simpjkee

I searched for a particular cache over ten times before I found it. I logged my first 3 or 4 trips as DNF's. On the last DNF I added a line saying "in an effort not to clutter your cache page, I'm gunna not log a DNF after this vist for a while". I think logging DNF's are extremely important. However, I think it's a bit overkill to look at a cache and see that the last number of logs are DNF's by the same person.

I'm so happy to see where this is going. There are so many good ideas! However, I hate for us to get too far ahead of ourselves. As it stands, for whatever reason, we have no way of even knowing how many posts we've made and this flaw is what needs to be addressed first and foremost. Once this problem is fixed, we can work toward improving the post count statistics. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." -Lao Tzu

It matters to me. Having off topic posts in my post count would benefit me because I would like to see a count of the total number of posts I've made. Without Off Topic posts counting, this 'post count' under my username is inaccurate. Why do you want to know how many posts you've made? Honestly, I'm not sure why. Theres just some desire in my brain that wants to know these kinds of figures. Probably similar to my desire to know how many caches I've found, how many times I've seen my favorite movie, or how many plays a certain song on my iPod has gotten. In this case, an easy compromise could be made. The total post count can include the off-topic subforum but the total number is removed from public display and is only available in a personal stats page. A compromise to the compromise would be a negative-option opt-in strategy. Your total post count is hidden by default, unless you check off a box somewhere in your settings. I remember this being suggested as an option for the cache find count, in the past, no? I'm open to both ideas. I think I prefer the first. In fact, we had that, but it doesn't work anymore. see post number: 23, 24, and 25. Either way, the current system for tallying post counts is flawed.

It matters to me. Having off topic posts in my post count would benefit me because I would like to see a count of the total number of posts I've made. Without Off Topic posts counting, this 'post count' under my username is inaccurate. Why do you want to know how many posts you've made? Honestly, I'm not sure why. Theres just some desire in my brain that wants to know these kinds of figures. Probably similar to my desire to know how many caches I've found, how many times I've seen my favorite movie, or how many plays a certain song on my iPod has gotten.

It matters to me. Having off topic posts in my post count would benefit me because I would like to see a count of the total number of posts I've made. Without Off Topic posts counting, this 'post count' under my username is inaccurate.

I highly doubt it. TPTB stopped looking at this thread after the first post.

- Have to believe you on that one. That I'm not checking. - Haven't needed it since the seventies and Mein Deutsch ist etwas eingerostet, oder nicht so gut. I used an internet translator and I assure you that my German speaking off topic forum post was on topic to the off topic thread I posted in.

I'm not sure what you're suggesting. That posting in off topic is not about geocaching?

I just made a shocking discovery! Went in to the German speaking Off Topic forum and made a post. To my surprise, the post counted toward my total post count! So English speaking Off Topic posts don't count, but German speaking Off Topic posts do? I think if the German Off Topic posts count, it's time the English Off Topic posts count as well.

Don't replace an abondoned cache. Abandoned caches need to be put out of their misery. Time to let it go. If you want a cache there, list your own after this one has been abandoned. Then be patient and in 7 years you'll be able to tout the history of your cache.

Yep. You found the original (now archived) cache and logged your find. If you want to log a find on the new caches, you need to go find them.

<------Loner I've definitely got a loner personality so, not surprisingly, I prefer to cache alone. I like controlling my own schedule and stuff. I'm stubborn and selfish like that and with a second person I have to 'give and take', which I'm not very good at yet. I'm trying to learn to be less self-centered and more social though. I have ample oppurtunity to cache with other people if I want to. I've cached with other people on group hikes when I needed hiking experience and was afraid to go it alone. Every so often my brother will insist on coming with me because he has started to like hiking. I've hiked/cached with my dad once. If I wanted to cache with other people more, I would tout the bonding oppurtunity and health benefits to my family. I'd also start calling (or emailing) people who have given me their phone numbers over the years at events and stuff and plan something. I think I've always had some shame about being a loner, because 'loner' is used as a derogatory term, and "if you're a loner then something is wrong with you", and people have told me it's not a good trait to have. I used to always blame my aloneness on my non traditional work schedule, but inside I prefer it because it affords me the oppurtunity to be the loner I am. Today, I just recognize my lonerness as who I am, and all I need to be is just me. So I'm more comfortable with it than I used to be. #foreveralone

I've been feeling a little anxiety lately searching for caches that are boldly placed right in front of stores and such. A couple times I've gone in and told someone who works there "hey theres a geocache in front of your store. You mind if I look around for it?" They usually ask for a brief explanation and then either say 'yes no problem' or they come out and help look for it. Some might accuse me of compromising the cache location, but if it's right in front of a store the store owner should have been notified before placement and given the okay for it to be there. When I'm honest and someone knows what I'm doing, I don't feel anxious about it. Its when I'm trying to employ 'stealth' and looking all suspicious that I feel anxiety.

I've posted charts from my stats in my logs. I just go to my stats page. Take a screen shot by pressing "PrintScreen" button on the keyboard. Then I open up a bitmap image in MS Paint and paste the screenshot there. Then I crop the picture so it only shows what I want it to show. Then I upload that picture in to my log just as I would any other picture. If I wanted to post the stats on my cache page itself, I would create the pic the same way and then edit my cache page to include the picture. Is that what you mean?

No. I have 'watched' a cache that I will probably never get to though.

No, the Germans are said to collect trackables (Complete nonsense, I say). They have a good record of only logging caches/events that they actually attended. hmmmm...I've found the exact opposite to be true, but ok.

This is exactly what I was thinking. +1 and +1 so +2 I actually tried to do this the other day and was a little bummed that it wouldn't work. That did influence this thread a little bit.

Look ahead to the area you plan to visit and see if there is a person who puts on many events. Try to figure out if there is a most popular even location. Maybe you will need to ask someone about this. Set up and host your own event at a good local place (that many locals will enjoy) on your first day in the area. You will meet many of the locals, and become their friend for giving them an event to attend. I would highly reccomend this. I've done it twice and made instant friends both times. The people at the event were really cool and offered to cache with me and such. They also gave or offered their phone numbers. They suggested caches that I just had to go find while in town. They gave me hints on some harder caches in the area and explained some of the common terminology of the area that I was unfamiliar with. They also suggested hikes and what to expect that I may be unprepared for.

I don't know how to fix it, but just so you're not alone....this has happened to me also. My first and second find have always been switched. Whenever I used stats programs it always showed my first find as being my second and I've had to manually switch it and lock it so that what is listed as my second find is actually first as it should be. I tried deleting my logs and relogging them, but have never figured out how to fix it. I haven't noticed it any other time for me though. Just those first two finds.

On my caches, I welcome any and all photos (aside from nudity and stuff that the website would not allow). I love to post photos and never had someone complain. I rarely post photos of the cache itself though since I think a lot of owners would frown upon having their tricky cache spoiled. I would encourage the OP to post those pics as part of sharing the cache finding experience!

You can't have a cache listed on gc.com and then tell certain cachers that they can't find it or that they have to wait to find it. That's ridiculous, regardless of wether he put a new log in it or not. On the same token the CO can proclaim one person FTF over another, but you can also proclaim you were FTF over the other person, because who cares? The cachers involved can sort or not sort that out among themselves if they really want to.

.....and why are the people who do this overwhelmingly German??

How about it's a good cache but the CO has disappeared from the scene? Some folk are trying to keep it going by replacing logbooks etc but the best solution is to archive it and recreate it as a Mk II version with a CO who is willing to maintain. (If the numbers freaks want to find it again to boost their total then more power to their elbow). I have a replacement cache where the original was a 4.5T as it was a steep scramble down a scrub covered bank to an old 1885 gun emplacement. Since the cache placement the site had been done up so it was a 2T tops. The cache had been muggled, the CO was no longer in the game so I asked him to archive, which he did and I created an "identical" cache. Identical that is except for the terrain rating, the actual location, (and a better write up IMHO). I could have adopted it but that would have meant changing the terrain rating and that wouldn't have been fair for earlier finders. On the other hand I also adopted a cache at a railway station, where the only real difference is the location and container type. yeah I thought of this, but I got the impression from the OP that it was his own cache that he was archiving and then relisting.

12. If you hide a cache in front of your house, consider putting the house number in the description or hint just to make sure people go in the right yard and don't go in the wrong yard.

...on second thought, I suppose there may be a good reason to do this, but I'm not sure what it would be. Josua, why do you want to do this? Simply so that people re find it?