mchaos

For some reason it would not let me edit the page a second time. Thanks for the help. Thats a real easy puzzle. Or at least it is for me. It is only easy if you know the secret. Not everyone does. I didn't know the secret the first time I ever tried that puzzle, but it only took me about a minute tops to get the ring off. I can see how it works. But visual puzzles like that are easy for me.

I made 250, but that was the smallest order I could purchase. I emailed ground speak and still have not heard anything back. I am going to use them. If anything does come up, I will just carry 50 at a time LoL.

At first a rating system sounds like a nice idea. Would only need to be 1 - 5. Here would be the problems. There are already a lot of cachers who do not even write a log. Just TFTC. The system most likely be utilized and it would be an inaccurate measure. Second, There are a lot of different types of caches, and not every cacher likes the same kind of cache. If some one didn't like micros, even if it was a really cool hide, it would get a 1 from that person no matter. Also rating something very high just because they like the type of hide, and are not rating it off of actual specifics of the hide. The biggest problem, is if some one doesn't find it, or it has been muggled. If some one doesn't find it, they will most likely put a 1. But it may be a really nice cache. If its been muggled, they may put a 1, even if it was one of the better caches out there before it was muggled. Once its rated, its been rated. Its stuck with that. We already have a log. Most people who do write them, will give you enough feedback on it. You can get a good idea from how good the cache is by reading the first few logs. As well, if there is a problem or a change needs to take place, some one will put that in the log, for instance, Cache should be rated less in difficulty, etc. Also with the current log, nothing is permanent. If its been muggled, or listed not difficult and should be listed more difficult etc, we can change it, and write a note. There would be no predefined label on the cache that may influence a cacher from finding it even if the issue has been fix, i.g. cache has been improved, or ratings fixed etc. If some one wants to rate the cache, they can always say in the log, 4 out of 5 stars if they want, or what ever way they want to rate it. Log is more effective. Ratting system is less effective.

Expanding a bit. Public parks encourage casual recreational activity (I stole that term from the BLM since that's what they call caching). Playing frisbee and geocaching are both casual recreational activites. Thus if the location allows this, there is no need to ask. You are doing what's already permitted. It the park has a policy regarding caches, you follow the policy. Most don't entirly because they like to see the park used for casual recreation. It's why they built them. Well said!

There is a some what of an unofficial rule called the Frisbee rule. Kind of a rule of thumb. The rule is, you can place a cache any where you would be allowed to play frisbee. Some people like it, others don't. I like to use it as a loose guideline. If your not going to get in trouble for playing frisbee there, you should have no problem placing a cache, as long as its not breaking any laws. If its a public place, then there is usually not a problem. You may however want talk to your local park service, or park police to let them know you are hiding it there. Most of the time they are familiar with geocaching. There is a park near me where a park ranger had placed a cache of his own. Also making this cache look like it is obviously not a threat to an unsuspecting muggle that may stumble across it is also a very good Idea. I would not use a PVC pipe or similar, Or anything that may look like an explosive. Also If it is a large cache its a good Idea to spray paint a stencil on it that says "NO DANGER GEOCACHE GAME PIECE" I have seen one that was near a mine shaft that resembled at first glance, a detonator. It had stenciled on it, "NOT A BOMB" Which is better then nothing, but I don't think the word "bomb" should not even be on the cache at all. Keep the word out of the mind. If its a micro, you really shouldn't have to worry about anything at all. They are too small to pose a threat, and the chances of a good well hidden micro being found by a muggle are slim, although it does happen. Most times they are discarded. The first cache I had found, I did not realize what it was. I found a key box and opened and remember reading the cache note and thinking nothing of it. I was not aware of geocaching at that time. I am sorry to say I tossed the note away, and kept the key box to use for hiding a key. It was a year after that I learned about it, and realized I had seen a cache before. Can't remember where I found it though. Now a days most park and law officials are aware of geocaching. Its not normally a big deal. Just make sure you have a good cache note in it. Print it from the geocaging web site. Also, if there is a problem with the hide, the reviewer will let you know via reviewer note before publishing it. So if it shouldn't be most of the time they tell you. For instance, I just hid a new micro, It was in a graveyard. He wanted to know before he published it that it was not interfering with any graves, so as not to be disrespectful, and I just let him know that it was off a path and not near any graves. Then it was published. The only time you would need to ask permission is if it is private property or close to a business where they may stumble across it or notice a lot of odd foot traffic to one spot, or see a lot of dizzy bee dances. So go hide it, submit it, and if there are any issues you will know.

A chat line?? Uh, I don't think so. What are your questions?

Yeah, I just encountered the same problem as well. That sux. I wonder if there is a way to hack it.

I don't fully agree with that. I had hidden one when I only had 3 finds. Its still going strong. I am sure there are some cachers out there that have more fun hiding the caches then finding them. I wouldn't see anything wrong with some one hiding one with out 1 find. But I do agree he should not have put that on his cache pages, but I do see that it has been changed, but has left a note in the log about it. He should probably delete that as well.

I can see that happening. Its probably inevitable due to families caching and trying to let every one have some fun. I suppose putting the not recommended for kids attribute on it would help with that.

Yup. Sounds like you have the right idea. Come up with a better idea, better camo, better spot. The camo was it looking like a cover plate screwed into the pole. Just bad luck that a group of kids stumbled across it. Painting it brown will make it look like it belongs to the post even more. I have another one of these plates I made out there and still doing good. where its hidden it looks like its part of what its on and I have had hunters standing right on top of it and could not find it. I don't think that any one will stumble onto that one unless some one is really careless about putting it back, but even then it would be hard to know that the plate didn't belong.

Well I had gotten a chance today to check on this. On the lamp post where the plate was stuck was written in sharpie marker, "Sorry, I took your geocache thing." I also noticed that the lamp post was tagged up in sharpie. I am guessing that some kids where hanging out in that parking lot, and thinking how cool they are and that its sooo cool to tag things, they must have decided to tag that lamp post, and noticed the plate. So instead of reading the cache note and putting it back, after they were done tagging, they took it. I don't understand, its of no use to them. I am going to archive this one because If I put it back the same tagging kids will probably take it again. There were a couple of months there where I was super busy and hadn't really checked my caches, as well I hadn't even hunted for any. I just basically started up again and found that my cache had been muggled. I will just put one some where else and I guess I will paint it brown to match the post.

I don't think you understand what the letters FTF stand for. Uh.... First to find??? Its only a FTF if its listed on the site and you find it. So if you find it before its listed its something above first to find it. there will be one person to officially the person to get the first to find, but they will not be some one who was some one to find it when it was secret. Yes there will be some one to find it first as a secret cache, but that would be unofficial. I am done trying to explain this. Oh and harry dolphin is from NJ, has found some of my caches, and lives in NJ and posts on this forum. As well I have spoken with a few people who post here that live in NJ that post on the forum, thats kind of a stuck up kind of statment. Oh, and I post here, I am from NJ. I am getting a bit aggravated because a lot of people are bashing me and some people are acting like know it all supreme caches and are being very closed minded. If you don't like the idea thats fine, no need to run it into the ground and make accusations that I am stupid and don't know what FTF means... Can some one please close this thread?

Humm, I didn't think this would get that much attention. I am going to do this, but with every ones suggestions I have fine tuned the idea and I am going to do the following. I like the idea of guardian caches to protect the secret cache. I am going to start with that. I am going to hide one in the center of the guards. I am going to leave it un submitted for at least a year. I don't care if it has a geocaching number yet. Inside it is going to explain the cache being there and why it is not listed. Basically so no one goes ahead and makes a big deal about it on a forum etc. There is going to be a log in it and the rules are going to be to leave something, but take nothing to build the cache, and don't tell any one. After a year is over I will post the cache and on the cache page it will explain the cache and I will post all of the signatures on the log before the cache was actually officially posted on geocaching.com on the main cache page as people who found the secret cache before it was listed. So the people who find this secret cache will eventually be listed as people who found the cache without knowing it was there and finding it by chance. So they will have a status above some one to get the FTF. I think I will put a new geocoin or something in it so that the first person to find it does get something special. So for a year we will see how many people can find it, and put something in it to start it. When it is published it will explain the whole "experiment". Also, I will disable and archive the guardian caches before posting of the hidden cache. I am sorry if that makes no sense to any one. It makes sense to me and I personally would be stoked to find a secret cache knowing that when it is finally posted I would be listed as someone who found it before it was listed. After that point it will have some history and hopefully enough people will have found the secret cache and left something to start it off so that when it is finally posted it will be a great cache. Also I am going to make the cache container something special too. Of course any one local who has read this is going to jump on it the second I hide a circle of caches lol, so there may be a dummy circle to throw them off!!!

HAHA, yeah but it got me thinking. If I hid a cache and some one can find it right away, its not that amazing. Its there and can be found. If you did wait, it would make it more interesting. It would also be interesting to see if the cache made it. I would hide it, and let it go. I would want to see if it was still there and in good standing. I am sure a lock n lock or an ammo can would be fine.

I wouldn't even put it in on the site for a while. Even if some one puts another cache near by, this one will still be one that has been there un touched for a while. If I were to do this, I would put something special in it that could last the year Personally I don't think its that hard to understand.

how: Place the cache but not submit it for a while. Why: I like to find the older cache's. there's something about finding one that's been there a while and is still there. I'd like to place a new cache that has that same air about it. So some one can get the first to find but still find an older cache.

I hate waiting for my hides to get published, but that comes with the game. While waiting for my latest hide I thought of an idea for a hide. I was thinking of a way to make the value of finding this cache a little higher. At least for the first to find any way. I just want to get the opinion of others before doing it. I was thinking about hiding a cache in a really cool spot, but letting it sit there for maybe a year before I even post the coords. The thinking is that its something that's been there waiting undisturbed for a long time before any one even finds it.

Geo means earth and cache means to store. You don't need to use a gps. I hear there are cachers out there who use maps and a compass to figure out where geocaches are. They do not use GPS units. I think to be considered a goecache though, it would need to be in a container and have a log and be posted on the geocaching website. As well originally it was going to be called GPS stash hunt, So when Ulmer hid the first one, he didn't call it a geocache. It may have originally been intended for GPS users, but now it is not limited too gps users. As long as you can find it, and you sign the log, then log it on the site, you have officially found a cache. Heck, you can use google maps to find a cache. The first cache I found, I found with google maps. I didn't have a gps yet.

I don't blame the last person. I realize it could have been some one a bunch of finds ago. I could paint it the same color, but I am not trying to hide it, I want it to look like an access cover. The point is that it is out in the open, yet looks like it belongs there. that's the trick of it.

A band of muggles, an assortment of muggles, A clot of muggles, A clump of muggles A cluster of muggles, A faction of muggles... I could go on and on but how up bout... MUGGLES? It is plural after all... But if you were looking for a single word to describe a group of muggles, well if you were going to call them something like "A mug of muggles." Then why not refer to a group of muggles as "A mug" But again, its just as easy to say here comes some muggles.

If you had a long trail, something that was visually confusing, and you had 3 or 4 caches, you could have cache A lead to B, B lead to C and C lead back to A. Then possibly trick the cacher into looking for the same 3 caches all over again. NOW, what to do to keep them from looking at their track lol. Wait even better! If there was a way to make stage 3 LOOK like stage 1. Like the same looking container, buy a similar looking tree etc. Then inside it could have something that basically looks like the note from stage one. something like "congratulations you have found stage 1! What would be different is where it says the coords for stage 2, its really stage 4 and the the final stage where the cache is. Only cacher's who could figure out that it was a trick would find the actual cache. That would be a fun cache.

Its a blank, and it has magnets on the back of it. Its a micro/nano. No over night campers here.

its a shopping center parking lot. I wouldn't even know who to ask. I evoke the Frisbee rule. Parking lot, cars frisbee? The parking lot is big enough that the spot I hid it rarely has cars parked in it, and no one would have a problem with any one playing frisbee there LoL.

I have once already had to fix it. Its important to the integrity of the cache to be placed correctly. I'll fix it, but I hope cachers take care to find it and put it back. I know muggling happens. I am a little more peeved that the person who muggled it didn't read the cache note, or didn't care about what it said, and didn't put it back the way it was.

I have a couple of micro caches out there and hidden in a cleaver way. The one I have is a galvanized outlet cover with magnets on the back. I hid it on a lamp post in a parking lot to put a cleaver twist on a lamp post hid. Got a bunch of compliments on it. Here is the problem. Its been muggled, and the reason it was muggled I am sure is because it was not put back with care and the right way. I actually checked on it once and had to fix it. It was just slapped on all crooked and did not look natural, it stood out, and it has to be straight so that it does not stand out. Some one found it and took it, and left a not on the pole that read " found your coordinate thing." Although it was very amusing to a couple of cachers that found it before I found out, it sucks. If some one had put it back the way it should have been, it would have never been muggled. I also put on the cache page that it needs to be put back exactly the way it was found. Now I have to move it all together and change it completely. I may just mark it for archive and put another some place else. I am sure some one just slapped it on the pole again. Its very aggravating. If you are going to find a cache, you should put it back the way it was hidden. I have seen this before as well, where some one does not put the cache back, or poorly. Here's the cache page. http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...=y&decrypt=