boisestate

Added a Idaho USA flag - hit me back with that Slovak flag ?

I like to send private "thank you for the nice log" messages to particularily good logs (unique and enjoyable to read) and to logs/cachers that award fav. points to any of my caches. A lot of times I get a return response and sometimes i do not, either way i'm OK. i.e. "Thank you for the kind log and awarded favorite point on our Guardian cache, we really appreciate reading awesome logs like yours. Sounds like you guys had a blast. Hope to catch you on the trail soon. - boisestate crew"

August 2015 Final Geocaching Block Party week. We were late in requesting our HQ tour tickets and the tour "sold out" during the entire week we would be in Seattle for the block party. We were bummed but we accepted the fate. Mid week while going for GC49HR7 (HQGT: Beneath Aurora) we ran into another goecacher at GZ. After a brief greeting and conversation, we were offered four tickets (the exact amount we needed) to the HQ tour. He explained that his group had extra tickets that they wouldn't be able to use. The coincidence was pretty awesome and we got to enjoy the HQ tour.

If you can replace it periodically, when it starts to deteriorate...I say go for it. Regular maintenance is the key.

We have 3 caches (one of them recently archived) that use resettable padlocks. Guardian of the logbook = resettable word padlock 3years no issues, finally archived this cache due to persistent muggle activity, somebody actually cut the lock hasp and took entire contents inside the cache. The whole cache is otherwise undamaged. We decided it was time to archive. 208 = approaching 3years with virtually zero problems Walk in the park = placed January 2018...only one find so far. So far so good. NOTE: we were in Seattle 2015, Woodland Zoo has two caches that used resettable combo locks. One we opened easily, the other we could not access. After following the logs, it appears they have periodic issues with the resettable locks. Feel free to PM me if you need any other information.

Airsoft...thanks for this. I tried this code on our cache and it seems to work well in the app for what I want it to do. If you click on the link in the app, it takes you to the geocaching.com cache page then forwards the page straight to the in-house solution checker. I think I'll give this a try, see if cachers end up using it or not. Of course I like the idea of using GeoCheck for the stats purposes but I like the idea of trying the "in-house" products too. You can see the code put to use in our cache GC5Q2A0. Thanks again.

Just updated our puzzle cache and included use of the "in-house" solution checker to see how it goes. Couple of things I noticed right away: 1) If you enter wrong coordinates into the solution checker...a message shows " Those coordinates are not correct. You have 9 tries left." So now I 'm just curious to what happens when someone enters too many wrong attempts. Are you timed out? For how long? 2) The solution checker does not show up in the app so is there a way for app users to check solutions out in the field? Has anyone put this solution checker to use yet? Any feedback on this? Just curious - thanks.

Are there significant differences in difficulty / terrain between the two caches? Seems even slight increases in difficulty or terrain can noticeably reduce cache traffic. I believe the Official App only shows up to 1.5D x 1.5T caches for non-premium members. Non premium members can see higher D/T caches using the website though but it seems like most newer cachers predominately use the App only. Just my $0.02.

We just did this with our most recently published multi cache. The original cache had 3 very cool locations in a fairly saturated area. The original CO was unable to maintain his great multi cache due to health reasons. I happened to check the cache page while it was in the final archive warning stage so I contacted the CO to ask about adoption. We got the COs OK to adopt but never heard back and the CO never initiated the adoption. The cache ended up getting archived so we prepared the "re-birth" using the same coords and added a few twist to the multi cache. You can check out our cache page from our profile, it's currently our only multi cache (still yet to be found). If you like the spot enough, I would definitely set up a new cache.

I was in Las Vegas a few months back and looked for a couple of different parking garage caches at the resort I was staying. The first one I found quickly because the clue gave away which floor to look. The second one (different parking garage at the same resort) I DNF after two good long searches, it got pretty frustrating. Not to mention there were security cameras EVERYWHERE so I was fully prepared to the explain to the security crew what the heck I was doing loitering in the parking garage...after all I was a guest at the resort so I'm sure I would have been OK. I saw a third similar cache about a block away, after the DNF on the 2nd resort parking garage cache I decided to not even bother looking for it. (Totally my opinion here) I am not a fan of caches that use multi levels (i.e. parking garages, stairs, small bridges etc.) to add difficulty to a hide. For sure it can add difficulty to the hide...especially if you don't give much information in the clue. If that's what you are going for then you will enjoy creating such a cache. If there is not already a cache of this type in your area, I would say go for it. Different cachers like different types of hides and I know some will enjoy it. - Have fun.

Here is the rule from geocaching.com website: https://www.geocaching.com/play/guidelines#intro Logging Event Caches Any Event Cache (including Mega-, Giga- and CITO Events) can be logged online if the geocacher has physically attended the event. Event Cache attendees are not required to sign a logbook.

Totally agree. Funny, up till just now, we didn't know there was a time before FPs. We have only been caching since 2014, I still consider our crew rookies.

The highest FP caches we have ever encountered were in Seattle HQ Geo Tour and NONE of those caches are Premium Only. High favorite points can be an indication of high traffick or older age of cache (i.e. a cache was placed over 15years ago and has tons of finds - older virtual caches are a good example). If you're using FP to gauge quailty of a cache...the cache's FP ratio is a much better indicator. At geocaching.com, If you scroll over a caches FP, you can click to view the FP ratio which is FP / # of premium logs. Check it out.

Shout out to "Ice and Wind" for all the Idaho reviewer work - thanks we all appreciate you

How about (T.I.N.Y.) Teentsy Infinitesimal Nucleic Yocto...

No issues here but I would consider us low maintenance cache owners. All of our caches were published quickly and any cache placement questions we've had so far have been answered in a timely manner. - no complaints here.

Any forum users have experience using UV paint in a cache placement? We are considering adding a UV element to parts of a new multi-cache we are building and would like to hear from those who have experience with this. UV paint does not need to be included, we just thought it could add a fun element. We have some experience finding a few UV lab caches that required a UV flashlight to find a hidden code...we thought they were super fun. Those lab caches were found at dusk and at night. A few questions: 1) Maintenance...how often do you need to re-apply the UV paint? I have read that direct sunlight will wear out the UV paint quicker. 2) To read the UV paint (using UV flashlight) do you need full darkness (night) or can it be read during daylight in shaded areas (i.e. UV paint on a rock under a shaded tree – during the day). 3) How much will the UV element reduce cache traffic? Not all cachers have UV flashlights so this will deter some from even attempting the cache. 4) If you are a CO to a UV cache...would you do it again? Thanks for any help here. Please feel free to add any other insights.

We have a puzzle cache that is a field puzzle at the posted coords. I think it would get more "hits" if we had listed it as a traditional. We have been asked by another cacher why we didn't list it as a traditional with the puzzle icon...i just explained it the same way as Keystone (above post). Our other nearby traditional caches in the same park get found on a way more regular basis.

The CO's logging requirements are specific. To log this cache, please take a photo of yourself with the large bolts anchoring the needle's legs to the foundation, and post it with your log. It is completely up to the CO but I would think if you have such photo then you would probably be good to post, The CO was smart to ask for a "off-beat" photo at the Space Needle, otherwise you're right...it would open this new virtual to many arm-chair logs. Our family was in Seattle a few summers back and we have many photos of us around and inside the space needle. Unfortunately, zero photos of the bolts so we will put this Virtual on our to-do list for our next visit.

+1 here...Project GC makes it super easy to find your duplicate logs. Tons of other stat info to look at too.

Yeah that looks gross for sure...Cache maintenance is not too tough, this CO has obviously let the cache go. Archive for sure and If the location is amazing, someone else that is willing to maintain the cache should republish and maintain it.

For us it's secret recipe of location plus creativity in the hide and/or the description page. A little bit of extra CO effort can go a long way for a cache.

Just for fun i tried this new feature on our puzzle cache which is at the posted coords. It is giving me an error message when i run it: "Solution checker failed. Please try again later". no worries, just an fyi

Coords can easily be off, even more so around buildings, canyons or tree coverage where satellite signals can get bouncy. If I find a cache that is significantly off the posted coords (40ft +) i will indicatte it in my log. I will also indicate in my logs when the coords are spot on. Its good to put down the gps device when your'e near GZ. Take a look around and ask yourself if i was going to hide a cache here, where would i likely hide it. If there are a ton of hidey spots creating difficulty then the cache D-rating should reflect this. Correctly reading the difficulty and terraiin become factors and there is always the chance that the cache is missing. You willl find that some cachers can be notorious for having hides with bad coords, its actually kind of funny. "Hey this is a so-and-so hide...probably gonna be off 30+feet" Ive always taken time to make sure my hides have good coords and even verify them on the map to make sure, it takes minimal effort. Side related story: Last year i went for a FTF very late at night, it was around 3am. Spent about 45minutes at the posted GZ but did not find the cache, i was all over this persons yard looking in hedges and such with a flashlight. Other cachers had the same bad luck earlier in the night. Turned out that the coords were WAY off, a few miles, and the cache was actually in a park. The CO made an error and used wrong coords when publishing the cache, he needed the reviewer repost the cache with the correct coords and i was lucky enough to pull off the ftf the next day. Not sure whose yard I was in that night but I'm super glad the police were not called. I thought it might be the CO's yard.

Ok that makes sense. It's not that important, I'm just a fan of customization...adds personality - ya know. Thanks for the feedback.