Mega event

Today was the mega event at gaydon, which I had been looking forward to all year.

We started the day off doing drive by caching and completed a huge loop before doing a short walk.  Using stickers with t.t. On each small dot sticker we soon worked our way through them. We then arrived at the motor heritage centre and headed to the entrance to be told no dogs, hmmm that's a problem, no where to tie them up and no signs on the door technically meaning dogs can enter, luckily Lilian came out with a clipboard and sign in sheet.

After finding a safe and shady spot for frodo I popped in and bumped into many cachers I know. Figures with his leg problem, heff and his wife, podcache crew Pete and Tracey, metal Bijiou and family, welsh mummy, sheep doctor and loads more that I can't remember off hand (sorry). Whilst in here a member of the mega committee was seen walking through with his dog clearly not a guide dog. 

Then it was off to do a nearby loop a little way into it met the two motts who I teamed up with till we got to the half way point and we went our own ways. There were many cachers out on the trails and some good caches as well as bad.

We did enjoy the walk but didn't the event. I know a lot of hardwork went into the event but found that there was no why to find all the side attraction events. Although we litter picked around by our car and placed it in a bin (surprising the mess some cachers make) we couldn't find the actual cito event. We also couldn't find the dog area and later found out there had been a flash mob in Coventry along with a 11 icon challenge of which had I known would have participated in.

 

Whilst speaking to cachers who were camping (I was planning on staying tonight but didn't in end), I found that there was no atmosphere on the campsite and that the committee instead of mingling with the crowds on Friday sat away from everyone on their own table, not very welcoming.

I hoped after the success of the geolympix that all the positives would have been taken on board, sadly not.

However I will make a few suggestions for the organisers of next years mega.

1. Dog friendly place.

2. List all the events and itinery on the mega event cache page, you will get more turn out.

3. Don't be unapproachable its you the organisers that makes it what it is, sat away from everyone or ignoring anyone's requests gives all the committee the same look from us the public, get in there mingle, be approachable.

4 you don't need a town hall or conference centre, just hire out a huge field and big marquee, this is what cachers want after all that's why they cache they don't want to be cooped up.

5 lastly remember lots of cachers have dogs, like me I often come with just me and the dog, families have to take turns to dog sit and children who are the future of caching want to be made to feel special.

So at the end of the day around 50 caches done, a tired doggy and now back at home, maybe next years event will be back on par for standards.