This event cache is to celebrate the 10th anniversary of two events
that are very significant in the history of geocaching...
- On May 2, 2000, at approximately midnight, eastern savings
time, the "great blue switch" controlling selective availability
was pressed. Twenty-four satellites around the globe processed
their new orders, and instantly the accuracy of GPS technology
improved tenfold. Tens of thousands of GPS receivers around the
world had an instant upgrade.
- For GPS enthusiasts, this was definitely a cause for
celebration. Internet newsgroups suddenly teemed with ideas about
how the technology could be used. On May 3, one such enthusiast,
Dave Ulmer, a computer consultant, wanted to test the accuracy by
hiding a navigational target in the woods. He called the idea the
"Great American GPS Stash Hunt" and posted it in an internet GPS
users' group. The idea was simple: Hide a container out in the
woods and note the coordinates with a GPS unit. The finder would
then have to locate the container with only the use of his or her
GPS receiver. The rules for the finder were simple: "Take some
stuff, leave some stuff." On May 3rd he placed his own container, a
black bucket, in the woods near Beaver Creek, Oregon, near
Portland. Along with a logbook and pencil, he left various prize
items including videos, books, software, and a slingshot. He shared
the waypoint of his "stash" with the online community on
sci.geo.satellite-nav: N 45° 17.460 W 122° 24.800
(For more information on the history of geocaching, visit http://www.geocaching.com/about/history.aspx)
To celebrate the 10th-anniversary of these two events, I am
organizing a cookout at Jackson Street Park in Willard, Missouri on
May 2nd, 2010, starting at 12:30 PM and lasting until 2:30 PM.
There is a
CITO event after this one at 3:00 PM just up the road at the
Frisco Highline Trailhead.
A group photo will be taken around 12:30 PM, just before we
eat. The photo will be taken by themeatloaf.
Please note that this is a "potluck" cookout, which means
everyone is asked to bring something if they are going to eat.
Here's a list of food and other items to bring. If you are planning
on attending and eating, please post a note to this cache listing
and I will update the list below. NOTE: As of the early
morning hours of Sunday, 05/02/10 (the day of the cookout), I am
guestimating about 81 total attendees (plus some canine
companions), so if you are planning on bringing something, I'd say
plan for around 80 people.
- Hamburgers - Gredgeman will bring 20 burgers and Sir
Robin and GeoJenC will bring 30 burgers.
- Hot dogs - topgun5403 & Co-Pilot Marty will bring 2
dozen and memaw&pawpaw49 will bring another 2 dozen.
bunnycacher and family will bring an extra package of hot
dogs.
- Brats - train1904
- Hamburger buns - keepup
- Hot dog/brat buns - OzarksJim. bunnycacher and
family will bring an extra package of hot dog buns.
- Salads (potato, macaroni, cole slaw, etc.) - bghuna and
keepup. bunnycacher and family will bring cucumbers
and onions in vinegar and broccoli slaw, along with mixed berries.
xring will bring a salad and baked beans. ScottyLove
will bring pasta salad.
- Fixin's - tomatoes, lettuce, onions, pickles, mustard, ketchup
will be brought by memaw&pawpaw49
- More fixin's to be brought by bosco7: BBQ sauce, relish,
sliced cheese, ketchup & mustard, salt & pepper. Extreme
Mom will also bring BBQ sauce.
- Desserts (cookies, brownies, ice cream, etc.) A 10th-birthday
cake for Geocaching will be made by the daughter of
frog1962. Russ and Dana will bring salt water taffy,
Gerhardus will bring cookies, and OkiePaladin will
also bring a dessert.
- Drinks (soda, tea, water, lemonade, tea, etc.) NOTE: Alcoholic
beverages are prohibited in the Willard city parks. Lacomo
will bring 2 liter bottles of Coke, Diet Coke, Dr Pepper, 7 Up
etc
- Paper or styrofoam plates, cups, plastic silverware, napkins,
paper table cloths, etc. - phenixcachers will bring paper
plates, plastic cups, plastic silverware and the napkins.
bunnycacher and family will bring extra picnic packs of
silverware and napkins.
- Chest of ice (for drinks) - bosco7
- Chips (BikeDH will bring 2 bags)and leanmarine
and family will also bring an assortment of chips.
- A side dish will be brought by joedog75 and
Amymc312
That's all I can think of. If we can get a big enough group
there should be something that everyone can bring. If there's
something you'd like to bring that's not on the list please post a
note that you'd like to bring it.
mikelong_300 has volunteered to grill and will bring his
medium-sized grill. OzarksJim will also bring his
medium-sized grill. seskds will bring charcoal briquets and
starter fluid, along with aluminum pans, tin foil, 3 sets of tongs
and a bar b que kit.
The pavilion is actually reserved starting at noon, so that should
be enough time for setup, etc.
And finally, I needed to pay $30 to reserve the pavilion, so if
anyone would like to contribute to the cost of reserving the
pavilion, please see me during the cookout. It would definitely be
appreciated, but is also definitely not mandatory.
Willard, Missouri is one of the local "hot spots" for
geocaching. There are plenty of caches along the Frisco Highline
Trail, which you can easily access just north of this park.
Hopefully a lot of cachers can make this event on a Sunday
afternoon. I have the pavilion rented until 3:00 PM (which should
allow time for clean-up before the CITO event).
See you then!