J the Goat

There's one we have locally that I've not found yet, but in the logs it's stated that the cache was found by.... A Cal Fire Convict crew that was clearing some roadside foliage. Apparently several logs were noted, and the cache was replace, although not very well. I picked up a log book with some pretty graphic language scrawled on the pages, very obviously muggle "logs", but the cache was in the right spot.

Let me also suggest that you try to get ahold of a more experienced local cacher and see if they'll head out on a run with you. Caching with people who know the ins and outs can really help you figure out what you're looking for, and give you some insight on where to look. Welcome to the game, hope you continue to enjoy...

My opinion? Stupid idea.

I'm totally going to do a power trail now. It's all the rage. I just have to scrounge up a few hundred gray film containers and I'm good to go. Come on, be creative. Make it puzzles. Each cache has the coords for the next one. It could be a large multi, but a puzzle trail would be better with a logsheet in each one. You could arrange the question marks any way you want. Make a giant happy face. Later, change all the coords so it is a frowny (depending on your mood) No, I was thinking of doing a power trail where there is no trail. Bushwhack 10 miles placing a cache every 1/10 of a mile until the trail ends at the edge of a cliff so the only option is to bushwhack all the way back. Or just follow the powerline road that I used to ride on... Or both... Yeah, that's the ticket... It wouldn't be true mockery unless you made several of them 2 part multis with the first part being the normal crappy film can that had soft coords for a nano buried under a pile of leaves somewhere for the final. Put one in a bear den. Another in a pile of pig poo. hang a few 15 feet in the air from a pine tree branch. That's a real power trail spoof. Ya, that's the ticket SPOOOOOOOOOOON!

Sorry, thought that was Briansnat. Thanks starbrand.

Even if all the stages are virtual? That's cool, I can make it my first multi and then figure out a different puzzle for the next one. Thanks Brian.

So here's the deal. I'm not into doing puzzle caches. For the most part, they just don't get me going and I'm not wired that way. Wish I was, they would make me feel smarter if I could solve them. I have noticed though that there is a shortage of them in my area and I am well aware that there are plenty of cachers who really enjoy them. My idea is to make a puzzle cache that incorporates plaques and inscriptions around town. Something along the lines of using letters in the plaques to fill in the numbers in the coords with their corresponding numbers (A=1, B=2 and soforth.) Would some of you puzzle officionados give me some feedback or advice on this idea? Is this something you'd chase? Or is it a waste of your time as it's not difficult enough? I'm aware that it would be pretty easy, and that there's not really anything to solve, however being that there won't be physical caches to find at each location it's not a multi, and like I said, I'm horrible at solving puzzles. I don't think I have the right state of mind to create one that's more advanced. Not yet at least...

I really like the cache supply idea. The book exchange and CD exchange are awesome too. That's why I love these forums, all the great ideas...

It seems that it's a matter of where you'll be caching. If you plan on staying inside the city where your cell coverage is good, then for finding caches your iphone should be adaquate. If you plan on going for hikes, canoe trips and the likes and finding caches along the way, an inexpensive GPSr used in conjunction with your phone may be necessary. In my experience, if you plan on hiding caches then a handheld unit is much more accurate with marking it's location than the iphone. Others have a different opinion. We're all entitiled to our wrong opinions...

Years ago there was some bozo who was stealing the contents of caches and hiding them elsewhere. In some instances he would provide coordinates or instructions as to where the contents were hidden. Sometimes he didn't. I had a cache looted and replaced the contents. Then about 4 or 5 years later someone e-mailed me that they found the contents of one of my caches while looking for another one in the park. He told me where I could find them and sure enough there was a Ziploc bag filled with the original logbook and contents. I'm not sure what to say about this. I don't understand why some people have to be intentionally difficult. Unless it was a muggle who thought he was playing the game the right way, which I highly doubt. Luckily, we haven't had the cache raider problem to an extreme in our area. Some coins disappear, but most of them stay where they're at, and nobody's trashing caches. Hopefully it stays that way...

I forget what people were calling them, but you can print a paper copy of the geocoin and laminate it and then send it out so the real coin stays safe and sound at home. I just found one of these the other day, and while they're nowhere near as cool to find and pick up, the process is the same and I fully understand not wanting to spend some scrilla on a coin just to have some a-hole decide they want to keep it for themselves. There's that idea. As far as the caches being raided, I don't think there's anything to do about it. Just because somebody throws down the massive amount of $30 for a yearly membership doesn't mean they're more likely to be a good cacher. It just means they payed the 30 bucks.

I just DNF'd one where there were 3 SPORs. Talked the the owner and guess what? DECOYS! What a dirty trick...

I have to start out by saying that I'm not a micro in the woods fan. That being said, I have also just recently started hiding caches and am unsure about difficulty ratings. I'd go without the hint and put in the description that using the hint drops the diff from a 4 to a 2. That way, those who want a 2 star cache can have it, those who want the challenge can ignore the hint and look on their own.

It's called dipping, and people do it to add milage to their travel bugs.

Geocachers do it with government satellites. I fell down a hill and got rocks in my pants, what's your excuse? High Tech Treasure Hunter Geocaching: My junk for yours since the year 2000 GPS: $200 Backpack: $45 Tank of Gas: $60 Climbing back down a mountain in the dark using nothing but a pen light with 4 people you met online last week: Priceless!

Pretty cool all around. Might be cool of you to make some sort of tribute cache. Maybe email Lisa and see what her favorite animal is, or ask her to name it for you, something like that, then acknowledge her thoughtful actions on the description page? You probably already had similar ideas, sorry I'm just putting on "paper" what was already going to happen. Or don't. Either way, congrats on the preform!

Pretty sure it's got to be one by one.

Ah, it was the rolling eyes emoticon that threw me off. Just making an observation Oh, was that your coffee I drank? Oops, sorry. Edit to add : I expected that post from StarBrand, to the point that when someone ask that kind of question, I just wait for him to reply Ya, I regularly forget that my sarcastic wit gets lost in text. In my limited time on the forums, I've noticed Starbrand being one of the several helpful ummm.... old timers? Regulars? Whatever... Just need to remember that sarcasm is all in the voice. Can you hear me now?

And I don't know if salt applies to the "animals will try to eat the cache" problem with food being put in. I did see at our local dollar store some mini multi tools a while back, that might be worth checking out.

If other posters are allowed to keep asking the same question, why isn't he allowed to make the same reply? After all, the advice is good. No problem with it, just making an observation. 'cause I'm an observant fella. now where did my coffee go...

There are those, and I am very quickly becoming one, that don't see this as a disadvantage. Micros in the forest are just wrong, unless you're setting them as part of a multi. The longer hike/drive/walk caches are far and away my favorite, and while you can't nail 30 of them in one day, the experience, for me at least, is much better. You'll get better, try to find someone to go with you, either another local cacher or a friend or spouse. That way you can share your good time with someone else, and get a second set of eyes looking for the cache.

I think I read this EXACT reply sometime in the last week. Somebody has a template...

I like all the ideas posted above. Ten $50 prizes or 50 $10 prizes sounds like a stellar idea. I more enjoy the idea of spending the money on people who actually need it. You could even spend the money and make some wicked cache containers, and put those into larger containders for the FTF. I still don't see the purpose of putting all 500 down in one shot. I do understand not putting a check or cash into a cache though. If the multi is that involved, it may take a while to find, and who know what damage could come to the prize. A gift card is a good idea, and would work just as well. Tell you what, come place another one out in california, and I'll beta test it for you

Actually, if there is no requirement to log the final and the codeword is just to claim the ftf prize, there are no issues. I'm not suggesting this is a good idea, but as long as there isn't anythimg that says a code is required to log the cache, all should be well. Heck, if it's not clear, the prize might not even be claimed.

I think it's a horrible idea personally. 500 clams is a lot of money, at least it is to me. I'm not quite sure why you would give someone that much money for following a multi, but I guess it is your perogitive. I suppose the best way to do it would be to leave a laminated slip of paper with a codeword and your email address, and when somebody finds it, somehow convey to them to take the laminated slip of paper and send you an email to receive their FTF prize. You can't really make the meeting with you the final stage, on account of then you would have to meet everyone who goes after the cache in the future. Let me know when it's posted, I could use a bit of extra change...