We would like to hear everyones ideas on locations for future events and also ideas for activities that we can do at meetings!! do you like sit and chat type meetings or do you want to be active. Please, let us know what is on your mind.

Please stay on topic and try to give us specific locations whenever possible.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: biker64,

This is the thread that got this idea started.

Thanks to mudbug65

On a month when we want an indoor meeting, (perhaps July or August) there is a very nice building near me called "The Rock Building' that is a part of the City of Bremen Recreational Department. It's something like $50 or $75 to get for 4 hours and it's got lots of parking. There is a geocache adjacent to it. It's air conditioned and heated and we can have tables, etc. It's a good deal, I think. Bremen is in FAR western Georgia, but The Rock Building is probably less than four highway miles from the I-20, exit 11. I'm a Bremen resident and willing to sign up and be responsible for getting it. If you're interested in this location and want to see pictures or whatever, I can be reached at brownthrasher at gmail dot com, and if you e-mail me, I'd be glad to send you a phone number so we can chat.

I know I am going to be in the minority here but I vote for bringing more meetings to the southern part of the state. I realize the bulk of the members live in the northern half but if we had more meetings down this way you'll see an increase in membership from southern GA cachers. (And before someone says it, no Macon and Columbus are NOT south GA lol)

Providence Canyon State Park group hike to bottom of canyon like Cloudland maybe led by ranger with a talk or something at bottom. See fat kids discussion about this.

I wouldn't mind going to Andersonville and combining it with a camping trip. Anything in S. GA should be combined (or at least close) to a camping area for those of us that are not olympic drivers.

I also like the Providence and Cloundland Canyon ideas. I feel the same about there being some kind of adjacent camping available for us driving wimps.

Fun idea: could we combine geocaching with perhaps a Geologist-led hike or a Geologist-led dig? Sometimes quaries let geologists' in to look for fossils. I think that could be a really fun thing. I could get just as excited about an Anthropologist led experience. I think an architecture walk through a city could be interesting.

Just some other thoughts.

quote:

Originally posted by redworm:
Providence Canyon State Park group hike to bottom of canyon like Cloudland maybe led by ranger with a talk or something at bottom. See fat kids discussion about this.

Can you point me in the direction of this? I have looked through the boards and can't find it anywhere.
Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by TeamAtlas:
I know I am going to be in the minority here but I vote for bringing more meetings to the southern part of the state. I realize the bulk of the members live in the northern half but if we had more meetings down this way you'll see an increase in membership from southern GA cachers. (And before someone says it, no Macon and Columbus are NOT south GA lol)

Yes this!

There are grumbles and complaints about it being too far south when have meetings in just Warner Robins!

There should be more meetings in the different parts of the state, this is something that the GGA does poorly. The GGA does not reach out to the whole state like a statewide organization should.

There has never been a GGA in Valdosta, and there should have been at least a few times in the past 10 years. A few years ago there was an active group in Valdosta and they offered to facilitate a meeting but the GGA resistant to go that far south. Now that group has mostly fizzled out but there are still active cachers in the area that might be willing to help out.

quote:

Originally posted by TeamAtlas:
clip ...
(And before someone says it, no Macon and Columbus are NOT south GA lol)

What!? To me, Atlanta is south Georgia.

quote:

Originally posted by ParentsofSAM:

quote:

Originally posted by TeamAtlas:
I know I am going to be in the minority here but I vote for bringing more meetings to the southern part of the state. I realize the bulk of the members live in the northern half but if we had more meetings down this way you'll see an increase in membership from southern GA cachers. (And before someone says it, no Macon and Columbus are NOT south GA lol)

Yes this!

There are grumbles and complaints about it being too far south when have meetings in just Warner Robins!

There should be more meetings in the different parts of the state, this is something that the GGA does poorly. The GGA does not reach out to the whole state like a statewide organization should.

There has never been a GGA in Valdosta, and there should have been at least a few times in the past 10 years. A few years ago there was an active group in Valdosta and they offered to facilitate a meeting but the GGA SC was unwilling to work them and resistant to go that far south. Now that group has mostly fizzled out but there are still active cachers in the area that might be willing to help out.

THANK YOU STEPH! Yes there are many active cachers "way down here" and we'd be happy to help however we can to bring the GGA our way.

quote:

Originally posted by TeamAtlas:

quote:

Originally posted by redworm:
Providence Canyon State Park group hike to bottom of canyon like Cloudland maybe led by ranger with a talk or something at bottom. See fat kids discussion about this.

Can you point me in the direction of this? I have looked through the boards and can't find it anywhere.
Thanks!

here

I've been thinking about WHEN to do this hike. It was initially suggested to do this on a weekend other than a GGA meeting weekend. How does some time in March sound? Florence Marina state park is nearby and offers camping.

Janet
PS The May meeting will be in southwest Georgia

quote:

Originally posted by ParentsofSAM:
There should be more meetings in the different parts of the state, this is something that the GGA does poorly. The GGA does not reach out to the whole state like a statewide organization should.

quote:

Originally posted by TeamAtlas:
THANK YOU STEPH! Yes there are many active cachers "way down here" and we'd be happy to help however we can to bring the GGA our way.

Were either of you at "Going Coastal" less than two months ago? Savannah is pretty far south and the attendance was fantastic.

Jim

Unfortunately we were not in Savannah this year, just was not possible.

Savannah is still in the middle third of the state, it is only a bit more south than Columbus.

There is still the lower third of the state that has seen very few GGA meetings.

quote:

Originally posted by ParentsofSAM:
Savannah is still in the middle third of the state, it is only a bit more south than Columbus.

Move Savannah 20 miles South and it'll be in the lower third. Move Albany 20 miles North and it'll be in the middle third. See-man-tics Steph. Maybe our law makers can divide up the state for us amicably.

Whaddayawanna hear, a few grumble or a bunch grumble!? Tough call on the leadership no matter where ya call home.

BTW, I'm not sure if we've ever heard the Coosa Valley folks grumble. Hmmm.

I am not the one who brought up that Savannah was "pretty far south". I was just pointing out that it is not as south as one thinks.

No one is saying that lots of meetings should be outside of Metro/North/Atlanta but a few per year going to the other areas of the state would be nice.

If the bunch will grumble because one event in one month is not in their back yard then they should get a grip. They should wait until the next month and then the event will be back close to them and they can attend.

It is not reasonable that the meetings be close and convenient to every GGA member every month. It should be spread around the state and membership should be available to cachers everywhere without them having to drive for 3 hours to get it.

I mean really what would it hurt to have a meeting in Valdosta or Tifton or Albany? We did have a meeting in Albany in 2008 and it was the farthest south meeting by the GGA ever.

Maybe the Coosa Valley folks feel that if the GGA does not want to come to town to support them, then the GGA is not for them and they are ok with not having a meeting there or becoming members.

The folks from Valdosta wanted to be involved and wanted to attend a GGA event and wanted to become members but it was told to them that if they wanted it they would have to do the work, the GGA would not come to them and the GGA did not accept the offers for them to facilitate a meeting. That group of Valdosta cachers is gone now but we now have some Albany cachers and other south GA cachers willing to do the same thing and offer to bring the GGA south and there is resistance.

I'm confused about all this "lets have the GGA meeting here" issue. Why can't those that are concerned about having a GGA "meeting" in central or south Georgia have a meeting in those regions?

If the "core" of the GGA membership is in the ATL region, It only makes since that is where most of the meeting will/should be.

What is wrong with the "GGA" sponsoring several CITO's this spring all around the state even if a couple fall on the same date or in the same month? Why can't the GGA sponsor several December brunches all over the state on the same day? Why is the mind set, "There is only one GGA meeting a month and it's on the second Saturday of the month"?

What is the worse thing that could happen if the GGA sponsor a meeting in Jekyll Island State Park and a GGA meeting in Cloudland Canyon State Park in the same month? I wouldn't expect the same people at each meeting/event as I'm sure some of us that are in the center of the state may not go to either one.

I'm not suggesting making "chapters" out of the GGA either.

If there is enough support what is wrong with those "concerned" having a "GGA" sponsored meeting once a quarter in those "other" regions?

quote:

Originally posted by LZ33:
I'm confused about all this "lets have the GGA meeting here" issue. Why can't those that are concerned about having a GGA "meeting" in central or south Georgia have a meeting in those regions?

If the "core" of the GGA membership is in the ATL region, It only makes since that is where most of the meeting will/should be.

What is wrong with the "GGA" sponsoring several CITO's this spring all around the state even if a couple fall on the same date or in the same month? Why can't the GGA sponsor several December brunches all over the state on the same day? Why is the mind set, "There is only one GGA meeting a month and it's on the second Saturday of the month"?

What is the worse thing that could happen if the GGA sponsor a meeting in Jekyll Island State Park and a GGA meeting in Cloudland Canyon State Park in the same month? I wouldn't expect the same people at each meeting/event as I'm sure some of us that are in the center of the state may not go to either one.

I'm not suggesting making "chapters" out of the GGA either.

If there is enough support what is wrong with those "concerned" having a "GGA" sponsored meeting once a quarter in those "other" regions?

Don't you just hate it where someone makes sense! Takes all the fun out of bellyaching

Can you say "watered-down"? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for doing multiple CITOs on the same day, as CITOing is part of our mission. General meetings however are different. How many "core" members would go to Valdosta for a meeting if given the chance for the same smiley in Cleveland? or Marietta? or Lawrenceville?

I believe that tho most of us are physically located in the metro area due to the historical growth of the sport in the state, by definition the GGA is a statewide organization. If our group chooses not to participate statewide we should consider changing our name. To quote our website:

quote:

The Georgia Geocachers Association (GGA) is a group of geocachers from around the state who meet monthly to share stories and develop the sport within Georgia.

I also believe that other clubs (CCSA, SavannahCachers, SoWeGa, CVC, etc.) get really pumped when we come to their neck of the woods. We bring new people, new stories, new experiences, more finds. Splitting up erases all that. Again from our website:

quote:

The GGA provides geocachers with the opportunity to network with other enthusiasts and adds a social element to an often solitary sport.

It's not the fact that a GGA meeting in Columbia, for example, will bring Atlanta's food and money - those folks can have their own meetings on their own dime and be just as satisfied. I think it's more like The Who coming to town; I'd love to go see them in New York but who's got time for that.

Now back on topic: I've been looking at Sprewell Bluff (used-to-be) State Park for our October Challenge event. It's central to the state, offers camping & picnicing facilities, has lots of area for woodsy hides, and it's on the Flint River. I'm working with the new management for approval to place caches there as there are none presently.

I shouldn't post this but I am going to anyway!

Unless I missed something, the only actual location suggestion that we have so far is the one mudbug65 made that inspired a thread Dedicated to suggestions.

Thanks Mudbug65 for the idea, I wish it could work!

Whoops!, and 1 from birdies!

yep, very frustrated

This message has been edited. Last edited by: biker64,

quote:

Don't you just hate it where someone makes sense! Takes all the fun out of bellyaching

amen...