budd-rdc

Can you be more specific? Which make and model GPSr do you use? In the meantime, you might want to check the obvious, like the Datum (WGS84) and format (hdd° mm.mmm'). Under rare circumstances, Garmin GPSr's can have errors of +/- 0.001 minutes depending on how well or how often numerical translations are made between the coordinates format and "semicircles." (A 2^31 semicircle = 180° according to the Garmin Interface Specifications) This isn't large enough to cause the problem that you describe, however.

I give credit to TPTB for at least keeping existing Virtuals grandfathered, so the newbies can enjoy the experience. I still hunt for those Virtuals, and give them a special symbol in my eTrex just so I can spot them easily in map view mode. Even the allegedly "boring" Virtuals aren't that bad, since I don't feel the urge to mock them on the spot like ho-hum urban caches. I think the real debate is whether the quality of new Virtual hides can be maintained. Interesting locations will eventually run out. We can't be sure if newbies will understand "the spirit" of hiding good Virtuals - you'll be surprised at some of the reckless creativity I've heard at events. We might have to demonstrate to TPTB and reviewers that the community is capable of self-policing and picking great locations without relying on a central authority. I believe we have failed in that regard with the complaints and whingings for LCs and Virtuals. I believe Waymarking was supposed to answer that need, but so far it hasn't lived up to replacing Virtuals... but I'd be more patient and see how it will evolve. The key is how well Geocaching and Waymarking will integrate, for example, using a central PQ to load up all the interesting waypoints quickly to your GPSr.

A "Needs CITO" attribute might be cool, similar to "Needs Maintenance." Not sure how it will serve its purpose if people misuse it, but I thought I'd just mention it.

You know, if used properly, I've noticed no difference in "spot-on-ness" between a Garmin and a Magellan. Garmins seem to get people closer to the hide location initially, but they still need to stand still and let them settle (and average) in the end, like a Magellan. Just to complicate matters, I've used a Lowrance, too, and it seems to perform as well as the other two brands. By the way, thanks for doing 15 minute averages for your hides. If I see a log saying "the coordinates are 10' off," I consider it a compliment regardless of the motive.

I often post alternate coordinates with my log if the minutes are off by more than +/- 0.003 in latitude or longitude. I just looked at some of the caches where I did this, and it seems I get good feedback from subsequent visitors. I try to do it as a courtesy, and am well aware that some owners will take offense. Is it anal? Maybe it's my fault for caching in an area with fizzymagic, Marky & Joani, and Workerofwood as local cachers. Maybe I shouldn't expect ANY of my GPSr's to read less than 6' at their caches, and sometimes 0'. (Maybe my GPSr's are cheating! )

I have three best DNFs, hikes to the top of three different volcanos in Japan. They haven't erupted recently, but they were blowing smoke, so they are supposed to be active.

There happens to be a town named Alamo in the San Francisco Bay Area, just east of Oakland, so technically, he lives in Northern California.

There are some excellent hiders in my area. Some are good at creating clever camouflage in plain sight. Some are good at finding little known but great locations. Others know how to create an adventure. Some create brillant puzzles. A few of them know how to combine these elements. I won't mention them here. I've let them know how much I enjoyed their caches in both the online logs and the physical log books. As I get older, I feel more uncomfortable trying to answer any question with the word "best."

Well, you stated why you were interested. I've met TeamAlamo, one of the two racing for the most finds logged on GC.com. Ran into him last week at a cache. He even took a little time out for a chat, although he's still the most impatient cacher I've met. CCCooperAgency is the other of the two "most finders," who I've not yet met, because she's on the East Coast and I'm not. Her friends describe her as "energetic." Maybe impatience and energetic describe obsessive Geocaching behavior. It's too much work to sort through 17000+ finds to figure out where they have been, so to answer your question, they have been to many places, including cross-country trips, foreign countries, etc. I'm sure others will give you links to leaderboard sites where you can track this at the comfort of your own home.

Yeah, I made an edit error somewhere.

That's on topic. You experienced a burnout.

A "shortcoming" to a person might be "strength" to another. For example, a personal attack can reveal a lot about the weakness of the attacker.

I'm happy to see you were reinstated. I appreciate your passion and enthusiasm in Geocaching.

So just turn off the beeps on your GPS, and you should be all set Well, at least there's room to interpret this vague rule with common sense.

When I headed down to a Southern California event recently, I asked around to see what the locals would recommend, and I got plenty of advice (tried to write 'em all down). In fact, a "Mega Cacher" gave me a list of hiders to remember, which I thought was a great idea. I'll try to use the information next time I'm down there. There's no way I can "clear an area" down there without burning out. In our local forums, we tend to direct outsiders to areas (Los Gatos Creek Trail, Almaden Quicksilver Park, etc.) instead of to specific caches. There are some individual caches we recommend, but they are usually epic adventures (multi-stage puzzles) or very evil.

I didn't want to see the e-mail, but I'm not surprised you felt you had to respond to it. Keep 'em opinions and ideas coming.

Here's the facts... http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...t&p=2577159 I'm sure you know that in the NFL, second offender often gets the 15 yard penalty. To be fair, two or none should be taking a vacation based on the two threads. (Posting private e-mail on a public forum is worse than an "Unsportsmanship like conduct", IMHO) People defend CCCooperAgency because they are her friends. To me, it's that simple. You can always disagree with her actions, though, without getting personal.

For stages of a multi, take the time to document your case (photos, background information, etc.) before you hit the submit button. Don't assume the reviewer is familiar with the area as you are. They don't get paid to read minds... in fact, they don't get paid at all. This might help in convincing the reviewer to bend the rules a little.

Hard to tell the tone of the owner's voice in a mere e-mail ("threatened") but as others have said, I'd go back and find a way to sign the log somehow. Sometimes, taking a photo of the situation (of your almost getting the cache) shows effort and good faith on your part. At least you were honest in describing your actions. - I had to dig through snow, then used my hands to melt the ice around it so I can retrieve the cache. - I had to resort to creative use of everyday objects to retrieve AND replace caches out of reach. - People have had to use plants, dirt, and even their own blood to sign the log book due to lack of pen or pencil nearby. - There are caches where opening the container is the puzzle, and signing the log inside is the reward. There's accomplishment in finding solutions to a problem, and it's part of the fun of Geocaching. Lack of effort is not something worth bragging about for a mere find count on GC.com.

Don't take this personally, and I'm using a gentle tone of voice (or you can at least imagine so). Why do you want to know?

That would work, and it's simple, because someone else did the filtering for me.

For me, it's simple. I try not to worry about what I missed. Only filter I use for PQ is for puzzles, because the cache is likely not at the posted coordinates. That's unfortunate, because "on location puzzles" are some of the caches I enjoy most. I don't worry about it, ignorance is bliss. I just try to make most of what I have. I can always make up for it by running a PQ with just puzzles, and try solving them on a rainy day. Also, you can make a decision on-the-fly. Lemon Fresh Dog said it best above: People have proposed various sophisticated filtering methods, but I'm the opposite, I rely on simplicity and experience. A quick reading of the title and description of the cache page also helps in making snap decisions on whether to look for parking, or just keep driving.

Perhaps the fault is in trying to bundle Earthcaches with the "incidents" being reported here. To me, the different icon on Earthcaches represents a different experience. It's courteous to shift the burden of verifying one's visit to oneself, rather than to the owner of the listing. That's what signing the log book is for. That's what sending e-mail verifications for Earthcaches are for.

My response about the 1000th find... I don't think it matters how fast one gets to 1000 finds, it still is a major achievement, and seems to mark a turning point from irrational exuberance to cynicism. I chose an old cache in a foreign country for my 1000th, and made it into an adventure by taking an overnight train on a cheap ticket, then starting a 3 hour hike at dawn to get there. After that, I started to pick caches based on its own criteria rather than basing on the number of finds, especially after thinking about my find count for a while and realizing that depending on who defines what, I wasn't really sure if it was a 1000th find. (I had unlogged finds, as well as duplicate finds on LCs, CITO event, and a cache I found twice for a TB rescue - two containers, two log books, but same waypoint) For me, the cure for burnout is adventure. For most people, going on a hike, discovering unique and interesting locations are all part of that. I'm sure there are people who find navigating in urban areas adventurous, so I won't diss them.

It's not just limited to different brands. Even different models by the same brand can behave differently. It would be inaccurate to say that the accuracy is different, pardon the pun. The Garmin eTrex Legend responds to position changes slower than the Garmin GPSMap 60Cx, or even the older 60C. The behavior you are describing seems to occur in tree cover, or in urban areas with tall buildings and/or power lines above. The Magellan I use (GPS Companion) doesn't jump around, but it's always reporting coordinates 40' to 50' behind me, and worse when I'm in deep forest cover. It can get confused if I'm not travelling in a straight line. Once I stop to allow it to "catch up", it's as accurate as other GPS's I've used. Lowrance I use (iFinder GO) is very precise in urban areas but it tends to wander unpredictably in heavy tree cover. It's accurate as other GPS's I've used as long as I keep it still for a very long time, sometimes 5 minutes or more.