Crow T Robot

quote:Originally posted by BassoonPilot:I can't figure out what a "squeegee" has to do with letterbox hybrid caches. I think it's supposed to be a letterbox stamp.

Contact the park manager or assistant park manager at the state parks. There is a park office in each state park with full-time staff. In county and city parks, there may not be an on-site person all the time; you could call the main parks department number in the phone book. Also, we aren't asking people to receive permission from the parks unless we know it's an issue. We know that the state parks want to be part of the process but have had no requests or problems with other city or county park departments, except Orange County. Orange County specifically prohibits geocaching in its parks. We are trying to change that but it's moving slowly. They have confiscated a few caches but most of the existing ones are still there.

quote:Originally posted by sbell111: Just use the 'archive' option and explain your reason. TPTB will investigate and archive if appropriate. It takes quite a while for those requests to be filtered and acted upon, but it does happen. There are other things going on right now that are higher in priority. quote:Originally posted by Huntnlady: I suggested this cache be archived, and for 2 very good reasons, also wrote to the cache owners. No replys at all, and the cache is still out there with turkeys tresspassing with GPS in hand. I looked at this one and subsequent finders disagree with your assessment. I will check it out further and we'll make a decision about the cache. BTW, the Haunted House cache has been archived.

Here's the Handicap Challenge in NW Florida.

We have been working with the Florida State Parks and the South Florida Water Management District to iron out some questions about caches placed on their properties. Both agencies have welcomed geocaching but want all cache hiders to work with them on several points. In the state parks, a directive is going out this week to all park managers instructing them to allow cache placements unless the specific site is deemed to be environmentally or culturally sensitive. The park managers request that anyone wishing to hide a cache contact them first to make sure the site is OK. The parks are looking forward to new caches and the new visitors they bring. In fact, one park manager has already hidden his own cache. The second part of the state parks directive instructs the park managers to identify all existing caches and make sure they fit their guidelines. They may be contacting the cache owners to let them know the cache is OK or to ask them to move it. If you have hidden a cache in a state park without getting prior permission, it would be helpful for you to take the first step and contact the park manager on your own. I have been assured that no cache will be removed unless it is a specific problem. Also, it would be helpful for you to list those caches here so we can make sure the parks can check them all and feel satisfied that we are being good neighbors. SFWMD land management staff has also indicated their willingness to allow geocaching. However, they want to monitor it a little differently - much the same as SJRWMD is doing. If you want to place a cache, or have already placed a cache, on a SFWMD property you are requested to contact their local land management office to obtain a special use permit (no fee, can be done in person or over the phone, takes 24-48 hours). They don't necessarily want to dictate the placement of the cache but they do want to know the coords. I have also been assured by their staff that no existing caches will be removed unless they find a specific problem. Anyone who submits a new cache on either agency's property is asked to include a statement in the cache description that indicates you have gotten approval from the land manager. Otherwise, the cache will be put on hold pending the land manager's approval. I have spoken with several Florida cachers who have gone through this process for cache placements and they all have related a positive experience. There are a lot more areas now open to us for caching and I encourage everyone to take full advantage of them.

I was going to list a few of them for you, but there are way too many! If you do a search with "hotel" as the keyword, you should find several dozen scattered around the world.

If the bug is logged into a cache when you make your entry, you have retrieved it. If the bug is logged into the hands of another cacher when you make your entry, you have grabbed it. This may cause the mileage calculator to skip the intermediate cache (the one where you found the bug) if the previous holder forgot to log it in. If you are moving it from one local cache to another, it might not be a big deal. If you are moving it cross-country, it might be more noticeable. Keep watching the bug and see what happens over the next few moves.

I recently assisted someone with a cache adoption and it took about 10 days. Markwell is correct about the Groundspeak staff working hard on the website. Please be patient and keep watching for the change to go through. Thanks.

You're correct about physical caches on NPS properties. I guess people can take pictures of the TB at different parks and put it back into a cache outside the park boundary

Micros don't always just "go away". They're just as likely to become geo-litter if the lid gets lost or the log sheet gets soaked. Micros need less maintenance than a full-size cache, but they need maintenance nonetheless. We tend not to approve a cache unless the owner or a surrogate can maintain them at least every few months.

1. I spend about 3 hours a day reviewing and approving caches in the queue. We always check the maps, proximity to existing caches, etc. Weekends are longer because everyone submits their new caches on Friday afternoons. This doesn't include the time spent trading messages about questionable caches where we need more info. 2. I concentrate on my home state, but have several other states that I keep an eye on. We all jump in to lend a hand if a particular region (or country) is getting overwhelmed. We also realize that certain areas have peculiar rules and oddities and try to leave those to the regional approver. 3. Prerequisites are a reasonably good grasp of the guidelines and the ability to apply them consistently. A tough skin doesn't hurt, either. I have found that the majority of cachers are reasonable people and are easy to work with. Then there are Those-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Some of us, including me, have volunteered. Others have been tapped as good regional choices when we see that a particular area needs special attention.

I put a $10 Starbucks card in one. I have also done gold coins, an origami $5 bill, unactivated TB tags, and a decent compass. I don't usually post the exact prize, just that there is something special for the FTF.

I think the best you can do is go to their profile page and list them from there.

I looked at your profile page and it shows that you found 4 benchmarks. I clicked on the link and it lists them. Is this what you mean or did I mis-understand you?

Who, exactly, are the cache police?

Yes, caches DO get approved on the weekends. However, the queue gets exceptionally busy starting Friday afternoons and it usually takes longer to get through them all. Besides, we'd rather be out all weekend caching instead of sitting at our computers! On Saturday, 5/10, at 5 PM there were nearly 100 submissions to be checked and approved. Zoisrus' latest submission was not in the queue so I suspect it has already been approved.

I recently upgraded to a Garmin V and have mixed feelings. I like the WAAS enabling, but I find that the unit has a VERY hard time keeping the satellite signals. This is true in tree cover, in an open field, in my vehicle, etc. Might be an individual bug instead of a design flaw. For geocaching, I don't use the autoroute feature much but some might find it useful for general highway navigation. It has enough memory to store a good bit of MapSource maps, which is very useful, indeed. For the money I spent, I was probably better off sticking with the III+.