SgtMikal

I'll make a 2nd entry. One of my favorite Christmas memories is a tradition that my father (now well-into his 70s) still holds. Every Christmas morning, there was a very specific smell in our home when we (as the kids) got up: scrapple! That smell still reminds me of Christmas morning. In fact...I have a pound of it thawing right now, so that I can properly "aromatize" my home this weekend. The trick is to fry it very slowly, or else it will burn on the outside, and be way too mushy on the inside. Thanx again for the cointest! The stories have been entertaining. I meant to ask...will the winner be decided by a random drawing, or by your favorite entry? Just curious.

This has been suggested before:http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=285435 I agree that Challenge Caches are not puzzles, but until there is a separate type for them, they're fine as mystery/puzzle caches (which is explicitly a catch-all type). And FWIW, I've found several puzzle caches that were located at the posted coordinates, or where the first puzzle stage was located at the posted coordinates. Not all puzzles use bogus coordinates. I didn't realize it had been suggested before. Thanx for pointing out that thread. And my suggestion was not a complaint at the difference between bogus and true coords. I agree with you there. It just seems like Challenge Caches (or Quest Caches, or Fulfillment Caches, or whatever you would like to call them) are a different animal, and could be treated as such. I liked the idea of a subcategory under Mystery/Unknown caches (like the way there are several different kinds of event caches under the Event Cache umbrella. Just my $0.02...

I have been seeing some challenge caches lately, and they are listed as Mystery-Unknown caches. The description always starts with, "The cache IS at the posted coordinates, but in order to claim the find, in addition to signing the log, you must also...". This is when the challenge is described (eg. find 100 caches in a day, find caches of 6 different types on the same day, find the top-10 favorited caches within 20 miles of your home zip code, etc). I think it would be a good idea if the challenge caches had their own icons. They aren't puzzles, and they ARE at the posted coords. Just a thought...

Wait a minute...that was my idea! I was gonna offer myself!! *sigh* LOL!

I got one, too! I got one too! YAY!!!! Seriously, though...MANY thanks go out to the mystery giver, sharing so much joy. This was/is a WONDERFUL thing to do! May you and yours be truly blessed!

I like it a lot. It actually hit me pretty quickly, before the thread even opened. Thanx for sharing the pic, and congrats to a deserving recipient!

Bump...

Has a winner been chosen yet?

Nice cointest...I look forward to reading more stories and memories. And Neal...I loved your story! One memory that popped into my head was when I was a teenager. We had already put up and decorated our tree, but we had not put any presents under the tree yet. Then, one day when no one was looking, my dad snuck in and put a single small gift under the tree. It was a very non-descript package, and had no tag on it. No one knew who it was from or for. Well...later that evening, while I was eating my dinner, our dog was walking by, and noticed the small package under the tree. It stopped her in her tracks, because something just wasn't right. She stared at it for a moment, leaning around to observe from different angles, but keeping her feet firmly planted in one spot. Still keeping her feet planted, she leaned forward to smell it. No one knows what happened, but the next thing we knew she got spooked so badly that she just couldn't jump back quickly enough. Her nails dug into the rug as she clawed to get away. We all laughed hysterically, and she noticed that we were looking at her. I wenty over and picked up the package and held it for her to sniff. Seconds later, she compeltely lost interest and left it alone, never giving it a second glance. I am laughing right now as I try to fathom what might have been going through her mind that evening. It was so funny to watch! Thanx for the cointest!

RAoK for today has been completed.

A few more RAoKs have been performed over the last several days. I just don't log into the forums every day in order to enter here. Thanx again for the cointest!

Yahoo...thanx so much for the cointest, and for using that neat program that selected my name! i do appreciate it. Email through your profile will be coming shortly. Just as an FYI to anyone who watched the video...Although my first name is actually Michael, my caching name is SgtMikal, which rhymes with the 5-cent piece in America (nickel). No worries, but I just wanted to let you all know.

I have completed a RAoK today. Just thought you'd like to know.

Thanx for the cointest. I found this cache container in a graveyard, under a bush, along with my brother-in-law who is not a cacher, but thought it was pretty neat.

Answer sent. Thanx for the cointest!

I have done several RAoK's over the last few weeks, but have not been as active in the forums as in the past. Thanx for the cointest!

Logging in again to announce several more RAoKs completed (I haven't had the time to log in every day to mention each one, but never-the-less...)

I haven't been in the forums much lately, as my employer has put me on a special project for the next 6 months or so. I have a lot to learn, so when I come home, my head feels like a marshmallow. BUT...I have continued to try to do some RAoKs, and have done a few since I last checked in, but haven't kept score or logged in to announce all of them. Thanx again for the cointest!

I was out of town this weekend, away from my computer, but still managed a small deed for someone else.

Small RAoK done today. Thanx again for sponsoring this most excellent cointest!

Still logging, huh? LOL! That's one of my least favorite parts of coming home after a big caching trip...catching up on all of the logs! Glad you're safe, and had a great time!

I didn't see this thread yesterday. I am so sorry that it has fostered some conflicting thoughts. I have always been of the mindset that I like to always remember where I've been so that I know where I'm going. I do not think that this thread is tacky at all; nor do I think the cointest is wrong. Remembrances are just that...remembrances. Thank you for starting this thread, Sweetlife. As a former police officer myself, and the brother-in-law of a former firefighter, I compeltely understand your motiviation. It may be too late to enter, but I will share my story anyway. I was working at a new job (I had been there for less than 6 months) and had a son who was less than 3 months old. My wife was at home with our infant son, and she called me at work to tell me that a plane had just crashed into the WTC. While we were talking, the other tower was hit. At this point, word had not spread all over the office yet, and I mentioned the "T" word to her (she said that no one on the TV had thought of terrorism yet either). As the events unfolded, no one at work could focus, and they eventually sent everyone home to be with their families, once it became more clear what we were facing on that horrific day. NEVER FORGET...(but don't be afraid to talk about it, either).

OK...I'll take another stab... ROT-13 in blue background is straight, and Wedding date in pink background is straight, but the geonames are curved along hte bottom. Are the tiny interlocked hearts in between the straight and the curved? (Like the teeth in a smile)

I guess since this hasn't been closed out yet, we may still guess? 121 caches in 11 countries.

I had a cointest prize show up today...Team Yanagi's personal in antique copper. VERY nice...