Geocoinfest 2013 Part 3: Invasion of the Munzees

Geocaching was a gateway drug for me, and I have now slipped further into the geo-abyss after starting to play Munzee in January.  Munzee also uses GPS-enabled smartphones, but instead of searching for geocaching containers, I look for QR-codes to scan.  The QR codes are usually stickers left by other Munzee players and, in San Diego at least, tend to be hidden in urban areas.The game is very different from geocaching because the main goal in Munzee is to score points and collect icons.  There is also a team aspect to the game (via Clans), and special promotional munzees with prizes.  Munzee has done a great job keeping the game fresh and exciting this year.  For more information about how to play, go here.

Special icons I have collected: Note the
Campfire Munzee at bottom (wahoo!)

 Naturally, wherever I go I look to see what munzees are around, and Las Vegas was no exception. Since my time was limited, and I wanted to get some geocaches too, I had to prioritize. So, after visiting John Mulls Meats (see previous post) I drove over to the northern end of the Strip, near the Stratosphere Tower.  My first stop was a Campfire Munzee, so named because the icon looks like a campfire.  They are special munzees put out by Wayward Nation as they travel across the country looking for the American Dream.  You have probably heard about this group (if not, here is their webpage).  It's very cool that they are playing Munzee as they go, but they do not leave many, so it is a real challenge to get this icon.

  I got to the Tower around 7:30 am, and parked in a small lot near a hotel and despite the early hour, there were still quite a few people out and about.  Not many tourists, but a lot of down and out folks and a bunch of girls that looked like they were probably just getting off work.  Interesting mix, that's for sure. I followed my GPSr to ground zero (GZ), where the munzee should be and I spent probably 10-15 minutes looking for a sticker on an electrical box, sign, railing, bench, fire hydrant, or any one of a number likely hiding spots.  My GZ kept bringing me back to a point just under the SkyJump.  Bungie jumping off of a tall tower was not my idea of a good time, but some people are crazy like that.  It was at that moment that I realized my GZ was probably correct horizontally, but not vertically.  Yeah, it was probably up in the tower. My acrophobia cackled at its success in keeping me from my goal.  I was undaunted, though, I knew there was another Campfire Munzee I could hit on the way home.  As you can see from my specials list, I was successful, but that's a story for another post.

Capping virtual munzees on Las Vegas Blvd

The 'virtual' Strip that only Munziers
 know about

   The Strip was an obvious place to go because there is also a high density of Virtual Munzees.  Virtuals are great because you don't have to scan anything, you just need to be within 300' of where the owner placed it on the map as determined by the phone GPS. The plan was to drive slowly along Las Vegas Blvd, try to catch some sights, and capture munzees at every red light.  Many of the munzees were placed in the middle of the road or on the sidewalk, so it was relatively easy to cap them from the car.  I capped several hundred points worth of munzees on two trips up and back.  At five points per capture, it was a lot of munzees! The screenshot on the right is one section of Las Vegas Blvd near the Bellagio.  The red icons are the virtuals I found, the white ones are virtuals I haven't capped yet, and the green ones are traditional munzees. Some of the virtuals shown here are new ones people deployed after my trip, while others I missed (usually because I couldn't find a good place to stop the car to cap). This means I'll have to go back to Vegas and pick up the ones I missed.  It's a sacrifice, I know, but one that I'm willing to  make for Munzee.