DarkZen

That made me laugh out loud!

I just received an email saying I have a new message (this is a reply to an email I sent to another cacher earlier). When I go to the message center there is nothing there. What am I doing wrong?

My GPS is more accurate but not too much more. Despite that I almost always use my iPhone 5. It just has too many more advantages. I think you'll be happy with your choice.

Question: do you submit the cache for publication and after it's approved disable it until you place it? Because I don't see how a reviewer would say its OK otherwise. I'm always looking for a better way to do this.

Very pretty! I would have preferred it in blue though.

I just encrypt and lock and posts that spoiler too much.

I read a thread here a while back about challenge caches that I can't seem to re-find. I have used Google to search and I have used the search function for the forums. Obviously my search skillz suck and/or my memory is faulty but I thought I'd ask the community for help... After the OP, a poster posted a link or two to a couple of crazy hard challenges. Soon after (or maybe the same poster?) posted a link to a challenge cache that was basically just a 'find a cache and sign the log' challenge. Or maybe the link to the easy challenge described very tough challenge requirements. Does this ring a bell to anyone? Alternatively, if you can post links to extremely difficult or extremely easy challenge caches that would work too. Thanks.

Snarky much? That banner seems to say what the websites for. "You are currently using a test site...." One would imagine that means it's a test website. Did you read my OP? I didn't ask what it was, I asked what it was for. Yes, I saw it was a test website. I was wondering what it is testing for.

Somehow I stumbled on to a "staging" version of Geocaching dot com. What is the purpose of this version of the site? http://staging.geoca...yap-snarl-growl Thanks.

I also have great luck with preforms. They are virtually bombproof. I always toss the caps that come with them - they have no raised gasket like soda bottle caps do. So I replace them with those. As for as the log issue, I use hand printed logs that hold up well. However as with any cache, someone cramming it back in can muck things up. The diabetes containers also work great.

There are a few sources of GPS error. Here's a cache I just put up explaining some of them. This is a remake of an earlier cache I put out: http://www.geocachin...bc-680d441eff3c 30 feet seems perfectly reasonable under the right (wrong?) circumstances.

I don't know jellis, If your maintenance logs all went to one cacher maybe they are not good cache stewards. I recently started caching in a new area and frequently when I was forced to log a DNF it was a hide by the same cacher. When I log my DNF there is invariably a string of DNFs stretching back over the past year or so. This is a cacher who used to be very active but now rarely caches at all. I'm sure he thinks I am targeting him, his correspondence seems a little short, but what's the better solution, me stop bringing missing caches to his attention or him replacing his missing caches? There is a cache of his that I asked a local cacher (a previous finder) to check on it for me and not only did he confirm it is missing, he logged a note on the cache page stating that it was no longer there. This was a month ago - still nothing. Cache maintenance is part of cache ownership. It says it in Groundspeak's literature.

Seems about the same to me. High traffic times are slo-o-o-o-ow.

I had never ran a PQ before so I educated myself and got the listing. Thanks.

Probably a stupid question but is there an easy way to find a listing of 5/5 caches in my area? (central valley California) Thanks, DZ

Yes: http://boulter.com/gps/distance/

Same here. I used to email the cachers and remind them to log their find. To date not one single person has responded to me or logged online. Curious...

My caching partner and I put out a cache on 11/24/2012, almost a year ago. It was found for the first time today - twice! By two unrelated cachers. Kirch Flat Campground Anyone else have any strange caching stories?

This is actually a very good point. It's usually obvious when a new cacher is really interested in the game or just exploring the novelty by the cache description or logs explaining why the first coords were off. It seems if someone is genuinely interested in geocaching they will use the time period to cache. I'm not trying to be a curmudgeon or make it too difficult to hide ones first cache. As such, 3 months might be too long. I think a month would be long enough. Just my two cents.

Yep. I'm probably showing my age but it was a take off of this old comic strip: http://www.flickr.co...air/6211973657/

I read the guidelines before posting and saw no such directive. What is in the guidelines is: 6. Keep on topic: Responses to a particular thread should stay on-topic and pertain to the discussion. ... of which your jr modding is not. I'm hardly stirring the pot, just a friendly suggestion and mild rant. You're welcome to skip past this thread if it bothers you. That is all.

It's a big deal in as much as any topic in the forums is a big deal. Don't like lampost hides? Don't start a thread, just ignore them. Don't like powertrails? Don't start a thread, just ignore them. Etc... I'm not saying it's a big deal, I'm saying, in my opinion, it would help tweak the sport for the better. I've attened a few events, have a lot of geocaching friends and read a lot about caching on non-Groundspeak sites and the feeling I get is that it's near universal that it's a good idea. This board seems to be the flier. No, the purpose of the "beating a dead horse" statement was an attempt to stave off comments that add no substantive value to the thread. I'm acknowledging it's an old issue. There may be new info that you are not aware of that comes up. Regardless, I'm adding my vote. Do you believe that Groundspeak did away with vacation caches because only one person complained? Years I learned that when placing caches it was a good idea to place more than just one in a new area. People are more inclined to go out of their comfort zone to grab 3 new caches as opposed to 1. Once I placed 3 about a mile apart. A mile. I got a note from a reviewer pointing me to the cache-placing guidelines of that time that stated (something to the effect of) "just because caches are allowed every tenth of a mile, doesn't mean we want you to do it". Now powertrails are quite common with hundreds of caches - not just three. That got changed because people spoke up. Same thing applies to challenge caches (which I personally liked), they came and went because cachers voted with their opinion. StarBrand, I like your guidelines test idea. I think you should pursue it. Might be a good thread topic idea? ETA: Spelling

This would work as well.

We all have our opinions. I stated in the OP I felt like ranting. It's a valid complaint and concern. Despite all of the 'exceptions' posted here (starting with the first reply), by and large most caches put out by hiders with no finds (or 5 or less) tend not to be good hides. This sport has undergone a lot of rule changes down through the years. The concerns that it's not possible or practical are short-sighted. All it requires is a proclamation from TPTB. There used to not be a prohibition on vacation caches. Since one guiding principal that GC tries to impart to hiders is that caches are a long term concern. From the Geocache Listing Requirements: "Cachers will expect your cache to remain in place for a realistic and extended period of time." They define this period as 3 months or more. That's another problem with no-find hiders; Frequently someone stumbles across geocaching, thinks it's fun, places a cache then two weeks later never return. If you are going to place a cache you must be willing to invest a reasonable amount of time in the game. Is it really that big of a deal to expect folks to do something they should be doing anyway if they are to become valued members? So Groundspeak did away with vacation caches and the sport is better off because of it. I know there are cases where for one reason or another someone will open a second account. They might have hundreds of finds but their (sock) account shows none. This is an easy fix, explain this to the reviewer in the space provided while submitting the cache. Either that or run out and log 20 caches or so. I am flummoxed by the notion that having to log a small number of caches is some sort of a hardship. Isn't that the whole point of geocaching? Regarding the notion that some newbie could hit a power trail, get the required number of caches and then still publish a crappy hide is extremely miniscule. But on the 2 or 3 times it happens I'll happily accept their attempt. I am a big believer in counceling newbies. Or any cacher for that matter. I actually spend quite a bit of my time contacting members for various reasons. I've contacted a fair number of hiders like the example in the OP and the answer is always the same - a wall of silence. Not that that will stop me from continuing to try to help but I think this problem is better combated before it arises.

I'm sure this is an old topic here but I gots to rant a bit. A new cache published near here:http://www.geocachin...aspx?wp=GC44TJY The hider has no finds. The cache page originally stated, "regardless of what the coordinates say, this cache is not in someone's yard".Sure enough Google maps showed it to be squarely in someone's front yard. You can see from the logs the coordinates were updated, now the show the new location as 750 feet away from the original location. There really should be a minimum of finds before allowing a cacher to hide one. That's my opinion anyway. Today another one published by another hider with no finds. Ugh...