like: canoeing, hiking, dogs, mountain biking (not that crazy get run over by a car road stuff), horses, fly fishing, food, beer, wine, wine festivals, cooking with beer, grilling, steaks, crabs, hanging out anywhere outside, good conversations, Star Trek the Next Generation, road trips. Oh and speaking of road trips, we’re almost done with the The Virginia Delorme
Challenge GCVYD4 and we’re super excited about this one. It has been so much fun! After we finish that, we’re going to follow up with the VA counties, cities and
then towns, all independently.

Have you set any goals for yourself this year related to caching? Is there a certain cache that you can’t wait to do?
Well, we’re on a Blood & Guts team right now. The problem is that we’re both stupid, will I’m stupid and it rubs off on the wife sometimes. Can’t solve puzzles to save our lives. Our other goal though is to start doing a lot of Serrabou caches. There’s a whole army of them out there that keep poking us in the eye. Some day, we’re gonna poke back. Oh, and those Vinnie and Sue psycho caches, those look awesome!

NoVAGO’s 2011 Geocache Awards

Voting for the 2011 Cache Awards has begun and you can go HERE to see what caches or cachers to vote for.

Once you have decided VOTE HERE

Winners will be announced at Down by the River “NoVAGO’s Spring Event”

There will be extra incentive to visit these caches, in the form of another cache (in the works!) that will require you to find a certain number of the nominated caches. The idea is that you can go visit as many of the nominated caches as possible before you vote. So go get ’em! Here is a bookmark list of nominated caches.

NoVAGO’s 2011 Cache Award Nominations

Each year we hold voting to highlight some of the best caches that were placed in the NoVAGO area. This is a chance for you to recognize the efforts of your fellow NoVAGO cachers who have placed hides that you have enjoyed (or hope to enjoy one day!)

From now and until the 18th of March, we will be taking nominations for the categories below. The list of nominated caches and cachers will be posted for everyone to check out and then vote on, starting on or about March 21st, and will continue for a month when voting will be locked. A special cache will be placed that will require you to visit a good percentage of the nominated caches in order to log the cache. (Check back later for details.)

The winners will be announced at the Spring NOVAGO event.

See more HERE!

NoVAGO Winter bike and hike at Burke Lake: February 25th

NoVAGO is hosting the first Seasonal Event, “NoVAGO Winter bike and hike at Burke Lake” on February 25th.  Do you like donuts, and other assorted pastries?  How about hot coffee, tea, or maybe hot chocolate?  How about socializing with some great folks, and getting a little exercise?  If so…then this NoVAGO Event is bound to please you.  The Meet-Greet-Eat portion begins late morning, and is then followed by a “voluntary” circumnavigation of Burke Lake by biking or hiking. Everyone is welcome…new cachers, old cachers, NoVAGO members – or not…just show up, a good time is always guaranteed.  Click the blue title bar above to visit the event topic in the NoVAGO Forums, or look up GC3C1K3 on GC.com.

NoVAGO Fall Event: Tour de Arlington (GC33V8K)

NoVAGO will host this years Fall Event: “Tour de Arlington” on October 23rd, 2011 in Glencarlyn Park, Arlington, VA. Whether you’re a long time cacher, or brand new cacher…NoVAGO member or not – especially if you’re not – mark your calendar for what promises to be another fantastic seasonal event!  There will be a pre-event caching bike ride along local paved park trails, good food , good folks, and a good time is always guaranteed.  There are a number of existing geocaches, and I hear there’s a great possibility that some new ones will also be available.  Plan now to attend and renew old friendships, and make some new ones.  For complete information, and the event schedule just click on the blue title bar for this post, and you’ll go right to the event cache page.  See you there!!!

Summer Event Silent Auction “Primer & Catalog”

NoVAGO conducts one Silent Auction each year (traditionally at our seasonal Summer Event) to help defray the cost of the entrees for each event, site/pavilion rentals throughout they year, website hosting, etc.  NoVAGO never has, and will not charge membership fees…the Silent Auction has always ensured that.  If you have never taken part in a Silent Auction…you don’t know the fun you’re missing…if you have entered the “bidding fray” before, then I’m sure you’re looking forward to doing it again.  An explanation of of the process, and a list of auction items can be viewed by clicking on the blue title bar for this post.  If you have items you’d like to donate, please contact NetworkCacher via his GC.Com Profile, PM through the NoVAGO Forum, or e-mail him direct.