Frankie & Johnny

One step worse re: the garbage ? Hiders who actually use the garbage as camo? I mentioned the negativity of this in a find log and the CO deleted my find. Thankfully, this CO was a fly by nighter who quickly left the hobby.

Have been critical in the past of things like the challenges being included in the cache find numbers. To be fair, must also take the time to give credit when credit is due. These recent updates to go along with the updated beta maps and the new stats pages are great upgrades ! Very nicely done ! Thankyou !

Geocaching Live API Beta The beta launch of the Geocaching Live API continues! This time we're pleased to announce four new partners: Geocaching Swiss Army Knife (Coming Soon) This application will scheduled to launch with Live support tomorrow. GSAK is the all-in-one Geocaching and waypoint management tool. Features include: Groundspeak API support, multiple databases, sending/receiving waypoints to GPSr, Google maps, conversion to many mapping formats, PDA output (including CacheMate support), HTML output, extensive searching, macro support, and much more. GSAK runs on Windows operating systems (2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7). GeoGet A complete geocaching solution for Windows. Import Pocket Queries, solve mystery caches, add notes, plan trips, and export information to the GPS or browse your database in your PDA. CacheBox Cachebox is a paperless mobile geocaching software for Android with offline database support and Geocaching.com Live API capability. Manage and find mystery caches with intelligent handling of Final Waypoints and the Mystery-Solver module. Features include multi-database support, image and spoiler view, Field Notes upload, track recording and viewing. Cachebox is a free open-source application. Sachsencacher.de Sachsencacher.de is a website providing statistical evaluation of geocache quality in Saxony (Germany) by examining log content.

A great idea ! We have attended many "pub style" events and enjoy them very much - a great way to meet and chat with fellow cachers. We have also attended many of the GHMGC outings. Based on the fact that the cachers are meeting at a chosen location and going out caching together - the GHMGC outings certainly deserve an, "event" designation. Given the caching activity involved, probably more so than the pub style events.

A FARCE !

It all depends how you define the "Challenge". If the Challenge is "visit this place" and I've been there 20 times, or once 20 years ago .... well, I have been there so I've met the challenge, so yes I will log it. If you want to keep your "Challenge" as a future activity, you need to set it up in a way that is a future activity. Go to Disney World is a challenge sure ... and about half the people I know have been there. If, on the other hand your challenge is Go to Disney World and Phoon in front of Space Mountain, or hold up a sign with the date on it and you've just defined the Challenge as something the person has likely not done yet. You can complete a challenge before it's issued. You can't log a cache before it's published because it wasn't there before you placed it. If you challenge someone to go somewhere and / or perform an action, it is quite possible they have done that already.

Sometimes the BEST move you make is the move you don't make ! Combining challenges with geocache finds was a dumb move. If people want to do challenges, good for them - I hope they have lots of fun. We want no part of them and we just want to find geocaches. Just keep them TOTALLY separate (never adding the 2 totals to-gether because they are so different) and all is well !!!

The whole challenge thing is making a total complete farce of our wonderful game. Groundspeak should be ashamed of themselves for even attempting something so lame. Most cachers biggest bug-a-boo is that they go into the cache find totals. Remove that aspect and then who cares about the lame challenges of kissing frogs and eating ice cream cones upside down. Let people who want to do that go right ahead and have fun with it but.....get them out of our cache totals !

Being close "neighbours" I guess I have just become too accustomed to approx. 95% of contests/promos saying - available to U.S. AND Canadian residents only.

Typical self absorbed U.S. B.S.?

Not funny at all. Caches placed on private property without permission are just one of the things that are eventually going to screw up this sport/hobby for all of us. Add this to the destruction of ornamental shrubs/bushes while cachers are searching and numerous other negatives and we have a major problem. Every time we raise the suspicion of the police and/or authorities it is another negative strike against us. We keep going in the wrong direction and there will soon be out and out bans against geocaching. I can hear the questions now, "what happened?"

If the cache was hidden by an experienced cacher, and you are enduring a lack of a good signal, you can usually ask yourself, "where would I have hidden it?" This usually works very well for us. If hidden by a newbie, "good luck!"

If the cache was hidden by an experienced cacher, and you are enduring a lack of a good signal, you can usually ask yourself, "where would I have hidden it?" This usually works very well for us. If hidden by a newbie, "good luck!"

I disagree that a "hint" should be specific telling cachers exactly where the cache is hidden. That could/should then be called a, "here it is, giveaway" not a hint. Most of the many very, very lame hints have already been mentioned but...we enjoy some of the well done hints that make you think a bit and ultimately lead you to the cache.

The 3,000 club = a super accomplishment. Congrats ! We hope to join your "club" sometime this spring/summer if it ever arrives !

Most reasonable people will often ask, "why?" Failing to receive a reasonable explanation only leads to more speculation and/or negativity. Very much akin to "no comment" responses. They have very negative connotations. ALLOW MENU LINKS. They are beneficial to attendees and in a commercial sense, much less harmful than allowing the name of of the venue to be posted.

Re: Travel Bug Thief I wish we could put Inspector Clouseau on to this case. One idiot searching for and finding an even bigger idiot would be oh so entertaining !! Failing that, ignore him and he will go away - his 15 minutes of fame is up!

Frankie & I met Tony and his son Cruise 448788 on the way to a cache very early on in our caching days. His enthusiasm for the sport/hobby was so infectious, it was almost overwhelming. We also conversed via e-mail on several occasions. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, family and close friends at this most difficult time. Secondarily, the caching community has also also lost a very important cog who's contributions will sorely be missed. Frankie & Johnny (Dayle & Ray)

I detect something behind the grassy knoll. A final question related to a British PM asked by a host who is also a Canadian. Hmmmmmmmm.