Jump to content

2oldfarts (the rockhounders)

Members
  • Posts

    4102
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by 2oldfarts (the rockhounders)

  1. We also had many pictures on Panoramio with all of them tagged for us as places that were very special to us and knew others would enjoy them also. = gone. But we have them on our computers yet. And then they shut down my favorite place here on GC = Off Topic. I cannot fathom the reasoning on that one either. I have been very hurt since my Husband died Jan. of 2019 and Off Topic then died and now, Benchmarking is dead and wiped off of the site, so I cannot even go look at our finds and remember happy times. I do not think that much else can be taken away from me anymore, except this forum that we both had posted in. It also, will be the next to be deleted I suppose. At least I do not feel targeted anymore like I did when I first learned of GC's decisions, as there are so many others that have lost so much when they did this without proper notification to everyone via the news letters or emails or texts like we got when our premium dues were due. That would have been the correct and thoughtful way to do this. I appreciate these threads here in the benchmarking forums. Thanks everyone for the time that everyone took in uploading and going out to find hundreds of beautiful places where the marks were located and logging them for everyone to enjoy. And to those who came here to play and tell about the really good times they had and also be in the many benchmark contests that were run here by several people. They are in my memory until the day I die. May all of the people who touched our lives and who became our friends have a good life and still enjoy the outdoors and take many pictures... I miss so many of you all... Love to you all. Shirley Bloomfield = half of the 2oldfarts (the rockhounders)
  2. Thank you Ernmark, that will be wonderful. I am pretty much done with GC now as they have taken away so much from me that I had found a link to my life with John, I will go to other sites now to play and converse with several other people who I now consider friends. I will miss all of the great people who were Benchmark hunters and posted here in this forum. It was an exciting time of my life.
  3. So, does that mean that they are totally on your computer/s now and you can view them without it taking you back to GC to view them. The file that I have on my computer only takes me back to GC to view the files, which will not be there after they delete Benchmarking from their site?... Just wondering. My other half that would have known such things, died in January 2019, so now I know nothing about what will happen now.
  4. Thank you very much for your reply and what you are doing and why. May God bless you. Shirley~
  5. I am wondering why you would like to know this? I mean there are many who have enjoyed finding benchmarks as well as geocaches. Klemmer comes to mind and Me and Bucky who is one of those who has logged thousands of caches as well as many benchmarks. But, anyone who has found and enjoyed the finding and logging benchmarks will be sad to not to be able to log anymore of them. If you can bring them all some semblance of hope or an alternative, we would all like to know. Thank you for your time. Sincerely Shirley, half of 2oldfarts (the rockhounders)
  6. You keep using that word "Retirement". I am retired and still here and functioning properly and alive and mostly the same as I have always been. What you are doing is the deletion of anything to do with Benchmark Hunting, except the found count. So, I kind of resent that "Retirement" is used in this action you will be taking on the 4th of January. Please refrain from using that word because I, myself am not deleted! Thank you for telling us the date that it will be deleted. Shirley~ 2oldfarts (the rockhounders)
  7. I am posting this so if there in anyone still checking back here every once in a while, you will know the date that it will go poof. January 4, 2023. Goodbye everyone. It was great while it lasted. Sincerely, Shirley - half of the 2oldfarts (the rockhounders)
  8. Thank you so much for posting that. We were given an Agency Code to report to the NGS as quoted below from https://www.geocaching.com/mark/#geocac "Do we have an agency code for reporting to the NGS? Yes, you can use the GEOCAC agency code for your report." Many took advantage of that code because they wanted to go that extra step. Many were just logging on the Geocaching benchmarking their finds and that was good, no matter which way you wanted to go. So, it was more important to the people than just finding caches. It meant something to us that Dave Doyle took his time to come to the Benchmarking forums to see what was going on and would often join our discussions. I understand GC's saying the code is old, but you cannot understand our reasons for updating that code to keep something that has much more meaning than anything else that GC stood for, Caching? It is taking something out in the world and leaving it somewhere for others to find and then forget. Benchmarks are permanently placed by professionals for a real reason other than a game. Keeping adding logs for said benchmarks helped to keep knowledge about what condition said benchmarks are currently in and letting NGS have that knowledge. They are strapped for help and we happily provided that to Dave D when we found something that had been logged as a did not find by a professional surveyor. At times it was more than just a game. I hope John, who died in January of 2019 is proud of me for trying my best to explain this fact of why Benchmarking matters and therefore worth the effort to update said old code and renew what could even be bigger and better than what this site had started with. By using several databases from around the world to allow everyone worldwide have the joy and wonder that was felt by everyone here on GC. It was not our fault that you (GC) did not update and bring in all of the people who had done benchmarks here in the USA and then go home to another country and started up there own databases of the benchmarks in their countries on a local level. The others have posted about the years that we had to hunt for where you had hidden Benchmarking, that was true, but we always searched and found it. You could have had just as many people hunting Benchmarks all over the world if you would have just taken the time to enhance it to include more worldwide benchmark data bases. It is your own fault, not ours that you did not make money in this area like you could have done. Shirley half of the 2oldfarts (the rockhounders)
  9. I used to live in Page, AZ. where it is the hub of several National parks and our little town had over 5 million visitors to our small town, where they have built many motels now. There is the Watchtower inside the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park that is a benchmark in itself. And at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, there are many well logged marks regular and some spectacular that were being logged over and over, to make the enjoyment of just being at these wonderful parks, the same also apply at Bryce National Park, and Zion National Park as well where millions of people visit each year. There is another mark between Page and heading north along highway 89 that you can pull over to log Mollies Nipple. A now famous mountain peak that is a benchmark that can be seen there and from Brice NP and other places. We have a wonderful country that has many things to do. The National Parks have learned that many people have been finding and logging benchmarks, so they sell replicas of those that within the National parks, and make a goodly amount off of those, we 2oldfarts ( the rockhounders) bought several to give away to the winners of the contests we had in the Benchmarking forums. GC could have been making money off of that kind of replicas plus keychains with small benchmarks or necklaces or stationary with Benchmarking logos. So many ways to pull in money off of our sport that you did not take advantage of. You could have made money off of our sport, not hide it. Not belittle it. NGS felt it important enough they had a locked thread at the top to explain how to go the NGS site and how to send in recoveries to them. You act like we were not an important part of GC, but you are wrong. It was a sport that was more important than any geocache could ever be. Shirley, what is left of the 2oldfarts (the rockhounders) and now 1oldfart somewhere. where it matters. If you would like to know where, just contact me.
  10. Sooo, if the Locationless caches weren't deleted, where are they? Also, I know it is a business, but businesses need to listen to their customers otherwise they will slowly but surly, not have that business after disappointing said customers being treated wrongly in the eyes of said customers. Plus, the head NGS Surveyor and others were constantly on the Benchmarking Forums to check on the errors we found (we had Dave D and a couple of others) that would check our logs here on GC and update their existing NGS data without our posting on the NGS ourselves. That happened in many cases. Now, there will no longer be that small back and forth ever again. We felt we had something extra here that in it's small way, was actually doing something good instead of just going out and leaving caches all over the world as a game. So, do not belittle the importance of Benchmark Hunting and our small part with harvesting information.
  11. By Jove, My Dear Watson, you have hit the nail on the head. If we were to transfer the info from our benchmarking finds onto Waymarking, they will probably be non-functional due to the links to Benchmark hunting being deleted. So it would be a waste of time for each of us to try to save that info by just transferring by clicking and moving it. So, if we were to want to try to save any of our logs, we would have to retype each and every one and upload new pictures also. With so many logs that, my dear Watson, would be undo-able in the amount of time they have given us. That is why it seems that was just thrown out to the benchmark crowd to seem like there was a solution. But if it was that easy, the powers that be could have just transferred all of data over to Waymarking themselves. Just saying... It is just another feature of GC that will be deleted like Locationless Caches, and others that they just decide for whatever reasons to delete without the members getting to vote on the matter. Plain and simple.
  12. It is called Complete Deletion of anything benchmark on GC. It was like when people had and found Locationless Caches = Delete. Simple. I still think that the Geocachers should get to vote on whether or not that complete sections of GC be deleted. But, I have been proven wrong on the LC's and now the Benchmarking. It was glorious while both of those lasted. Just saying.
  13. https://forums.geocaching.com/GC/index.php?/topic/226226-a-good-day/ Okay, I found a thread on Benchmarking Forum that I think might give people an idea why it means so much to all of us benchmarker hunters, please go and check this one out before it all goes away... My favorite part of it starts on page 2 about half way down the page, my post that says - YAHOO! We had a blast on Saturday and Sunday!! And be sure to check out the picture of the square white granite post with the one of the letters USBM chiseled into each corner and a perfect chiseled square in the center. Please read that one and then go down three posts later to see just how many marks we found and how old and how he was answering Okie by telling him the distance from the spot that it was posted on the NGS data sheet had been off and that was why he had not found it. (which was changed by Dave D after he found out about it.) In that thread so many tell of times like that of going out and finding something that had not been found since it was placed so long ago. I shall remember always those special days I had with my husband of almost 50 years just going out and finding those sometimes elusive marks. My best to you all. And may you enjoy whatever you find to do in this world and don't forget to share those good times with others... Just saying. That was our passion, geocaching was just a side game we did if there were any close by a benchmark. Sincerely Shirley~
  14. And here is my story for that GREAT Day 12 years ago so you don't have to go back page 2 to read it!
  15. Now, this brings back so many memories that was searching for. If John was still alive, he would have known just where to look for this thread and which pids to pull up to look at before they are deleted!!! I am sitting here crying now just thinking how much will be lost to me - it's just one more piece of John that is being striped away from me... I never thought that GC could be so cruel to the people who have loved this site so much. May God Bless each and everyone who I have had contact with and come to call my friends... Peace, Love and the best of the rest of your lives... I will miss you all... Shirley~ 1 oldfart
  16. Countdown until midnight. Anyone want to make any bets on how long until this forum will be deleted - lock, stock and barrel? And how long they leave up the Benchmarking logging? I guess it doesn't matter much one way or the other... To me it was worth it to be able to see my hubby happy. A happy hubby is a wonderful thing... That should be a song... Just saying.
  17. Thank you Dave D for coming back here to add your thoughts and your Email address for us to use if we choose to do so. You have always been in the forums when we have had questions and either you or Z15 has answered all of the them or some of out long time benchmark hunters who have been so good about logging into the NGS their professionally written logs there. It has been a privilege to me to get to know so many good people and professional people on this forum. Soon this forum will be gone along with all of our logs on GC. But our memories of the good times will remain. I feel sorry for those people that never got the chance to go hunt for those very old benchmarks and have that thrill when they are able to see something very old and still there and in good shape and then able to log it also. I hope that something else will come up somewhere some day that will rival what we had and accomplished here. Goodbye everyone! It was wonderful while it lasted. Love to you all, my dear friends... Shirley~
  18. Well, since this Benchmarking forum might be deleted along with all of the Benchmark logs, I wanted to post on this special one that so many of the people I know so well posted to for me to see what they found. Chiseled marks are very special and we met so many of the people who posted here at one time or another and of course Harry Dolphin was in Off Topic and it has been shut down and probably soon to be discarded. So that is the reason I am posting here to be able to look at all of the posts in this thread before it is deleted. I hope others that are interested in chiseled marks (which some were from the 1800's) will enjoy looking at what some of us have found. If anyone else would like to post their logs here, do so and I will be checking back until the end of it all. Thanks everyone here that have been such a big part of my life, and if John were still alive, he would thank you also. Sincerely, Shirley Bloomfield - Half of the 2oldfarts
  19. I agree wholeheartedly, but the powers that be has already made up their minds. We lose a lot enjoyment from a sport that we all loved for so many years. Below is where you may go to read about the entire thing and the why of what they are doing. Something about the Benchmark program code being to old to mess with as it would take to much time and money to update the entire Benchmarking side of GC. I have now accepted it, but with so much sadness and soon even this forum here will be deleted also. Sincerely, Shirley - half of the 2oldfarts (the rockhounders)
  20. I also have fond memories of John getting with you and quite a few others to benchmark hunt. Those strings of square shiny white rock posts with U, S, G, S on each corner with a perfect chiseled square in the center. I would have to pour through so many ones of those logs to find those posts. They were beautiful! And I remember we followed your finds as well. You have found so many in very rough places... I will miss you and all of the others that we had gone hunting either benchmarks or Locationless Caches on this site. It once was the place to come to for fun of many types. It was good to hear from you again. Shirley, = half of the 2oldfarts (the rockhounders)
  21. Wow! That is amazing... We had a local tour guide that had been a regular shopper in Safeway where I worked and he was kind enough to take us around to where he had seen them inside the dam. He thought it was rather funny that we were so excited to be able to log those at all, but he was pleased to help us out in that way. Thank you for letting me know that we were very lucky to have been able to get pictures and go places that others cannot go now. Sincerely, Shirley Bloomfield
  22. Thank you Bill93 for posting this! This is one that I would like to go see before I die. I love historic things and this one is just so cool! Wow! But soon even this post will be gone from this site and no one will be able to see this. Hmmm, I know, I will post it in that thread for Release Notes along with the picture. There it will remain until they either delete it or the site goes under and no more GC exists.
  23. Details for Benchmark: JV3199 Location: In WASHINGTON county, MD View Original Datasheet Designation: A Marker Type: NGS Benchmark This was the very first BM in the C&GS /NGS Leveling, in other words it is the very first Benchmark! = That folks is historic! I do believe this mark is one that is a perfect example why the people love Benchmarking that enhances there ability to enjoy GC and all of these logs (99) will be gone with many people wondering where they went due to the fact that most regular people that log these either don't come to the forums very often or they don't see this thread nor do they do Waymarking. So, tell me how great this site is that they do not inform the very people with regular emails about what is about to drastically change the site? Hmmmm, you do not even think about the feelings of hundreds or even thousands of people that will be angry to learn that there logs are gone? Now what? You just tell them that they should watch the rather hidden forum at the top of the forum pages that is almost opaque and to know to click there to see what the people that have control of this site are planning? This is a very strange way to run a site that is supposed to be run for the people that play here. Just another point to consider. PS, now I would really like to go there and see this one with my own eyes before I die. Another Bucket List thing. Hmmmm, maybe that would make a good Waymark?
  24. I have one last thing to say... Finds = 1211 result(s), Didn't Finds = 184 result(s), Mark destroyed = 43 result(s), All logs = 1465 result(s), = a work of love and fun of the hunt. Was it all worth it? Yes~ And that my friends and that is what GC is taking away from people who might have enjoyed this sport as much as the 2oldfarts did. May you all one day realize the heartache that you have caused to what you think of as a small group of people... Where I thought this site was made to make all of GC people happy in the hunt of many things. So I will go my way now and may God bless you all and bring happiness to your souls. That is what I was taught, to bless those that have done you wrong and to understand that they know not what they do that harms so many in so many ways. Sincerely, Shirley Bloomfield PS: You may now alter my post as you wish.
×
×
  • Create New...