papu66

I looked into cache number and log number stats in my country, lets see if I can attach the graphics... I don't see a drop in interest if measured by log counts or number of published caches. Currently, about 55 percent of new caches are traditionals, 20 percent mysteries, 4 percent multies and most of the remaining 21 percent are events. The log count for mysteries has in fact increased in the last two years while total logs have stabilized at around 2.6 million /year. In short, the 55 % share of tradis get 75 % from the total logs while the 20 % share of mysteries get about 15 % of the total logs. That's very good -- I consider myself something of a mystery enthusiast but even so only 20 percent of my logs are for mysteries. Interest has shifted toward easier mysteries. Jigsaw puzzles, mystery trails and geoart are a recent trend in the past couple of years, so that may explain the increase in log count of mysteries. Reading old logs it seems that the solution to the mystery is not that important to cachers anymore. In the old times, people used to share more of their thought on the mystery part and were very apologetic if they logged a find without solving. Now, the mystery part rarely gets mentioned in more recent logs. The data is from project-gc stats "logs/hides per date". The years run from 22 oct to 21 oct. Usual geocaching color coding green=tardi, blue=mystery, orange=multi and yellow for the remaining 10 types.

If it's urban area, I use app like GCC to calculate a projection. If it's in the woods I prefer just to use the navigator. So, if the descriptions says "go 550 meters in direction 65 degrees", I just add 180 degrees and walk to point where my navigator says 550 meters and direction 245 degrees to the bogus/waypoint. I find it more fun that way.

When she was living in another town, she wanted to find good places to walk the dog. I suggested to sign up and look at geocaching map for large cache concentrations. She thought that was good advice and found a couple caches every now and then. After coming home, she sometimes joins me for a cache or two, chiefly on holidays and travels. I would give her 6 for participation. Lowered points for always pointing out what a dumb game this is ( when I'm "overdoing it")

Yup, Kippers (GC6A) apparently went missing for 5 years and was archived between 2002-2006. Current cache is still going strong but may be a throwdown. on4bam may mean another oldie GC103 which was recently archived.

If you are first to find, log your find online as soon as you can. If you found the cache before approval (FBA) and don't intend to claim FTF, withhold your "found it" log until someone logs the cache "found it" online. This way the cache remains in play and in the correct found/not found status for those interested in the ftf-hunt. You may have right to claim (or count) FTF even if you are not the first name in the physical or online log book. It is clearer when you type "FTF" on the first line. This is for people to see, not so much for statistics, which is more or less unofficial.

Personally, I just google geocaching + cache name and/or GCcode. If I open cache description with my phone, it opens on c:geo by default. Then I just save the cache offline and it shows on the map.

In my mind it depends on how its presented. If you explicitly say "go to the posted coordinates and solve the field puzzle to log" then I would make it traditional. You have to be very clear in the cache description about the fact that it may require some time to solve. A mystery field puzzle may mean that you need to look for clues at the bogus (or other coordinates) to find the cache (reflectors etc.) but I find it also used for puzzle boxes at the posted coordinates. In this case you can be more vague about what you will find there at the bogus coordinates. In this case the reviewer seems to think its just a hard to open traditional. I would accept that view. If you want to make it a mystery for some reason just do as suggested above, make a projection or something to get from bogus to the final, hidden coordinates. Now that I think about it, it would be sensible to always list the puzzle boxes at the posted coordinates as traditional (or letterbox when appropriate). After all, where do you draw the line? A simple jar can be a puzzle for some people.

Do folks in general really know how to do find their w3w address out there? I'd think most have never heard of it. Myself, I know only how to take my WGS coordinates, go home and convert them on the computer.. Of course I can google it and then, I suspect, download some app, but that's way too slow.

When I had to report an incident to 112 (emergency number here) they asked me if I can tell where I am. I chirped that I can, in fact, able to give them astoundingly accurate coordinates. But they told me there's no need, as they can see my position as we speak. I don't know how they did it and if it works for everybody, but they found me fast.

How about "please clear this area of your caches so I can create some nice geo-art".

So if you log a cache that you visited a year ago, you should remember to change your location to where you were then. And if you make a mistake in your home coordinates, then you need to delete all your logs henceforth, and redo everything. I would think it would be easier if there was a list of all your history home coordinates and the date you moved. Then the real time calculation could just check pick the appropriate home location from that list according to log date. I think for most people that list would not be very long. I have changed my location maybe 5 times in 4 years.

Once you have retrieved the trackable and it's in your inventory, you can (not must) subsequently "visit" the trackable to every cache you log. There (in the weblog page) is a separate pulldown menu for each of the trackables in your possession. Works the same way as when you drop it. If you meant to ask how someone has the tenacity to visit all the trackables to every hundreds of caches they find, they may be using some other logging method that does it automatically, but I know nothing of those.

Of course, if there's no-dogs sign/rule CO should report it (just one mouse click no big effort), but a dog owner will notice it anyway. Just couple days ago I was going to a cache with "dogs" attribute, but it meant going through a public beach, so I passed this cache. As for fragile caches, I'm thinking mostly fake twigs and conifers. Dogs like to chew those.

Cache placed next to sled dog farm? They make a hell of a howl when they smell you.

There are no separate rules for geocachers. When I'm out caching, I try to behave like a normal person and take my dog where I normally would. Same goes for obeying traffic laws and parking regulations. It's not CO's responsibility to see that cachers follow the rules. Where I live, we can pretty much take the dog to all public places and this has been the law for some time. Not all are still not aware of this, so as a dog owner I have to use my own judgement. So far I have done only 18 caches with "do dogs" attribute, but I'm pretty sure I have never taken my dog where it is not allowed to. If the cache is at public beach etc., I skip it. In any case, the "No dogs" attribute is somewhat ambiguous. Sometimes it means "no dogs allowed" and sometimes "not recommended for dogs" (i.e. glass or poison). I don't think I have met "no dogs just because" type of cases. Occasionally, there may be fragile caches that the dog might break, and you just need to be alert for these ones. They can be usually guessed by the amount of favorite points.

Didn't know that. It's been a while since I last made a cache. I have seen it used but I admit its rare.

I read "other" the same as "unusual" or "non-standard". In other words, nanos, fake rocks, cones bolts or unusual shape that may be large in volume but can't really hold anything of significant size. Size "not chosen" is the same as "I don't want to tell you".

To me this also sounds like a mystery cache. All cachers are not going to play your game anyway so don't worry about that. Even if you list it as multi or mystery it will be just traditional cache for many. It was unclear from the OP whether there's going to be one or two caches (from the link above by arisoft I understand a teamwork cache requires there's two, but I may have misunderstood). Also, is the final cache(s) going to be inside the box(es) or hidden somewhere else? Obviously, people will use the phone if it is possible to convey the information more easily that way. Maybe they would use the flags if the person sending data does not know what he's sending means, i.e. he would only see pictograms of what he's supposed to signal and not the code itself. So both boxes should contain different code tables to interpret the signals to numbers and also the code tables and signals should be made such that it's difficult to take a photograph. Or you could just trust there's enough cachers willing to try it your way to make it worth your effort... This is very interesting idea.

Sad story. It made the (tabloid) news also here in Finland, though that probably was just because of the dog. For many, caching is the only exercise they get so may actually save more lives than are lost in caching related accidents or mishaps.

If you don't cache much, maybe you can find it in your "recently viewed caches" list on your personal page. (Assuming you opened the cache description to solve it)

Did this feature do anything else except put the corrected coordinates bolded at the top of your log? If not, I suppose they thought it is not necessary to have this option because you can just type the coordinates there yourself.

For D2.5 should be not too hard . I have a hunch that solving the cube is not required after all, if you can visualize where each piece goes even if you can't make them to. I thought tradi's (with a puzzle box) can't be unknown because the coordinates are in fact not "not known".

Did they find out why he/she was doing this? There may be more worthwhile targets for thievery. This is just plain stupidity.

Lots of things are more easily said than done, that's not the point. I bought Rubik's cube 15 years ago and I have gotten as far as four sides solved. It took Ernő Rubik one month to solve it first, so easy it is not. You can describe how to solve it (wiggle it until it's done) and put it description yeah, but if you have never done it then you are not able to do this magic in the field in a reasonable time. I have an extra 10000 piece jigsaw puzzle but I wouldn't use that even for a field puzzle, let alone a multi stage. I expect multi's to be simple and not requiring much more than reading skills. multi cache = a series of easy traditional caches. For me this would be a mystery, but then I'm confused that some people call mystery caches "unknown caches" so what do I know.

During my 3+ years of caching, only once have I come a cross litter that used to be (in) a geocache. Thus I'm always amused and bemused when people "are concerned" about geocaches contributing to pollution. Having said that, I've always hated plastics and would prefer glass or metal if possible.