Original A1

"Deplored"? I think that's a bit strong. There seems to me to be little reason why people can't do both. After all, those who died did so in order that we might have freedom. An event seems a most suitable way to enjoy that freedom. Shame I can't get to that event as it's very close to where I grew up. Oh, and not only is there a war memorial just across the road, but a rather famous monument within a mile on the top of Coombe Hill (to the second Boer War) if anyone wishes to combine the event with paying their respects.

Luckily I don't find too many here (seem to be lots on the continent, but the rules don't seem to be so stringent there) and so option 6 usually suffices. If nothing's been done after quite a time and I happen to notice, I'd probably put a note to the reviewer. Don't remember having put a NM log down ever, but might have done. Think it would be justifiable in the circumstances, but usually only after other measures have been explored.

I've done 5, but find they've not been presented very appealingly which I suspect fails to encourage various people. What I mean is that I can't click on others' profiles to see what challenges they've done, in the way you can for found caches. Also, I believe you have to specifically list an area you're visiting to see what might be around, so it's very much a hit and miss operation. If Groundspeak addressed these issues, the latter by way of a map showing what's where like they do with caches, then perhaps there would be more of an appeal. I write this as someone who's not actively cached for a month, so perhaps there have been updates which I've not seen, but you get my drift...

I'm not sure I agree about the deleted logs changing it. On occasion, when Polonius and I have more in common than usual and I'm trying to do an extra long log, I've found I've run out of room and have to finish by writing a note, only it then reads strangely, so I've copied and deleted log, posted the note and relogged higher up. I've not (yet) had problems with the count factor, even if "succinctity" still remains a challenge!

Forgive my ignorance, but what's a decon box? I'm sure with 2000 finds, I've probably handled plenty, but don't recognise the description!

Oooh - that looks fun. Well spotted!

There always seem to be a few who hold the moral high ground (whatever that is!), but don't worry, EP, you are every bit as entitled to ask a question without being scolded for it as anyone else on here, so please don't feel restricted by the "judgementals". As to maintaining caches, I tend to disable mine if I feel that it's something that stops other cachers either finding or enjoying finding the cache, but sometimes I just forget when I've done that, as with one of mine recently. I apparently disabled it in July and went to change the logbook in the other two in the series, only to find (or not find) that I couldn't find it!! That'll be because I disabled it due to DNFs thinking it had gone missing. I guess it has! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to replace it at the time because I need to acquire a new container of the type it is and now I won't be able to for a wee while, but it's now firmly on my radar. It's obvious from above that I'm a bit of a scatterbrain, so whilst I do the occasional maintenance on others' caches, I don't usually interfere too much a ) because I invariably forget to take the correct equipment with me and b ) I'm not always sure what to do with the discarded stuff (usually log book). Do you keep it in the hope that you can pass on to the CO or just chuck? If the latter, are you interfering with someone else's mode of gaming?

Mixed views on this. As identified, it could be the best first effort from a kid who is proud as punch of his/her achievement (or maybe not even a kid!), and it is easy to appear to be patronising. That said, it's a nice altruistic gesture and if conveyed in the right manner, shouldn't offend. Sometimes one gets logs which really put the back up, and perhaps I can be guilty of that too - if done, not meant from this end though! It can be difficult to convey the correct tone in writing, as we all know. But nice of you to bother, to take pics, and to try and keep in touch with the CO. Regarding the cache maintenance, I thought it was an agreement that all COs should check their caches at least once a year, so if there are problems with non-response, reviewers can be alerted to the problem (as if they don't have enough to be doing in the first place!). It's all about attitude really, isn't it?

Yup, "Shackleton's Rest" (GCZ8ZK) in South Georgia. Thanks to a shoogly GPS reception which was taking me every which way, and a time limit in which I also wanted to see Grytviken, it eluded me, only for another cacher to see my pictures and comment "See that...? It's behind there!" *Sigh* I then also got home to discover that another one had been published in Grytviken between my leaving and getting there and I'd walked right past it. Dubious hiding place as you're not allowed to touch any of the old whaling relics there, and the description seems to involve doing just that... Ach well, plenty of other great finds I have made, but it's just a shame about these as it's highly unlikely I'll ever get the chance to return.

There's only 7 caches in Greenland (or were when I checked prior to going there last year). It's a stunningly beautiful location, but not that good for the numbers... but then again, when was it about the numbers?! I'd also choose New Zealand, even though I've been there before. That was before caching and every now and again, I look at the caching map of NZ and rue all the missed opportunities. Then again, I was there in 2002/03, so there probably weren't too many there at the time...

You're spot on with the reasoning for putting DNFs. There's no shame in recording one (out of 31 searches yesterday, I had 2 DNFs - mainly because it was dark by the time I was hunting for them!). I said as much, so the COs will hopefully realise that it's not about the caches likely to be missing as much as the conditions at the time. There are some where the caches are very difficult (I have a couple like that) where if I see 2 or more DNFs in a row, I don't get too worried because I know that it's more about the difficulty than the cache being missing, but it also gives other cachers an idea of what to expect. I hope it doesn't put them off and in fact, I sometimes enjoy going for a cache where there have been a couple of recent DNFs, especially if the difficulty rating is high and/or I know the cacher might not be very experienced. To me it's a good guideline, but some would rather die than admit failure! Happy caching.

It's not often I literally laugh out loud at a post, but that's brilliant! We're talking about it on another forum too, but it's not as amusing as your James Bondery. I did yesterday tell "Robin" that I couldn't possibly turn on my computer if it had a virus - I was just going to throw it away because it was too dangerous. Having not got too far with that, I asked him for his phone number to call him back as I was very busy just now, etc. That floored him for a while. It's quite a fun game one can play, but I like the library angle.

Well no, but after my sister-in-law had a minor prang last year, my niece and nephew were contacted the next day by someone offering to represent them in suing their mother! Only in America... And TPS Service hasn't stopped the wretches from haranguing me on a daily basis with the allegedly virus-written computer on which I am typing this post. Because they are offshore, they're untouchable.

If you look at the stats for a couple of members of the Worthing Committee you'll see one had a best day with 202 caches and the other managed a magnificent 708. Tyke - just a supposition... with those stats, could it be an amalgamation of several years' worth of caching on, say 5th May...., but different years? Or are you talking about one specific date? If the latter, I suspect a cricket team's worth of cachers all finding different caches and logging under the same username... (Does that make it cricket?!)

Many congratulations. Having been cached away herself for 9 months, I bet it won't be long until she's following in dad's footsteps.

Beech nuts are perfectly edible; you're just lucky to have got to them before the squirrels do! It's a long time since I ate any. Waitrose is selling cobnuts just now, so I have some in the kitchen (not sure where my local cobnut tree would be!). And it won't be long till the brambles are out. Skittles in gin? That's a new one on me! [hic!]

Could well be. The first four are dated 5/4/2008, 5/9/2008, 5/4/2009, 5/4/2010, so apart from No.2, there seems to be a pattern emerging. I suspect they were all found on 5/4/2010 and he/she got confused. Doesn't seem much point in bumping up the stats on 17 finds...

Slight clue: "La" is a feminine prefix... "...a" at the end of the word is usually female. Welcome, Madam. Now to work out who she is...

I must say that when you said you fell off twice, I wondered whether dogs had been involved. Glad you're ok, but shouldn't you carry the odd pack of slugs on which to let your left knee fall if you're going to take this up as a regular occupation?

Haven't seen it here yet but I'll look again when it stops snowing and the sun comes out. Geocache hunting is like fishing, so much more enjoyable when the sun is on your back. Greetings from New Zealand Just out of interest, how come your avatar is the Aussie flag?

Sorry to disagree with the OP, but I think it's a very well-written, easy-to-comprehend article, giving nothing particular away, unless you mean the picture. But personally, I wouldn't be able to tell you where that cache is.

P.S. Just had them on again.

Ah yes - I've had the conservatory people trying to sell me one to install on the 2nd floor before. But if I mentioned this story here before, apologies: Years ago (before I'd have been out caching at such an hour) I was cold-called one Sunday at noon, to be informed I'd won a new kitchen. The upshot was I had a guy in here for 2 hours the following Tuesday, having informed him and the company that I had no money. He tried every trick in the book, but for me it's quite easy. If I have no money, I don't buy something, simple as that. I don't possess a credit card. He asked to call his manager and I got all sorts of special deals if I signed up that day. Of course, the real deal was you were to spend £5k on a new kitchen, which, if photographed for a magazine which wasn't in general circulation, might put you in for winning £1k off the overall cost. Some competition. I got a lot of pleasure about sending the guy on his way, having told him and his boss about 10 times that I had no money!

All well and good but I get called almost daily (sometimes more) by "Microsoft Services" and other companies, asking to speak to someone who had my phone number when I was out of the country for a year between 2002/03 and BT weren't prepared to hold my number until my return. She was kind enough to offer me my number back, since when approximately 50% of my calls are for her. I assume this is because lists have been sold on and bred. It's a major nuisance for me and as I'm both unlisted and ex-directory, I usually ask that they remove her name from their list ("yes, no problem") and point out that they are breaking the law by cold-calling me. Despite swearing blind that they are in Glasgow, the line is too poor to be a mere 50 miles away, and there's not a single Glasgwegian accent amongst them. A couple of weeks ago, I played the Dr Solly game and strung the guy along. He got quite excited when I allegedly did all he said. Then he asked what I saw and I said "Nothing much" and let rip at him. Now, I have taken to answering their "Is that Mrs...?" with "No" and putting the phone down. Seriously though, what on earth can I do, short of changing numbers? That would be an inconvenience I'd rather do without (naturally). I'm half-seriously debating investing in a referee's whistle, but being this country, I'd probably get sued... Ideas?

Does your pup do repeat performances? Is he out for rent? I can't find that dadgum cache!!! Hmmmm - "dadgum". That's an interesting site edit!!!