blandestk
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Posts posted by blandestk
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Hello from across the Atlantic.
I am traveling to Ireland for the first time in the near future. I have been researching caches to find during the trip. When we travel, we always target virtuals, webcams, earth caches, challenges, and old hides, so I have done a bit of looking on these fronts. I have dug into the favorites list, as well, which is a decent resource, but I also know that many of the greatest caches tend to be more difficult or out of the way and simply cannot attract the traffic needed to crack the top favorites list. I collaborate on a website that chronicles phenomenal caches (epicgeocaching.com), so I'm always looking for unique, creative, or challenging caches or even normal caches in amazing locations off the beaten path.
Can locals from island recommend caches that jump to mind when you think "fantastic geocache"? I am willing to go nearly anywhere, tackle nearly any terrain, or attempt difficult things. But I also realize some of the best caches are extremely easy. Simply put, anything and everything is open game and I'll look into any caches you recommend.
Thanks in advance! I look forward to enjoying your country, its culture, and the great caches I am sure are waiting!
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1. What do you like most about challenge caches?
Challenges are near the top when it comes to what I love about geocaching. Seeing the moratorium and a possible end to challenges was extremely discouraging to me. If they go away, this game will be greatly diminished for me. What I love:
They are "challenging." There are far too many aspects of this game that are not difficult. Challenges, by definition, are probing, something to rise to. When people complain about things being too hard, I always fall back on the name of this type of cache. It's supposed to be a challenge. I personally love this aspect because they are motivating, they cause me to look around the area, state, and world for specific things, they give me a sense of accomplishment, they allow creativity in a realm of geocaching that no other type allows (some challenges think of finds to collect in extremely clever ways), they punctuate the tedium of a sea of traditional caches. Simply put, they offer something no other type of cache offers.
2. What do you not like about challenge caches?
Nothing about challenge caches as a subset of caches. Certainly there are challenges I think are subpar or even inane, but that pertains to every type of cache, too, so it does not reflect on the challenge cache in a vacuum.
3. What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?
Not much. An icon would be nice for those who want to search for them or to ignore them. An attribute at the very least. From the discussions I have monitored and had with reviewers and players, it seems the biggest problem with challenges at the moment is "time." To me, this problem arises because of the structure of Groundspeak/geocaching/reviewing. Having volunteers take care of reviewing and the "subjective" decisions when it comes to challenges is simply not the right way to go about it. If appeals are taking too much time from lackeys, then it seems someone should be hired to handle challenge caches, much like specific people handle earth caches (I know they are volunteers). Heck, I would be willing to handle challenge cache reviewing and appeals for the company for $15 an hour. Reviewing is too big a job and responsibility for it to actually not be a job. Hire a Challenge Czar and we'll keep the type of caches most of the community loves.
4. If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?
Challenges that are unique, creative, and challenging. I don't understand the critique of things being too hard or the cache owner even having to complete the requirements per se. They are called "challenges" for the purpose of putting a challenge out there for cachers. Just because one person or two or many cannot complete a challenge is not a good reason for that challenge not to exist. Let's aspire to big things.
5. What types of challenge caches do you avoid?
I don't avoid any. In fact, I have never come across a challenge and thought it too difficult. Maybe I won't qualify for them all, but they push me to try.
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Are these sold out?
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Thanks so far for the examples from those who provided some. There are certainly a range of styles and opinions out there and multiple avenues can create pleasing pages.
It seems to me that having problem viewing a cache page on your unit is more a personal problem than it is a fault of the cache owner. Coding for multiple web browsers is bad enough, let alone having to make sure everything looks good on every single GPS unit. Seems there are some fixes for the Oregon problems out there, in addition.
I didn't intend this to be a critiquing thread. I was simply looking for some good examples of what people think are nice pages. Please keep them coming if you have any.
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I appreciate the thoughts, but I was simply thinking more about cache pages that use the limited html capabilities creatively or are appealing. I realize things look different on different devices, I was just wondering if people recall specific pages that stand out from the crowd.
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Forgive me if there is an ample thread on this subject in the past, I could not find it. If it exists, please point me to it!
What are some of the best cache pages you have seen? I'm thinking about well formatted, creative cache pages that look good. Looking for some great examples!
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I'm trying to add lat/lon for zones in the Wherigo Builder, but when I try to capture using the maps, I get an error:'
There was an error using TerraServer did not recognize the value of HTTP Header SOAPAction: http://terraservice-usa.com/GetAreaFromPt.
Is this because of the shift away from Google Maps? Or is there something I can do to remedy the situation?
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My caching partner and I are getting married this summer and were thinking about having a geocoin made for everyone at the service. Most of the places we've researched require an image to receive a quote. We have not yet developed our image, so we're a bit in the dark with the pricing. I was wondering if anyone who has had a large run of coins made could give me info on his or her experience with cost and company. How many colors did you have on your coin? How many coins did you have made? Which company did you use? Basically, any info you could give me would be helpful. Thanks in advance!
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Just delete the blank logs...
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Hi there. A new multi-state multi was just published near me. It's a collaborative effort, where multiple cachers from many states help each other out to find successive stages. The first stage is in Ohio, but other stages are in different states. I need two cachers to help out with each stage, one for me and one for my caching partner. Send me a message if you're interested and we'll get this chain going. We'll also need members from North Carolina, Texas, and South Dakota. Let me know if you'd like to help!
Note, I have posted in regional forums already, so no need to suggest I move the thread there. The visibility in this thread will be much better!
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=7628a232-0121-4275-bcee-caf501d16b4d
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Hi there. A new multi-state multi was just published near me. It's a collaborative effort, where multiple cachers from many states help each other out to find successive stages. The first stage is in Ohio, but stage five is in South Dakota. I need two cachers to help out with this stage, one for me and one for my caching partner. Send me a message if you're interested and we'll get this chain going. We'll also need members from North Carolina, Texas, and Washington. Let me know if you'd like to help!
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=7628a232-0121-4275-bcee-caf501d16b4d
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Hi there. A new multi-state multi was just published near me. It's a collaborative effort, where multiple cachers from many states help each other out to find successive stages. The first stage is in Ohio, but stage four is in Texas. I need two cachers to help out with this stage, one for me and one for my caching partner. Send me a message if you're interested and we'll get this chain going. We'll also need members from North Carolina, Washington, and South Dakota. Let me know if you'd like to help!
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=7628a232-0121-4275-bcee-caf501d16b4d
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Hi there. A new multi-state multi was just published near me. It's a collaborative effort, where multiple cachers from many states help each other out to find successive stages. The first stage is in Ohio, but stage three is in Spokane. I need two cachers to help out with this stage, one for me and one for my caching partner. Send me a message if you're interested and we'll get this chain going. We'll also need members from North Carolina, Texas, and South Dakota. Let me know if you'd like to help!
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=7628a232-0121-4275-bcee-caf501d16b4d
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Hi there. A new multi-state multi was just published near me. It's a collaborative effort, where multiple cachers from many states help each other out to find successive stages. The first stage is in Ohio, but stage two is in NC near the Georgia border. I need two cachers to help out with this stage, one for me and one for my caching partner. Send me a message if you're interested and we'll get this chain going. We'll also need members from Washington, Texas, and South Dakota. Let me know if you'd like to help!
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=7628a232-0121-4275-bcee-caf501d16b4d
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Of course if you do this, most people will not even look at it since a majority of people think challenges are lame.
I happen to be in the group that feels Geocache Challenges are lame, but I would certainly be interested in knowing where you derived the FACT that the MAJORITY agree.
CG,
Perhaps you should spend more time on puzzles and less time worrying about statistics!
[sarcasm for anyone outside Ohio]
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Whether our history is 10 years old or 1000 years old, it is still our history. There is a definite starting point. If the majority of caches tended to survive over an extended time period, (say, for argument's sake, 75% of our total history), then I would be OK with those folks who attempt to minimize the place that Mingo, and caches like Mingo, hold in our history. But since the average cache only lasts about 15% of our total history, (at least locally), one that has survived more than 90% of our total history really does occupy a position of importance. At least to me.
But there were caches placed before Mingo. 6 of them. They gradually went away and left Mingo as the oldest active. What makes Mingo (as a standalone cache) so special that this process should be stopped dead and not allow another cache to become the oldest active? Why stop at Mingo, when it didn't stop at any of the previous ones? Should Mingo be maintained for the rest of time, so it can retain this status? What's so special about the 7th oldest cache? I certainly don't remember who came in 7th in a car race, or a sports season. If we were talking about the first cache, then it would be a completely different matter. I have yet to see a compelling reason to treat Mingo any different than other caches. If Kansas Stasher gets tired of replacing it, they should have 100% of the say in what happens with Mingo. With all the recurring problems, it should have been archived long ago anyway.
I say move on to GC12!
This post borders on absurdity.
Other facets of life celebrate the same sort of thing all the time. We often venerate the oldest member of a specific war. Was he or she the oldest to serve in the war? Why in the world should we celebrate him or her then??? Newsworthy is the last remaining animal of a specific species. Since others were born before that one, I suppose we should just let it pass without notice. The oldest remaining copy of an antiquarian book is almost always prized. What, it was only the 50th copy ever published? I guess it goes on the trash heap. I could pull dozens of examples.
This post borders on absurdity.
Mingo is neither the last survivor of a war, the last of a species, nor the last remaining copy of an ancient tome.
It's the odlest (semi)active listing that was published on this website. Enjoy it for what it is.
It is none of those, exactly. That is the exact point of WHY each specific thing is pointed out. What you are adding is your personal judgment about what is worthy to be noteworthy or newsworthy. Do I think Mingo carries the same significance as the oldest WWII survivor? Probably not. Does the oldest copy of The Waste Land come near the WWII survivor? Hard to say. It's all a judgment call. Yet it is noteworthy when something is the oldest or last surviving of a particular subset. Doesn't matter how long the subject has been around. The points about its upkeep or status really have no bearing on the fact that it is the oldest remaining cache listing. I understand you may not place as much emphasis on it as others, but that fact remains and you cannot dispute that it makes it noteworthy...
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Whether our history is 10 years old or 1000 years old, it is still our history. There is a definite starting point. If the majority of caches tended to survive over an extended time period, (say, for argument's sake, 75% of our total history), then I would be OK with those folks who attempt to minimize the place that Mingo, and caches like Mingo, hold in our history. But since the average cache only lasts about 15% of our total history, (at least locally), one that has survived more than 90% of our total history really does occupy a position of importance. At least to me.
But there were caches placed before Mingo. 6 of them. They gradually went away and left Mingo as the oldest active. What makes Mingo (as a standalone cache) so special that this process should be stopped dead and not allow another cache to become the oldest active? Why stop at Mingo, when it didn't stop at any of the previous ones? Should Mingo be maintained for the rest of time, so it can retain this status? What's so special about the 7th oldest cache? I certainly don't remember who came in 7th in a car race, or a sports season. If we were talking about the first cache, then it would be a completely different matter. I have yet to see a compelling reason to treat Mingo any different than other caches. If Kansas Stasher gets tired of replacing it, they should have 100% of the say in what happens with Mingo. With all the recurring problems, it should have been archived long ago anyway.
I say move on to GC12!
This post borders on absurdity.
Other facets of life celebrate the same sort of thing all the time. We often venerate the oldest member of a specific war. Was he or she the oldest to serve in the war? Why in the world should we celebrate him or her then??? Newsworthy is the last remaining animal of a specific species. Since others were born before that one, I suppose we should just let it pass without notice. The oldest remaining copy of an antiquarian book is almost always prized. What, it was only the 50th copy ever published? I guess it goes on the trash heap. I could pull dozens of examples.
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I found the comment that asking people to use stealth means that there was no permission pretty silly.
I found that statement to be dead on. Something I really enjoy doing is talking to cachers about their hides. At any event I attend, you will most likely find me schmoozing with old friends and new ones, discussing various caches they own. One particular topic that comes up a lot is the notion of assumed permission as opposed to explicit permission, with regards to caches on private property, such as a Wally World lamp post, Burger King hedge, Target dumpster, etc.
At a local level, I can state with certainty that a cache with "Use Stealth", or words to that effect, most likely does not have explicit permission. I haven't been to Kalifornia since I took up this hobby, so I will grant that things may be completely different in your neck of the woods. But it is telling that, in every single instance, (not even one exception to date), when I've asked a cache owner about how they obtained permission for their cache on private property, there was not a single one who obtained explicit permission. Every single one operated under the banner of assumed permission.
As I interpret the guidelines, they require explicit permission for hides on private property. I suspect that this is the most commonly violated guideline.
1.1. Fundamental Placement Guidelines
Obtain the landowner's and/or land manager's permission before you hide any geocache, whether placed on private or public property. If you are given permission to place a cache on private property, indicate this on the cache page for the benefit of the reviewer and those seeking the cache.
Doesn't matter if it has permission or not, it's not another cacher's job to remove caches he or she suspects does not have permission.What if a person knows, (not suspects), a cache on private property does not have permission, as required by the guidelines? Should we ( a ) be good stewards, correcting those wrongs we see, in the hope that doing so might bring favor upon the game, by either removing the offending cache or be notifying a reviewer about the violation, or should we ( b ) bury our collective heads in the sand, pretending it is OK?. If we decide as a group that ( a ) is the correct course of action, we get branded as "cache cops". If we pick ( b ) we enable those who systematically ignore the guidelines. Neither one looks very appealing.
But let's kick it up a notch. What about a land manager, property owner, or their representative. If they discover a cache on their property, and they know it has not been given permission, should there be any backlash of public opinion if they remove it? I don't think so. I feel that one falls smack on the shoulders of the mook who hid it without permission. A utility worker would most certainly be a representative of the power company. I would have no problem with a utility worker removing a cache from a ground level transformer, since, as an employee, they know it was not given permission.
I am not advocating choice ( B ). In fact, I was just part of a situation in Central Ohio that unfortunately ended up in the archiving of a cache by someone I respect quite a bit. However, your (a) choice conflates two issues into one choice. There are two options there: tell the reviewer or take the cache. Those options are not the same thing. Not even close. My comment was in regard to those who seem to advocate taking the cache and asking questions later. That action is highly inappropriate. Not only is it not my property, but I also have imperfect information about the cache placement. I may assume, even correctly, that permission has not been granted. But just because nothing is on the cache page and 99.9% of hides in places exactly like one I encounter might never gain permission does not mean it is up to me to remove the cache container.
Further, just because someone who works in the electricity business states that no company would approve a cache on some sort of equipment does NOT mean there could not be a scenario where a company actually would allow it. I'm sure our imaginations can all come up with a situation where a hide could gain permission.
Boiled down, if you think it's in a spot that would not give permission/is illegal/etc., the proper action to take is to contact the reviewer and allow the reviewer and the cache owner to work out the situation. It is not up to us to be "cache cops" of the taken-container variety.
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But, there shouldn't be cache "vigilantes" going around trying to push their opinion on other's caches. (Especially if they meet the guidelines...)
Right...coz I'm sure the CO had permission to place a cache at the bank.
Doesn't matter if it has permission or not, it's not another cacher's job to remove caches he or she suspects does not have permission.
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If you saw this cache, you would all be even more perplexed by the situation. It's the most obviously non-bomb ammo can ever. As a few of us in the area have noted, our first thought would be "hobo stash" instead of bomb or anything else. Further, the "woods" of which they speak is really just a spit of land near industrial complexes and strip malls. I would never go there if I had been seeking a cache and I seriously wonder why a father and son were walking there in the first place. Plenty of parks and preserves in the area, so it's truly bizarre.
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Is there any way for me to limit a search for a specific keyword to a specific area? Say I want to find all the caches in a specific area with "sudoku" in the title, is that possible?
You can search easily for the keyword or title, but the results are worldwide. You can search easily for caches in an area with queries, but you can't specify a title or keyword.
Any way to do this?
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Also, could anyone from the area verify what exactly we need to get in and out of Mexico? I've read conflicting reports about the enforcement of the passport law from a couple years ago.
We are interested in visiting some of the Chuy multis across the border if possible. Can you literally go across the border and then return in, say, an hour?
Apologies for the ignorance.
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We'd actually love to do that one. Any ballpark on how long we could expect the journey to last? Is it something we could do with no knowledge of the area?
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My fiancee and I are heading to San Diego from Ohio at the end of the month. I know very little about the area and nothing about caches there. Can anyone from the region give us some interesting targets to hit while we're there? What are the legendary and iconic caches in San Diego?
Old Search Disabled?
in Website
Posted
Has the old search page been disabled?
geocaching.com/seek sent us to the old search, which I still prefer, but now the results just come back blank on the new search page.
I tried to find info in the forums or the announcements, but searching for the word "search" doesn't really come up with great options!