Algonquin Bound

In a similar vein, I have enjoyed many such responses to my "Hope Stones" cache (currently archived - soon to be restocked). Here is one such log: Hope. In this case, as well as many others, I receive more detailed personal e-mails from the cacher, showing just how deeply they were moved by the experience. It is always an honour and a joy to receive them. As The Blue Quasar mentioned, this kind of joy is not limited to such clearly moving health-related stories, but often how moved people were at the entire caching experience. One of my greatest joys, even though I haven't cached much recently, is reading the on-going logs of sheer caching pleasure in my Bruce Almighty series, as well as my drumlin cache. More often than not, these caches seem to generate thoughtful and heart-warming logs. As the "owner", I am often moved and humbled in reading the stories and the gratitude. My personal thanks to all of you for sharing your joyful experiences.

You might want to contact Murfster. He may not be in your backyard, but he is "nearby". He is pretty active in your neck of the woods and well beyond.

After reading this LONG thread, it seems likely that the reason GC.COM stood so hard and fast on the ruling is that the person submitting the cache was arrogant, rude, defiant, argumentative, accusatory, demanding and disrespectful. Had they replied with a polite response and a reasonable explanation, it is entirely plausible that either a mutually agreeable compromise could have been reached, or the cache might even have been approved as it was. Some people have mentioned "the old days" and I remember them, too - times when people were polite and respectful, in the forums and in cache logs. The reason GC.COM will not "clarify the rules", may be that a more strict definition, or a more "even enforcement", might tie their hands and force them to ban a cache, or part of a cache - such as a word or a link - to someone who had politely offered a reasonable explanation for having it on the listing. The guidelines are reasonable and rarely too limiting, allowing a broad spectrum of caches and events to be published, with varied possibilities in the listings. My personal experiences with cache approvers/reviewers has rarely been anything short of a positive experience. I haven't always agreed with their decisions or their reasons for their decisions, but I certainly respect that, for the most part, they seem to be reasonable people, doing an enormous amount of work. I can certainly see that when attacked by such a rude and arrogant letter (as that which opened this thread), one might just say, "No. Not this one. Never THIS ONE." I'm actually shocked that so many people, many of whom I know personally, and KNOW to be reasonable people, have sided with someone who so very clearly is simply on a personal rampage. The cause, in this particular case, must come second to the attitude. Count me very firmly, as DO NOT ALLOW THIS MENU LINK. However, that does not preclude the possibility of allowing other MENU (or other) LINKS.

I'm afraid I cannot disagree with Groundspeak, in their request to have you stop using the tag line. It is solicitation and I think they need to be extremely careful on this and not allow such tags, no matter how admirable the cause. What is admirable to some is offensive to others. I don't like attempts to sway me to any cause, as I come here strictly to enjoy geocaching. At the same time, I disagreed with the Diabetes TB, or whatever it was. I found it offensive that a particular cause was allowed in that way, while "seeming" to ignore many other causes. It just feels like it doesn't belong here at all, whether in caches, logs, TBs, coins or any other way. I don't like it. I would be shocked if there were not "Support Your Troops" taglines, caches, logs, etc. Are they being questioned/chastised in the same way? They should be. I also think it ridiculous, though, that they would even ASK, let alone expect you to go and change over a thousand logs. That is way over the line and I would not even consider doing such a thing. I think they have every right to ask you to stop doing it, "from now on", however, should they wish to have past logs changed, they should offer to remove the offending lines themselves. They have the resources to do so, much easier, I'm sure, than you do. I know there are people who write programs to make such mass changes, so perhaps you could try to find one of them, but since GC.COM apparently frowns on such activities, they should relieve you of the burden and offer to make the changes, or simply leave PAST logs alone.

Reported on CHCH News this morning: Last night (Thursday, Sept 28/07), a woman was attacked on the Bruce Trail (near Bradley St.) in St. Catharines. Luckily, she managed to fight off her attacker, but one may want to exercise more caution than usual. Ian "Algonquin Bound"

Guiderchachi... next time you are in the area, if you'd like a long-ish but beautiful and rewarding hike, try Green Bay Island Tickle. Some awesome views. Might be worth a weekend trip. I moved my mother to Harry's Harbour last year and this was the nicest hike I was able to do. Be sure to allow for extra time at the end, since it is not a quick find, though not that hard, once you put your mind in hide mode.

I can't see check-boxes enhancing ANY caches. Put out and seek quality caches. Why fix what isn't broken?

Sometimes, the fact that we allow people to sign up, with no knowledge and no qualifications, and allow them to post garbage on our site, does backfire on us. Generally, this is not true. Occasionally, caches are "hidden in plain sight". Should you ever choose to try this hobby, you'll be sure to discover this. That doesn't sound like much fun. In fact, I think you'd have to be a bit of a moron to cache like that, but suit yourself. Not true. Once again, as throughout this post, as well as all of your alleged apologies, which simply add more insult, you show your ignorance. This is kind of like saying, "What's the fun of flying to Europe for a vacation? In the 'olden days', explorers used to get a big wooden ship and just set out on the ocean, hoping to find a new land". Different things, entirely, even though both involve traveling from one place to another. Actually, we do know how to use those tools. Sometimes we even incorporate them in our hobby, just as a change. Of course, one would actually have to do some research and do some caches, in order to discover this. Once you've used technology for a while, you'll discover many things. For example, geocaching is ALL about using a GPS to find something that is hidden, whether it is in a parking lot or on the side of a cliff. After using your new-fangled computer for a while, you'll discover that on the internet, when one posts on forums, it is usually a really good idea to know what you're talking about, before spouting off your big mouth and insulting hundreds of thousands of people that you know nothing about, who are enjoying doing something that you know nothing about. We have many REAL trekkers. My friend and I just did a 27km trek. Again, one finds these things out by doing it... sometimes even just by ASKING questions, rather than making ignorant accusations. Nothing, at all. It just rarely has anything to do with geocaching. Sounds more like orienteering or the newer version of that - letterboxing. Many people do those hobbies as well, but most geocachers find them less challenging and less enjoyable. We'd be happy to hear you had turned your expertise in that direction. Yup! Catch mine? That should be easy. Apologise for your ignorance and rude attitude, do some research and jump on board. You may even turn out to have some great ideas for caches. First, buy or borrow a GPS and try geocaching. In fact, before you buy a GPS, try it your way. Jump in your car and drive around aimlessly, until you see a cache lying in the open! Then come on the site and try to find out what cache it is and where it is posted on the site, and log it as a find! Good luck!

After seeing a piece about this on the CHTV news, I did post a warning on one of the area caches, but perhaps this is a more appropriate spot. Please pass the word around to anyone in the area. Hamilton Conservation Authority has said, "Signs warning hikers to keep children and animals away from the water’s edge were posted Saturday on HCA lands along the creek in hopes of alerting residents about the contamination who may not have read or heard media reports of the fire.". You can read about it at Contamination affects years of stewardship work along Spencer Creek. There is a further, more direct warning, at HCA advises keeping children and animals away from section of Spencer Creek Might be a good area to avoid for a while.

I bought my first unit, a Magellan, on E-Bay and never had any problem with the warranty. Not sure if Garmin would be the same, or not. I did, of course, eventually have to buy Canadian maps, to get detail, but in the beginning, I wasn't even aware there was such an option!

Oh, yeah! You would love it NP. YOU might have to plan an overnight trip, because the photo-ops are endless. It all seems to be in or near Crown Land, so I believe that is possible, but you may want to check with locals, to be sure.

Personally, I think there are FAR too many caches, FAR too many lame caches and FAR too many cachers, which accounts for both of the former. I don't see that any of the guidelines need to be changed, nor time limits imposed. As has been said, most caches with longevity tend to be good caches anyway. If restraint is called for, and I think it is, it would be to restrain from putting caches out "just because". Find a unique spot or a unique idea. If you can't - don't place one. As has been said, there are all kinds of great areas around. The joy of finding a good, well-placed, well-stocked cache in a beautiful area, is almost nostalgic now. We have gotten lazy or cheap or both. It was once a thrill to look through the varied, brand-new contents of a cache to find something neat to trade for, then replace it with something neat that you had in your pack. Then, we would write something neat in the log-book. We don't need to keep spreading the word about geocaching. It used to be our little secret. Oh, for those good old days. In a side note, to bwmick, if you want a great day, with TONS of WOW factor, not too far from home, check out Bisset Creek treasure and Francoeur's Mill Cache. Both are unforgettable!

This search will show you the nearest caches to Wasaga Beach.

Can you try posting links to your routes? Maybe we can see something you are missing.

Not sure if this has been suggested or not, but you could use GSAK to help setup the info you want. GSAK has a built in macro capability, which you could easily use to find caches which you logged on the day of placement. You could then manually go through that much smaller list, to refine your personal FTF list. From then on, just keep track of it in GSAK. You could also build another macro to go through all the FTFs in your list and mark them as FTF. GSAK has a check-box built in for FTF.

Stating the obvious, does this apply to Travel Bugs, too? I'm wondering, of course, about the Diabetes and Jeep Travel bugs? Can any cacher do this, or is it just that GC.COM that gets a pass on this rule? I am not opposed to them doing so, at least on the Jeep item, in spite of the contest part of it being limited to the U.S. I was concerned, however, regarding the diabetes item, as it does seem to indicate a bias of sorts. to a particular "political, charitable or social agenda". Are there plans for like promotions for other causes? Lots of questions, I know... but I certainly am curious.

As Utsman's profile lists him as being in the military, perhaps someone should try contacting by phone. Perhaps he has been deployed. The page lists: Race Coordinator - Stuart MacNeil (Utsman) Assistant Coordinator - Don Barr (3rd Party) Canada 411 might help you in trying to get to the bottom of this. If you list either (in Barrie, ON) you have some possibilities. Worth a shot!

A New Direction in Your Life

Bill is indeed the only staff! He is not a geocacher and doesn't have much interest in it, though he knows of it and I believe has some friends who "dabble" in it. He is very involved in Ham radio, for those of you involved in that hobby. Bill is very knowledgeable and quite the electonics geek. He is certainly very good at turnaround on repairs and replacements, when necessary. On a couple of occasions, where I needed my first Magellan repaired, I just decided it would be a nice drive up to a little town I had never visited. I would do the same again, since I do enjoy driving and discovering small towns. On my last visit, a couple of years ago, I got an extra bonus, as that is where I found my beautiful cat, Kalo. Actually, he found me. As Bill was working on my GPS, I went outside and sat on the steps of the Post Office, to have a smoke and that was where Kalo found me. He was overjoyed to have someone to sit with and when I petted him, he was so skinny, it was like petting a skeleton. I put him in my truck and told Bill to give out my name and number, if anyone came looking for him. Having obviously lived on the street for som time, Kalo has had more than his share of health problems, but he has been worth every penny, as he is the most loving creature. Anyway... you can reach bill at breuber@wightman.ca

I also think it would be nice if you outlined some of the things you have tried, or the steps you have followed. Did you use the manual, etc.? If you had actually tried "EVERYTHING", no one would be able to help you.

cz,or should I say CZ? I know of a certain cacher, whom you also know, who successfully changed her name. Perhaps you can e-mail her and find out how she did it. So that she won't be bombarded with requests, you'll recognize her as AA.

Would it be possible to add a search feature to the Manage Bookmarks page and perhaps to the general Seek a Geocache page, ie. "Search for Bookmark Lists (by Keyword)"? This might be helpful. If, for example, I wanted to see if a particular cache series had been compiled in a list already, or if it might help others for me to make one and have it available to everyone. It seems to make sense that if a list is public and shared, I would be able to find it somewhere.

It would help to know the name and location of the cache. Has it been approved? Did you just hide it, to be adopted? Has it been hidden under a different name?

I'm sure that's the first time I've ever heard "Winnipeg" and "vacation" used in the same sentence! Congratulations on both achievements, Tony.

Try searching for a "cipher", instead of a code.