Team OPJim

After 8 years and over 3000 finds, I was developing geoburnout. After tiring of LPCs and vacation caches, powertrails, etc, it seemed like the time to do something different. Then, I did my first Wherigo. Then another, then another. I still haven't done very many because there are so few nearby. Then an article comes out about Pokemon Go: the similarities with geocaching in general struck me (mostly the people getting injured because they are glued to phone and don't pay attention to their surroundings). [Purpose of this entry is not to compare GC and Pokemon, so please don't bring it up here.] After alot of thought it seems to me that future of geocaching, or perhaps the bridge between geocaching and smartphone based outdoor adventures, is Wherigo. With that introduction, there are two issues with Wherigo which I think would need to be fixed for it to be more than just a fringe element of geocaching. 1. Groundspeak needs to actually promote the concept. I read the description of Wherigo on the FAQ sheet several years ago and came away wondering what it actually was. At the least, a reasonable description of what it is and some examples of caches that can be done with it seems in order. Better yet, active promotion similar to promoting the Duck races this summer 2. Groundspeak would need to actually support it with dedicated software development (as opposed to a 4 year old beta program on the main page, vs better but still buggy alternatives which generous individuals have produced entirely of their own accord and expense). There needs to be better equipment. Most of the current GPSr do not do it. Smartphones are the obvious solution but again we need dedicated app development for it to work. I did one of my own recently with an android app and it crashed several times. I'm posting this in the forums hoping that perhaps enough groundswell support will arise that GS will take notice.

I noticed two "finds" on my caches with this link. One was physically possible, but the other was remotely unlikely due to the location of the cache. I intend to delete both. Forgive my use of google translate: I don't speak German. Ich bemerkte zwei "Fundstücke" auf meiner Caches mit diesem Link. War physikalisch möglich, wobei jedoch das andere fern unwahrscheinlich aufgrund der Lage des Cache. Ich beabsichtige, sowohl zu löschen. Verzeihen Sie meine Nutzung von Google Translate: Ich spreche kein Deutsch.

http://www.certitudes.org

Found two puzzle caches and attended an event. Had to travel a long ways to find said event

I think drama is a big culprit. Interactions with other cachers has become a great sort of enjoyment for me. However a bad interaction has in a few cases nearly driven me to quit as well. In Arizona we had a prominent long time cacher quit due to drama. Left a lot of great caches up in the air as a result

That reminds me of this one from the Pictures - Cool Cache Containers (CCC's) thread: Just think how much cheaper it would be to have a painted ammo can as a tombstone, rather than one made of carved stone. Our local mortuary sells ammo and for this purpose for $55. I told them I can get the same can for $12-20.

In Arizona at least the reviewer will not publish a challenge cache if the CO doesn't qualify. This seems to be a new thing

Ditto. My listing shows that I logged the same cache twice. What really happened is a cache was placed, I found it, it disappeared, was archived, I placed the final stage of a multi about 300 feet away, then several months later a new cache (micro instead of ammocan, placed in a different location about 30 feet away) was placed by the same CO, who then convinced a reviewer to unarchive the old one. Can you tell I was irritated by the entire thing? In my mind, if you change the container AND the hide location it is a new cache! I also agree with the multiple comments that the best way to assure a new cache placement will be approved is to communicate with the reviewer beforehand. I have found that the reviewers really are a CO's best ally in most cases.

Our reviewer will not publish a challenge cache of the CO hasn't already qualified for it. This may be because of DGP which is now lonelycache.com

In my neck of the woods which is national forest 90+ minutes from metro Phoenix, scout caches are simply a subgroup of vacation caches that get planted on a whim with inadequate containers, are poorly maintained and eventually removed. I support the comments about asking BSA to change the particular requirement. However I still see the larger problem of allowing inexperienced cachers to plant Caches that are inappropriate for various reasons. I am one of the people who advocates a minimum find count of 50-100 before placing a cache. This suggestion has been discussed extensively in other forums. Bottom line is, good hides by inexperienced cachers are the exception to the rule ( and yes I count several of my first hides in this category). While it is appropriate to ask BSA to change the merit badge, it is also appropriate to assign some responsibility to Groundspeak for having placement guidelines which are little more than words on a page to scroll through with no expectation of following. Scouting leaders are required to complete training before leading scout groups. Perhaps something akin to a mandatory training module for would be cache owners. At the very least make them watch that video on the web page first.

I have used both the iPhone 4 and samsung G4. I agree with all the other stated opinions that phones are for getting close and for urban areas. for rural areas such as mountains nothing beats a GPSr

Hints that aren't hints such as: "no hint needed" "use your geosense" "no hint until FTF" but 6 months and multiple finds later etc, etc, etc. It is of course completely optional to give a hint, but if you aren't going to then leave the area blank. I would prefer to know going in that if I can't find it myself that there is no hint for backup. Then I can at least decide whether to try for it or not. Having said that, caches in the middle of nowhere, heavy tree cover interfering with coordinates, that take significant time or effort to get to, I prefer to have hints.

I agree. I've actually stopped purchasing and releasing TB and geocoins specifically because they disappear. Even putting them in premium caches doesn't work.

Three come to mind http://coord.info/GC36AC6. It was a tribute cache to me and I got FTF http://coord.info/GC46WWJ. 199 stages? Cool http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC908D_solar-sailing#. This one is old and more of a virtual. It is at the Smithsonian and is based on an outdoor display of the solar system to scale. I never comprehended that the outer planets are so far from earth until I saw this. Since it epitomizes what I like best about geocaching, the finding of new places that I would have missed otherwise it has to go on the list

There are several hundred within 20 miles but I have found most. Doing a daily find here would be impossible unless I started a new account. One of the issues of living in a rural area. As for our state we are still down. A few months ago over 4000 caches were archived within a three day period. The Arizona state trust land board suddenly decided to ban all geocaches so Groundspeak was forced to archive them. I've yet to hear why

I have caches well off the beaten path requiring serious bushwacking that have been found. The issue is that is exactly where deer and elk hunters will go.

I agree that for many reasons, a different icon (not attribute) for a challenge cache is a needed addition. Last time I posted this thought, received the same reply as in this one "Jeremy doesn't want it." Can only hope that someday he will change his mind.

You obviously no not what you are talking about. Arizona is an absolutely fantastic place to geocache and to live. The state is incredibly diverse from the deserts to the forests. It is an outdoorsman's paradise. There is world class trout fishing in the mountains to bass fishing in large reservoirs. One can hunt deer, elk, antelope, black beer, javelina, mountain lion, bighorn sheep, bison, turkey, dove, qual, and so on. The four wheeling here is exceptional. There's lots of old roads to ghost towns and old mines that would take a life time to explore. I stumble upon Indian ruins and petroglyphs several times a year out hiking around. They are all over the place. Look at my gallery, it is filled with pictures of ruins I have passed by while geocaching. I could easily continue but instead I'll end with this: Arizona is anything but a horrible place. Well said Corfman Clan!

Did you send your email to the local reviewer, or to Groundspeak? I would expect a canned message from Groundspeak, but I've already seen a dozen caches unarchived by the reviewer, which were not actually on ALT land. I emailed gc hq, who initiated the archival of the cache, per the post they put down. I dont know who the local reviewer is any more. Probably GeodesertTiger.

My sister in law gave me some vinyl cutouts specifically to put on such glass gems. What is cool is that in additional to a compass and GC symbol, it also includes star wars figures like stormtroopers. Obviously she knows about geocaching since her husband goes out as well. When I don't use these, I usually leave a plastic snake (live in AZ so appropriate)

Selecting the type of cache you prefer to find is your right. I know that some people don't like my caches, and there are some types of caches I am not as fond of as well. Geocaching is a hobby, not a human right. I suggest using the favorite points as a way to distinguish the wheat from the chaff. You do have to be a premium member to do so I believe.

How do you permanently encrypt a log? Ooh: nevermind

The ideal would be to allow a CO to edit a log so that it doesn't have such information. This would be far better than the "nuclear" option of deleting the entire log. I doubt Groundspeak would ever allow this however.

My thanks to Roadrunner and GeoDesertTiger who have published nearly all my caches. I appreciate all you do!

This is about as bad as it gets for me. However, my friend MTime had a bad experience once:Log Here's another one: it is the reason I elected not to go for the cache in question: No way