Zor

I've always interpreted this to mean that the cache was "safe" for kids. I took it as meaning that there is no safety concern if a child were to either find this cache themselves or accompany someone who was seeking out that cache. I've rated caches both kid friendly and not. The ones that were not kid friendly were usually in areas where a child could fall under a bridge or things like that. Friendly ones were in trees or on a trail where there was no danger.

Sweet! Thanks man. Greatly appreciated. I'm psyched for the two events in my city alone plus I'll be at the L&F event in Seattle. Great to see you guys giving us a few more icons

There's several 10th anniversary cache events going on in my province and I am wondering how we get the event type converted from a standard event to a 10 Years! event. Does anyone know if this is being done before next weekend or if you have to wait until after the event to post your photo to prove you meet the guidelines, in order to get the icon? Just wondering. Thanks.

It's a completely different story in my area. There's two cachers in my area who have put out a pile of what they call Micro Logic puzzles (see GC209TQ for an example). I think they've hid 60-70 of these in all parts of our city and another city in our province. They were at an event recently and talked about how for them, it's all about the puzzle itself. They said that they think most puzzle caches should be micros and in uninteresting places. Their logic was that you spend all kinds of time working on the puzzle aspect so THAT is the adventure part. The puzzle, not the actual cache. Finding the cache itself is just a smiley. Solving the puzzles themselves are the fun part. Now I don't think that all puzzles should be like that but I kind of see the point. I think that it depends on the puzzle but personally, I see no issue with having puzzles take you to either a really good place with a good sized container, or a micro in a lame place. Depends on the puzzle. I recently hid 100 regular traditional caches which need to be found in order to solve 3 puzzle caches. For all 3 puzzles, they are just in the woods in nowhere special, but the containers themselves are large. My thought is that if they spent THAT much time gathering clues and solving the puzzle, I'm going to make the container easy to find. Just my thoughts

The first thing that comes to mind for me is to run a generic PQ for an area and then use GSAK to filter out the caches not hidden by that particular user.

I've had two minor encounters with LEO's. I was driving home at about 12:30am in the morning after having cached. There was a roadblock up ahead and I stopped. The officer asked me what I was doing out at that hour and at first I said out for a drive. He said something to the affect about being out at this hour and then I told him I was geocaching. He had never heard of it but one of the other cops heard the word and said "Ya, they bury stuff then go find it with a GPS". He smiled, asked for my ID and then wished me luck on geocaching. No worries. The second time was just recently. I was out hiding caches and had parked my car on the side of the road. I was looking for a tree to hang a cache on when I saw the cop car pull up and stop beside mine. He set of his siren and I ran to where he could see me and waved my arms. He told me I really shouldn't have my car parked there. I told him I would only be 2 minutes and then he drove off. I was somewhat relieved of not having to explain geocaching to him. My opinion though is it's better to just tell them the truth. They are just doing their job and you're not doing anything illegal so it's fine to just be honest.

I would like to make the suggestion of the ability for a user to add their own cache listing templates to their profile. This would allow a cacher to have a preset template for when they create a new cache page for submission. A lot of times when people hide a lot of caches, they have a lot of the same information on each cache page. Sometimes even the terrain and difficulty are the same per cache. It would be really nice if you could simply have a custom template that you could use that would more or less have the bulk of the settings you want, then you could just make minor edits. It would make creating the cache pages easier. I recently hid 100 caches in my area and every cache is a regular sized container, with a 1.5/2.5 diff/terr rating and the actual cache pages are all the same. It's taking me almost as long to list all of the caches as it did to actually hide them. If we had templates available, I could simply create one page and use it for every listing and simply change the name and the coordinates for each cache. Even for small stuff like for folks who want to always include regional HTML images and such. It would be nice to have the option to have that in a personal template. Just a suggestion

I actually just hid 58 caches recently and most of them were lock n locks. I used good ole duct tape and speaker wire. Worked like a charm

I've been reading a lot of these posts and I see a lot of people saying that you should not log this as a find because it doesn't go along with the guidelines, or that if they were meant to climb the tree then they should be denied the find because they didn't climb the tree. Here's my own personal opinion on the matter. First off, it's definitely NOT a DNF as far as I am concerned. A DNF implies that you DID NOT FIND a cache. Meaning that you could not find the container. Since the finder obviously could SEE the cache, they DID find it. They simply could not log it. That right there to me means that this is NOT a DNF. I can't understand how someone would think this situation is a DNF when they did actually find the cache. They didn't sign the log, that's it. To say that they didn't technically "find" the cache because they didn't sign the log to me is inaccurate. The idea of "finding" a cache is that you actually were able to "find" the container. Can you describe specific details about the container and tell me where it was specifically. That to me means that you FOUND the cache. The inability to sign the log to me is independent of "finding" the cache. It's obviously up to the CO what he does but if this were my cache, I would likely let them log it as a find and here's why. Regardless of whatever "guidelines" GSP has set up, I believe the intent of geocaching is to get people to go out and physically "find" something. Whether it's a container in a really nice spot with an awesome view, or it's a micro in a guardrail, you are still "finding" something. Heck even virtuals have you finding something specific somewhere. To me, THAT is the point. You are trying to FIND something somewhere that someone has hidden. The very first sentence in the guidelines say "These are listing guidelines only". Yes, they say that in order to log a find on the site you have to have signed the physical log. I think that the point of that is that by signing the physical log, you are proving that you actually found the cache itself. This is why every physical cache is supposed to have a log book so you can PROVE that you actually found the container. It's about what the spirit of the requirement is there for. Not to be enforced like some kind of law. The fact that SO many people are taking this little incident so seriously goes to show how passionate people get about this sport and forget that it is SUPPOSED to be about having fun finding little treasures all over the place. If this were my cache, I would have let the log go and leave it as a find. To me, the cacher says they found/saw the container which is enough for me. I'm not going to make a federal case out of it because they didn't sign the log and I'm not going to email them or delete their log unless I have a real good reason to do so. It's a single find on a single cache. Why is it such a big deal? If the cacher was new to the sport, I might send them a casual email and let them know that they really should try their best to sign the log and wish them luck. If it was a cacher that I know definitively has questionable logging practices, then I might email them and ask for proof that they found the cache. Beyond that, it's not worth my time to bother chasing after people in situations like this. Exactly how does it help my caches, my reputation, and caching in general? To me, it doesn't. I have gone to caches before and have not been able to sign the log sheet and have logged them as finds. I have indicated so in my logs and I have yet to ever receive an email or anything else because of it. I've even offered up extra proof if they wanted it so that they would know I had actually found the cache but have not had to offer any up. In fact, I've even logged a DNF on a cache and had the CO email me telling me to log it as a find because he went to check the cache and saw my footprints there and knew I would have seen the cache had it been there. In that case, the cache was actually missing. To me, THAT is what it's all about. The spirit of the hide. Just my opinion.

Does anyone know if there is a web player for Wherigo cartridges similar to the way the emulator works? I'm more or less looking for the emulator but web based instead of having to install the builder on a machine. Does anyone know if such a player/emulator exists?

I kind of had a feeling that was the case. It's not a big deal but would be nice

Is there a way to prevent a cache from being added to a bookmark? I mention this because I have a very large series of caches coming out in the next week or so and within that series, a handful of them have clues to some puzzle caches. The idea is that you do the entire series and collect the clues as you go but clues are not in every cache. Since the clues aren't in every cache, someone could feasibly make a public bookmark that contains only the caches that have clues, hence defeating the point of the series. Is it possible to withold a cache from being bookmarked? And yes, I already know that I could have put clues in every one of the caches to avoid this but there were too many in the series to do that and be able to maintain the puzzles properly.

I have not put the maps on my GPS unit but I did also have the same issue with large bodies of water. I will try them on my GPS to see if they come out (sounds like they will). That's fine for me since I don't use Mapsource except to send maps

I have just over 1500 finds and I have no idea how many forum posts. I host events every year and have one coming up in April and May. I've created Wherigo caches (not a common feat) and even started a website for cachers in the province I live in (New Brunswick, Canada). I've been caching for just over two years and I think that based on the items I have said, that validates my participation.

Cache Up NB is now live. www.cacheupnb.com This post is a little late but I figured I would put it in here so folks from outside of NB can be aware of it. The site actually went live on February 2nd but was kept under wraps until we had enough content to be comfortable “launching” it. It’s main purpose is to provide news and resources for cachers within our province. Laid out like a blog/newsreel, we’ll be posting updated stories about caching and anything cache related on the new site. Our plan is to insure something new is posted at least once a week. Since our launch, we're seeing updates almost daily. Things we have already put up include information about GPS hardware & software, geocaching best practices, your first hide, your first find, cache containers 101, a calendar of events within the province, profiles of local cachers, links to various trails and maps for NB, connections to various social media centers such as Facebook/Twitter and other online forums, printable items such as empty logs, and much more. All cachers who are interested in caching within New Brunswick are invited to sign up for an account and peruse the site for our content. You’re also invited to comment on anything you see and submit your own materials. We are looking to build our own community of people via the comments and having other people submit stories and posts to the site so that it’s not just a small group of people posting everything. The idea is that everyone has tips and tricks, caching stories, links to cool places, and tons of other information about caching. We want to make this a place they can go to share that. Even if you just got a really funny log and want to share it, we’ll post it. We also are trying our very best to insure that everything we have on the site is seen from the eyes of cachers within our province. We welcome outsiders from anywhere but be prepared to see a lot of stuff specifically about NB. This new site is NOT the new MGA site. We are a news/community site and not another association within Atlantic Canada. There’s already two associations within this region and another one was not necessary. We do plan on hosting events within our province but we are more about sharing news and stories about caches in our province, and tales from cachers from NB. We welcome any comments, suggestions, ideas, posts, submissions, wedding proposals, whatever. We’re a pretty laid back group The site can be accessed via the link above and is open to all geocachers, not just folks from NB. I hope to see some of you on the new site - Zor

I actually would like to comment on this since I had a cache listing denied because it was a "mailbox" cache. At the time, I was only into caching for a few months so I was still learning but I did do some research on my own. I posted this on one of the local message boards back in June of 2008 with the details of what I found. This is the original post I made. The end result was that there is actually no official policy (at least at that time) regarding the placing of a cache on Canada Post mailboxes. They can't say no and they can't say yes because there is no actual policy. That also means that they cannot provide you with permission because no policy exists. From the conversation I had with the gentleman, it seems that they do not consider the placing of a cache to be mail tampering or fraud of any kind but they do reserve the right to remove anything they see on a mailbox that is not related to mail. When I explained how most caches are micros and are hidden underneath where they can't be seen, he said he did not think there was any harm in it as long as nothing was being damaged. Now the reviewers are obviously our last line of approval on this but I would stress that unless it has changed since then (which it very well could have), according to the person I spoke to, attaching advertising or a cache to a Canada Post mailbox is not considered mail tampering and therefore would not subject a cache hider to any kind of legal action. That's just what I was told back in 2008. Figured it was relevant.

I get stuff posted to my FB account all the time via the Twitter update feature. I simply linked my Facebook account to my Twitter account and then set up the connection to Twitter from my geocaching page. Now if I post a field note while out in the wild, it posts the update to Twitter, and thusly to my Facebook account. My updates look similar to this: Zor found the geocache Google Maps Street View - Moncton http://coord.info/GC23VZZ Works like a charm

Are there currently any RSS feeds available from the GC homepage? Specifically, I'd like to be able to pull the "Newest" in my state as an RSS feed to display on a regional site. Does anything like this exist now? If not, are there any plans to use RSS for some of this content? It still obviously would link back to GC. Just curious. Also, I tried to search the forums for "RSS" but since it's a search criteria below 5 characters, it fails

I fly in on February 15th and leave that Thursday night. Staying at the Hilton downtown. It's too bad there's no event. If I knew of any places there I'd host one to have people come out.

I have built three Wherigo cartridges/caches and have had varying degrees of success with it. The entire concept is really cool. You use the real world to play a "virtual" adventure. The one I am most proud of is Jacob's Bridge which is sort of a take on Mulder & Scully from The X-Files. http://www.Wherigo.com/cartridge/details.a...04-ca9e5a390936 You basically play an investigator who needs to find and follow clues to solve a mystery of why the local sheriff went missing. In the adventure, it takes you around a local lake, a school, a dock, a park, and a nearby island. Each time you enter a new "zone" there are new things you see. Nothing real, as in no physical objects are hidden anywhere, but when the PDA/GPS figures out where you are, it enables you to pick up and use virtual objects within the "story". Biggest issues with Wherigo are related to playability. You need a unit that will play the cartridges and play them well. The Oregon GPS will NOT play my Jacob's Bridge cartridge but it will play my other two. Some hardware will lock up or just work very oddly. The entire concept is really cool but I think GSP dropped the ball with it and didn't really go as far as they should as it has huge potential. They are also not the easiest thing to build either.

Are you releasing this via "torrents" now as the only means to download it?

I'd love to meet some of the local cachers while I am in town. I'm heading down in mid_February for a few days and wanted to know if there are any events happening that month.

My understanding is that it is only tied to SMS and the iPhone app

IP address blocking? As soon as the lease on their IP expires, they get a new one and then you'd be blocking someone else.

I read a lot of these posts and I find it very interesting how volatile a subject this seems to be. Here's my POV. For me, I could care less if anyone knows how many finds I have. I generally cache in my area so a lot of the folks around here already know me and already know that type of cacher I am. I'm not someone who double logs caches, or logs finds on caches I didn't find, and any of those other "questionable" activities. I consider myself to be a decent cacher who just enjoys getting out and finding whatever caches are around. I have stats about my finds on my profile page but I do not in any way see caching as a competitive sport. I do however know some cachers who do see it that way and I just shake my head at them. I've had one of them email me asking permission to log a find on a cache that was gone. I know he did this because he's a big numbers guy and "competes" with several other cachers to get better numbers. I won't speak for the OP, but it sounds like this is at least part of the game he doesn't want involved with. Personally, I think that if a person wishes to keep their information private, that is their right, and perhaps the site should build controls in to allow that. Me personally, I don't think in those terms so I have a harder time "getting" why someone would see their numbers being displayed as "part of the numbers game", but at the same token, I can also respect that some people just want their stuff private so that no one else can "judge" them based on their numbers. Is that being "part of the numbers game"? Being judged? I think I see where people get all uptight about it. If someone has 2000 finds, many would automatically assume they have a lot of caching experience because they have found so many. But then others would turn around and say well maybe all their logs are fake, or maybe they don't have finds on "good" caches and it's all LPC's so they really aren't experienced. If I see someone with a high count, I do assume they've done a lot of caching, but I look at the types of caches they've done and decide from there. I don't decide purely based on a number, but I do tend to think high counts does equate to some experience. Maybe that's a flaw for me, but in where I live, those with high counts DO have a lot of experience, and ARE ethical cachers. There's not exactly a lot of "bad" cachers in my area so perhaps I'm insulated to that. Are there really THAT many cachers out there that play this numbers game versus those of us who "play" for fun? Maybe my corner of the world really is that different.