M.O.G.A. 2005

[Phantom_491]

:!: Mark Your Calendar's!!! :!:

Here's an event for everyone to put on their watchlist. I went to it last year and had a blast. SLAGA (St Louis Area Geocaching Association) works very hard on this event, and have cachers from all over the country planning to attend (Minnesota and Virginia to name a couple). There will be individual, couple, and team events similar to last year, but using a slightly different format. They also will have a few things for the younger cachers to do at the event.

I was up in Jefferson city this past weekend attending an event there, and was able to get a little more information (i.e. intel) from some of the event organizers and staff. I have it on good authority that the events won't be as strenuous as last year. They are also planning on having 20 to 30 logable caches set up in the park for this weekend long event. They have a special cache page for logging temporary event caches.

CACHE PAGE:
:idea: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... 2175342e52 (http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=651ba69f-ac5b-47fc-bf32-682175342e52)

More Information:
:idea: http://www.geostl.com/mambo/index.php?o ... Itemid=136 (http://www.geostl.com/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=128&Itemid=136)

I would really like for Arkgeocaching to be well represented at this event. Last year I had to team with the group from Minnesota for the team event (BTW we took 1st place :D , scoring all 20 punches, and also finishing with the fastest time :D ). I think it would be great if we could have 1 or 2 teams from Arkansas there.

Even if the competition isn't your cup of tea, what could be better than getting together with a couple hundred other people who share this obsession, for a fun weekend of caching, camping, caching, camradiere, and have I said caching yet?!? :wink:

[arkansas_stickerdude]

I'm game if the date falls right but I won't know till closer to time.

[Phantom_491]

I'm getting ready to throw down the gauntlet and challenge the 1st place winning team from last years event (Which I was a part of). Team MnGCA is holding an event to hone their skills. I would like to see ArkGeo field a team for MOGA and for us to give them a run for the money.

Let's do this!

[arkansas_stickerdude]

Post a link to the page or the GC # and I might be game.

[Phantom_491]

Here's the link to MOGA 2005

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... 2175342e52 (http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=651ba69f-ac5b-47fc-bf32-682175342e52)

Here's the link to the MnGAs warmup exercise for the Team event at Moga!

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... ea330df447 (http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=811fb54a-ed22-4c6e-adb2-39ea330df447)

Let's circle the wagons and send them Minnesota boys packin'

[RGS]

We hope you can get a team or two together and join in the fun at MOGA. Remember too that there are individual events (hard and easy) along with a couples event. And in addition there will be 30+ ammo box caches. We also have relaxing activities planned for Sat night including a night cache. Bass Pro Shops has donated two GPSr's for the event and we are working with other companies for donations. You can get all the details at moga.geostl.com (http://moga.geostl.com) and keep checking as the pages will be updated as we get more details.

Hope to see a good Arkansas showing :D :D

Rich (RGS)
MOGA Team
St. Louis Area Geocachers Assn.

[cachecrazies]

We're registered and will be in cabin #2 - in case of bad weather we'll light a big warm fire and still have fun with all of the geocachers that care to join us!

We won't be there because we expect to win any of the competitions but just to have fun with fellow geocachers. We're looking forward to good times with old friends and meeting new friends.


We're looking forward to this great event that we were unable to attend last year. Hoping to go to St. Louis afterwards, but that remains to be seen!

[arkansas_stickerdude]

I think I'm going to try to make it. So whos on the ARKGEO TEAM?

[GeoAviators]

We are really wanting to go to MOGA...think it would be so much fun. We will be going as long as we can both get off work on thse days...so how about a team???

[JackKonecker]

Pardon me while I do a promo for MOGA 2005.

I am doing a video documentary of the event this year. Here are some links to videos I have created, so far. There will be a couple of DV cameras at the event. The plan is to create a DVD of how the event was put together and highlights of the event, itself.

Email me at moga2005_documentary@geostl.com to arrange a short interview with your group during the event.

Here are the videos:

Introduction to MOGA 2005 (4.4 MB)
http://www.geostl.com/MOGA/2005_MOGA_EventIntro.wmv

Greeting from the host (1.0 MB)
http://www.geostl.com/MOGA/20050212_MOG ... yIntro.wmv (http://www.geostl.com/MOGA/20050212_MOGA_TimMollyIntro.wmv)

Meramec State Park montage (4.0 MB)
http://www.geostl.com/MOGA/2005_Meramec ... ontage.wmv (http://www.geostl.com/MOGA/2005_MeramecStatePark_Montage.wmv)

Paul Konopacki
(aka konopapw)
'Former' webmaster at http://www.geostl.com
Charter member of SLAGA

[demonicangel]

I got my act together so to speak (I am my own boss again FINALLY) so it looks like the Demonic one as well as her Angel is going to try to make it to this one. So unless something drastic comes up you can expect us to be there. We are going to go send in our registration info this weekend.

[RGS]

Just want to remind everyone that it's 15 days until MOGA blastoff.

It's been raining on and off all week so that means perfect weather for the event on March 8-10. :lol:

If you're on the fence and still thinking about coming or not, go for it. Last year was a blast, everyone made new friends, and some of the participants were talking about the next event before they even left.

And remember, it's not all about competition. For those that just want to take it easy over Friday-Sunday and find nearly 50 ammo boxes in a 7000 acre park, and another 4-6 permanent caches in nearby Sullivan, this is the PLACE!!!

For those that want to "motel it" in the park, and save that long 4 mile drive to Sullivan when you're tired and worn out, they are offering ALL rooms for a flate rate of $60/night, with no limit on occupants. Shoot, plan this trip right and it might only cost $1 a night per person :lol:

vist http://moga.geostl.com for more details.

Rich (RGS)
MOGA/SLAGA

[Phantom_491]

Looks like I will be able to attend. Squirrel21309 might be with me (He hasn't made up his mind yet.). I have been looking forward to this event since last year.

I hope we can come up with a team to show up those Minnesota boys, for the team competition. BTW if anyone wants to carpool I'll be heading out Sometime Friday morning. I'll be shooting up 167 to 63 to I-44. Send me a message or email if anyone's interested. From Jacksonville it's a 6.5 to 7.5 hour drive (Depending on # of stops/breaks.)

Oh, BTW I will be heading to a NASCAR race at the end of the month so if anyone has any NASCAR related bugs in their area, snatch them up for me so I can take them to the race. Last year I took 2 tbs with me. I already have one to take this year. Thanks!

Cache y'all there.

[Phantom_491]

Well I'm off to MOGA. I look forward to seeing some of you there. I'll post a trip report when I get back!

[cachecrazies]

We're back from MOGA and had a great time! The caching was fantastic, the organization was superb and the spirit and friendship of fellow cachers was all anyone could hope for! The nightly Cracker Barrels were great fun and had informative lectures and stories too.

I don't know if anyone from this group other than Geo, Phantom and Bob and I were there. If they were, unfortunately we didn't get together. Enjoyed seeing Charlie and Dennis though! They gave me a few good chuckles over the pocket caches.

Bob and I competed in the Individual Easy Course in the morning and both of us did good. Competed in the Couples Course in the afternoon and didn't do so well! :oops: Took us 1 1/2 hours just to get up the hill to start the course - and that hill was a killer! Next year we'll only do one competition - we're too old & tired to do 2 in one day! Did some event caches Saturday night and Sunday then.

Made subtle statements for Arkansas by wearing a Arkansas sweatshirt in the morning and a Lake Quachita State Park t-shirt in the afternoon! Of course we told everyone where we were from! Go Arkansas!

There are pictures & videos on the SLAGA site if anyone wants to see them. Thanks SLAGA - you did a fantastic job! :D

[Phantom_491]

Bob and I competed in the Individual Easy Course in the morning and both of us did good.

Did good was an understatement. They kicked butt!!! Linda took 1st in the Individual Easy Course, and Bob took 2nd in the same event. Unfortunately Geo and myself ran into some problems on a couple of the waypoints, so we didn't do so well, but we still represented the Arkansas Geocachers Association.

Teamed up with Geo during the afternoon event and went after some of the event caches, and some benchmarks of course. One benchmark we found had not been found since it was monumented in 1949.

To sum things up, this event rocked. 50+ event caches, multiple events, presentations, caves to explore, cachers from all over, door prizes, trivia contests, the list goes on.

[GEO]

Great event as stated by the cachecrazies,they kicked a**.......
at least mine anyway,your not getting that old...that course was not easy either.

Phantom491 and I got several (both night)caches and he got his first to find first recovery of a benchmark here too,we did a little excursion and got permission from a land owner to go across his property,he took us almost right to it.

I am glad I did not do the HILL <I was already dumdfounded,just having one of them days you know.
I had my first last and my last first,the wether was perfect so I had no excuse.

Oh well there's next year.
I need to be a little more competative,I just can't seem to get charged up to beat fellow cachers.

[arkansas_stickerdude]

Great job cachcrazies. I wish I could have gone I was in the right state tho but in the KC part.