Hear ye, Hear ye, the HooHaa Travel Bug Race 2 is being plotted, planned and is almost ready to go!
This is the call for all people who want to participate in this year’s version of the TB race. I have a spot for a cache planned out and here is what I am planning on doing this year. Please let me know your thoughts, ideas etc. for this.
– All participants will mail me their TB. You can activate them but PLEASE don’t drop them into anything. I will “grab” them from you and drop them in the cache so all get the proper mileage.
– The cache location I have found is an easy on/off for an Interstate, so hopefully that will help these travel bugs get rolling toward either Albany or Binghamton and beyond.
– Prizes. Someone had mentioned everyone doing a $5 entry. I’ve come up with something better, I think. Because I don’t want to solicit donatins from outsiders as I will be keeping this race somewhat small, I want to propose this — each participant, when they send their TB to me, also gives an unactivated traveler — it can be a bug, a coin, one of those cheaper ones from Coins and Pins (slugs, ingot etc.) — as long as it’s a traveable item. Then, I will split everything up based on what is received and offer prizes for first, second and third. I’ll post all the photos etc. on the site blog. If someone feels like giving a little extra — a ready-made cache, swag, pathtags etc., that is also fine and will just be added to the vault. But ALL the prizes will come from participants, which should be fun.
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Now, here’s some dates to remember.
I am aiming to release the cache and the bugs on Jan. 1, 2010, weather pending. If there’s a ton of snow, I will change this accordingly. I want to make sure that people don’t accidentally stumble onto this cache as it’s going to be (hopefully) at the beginning of a state park. This will give me time to scout out a good spot and get all necessary materials I need to place this cache. It will also give me time to make sure it is winter friendly to the point that people won’t accidentally find it and pilfer it. We can cross our fingers, right?
I’m also, over the next month or so, also going to look at a few other spots as backups. But, the Jan. 1 date will be one I am aiming for to start. I will delay, if needed, because of the weather.
So, that means I’d like everyone’s bugs/”prize entry” by Wednesday, Dec. 30. That gives me time to take photos, grab everything, set everything up etc.
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I will have a full set of rules posted on my site here by mid-December. If anyone has any ideas or thoughts, please post them to the comments section on this post and I can take things under consideration. I will be making decisions on things such as lost bugs etc. This needs to be fair for everyone, so I’ll come up with things (I’ve been looking at other TB races as well as ours last year to see ideas).
How about you guys reading give me some thoughts on rules you think are important? Should we go with straight miles? A points system? How about people picking up TBs and dipping — allow it or no? Should participants be able to move bugs? So many things to consider. Please give me thoughts in the comments section. Remember — this is your race, too. I am just the one putting it together!
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Being I don’t want this one too big — I like to keep it among some fellow bloggers and some other caching pals who enjoy things like this — I am going to keep it at about 25 people. So, if you are in, please let me know. I am making it so all of last year’s people have an entry until I hear from them – or Dec. 1, whichever comes first. If I haven’t heard from last year’s people by Dec. 1, their spot opens. I will be e-mailing everyone in the next day or so to let them know.
If you know someone who might be interested, please let me know or have them come here and post.
Everyone who is in the race will be contacted by Dec. 10 or so with my address and everything like that so they know where to send things.
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Throughout the race, I am going to hopefully try and give weekly updates. I think it will be more fin that way. I’m hoping, too, we might be able to get some others to post some things, talk smack on their blogs a little more than last year, and have fun with this race. That’s the point of it — have fun!
If you have any other questions, post a comment or e-mail me.
More later!
I’m in!! As soon as I get my TB in order, and I get “accepted” into the contest I’ll Blog about it before I send it off 😉
Weee! I’m kind of excited. lol. I’ve never done one of the races before.
As for rules… I’m not really sure – but I don’t like “Dippers.”
Maybe you could award prizes as so…
1st = most miles
2nd = most states/countries visited
3rd = most cachers in possession (whichever travelbug had the most logs by different people)
…Just an Idea!
… but then of course if you win 1st your out of the running for 2nd and 3rd and whatnot…
We are in! If I am excepted of course. Maybe you should have a printout that goes with all TBs explaining the race but they should all be the same printout for all of them. Just an idea.
Erika and Katy… you guys are already on the list to be in! 🙂
I’m in. Will be in the mail soon. Address??
Nick
Count me in of course. I know you and I had talked about me having a TB from winning the last race. I’ll go ahead and just say that if you have some things to possibly attach, e-mail me and I’ll pick one. With regards to the prizes, I like that idea. I don’t have anything to send right now, but I’ll get something that I can send for the prize pool.
The mileage was a nice issue. If you’re looking at points, you might look at my Great TB Race: tbrace.wordpress.com for some ideas. I’ll tell you that the maintenance on it is annoying, but of course I had 81 racers so a short list wouldn’t be as bad. And definitely keep the no dipping rule to avoid somebody holding onto it for a month and constantly dipping it during their travels.
I like the idea that Erika mentioned. Have first place be the primary goal, bet it mileage or points or whatever. That’s the winner. Then, that person is taken out of the running for 2nd and 3rd, with those spots being some other criteria. Could be farthest single jump, the most pictures taken, or others.
Oh, and anyone interested in races should check out that link above. It’s the 2nd Annual Great TB Race. The first race is almost over, with an awesome prize list. Just another race to enter for those who want to. Already up to almost a dozen racers and we just had our first International entry, so once again it will be an International Great TB Race. WOO-HOO!
Sorry PJ, couldn’t avoid plugging my own race too. 🙂
Shameless plug!
I will, of course, be in yours this year as well, Trip.
Everyone has given some good ideas for me to think about. I want to make the prizes be a little different, just for the fact that I don’t want it to be like every other race. I think all races strive to be a little different from the rest and we won’t be any different!
I hope the entries keep piling up!
We’re in! Now to figure out what to attach to a tag??? We’ll give you one of our sig geocoins as a prize it that’s ok.
I’m in, this sounds like a great idea. I think to make it interesting you may want to have interim prizes (much like a sports pool), with mileage destinations at 3 month intervals or some such thing. In any event, I’m in, it looks to be a blast.
Cheers
CZ
Count me in! I already have TB’s on order, so I’ll get one set up and get it in the mail to you soon. Will there be criteria on the names of them again? If so, I’ll wait to activate it until you post the specifics.
I like the idea of a common starting point. With that, perhaps if a bug is lost, a replacement can be mailed to you to start again in the same cache…Just a thought.
Just ordered my TBs!!
Count me in…I’ll get working on choosing and activating my traceler, and sending a couple things for the prize pool!!
Just a couple of thoughts on what I’ve seen above. I like the idea of having a rule on dipping, but Maybe not an outright ban?
Maybe there can be a limit on how many times a racer can be dipped by one team? Maybe 1-3 times?
If it’s not too much work, I think a Points system would be cool where a percentage of the total points are gained for different things like Miles, States/Countries, Teams logging, and Discoveries(there’s an increasing trend for people to discover bugs, and I’d hate to see a racer lose that was stuck somewhere but logged lots of times), this part could be a small percentage
I like the idea of being allowed to move other racers, but not your own.
I like the idea of interim prizes, or bonus prizes for every racer to exceed a certain points level.
I really like the idea of an explanation sheet attached to every racer, that’s the same for all of them.
I would be willing to donate several of my Look Twice Coins that could be used as interim prizes during the race.
I’ve had lots of games through my profile, and in the Geocoin Forums, so it will be a blast to be a player instead!! Thank You.
Since there seems to be a problem with the website tracking miles, each player will have to be responsible for recalculating the milage, and if it makes it easier to add up the scores, each player could have to report their own score, then the winners could be verified before awarding the prizes(instead of you having to calculate all the scores yourself)
Some awesome ideas!
Hopefully some others sign up (I have some friends around here I am also waiting on) and we can have a good crew for this one. But, allow me to tackle some of the things from Write Shop Robert…
– Dipping: I’m not a fan of it because it’s hard to enforce if not. If it’s in the rules, at least most people will hopefully not go against it. We bent a bit on this one last time around.
– Points system: I think I am going to avoid that. One thing I want to do is make this TB race different than others. Points are done, so I want to do some other ideas. I do have some ideas and will be posting them soon — hopefully by this weekend. I like some of the ideas you posted about different winner categories and I like them!
– Moving of the racers: I think we’re going to have to come up with a vote or something there. My issue is this — if someone in the race picks up your racer and waits a month to move it, it could be deemed as cheating, ya know? Might be easier just to let people discover them. That being said, last year we had a rule that if you found one, you had to move it. I’ll try and come up with a poll and we can all vote.
– Interim prizes will be done for sure. I already was thinking quarterly leaders for mileage (but can only be won once). I appreciate your offer to donate some of your coins as these prizes… that is very generous. Now we just have to decide what we want to do for the interim prizes and how big/small to keep those (ie: how many interim things we have etc.)
– Explanation sheet: I agree. I just need to find a way to make some good ones up and laminate them! Then I can always attach them before I put them in the cache.
And no need to thank me — I’m glad you’ve joined up. I just hope we have a good crew who will come here (or wherever we do some things) and talk some smack when the updates are posted.
That leads to another question…
If I put a forum here (so http://www.hoohaablog.com/forum), how many people would use it for this race? Or is it just easier to talk some smack on here when I post updates and things about the race (which, I assure you, will be more regular than last year!)
I’m probably in. In order to know how many to buy, I wonder if it’s final that one needs to a unactivated travel item.
Just found this site which does a lot of work for you: http://www.tb-run.com/index.php?lang=en
Another one: http://tbrace.com. I don’t know whether one can set other criterea than the longest distance.
Search: The final one needs to be an unactivated travable, yes. TB, coin, something cheaper etc. If you have some sort of an idea what you want to donate, let me know and I can see what it is etc.
The idea is that the participants basically make up the prize pool. Nice and easy that way!
I’ll check out those sites, too. I’m not going to get too crazy with points. I have come up with a way that seems like it will be easy, fun and interesting. And, hopefully, easy to track, too!
Keep us posted to let us know if you are definitely in! 🙂
Wow, Cool. I haven’t done a TB race yet and yours sounds great. I am in if a spot is open. Thanks, Joe
Joe — absolutely there is room!
Just got my racer set up with the info from the email. I might add a little later with more specifics!!
Question…I’m new at reading Blogs…is there a way I can subscribe and get an email each time there is an update?
Team-Ducky’s Avatar Ducky is in the race and ready to go.
http://teamducky.wordpress.com/traveling-ducks/avatar-ducky-tb5-107/
We’ve “initialized” the starting line cache with a FTF and a custom ducky, “Avatar Wins.”