geodarts

I hide my stats in part because either slumps or streaks are nobody’s business but my own. However I looked in response to this thread

On my profile I describe myself as an ammo can in the woods kind of cacher. There is something about them that is satisfying. Perhaps the way the box closes. But size matters less to me than the reason for being in a location. Several years ago someone pointed out a cache that was placed in a parking lot because there were mo other caches there — his comment was that I guess the game is changing. He was right. I don’t mind micros if they are appropriate to an area and there is some reason for me to be there, other than to find a cache. Searching just to search is search is the least important thing about this game.

It’s sad to see them unused. I have always enjoyed virtuals for extending the game into areas where traditionals aren’t allowed or not appropriate, but have never had the chance to place one. Since the more recent opportunities required people to opt-in it’s frustrating that so many remain unused.

I have been wanting a rugged phone with a good sized battery and dual frequency gps. It’s not something that I would anticipate using as a phone, but we are starting to think about a kayak camping trip and other adventures. . . Ulefone finally introduced the power armor 18t. It is not like I needed a new device but I thought about how good Locus maps would look on it and then there is a very good sale out of China for the next few days. As far as I know it’s the first one with dual frequency - although with enough protection the definition of rugged can be stretched. https://www.ulefone.com/us/power-armor-18t.html

It’s hard to please everyone. Locus is the reason why I purchased a dual frequency Android, and sold my hand held Garmins. After trying every app on the Android, it is the only one that remains - although Cachly on the iPhone is a close second.

A trip that included the old Route 66 through Arizona had many attractions, both current and the ruins and remains We stayed at the Wigwam in Holbrook and stopped for dinosaurs, the ruins at Two Guns, Meteor City and the corner at Winslow where caching combined with roadsides. I decided to revive this topic because of how familiar this phrase is to this game Jackrabbit.

I finally gave up on sequential labs on a recent trip. It was hot, muggy, and there was no apparent reason for the order. We seemed to always be going in the wrong direction. I retraced my steps and did one, just to see if there was anything to make the sequence important. There was no way I was going to be able to convince my noncaching spouse to do it again, let alone 4 or 5 times in the general area we were in.

It’s undoubtedly too late for the research assignment but I had fun reading people’s answers, so I thought I would contribute my own. 1. In 2003 my daughter showed me a container her classmates had found while on a field trip to a beautiful location in nearby hills. I had no idea what it was but someone suggested it might be a geocache. A few months later I saw there was a cache on a trail near where I live. We went out searching based on the description - and the very rudimentary maps - and I found it. A few weeks later I could not find one and decided to get a gpsr. 2. In the beginning there were few caches and they usually brought me to great places. We traded off as to who could place containers in interesting spots, which got me out researching trails. It also became fun to find caches on trips, doing earthcaching and virtuals. Over the years I became selective, concentrating on caches where I wanted to take a picture, write a log, or otherwise document something other than a lamp pole - but the basic motivation is still similar. 3. My numbers kept dropping every year, until most of my finds were on trips. Caching became less of a guide than a way to document places I had discovered in researching other interests - kayaking, petroglyphs, and the like. After an accident I have been caching now and then to have a rehab target. I made some good friends while caching - we have all slowed down our numbers but still do things together, which is another motivation.

I’ve had to explain the logging requirement for earthcaches. However, except for a couple of instances where people have swept through and armchaired multiple caches, I don’t monitor physical caches in the same way. <<< “You must sign the physical log with your registered geocaching name” >>> The guidelines state that the cache can be logged once you “have signed the logbook” and I would not add anything beyond that. My handwriting has always been nearly illegible. One time, the next to find posted that the signature above his was off, but the CO was a friend who knew my signature well. Other than that no one has questioned that I rarely - and almost never now - use my full geocaching name. Sometimes I have used my given name. Occasionally, I use a leaf to make a mark that may or may no be as legible as my handwriting. I also have a problem with dates - so I would not rely on that to confirm a find. At one point getting the year right was difficult.

We had booked flights and passage on a cargo boat to go to Pitcairn Island, then I had an accident that probably precludes a future visit, just before Covid shut the island down. But that type of trip always makes me wonder how much a cache influenced our decisions to go there. It would have been an expensive smiley for sure. There was, and may still be, a grandfathered virtual at a Las Vegas tower that reminded me of the Sydney cache. And we have taken tramways, ferries, or made expensive arrangements to get to certain areas that just happened to have a cache. Apart from the disclosure issue then, I think there ideally should be a distinction between tourist activities and other forms of commercial enterprises. But I can also see where that might be a headache as people try to stretch the boundaries. We might not have lost virtuals back in the day if people used more common sense in what they chose to submit. I imagine people arguing that their store is a tourist destination. Then it would come down to the Wow factor.

I had almost stopped caching and after I had a serious accident I had to learn how to walk again. One of the first things I asked my doctor was how the loss of some body parts would affect hiking or kayaking, so I started doing some caching again as a way to mark my progress. I still have not done some LPCs near my house and poking around for a container can be hard. But the game gave me a chance to record my first walk on a real trail. First kayaking. First 5 mile hike. First hike with friends. Balance remains an issue but caching marked my first time on a bicycle (only one little crash in a soft spot!). I thought a few simple puzzle caches might help my brain recover from two small strokes associated with the accident but several I looked at seemed too complicated. Writing logs and taking pictures can also be therapeutic so that is a benefit that might not often be recognized. I was not interested in a streak before so I am not going to do it now. I don’t expect to ever do a tree climb cache again. But within those limits caching can help with rehab.

My one challenge cache is thematic, although it was approved before challenges were limited so it was easier to create one. I use Aura Raines in many of my logs dealing with UFOs so it was easy to create an Aura challenge dealing with flying saucers, with an appropriate container. Many of my caches fit within a theme of a story - Bud Flout caches for Bigfoot; Roy caches for a local mostly fictional characters. Those are not conducive to current challenges. I can no longer climb trees and stats don’t interest me. So until I figure how to make a cryptid cache work, I’m not sure how to make a thematic challenge.

The lotteries are always disappointing. I advocated for the return of virtuals long before it was popular. I love the concept and have done over a thousand. I live in an area where physical caching is prohibited on a large percentage of the land - and although I have advocated with park managers to change that. it remains policy. I have several earthcaches and an adventure lab on this land but there are some things that would make a better virtual. But I have never been lucky with lotteries of any type. It’s just the way it is. I wish the process was different, but I am glad that virtuals are part of this game. It’s more of the “if only” sigh whenever I think about something I want to create. A disappointment to be sure. But we have some trips coming up so there will be more to find.

I never have had a problem logging offline - perhaps it’s because I do most of my caching offline. The lab is usually the only thing I have open and if I’m not online I don’t go past the question page, waiting submit the answer until a later time. My own lab just went live. I like it because all but one stage is in an area where traditional caching is not permitted - but it also means that cell reception may be limited. I got a note from someone who said that when they have tried offline labs all they get is the spinning wheel. I’m glad I knew about page linked above. That information should be in an Adventure Lab FAQ or the Groundspeak knowledge base.

Thanks. I went back and found the secret. I still would be more likely to write something meaningful if I could add a photo.

I don’t feel I have to “like” or rate everything I do. I never look at reviews or favorite points to determine if I want to do something - it the cover photo or the description does not make me want to do a lab or a cache, I don’t see how a review would change my mind. That said, almost every review I have looked at is a quick meaningless note. My reviews would be better if I could write or edit them at any time after an adventure series is completed. This would allow time after doing a lab to think about what I want to write and how I would rate a cache. If I could add a photo it would help me interact with the lab all the more. It’s frustrating not to be able to do this. I decided today that unless editing is added I probably won’t be submitting reviews. It’s the same reason why I write cache logs after I get home when I have time to think about what I want to say.

And it now appears to be working. . .

I’m now getting: It seems your Anti-Forgery Token is invalid. This could be the result of disabled cookies or a recent username change. Please ensure that cookies are enabled and try again.

I started a new lab cache, but get Error 500 when I start the process after completing the description, coordinates, and cover photo. I’m not sure what this means or how to correct it. Any help is appreciated.

I was somewhat surprised that there wasn’t one since I have been an active PM. I don’t know how the original credits were given but I was never selected for a virtual so I must fall through a lot of cracks. I’m hoping the process will open up.

Will this be happening soon? I was in the hospital when adventure labs began to open up and they have been a fun part of my rehab. There are none in my immediate area, but after “finding” over 300 ALs, I had an inspiration and wanted to create one - only to get the message that the opportunity is closed.

My goals were modest. Two years ago my goal to find a cache on Pitcairn Island ended when I was in a serious accident - and then the Island shut down due to Covid - so I don’t expect to ever complete it. When I was in the ICU an earthcache of mine was archived by a reviewer so one successful goal in the past year was not to let that happen again. During 2021, I successfully completed a goal of finding a kayak cache, finding a cache while tracking down petroglyphs, caching with friends, adding some National Parks to my find list. Certain goals eluded me when I overestimated my recovery or underestimated the weather. In the coming year a cache in the Yukon might be a goal, but my goals have always been associated with places rather than numbers.

We decorate tomorrow so it is time to get out the ornaments.

I spent 70 days in hospitals a couple of years ago. Towards the end of my stay, when I could go out on the grounds in a wheelchair, I might have stopped for a T1 cache. I would not stop for a hospital cache today - with follow up surgery and other appointments I have spent enough time at those kind of places.

The status of caches in some countries might be in doubt. The owner of an Afghanistan cache recently did a maintenance and wrote: “Maintenance is really bad here at the moment, but it would be great if he survived here quietly and secretly and in 10-15 years "someone from the west" would log him again 😁 It will be interesting to see until then 🙋🏻‍♂️“ That may be an understatement