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G0ldNugget

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Everything posted by G0ldNugget

  1. When I first started geocaching we were looking for a cache along a fence line. We had no idea what we were searching for and must have looked pretty green as guy came up and asked if we were looking for a geocache and did we want help? He pointed out a fence post and Shock! the top came off and there was a cache inside! To this day, every time I find a cache in a post, I think of that first surprise. My very first find was with the help of the CO who spotted me searching and stopped to help and I even had a cop drive up and give us a hint (with a friendly warning that they were "watching us").
  2. This is a problem with being a CO of an AL. You don't get notified when it's completed or logs from those who don't finish. It is up to you to keep an eye on the 'Statistics' in your AL dashboard and try to infer problems by watching the location completion numbers. You can only view the rating in the app and that is only the average of players who finished all 5 stages and bothered to rate it. Putting together and maintaining a good AL is a lot of work and the only real reward for being a CO is feedback from players. This is sorely missing in ALs and will eventually lead to unmaintained adventures and unanswerable questions. The process feels unfinished and unsatisfying.
  3. Not all ALs are urban walking tours and that is good. Mine covers 10 miles and should take between 1 and 2 hours to complete. If you take time to explore, it could easily be longer. It's designed to be a mini road trip, not a quick +5. Length doesn't bother me as long as that is made clear up front in the description. I would rather spend several hours chasing down a nicely done AL, with lots of well researched and interesting locations than a 'fast five' whose stops include a nondescript bench and pics of their unrelated vacation. I like a variety of ALs and I'm looking forward to completing some of the Lincoln HIghway Labs. Just because it's not your cup of tea doesn't mean it deserves to be reported. If you have concerns about the clarity of the description, I suggest you politely contact the CO before you report them to GS.
  4. I have some family-friendly themed caches in a fun spot. They are high maintenance. I've replaced one several times and need to head out there again to check on them. So many new players and they don't always return them properly to their hiding place. Some days I swear I'm just going to archive them... Despite the hassle, I enjoy these caches as they generate lots of traffic and I know they are fun finds for families and new players. I get lots of pics of smiling kids. Most of my caches are more remote and they tend to be fine for long periods, but then they don't get many visitors. Its a trade off.
  5. Sorry about your injury but glad you're ok now. Thanks for the tip re. replacing old shoes. I need to do that ASAP. We're probably lucky that more cachers aren't injured considering all the hiking in remote areas, tree and rock climbing, searching within feet of cars whizzing by, suspicious muggles, ants, bees, spiders and snakes and the myriad of other potential hazards for the adventurous geocacher. Stay safe out there!
  6. I got the same message and I'm guessing thats all that is required. I was surprised by how straightforward it was too. I have heard of others who applied who did not meet the criteria and instead got a 'Sorry you're not eligible' message, so apparently it knows its you, it checked your creds and you should be good to go.
  7. While driving anywhere: "Theres a cache in under that big rock over there." "Theres one right on that corner." "That would be a great place for a cache!" "There was supposed to be a micro on that bench but I never found it." "Theres a regular with a dozen favorites down that road." "Wanna take a quick detour?" "Lets go!"
  8. I have some themed caches that are family favorites. I love all the new players and I always try to 'Surprise and Delight.' Seems the newbies just can't help posting pics of the cache and I have learned to enjoy them. Cute kids with big smiles are the main reason I'm a CO.
  9. Well, I give up. I've got a decent sized phone and I'm using the default text and size. (Galaxy S9). Although the text is larger in my screen shot, it should lay out legibly regardless of your font size. I noticed the bug yesterday in some of the descriptions while doing an AL. It was my first time using the new layout. When I checked my own AL, I noticed the same problem and fixed it using the method I described. It might be helpful to know that your descriptions may display this way on some phones and remember to add an extra space below the last line.
  10. Thats strange. I wonder if it's an Android issue. Are you using an iPhone?
  11. Sorry. Try this https://adventurelab.page.link/6nxJ
  12. I don't think so. This is a formatting bug that is fixed with adding an extra space below the last line of text. I can reproduce the error in any AL that the CO did not hit enter at the end of the last entry. All other descriptions display fine. Note: This is on an Android phone.
  13. I fixed the text in my AL using the technique I described. (Adding an extra empty line under the last entry.) Heres an example of an AL that isn't fixed and most of these locations have this bug. Grass Valley Mining https://adventurelab.page.link/6nxJ
  14. I like the new layout of the AL app. Its cleaner and easier to read and understand. I've found one bug however. The last line of text in some of the descriptions is blocked by the Answer section. There is an easy workaround which is to edit the text and add blank space under the last line text until the bug is fixed. (Just hit enter and add an extra break at the end.)
  15. Replacing an entire container and contents is a throwdown. That said, I have performed some pretty extensive maintenance on worthy existing caches. There was one from 2007 in a scenic, remote location that was simply the empty camoed container, no lid or contents. Multiple players had claimed a find on the empty bottle. I happened to have a spare lid in my cache bag that fit it perfectly. I replaced the log and added a bit of swag. The difference as I see it, is the container was still there and it wasn't a complete replacement for a missing cache. GC11W50 Many players are against doing maintenance of any kind on someone else's cache. I don't see a problem with it and I help if I can. But throwdowns are a no no. Thats a DNF.
  16. Ugh. I was hoping I was just missing some obvious answer. Adding them as a Waypoint to a different cache seems like a clumsy solution to an easy problem. Thanks for your help, Max & 99.
  17. I am putting together a series of caches and I've nearly got them done. Caches are hidden and cache pages created. But some of the coords feel sketchy to me and I want to double check them before I publish. I can't figure a way to access my unpublished cache pages from the geocaching app and it seems they won't let me add them to a list. My phone does not show my unpublished caches anywhere and I want to navigate to them as a player would. How do I access my unpublished caches in the field or add them to a list?
  18. How does this apply to existing challenges or is it only new submissions?
  19. Heres a challenge that requires caches with the numbers 1 - 10 in the title. Not sure how this is different than spelling a word. Rookie Challenge: Counting From One to Ten: https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GCY9FJ Would this challenge make the cut with the new rules? Technically different but basically the same concept.
  20. Why did you bring me here?" Is the location scenic, historic, interesting or whatever, this is the first question you should be able to answer. Try to use the largest, waterproof container the location will support . Take good coords: I downloaded an app for my phone that gives gps coords. Take several readings, walk slowly to the cache location and give it a minute to settle. Record the result. Do it a few times from different directions and record those results. You can check your results with google maps. After you settle on a set of coords, follow them yourself and see if they lead you to the cache. Create a good cache page. Give some info on why you chose that spot, some basic info about the cache, possibly including the best route, special tools or other helpful details. A good hint: A useful clue when you're standing at GZ. The caches that last the longest are a ways off the main road or trail, not visible from the most common angle and protected somewhat from the weather. Good luck and have fun!
  21. I admit I have never used a separate GPS device but I have tried to accommodate players who prefer them. My AL covers 10 miles of country roads so I included the GPS coordinates in the location descriptions after reading the complaints in these forums. I also created a gpx file and included the url in the main description. But due to the limited html abilities of the AL Builder, I cannot make it a live link. The description states: "If you use a separate GPS device, coordinates are provided in the location descriptions or via GPX file at: https://goldnuggetwebs.com/gpx-cherokee.GPX Waypoints are titled 'Cherokee Rd AL' " ( https://labs.geocaching.com/goto/cherokee GPX live link here: https://goldnuggetwebs.com/gpx-cherokee.GPX ) Does providing both the coordinates and gpx file seem redundant? Which method would you favor and how could I make it more useful to you?
  22. I ran into this recently, where I finally got around to collecting a puzzle cache which required a half mile hike in the heat, only to find that it was high in the tree and required either a climb or a long tool. I was frustrated but when I reread the cache page there were hints there that I hadn't noticed before. After a hard puzzle and a hike, it would have been nice to claim this smiley but the hints were there and it was my bad for missing them. I also have a cache high up on a lightpost. The page mentions that TOTT are required and the hint is "Look Up" but some have come unprepared and complained. But considering requiring a tool makes it a D5, players should expect some obstacles and if necessary, read the hint before heading out.
  23. The vast majority of players who run into problems at a location will not take that step. Instead, they will grumble and walk away, never completing the AL and the CO never knowing why. A proactive CO should check the locations periodically or change the question if players are obviously getting stuck in the same place over and over. But the responsibility is on the CO to keep an eye on the Leaderboard and figure out if there is a problem, where and why. How often will AL COs check their statistics? Without feedback from players or notifications from GS, probably less and less until it is rarely.
  24. Create a separate account for your AL finds? You could still log the bonus caches via your primary account, providing a record of your experience without overwhelming your classic geocaching stats.
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