Team Dennis

Yes, it has. I'll still go 10-20 miles to find caches, but I'm going to be looking for areas that I can hike/bike all day and then turn around and head home.

My question is: why would you want to? If you bagged 500 film cans in a single outing, how many will you remember a week from now, or a year from now? I've been on cache runs with friends, and the time spent with them was fun, but the caches themselves passed from memory about the time I popped the lid off the next soggy log film can. I've found that since I stopped caching for the numbers, and started caching for the experiences, my hobby has become a lot more fun. I would want to do it simply for the experience of doing it. I certainly would NOT want to do it day in and day out for weeks or months in a row, but (if I were in a group of good friends) I would love to do the E.T. trail. Yes, I won't remember the individual finds but I WILL remember the good times I had with my buddies.

If the cache owner deleted your log you should have gotten an email from noreply@geocaching.com with a subject of "Log Deletion Notice" stating that your log had been deleted. Check your spam/junk folder if it didn't come to your inbox.

The physical stages of a multi cache do not need to be 1/10th of a mile apart from each other or the final to said multi cache. You could put them right on top of each other if you wanted to. HOWEVER, they ALL must be at least 1/10th of a mile from any other physical cache...or any other multi cache's physical stages.

I've never heard of such a painting tradition in our area at all. Many of the tribute/milestone caches I have found have been nothing different than a regular cache, just a nice description on the cache page. +1 Here's the nicest one I've ever found: Here's one I did:

43,000 finds would be very impressive for someone that retired young and started caching 10 years ago and is bordering on incomprehensible for someone that that works 40 hours per week and only caches on the weekend...power trails or not. But based on my experience I can tell you that Bobcam does not "cheat" in any way, shape or form to get these numbers. He is just a very motivated individual.

Actually, I only have 5,916 finds and a measly 135 hides, but I'm honored anyway. Besides, I hardly ever get over to your side of town. And you've "only" been caching since 2005. It's almost like he's talking about someone else. Getting back on topic, if you want to honor a great local cacher with a hide then more power to you. I've seen silver and gold used for ammo cans and a few even have incorporated a little artwork on the outside. I know of another local cacher or two who are going to be getting some ammo cans hidden in their honor. One is gold for his 5,000th find. The other guy is coming up on a much larger number. Do they make platinum spray paint???

I know it is overkill but it bears repeating: If you bring your dog (or other animal) outside make sure they are protected!!! We use Frontline on our dog and it works pretty well. Just have to keep her out of the water for 48 hours after application in order for the stuff to soak in.

You might be better off emailing someone from your (now former) area and asking them directly. If nothing else they could go out and pick up the caches and then you could archive them all. Kind of a shame to see perfectly good caches be put out to pasture but if you have no means to maintain them then it is the resposible thing to do. If I lived closer (I'm 250+ miles away) I would totally adopt your WSQ caches. I love them and do them whenever I have a chance.

There's your problem right there! I wish you would hide a 10 stage multi in the mountains around my house. I'd be going for the FTF in the dark if necessary. Oh, wait...I wish there were mountains around my house. Then I wish for the aforementioned 10 stage multi.

I learned a new one recently. BOG - Big Ol' Group - Usually found on an online log for a cacher that was part of a large group of people all finding a cache at the same time. Sometimes the physical cache log will be signed "BOG - 3/14/12" in order to save space.

If I make it to the mega event in West Bend, WI, this year I am **TOTALLY** having a shirt made with this saying on it.

If you are going to do a puzzle cache, make sure that the information the cacher is seeking is readily available and not subject to change very often. A big wooden or metal sign that is permanent is great. Have the seeker look for info such as: What year was the nature park established? How many acres make up the park? What is the average temperature of the cave? That sort of thing. Or counting a certain amount of fixed objects (like the solar panels) is a GREAT idea. Your cache page could look something like this: A little simple field math and the cacher has the final coordinates AND they learned a little something about the nature center. Honestly this is my favorite type of cache. On the other hand, counting the number of animals in a cage could vary from day to day (depending on random things like vet visits, being out visiting a school, additions of new animals, deaths of animals, etc...) and thus would either have a potential cacher getting the wrong info OR make the cache owner have to constantly update the cache page. And if the cacher is getting the wrong info he might end up looking for a cache in the wrong part of the park...which is something you do not want at all.

Jeez...I thought most of the replies to your post were rather positive. And for the record, having 10,000 finds does not necessarily mean you know what it takes to make a single GOOD hide. I think you would be hard pressed to find ANYONE here that would object to you having an open dialog with a land manager with regards to caching in a nature center. I think you are totally going about this the correct way, especially where you mentioned putting caches near trails. That is a great idea. I don't know anything about this particular nature center but I know a lot of them frown upon people wandering too far off trail and potentially causing damage to delicate vegetation. Another thing I just thought of is the fact that there might be grant money available from the state where the nature center could purchase GPS receivers and allow visitors to borrow them and go Geocaching on their own. I've seen it happen before but I'd have no idea where to check to see. As far as improving the Geocaching experience, here's a part of my original reply:

I'm not a big "pro micro" guy but I have found some micros in some really cool places (mostly old cemeteries and at least one of Knowschad's caches) where any other cache size just would not be feasable. Sometimes it's all about the location and NOT the cache just as sometimes it's about the numbers.

+1 I think he is correct that Geocaching will increase foot traffic through the park. There is a free nature park near me that I've visited several times to go caching that I would never have known about had there not been caches there. I even became a free member of the park and might be doing some work with them in the future. If you really want to get him involved you might want to invite him out caching with you. Take him to some good caches (maybe ones you've already found and know are nice) so he can really see what it's all about. Stress the guidelines for caches (i.e. the proximity rules, not burying caches, nothing dangerous inside, family friendly, CITO, etc...) to show him that it is a great way for everyone to get out and enjoy the world. Finally, to answer your question, I would hide regular sized caches that are somewhat easy to find. You don't want people tearing up the nature center property looking for a micro. Using the signage at the nature center to make an easy 2 stage multi would be a great way to have people stop and check things out.

"A nano in a pine tree. Who would do such a thing?" - Me...usually spoken to my caching buddy who has hidden at least 1 hide like that.

The running from cache to cache is a myth. He does bike a lot, though. It is amazing how much ground you can cover on a bike. And yeah, he doesn't like being slowed down, but when I'm on a mission I don't like it either.

Yes, his name is Bobcam and he's from MN. He has over 43,000 finds. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting him in person yet, but I've exchanged emails back and forth and he seems like a nice enough guy. I met Bobcam once out on the trails and I've exchanged many emails with him. Bobcam is a very nice guy and is very ethical about his cache finds. Knowschad keeps telling me I should go out caching with Bobcam this summer as he thinks I'd be able to keep up out on the trails. I guess we'll see...

Bumping back to the first page! It took a few weeks but I finally got my photos uploaded. Here are a few of my favorites.

You mean this picture? I saw a fox one time. Glad he didn't seem very interested in me...

... and that was with a Colorado!! :lol: We probably would not have been out so long if I didn't have to wait forever for you to find an AMMO CAN cache called "The Porch" that was hidden almost in plain sight. Sorry dog...I had to. LOL that.

Last year I did 101 days in a row to qualify for part of a challenge cache. By the end of the streak I was happy to see it die as going out to find a cache started to become a chore. I have a buddy that started his Geocaching career by scoring at least one find every day for 461 days, and I'm 99.99% sure that he didn't fudge any of his numbers. He was pretty much a puritan right from the start. Doesn't SS hold the "record" for longest find streak? Edit to add: Oops...I forgot about kablooey's streak.

I bought a 4 pak of Duracell DX1500NiMh rechargable batteries with a charger from Wal Mart in November of 2009. It was a "Black Friday" deal and I paid $10.00. I use them in my Garmin Colorado 300. I have had some very long (10+ hours) caching days and when I start using a fresh pair of batteries I've never worn them out in a single day. Usually I can count on a solid 1.5 days of use out of a pair before I need to swap them out for a fresh set. Those batteries and charger have paid for themselves dozens of times already. Totally worth the money and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

I am in FAR western Wisconsin (at least when I go to work each day) and I'll be headed to Colorado soon. Depending on where you are I'd be happy to help.