How about starting the new year with a little food, fun, and friends?
Event details: Sunday, January 30, 2022, 2-4pm at Hy-Vee in Clinton, IA. Dinner is optional and on your own. Hy-Vee has many cuisine options (Chinese, pizza, limited cafe menu, Starbucks) depending on your preference.
To log as "attended" for this event, all you have to do is come join us for some food, friendship, and fun!
But if you're interested in something a little more... unique...
There will be a geocaching-themed gift exchange! Bring a wrapped gift, geocaching-related, to trade with other gift-bearers! This used to be a "white elephant" type exchange (read: unwanted items) but over the years, the gifts have evolved. If you choose to participate, please puta little effort into your gift so no one is stuck with a complete stinker! Anyone who brings a gift (cacher or non-cacher) can be included in the exchange, but bringing a gift is not required in order to log attendance at the event.
BUT, if you are STILL interested in something even MORE... unique...
It's GEO-BATTLESHIP!!!
In the game of Battleship, one opponent calls out letter and number combinations in order to find the other opponent’s hidden ships. In the geocaching version, the host will be calling out letter and number combinations to find your hidden “ships” in the form of geocaches you found anytime during 2021!
The Battleship board is being adjusted once again. The 2021 twist... location location location! Caches found in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin are worth normal points. Caches found in states that touch those three (MI, MN, SD, NE, MO, KY, IN) are worth 3 extra points. Caches in the next rings of states (ND, MT, WY, CO, KS, OK, AR, TN, VA, WV, OH) are worth 5 extra points. And caches found in any other state or country not previously listed are worth 10 extra points!)
This year's column uses even numbers (2, 4, 6, 8, 0) and the letters B, F, K, Q, W. Additionally, there is a sixth blank row and a sixth blank column; you can use any cache that fits in that row or column otherwise (but doesn't include one of the required numbers or letters) in this column. That means there is one bonus grid square where all bets are off and you can put anything - your highest scoring Battleship cache of the year! (Bet you all hope that spot gets called!) In total, you will be filling in up to 36 blanks on the grid with caches you found in 2021, as long as they match the requirements for that grid space.
If you haven't played Geo-Battleship before and are confused by the grid, please reach out. I really love to complete the grids. There are other event attendees that also enjoy completing the grids, so someone will help you out!
Please include the number of people attending in your “will attend” log. Look forward to seeing you in 2022!
Since this is an indoor event, I strongly encourage all attendees to follow all COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Please do not attend if you are not feeling well. I will be wearing a mask while not eating and I encourage you to as well. We will be able to spread out quite a bit so that everyone can feel comfortable with the seating arrangements.