Cryptosporidium-623

I've been trying to find an example or two of a Challenge Cache that ALSO has some puzzle-like qualities AND multiple waypoints combined as well. In other words, it isn't just a straight find of the container that you log (assuming you already met the Challenge requirements themselves, otherwise you'd be out trying to satisfy those requirements). Is such a thing possible? Do they exist, or are Challenge Caches and "Multiple-Waypoint / Puzzle" Caches meant to be mutually exclusive under the "Mystery / Unknown" category? Thanks.

Chalk me up as being allergic to junipers too. My favorite time of year to search them is in the winter when they're especially dry, prickly and they emit dust when you even remotely touch them. Gah! If a cache is underneath and there's clear access, I'll go for it. Otherwise, pass.

Where's the parking lots and lamp skirt hides? #FAIL

I tell new cachers that they don't need to write War and Peace or be expected to sit down for hours at a time to write a log (unless they WANT to), but it only takes a few seconds to say something nice about a cache where the cache owner has CLEARLY spent a more substantial multiple of that time in its creation, placement, etc.

* Harry Potter * Alien invaders * Lego * Mad scientists * Talking anamorphized walruses * Foreign heritage * Cancer Survivors * Witches ... You name it, there's a theme out there...

Hope they cross-reference that IP with posts from his "main account".

Long live the sock signal.

FTF = First to Fail - When the first log entry on a newly published cache is a DNF (e.g. when a newly hidden cache is muggled before it is published / found, the first searcher simply couldn't find it, etc.)

It's a great idea and certainly very practical for many folks. Unfortunately, in my case there are some "body issues" at work that limit my ability to place hides in such a manner. If I could, I would.

Stop making me blush. It's unbefitting of a conquering alien. Thanks though. And it deserves it. I just hope it lasts... Perhaps a Groundspeak-branded antidepressive / lackey coin? If it were a 1% cacher problem that would be much easier to cope with. Lately, it feels like a good 20-30% problem, but maybe I'm just too emotionally wrapped around-the-axle at the moment to see clearly.

So, you need the combination to unlock and to re-lock? That's strange. The combination locks I have seen just click closed and lock without needing to enter the code. Either get one of these Master brand locks, or write the code inside the cache. Make it easier to do it right and maybe they will. Or, just find some other universe where people always do what you want. As I stated in that post, that particular example wasn't my cache. I just happened to witness it. And I believe it WAS a master lock. The type with the 4 black "nub dials" (for the lack of a better term) with numbers and letters on them. And thank you for mature "zinger". I was looking for constructive answers.

I've tried different e-mail addresses (google, .mac, ISP, etc.), I've completely turned off my mail processing filters (Junk, etc.) Nadda. It's actually quite funny. My wife will get an e-mail from her watchlist of one of my caches but I won't get the actual notification message. And yes it's a little bit of a pain for FINDs but at least I can just look at my Owned items once a day and see what's at the top of the list that I didn't get an e-mail for. The DNFs that are the real problem.

Similar story: There was a tree hide here, in the middle of nowhere, made out JB-Weld and secured to a branch. Rather than removing the cover and pulling the log out, the finder yanked on it until they broke off the branch (it was NOT a small branch) and ripped the heavy gauge wire out of the JB-Weld in the process. WTF?

I'm looking for some creative suggestions (other than the obligatory "take a break" solution) from other cache owners on how they combat "inconsiderate cacher syndrome" and the various other problems that seem to intersect on that general "CO Burnout" venn diagram. To be clear, I'm not talking about losing the will to "maintain caches", I'm fine with maintaining what I have... I'm referring to losing the desire to design and deploy any new "creative cache hides", because of the increasingly nagging inner-voice that says "it'll just get mangled anyway, don't bother"... The most recent "inconsiderate cacher" example that sent me over the edge, happened to an excellent cache (not mine) that integrated the use of a combination lock: A previous finder forgot the combo after they opened the lock and so they, apparently, couldn't be bothered to figure it back out to secure the mechanism properly... Instead, they put the cache back, unlocked, and also didn't bother to report a problem to the CO or in the logs. (I checked) I mean seriously. What the heck is wrong with people? I guess I'm beginning to understand why some people just throw out film cans and call it a day. Nobody cares when THOSE get damaged or not put away properly. Anyway, returning to point. What do other CO's do to combat this feeling?

Hi. I've mostly been working with Epoxy Putty and JB Weld for creating custom cache containers which, although fairly durable, has proven a bit expensive for larger projects. Does anyone have any experience with "Super Sculpey" used in custom cache containers, specifically in the areas of ice/snow and expansion/contraction durability?

What a lovely thread. Way to keep things constructive and positive, guys.

Inventing a new cache container material impervious to cold, rust and turns invisible (along with the contents) in the presence of muggles.

Less Walrus-themed caches?

It's been going on for longer than December. I've noticed this happening since November. I've tried different e-mail addresses on my end thinking it was my provider's e-mail servers. But, nope, it's gc.com. Very annoying. I hope they fix it soon.

According to the guidelines: "Caches that are buried. If a shovel, trowel or other "pointy" object is used to dig, whether in order to hide or to find the cache, then it is not appropriate." None of those things are required to obtain the cache nor were they used when it was hidden.

For urban camo, we took a bison tube and combined it with various hardware lying around the house (electrical clamps, washers and nuts) and a magnet and then painted everything to match... And here is a recent "small" we created in a nice park. The top is epoxy putty with dirt "glued" on. The base in the ground is a PVC pipe coupler. It was placed over a low hanging branch so no one would be able to easily step on it...

Are "Bonus Caches" technically just "Puzzle/Mystery" caches? Yes. In most cases you need to find a series of caches to obtain the coords of the bonus cache. Because the coords of the bonus cache are not known it should be listed as s a puzzle/mystery. Good advice. Thanks all for your input!

Are "Bonus Caches" technically just "Puzzle/Mystery" caches?

Hi. I'm in the process of working on a Geocaching 101 workshop overview of multi caches, puzzle caches and the variations / sub-categories (e.g. offset, challenge caches) etc. I had asked a couple of cacher friends for a sanity check review and one of them asked me to mention "Bonus Challenge Caches" which he claims are different from "Challenge Caches". He indicated that while a "Bonus Challenge Cache" and a "Challenge Cache" were similar in that you could not log it until you met the other requirements (e.g. finding other challenge caches, etc.), the distinct difference in a bonus version was that each cache you found previously would get you part of the coordinates for finding the bonus cache. ok, but isn't that just a Challenge/Puzzle variant? What I'm trying to understand at this point is if this is an "officially singled-out and recognized sub variant" of "Challenge Caches" or are we possibly making up new terms here? There's nothing on gc.com that I could find that officially recognizes anything beyond the "Challenge Cache". Thank you for your help in sorting this out.

Yes needle/haystack hides drive me nuts too. But that said, I don't necessarily agree that the size of the container is the sole determining factor in the "quality" of a difficult hide. If I go on a search for a 4-5 star hide and the end result is a nano that is constructed or camo'd in a high quality way (e.g. hidden in a stick with a piece of roughed up cork to hide the hole), I think that's perfectly acceptable and worthy of pursuit. Would I want to look for that same stick in a thigh-high pile of sticks? Heck no.