BlueDeuce

Has anyone asked gc.com recently? You might just get an answer back like... This practice is frowned upon by the global geocaching community and I appreciate you taking the time to report it to us. Unfortunately, since the cache is considered personal property of the owner, we are unable to place any restrictions upon it.

Being a long time member who is active in the forum(s) I think it sounds fun. If I wanted to be critical I'd say it is nice to see gc.com involving itself in the community, and about time.

Call it what it is. It's a proxy. Personally I've always thought that gc.com should have made the jeep icon/tags available for purchase and ownership. I still think they should.

When I was new it was difficult to gauge several factors. Was I exposing the cache to muggles? Was I stepping too far into the decorated landscape to make a search? Am I on private property? Just how hard is a 3 star cache? When should I log a DNF? To name just a few. Fortunately I hooked up with more experienced cachers who guided me better than the fun method of caching. Edit: then/than Good points. I have had the same feelings and in a way still do. Thoughts like this is what had me make the post in the first place...thanks. I had the opportunity to cache with a 2001 Charter Member named Welsh. He taught me more about the art of searching than I could ever figure out using the fun method. Hard work, determination, experience and insight. Here's my log from one hunt. (That get-together was actually the start of the Iowa Geocaching Club) Saturday, 18 October 2003 A total of 15 people joined in the search on a beautiful fall day. We definitely have a fantastic collection of dedicated and talented cachers in the area. I wish even more cachers could have joined us. A special thanks to Ernie K (a future geocacher) for providing the canoe. RooBoy and PaGruvy were first to start. After ten minutes or so we could see them giving us the universal - palms up, arms out-stretched - sign of "Heck, I don't know where the dumb thing is". The second try by two more cachers was also a bust. Rooboy then decided to take the land route. Apparently his shoe tread was too slick as he climbed down the cliff in his bare feet! After meeting Rooboy you wouldn't think he would turn out to be such a nut, but I guess looks are deceiving! Well, after searching and searching we still hadn't found the cache. We were beginning to think that either the cache had been plundered or we really stank at this sport. Cachers visiting the site before had been pretty sure they could see the container from shore, but it was no-where to be found. We discussed whether we should leave a new cache container or log 6 or 7 shameful "Not Founds". But all was not lost. Welch started poking around the quarry and found the cache container located clear on the other side, sitting in water and mud. (Now I know why you should bring a senior cacher to the tough ones). Most of the contents were soaked and the logs were trashed. The last log was from a fisherman who had found the container, but I really do think he either found it in the mud and figured he should replace it in the same location or it was displaced after his find. The cache could have ended up in the water for several 'natural' reasons. Welch came through again by providing a new container, stocked with swag and a log book. Top quality stuff. Even the logbook has it's own container. We all signed the log and had a good time trading stories and Geocaching insights. The kids went through the swag an like an antique dealer looking for the perfect find. S10 then showed his daring by replacing the cache by also going over the top. (I still wouldn't be comfortable to make the climb). It really was a pleasure to meet everyone. Left three gold dollars, a match holder, a smiley coin purse and Thing 1. I'll be posting pictures once I clarify a few names. There should be another meet next spring for cachers who would like help to claim this one.

Please make Grant Wood proud. I'll try but there's only one of his that I haven't found yet.

I plan on going for the 31 days.

My opinion of the suggestion is that even if you made logging TBs as easy as possible, the people who are directly responsible for missing TB and coins still wouldn't log them. The best approach is to put the logging and goal information directly in the hands of the finder when they are in the field. Clean-up as well as identifying and addressing the underlining issue should be a community and a gc.com concern. Still waiting for gc.com.

There are several other dog geocoins if you want to keep a dog motif. Just use google. Your local pet store should have a tag engraving machine where you could add the information. Lighter and easily replaced if lost. (rather than losing the coin)

When I was new it was difficult to gauge several factors. Was I exposing the cache to muggles? Was I stepping too far into the decorated landscape to make a search? Am I on private property? Just how hard is a 3 star cache? When should I log a DNF? To name just a few. Fortunately I hooked up with more experienced cachers who guided me better than the fun method of caching. Edit: then/than

Right. Coin, Bug, Cachekinz, you name it, is perfectly fine. My personal TB is a old style stamped TB tag attached to my Shadow. I keep it close.

Like J Grouchy, I have no caches in my ignore list. Though probably not for the same reason. There are gobs of caches out there which I have no interest in hunting, such as power trails, P&Gs, LPCs and their crappy brethren, etc. Pretty much any cache which gives me the impression that it was hidden for no reason other than to generate another mindless smiley for some numbers hound. Back when I used my ignore list, these types are what filled it. At some point I had an epiphany; I don't need to clear my map. If there is some craptastic cache plopped amongst caches I've found, I'm okay with that. I think my ignore list went away when my premium membership ended, so, for me, it's a moot point, but I still apply the same etiquette. Not trying to be argumentative, but I appreciate the ability remove caches via PQ (type-D/T) or ignore. It cuts down on the reading just to decide. bd

Some of the caches I ignore is because I don't like them, others are because I know I can't get them. I've never considered the ignore feature as a personal statement, it's just a convenience to keep them out of my PQ. Once my circumstances have changed I've even added a few back in. It's a tool, use it to your advantage.

You really think that a favorite is going to make it more vulnerable? From what, the scores that go missing every week? It is a good idea, but you're missing the fact that travelers barely have any search functionality as it is. bd

Which is why I had my "Don't post photos of tracking numbers" thread unpinned and locked. If they are not willing to stand behind the idea, I'm not going to do it for them. Nice to see that they are now leaving clones to the community. They didn't before. Who here thinks that a strong word by a fellow cacher makes a difference without site support.

Such as maintaining an ignore list.

On the contrary, as people place caches in the now vacant spots they would remove the geolitter and replace it with managed caches. As for the other unattended caches archived/not archived, it's still trash. No, it's not trash as long as it's on the geocaching.com map. And no, these caches wouldn't necessarily be picked up. They are Geo litter if no one is maintaining them Heck, they are geo-litter even while they are maintained. Regardless of when or why a cache is archived there s no clean-up process sponsored by gc.com. Never has been, probably never will be.

Nope, have at it.

You should address your concerns directly with Groundspeak. Seems like a good idea, don't you think? Not sure how you could do any better.

So in other words you admit you are clueless in more than just how to log a traveler. Cool. At least we all know. edit then/than

You mean logger flak as opposed to site owner concerns.

My last virtual back in February got a response. That person is on my list of happy cachers.

How did you do that? The "Allow me to Google this for You" is not an appropriate response.

Nicely done. Those are two responses I will definitely bring up later.

Deserve? If someone emails me for a hint, I always email them one. I mean, they've already driven, walked to GZ and searched. That's good enough for me. Actually, even if they ask for a hint in advance of going to GZ because they thought they'd have a hard time, I'd be happy to oblige. If you really want to be stingy with hints, maybe just don't answer your email. They can always get a hint from another cacher. Exactly.