2019 Dartmoor Geocoin Race – Introduction

Welcome to the 6th Annual Dartmoor Geocoin Race.

This year’s race starts this coming Saturday 9th February and will finish on 30th November.  There is no panic to release your geocoin on Saturday, but soon after would be very good.  However, PLEASE DO activate your geocoin as soon as possible AND let me know its tracking number.  If you want to participate but haven’t yet got a race coin, it is definitely not too late, details below.

Once again I will award 2020 Dartmoor Race Geocoins for the coins with the top 3 mileages.  Approve

There was no appetite to change the rules for this year’s race, so I have left them very much as they were, but have re-worded some of them to make them clearer.

  1. Coins only start the race once they have been released into a cache to be picked up by a person unknown, NOT by somebody known to you or organised by you.
  2. You ARE allowed to give your coin to somebody else to release it for you, in which case they MUST grab it from you first.  This allows it to be STARTED from a different place in the UK or from a different country.  However, once again coins MUST be released into a cache to be picked up by a person unknown.
  3. No mileage will be counted by the owner visiting with their coins or by somebody else releasing the coin.  Any prior mileage MUST be deleted by deleting those logs.
  4. Coins must NOT be started off in an event.
  5. Only original Dartmoor 2019 coins can be used – NO nasty proxies please!
  6. If you bought (or buy) a second coin from me at a cheaper rate it MUST be entered in the race.  There always seems to be a couple of coins each year that never get started which is not fair on others who paid the normal price for their coins.  This was particularly bad in 2018!
  7. I am only going to count the number of miles travelled.

Some useful hints and tips:

  • My research shows that the majority of geocoins stolen are stolen in the UK.  This is the reason why I am happy for you or somebody else to release it in a different country.  But the mileage getting there MUST be deleted.
  • Physically label your geocoin to say that it is in a race and needs to be moved as far as possible.
  • Give as much information about the race on the geocoin description page as possible and include a photo, use the one above if you wish.
  • Don’t let cachers keep dipping your coin unless they are going long distances – coins need to be placed in a cache so that they can be moved on.
  • If a cacher hasn’t placed your coin within a few days email them and ask them to do so.  Don’t let them forget they have it!
  • Watch any cache your coin is placed in and ensure that the next visitor logs it as retrieved.  If they don’t ask them if the coin was in the cache.
  • You can get a really good start by releasing your geocoin in a travel bug hotel.  However, these could be more at risk than a normal cache.  You also may want to avoid a cache & dash or release it in a PM only cache.  However, after it has been retrieved you will have no control.

The geocoin will remain your property and you can set whatever goals you would like on the geocoin page.  I would ask you NOT to remove the geocoin’s name but to add to it, e.g. it comes named as Dartmoor National Park 2019 Geocoin, so you could add Sue’s ….. to the front of it.  That way everybody can still search for it and I can produce some race details.

If you haven’t got a race coin yet it is definitely NOT too late.  Some late entries have done very well and won prizes.

Get a geocoin to enter the race – details here!

Good luck to all.  I-Wish 

The following have entered the race – please let me know immediately if you are not on the list.
If you have not already done so, please activate your geocoin and let me know its tracking number.

Updated 31st March 2019
NameCacher NameTB NoMilesLast LocationStatus
Jude GrovesKerfufflesTB96VYE1,131Helsinki, FinlandVisiting
Stuart HoweStuarthowe11TB96VY8383Burton on TrentVisiting
Jayne GuppyJaynie15TB96VX7228Exton, HantsIn cache
Kevin Bastowdartmoor stridersTB96VYY20DartmoorIn cache - but where?
Anne HamiltonHeavenly MXTB96VYV
10BarnstableIn cache
Colin MastersClan MastersTB96VWK3Weston-Super-MareIn cache
Andy LawrieAmberelTB96VZ0
0WorksopRetrieved
Isaac OgdenheartradioTB96VT00ExmouthRetrieved
Cathy PengillyPinguiglooTB96VV0
0TorquayIn cache
Derek CourtneyEl DelTB96VY30TauntonIn cache
Janet KnellerWeather-ITTB96VWM0Mitcheldean, GlosIn cache
Murray KohnMuzzaDazzlerTB96VY70Sevenoaks, KentIn cache
Sue NickelsTobytwirlTB96VY50In transitWill start its race from another country, not yet known!
Andrew Stokesstokes2342TB96VTR
0With OwnerWill start its race from Australia in June
Carol NorrishDylan1966TB96VX60With OwnerActivated
Janine HespjustmejayTB96VYT0With OwnerActivated
Justine TearThe Old Grey MareTB96VZD0With OwnerActivated
Lisa CanningAngelaobscuraTB96VRZ0With OwnerActivated
Louise AutyBalrogslayers MumTB96VYK0With OwnerActivated
Miranda Stephensonmstopsham TB96VYD
0With OwnerActivated
Neil ArmstrongFinder-ManTB96VWP0With OwnerActivated
Christine Hutchinschutch740With OwnerAwaiting Start
Joe Birdmiss1300With OwnerAwaiting Start