MnGCA

Marsha and Silent Bob · Past MnGCA President Joined: 02 Sep 2003 Posts: 6261

Geocaching has been permitted in MnDOT Rest Stops for some time (with an official written policy on their website). Well, they have just recently updated their policy requiring registration and limiting each Rest Area to one cache.

Please view the policy and registration requirements here: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/restareas/policies/policies.html#geocaching

Paklid · Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 8:37 pm Post subject:

I guess I'd like to see the MnGCA work with the DOT to see if we can eliminate the 25 foot rule. The registration process looks easy to me, and though the "one cache" rule is more restrictive than what groundspeak does with proximity, that doesn't bother me that much.

(edited by Paklid to get to the point a little faster)
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-Paklid

King Boreas · Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:34 pm Post subject:

King Boreas · Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:40 pm Post subject:

I'm assuming I was the first to discover this, and got my registration(s) sent in first. Hope Pear Head got his in.

dmnrec · Geocacher Joined: 17 Mar 2005 Posts: 480 Location: Duluth

What about the rest stops that already have more than one?

Pear Head · Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 1:37 pm Post subject:

Pear Head · Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 6:10 pm Post subject:

KB (or anyone else who submitted a registration), did you receive a response back from MnDOT yet?

I sent mine in on Sept 28th and immediately received an automated response back saying that my email had been received and that I should hear back from Rob Williams, MnDOT's Safety Rest Area Program Manager, on or before the next business day.
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Hmm...

Pear Head · Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 6:13 pm Post subject:

King Boreas · Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:18 pm Post subject:

I got the same immediate response. I noted that he only works a half day on Friday, so I assumed I'd hear something on Monday.

It's now LATE Wednesday.

Pear Head · Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:22 pm Post subject:

I think I'm just going to let it ride. The policy requires that we send the email - it doesn't require a conversation with the guy beyond that. I got a receipt that I sent the email - that will be good enough for me.

In the end I'd like to hear from him but can live without.
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Hmm...

Pear Head · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:47 pm Post subject:

I got a reply today from a Rest Area Program Manager thanking me for registering with them in accordance with the policy (and a note apologizing for the delay in responding).
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Hmm...

bflentje · Geocacher Joined: 29 May 2006 Posts: 3673

I was having issues with my Get Spooked #9 cache which was located on the former weigh station property in Rosemount, at the corner of highway 3 and 170th Street, which is now a rest area. The Dakota County Sheriff Department was aggressively running people off this property claiming it was posted.

It is NOT posted and I contacted the state about the issue and here is the response that I got in return:

==============================
Hello Mr. Flentje,

Thank you for bringing the situation to our attention.

I contacted the Dakota County Sheriff's Office regarding your email message. Yesterday, in response to my discussions with them, I received a voice message stating that the Sheriff's Office plans to inform their officers not to ask visitors using the site as a rest area to leave. That is unless the visitors have exceeded the six-hour time restriction or otherwise defied other rest area policies.

Please contact me if you have similar problems in the future.

Take care,
Rob Williams

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Other emails took place between him and I and it WAS determined this property is available for geocaching under the state's rest area geocaching guidelines.

Too bad my cache was removed a few weeks back after the Sheriff threatened to arrest me for even being on the property. Oh well, maybe someone else wants to use this spot.