House Of Boo

This is what one third of the HofB previously sent to the powers that be (hence the start is a bit strange): ....I am interested by the term that the camping events must be open to all. I have had a look through the official guidelines on GC.com for event caches and cannot find this stated (maybe I can't see the wood for the trees!). I personally feel that a camping event is open to all, and the whole point of the event is to camp out with others and get to meet new people and investigate new places. I do not see that it is the same type of event as a pub meet (for example), where you are in a place for a short period of time and people can turn up for 5 minutes, sign the log book and get their smiley face. Camping events take the whole weekend (or longer) and people can unwind and socialise. Its a great way to meet people and we have personally made made many new Geocaching friends this way. But requesting that a camping event includes an option for non-campers to attend and log seems to make the whole camping event seem pointless. Why should anyone camp if all they need to do is turn up for half an hour and then go off on their way. It seems that caching is becoming more and more about numbers and how many caches you can find and how quickly. People no longer seem to care about finding interesting locations and/or beautiful walks its just about sticking a cache anywhere where there is a gap. This mentality is also now a strong feature in camping events, the campsite you now find has to meet certain criteria (does it allow day visitors, if not is there a pub or public meeting place nearby for the non-campers?). It could be the most perfect spot in the country and a lovely location for campers to stay but if it doesn't meet the non-campers criteria then it is immediately no good (and the campers loose out to the needs of the non-campers). All caches are open to all people, its just whether you choose to do them. There are a number of 5/5 caches which are available to me to find, but if I don't wish to climb / use specialist equipment (or whatever the requirements are) to find it that is my choice. Does it mean that following the camping event lead there should be a log book in the car park of the location for me to sign just because I don't want to actually take part in the 5/5 cache? I know this sounds ridiculous and over the top - but I hope you see my point! Is there a way to review the camping event guidelines to scrap this "open to all" element which hinders the camping experience and simply panders to the number hungry cachers rather than the actual camp attendees. Before posting this extract of a previous email I have had another look at the guidelines and found this sentance "Some events are published six months prior if an overnight stay is expected" - surely this could be applied to a camping event?

Hello!! Hope you are both well Jo, Peter & Boo House of Boo

You should have copyrighted that idea! We put the idea up because we thought it was a classy idea for freeing up the trackables section when logging caches. We never posted it to make money just to enrich the caching/logging experience, BUT if there was a geocoin en route in the mail that would be nice!

Oooh this sounds familiar Do we get a coin for our services towards Geocaching??

Rather than calling it a half mega (which sounds a bit of an underacheivement - 250 attending is a bit of a turn up to say the least) howsabout it gets it own title of the UK's first SEMI-MEGA? You could quite innocently state that you're holding your first 'semi'... I'll get my coat!

Garmin Oregon's are quite good for mapping, logging and paperless caching.

Until there is medical certification, I'd like to be regarded as "kooky"!

Going way off topic here but what if we had an Anger Management thread as a way of taking the edge of cachers forum rage... A Sock puppet account would be used to write something harmless and nice: "I was out caching today and made a daisy chain to pass the time" Then it would be down to everyone else to tear said statement to pieces: "Don't you know Daisies have feelings too, you cold hearted bar steward" "Why aren't you still out there caching, you idiot hole" "Your caching name rhymes with POO, poohead!" ...etc Hopefully by exposure to this knee jerk reaction we will all become desensitized by this form of vitriolic reply and gloss over it in future, making it invisible to the naked eye... and peace will be restored to the land of caching! *hurrah* BTW - don't use this thread as an excuse to tear my idea to pieces or I will cry!

No offense taken! You're absolutely right it is hard to see the true intention of a post on forums! Maybe it would be a good addition to the forums if you could post a picture of your face along with your post emoting how your comments should be taken. "I don't like micros" *angry face in picture* "I've just hit a milestone" *jubilant face in picture* "I've just broken my GPS" *unhappy face* "my innocent post has turned into a virtual mexican stand-off" *how the hell did that happen face*

*Duplicate post deleted*

Keehotee is right, the reply is nothing more than a simple case of "ribbing" as I've known Simply Paul for almost as long as I've been caching and know that he wouldn't take offence... hopefully anyways! I think theres been such a bad cloud on the forums that people expect the worse nowadays. If it helps imagine two old friends geeing each other up down the pub if that helps, when reading my last statement, to get the feel of how it was intended! Be happy!

I actually posted about the podcast to cheer everone up rather than create a new breed of celebrity geocaching stalkers, Paul ;-) I'm sure he can find his own way into caching without the star of countryfile 05 holding his hand... :-D

I've just press pause whilst listening to Adam Buxton's BBC Radio 6 podcast as I had a lovely surprise and thought I'd share it here which unfortunately has recently had a very angry moment! He was interviewing Graham Linehan (writer of my favourite shows Father Ted, Big Train and the IT crowd) and asked him what interested him on the internet at the moment... Linehan only just answered Geocaching!!! By all accounts, he's got the right idea of what it Geocaching is all about! Says its a lovely idea and then moves on to listening to more cracking indie music... but imagine my surprise! So far Geocaching has only got as far as being promoted by local radio which only reaches a certain age/type or on Countrywatch type programs or in certain articles in papers or walking/camping magazines which again only hits a specific clientele, but now its been blown wide open by a proper A-list (in my opinion) celebrity! Granted the face of caching will not be replaced by a new wave of skinny jean wearing whippersnappers, having drug addled Geocaching parties but hopefully some fresh blood will be lured in on the promise as something twee and sweet, which after all, is how cachings supposed to be taken, rather than succumbing to the "dark side" of trolling, trash talking and generally being a bit silly about something thats just a bit of fun... (BTW - its referenced @ roughly 24.36 minutes into it, for anyone not wanting to listen to all of it!). Be happy people!

Go to your profile page, click on View your account details, scroll down to your Avatar and Photo section, click change and Bobs yours mothers brother!

The 6th annual Carry on Camping has been published Details can be found here Carry on Camping 2010 Start praying for sunshine folks!! House of Boo Proud disorganisers since 2005

We've got a few geocoins that we've bought in the past (not comprehensive enough to be a collection but we've been known to buy the odd coin to commemorate an event etc.). Now we have no intention to set these coins onto the cache to cache circuit as they are mementos but instead will always keep them together. Every time I go out caching they appear in the logging page needlessly getting in the way of TB's Ive picked up and need to log in and out of caches, making the whole TB exchange a bit more of a chore than it needs to be. What would be nice if all my non-wandering coins could be forged into one TB... So... Would it be an possible to have an option to select Geocoins and add them to a "My Collection" set which would be given its own personal tracking number - at no cost to the owner! So for those cachers who take these tomes of coins to events for others to admire and collect icons then they could all be logged by using one TB tracking number. The simplicity of logging all these coins into an event would also be made easier on the owner and keep a record on their coins travels to boot! The benefit to Geocaching.com (other than the ease of use to its participants/subscribers) would be that if the whole process if made easier might encourage more people to buy geocoins to add to a "My Collection" total. Could be a whole new numbers game for geocachers to get into??? Just an idea, I don't know about the feasibility putting into action, but thought I'd put it out there in order to get gunned down House Of Boo

We've got a few geocoins that we've bought in the past (not comprehensive enough to be a collection but we've been known to buy the odd coin to commemorate an event etc.). Now we have no intention to set these coins onto the cache to cache circuit as they are mementos but instead will always keep them together. Every time I go out caching they appear in the logging page needlessly getting in the way of TB's Ive picked up and need to log in and out of caches, making the whole TB exchange a bit more of a chore than it needs to be. What would be nice if all my non-wandering coins could be forged into one TB... So... Would it be an possible to have an option to select Geocoins and add them to a "My Collection" set which would be given its own personal tracking number - at no cost to the owner! So for those cachers who take these tomes of coins to events for others to admire and collect icons then they could all be logged by using one TB tracking number. The simplicity of logging all these coins into an event would also be made easier on the owner and keep a record on their coins travels to boot! The benefit to Geocaching.com (other than the ease of use to its participants/subscribers) would be that if the whole process if made easier might encourage more people to buy geocoins to add to a "My Collection" total. Could be a whole new numbers game for geocachers to get into??? Just an idea, I don't know about the feasibility putting into action, but thought I'd put it out there in order to get gunned down House Of Boo

Just a quick note to let everyone know that we have finally pulled our fingers out and sorted out CoC 09 . Details can be found here Alma will be pleased to hear its nearer their neck of the woods! House of Boo

Oh no nicknrich - sorry!! Hopefully you can make it!! Thanks for the info Madyokel - this shall be added into the list of campsites to consider!! House of Boo

Sorry to hear such sad news House of Boo (another team containing their pooch's name)

Normally we are the 2nd week in June, however due to the way its worked out this year we are holding our 5th COC during the first weekend in June (5th, 6th and 7th). Also this year we are Northward bound (after 2 years "darn sarf") and heading towards Whitby - we can't wait!! As always - pray for sunshine people, pray for sunshine!! House of Boo

Is it ME??? Sometimes I lose track of what I do and I'm sure there was something important I'm supposed to do today... If it is me, do I get paid? Also can I quit while I'm still ahead as I'm sure someone would complain about one decision I made sooner or later Peter (House Of Boo) - neither Jo or Boo had anything to do with this post!

85 miles? Is it very hilly? If its for a good cause and theres a tacky medal at the end of it count me in*! Whose with me??? Peter (House Of Boo) *DISCLAIMER - This statement has been made whilst still in the madness of post-trailwalker fever and may not hold up to the test of time!

Sorry to hear the sad news - our thoughts are with you. Jo, Peter & Boo xxx

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Great to see you over the weekend and cheers for hitting your milestone whilst at COC!! Jo, Peter & Boo