Event or gang caching anyone?

setsujoku · Post by **setsujoku** » 07 October 05 6:11 pm

Look forward to the dinner in december, have put it in the calander to make sure nothing else clashes.

Funilly enough i was at that pub for lunch today, so i think i may have to keep returning there and try all their menu!!!

Biggles Bear · Post by **Biggles Bear** » 07 October 05 8:42 pm

SA_ParrotHead wrote: .........
"Hi, I'm reviewing "Christmas at the Wakefield" for posting on geocaching.com. Unfortunately, I have archived your cache. It appears to be placed in Wakefield Hotel, which is a commercial location that charges an admission fee for entrance. Commercial caches are not permitted. Examples include for-profit locations that require an entrance fee, or locations that sell products or services.
"...........

This looks like a policy that is only being enforced in Australia (as far as events go), if you have a look at some of the upcoming events on the GC.com page, as a good proportion of them are being held in commercial establishments

Richary · Post by **Richary** » 07 October 05 11:55 pm

SA_ParrotHead wrote:I have a booking and have organised a set menu but may have to cancel if meals events are no longer allowed.
Cheers SA Parrothead

If we can't organise a meal it is getting a bit farfetched. Simple though, organise an event to meet at a point in Rundle Mall for a chat. Followed by the option for a meal. Notes posted will give you an idea who is interested, but if anyone purely wants to turn up for a quick chat (and log the event) they can do so, and meet the guidelines. If we choose to spend money afterwards, that's our own business.

Cached · Post by **Cached** » 07 October 05 11:59 pm

or you can see what they did in Dubbo. I wonder if the Bronzes hand was forced on that one too.

http://geocaching.com.au/cache/ga0223 - the event cache

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... ?wp=GCQQ4A - the "not" the event cache.

Cached · Post by **Cached** » 08 October 05 12:08 am

Just wandered past the US site and pulled this from their guidelines for events:

For geocaching events that involve several components, such as a day-long group cache hunt that also involves a seminar and dinner, only a single event cache covering all components should be submitted.

I think this implies that somebody would be paying for the dinner - they don't come free!

Parrots dinner offered a set menu at a $$, but nobody is forced to eat. The set menu reference was removed from the listing very early in the piece.

SA_ParrotHead · Post by **SA_ParrotHead** » 08 October 05 4:13 pm

The dinner would appear to being one step closer to being available. I have received a response from the reviewer and have once again modified the listing and reposted so hopefully it will be ok this time. 
 
When it wasnÃ‚â€™t passed the first time I went looking at US events to see how mine should be formatted. I didnÃ‚â€™t do it so I could say these are the precedents but rather to establish what other approvers have passed. 
I quickly found these. 
GCQJME is in a pub 
GCQJK7 is in a private dinning room 
GCQNPH is in a restaurant 
It has been suggested I put a link to GCA with the full details of the cache on that page similar to what the Bronze did.
But if the American's donÃ‚â€™t have to go to this length to list an event do we need to ?
It would be unfortunate if we are being nudged towards using GCA. 
I prefer to list on GC and will continue working towards a listing that complies with their guidelines.
 
My listing has been modified several times now. 
I have changed the name twice and removed the venue name from the listing. 
I have removed all but one instance of the word dining. 
In the beginning I didnÃ‚â€™t have the set menu in the listing but I think it's important people know from the start what options they have available on the night so they can say "Yes this is for me" or "No we donÃ‚â€™t eat that sort of food". 
Its supposed to be easy and fun I donÃ‚â€™t think people want to have to chase up details like WhatÃ‚â€™s on the menu or How much will this cost?. 
The price is there for those who want to purchase the meal. If some one dropped by to have a drink and say Hi they wouldnÃ‚â€™t be forced to buy a meal. WouldnÃ‚â€™t that make for a fun event, frog marching non-paying cachers out the door. This is an event, the more that come the merrier regardless of whether they buy a meal or not.
Having said that I have also removed the reference to the cost of the meal and will e-mail that to people when they indicate they want to come. I donÃ‚â€™t like having to do this I think people should know up front so they can make an informed decision before logging an entry.
Finally I have activated the disabled access available at venue attribute. 
I appreciate there seems to have been a problem getting this cache approved but I think we are working through it and should have a positive outcome very soon. 
I would like to thank I,Riblit for his response today and the assistance he has provided in helping to make the listing compliant.
 
 
For those wondering about the details of the event cache in question they are - 
Christmas Feasting in the City 
GCQQFM (I hope) 
7 Pm Wednesday 7th December 
76 Wakefield St, Adelaide SA 
3 course dinner event 
$35 a head 
First course 7:30 
With more details to follow shortlyÃ‚â€¦.. (again I hope)

Biggles Bear · Post by **Biggles Bear** » 08 October 05 7:12 pm

SA_ParrotHead wrote:...........
It would be unfortunate if we are being nudged towards using GCA..........

And there I was thinking I was the only one who had noticed this little trend

riblit · Post by **riblit** » 09 October 05 11:24 am

Biggles Bear wrote:
SA_ParrotHead wrote:...........
It would be unfortunate if we are being nudged towards using GCA..........
And there I was thinking I was the only one who had noticed this little trend

There is no trend. Every cache that meets the guidelines for geocaching.com is listed there. Caches of any sort that list prices in the description are outside the guidelines. Take a look at item 17 on this list
http://wiki.geocaching.com.au/wiki/Approval

The list is a copy/paste from the 'Reviewers Handbook'.

The reason the cache owner didn't receive a reply for a longer than normal time is for the same reason that the other cachers didn't see their caches listed. I had to rebuild my main computer - see the general chit chat forum, and have since been catching up with the work that brings in the income. ( I still have 2 file servers and 3 workstations to finish for install tomorrow that I should be doing rather than be here typing this.)
The cache in question is awaiting a reply re handicap access/terrain. I'll look at the queue after I finish work.

desdal · Post by **desdal** » 09 October 05 2:36 pm

Item 17 in the wiki says this:

The cache doesn't require going into a commercial business, buying a product, paying an entrance fee, etc., so that it would be "commercial" in nature (intentionally or not).

There is nothing in item 17 about "caches of any sort that list prices in the description".

Parrothead's event didn't require any purchase, and there is no fee to enter a hotel, so the only thing left that applies is "require going into a commercial business".

Apparently, the approver said:

Commercial caches are not permitted. Examples include for-profit locations that require an entrance fee, or locations that sell products or services. (my emphasis)

Does this mean that an event cache cannot be at a restaurant, cafe or hotel, because it would "require going into a commercial business"? Even if a meal is not part of the event, the venue "sells products or services". Even if you hire a private room for a simple meeting at a functions/conference facility, that functions/conference facility "sells products or services", and attending would "require going into a commercial business".

Is this the demise of the evening event cache? Or do such events have to be listed on GCA to get approved?

SA_ParrotHead · Post by **SA_ParrotHead** » 09 October 05 7:37 pm

Thanks I,Riblit for approving the event cache. I expect I wont be the last person to start pulling hair out while trying to organise an event cache and I can appreciate yours can be a difficult and thankless task at times. So once again Thanks.
 I am off to organise an event.

riblit · Post by **riblit** » 09 October 05 8:10 pm

desdal wrote:Item 17 in the wiki says this:

The cache doesn't require going into a commercial business, buying a product, paying an entrance fee, etc., so that it would be "commercial" in nature (intentionally or not).

There is nothing in item 17 about "caches of any sort that list prices in the description".

Parrothead's event didn't require any purchase, and there is no fee to enter a hotel, so the only thing left that applies is "require going into a commercial business".

Apparently, the approver said:

Commercial caches are not permitted. Examples include for-profit locations that require an entrance fee, or locations that sell products or services. (my emphasis)

Does this mean that an event cache cannot be at a restaurant, cafe or hotel, because it would "require going into a commercial business"? Even if a meal is not part of the event, the venue "sells products or services". Even if you hire a private room for a simple meeting at a functions/conference facility, that functions/conference facility "sells products or services", and attending would "require going into a commercial business".

Is this the demise of the evening event cache? Or do such events have to be listed on GCA to get approved?

It boils down to use a bit of common sense and don't fill the description with a price list.

Cached · Post by **Cached** » 09 October 05 9:22 pm

If the cache listing as approved http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... ?wp=GCQQFM is OK, then it doesn't seem unreasonable.

Cached · Post by **Cached** » 09 October 05 9:24 pm

Up to 18 already - this is going to be a big night!!

NawtyTheCanuck · Post by **NawtyTheCanuck** » 09 October 05 11:18 pm

This thread has gone a little off topic. Let's see if we can bring it back.

Isquba and I take our geocaching seriously. We even quit working to devote all our time to this activity. We conduct TB tours. This past May our TB tour travelled to the southern most point in Texas, along the gulf coast to Florida, through the Smoky Mountains and the last stop was Niagara Falls. Molly the Traveler stayed with the tour the whole way.

We are bringing 8 TBs with us to Australia. They will be dropped off one by one as we find TBs that want to join the tour. Ideally the TBs will have an opportunity to attend an event. The Christmas Feasting event in Adelaide sounds like fun but the timing is not suitable for us to attend.

Another thought is geocaching as a group. In Ontario there is an annual 24 hour marathon where geo-teams fill up several cars and they geocache as a group trying to find as many caches as they can in a 24-hour window. Another example of a group geocaching day is several teams met at Toronto Harbour with bicycles and the took the ferry to Toronto Islands where they found all the geocaches on the islands as well as at the nearby harbour front.

Are there no dedicated geocachers who want to pick an area and find caches as a group in Australia?

roostaman · Post by **roostaman** » 13 October 05 11:09 pm

Hey Nawty, there is group hunts obviously & we have done some too & just next weekend are going up the mountains with a few teams.
There might be some hesitation as you are going on a major trek & as you get to each location, most teams may have already done most caches in their own area, like us here.
But it may not suit to go somewhere at a certain time like you are looking for. Some may need more notice & plan ahead to take holidays etc.
We have recently been on a few treks so your trip from Wagga Wagga to Orange may not suit us either, but I can see what happens.
In the meantime, we are still up for a BBQ event on the 3/12, which will take up some of your time from the 50+ caches here. Or are you likely to be staying here for more than just that weekend before you head to Orange?

Roosta