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Re: Interstate Challenges

Interstate Challenges
May 06, 2016 12:21AM
I am just throwing this out here to see about the possibility. One of the types of challenges I really enjoy working on as I travel around the United States are the interstate challenges. Now that having a checker is a requirement of publication, I was wondering if it is even possible to create a checker for this category.

Here is an example for I-64 that I own: http://coord.info/GC25F7P

The basic concept of the challenge is to find two caches, one on each side of the freeway that are within ten miles of each other. You need to do this for each state that the interstate goes through.

My assumption is that you would need to create two polygons for each state that an interstate runs through. One for each side and then do a search to see if there are a pair of caches within ten miles of each other. Would these be similar to the county polygons that we now use?

Just trying to get a general feel if it is possible and how hard it is going to be if it is possible.
Thanks,
-Boreal Walker
Re: Interstate Challenges
May 06, 2016 11:48AM
Yes that is true. You have to create one polygon for each side of the road. My guess is it will be easiest of you extend the polygons so the other border is a more then 10 miles from the road when is loops to close the polygon to a loop. I would draw it with a few as possible lines that is always more then 10 miles but less then perhaps 30 miles.
I would ask the CO if the polygon is acceptable for the challenge bur it is you in this cache.

I now assume that the path of the I-64 is nice. That if you follow it from east to west your will always increase. Else the definition och south and north of the road will be strange and some caches can be both north and south of the road.
And that the I-64 is just one one line and have no branches that are considered a part of the I-64.

The checker will then find the caches that are inside the polygons and finds pairs between the groups and finds pairs that is less the 10 miles apart from different group.


You have the rule
Quote

3. You must find two caches of your own choosing in each of the states listed above.
Does that mean that both caches in a pair has to be in the same state?
If that is a requirement the problem is easier to code for when only one pair in a state is required. If not there will be solutions with more then 12 caches that is hard to check for.

The rules of caches after the end of the road can result in strange result
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One final requirement is that a straight line drawn between the two caches must touch I-64 at some point. This requirement comes into play only if I-64 begins or ends abruptly somewhere within a state.
Because the definition of what a cache north and south of the road after the end of the road is there might be som strange result.
Look at Happy Acreas Magnetic and depending of how you interpret the north and south of the road after the end there will be different result. A

I would argue that
url=http://coord.info/GC3D2F4]Happy Acreas Magnetic[/url]
Back to Nature
is a ok pair of caches with your current rules
Happy Acreas Magnetic is north of the road because you can walk a line due south and hits the road
Back to Nature is south if the road because you can walk due north and hit the road.
A line between them will hit the road and all requirements are met.
This is because because the road loops back around Norfolk and the caches are both north and south of the road.

Your north south division of the caches have problems
Can the followin caches be used Break Time Walk This Way?
Break Time is neither north or south of the road. All parts of theroad is east of the caehce and Walk This Way is inside a loop and the road is less then 4 miles due north and south of the cache.

Is New Years Eve - 2015 and The Zoo of Death a ok pairs of caches? One have the road due south of it and the other due north. They are less then 10 miles apart. But if you drive along the I-64 from Richmond starting east both caches will be on your left side when you pass them because the road loops back.

I know that is look like meaningless niceties but i code is written for a challenge all caches has to be considered.
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