Astro_D

I'd also like to think by not being tallied in the find count, it would keep a majority of the masses who want another smiley from logging bogus finds. I know, it already happens, but think of how much worse it could be if they were to be part of the find count. *shudders*

I would definitely quit looking for benchmarks if they ever go to the Waymarking site. I also think some other things to consider is that the Benchmark database on GC.com is static. It has not not been updated since it was pulled and that was back in 2000 I think. As far as I know, there are no plans for ever doing an update. The GC.com benchmark database does not contain all the benchmarks out there to find. (Quite a common question on the benchmark forum). And well, the only benchmarks I've seen listed on GC.com are those located in the U.S. So how would that affect a good chunk of the world's geocachers if only a certain country would have benchmarks included in their find count? Add to it there is no way to 'police' the logs as the benchmarks do not and cannot be owned by any one cacher(s). Although, like AZ, I would volunteer to police!! To me that's the crux of why they are not counted.

While I am an avid benchmark hunter, I do not want to see them count in the finds. Simply because most of the benchmarks are logged found when in fact they are not. Most common logging error: loogging a mark because one happens to be at or very near the coordinates. While that may be, the stamping could be different, the agency that placed it could be different, or its a reset etc etc etc. My experience, most cachers find them to add the icon to their stats and could care less if it's the correct mark or not. I would not to see this become even more widespread should they be counted in the find totals.

I know a cacher who creates puzzles and provides a coordinate checker. What little good it does as the caches are always 40+ feet off. Deliberately. As doing so "makes it more fun" and "not all caches are meant to be found". Many of his puzzles are quite interesting (especially the historical ones), the hides are quite clever and the containers unique. But purposely giving bad coords overshadow those facts and gives me the impression he is nothing more than a bleep. So he is now on my ignore list as to not give him the satisfaction.

I own a Garmin 60Csx - I use the belt clip. The minute I'm in GZ territory, the GPSr gets clipped. It's not in the way when I look for the cache, go to retrieve the cache, sign the log and put it back. I'm also guaranteed to have the GPSr instead of tossing it in panic as I swat and run away because I got into a hornet nest.

Looks like I'll have to push hubbby into going to Western Wisconsin in two weeks to pick up a few counties out there. It's still white!

My cache based on the TV show Stargate is one of six caches, each based on different Sci-fi show or movie. Each cache is a puzzle. I have a pix of the Stargate I took when I was on the set a few years ago. Other caches have pictures or screen caps and such that are the clues to solving the puzzle. None of us have had any problems.

I was FTF on an "epic" multi a few years ago. At the time, the cache owner did not list how many WPs (there were 16 in all) and did not provide hints for all of them. It took me 9 days to complete it. But many of those days, I only had an hour to work it (I spent 3 days on one WP. I just couldn't find the bugger). I think it took me a total of 15-20 hours to do. This was multi that did not provide close parking so it was alot of hiking up and down hills and stream crossings. After finding the final, I got to spend another 4 hours looking for the stages of the bonus cache! The "epic" multi (with only 4 finders) has been broken down into six seperate caches.

Wow Those are AWESOME!! As an amateur astronomer who has devoted many many hours this year to IYA, I have to get me a set or two!! THANKS!

Received my pin today!! Looks absolutely fab! THANK YOU!!!

My hubby snapped this one while on Pigeon Key, FL. AA0292. I am standing at the mark verifying the stamping. We had to walk 2.5 miles on the old 7 mile bridge to get here. This is AA0921 taken from the north end of the new 7 mile bridge in the Florida Keys. The old 7 mile bridge to the right leads to Pigeon Key.

I know this one isn't in the date range you wanted, but I am curious about it. AA0267 It is listed a D70 Reset and yet it is also stamped as Tidal No 2 as well. Was/Is this common to have one disk have dual purposes and stamped as such? Or am I just being dense and missing something here. (Which wouldn't surprise one bit).

George, Thanks for all the info. I clicked on the link and had fun looking for all the tidals we found in the Florida Keys. Boy, they really have the Keys broken down too. I bookmarked the site and will certainly print off the relevant info sheets so when we go back in February we will have some extra info to hopefully help us out in our recoveries.

Why would you want to buy one of those at all?? The light pollution they produce is terrible. Worse, the shadows they create so you cannot see the bad guys lurking in the shadows is even worse. Give the thing a merciful death. Destroy it.

Looked at the few we did in the Florida Keys and either they were the wrong agency and/or the wrong years. Apparently there are no tidal statons near Green Bay either. Bummer.

THis is the reason I do not drop any TBs in events anymore (and hope to never see mine listed in an event). I may bring one or two and personally hand them off to specific cachers whom I know will log and move them on.

I would just contact the owner of the TB telling them of your plans and ask if they are ok with you having it that long. I picked up a few TBs where I could easily get them to thier goal but in order to do so, I would need to hold them for a month or two. All the owners I contacted were fine with it. I would even post a note on the TB page every couple of weeks, just keeping the owner informed that, yes I still have it, it's OK and looking forward to moving it soon. Good luck and have fun.

What is an 'obsessive astronomer'? I am an active astronomer both locally and regionally. But never heard of this type of astronomer. As for a bug in space......well, I suppose that could be a goal as any other. Good luck with that.

LOL I'm the opposite. Benchmarking - hubby and 10 year old son are eager to go along. Caching - I'm on my own for that. I've had a few other cachers ask to accompany us on a benchmark hunt as they were curious why we were so nuts over it. They never asked to go again. I guess they thought five smileys that don't count in the stats is just not a productive way to spend a day. Oh well.

The one we had set in Wisconsin last November was surveryed this past April. I have not gotten in contact with the person responsible for surveying, but there was a nice gouged X in the center of the disc. Guess I should attempt another follow up when school starts again.

Hmm....we've been geocaching more lately. But the big difference I see is the lacking "wow" factor when I find a cache versus when I find a benchmark. A container in the woods or a guardrail is just something that only matters for the moment its found and the log is signed. And then it's forgotten. Now a benchmark - it doesn't matter if the benchmark was placed last year or last century or if I'm the last in a long string of recoverers or the first - it still wows me to find one. And once found it's not forgotten when the next one is found. With caches, it's pretty damned easy to know where they are. The coords are pretty much spot on. Benchmarks....not the case. I love becoming the detective and peering into the past. Where would the train station have been? Was the road always this wide? Did they have to travel through worse brush than this to survey and place the station? In fact, that's the biggest thrill for me - the feeling of being able to step back in time and feel part of history - not as an observer, but as a participant. Corny I know. But I also blame that feeling on my love of history too. And no matter the cache, I have never gotten that feeling. Although I have to admit, caching gets me out for a day with a great group of friends. None of my caching friends are into benchmarking and certainly don't care to hear about it. So benchmarking is strictly a family affair and that's a really cool aspect! So yeah. Those are the big differences for me.

Hm..what do I like best about the coin? Simple, it's a reminder of one of my most memorable vacations. The colors remind me of the beautiful totem poles I saw in Stanley Park and the majestic mountains and their various hues depending on the time of day and cloud cover. The Raven reminds me of the First Nations story I heard and seen at the planetarium in Vancouver and how the first time I heard "First Nations" it made me stop and think. The coin design reinforces what I have come to know and love of Vancouver (hey, It's the only place I've been in B.C.) - colorful, lively and ethnically diverse place to be. And the coin itself is a reminder that geocaching has taken me off the beaten paths to discover fascinating people and places that would have gone unnoticed and unexplored.

I too enjoy iridium flares. They are always a showpiece at our public observing sessions for some reason. When we get out to the observatory (or anywhere for that matter), we challenge each other to see who can spot it well before it flares. I like the more challenging flares - the daytime ones (when the sun is still ABOVE the horizon, and the higher the better). I've seen a couple and even used a day time iridium observation for an observing award sponsored by the Astroonimcal League. Glad to see many others enjoy these as well. Happy Hunting!

I'm jealous! You live in a beautiful area. Makes me miss my visits to Vancouver and the surrounding area.

I wouldn't replace a cache. I would certainly leave a log, and maybe even send an email stating it needs help. I know cache owners around here that do not want you messing with their caches. Period. I have also seen caches replaced by well intended cachers only to go find te cache and then find the replaceent as well as the original container. It should be the cache owner's responsiblity to maintain their caches.The cache seeker should help the cache owner by at least leaving a log if something needs to be fixed/repaired/replaced. If the owner is no longer in the game, I think the cache should be archived and open up the area to new cachers. I don't care how 'historic' a cache is, if it's junk, the owners aren't active, it needs to go.