JBnW

You may also want to keep an eye on the GPS forum, where several threads have shown short-term sales on the 62s at $200; Cabela's, BassPro, Academy Sports, and the like. These sales are usually weekend, or two-week deals, but they keep showing up.

Just a question from an observation I've been observing over the last several months: Are the total number of active caches in your area increasing, steady, or decreasing? I'm sure many here keep some sort of off-line database of all the caches in your state, province, etc. I've got one for KS, and have been observing the total number of active caches in the state hasn't grown by much since about December, 2013. That's when I had to create a "Kansas #12" date-range-based PQ to keep up with things. That PQ started off with about 120 caches then, and after re-setting my date ranges this morning, is all the way up to 154 (it was up to 643 prior to resetting the date ranges). I know it's a bit more complicated than that, but I'm fairly comfortable saying that, since December, there's been about as many archivals as new publications. For the record, I'm showing 12,211 active caches (and events) in KS. What are your observations?

Now that the request has been clarified, you may wish to start with the infamous Psycho Urban Cache series, and note that there are several, already existing bookmarks of very difficult caches listed on each page. Searching the bookmarks will likely lead you where you want to go.

By you? Probably not. By the person who posted the spoiler photo? Yes, and the CO does have the right to delete the spoiler photo(s) or other spoiler information posted in a log. The offending finder would be allowed to repost their find without the spoiler information. Yes, the picture can/should be deleted if the owner thinks it's a spoiler but if it was posted out of cluelessness, it seems harsh to call that person a "cheater" when it was really just a mistake. That really gets back to the essential thing that I find problematic about this "cheating" business - it's a pretty strong accusation to launch at someone who likely doesn't have any ill intent and isn't gaining any actual advantage. It's not the "gaining" of advantage, it's the "giving" of advantage that is being missed, and Groundspeak has been very clear on this for years. Don't post spoilers. It doesn't really matter if the posting was intentional or accidental or what.

No, not having that problem nor have I heard of it. Would wonder if there's something odd about the original PQs?

By you? Probably not. By the person who posted the spoiler photo? Yes, and the CO does have the right to delete the spoiler photo(s) or other spoiler information posted in a log. The offending finder would be allowed to repost their find without the spoiler information.

Yeah, a couple in the area. To the west in Manhattan is Flint Hills Geocaching, and to the east is the Kansas City Group. There may even be one somewhat close to the South (Emporia area), but i can't remember their name. There are a number of very active cachers in Topeka, and I'm not sure they have a formal "group" but still manage to do a lot of caching together. The best way to meet them is attend an event and you'll be warmly welcomed. Since Topeka is centrally located, they get a lot of cross-pollination between the "official" groups. If you're in the Manhattan area, give a jingle, would be happy to introduce you around.

I'm from the wrong side of the pond to expect my opinion to have much weight here, but driving out a Volunteer with such great experience and input to the game just simply reeks. IMHO. But a question to clarify the speculation part...surely this cache has been published by now, even if someone at Seattle had to do it. Are there any likely candidates from June 13 or thereabouts?

No, it isn't all about me. It isn't all about you. It isn't all about any single cache owner. No cache owner is going to have the same thoughts about this, so trying to claim that there is an objective right or wrong is fallacious. There isn't a right or wrong. Then why do you insist on shouting down alternative viewpoints? Member name Posts narcissa 42 Team Microdot 41 Roman! 37 funkymunkyzone 15 The_Incredibles_ 10 cezanne 9 NYPaddleCacher 8

Sorry then, I only have 2 of 5. I'll have to look at the map again. Darn you, Project-GC. A pretty small pool of people out there who go for County Challenges, but I think a few should check in. Checking in here. I had a chance to go to the great northeast for work some while ago, and decided to try to turn it into an extended vacation with the family, and snagging a couple of those "square-mileage-impaired state" county challenges was definitely in the works. But those plans fell through...maybe next time. We did complete the Kansas 105 County and DeLorme (65 pages) challenges. We had been caching for about 2.5 years, but only worked "seriously" on them for about 18-24 months. I think those will always be in the top 5 of our all-time favorite caching adventures! Besides the fun of traveling the state and seeing places we otherwise may not have ever visited, we also enjoyed the logistics of making sure to get the right ones on any of the road trips. Brought a lot of life into trips that had previously just been "5 hours to get from here to there".

Lock on Road set to Off?

We taught our son how to geocache, and he loves it when we have to sit back and let him make the find. Otherwise, if he's not able to be with us, I'll ignore them and likely not return.

I agree the OP did a good thing here. I also saw this once before, two TBs with quite different traveling companions chained together with no indication on the pages that they were supposed to be or stay that way. I contacted one of the Owners, who confirmed that they and the other owner intended both to remain together, so I logged both and moved it/them along. Odd, but not unheard of.

Finally someone who agrees with me (sort of). I'll still stick with they exploded in 2010, a year and a half or so after the first smartphone apps came out, and they came into wide use. Figuring out when the Android app joined the iphone app might be of note too. Greatest topic ever, for me. This has been my pet peeve ever since the TFTC explosion. Of course a lot of the regulars probably know that, and are sick of me talking about it. Before the iPhone or Android geocaching app, someone with a smartphone could still access the main site and log a cache from the field, even if they found the cache using a handheld GPS. Unless someone could get a complete list of logs, and count how many only contained a TFTC log (for the purposes of this thread, appending TFTC to the end of a complete sentence is, IMHO, a *lot* different than a TFTC, or even a TNLNSL. TFTC log) we might be able get some idea regarding the growth of TFTC logs over time and draw some sort of correlation between that and the proliferation of smart phones and the introduction of the official apps. Something else, or additional, to consider is logging via the old WAP site. Although I don't believe it was widely used, it could also be a milestone in the proliferation of cheap-n-easy logs.

The oldest cache I own was adopted, GCP7HQ; a rest stop cache along I-70..but a nice one. Placed June 7, 2005. 504 finds, 12 DNFs, and a few maintenance trips. First use of TFTC July 3, 2005 by 11th finder. Log has 3 sentences. First TFTC-Only log June 3, 2008. TFTC-Only logs since then, 16, including "TFTH", "T4T$", etc.

Bison tubes. Our local events usually have some sort of simple competition or door prize. When I win something, I always take the bison tubes and stash them in the caching bag, so that they'll never see the light of day.

Don't know what the OP's price range is, but this thread shows how to find a 62s at $199.

Apparently, Cabela's has not yet sold out their stock. May 1-14 "Family Great Outdoor Days" flyer has the 62s at $199, and the Dakota 20 at $169. Says Kansas City store only, but I'd check the other locations as well.

In the event the OP is still around, I used the 76CSx for the first few years of caching, boating, hunting, general GPS use, and it is a very good model for all of that. Found several hundred caches with it until I moved to a 62s; then loaned the 76 to a friend who found about 1,000 while they scrimped and saved for a GPS of their own. The only reason I moved up to the 62s was to get paperless caching; otherwise the 76 was, and still is a rock-solid GPS that can get the job done with the best of them. It does have a USB (not serial) connector, does take a SD card for maps and other data, and also has the round 4-pin connector for external power for use in a vehicle or boat. IMHO, if the newer, paperless 62s had that 4-pin connector, it would be just about perfect, as that connector is more structurally sound than the USB connector.

Kansas City has a very active caching community and group. Usually have an event every month or two. September is a bit too far away for planning, but feel free to attend, you'll be warmly welcomed. Also, don't forget to check both KC-Kansas and KC-Missouri; the state line can screw up a bunch of PQs!

FWIW, Cabela's has the Oregon 550T for $229 April 10-21. These are listed in the "April In-Store Specials" and "Great Gear Sale" flyers.

GS can certainly hide behind the law and their TOU. However, it doesn't seem like a decent, "community-building" thing to do when someone attending an event, or is with a group out caching, and specifically asks not to be included in photos, especially those that may get uploaded to the site and then used for a GS promotion. In fact, it seems like a good way to build ill-will, especially with new cachers who don't pour through the legalese of the TOU. Don't get me wrong, I'm not pretending to understand this position, but have met others who are very clear in their feelings, and will respect those over GS's or some general public "photographer's" "rights". And yes, it is a big deal when one plays this game in a small community.

LOL! We were chatting more around the office this morning about this. It seems that by being nice and offering this option we have accidentally caused a stir. The TOU say that we don't have to offer the option, in this case we were trying to be courteous. It could have been the individual cachers who were asked, but asking the event owners on the submission forms seemed simpler in this case...so the event owners were picked instead. I think the point that's being cleverly avoided is that GS should be seeking the permission of the subject of the picture, especially if there's plans to use someone's likeness in some sort of publicity campaign. The CO of the event does not necessarily possess the rights to someone else's likeness, and probably not the photographer either. Especially for minors.

Many of my caches are simple lock-n-locks, and they all require maintenance at some point cuz some cachers just can't operate them.

So, anyone know the deal with the "Official Completion Certificate" (link to PDF here)? Are these supposed to be used, do they really mean anything, or is it just a suggestion? Can the text on the cert be changed? Or do I have to start another thread?