/ Adela B /

January Featured Geocacher of the Month Nominees – Add Your Comments

They put on events, they readily share geocaching tricks and tips and they challenge new and seasoned geocachers with their hides. They are the January Featured Geocacher of the Month Nominees.

December 2012 Featured Geocacher of the Month, Moneydork

Now it’s your turn to help select one of them as the Featured Geocacher of the Month for January.

Write a comment at the bottom of this blog about which of these geocachers you feel should be awarded the Featured Geocacher of the Month title.

In December, Wayne, a.k.a. Moneydork was recognized for establishing himself as one of Australasian’s most prolific geocachers. His efforts to support the community as a Geocaching volunteer reviewer and good Samaritan have not gone unnoticed. He even managed to organize New Zealand’s very first Mega-Event from 3500 km (2175 miles) away. According to fellow geocachers, Moneydork’s hides and events are legendary Down Under and he never hesitates to give his all to the sport.

Here are your nominees for the January Featured Geocacher of the Month. Some testimonials have been edited for length.

Kirret

Kirret

Mr Bluesky writes, “On November 29th, Don, [a.k.a. Kirret] will have found a geocache every single day of the year, since November 2011.  He has done this in three different countries and on two continents. This year alone he has found over 1,700 geocaches, including a grand haul of 100 on March the 27th. Don worked in Scotland in 2010 and 2011 and I got to meet him through geocaching. We immediately became firm friends. I had the pleasure of geocaching with him in Canada in July 2012 and then again on August 18th in Scotland. Don is very enthusiastic about geocaching and has, just by meeting people while out geocaching, gotten many involved in this hobby by informing them of what he was doing and how enjoyable it is. He mostly geocaches with his wife and son and is one of Guildford, England’s most prolific geocachers. He is out in all weather conditions with a smile on his face and a GPS in hand. I think his achievements this year is a remarkable feat.”

 

The Raven

The Raven

ttcm4geo writes, “If you visit Prescott, Arizona as we were one weekend, you will note something curious. Many of the geocaches you visit will have a note stating that ‘while you are in Prescott, you must find a geocache called Raven’s Labyrynth.’ So many geocacher said this that we finally decided to pursue it. The geocache itself is amazing, which I am sure took weeks to construct. Then we found out that the geocache owner has many similarly thought-out geocaches in the area. In fact, Prescott is known as ‘Ravenland.’ But, even more amazing is that if you email Dan, a.k.a. The Raven with a question, he promptly replies and tells you to call him. So we called him and got some assistance. He was very nice, and you can tell that his only goal is to help people enjoy geocaching. His geocaches are creative, well thought out and so much fun. He does all this work for people many of whom he will never meet. Therefore, I think he deserves this recognition.”

 

 

 

The Weasel

The Weasel

SuperGoober writes, “Tim, a.k.a. The Weasel is what geocaching is all about. He gives back so much more than he takes. He hosted the very first CITO in the Midwest: EIGA 2004 CEDAR RAPIDS CITO EVENT. He is an active member and Board Director for the Iowa Geocacher Organization and a volunteer for the Linn County Conservation. Tim has conducted and assisted in over 50 geocaching 101, 201 and 301 classes and workshops throughout the State of Iowa and abroad. His knowledge of the wilderness extends well beyond that of an average geocacher. He uses his extensive knowledge of the outdoors to help other geocachers by placing some very creative and educational geocaches. The Weasel has an impeccable sense as to what geocaching is all about. He realizes that cache maintenance is very necessary to ensure that geocaching is fun and that the geocache is there. He is just unstoppable.”

Comment below to tell us who you think should be the January Featured  Geocacher of the Month. A panel of Lackeys will use your comments to help decide which geocacher is awarded the honor. Each featured Geocacher of the Month will receive an exclusive special edition featured Geocacher of the Month Geocoin, along with a Geocacher of the Month hat, a Geocacher of the Month profile icon and a certificate acknowledging their contributions, signed by two of the founders of Geocaching.com. We will be accepting comments for January’s award through Sunday, January 20th.

Those whose nominees were not recognized here are encouraged to submit their nominations again next month. If you know an outstanding geocacher you would like to nominate to be a featured Geocacher of the Month, send an email to geocacherofthemonth@groundspeak.com and include the following information:

  • Your name, the name of your nominee, their username
  • A picture of the nominee
  • Description (200 or more words) explaining why he or she deserves to be the Geocacher of the Month

Please inform your nominee that you’ve submitted them for the award.

Nominations for the February Geocacher of the Month must be received by Friday, February 8th. 

Once we have received all of the nominations, we will choose the top candidates and post them on the blog. You will then get a chance to champion your favorite. Our goal is to involve the entire geocaching community in this process so we might learn from each other.

Adela B

  1. Voting for Dan the Raven. Usually when it comes to caches, you find a cache, log the find online and never return again. The thing about Raven caches is that you want to do them over and over. You want to bring all of your friends over and over. Then your friends want to do the same caches over and over and then your friends bring their friends to Raven caches over and over. And so on and so on. I have been to some Raven caches as many as 20 times.

  4. I’m voting for The Weasel. I think by now everybody knows about his educational caches and how active he is in the community. I am going to share my story of my encounter. Just got my 62st and headed out to do some caching without reading reading up on the unit. Well, I got to the cache area and head a heck of a time trying to figure out how to use this blasted thing. Low and behold the Weasel walks up. We start chatting and see we both were using a 62st. To make a long story short, the Weasel spent a good 45 mins or better walking me though the essentials of the unit so I could continue caching. Not a lot of people would be willing to do that!

  9. My vote is for a favorite cache placer of mine…The Weasel. Always look forward to your caches and I know they will be nicely maintained.

  10. WOW!!! It looks like both Weasel and Raven’s people are really rallying the troops! I am a Weasel backer, but I say we cut the coin in half and send them each half of it. If they should ever meet and connect the halves, an uber cacher will form lol. In all seriousness, I think both Weasel and Raven deserve to win. Can there be 2 winners? I think we can all agree it will be a travesty if only 1 wins. I would like to see a Raven supporter reply to this vote/log and unite us in having Groundspeak having 2 or a co-winner!!!

  14. I am voting for The Raven, I hope! This page is confusing and I haven’t found a ‘vote up or vote down’ function so don’t know if this is a vote.

  17. All of these cachers look like great candidates for the award to me. I wouldn’t vote against any of them. I do; however, know The Raven and have sung his praises to others before and will do so here again now.

    I was heading to the area on vacation from Kansas and was searching out a place to spend a day or two when I took notice of all of the quality caches in the Prescott, AZ area. Two things stood out to me: 1) if I was going to go after high quality caches, then Prescott was the place to be (lots of caches with lots of favorite points) and 2) one person created many of them.

    So off I went to tackle the Raven’s Labyrinth. Ok… awesome cache (one of the best ever); but what was more amazing is that Dan was actually there. He was planning to meet a group from Phoenix that was up for the day. I was traveling by myself that day and was adopted by the group as we continued our adventures Indiana Jones style. Day turned to evening and we all had a blast and enjoyed an evening dinner together.

    I brought friends back to do more caches and took my wife by and showed here a few of my favorites.

    Dan’s generous contributions to the caching community both in time devoted to the creations and the expenses involved with some of them are more than most will ever put forth in their caching lifetimes.

    The childlike wonderment experienced in finding the special caches is something finders can share between them and tell stories about. Family and friends bonding together, strangers becoming friends or solo cachers just shaking their head in amazement at what they just found. That’s why Dan does this. Spread the joy!

    My vote is for The Raven.

  19. I gotta go with the Outdoor Lessons. I never thought I would learn and appreciate the outdoors and things I was missing. Thanks Weasel for opening my eyes and giving me a whole new perspective on caching!

  20. Reading the bios ( I take comments with a grain of salt), I gotta go with the person who has conducted over 50 classes….wow! That’s what I call giving back.

  21. I am voting for The Raven because his geocaches are creative, well thought out and so much fun! And I don’t even really geocache much. I will take the time and do all of the ones in Ravenland because everyone raves about how much fun they are! He is the winner!

  22. I’m voting for Kirret!! At least he is not getting involved with this back and forth HS popularity contest that the other 2 are having! All of these comments say the exact same thing! At least one person independent person had broke his vote log out. I think Raven and Weasel’s people need to give it a rest!

  24. Not having the pleasure of meeting any of the candidates listed – I have to put my vote for the Raven. I know a couple of cachers who have been out his way and to hear them talk of the experience is amazing. Their faces light up like a child’s at Christmas. Raven is definitely on my “must-do” list. Perhaps, we will plan a vacation around it next year.

  25. The Raven deserves this honor. He is a very helpful geocacher and has awesome caches. He is my vote for Geocacher of the month!!!

  26. The raven. Prescott, as is on my bucket list of places to visit based solely on the advice of woodnutt. We will be seeing a new cache in our that the raven helped woodnutt create and we are all looking forward to it.

  27. I’m voting Weasel. He is a true asset to the caching community. His take on the Outdoor Lessons is amazing and really makes you think and learn. It’s amazing he is also backed by so many park organizations and donates to other clubs like the Girl Scouts!

  28. I can’t say enough great things about The Weasel. He does SO much to put Eastern Iowa on the map. Most powertrails are just blah, but Weasel was a co-contributor that created a powertrail that has well over 100 visitors. You can always count on all of the caches on the trail to be there with his fantastic upkeep he does!

  29. I have had the pleasure to meet The Weasel before and he is an all around nice guy. If you have questions, he has answers or will tell you who to go to. He always has time for all questions asked for him.

  31. Raven…I have heard nothing but great things from the GONIL member who have had contact with him. Looking forward to a visit there myself.

  32. I have worked with the Raven and I know how much work and detail he puts in his caches. They are top of the line and he keeps at them till they are great. He has had other ideas that he has not been able to get out there yet, but with time maybe. Great guy and welling to help others.

    kentnnan

  33. The Weasel and his caches…top of the line!! The Weasel has top rated caches that appeal to all type of cachers. He was 2 100% rated kayak caches that take you to some caves that have ice in them even in the summer! For you climbers, The Weasel has a wide variety of his patented “Weasel Style” caches that will test your guts. For the outdoor education lovers, he has his classic Outdoor Lesson caches. If its a family outing you want, his powertrail is exactly what the family focused cacher needs. They are cute kid focused containers that everybody loves. If you think about the Weasel ‘s caches, your getting a Disney Park expierence….a little something for everybody! That’s what I love about Weasel’s caches, he has a little something for everybody!

  38. Definitely ‘The Raven’. From what I have seen and heard, awesome guy and great caches.

  40. “The Weasel” (Tim) definitely gets my vote for Cacher of the Month. This guy has done a lot for the game here in Iowa. I think that pretty much anybody that you talk to in geocaching circles around our great state will all say the same thing about Tim… he has great caches, keeps them well-maintained and is really the perfect example of what the game of geocaching is all about. I hope he wins this because he deserves it, but if not, I’m certain that the winner of the contest will be just as deserving. Tim – thanks for all you do for our game!

  41. Weasel gets my vote. He is one of Iowas Charter Members, caching since 2004. He held the first CITO event here in Iowa and has been an out standing advocate/mentor/educator in geocaching. Few ppl know that he has a degree in parks and natural resources. (He works in insurance related things now…boohiss) But he is always using his knowledge to create puzzle caches that make us learn. He also is one creative cache hider. And you always know a Weasel cache will be there… he is spot on with maintaining his hides. WEASIE FOR COTM!!

  42. The Raven(Dan) should win this hands down!The amount of effort he puts into building and how creative his caches are well there second to none!I know he has taken many groups out to his caches which is pretty cool,he’s a General contractor so he’s very busy but will still make time to help out a fellow Geocacher on his or any others if he can help.The Raven can juggle all this and still be a good husband and father.
    My Vote defiantly goes to the—RAVEN—What he does for the whole geocaching community should not be over looked!!!
    Cache Chaos

  43. Weasel!!! This is exciting news that Tim is going to have a cache at Brucemore, Iowa’s only National Trust Historic site!!! He has worked tirelesly with the Brucemore staff from what I have heard. Several meetings, cache placment walks with the staff. The Weasel is also going to be conducting an internal 101 class with the 30 or staff members to educate them on our hobby. Getting Brucemore on board is going to be HUGE for Iowa!! Congrats on this nomation, your work with Brucemore shows yet again how deserving you are of this award!

  47. As a teacher, The Weasel and his educational caches get my vote. Any person that helps shape our young people deserve to be rewarded!

  50. I vote for The Raven. I have travelled to Prescott many times and cannot go without finding at least one of his caches. More times than not, I’ll go back to one I’ve already found — just for the pure fun of it!! We love his original and creative hides. We love that they are family friendly and we especially love his enthusiasm for this game. The Raven is an awesome ambassador of Geocaching in the Prescott community where he is well-known, well-respected and well-loved. Well, frankly, we love The Raven for all he does to make our caching experience so awesome!

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