Groundspeak Portal

I was just wondering what you guys thought about a best of catagory? I was surfing through a bunch of different catagories and I think it'd be a cool idea. Maybe just 1 best of out of each catagory? Just another thought from the peanut gallery. Swizzle

If you are saying having a category where somehow the "best" waymark from each category somehow got put in there, I would not support that.  It is very subjective of what is the best in a category, second it is only best until a better one is submitted... do you then take the former best out?   There is already the featured waymarks, which are selected by Groundspeak, often from recommendations from waymarkers.

There was discussion of having a category for locations which have been named the best whatever... such as the Best Ribs, or best Chicken etc often these are named by newspapers of a town and often a plaque is displayed.  I don't know where that category is at this time, it was discussed within the last few weeks.

I was thinking that the best of might actually get people to want to improve their waymarks. It could be simply a better discription or a better pic. I like the idea of a featured waymark as well. I'll have to see if there's anything within 500 miles of me in the featured catagory. Is there any rhyme or reason that dictates what waymark is choosen to be featured? I'm already planning out my day and looking for new waymarks to start adding. I just got my first ribbon. Woo Hoo 25 WMs approved. Well I guess I better get moving if I want to get to 50. Swizzle

swizzle:

I was thinking that the best of might actually get people to want to improve their waymarks. It could be simply a better discription or a better pic. I like the idea of a featured waymark as well. I'll have to see if there's anything within 500 miles of me in the featured catagory. Is there any rhyme or reason that dictates what waymark is choosen to be featured? I'm already planning out my day and looking for new waymarks to start adding. I just got my first ribbon. Woo Hoo 25 WMs approved. Well I guess I better get moving if I want to get to 50. Swizzle

It may be difficult for some to make detailed listings or have limited skills with a camera. I'm not great at taking photos and I write my descriptions based on various points of view when I consider the subject matter.

For example, I'm not likely to have a very detailed entry for a commercial location in the food services section. But I've had some extremely long and detailed write ups for some of my entries.

As for how Groundspeak selects "Featured Waymarks", I would guess that some of it has to do with the image, the write up, the content matter and enjoyability. Or a dart board... {snicker}

BQ

I guess a lot of it would depend on location as well. I'm in downtown podunk so I'm not really close to anything that I would consider feature worthy. It wouldn't stop me from trying to improve the best WMs in my area though. It was just a thought and I didn't even consider the featured WMs at the time. So I guess the "best of" can get tossed as an idea. Swizzle

swizzle:

I guess a lot of it would depend on location as well. I'm in downtown podunk so I'm not really close to anything that I would consider feature worthy. It wouldn't stop me from trying to improve the best WMs in my area though. It was just a thought and I didn't even consider the featured WMs at the time. So I guess the "best of" can get tossed as an idea. Swizzle

I don't think that much of it has to do with the location globally, especially when I look at many that were raised to "featured" status. Some of those are pretty remote or unknown.

I've seen hundreds of really cool Waymarks that are not "featured"... but if you are really vested in the idea, then you could always add your own list of favourites to your profile page on Waymarking.com so others can see it. Then add a linky to your forum signature.... instant promotion!

BQ

well, along these same lines, why is a 'war memorial' category requiring me to insert my opinion into the description? what if my opinion wasnt appropriate (just saying)? what does my opinion have to do with the description, isnt that more of a visit topic (relating to memorials)......make someone want to visit it? is that not why i posted it?
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and when someones log/note has info to add to the description (the name of the cemetery) i add that--you know, peer review [which many 'officers' dont really seem to grasp the concept of].....

Don't let a small town stop you from looking for good waymarks.  I am in a small town in Kentucky that is packed with history.  The natives take it all in stride, but I am seeing it with fresh eyes.  When I went looking for Rosemary Clooney's grave, the fellow mowing the grass said casually, "and the rest of the family is going to be buried here to."  How long do I have to wait to waymark George?  Waymarking is a way to see your town through fresh eyes.

I was looking at my map of Upstate New York on my office wall (I'm a Plattsburgh native) and there are some interesting places nearby.  You could head for Ft. Ti or Lake George.  There is a category for new paper stories, and I remember something happened in Lake Placid in 1980, perhaps in figure skating.  Ostego Lake is nearby, and that is the setting for "Last of the Mohicans" and the other book by James Fenmore Cooper.  There are several battlefields nearby.

The point is to be creative.  Don't let your familiarity with an area be an obsticle.  The rest of us are looking at your waymarks with fresh eyes.



 

The whole "fresh eyes" thing is really true. Just check out my waymarks that I have so far. Some of the ones that I have I think are pretty sweet. There is definately more to come. A huge barrel shaped building that is a liqueor store, probably another 30 to 40 cemeteries, an airplane, the underground railroad to name a few and some I already have published, A large gorilla head and hand poking out of the side of a building, a tree eatting a cafe. A car up on a tower. I think some of these are pretty dang sweet. Definately makes me take a second look at all of the places I've geocached. Shrines, aquaducts, waterfalls, historical places, and such. I can't wait to see my simulacra get published. That one is just creepy. The Witch of Prospect Hill!! I also found a burl on the side of a tree where they filmed the original Last of the Mohicans up by broomstick lake. The burl looks like an indians face. Hopefully the old man hasn't changed much and I'll post his pic as a waymark soon. Today I drove by an awesome relic. A 1700's cannon!! well at least I thought it was. It was in front of this guys house and he owns a machine shop. He makes replic cannons and the one I got a pic of is concrete. He did such a nice job I thought it was real. I also have a gecache at a woodcarving place. A ton of sweet artwork there by dozens of different carvers. I really feel like I am starting to open my eyes again. Swizzle

swizzle:

The whole "fresh eyes" thing is really true. Just check out my waymarks that I have so far. Some of the ones that I have I think are pretty sweet. There is definately more to come. A huge barrel shaped building that is a liqueor store, probably another 30 to 40 cemeteries, an airplane, the underground railroad to name a few and some I already have published, A large gorilla head and hand poking out of the side of a building, a tree eatting a cafe. A car up on a tower. I think some of these are pretty dang sweet. Definately makes me take a second look at all of the places I've geocached. Shrines, aquaducts, waterfalls, historical places, and such. I can't wait to see my simulacra get published. That one is just creepy. The Witch of Prospect Hill!! I also found a burl on the side of a tree where they filmed the original Last of the Mohicans up by broomstick lake. The burl looks like an indians face. Hopefully the old man hasn't changed much and I'll post his pic as a waymark soon. Today I drove by an awesome relic. A 1700's cannon!! well at least I thought it was. It was in front of this guys house and he owns a machine shop. He makes replic cannons and the one I got a pic of is concrete. He did such a nice job I thought it was real. I also have a gecache at a woodcarving place. A ton of sweet artwork there by dozens of different carvers. I really feel like I am starting to open my eyes again. Swizzle

Small towns and medium sized cities are my favorite places to waymark.   There are 76 sites in your county which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including a few cemeteries.  I am sure if you checked out some of the cemeteries you will find some Revolutionary War veterans graves.  I looked in the American Guide and there are some interesting sites listed there for your county. 

I have noticed through waymarking, I see things I never paid attention to before... small town to big city there are interesting places to share with others.

What's that american guide and how do I find out how many places in my county are in the national register? I spent a lot of my time on the border of saratoga and fulton couties. I think I'll start targeting some of those places next. I noticed with a few of my Historical Signs that there is usually one to 4 more waymarks all within walking distance. The one spot has an old post office, the underground railroad, an old carriage house, the last covered bridge in saratoga county, a natural waterfall, a manmade waterfall, a stone bridge, a one room school house, 2 museums and a couple other history signs within a half a mile. Is it common to find stacked waymarks of this quailty? Swizzle

swizzle:

What's that american guide and how do I find out how many places in my county are in the national register? I spent a lot of my time on the border of saratoga and fulton couties. I think I'll start targeting some of those places next. I noticed with a few of my Historical Signs that there is usually one to 4 more waymarks all within walking distance. The one spot has an old post office, the underground railroad, an old carriage house, the last covered bridge in saratoga county, a natural waterfall, a manmade waterfall, a stone bridge, a one room school house, 2 museums and a couple other history signs within a half a mile. Is it common to find stacked waymarks of this quailty? Swizzle

The link to American Guide for New York: A Guide to the Empire State.

To find National Register sites in your county so a search from the new National Register search site

 In historical or scenic areas you will often find many high quality waymarks very close to each other. That is one reason I like smaller towns and county seats.  An old county courthouse will often have several waymarks on its grounds.  Often the courthouse is on the NRHP, the courthouse itself, often has a clock, probably a nice cornerstone,  often a veterans memorial or two or more, a cannon or two,  maybe a couple dedicated trees, and probably a historical marker or two.... you get the idea.

Thanx BruceS. Its getting a little late but I'll definately check those sites out tomorrow. Swizzle

swizzle:

I was just wondering what you guys thought about a best of catagory? I was surfing through a bunch of different catagories and I think it'd be a cool idea. Maybe just 1 best of out of each catagory? Just another thought from the peanut gallery. Swizzle

Well, there are the official "Feature Waymarks" that pop up on the Waymarking home page.  (I'd still like a better way to nominate waymarks for inclusion).

Some categories have a "Waymark of the Month" feature, but that's up to each management team.  I've thought about it, but haven't taken the time or done the work to implement it on any of mine.

Waywardwaymaking had a montlhy featured waymark, and featured category.  If we ever get this up and running again, that will be another source.

I suppose it could be done as a category, but, as has mentioned, it would be purely subjective as to what to include.  And, it would cross department lines, unless it is treated as a waymarking game.

Just start your own blog!

silverquill:

swizzle:

I was just wondering what you guys thought about a best of catagory? I was surfing through a bunch of different catagories and I think it'd be a cool idea. Maybe just 1 best of out of each catagory? Just another thought from the peanut gallery. Swizzle

Just start your own blog!

If you're on LiveJournal you could have polls and post best-ofs in the waymarking community.

I really don't know the first thing about blogging. I'm guessing its like your own personal website? As it is right now my computer is ready for this smithsonian. I'm not sure it could handle any extra programs right now. Although blog does sound like something you use to fill in cracks with. Swizzle

swizzle:

I really don't know the first thing about blogging. I'm guessing its like your own personal website? As it is right now my computer is ready for this smithsonian. I'm not sure it could handle any extra programs right now. Although blog does sound like something you use to fill in cracks with. Swizzle

A blog is like this message board, but it's all yours. People can reply to things you have posted, but your the one in control of everything.

Ok thanx for making that a lot clearer then what i had it in my own mind. I think I'll just stick to these forums for now. Thanx for the idea though. Swizzle