Team Dromomania

I just did a search for nearby listings. The normal page appeared but when I got to the bottom of the page I also had 9 pages of text files listed on the same page. It also listed some of the drive names and files. I'm no hacker but I think this couldn't be good. This may be just a one time glitch but I'm posting it for possible help/info in case it happens to others. Here's how the text began: Request Details Session Id: lvfcgqnkrjb1yvn35dtr0fzr Request Type: GET Time of Request: 6/7/2006 5:57:27 PM Status Code: 200 Request Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8) Response Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8) Trace Information Category Message From First(s) From Last(s) aspx.page Begin Init

I had this muggle encounter recently. For obvious reasons I couldn't post this story in my log. A new micro appeared near where I work. Before starting work I drove to the parking lot and pretty much figured out that the cache would be located under the skirt of a light pole. However, there was a white van with a man sitting in it facing the hide. BUT, I am an electrician. I was wearing an electrician's uniform. I was in a van with electrician's logo's. I was going to look at a light - I WAS OUTFITTED PERFECTLY FOR THIS FIND. So I got out of the van, looked over the light, made the grab and returned to the van to sign the log. "HEY! What ARE you doing around these lights?!!" It was a mad looking man from the white van. As it turned out, he was the head honcho in charge of the care of the lighting in this shopping center. I quickly told him what I was up to and that our company had no orders to work on his lighting. I showed him the container and log book. A big smile came over his face and we chatted a bit before we both went to work. So much for my perfect outfit!

"Once you place the cache, it is your responsibility to maintain the cache and the area around it. You'll need to return as often as you can to ensure that your cache is not impacting the area, and ensure that the cache is in good repair." - geocaching guidelines which also states, "you'll need a logbook and a pen" At the very least an owner should temporarily disable a cache that has a reported soggy logbook. A check will verify the reporting cacher (how'd would he have known it was soggy if they didn't go there in the first place) and would also help prevent others from facing the same problem. A soggy logbook shouldn't be the cacher's problem! My own personal views: I trust cachers unless I have firm evidence not to. This is a fun light-hearted game and I like it that way. I will allow a find on any of my caches where the log was in the cachers hands but can't be signed through no fault of the cacher. As a owner I want my caches to be ready for the next hunt. And most of all I want the cachers to have a good experience with my caches.

Glad you're here. Hope to see more of ya!

Is it legitimate "heat"? I can only speak from my own experience. TA has been through my area a few times. I was surprised when he first logged one of my caches and talked about the experience of the find for that cache. No cut and paste! Another time he emailed me asking for a hint on a cache before heading up this way again. I emailed back with a hint. When TA replied he did say thank you BUT from the tone of the messages I think he was disappointed that my hint had too much detail! TA gets no "heat" from me.

Hi and welcome to the world of geocaching! The first cache you looked for is the Welcome to Northridge: 1994 cache. That's a multi-cache. This means that the actual cache is NOT at the coords listed. According to the web page the first waypoint has 4 numbers on a pole you must find and write down. There is no physical cache at that location. Go to the second waypoint and do a bunch of math. This will give you the final waypoint where the real cache is located. That being said, this owner gives a spoiler with the exact location listed on the page. I noticed the two previous cachers also could not find the fake rock with the cache so it may very well be missing. This cache is a level 3 cache which means it may be hard for a beginner. Try some level 1 or 1.5 caches first. Oh yes, one cacher who did not find the fake rock listed this as a find anyway. Most owners and geocachers find that to be in poor taste. A "find" usually means physically signing a log book. Being in the area or looking at where the hide might be doesn't count. Hang in there. You'll get the hang of things pretty quick. It is fun to do.

Can they move the date up a bit? I'm going to be in Minnesota on June 19-21st.

If I know there is a problem with a cache before I do my search, then I try to bring whatever is needed to repair the cache and/or its contents. IMO, helping each other out is part of the game. Besides, it just makes you feel good.

I was caching out of town when something like that happened to me after I had grabbed the cache but before I could put it back. I tried several different tricks (walking away, going back to the car and trying to sit him out) but the guy wouldn't go away. There was no way I could replace the cache without him seeing me. I pocketed the cache (it was a micro) and went on my way to other caches in town. A couple of hours later, he was still there. I went and did a few more caches but it was time to start heading home. I drove back and the guy was no where to be seen. Cache was replaced as found. I'm not sure what I would have done if I couldn't have replaced the cache (I was thinking of placing it somewhere else and informing the owner) As it was, I just noted the experience in my logging of the find.

I let a lot of new caches near me go for a while to allow others to FTF them just because my first FTF was fun. Most of my FTF's have been out there for at least several days before I attempt them. The FTF I nabbed this past weekend had been out since Oct of last year. Of course, I had to hike 17 miles (4 of them in snow) with a total ascent of over 6000 ft and taking me 13 hours for that cache. I have no idea why somebody else didn't go for it first! But to FORCE a cacher NOT to FTF - that's just wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

It isn't really about the numbers. It's about the icons. Oh, I guess one each of an icon IS all about the numbers. I find it interesting on what people put on ther profile page. FTF's 2nd to finds, 3RD TO FINDS! Or how about what's in the logs "My 412th find". They even announce it over these forums, "312 finds in 24 hours!" The stats will still be out there by those who will want it known what they're up to (in numbers).

Micros can be very hard at the best of times. I agree with the others to cut your teeth on larger caches and then come back to this one. That being said I'd be looking for something small on or near the ground level. My first thought is a fake rock. There appears to be a sign involved. If it is held up by wood post then sometimes there is an old/unused bolt hole where a mico container can be stashed inside. It might even be a fake bolt. There have been several 1/1 micro caches where I failed to locate them on my first attempt. It just makes you feel better when you finally do locate them. Hang in there and give caching a chance.

Condolences from this ham.

Who would be the "cheat police" and who would say what would be a cheat? If a cache is muggled and the owner replaces it in a different container with a different type of hide in a slightly different area and invites previous finders to locate and log again - is that cheating? Phoning a help line to get hints not listed - is that cheating? Signing the log sheet after an accidental find of the last stage of a multicache - is that cheating? Claiming a find on a cache when you were present during the hide (but not FTF) - is that cheating? I don't think any additional rules are necessary. The cache owner has the say in how to handle logs. Just let them do the police work if they think it is necessary. The delete log function has a lot of say in things. You are talking about the "old" days when all but you last example were marginal finds but not offensive to most cachers. Being present while a cache is hidden then claiming a find will bother most people. But these new examples: pocket caches, signing the outside of a container in order to achieve a so-called record, a team of cachers finding different caches simultaneously and feeling justified that all individual members of the team should log a find, these excesses get the blood boiling. I agree with those examples. The point I wanted to make was to let the owners handle it. They know what is acceptable in their community and especially with their caches. I personally don't worry about other peoples stats. And I don't see the point in a Californian telling the Texians how to play their game. I'm sure they have a good handle on things over there.

Would you happen to know of a source for replacement bison 0-rings? I've been looking for them.

Who would be the "cheat police" and who would say what would be a cheat? If a cache is muggled and the owner replaces it in a different container with a different type of hide in a slightly different area and invites previous finders to locate and log again - is that cheating? Phoning a help line to get hints not listed - is that cheating? Signing the log sheet after an accidental find of the last stage of a multicache - is that cheating? Claiming a find on a cache when you were present during the hide (but not FTF) - is that cheating? I don't think any additional rules are necessary. The cache owner has the say in how to handle logs. Just let them do the police work if they think it is necessary. The delete log function has a lot of say in things.

If the log sheet was signed during the find then I'd have no problems at all with very late postings of that find.

For long term nothing beats the Ammo can IMOHO. I have several bison caches and have found that after a year or two the o-rings fall apart: i.e. no longer weather resistant. I've had better luck with the match containers.

I use MS Streets and Trips for my maps. I use GSAK to export a MS S&T file. Then I import that data file in the map program. At this point you can zoom in or out as you please and print out the pages. I have a pocket pc so I just load the map into the PDA but I still like the printed page. I don't have a problem with sunlight washing out the map when using paper.

My first snake encounter this year was very close and face to face: Yipes!

Another cache I enjoyed (getting fooled) was listed as a puzzle cache. First, the coords took you to a sign. Then you had to count the letters of certain words - add things, take away things, etc.. Finally, you get your answer for the cache's location: - yep - it's on the sign!

Geocaching has something for everybody. I can't relate to the 312 / 24 hr cache finds but I think I can relate to the 40+ DNF's

In 4 weeks we'll be heading from California to Minnesota over Hwy 5 and Hwy 90. There are only 7 states left in that part of the country which I haven't cached in yet and I plan to get all 7 of them: ND, SD, MT, ID, UT, OR, & WA.

Last year two of us went for this cache. We both overlooked one very important clue on the web page and ended up with a real puzzle on our hands. But after a very long hike, climb and day, we got our prize.

I've found a few and now myself have placed some "funny" hides - caches that make you grin when you locate them. For example, I was on a trip and stopped at a roadside rest to search for a cache located nearby. The trail took me into the woods where I finally spotted the cache container - a Mail Box mounted at about the right height with "Geocaching" as the name. I have to say that I wasn't expecting that and it did put a grin on my face.