RITrailhikers

I agree, if placing one a person should not have to step on or over a grave to get to the cache. If that is the case then it should not be planted in that cemetery.

At one time I did not like cemetery caches. I am not fond of them if they are active cemeteries, however in Rhode Island where we live especially we have a lot of historical cemeteries. The committee that "oversees" them LOVES to get people interested in them! We did one because we have one very close to us and we are the ones that keep the cemetery up (plants, path, cutting back brush) we also did not place in near a grave. This gets a whole new set of people interested in these historical cemeteries which most times would just go unnoticed. If my loved one was buried almost 100 years ago I would WANT people to go visit. Our historical cememteries are not kept up by the state or owned by the state, they are akin to open space. Volunteers like us do all the work if we want it kept up. Ours was a huge trash heap 5 years ago, we never knew there were 5 people buried there. We LOVE when people go visit it. I have not seen one disrespectful geocacher yet!

Well, I love when people log them right away, this way others don't go to the cache expecting a TB and it is not there. I don't think the situation you were in happens all that often. It was the person who placed the TB's responsibility to log it right away. I don't use a SmartPhone, BUT as soon as I get home from caching I log any finds and TB's or coins. I never wait 48 hours, that is 2 days that people think there is a TB in a cache that is not there. I thought the rule was, you find it, you log it. I don't think YOU were wrong at all.

While I understand your rationale, even if you do not bother with TB's or coins, when logging your cache find it only takes a second to say "Hey, by the way no TB there." I think it is not asking too much. I go out of my way for other people's bugs and coins, replacing broken chains, etc. I don't expect that from everyone, but common courtesy would be really nice. I think your complaint goes to a simple problem that has many faults. Clearly too many coins/bugs are not being logged out of caches. Why? 1. The grabber did not log it out (muggle, ignorant noob, coin thief.... take your pick). 2. Despite continued notes Cache owner does not mark the trackables no longer in residence as MISSING (can't be bothered, ignorance) from their cache. 3. Despite notes from the field the Coin Owner does not mark the thing as MISSING (ignorance, denial, can't be bothered). 4. In spite of constantly finding caches with no trackables cachers DON'T include information about the missing trackables in their logs. So while ignorance plays a large part, lack of communication or failure to inform is equally to blame (not much you can do about denial or failure to be bothered). So as a cacher in the field who is frustrated by the number of absent trackables listed in caches I hope you're doing your part in notifying both cache owners and coin/bug owners to the fact when you notice it. [That means smartphone users have to write longer logs than your average txt msg ] Caching and TB's are two different things. Some people only want to cache and don't bother with TB's. They feel no responsibility for someones TB's. And why should they? They did not place it and have no intention of moving it. So, to say they need to post a note saying a TB wasn't in a cache is telling them they need to have the same feelings toward TB's as yourself. It's like telling someone they need to vote. If they don't want to be bothered, they won't, no matter how you feel about it. You can't make someone have the same passion you have. The wife and I have moved 265 TB's and enjoy it. We have talked with other cachers that don't touch them. They have their reasons and that's fine with us. Don't get upset when others don't act the way you would like. Just enjoy doing things your way.

Wow! That is a good idea! I just bought 4 coins, I have been so hesitant to place them because of the problems. I went to a cache yesterday because it looked like 2 coins were sitting there since Feb. I had found the geocache before because it is very close to where I live and I figured I would move them on as we were going out today. There was also a TB. In the log the person writes: left pencil; took turtle keychain. The "KEYCHAIN" was someone's TB. Now come on! I saw a pic of the TB, it CLEARLY states what it is. It is the 3rd time this same family has visited a cache and done this. I sent them an e-mail last time, no response. I think some of them know full well what they are doing and don't care. They should be banned from the darn site! I went to the log and wrote a note that NONE of what is listed is there, if the owner of the cache would mark them as not there it would have saved me 40 minutes and 4 deer ticks. I really am tired of these people taking our coins and bugs and they won't even respond to e-mails!

ITA with you. I guess some of us are more trusting, when I buy a beautiful and yes, sentimental coin I want others to enjoy it. I don't just want to look at it. I am SO careful with other people's and if I know I am not going to go caching for a few weeks, I just leave it in the cache. Yesterday we hiked a few miles to a cache to get a TB because we had one to leave, get there and find out a family took it on 3/29 put it in the book but didn't log it on the site. To me that is very unthoughtful. I did send them a polite message asking if they would please log it so others don't take the trek out there to find that it is gone. No response. If they don't know, now they do. It is not hard, all of mine have the extra tags I bought saying "DO NOT KEEP ME, I AM A TRAVELER!" So there is no way they don't see it. In real life not much gets me, but this, ugh big pet peeve, it is just so rude!

True, it would not get mine back but it would keep them from doing it to other people. Banning someone simply ensures the bug/coin stays missing.

Thank you, I am really looking for someone with more experience than me to take an interest. So far noone has. I have not seen any in our area of RI unless I am missing where they are posted? Is there a place that these events are listed?

This is really interesting. I have never raced for a FTF but I sometimes leave a geocaching pin or a few dollars for the FTF, I never knew that was wrong. I thought it was like a celebration. I will most likley never get a FTF myself because we only go on the weekends, my darn gps is a pain and it's not my goal. But a great topic, I guess I won't do it anymore. People don't know that I am doing it unless I post small FTF prize, I like to not tell them! Thanks for the post!

Just wondering, if people are doing this why can't they be banned from participating in TB logging? They obviously have a serious issue if they have stolen, and it is stealing because I just spent over $65 this week alone in geocoins and TB's, these things. Can't they just be stopped from accessing the site?

Hi! Is anyone interested in helping organize a geocaching event in RI. I have the site and will pay for the reservation and the parking. The spot I have only has two cache's in it. I thought we could put some more. I would like someone with some more knowledge than I do to speak some about geocaching at the event on topics like Wherigo? something for people new to caching, etc. If you are interested please contact me at: harbcrftco375th@aol.com If you are familiar with Southern RI I am planning on having it at Tuckertown Park, there are bathrooms, a picnic shelter, a grill, etc. We can all bring something for the picnic. There is also plenty of free parking, a lake, etc. Great for adults and children! Thanks!

Hi, has anyone else had problems with getting the background image on their page? Some of mine work fine, then others just turn back to the green color. I am doing them the same exact way, copying the url. Any tips would be appreciated. I love to customize the page! Thanks, D and Beth

I would like to buy or trade for a West Virginia geocoin. I will buy you a coin or send $10.00 for it. Thanks.

Wow! Glad I read this, I didn't know people were doing this (collecting our GeoCoins) there are some I have paid over 20.00 for and are gone. I trusted the caching community, obviously wrong. Every single one of my coins is missing. Pathtag Sherpa, Mother Nature, (those were expensive) I wanted others to enjoy them. May I ask, what would one do with someone else's activated coin? Look at it? What do they want it for? Thanks.

Yes, because YOU are a responsible cacher. I really am tired of the people who steal the coins I buy. I wish they all cared like you do.

I can take one or two, but SEVEN? Come on! Why do people pick them up? Some of my coins I have spent a lot of money on and these people just keep them? It is rather appalling. I really want to e-mail them and ask them to send them back to me. Is that proper etiquette. One coin, brand new I bought (and put on the coin's) page for my husband for our 12th anniversary went 2 miles two years ago and gone! How is that even possible? What do the keepers DO with our bugs and coins? I put so much energy into taking pic's of people's travelers and posting them and moving them on within two weeks, my real rule is a week, sometimes though my son will have a lot of baseball games one weekend and we can't go so I made the steadfast rule 14 days or I will go after work. Called, cache-etiquette I suppose. Wow, I do feel better now that I whined.

Somewhat on topic here, is anyone else having problems uploading pictures of TB's, Coins, etc. the past few days?

I agree that if it is a playground cache, it should state as much. Even barring the reasons you gave, you certainly cannot get in there with tons of children around, you would know to wait til late at night or go in early am. I agree, not to ban them, but just to put it in the description. Thanks for the post! Maybe I'm biased. I've found a lot of caches sans GPS. I've never been surprised to discover that a cache is in a playground. After clicking on the "Google Maps" link and switching to satellite view, I can easily tell if the cache is hidden in a playground, near a playground, or elsewhere in the park. For playground caches, I hunt for the cache when there aren't any kids around, and I decrypt the hints before searching. I also have my PDA out. I try to walk right to the cache location, take care of business, and keep moving. No one pays attention to people who do that. But they do pay attention to people who are trying to act stealthy.

Operating system: Windows XP Using: Internet Explorer Problem: No picture files will upload for my TB's, etc. Error Message: Internet Explorer Cannot Display the Page I have been getting this error message all day when I try to upload photos of my coins, caches, etc. I even tried the same one I did last week which worked fine and now it will not even upload. Any help? Thank you!

An Open Letter to All GeoCoin and TB "Hoarders, Keepers and Violaters": Dear Hoarders: I know this has been previously discussed, people taking and not logging, but I think the responsibility factor needs to come into play here. When I see a GeoCoin in a cache, I take care of it like it was my own. I try to take pictures for the owners and do every single time unless I forget my camera. Perhaps what these people who never log or set free GeoCoins, do not realize is that though we are trusting enough to put our GeoCoins out there, they are still our property. Why is it not stealing? I pay sometimes $15.00 for one GeoCoin with shipping, not only for myself, but so others can find them. I mean there is nothing better than finding a GeoCoin or TB in a cache, reading its goal and helping it on its way. Yesterday my husband and I took the day off of work to go caching. We researched first where we wanted to go, where we could hit at least 5 caches, everyone was said to have TB's and coins. Out of the 4 we found there should have been 8 TB's and GeoCoins, out of 8, there was one! Come on people, it was 5-10 days since the last people were there, plenty of time to log their find! Can one of you perhaps answer the question as to WHY you take the TB's and GeoCoins and just refuse to log them out of the cache? There are some that have been listed as being in caches for almost one year. I mean people like the TB's, sometimes we go get a cache just to get it and find it is not there. Lately almost every single cache that says it has a TB or GeoCoin has none. Would you please show even an ounce of responsibility and log or not take the TB's? Right now there is no punishment for doing this, and some say the owners should not e-mail you when you keep our TB's. I disagree, there has to be some type of recourse. Maybe you are unaware of the time, money and thought many people put into their TB's and GeoCoins, could that be the reason? There is a little note with almost every GeoCoin, that says if you are not going to log it or help it along on its mission, please do not take it. Do you even read it? I know myself and others have e-mailed some of you and even offered to pay the postage-anything to get our TB's back, why do you ignore our e-mail requests? I know it sounds harsh, but to me it is akin to stealing when you keep our TB's and coins. Please if one of you hoarders reads this, can you explain to me why you do this, maybe I will understand, until then, I think it is just awful. Thank you!

I know, I e-mailed the person who has my son's TB twice and offered to pay postage, whatever he wanted to PLEASE re-release or send back to me. The TB had a medal my son won in Little League and wanted to visit all the LL parks around the US. This guy picked it up last year and never moved and won't respond to any e-mails. I just don't get why they grab them and then ignore any pleas to return them. Makes me kind of mad!

We designed a Little League TB for my son, an avid ballplayer, attached one of his medals to it and someone moved it once from last July. I have nicely e-mailed the person who has it twice offering to send him the money to at least mail it back to us. Not even a response. There should be some type of suspension for people who continue to pick them up and hold them for 9 months. If any of these "holders" are out there, why pick them up if you have no intention upon moving them, and then ignore e-mail asking you to please send it back. Especially when it belongs to a child. Perhaps they do not realize the time and effort some of us put into our TB's, pictures of it, buying it, etc. Please, if you are not going to ever replace it, don't pick it up out of the cache!!!! Thanks, I feel better now!

Hi, We are fairly new to Geocaching and I am ready to purchase my 1st unit. My friend bought one and cannot figure it out. I go with my two children so I want something fairly easy and not too pricy as it is a first buy. Can anyone give me some recommendations? Also a site. I went to the Garmin site and read the recommendations but there are so many that when I read them I keep forgetting what I need! I just need one for geocaching! Thanks so much!!

I feel so bad your son doesn't want to go with you. It is so cool that he has a dad that is interested in it! I wish you lived closer, I'd go with you!