Flatouts

Ever read the Geocaching.com Disclaimer on every cache page? The bottom reads: This website is for personal and non-commercial use. You may not modify, copy, excerpt, distribute, transmit, publish, license, create derivative works from, or sell any information, or services obtained from this website. Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders. Individual geocaches are owned by the person(s) who physically placed the geocache and/or submitted the geocache listing to geocaching.com. Groundspeak Inc. reserves the right to change the terms, conditions, and notices under which this website is offered. Just saying...

After some thought even on Mystery and multi Caches if you are only giving the cache listings coordinates like would be the case for any GC TB anyway you aren't giving the actual coordinates to the exact location, again only the starting point so with respect to the cache owner you aren't giving anything away. However, as mentioned before you are giving GC cache id and coordinates to an outside source that if they were not on the up and up could use those coordinates to use as a listing of caches for a different site... I think I'm way over worried and there has been not a peep from anyone else concerned, it would appear to just be me. With that said; I'm going to play it through because I accepted the responsibility by picking it up, thus I need to send it on to its way... I still can't see how saving $4 is worth the hassle... Again Just me... I'll stay clear of these in the future. Sorta like the coin copies just not the same as the real thing.

I'm not sure. Someone from Groundspeak will have to answer that. This is only partially true. Once you have the GC number, you can go to wap.geocaching.com and see the coordinates without ever logging into the site. They don't require a login for the WAP site, but they do require the GC number. Good point I actually use that application and you don't need the GC number either - you can search without logging in. I usually log in if I intend on posting while in the field or if I want premium member only to show up in the search. I was hoping for a GS reply. Perhaps it isn't a concern?

My thought is if you are not a member of geocaching.com the coordinates to any cache are not visible. You must sign up and agree to the terms and conditions 1st. My other thought is what a real PITA these are to log and track compared to regular GC TBs - it seems folks have a hard time with them as it is. I don't see these lasting long in the wild. But what do I know.

I found a TB that isn't a GS/GC TB or coin it is www.Geokrety.org - a free alternative travel bug It asked to be moved from cache to cache. Several Geo Cache sights support but not Navicache or Ground Speak Geocaching.com It asked that when it is placed into a cache that you not only provide the GC number but also the coordinates. I'm not sure but I think that is providing protected GS data to an outside source which apparently isn't approved for access. Would like some guidance here. Do I provide the coordinates to a Geocaching.com cache listing to an outside source? Sorry if this has been addressed (surely it has) but I did a search and came up empty.

What size coin is it? That might make the difference as for price. For me anyhow...

Yea its Sara art vision or something similar along those lines. I cant remember the name for sure but its something close to that. Found it; sarahsartvision I'm not sure how the connection is made here but this account hasn't sold anything nor has anything for sale but has built a good reputation of purchases... Wonder how that's possible especially if you see the dates of the comments... I'm wondering if this is the correct person... If it is then it raises some more questions IMHO. (Even if it was the purchasing account for the other items AE Toys offered) From Nov-25-04 04:18 to Aug-17-09 13:45 Quick payment and a smooth transaction. A+ buyer, thanks! Hum, makes me wonder... Oops my bad there are sales involved upon further checking - guess what Geocoins so perhaps this is the right contact... Wonder if PayPal knows that AE Toys is still selling under a different account name? They will soon...

I dug up my order today, too and would like to know how to get a hold of them. May 29, 2008, $32.51 order number 5071 Me, three. I have ALL of the original emails of orders and subsequent email exchanges requesting a refund, but still nothing. Order #4975, $___.__ (it's too sad to post, but let's just say I ordered extras as traders...) I know some people are satisfied with their refunds, but if any of you have information regarding this vendor please consider contact any of us off-list. I have moved twice since my order with them, and I don't want to miss out on the refund because they can't find me. I know they are looking and trying to make this right. I haven't moved (yes I did report to Paypal, VISA, BBB etc. as they really left no other option) I've made to many request to even keep track of. I know they are still active Geocachers. Still nothing... Not even a reply. BTW My patients with these people made it impossible for PayPal or Visa to refund - in the future the vendor had best deliver before the time gets to close or I will take action so I'm not to late. I will think twice before ordering from them, or anyone associated even remotely (sorry). I wont defend any other vendor ever again either... You make your bed you sleep in it! Obviously I Still have very bad taste in my mouth over this issue because it cost us a couple Geocaching Friends who don't know of all that went on. The main reason for the purchase was a gift for holding the first ever Meet & Greet in our area - which I never delivered and made us look like our word was worthless... So it's not just about the coin. I did order Cachez Dragonfly but at this point those folks don't reply to our emails... (Hold your comments on this aspect no need to say it). Order#5168 paid for 2 Dragonfly coins 6/11/08 with paypal - Still waiting - so if you have a method of contacting them please let me know. Thanks in advance.

I found that the same Icon is being used for two completely different coins. Most likely because they must look a lot alike. 1st the Civil War Geocoin #6 Chancellorsville 2nd the 202' Souvenir Shop Coin DiverVan Geocoin Note that the images are two different files #470 & 434 - so not sure where the mix up happened. the DiverVan Geocoin icon actually should look like this: Sorry I didn't know where to post or send this info. Hope this is close and alright - if not Mod please feel free to move, Fwd and delete. Thanks

Thanks, it's still not the same is it... Wonder why they made a change as this was very nice and I got spoiled...

Please forgive me if this topic is located someplace else. I searched and searched for over an hour and came up empty... I've had Geocaches like that so it doesn't mean it isn't there now does it... Okay, here's my problem. I know back about a year ago I discovered how google earth would show geocaches (I had been using it for sometime for other things and have about 50-60 locations (like fishing honey holes provided by local guides, All my customers locations - literally hours of work). So cautiously I embarked on adding the KML feature and did so without a hitch. Later I found out that I couldn't do caches along a route and signed up for Google Earth Plus. Things worked great and I really liked it. However, I haven't used it in some time. Now I go on and the first problem I encounter is No caches showing up. Google Earth KML Network Disabled - all it gives you is the link to Geocaching.com Playing arround with it trying to figure out what's wrong I stumble into the need to update to 5.x of Google Earth. So I go through the necessary steps and find out that the results are the same. KML network disabled. Then I discover Google Earth Plus is no more. I can't seem to pull up my registration info and a while back I had a crash and lost all my older Password and registration info that I had saved... I tried to retrive online via Google Earth's web site but nothing seems to work. I must admit I'm a bit ticked about the change and forcing the more expensive $400 Google Pro which I do not need... On the bright side I now the latest Google Earth loaded and all my places/locations are intact, just no caches. So I'm at square one... No caches show up... I know it's me and I'm doing something wrong. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

Hey Jim I came hope head strong I'd found the or one of the answers for a puzzle cache just before I had to go to work... All day I've been thinking as soon as I get home I'm cracking that puppy wide open and... Darn... No GC... Oh well it's for the good of all and the end result, in a short time we'll all be hacking away at our logs and stuff and totally forget... Lets hope we appreciate all that is being done to make it better in the mean time.

Yes But will it work Jim.... IDK Spock we'll have to give it a shot... Just kidding Thank you all very much for all the hard work to make things continuously better! Groundspeak Geocaching RoCKs like no other...

All good ideas, can't really add much. I will say this, adoption of a coin is something folks ought to consider more. I say that because some folks put a good deal of time into creation of the coin's page. At least I do. If you were to adopt one of my coins, you wont have to wonder where to get the activation code, you wont have to got through activation which doesn't take that long unless like I said you put some substance into it. Feel free to look at our coins pages, ones like Celtic Tree of Life and others that are really works of art. We spend a good deal of time to present the coins so that it is informative or perhaps share a story about it or how and who created it. I personally hate it when I go to a page and there is absolutely no effort not even a picture. I dislike caches of the same type as well. But that's just me. I guess we go with the if it bothers you then do something about it concept. I agree with the Fake/Proxy coin concept - We've purchased some expensive quality coins that if released wouldn't last long. Sorry but even people in Geocaching don't respect other peoples property these days - then there is always the Muggle to worry about - I just don't need the stress - We do this to relax... I hope that if you go through the trouble of collecting and generating a page for your coin(s) that you at least include a picture and perhaps share a story or tell about it. Show some pride... I'm sure not everyone feels that same way - it's okay and it's certainly not my place to tell anyone what is right or wrong - so please if you disagree that's cool too - I really don't care. Main thing is there is no right or wrong only opinions - so just Enjoy & have fun!

Sometimes you might forget to drop the bug in the cache that you actually dropped it in, but you have already logged your find. You can do a Write a Note and then select the bug from your inventory and submit. You can select more than one bug with the Shift or CTRL (selectively pick randomly from inventory) Around here in these parts most folks that write a note to dip / drop in caches like event caches, delete the posting after the dip or drop. Not sure if that's a good thing after a drop but totally agree with it on the dip. I'm to lazy to go the extra step most times and folks still seem to accept me.

Thanks BlueDeuce for your help. It was that on some I didn't have enough lines to drop the picture down far enough to miss the additional window/menu that the owner sees. By adding more lines to the Mission or just <br>'s it drops it down far enough to look right. In a perfect world I guess the system could figure it out and bump itself down the missing lines. But this works just fine. Again Thank you for your time and many efforts to make things nice for all of us.

Hummm I noticed that if I'm logged it (owner) it has the problem on some of them - but if I'm not the owner (thus the extra line with the TB tracking number isn't there) it looks fine (course I may have to adjust the verbiage to make it look right as far as the text).

I can't figure out what has changed. It used to be when I selected the picture I want as the default the alinement was to the right on the TB page under the selection menu. More recently it seems to be to the left of the menu, believe me I tried to explain this the best I could. I searched and searched for a topic on this issue but alas couldn't find it. Here are a couple examples: Older page: http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.as...1b-9b9226c1dc5f Newer page: http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=2278957 Please avoid the silly notion that it's the picture size... I have many examples of all different sizes. Both of these are JPEG files... I have examples of GIFs also... So that doesn't seem to be it. I know it's something I'm doing but what? It's really bugging me

I'm a big dipper - I just love to dip. Sometimes I dip, well more like a Dump our entire collection of coins in an event... If I like a cache I might dip a couple... Like if I found it - I dip our Found it coin. If it's an evil micro - I dip our evil micro. I dump in events to log the history of the collection... Course it floods the cache page TB history log too... Another bonus.. I do not dip for miles... I don't dip for numbers. I just like to dip. I even like to skinny dip... Dipp'n is just what I do...That's it! It's all about the Journey to us. Just shut up and Dip... LOL That's a phrase from a fishing and shrimping club we belong to... Never new it had other applications.. See life is like a box of Chocolates after all. Well, I'm dipp'n (another term for leaving to go someplace).

I am generally considered a patient nice guy, ask anyone... I have been more than patient about this AEToys Dragonfly coin. I have tried to give support when all others have given up. But I am concerned how the new AEToys management will work out. If they don't address this issue there wont be any sales from the geocaching community. I would assume Groundspeak would be reluctant to allow them to further take advantage of it's users and continue to give geocoin enthusiast the run around. Stealing from the Caching community isn't a good business practice. Geowoodstock is just around the corner, I hope to attend (had plans but time has eroded them - still hopeful). It would be just awful if the reputation of AEToys wasn't cleared by then. I fear it would be the doom of the name AEToys for sure. Probably with as many geocoin enthusiast involved I imagine any and all caching names involved with AEToys (even friends that sell coins) will be soured as well. Word gets around very quickly at such a mega event (well over 800 attending). They could be in for some heavy duty bashing. IMHO. Their support is dwindling fast. I know that my Email hasn't been answered, there appears to be no activity toward salvaging AEToys by this new management. I will find it impossible to support it. I hate to be wrong especially about fellow geocachers. It is truly a sad day for me, this is the first really negative situation in geocaching where fellow geocachers are concerned. But one bad apple doesn't spoil the whole bunch right.

I received the email regarding the coins as well. So did I and I'm glad I did because I've been way to busy to have noticed otherwise. So for me it's a THANK YOU! I'll take 2 - as soon as I can figure out how... IMHO the price and shipping is really very reasonable compared to all others lately. Gotta run it's off to work and then Our 27th Anniversary then back to taxes... As you can see our Easter basket is a bit full - feel free to email me with details - we pay with paypal Thanks Vince

ornith Would be the Cacher to start with. Email and ask who they gave it to and go from there: ornith wrote: Stuck it in my pocket and gave it to someone that has Dutch Heritage for them to Log and Move along. I'm sure that it will do well! Obviously ornith was wrong but must have felt the Cacher it was handed off to was responsible enough to take good care and log it. Looks to be your only option. Good Luck!

We're going to host a TB release at our LHD event, but I would rather not see any more than those brought in by their owners. I hate it when someone's TB comes up missing and then get an email asking if I can help? Most likely, I never even had chance to see it since I'm too busy running the event! The best way to run a TB table is to have someone manning it at all times, handing out tickets to those dropping TBs and having them sign the TB in. When people want a TB, those with tickets can choose first, then anyone else...but ALL must log the TB out of the event (sign the paper). This doesn't mean all TBs will be safe, but it helps...if someone wants to go through all that trouble! Yes that brings up a very good point. The Cache owner is ultimately responsible for the TBs listed on thier Cache page. So not only does it effect the TB Owner it involves the Cache Page Owner / Event Director - this person probably has absolutely no idea or control over the actions of the participants and the TBs they swap. That is my point. The lack of responsibility by others effects more then just themselves - such as life right! I know that an attempt to have a person sign in and out (manning to TBs) has been done before. I didn't seem to work. I'm still confused as to why not. But it's a long story. Education is probably our only plausible solution. I think we can estimate that at least 90% of the problems are unintentional. From my experience most folks go out of there way to do the right thing with TBs. Case in point: A coin was retrieved from a Cache (actually it I think it was an event cache) by a new local Cacher recently in our neck of the woods. This new cacher with 40 or less finds had taken the time to be self educated on all the aspects of the sport. Seeing this coin wanted to travel abroad (England I believe) he went out of his way to see to it that it was placed into a new baggy with a large note enclosed "Wants to visit England" written in Sharpie Black - couldn't miss it. There is a TB Hotel near our International Airport and it usually is the best place for this type of movement and has worked quite well for many years (although it did get muggled once last year). Sounds like he did his best right... We the next Cacher to drop by the hotel picks it up and takes it to an event 20+ miles away from any airport and drops it at the event. It's now in a boonies Cache that is hardly visited in the middle of BFE. This action really disappointed this new Cacher - how could they possibly be that irresponsible with someone else's property. Put a real damper on his outlook. He wanted to contact those involved and give them the riot act. So it was explained that it's a No can do - it has to run it's course and that is just part of it being in the wild. At least he has the right idea and if there were more like him perhaps threads like this wouldn't exist. So let it be said - if you don't like the way it goes, your best bet is to teach the cachers you bring into the sport the right way, the best you know how. That's the reality! I'm still wanting ideas to perhaps make up a educational handout for events. One that anyone holding an Event can utilize if the wish... So we'd have to figure out a strategy for making it available once it exist. Obviously this is something a lot of folks feel the same way about... Don't you think it's about time to do something?

From the way it reads one could post about once every six months and still be in the ball park... Only nine days have past there is a long way to go...

I know that it was attempted to log bugs onto the table and then log them out at one of the more recent events. To create a paper trail to provide temporary tracking... That went over like a lead balloon... The Cachers that held the event ended up with most of the bugs. It seems most were willing to log them onto the table to get rid of them (that too is sad) but most were reluctant to claim picking them up. Being the great people they are. They fixed up each one and attached directions for their missions and put them each in a brand new heavy duty zip bag, as if custom fitted. Logged them out of the Event into one of their caches then back out and into the next event. At the next Event we attended there they were 2 shoe boxes of them and there were 1/3 as many at this event as normal. We picked up just about every one. As far as I know they are all accounted for and off traveling. I should mention this was an all day Challenge Event and mostly experienced cachers. Caching is like Life which was so eloquently put by Forest Gump as box of chocolates and you really never know what you're going to get (unless of course you read the label). I too have a story of long time cachers that picked up TBs and moved them along logging each one and even posting pictures - but they treated coins as swag and the pretty ones they kept as mementos - I tracked the missing coins to them on 80+ coins, later it turned out to be many many more. I turned the whole mess over to GS. They had somehow totally missed the class on Traveling Trackable Coins. In this sport (some call a game) experience doesn't mean you know everything does it. On the bright side they now know and from my understanding helped to straighten out the mess. The question is how many folks were brought into caching the same way? Scary thought huh. I run into cachers all the time that don't have a full grasp of the concept. Even met one that proudly showed me their collection of coins only they weren't theirs, they thought you could just collect the ones you found / I explained the concept to them and now they purchase the ones for their collection. You know there is no rule that says you can't just collect the ones you find. It is only considerate to abide by the mission requested by the owner - However, by placing them in the wild you can only hope they survive a good while. All Cachers should make it a point to explain trackables. After all it's another cool aspect of the sport that most find very interesting and fun. The way it's headed right now, there will be a time when we'll tell of stories about how there used to be trackables... I hope that day never comes.