joukkusisu

Typically, if one must solve a puzzle before attempting a cache, the CO posts **NOT AT THE POST COORDINATES**. This lets cachers know that they must solve it first before attempting. I agree that a puzzle cache that doesn't state "Not at the post coords" is a big no no.

I wouldn't want to mess with your avatar either. I get the sense that dog knows more than me.

I like puzzles. I like all kinds of puzzles, be they the kind where you visit the site to gather information, or the kind where you have to solve them at home. In fact, I prefer puzzle caches to traditional caches. I go out of my way to seek out puzzle caches. They are a draw for me. For example, if I'm vacationing in an area, or know that I'm passing through, I'll see what puzzles are there ahead of time and solve them before I make the trip. Most traditionals in an area, well, they're a dime a dozen. But a puzzle, well, now I'm interested to see what the CO can come up with. And I can't solve them all either. One the closest puzzles I haven't solved yet has been taunting me for months. I don't even know where to start with that one. Not all COs put out puzzles to deter visitors. Some put them out to draw visitors. Give cachers something different to hunt.

Blowtorch. BIG difference.

This one has seven stages and involves 50 miles of driving. Gauntlet: Seldon's Century Hide http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...6c-e7a485f3aa9f

That's exactly what I was gonna suggest. Instead of outright telling what you hid, just use some clever wording in the cache name, or in the description! I have an even better idea! For the hint, use "This cache rocks!" LOL! (just kidding, of course!) I've seen that very hint many times.

Now there's an idea. It would have to be one hell of a hide to keep it from getting muggled in downtown MPLS. Hmmmmm (stroking chin).... Yeah, I figured you two might take that idea and run with it. "Hard Rock" would be a great name for a cache like that, too, wouldn't it? You bet. I was thinking of something along the lines of Hard Rock Caché.

Knowing you two, I'm surprised you haven't hidden one outside the Hard Rock Cafe! Now there's an idea. It would have to be one hell of a hide to keep it from getting muggled in downtown MPLS. Hmmmmm (stroking chin)....

We started with the same yellow Etrex and then switched to a Colorado. We didn't notice any improvement in signal strength and accuracy. We do like, however, the Colorado over the Etrex because of its paperless caching abilities, complete road and contour map, and increased memory.

We placed one of those GC fake rocks once. It wasn't in a rock pile. To hint that they're looking for a rock, we used the word "scoria" in the title, since that's what type of rock it kind of looks like. Some picked up on the title and liked it.

In Central Park in New York, we came across a hobo's stash. We had to crawl through a large bush to get to the cache and within 5 feet were someone's belongings. In the library I work at, I deal with the homeless quite a bit and can empathize with them, so I didn't touch their stuff or call the police. In Minneapolis, we've stumbled across several hobo camps caching along the river. My blood always gets pumping, wondering if anyone's home!

I've seen a MN State Park cache after it was exposed to a controlled prairie burn. The outside was scorched and rusted and the contents were toast. The log book was rendered blackened and brittle.

I've only seen a few glass containers. One that comes to mind was in New York City. It was a micro container sort of like the tiny jars contact lenses come in. It was capped with a rubber topper. It was placed up a stop sign, ironically enough. I kind of wondered at the time how long that container would last, but it might serve as an example of glass container with thickish, sturdy (relative to its size) walls.

We have a kayak too, so we might have to give that a try. I grew up canoeing on the Straight River in southern MN and that wasn't a walk in the park either. Not like it was tricky or anything, just a lot of crap in the water to dodge. Thanks for the tip!

That's funny. Which Clam River cache was it? We've done several and have been waiting for an opportunity to do Clam River Secret, which hasn't been found for over two years.

You know what? I have a good friend who is really - I mean REALLY - bothered by the word "moist". Go figure. She copes by not using the word. That's funny. I know several people who are bothered by the word, "moist," mostly girls. I bet Freud would have a field day. I agree with Knowschad, the verb form is critical. I don't know why, but "muggled" sounds so appropriate. It makes sense. You know it means vandalized, but without the seriousness that vandalize conveys. This is a game after all. How about it's been: Vandalized Ravished Torn asunder Stolen Taken Decimated Destroyed I've used, "It's wandered away," which is sort of looking at it with positive thinking, I suppose.

"See all that stuff in there Homie? That's why your robot never worked!" "Die, bad robots, die! With a dry, cool wit like that, I could be an action hero."

I love the Bort bit. Ah Simpsons....

Joukkusisu (Yo Coo Sis Sue). It means "team sisu" in Finnish. We're a team, we're of Finnish heritage. There is no English equivalent of sisu, but it means something like tenacity, courage, or stubborness, depending upon your point of view. One man's tencity may be another man's stubborness. We figured having sisu would be appropriate for geocaching.

Even though its a dinky hill in comparison to out West, there's a cache on top of Giant's Ridge in MN. http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...e1-e132df8f9650 We didn't visit during ski season, but in the spring after the snow melt. It was a soggy, arduous, buggy trip up the hill, but memorable nonetheless.

A bad container not mentioned yet is oleo tubs. An old-timer around these parts have used them and they were all cracked and leaky. Not good. We too have found ammo cans submerged under water that have held up. One was hidden 3.5 years ago in a creek under a ledge was still dry despite the constant wet and Minnesota ice.

Put me down for not lame final locations. We like puzzle caches and have done a lot of them. Most of the finals were at locations that were about average. I can't think of any that were lame. Ok, maybe a couple. Every cache has to have a point of interest, be it the hide, the hike, the views, the swag. For me, the puzzles are the experience. It would be disappointing though to find a LPH for a final. As far as size, I like the idea of something with trackables. Something to make it worthwhile. So small to large, I'd say. Of the puzzles we've placed, most have been either small or regular. Only a couple are micros, but they have either unique hides or interesting locations. I don't mind micros if they have clever hides. For me, a clever hide is more important than a regular filled with McToys. For some puzzles, it may not be appropriate to have sizes that accomodate trackables. Most of the King Boreas challenges we've completed had micros for finals. I assume he did this to prevent coins or bugs from being stuck in the final for months or years on end. A lot of those challenges take a long time to complete and bug owners may not appreciate someone sticking their trackable in purgatory. With these challenges, it's entirely about the experience (all the effort, the traveling, the experiences along the way), and not the location.

Interesting read, thanks for sharing. I can see how this is relates to many different small groups that grow big, and not just our little niche. That said, it doesn't bode well for GC. Does this mean GC will be like the government?

Hailing from Woodbury. Just had our one year geocaching anniversary.

Double post.