2nd Geo-woodstock

[ju66l3r]

It's here.

 

7/3/04?? In another thread, it was asked if everyone was coming to it.

 

But Independence Day weekend? If ever there was a time when people went to the fireworks with their friends and families and had their regular yearly cookouts, it is 7/4. Even if I had the money to fly to Nashville, I'd have to leave all of my friends behind in Boston for 7/4. While I'm sure it's a great crowd when geocachers from all around gather, I just can't see dumping my friends on July 4th to head to Nashville.

 

Not the greatest date for a "Woodstock"-like approach to gathering them in from everywhere else... :/

[+The Leprechauns]

For others, it's perfect timing, as days off from work are a precious commodity, and the three-day weekend means fewer vacation days crossed off the list. That being said, I'm turning my pilgrimage to Geo-Woodstock into a seven day event (Wednesday to Wednesday), to allow for lots of cache finds along the way, and once I am in the Cacheville area.

[ju66l3r]

Agreed that putting it in vaction day territory is wise. But imagine if it were Memorial Day Weekend instead. This weekend isn't as significant a gathering date to the majority of us and is still a 3 day weekend.

[+Monkeybrad]

Forecast calls for rain all memorial day weekend here in Nashville. It seems odd though that you started a thread to question the timing of an event you do not intend to attend. Seems a little like trolling is all I am saying. I don't like having it that weekend either, my wife and i cancelled a trip to europe in order to attend, but it was july 4th weekend last year so the tradition continues. btw we missed last year's because we were on the wrong side of the pond.

 

Anyway what is more patriotic than road tripping for geocaching, bring your mom, we will eat hot dogs and drive Chevrolets.

[+TeamK-9]

I don't really see how he's trolling at all. He's just pointing out that the fourth of July could alienate him from his friends.

 

Of course I'd just say bring them along...

[ju66l3r]

Unfortunately, not everyone's friends are ready to head to Nashville (from Boston) for geocaching. (It's hard enough to get them to go a few hundred feet up a side trail for one).

 

And I'm not trolling. If it had been a different weekend, I'd have at least contemplated attending. I will actually be going down to MD the weekend afterwards and if I could schedule the extra drive to TN, I probably would have. It crossed my mind to go, but as I said, the timing is wrong for the rest of my social life, of which geocaching is only a part.

[+Destitute]

ummm, let's see... I added my log noting our intention to attend back in... February.here Since it been out at least that long why wait until now to complain about the date? Just curious....

[+mtn-man]

It is habitual.

[ju66l3r]

ummm, let's see... I added my log noting our intention to attend back in... February.here Since it been out at least that long why wait until now to complain about the date? Just curious....

I wasn't even aware this was an upcoming event until today. It was mentioned in a thread only just today.

 

Since I'm not in or near TN, it doesn't come up in my e-mail notifications and it's not on my state or personal nearest cache pages. How else was I presumed to know about it to complain?

[+JoGPS]

OK every thing is CHANCELED no event no fish fry, no dangling your feet in a cool creek on a hot July day, no one to meet and greet and swap stories, no cache run for 100 in a day, nothing going on here everybody stay home.

 

“NOT” someone needs to get out more often.

 

Seriously ju66l3r wish you could make it and you could see why most of us have a smile on our faces, and everything is coming up just peachy here. ……………. JOE

[ju66l3r]

Seriously uncalled for Jo.

 

There has been nothing in my tone or words that suggests that it should be cancelled this year. In fact, I'm not even really complaining other than to point out that if the date were changed then even more people from all over could probably make it. This was something to consider if the 3rd Annual Geo-Woodstock were to come up.

 

Go find a trash can to grouch in. We were being civil here.

[+RichardMoore]

If it was some other weekend, would you be able to attend?

In your opening post you said that you couldn't afford to fly to Nashville on the 4th. Could you afford it the following weekend? If not, what does it matter to you when the picnic is held? Besides, you could always host your own event on whatever weekend you want.

I can't afford to go to Nashville. If I could, I would. My friends would understand and accept my choice.

[+JoGPS]

ju66l3r you must not have read your on post, looks like most everyone else read it the same way I did........ LOL……….JOE

[+nittany dave]

It doesn't make me all that comfortable, but I have to mostly agree with ju66l3r here.

I didn't take his comments as complaining, although I don't spend that much time on the forums and don't keep up with the latest flame wars.

I happen to share the wish that it was on another weekend. I'd drive over in a heartbeat (a 9 hour drive heartbeat) if it weren't on a weekend I want to spend with my family (who don't share my addiction).

I'm not suggesting changing it. Someday I'll be able to come, just not this year. I simply agree with the wish that it were on a different weekend and am really bummed that I won't get a chance to meet some of the more famous cachers from around the world including those in Nashville where I spent a long weekend caching recently.

[ju66l3r]

If it was some other weekend, would you be able to attend?

In your opening post you said that you couldn't afford to fly to Nashville on the 4th. Could you afford it the following weekend? If not, what does it matter to you when the picnic is held? Besides, you could always host your own event on whatever weekend you want.

I can't afford to go to Nashville. If I could, I would. My friends would understand and accept my choice.

It depends on the weekend.

If I drove from MD, where I plan to be the following weekend, yes. I already stated that above, maybe you should catch up before commenting in the future.

 

That should answer the questions portion of the exam. As to what your friends would understand, I couldn't care less. You present the information as if your friends are any better than someone else's friends. As it so happens, if I chose to head to Nashville, my friends would also accept it (if they even cared what non-destructive things I do on my weekends when I'm not hanging out with them). The point was not whether my friends would be understanding or not if I chose to leave them in Boston on July 4th. The point was whether I would want to leave them to attend a geocaching picnic (location independent) instead of hanging out with them on the bank of the Charles River watching fireworks and drinking beer.

 

I can see that by the affrontive attitudes people are taking here that I'm even less inclined to want to join in the reindeer games. All I posted was that the weekend choice is poor if you're looking to bring in a lot of people from far away. July 4th is usually a draw for friends and family to go see the local fireworks. Not everyone has friends and family willing to pack up and head out of town on the Fourth.

[+Shanediver]

Holy crap, people! Get ahold of yourselves! The man was just stating a simple opinion. I, for one, agree with him. I have had 'leave' scheduled with my unit since the end of 2003 for this time of year so I could be back home with my friends and family. I wouldn't substitute it for anything. That's what I, and I'm sure many people, like doing during this holiday -- kinda like Thanksgiving or Christmas - being with the people you love.

 

On the other hand, I'm sure a lot of people would LOVE to use this weekend to get together with a bunch of geocachers and have a blast doing whatever they are going to do. That's great, and I'm sure they'll have a great time doing that. I just don't see how this is getting everyone up in arms. I can only imagine what's going to be posted about me now...

 

So that's my two cents (opinion) -- take it for what it's worth.

[+Destitute]

Since I'm not in or near TN, it doesn't come up in my e-mail notifications and it's not on my state or personal nearest cache pages.  How else was I presumed to know about it to complain?

you could always check here for future events.

 

edit:

 

I ain't wanting to come off with some attitude toward you. You seem offended/disappointed that you can't be there for the EVENT. I understand how you feel. I felt that way that I didn't get to go to an event that was held about a week or so before I discovered Geocaching last year.

 

Since the event will most likely be on the July 4th weekend next year, either you could try to make plans to attend or you could wish everyone that attends a safe and happy time. That would be the best thing to do. Just a thought.....

Edited May 29, 2004 by Destitute

[+CYBret]

I'M COMING TO WOODSTOCK!!!!!!

 

Even taking Sunday off....yes...I'm allowed to....occasionally.

 

Bret

[+JoGPS]

Tooooooooooo Cool, come on down the waters fine, been want’ em to swap some lies with you. ………….. JOE

[+RichardMoore]

If it was some other weekend, would you be able to attend?

In your opening post you said that you couldn't afford to fly to Nashville on the 4th.  Could you afford it the following weekend?  If not, what does it matter to you when the picnic is held?  Besides, you could always host your own event on whatever weekend you want.

I can't afford to go to Nashville.  If I could, I would.  My friends would understand and accept my choice.

It depends on the weekend.

If I drove from MD, where I plan to be the following weekend, yes. I already stated that above, maybe you should catch up before commenting in the future.

 

That should answer the questions portion of the exam. As to what your friends would understand, I couldn't care less. You present the information as if your friends are any better than someone else's friends. As it so happens, if I chose to head to Nashville, my friends would also accept it (if they even cared what non-destructive things I do on my weekends when I'm not hanging out with them). The point was not whether my friends would be understanding or not if I chose to leave them in Boston on July 4th. The point was whether I would want to leave them to attend a geocaching picnic (location independent) instead of hanging out with them on the bank of the Charles River watching fireworks and drinking beer.

 

I can see that by the affrontive attitudes people are taking here that I'm even less inclined to want to join in the reindeer games. All I posted was that the weekend choice is poor if you're looking to bring in a lot of people from far away. July 4th is usually a draw for friends and family to go see the local fireworks. Not everyone has friends and family willing to pack up and head out of town on the Fourth.

1) You didn't say that you would go if it were the following weekend, you said if your schedule allowed you probably would. So you want others to schedule events around your schedule?

2) I didn't say that my friends were better than yours. You implied that your friends would be upset if you weren't there for the 4th, and that's the main reason you wouldn't go anywhere else. My relationship with my friends is different than yours.

3) You didn't mention why, if you think another weekend would be better, you don't schedule your own event.

4) And I don't understand the purpose of your starting this thread. Just to give your opinion? Why? Will it change anything? If the picnic on that weekend this year is not a success, the organizers may change it next year. Not because you think they should. And it's too late to change it this year.

 

I'll never understand why people complain about events. I am not able to organize an event and am glad that there are people who can and do.

[+Mudfrog]

Just like everything else in life, theres no pleasing everyone. There is not one day, weekend, long weekend, etc, etc,,, thats gonna be good for everyone. A three day weekend to share a great Event, meet some good people, and find some fun caches sounds perfect in my book! It still might fall on a date that we werent able to attend. Would i be disappointed? YES! [] Would i get bent out of shape about it? NO!!! []

[ju66l3r]

3) You didn't mention why, if you think another weekend would be better, you don't schedule your own event.

4) And I don't understand the purpose of your starting this thread. Just to give your opinion? Why? Will it change anything? If the picnic on that weekend this year is not a success, the organizers may change it next year. Not because you think they should. And it's too late to change it this year.

How many annual events in a year do you think as many of the biggest cachers (not numbers, but contribution) are going to be able to attend every year? This event is not just another event as you seem to be treating it in your arguments. Some people are making special exceptions to attend it. There is flight, hotel, and camping information in its description and it is lined up to be a multi-day affair for most people attending. It is being located in one of the two most cache dense regions in the country. As such, my ability to schedule my own event on a different weekend is irrelevant.

 

Every thread is started to hear opinions or answers. Welcome to a forum. If I want something considered so that it might be changed in the future, this is the perfect place to do so. The answer to "Will it change anything" is not up to me. But if I don't voice my opinion on the matter, and search to see if there are like minds, then the answer will always be guaranteed to be "No". The definition of a success is varied. If 100 people come to this picnic, will it have been a success? Probably so. If the date were shifted 2 weeks or to a less traditional holiday would 300 people will come, then is this a better success? Well, that's why I posted a message. The organizers don't have to change anything on my personal behalf. I haven't stated as such *anywhere* in this thread. That would be foot-stomping and childish (which seems to be how some of you are reading it, unfortunately). All of my comments on my inability to attend are one man's anecdotal evidence to the idea that changing the date to a less auspicious occasion may increase attendance. Considering a number of responses have understood me correctly and I have now put my intent straight to text, any future posts assuming this to be a personal rant are off-base and off-topic.

[+El Diablo]

I personally saw nothing wrong with ju66l3r's comments. I think he brings up a valid point. I'm on vacation that week and still haven't decided if I can get there. If I go to woodstock it will take 2 days from going home and seeing my kids, and add 440 miles to my already 650 mile trip. Anyways, I'm still trying to figure out how to make it work. There will be a lot of people there that I would love to meet!

 

El Diablo

[+Mopar]

I can see ju66l3r's point on this, but also Jo and Mudfrog's. You are NEVER going to please everyone, especially with a big event. This event looks like it's been planned well in advance. The date was planned over a year ago.

Sure there are plenty that can't go that weekend that would like to. I'm one of them. But there are also a great number of people that CAN go, and appreciate that because of the fact that it's a holiday weekend, they don't have to loose time off from work to attend. Looking at the list of 500+ and 1000+ find cachers that are attending, it looks like it's not such a bad weekend for a lot of people. Jo still owes me a tour, I'll get there eventually!

[+Mopar]

<SHAMELESS PLUG>

Hey ju66l3r, it's not as big as GeoWoodstock II, but you COULD always pencil in the weekend of June 12-13 and attend the GeoJamboree II. It's also a lot closer for ya!

</SHAMELESS PLUG>

[+Corp Of Discovery]

I don't think one of the major holidays is the best time for a national type event either.

 

If you want to call it Geo-Woodstock why not tie it in with the dates of the original- August 15-17th? Heck- there aren't ANY holidays of note in August. The fact that my birthday is the 16th of August is just a coincidence.

 

If you could also have it a bit further north and in a larger city....such as Chicago, that would be great too. Again, just because I happen to live near Chicago has NOTHING to do with my request.