So, do any of you hate the research that one has to do when trying to locate a waymark for a new category? For me the best kind of waymark is the happy surprise. You know, you stop at a rest area to stretch your legs and there's a Pony Express marker. Something like that.
I don't just hate "presearching" for categories that I'm not fond of. Even searching out spots for some of the categories that I think are pretty fun, like the new Philatelic Locations category, grates on me. It's just not the same as happening upon a spot. I suppose that some of the problem is that I'm just lazy that way. However, I don't at all mind doing research on a spot once I've been there and taken a waymark. I love doing that research and even enjoy writing up the waymarks.
Luckily I have some great waymarking pals who at times will send me tips - Bruce let me know that the Einstein Memorial statue that I had recently waymarked could be posted in the new Extraterrestrial category. He even gave me a link to the page about Einstein Crater. Here's the waymark I posted for that one. 8Nuts MotherGoose were a lazy waymarker's dream! When we visited them on a road trip through the Midwest, they showed up with all kinds of possible spots for waymarks in categories that I didn't yet have: a Zinc Headstone, an Iowa SHM, a Grave of a Famous Person... They even found a great spot for our "Waymarking Sticker Seeker" photo. I'm sure there have been others who've helped me out also.
So, now I still have to look up a Safe Haven place, a Big Brother Big Sister location, an Angel of Hope statue, Buddhist and Hindu temples, where Seattle's ghost bikes are located... I'm not dissing the categories, it's just I really don't have much interest in them (other than the ghost bikes) and so its a bit of a pain to find them. And even if I do find one in Washington, it may be over in Eastern Washington or something, and I am not even hardcore enough to make a special trip to Seattle to grab a waymark, which is only about a 30 minute drive. Then I will have to add it to my list of "next time I happen to be in Spokane" list.
Above you see the Burger Chef location that I waymarked last weekend. I've known about the 5 or 6 Portland, Oregon locations for quite awhile, but just managed to find the time to look for them while down visiting my sister and brother-in-law.
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3 comments:
I guess this is where I am the opposite. I enjoy searching out locations, I will even search out ones I probably will never get to. No doubt I enjoy running into surprise waymarks and have many which were surprises. As I enter several waymarks from West Point I keep running into information I wished I had search before I went (last minute decision to head up that way) So many great waymarks I was very close to but didn't realized they were there. Guess it gives me an an excuse to go back, I guess I shouldn't really stay away for 28 years from my alma mater like I did before this visit.
Like Bruce, I enjoy scoping out locations for categories that I have the most interest in (historical markers, NRHP, neon). It is also nice to find a good waymark for a new category, but the best is to stumble upon an especially interesting example to post in a category. Like a 20ft zinc headstone http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM2GAB or a Googie water tower http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM45RR or Edsel Ford's 15,000 square foot sheep barn http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM3F3A (which unfortunately collapsed in June 2008).
I'm with you on preferring to find the cool stuff spontaneously.
I do presearch Texas Historical Markers in my home area, but I've gotten to where I do NOT when I travel. We just hit the Highway (as opposed to the freeway) and keep our eyes open.
Meanwhile. On the Safe Place thing--Do you have QT (QuikTrip) gas stations up there? All of those, nationwide, are Safe Places.
You might eyeball the nearest Fire Station or Library as well. I think most of those around here are also Safe Places...just not sure about up there.
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