MtnGoat50

LOL. I could have written that! Skirt lifters are noisy and hateful. Guardrail caches are often in nice locations, usually don't require much stealth and are not NOISY. I've never understood why people lump them together. The last skirt lifter I found was during covid in a deserted office building parking lot. I lifted the skirt, grabbed the container, turned around and here comes the security guard. "What are you doing?" Me, "geocaching". Him, "this is private property." It was a strange conversation. He knew about caching, I think he even knew the cache was there. He let me sign the log and when I asked if I should take it with me or put it back, he let me put it back, but his last words as I left were, "this is private property." FWIW the cache had been placed by someone that worked in the building and at least claimed permission. When I first saw this thread I assumed it was all, "tongue in cheek" joking. When I saw the post above I was like, really? So I checked your profile to see how many you've placed and how it was working out. (nice try though)

Where did this happen? Where was the cacher coming from? I live in the pacific northwest and often (at least before covid) crossed the border to British Columbia. Around here all the Canadian border guards I"ve met know about caching. I even had one recommend caches to find and provide some great local knowledge on how to approach a cache. I also have a couple of good caching friends that work for Canadian customs. That said you never know who you're going to get.

On 3 and 6 you can't specify a city. Only countries, states, and counties (or their local equivalents) are allowed. See Item 10. Source of Criteria which under Not Allowed, says, "Challenges based on geographic areas other than countries, states/provinces, counties (or their local equivalent). Examples: user-defined mapping polygons, latitude/longitude, radius, etc."

That is correct, as Kunarion said, you can't drop a trackable from the TB page, you have to do it from the cache page where you intend it to go. Here is a quote from the Help Center article: Drop and Visit logs Follow these steps to drop a trackable in a geocache or log a visit to a geocache. From a cache page, select Log geocache. Below the text box, select an action for each trackable from your inventory: Drop, leave the trackable in a geocache. Visit, take a trackable to a cache but keep it with you when you leave. If you're still having trouble I can post some screenshots.

Instead of logging from the TB page, post a write note log on the cache page where you’re dropping it and select the TB from your inventory list.

Did select the name from the drop down list or type/paste it in? The search will only work if you select the name from the drop down menu.

That seems like a lot. I suspect your reviewer will ask you for a list of 10 other local qualifiers. See 5. Standard for Criteria in the Help Center which says: "A challenge cache needs to appeal to and be attainable by a reasonable number of cachers. Your reviewer may ask for a list of cachers from your area who qualify." Why 10? I've done 6 loops (366/6) and I'm happy with that but if wanted another goal it would be 11 (where the color on the grid changes) not 10.

You have two lists in your post, both numbered 1 to 6. As was mentioned above the challenge cache guidelines now (since 2016) prohibit time limited challenges such as: 1. 3x3. - within 24 hours (one day) to visit 3 foreign countries and find 3 geo-treasures each. and 5. find 6 different types of geo-treasures in 24 hours. Look at item 9. Time-Limited right at the top under acceptable, "Time-limited caching: as in some number of finds per day, week, month, or year." Also, regarding: 6. Attend an event that has "night cache" attribute. and 6. Attend an event that has "boat required" attribute. Have you considered that to qualify all an event host has to do it add these attributes to their event? The problem with any attribute challenge that they're easily manipulated by other cache owners. In both cases removing the 24 hour time restriction would solve the problem.

I am assuming from your profile picture that the user name you want is GeoDuck92? It looks like the account was created using the app and they never visited the site otherwise. There are no finds, no hides, no profile picture to search for...nothing. I think emailing them or doing anything to remind them of the account is a bad idea. If they log in to the account on the site it will reset the last visited date and if they log a find from the app the account will have a history and I don't think HQ will ever adopt the name over then. If it were me I'd change my Geocaching name to Geoduck_92 which (IMHO) is close enough that most won't notice. Then I'd mark my calendar and at the 5 year mark, assuming no activity, try HQ again.

The first time I crossed the Canadian border to go geocaching (circa 2007) I tried that. After a few of the usual questions the border guy asked if we were geocaching. Of course I admitted we were. He then asked where we were headed and made several recommendations for good caches, along with a great tip on how to approach one of them. It wasn't until he let us go that I realized I was wearing a geocaching logo hat that gave me a way. At least when it comes to the border between Washington state and BC (from me experience) they all know what geocaching is and don't consider it strange or suspicious.

That's something I had forgotten about but now that you mention it, I'm sure you're right. It's only recently that's been possible. Previously all background images were entered as a URL for an image hosted somewhere else. It could be on Geocaching.com or some other site. Yep, I remember that too. That's my fault, I shouldn't have included the "/large/" , which is optional, as part of the URL. On the cache you mention the URL is http://img.geocaching.com/cache/1fb65f38-c275-40dd-8be7-286f866218d1.gif so it's one that was uploaded to a cache page, as opposed to a log. Anything older than around 2021 ( I don't know the exact date) you would have had to have entered a URL. Uploading a background image directly is a new feature and it's no longer possible to enter a URL. (this is something I find inconvenient but I suspect new people find it less confusing) I don't think not on purpose. Some images have been lost in the past but I only remember one instance. From what I'm seeing all the missing backgrounds share the /user/ designation in the URL. It's only a guess but perhaps these were considered expendable and removed. Similar to how we used to be able to see previous avatars and profile pics but can't now...?

I understand. I'm curious about what happened too. I was just pointing out that the URL may tell you something about the image and where it was originally posted. For example: The URL for an image posted with a log will look like this: https://img.geocaching.com/cache/log/large/... The URL for an image uploaded to a cache page will look like this: https://img.geocaching.com/cache/large/... The URL for an image uploaded to a trackable log will look like this: https://img.geocaching.com/track/log/large/... The URL for an image uploaded to a trackable page will look like this: https://img.geocaching.com/track/display/... The URL for the background image on one's profile looks like this: https://img.geocaching.com/user/... There may be other places with the /user/ designation in the URL but I haven't found one. So that's why I was curious about the URL you posted. Finally all these URLs will automatically redirect to https://s3.amazonaws.com/...

Could the image have been the background image on your (or someone's) profile? That's what the URL suggests. Your current background image is https://img.geocaching.com/user/febf2e4a-2dff-41ab-80a4-88c75f7ce38e.jpg for example. If the image was uploaded to a log or cache page it would have a different URL. I haven't tested recently but as far as log and cache page,images go, if you have the URL, they are still viewable after being deleted but that may not be true of user background images.

Your images show the truncated text. What is it supposed to be (not truncated)? Have you tried editing the image and adding more text? Looking at your profile I see other logs with i more than one emoji that aren't truncated. https://coord.info/GL18X7W1A You use a lot of emojis. Emojis use special characters and I suspect you've found some the aren't playing nice with the image text rather than just an issue with more than one. Maybe try a different emoji and see if that helps.

I'm not sure what the other persons problem is but this is your trackable, which is in your hands, so your only option is write note. When I look at it I'm seeing, Grab it from current holder, write note, and discover it. Edited to add, I wonder if they're trying to log it using the reference # (TB339XK) and not the private tracking number?

To me these seem out of order. How is "other" bigger or better than a small or micro? To me, 1. not chosen, 2. other, etc. makes more sense. Of course it's your challenge and your choice but I'm curious about the logic. Also, why exclude virtuals?

When was this broken open? Was it after the 3 cacher finds? Were the 1TB and 1 coin left by the vandal or by a cacher that visited later? Or is there any way to tell.

I'm only guessing but I suspect the is the coin he's asking about: https://coord.info/TBQ5F2 I don't know of a way to tell the exact age of a geocoin but if you look at the list on your (or anyone's) profile the trackables are listed by age, oldest first. Travel Bug Dog tags came first, then Moun10Bkie coins, then (I think) USA Geocoins, etc... This coin shows up on the list right after the 2005 Lackey Coin but is older than a 2006 Mississippi Geocoin so I'd guess it's from late 2005 or early 2006. Also the trackable reference numbers (not the secret tracking code) are sequential like cache GC#s so it's possible to tell which of any two trackables is older or newer.

It would be helpful if you could link to the cache. I found this recent coord update. Is that the one you're referring to? The move was only 1.2 meters, small enough to not be noticeable maybe?

^^^This!^^^ I'm sure that's the case. I regularly see DNF logs from 0/0 players saying things like, "Someone stole it". It's just somebody sitting at home, using the free app, pranking us. My usual response is to make the cache PMO and watch the logs for any legit DNFs. The sad thing is, I went from saying I'd never make any of my caches premium to someone who makes almost all their caches premium. I'm curious if you've seen anything similar from a different user name. While HQ banned them, they can easily create another free account and keep going.

Nope, they're not. When I started caching back in 2004 I don't think there was a premium cache with 200 miles. I still remember how offended I was when one showed up nearby. I swore I would never make any of my caches PMO. Times change, in 2004 you needed a $200+ GPS to play, now it's free. Anyone with a smart phone (which is pretty much anyone over 6 years old) can download the app and start caching (or pranking cachers). These days almost all my caches are PMO, it's not a cure but it helps cut down on all sorts of issues. Out of curiosity I ran a PQ of caches near his one find. (can you tell I'm retired) I put them in GSAK and searched for any logs by the user and, out of around 700 caches, the only one was his single "found it" on your cache. No bogus NM or NA logs or anything like that. My take is that he's a bored kid sending messages and seeing who will respond.

I think this is someone , sitting at home, messing with you, hoping to get a response (which is working). Maybe he damaged your cache or maybe it's just a coincidence. I'm betting coincidence. When I was a kid (some 60 years ago) we sometimes were mischievous and would play pranks such as ringing a doorbell and running away or call random numbers and ask if their refrigerator was running. With video doorbells and caller id neither of these is much fun these days but anyone can create a free GC account and start posting fake logs to mess with the cache owner. In my area I regularly see, "Someone stole it!" logs from 0/0 cachers and invariably the cache is still there. Rarely do these folks actually go out in the field and damage or steal anything, it's more fun to sit around the living room with their buddies and post logs. If it was me, I'd: Make my caches premium member only. Block the user in the message center. Quickly and quietly fix any problems. Again these people are looking for attention, don't give it to them I wouldn't bother reporting it to HQ. Even if they lock the account he'll just create a new one and again you're giving him the attention he's after.

Thanks for providing the example profile. I went to the page and (like others) can confirm that I can see the letters both highlighted, and in the page source (but it is tricky, see barefootjeff's post). Very clever and well done on the CO's part. Based on the above, I believe your original contention that the puzzle is "broken" isn't correct. That said, I have no idea how to get the coordinates from "jsjmlnubkmfiamijhykchcgwnfoagjjye" but that is a completely different issue from the letters not being available in the profile.

I've never been able to see white text on any of my iOS devices so that's to be expected. It's a limitation of the device not a bug at Geocaching.com. . If it's working for other people but not you, it makes me think the problem is at your end and not with Geocaching.com but, again, without actually seeing the cache(s) it's hard say.

You're right, I've never been able to see invisible text on my iPhone or iPad. I have an app on the iPad that shows the page source and it's visible there.