Zuckerruebensirup

Eensy Weensy Spider is still alive and well, although he's slowed considerably since meeting his first goal. But that's fine, as long as he's staying in circulation. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

quote:Originally posted by ron50eli: [...] then we all joined in to find his birthday cache. I always thought the word 'cache' was pronounced like 'cash'...but now that I read the above, it looks like the word 'ache' with a c in front of it. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

quote:Originally posted by ron50eli: [...] then we all joined in to find his birthday cache. I always thought the word 'cache' was pronounced like 'cash'...but now that I read the above, it looks like the word 'ache' with a c in front of it. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

I found a bug in a cache that it hadn't been logged into yet, so what I did was, instead of entering my log, I emailed the person who's possession it was currently in, asking if they had visited the cache, and if they would soon be logging the bug as placed there, so I could log my retrieval without messing up its mileage. The person replied very quickly, and had the bug's log updated so that I could record my retrevial. It all went very smoothly and painlessly. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

I found a bug in a cache that it hadn't been logged into yet, so what I did was, instead of entering my log, I emailed the person who's possession it was currently in, asking if they had visited the cache, and if they would soon be logging the bug as placed there, so I could log my retrieval without messing up its mileage. The person replied very quickly, and had the bug's log updated so that I could record my retrevial. It all went very smoothly and painlessly. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

Wow, it looks like it turned out to be a major coincidence between the lack of signed logbooks and a couple of unsucessful cache hunts. I'm glad to see that this guy wasn't playing us for fools. (Obviously I did a fine job of playing the fool without his help.) I want to extend a formal apology to RiceBrothers for doubting that his caches were real, and to everyone else for erroneously fueling your suspicions about a fellow geocacher. Also, something I got to thinking about after I unsuccesfully looked for his log in a couple of caches I found. His online cache finds say that he was on vacation and was just logging the finds. Maybe the actual found dates were pretty old, and I didn't look far enough back in the log books...and maybe those finds on the seemingly-missing caches were BEFORE the unsuccessful seekers hunted for them. (Or like myself in the case of the Aloha cache, maybe they just couldn't find the cache, even though it was there the whole time.) Even though I am having to feast on Crow Sandwiches, I am glad to see that RiceBrothers didn't place fake caches. My faith in fellow geocachers has been measurably restored. Hopefully this will be a lesson to us all, that coindences ARE possible, and that we shouldn't jump to conclusions too early.

Wow, it looks like it turned out to be a major coincidence between the lack of signed logbooks and a couple of unsucessful cache hunts. I'm glad to see that this guy wasn't playing us for fools. (Obviously I did a fine job of playing the fool without his help.) I want to extend a formal apology to RiceBrothers for doubting that his caches were real, and to everyone else for erroneously fueling your suspicions about a fellow geocacher. Also, something I got to thinking about after I unsuccesfully looked for his log in a couple of caches I found. His online cache finds say that he was on vacation and was just logging the finds. Maybe the actual found dates were pretty old, and I didn't look far enough back in the log books...and maybe those finds on the seemingly-missing caches were BEFORE the unsuccessful seekers hunted for them. (Or like myself in the case of the Aloha cache, maybe they just couldn't find the cache, even though it was there the whole time.) Even though I am having to feast on Crow Sandwiches, I am glad to see that RiceBrothers didn't place fake caches. My faith in fellow geocachers has been measurably restored. Hopefully this will be a lesson to us all, that coindences ARE possible, and that we shouldn't jump to conclusions too early.

quote:Originally posted by Pluckers: Would it be useful to craft some template letters in a thread here for inevitable circumstances that explain the sport in a positive light? They would explain the positive culture of the sport (e.g. trash out), the self-policing policies of the sport and why it is a good thing to have it continued. Here's a template letter that we've posted on the MiGO website. It is adapted from a letter originally drafted by Scott Thomason (Brokenwing), and posted here in the forums. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

My opinion is that, if people don't want to go to the effort to read the description page in advance, they take the risk of being disappointed on the trail...and give up their right to be angry at the cache hider when they discover that they are missing something important when they get to the cache area. My fear is that, without reading important information on the page (like warnings of hazards, or clues to prevent people from trespassing or tearing up the cache area, etc.), there will be higher consequences than merely disappointment about not finding the cache. I've also found a lot of cache pages which give tips about interesting things to make note of, or to visit, while on the cache hunt. In my opinion, people are shortchanging themselves when they skip the cache page, and work strictly off the coordinates. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

I like the idea of having user ratings of caches. (I think Seneca's Gold Seal idea is a great compromise for those that want an easy flag for popular caches, and those who don't want to subject any caches to receiving a 'poor' rating.) But, contrary to what a lot of people have suggested, I think it would be better to have the ratings NOT made anonymous. I'd like to see an averaged rating at the top of the cache page, but to see who rated it how. As has been pointed out, this kind of rating would be very subject, based on your personal preferences. I'd like to be able to see who voted how, so I can learn that if Bob123 rated it high, I'll probably enjoy the cache, but that if TomCat rated it high, it'll probably be a cache-n-dash that I'll find too boring. Besides, being 'accountable' for our votes should reduce the likelihood of someone deliberately rating so-n-so's caches as poor, as a means of getting revenge; or of someone rating a friend's caches as super (even if they are plain jane), just to boost the ratings. If our log shows our rating, we'll know that our reputation will be standing behind our vote. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

A couple of weeks ago, an Ohio cacher posted a bunch of finds on a long list of caches in Michigan, most of them with the exact same message: "I went on Vacation! got almost 30 some caches. Nice Cache took about 30 min. Just logging all at the Same Time." The irritating thing is that several of the caches logged with this note were multi (or just plain challenging) caches, which had taken others several hours to find...or worse yet, on caches which appeared to be missing, since several recent No Find logs had been posted. I'm convinced that this cacher didn't actually find ANY of these caches, since not a single log mentioned anything about his actual experience seeking the cache; and more to the point, a good number of the caches were checked and verified that no log was left in the actual logbook. I've heard the statement that it's best to simply ignore cheaters like these, since geocaching isn't a competition, and they are only hurting themselves. But when a person's false log could give potential finders an incorrect assumption that a non-existant cache is actually there, or that a very challenging cache is a simple walk in the park, it goes beyond hurting just themselves. And in this particular case, the scenario gets worse. Not only did this cacher post a few dozen (allegedly) fake finds, he also posted three new cache hides...all three of which have been searched for, but not found. I personally wasted over an hour and a half, driving out of my way and looking for a cache that most likely never existed in the first place. While I don't condone cheating of any kind, I understand that there are people out there who like to boost their find counts. And maybe those cheaters don't consider that their logs could cause others to search for caches that they otherwise wouldn't have wasted their time on. But why someone would pretend to place caches that they know will be a complete waste of time to anyone who searches for them (and that their hoaxes will become very apparent when NONE of the hidden caches are found) is beyond my comprehension. The weirdest part of this whole story is that this isn't a new cacher who created a user name just to play this trick on us all. This person has placed several previous legitimate caches, that are still in place and being found. Another interesting twist to this story is that, before leaving for vacation myself (to the same area as several of his finds), I e-mailed the cacher in question, to ask for tips on the caches that he found that I had previously suspected were missing, and for descriptions of the cache containers he had hidden his new caches in. (I didn't want to outright accuse the person of logging fake finds, so I thought this would be a good way to see if he could give me any details of actual finds.) In response to my inquiry, I got an e-mail from the guy's mother, who said he had just left for Marines bootcamp the day before, and that he would be unavailable for several months. (How convenient, huh?) I'm curious how others feel about this situation. Personally, I think this kind of blatant cheating (and deliberate sending of people on wild goose chases) should not be tolerated, and that the user's registration should be revoked. (Sure, I know he could easily sign up for a new account with a different name. But at least the message would be sent that this kind of behavior isn't condoned.) What, if anything, do you think should be done in response to this cacher's actions?

A couple of weeks ago, an Ohio cacher posted a bunch of finds on a long list of caches in Michigan, most of them with the exact same message: "I went on Vacation! got almost 30 some caches. Nice Cache took about 30 min. Just logging all at the Same Time." The irritating thing is that several of the caches logged with this note were multi (or just plain challenging) caches, which had taken others several hours to find...or worse yet, on caches which appeared to be missing, since several recent No Find logs had been posted. I'm convinced that this cacher didn't actually find ANY of these caches, since not a single log mentioned anything about his actual experience seeking the cache; and more to the point, a good number of the caches were checked and verified that no log was left in the actual logbook. I've heard the statement that it's best to simply ignore cheaters like these, since geocaching isn't a competition, and they are only hurting themselves. But when a person's false log could give potential finders an incorrect assumption that a non-existant cache is actually there, or that a very challenging cache is a simple walk in the park, it goes beyond hurting just themselves. And in this particular case, the scenario gets worse. Not only did this cacher post a few dozen (allegedly) fake finds, he also posted three new cache hides...all three of which have been searched for, but not found. I personally wasted over an hour and a half, driving out of my way and looking for a cache that most likely never existed in the first place. While I don't condone cheating of any kind, I understand that there are people out there who like to boost their find counts. And maybe those cheaters don't consider that their logs could cause others to search for caches that they otherwise wouldn't have wasted their time on. But why someone would pretend to place caches that they know will be a complete waste of time to anyone who searches for them (and that their hoaxes will become very apparent when NONE of the hidden caches are found) is beyond my comprehension. The weirdest part of this whole story is that this isn't a new cacher who created a user name just to play this trick on us all. This person has placed several previous legitimate caches, that are still in place and being found. Another interesting twist to this story is that, before leaving for vacation myself (to the same area as several of his finds), I e-mailed the cacher in question, to ask for tips on the caches that he found that I had previously suspected were missing, and for descriptions of the cache containers he had hidden his new caches in. (I didn't want to outright accuse the person of logging fake finds, so I thought this would be a good way to see if he could give me any details of actual finds.) In response to my inquiry, I got an e-mail from the guy's mother, who said he had just left for Marines bootcamp the day before, and that he would be unavailable for several months. (How convenient, huh?) I'm curious how others feel about this situation. Personally, I think this kind of blatant cheating (and deliberate sending of people on wild goose chases) should not be tolerated, and that the user's registration should be revoked. (Sure, I know he could easily sign up for a new account with a different name. But at least the message would be sent that this kind of behavior isn't condoned.) What, if anything, do you think should be done in response to this cacher's actions?

quote:Originally posted by John, Mark & Kyle: And let's face it, most caches lose their charm after they've been around a while. I disagree. Most cachers only visit each cache once (unless making an extra trip to pick up or drop off a travel bug, etc.) New cachers are getting involved in the sport all the time. Some of my favorite cache finds were ones that had been around for a long time...they were still new to me. In my opinion, the important thing is regular maintenence of caches. As seasons change, the conditions of the hiking route and/or hiding place can change drastically. One of the great benefits of logging our finds online is that it allows feedback to the cache owner, and a way to flag conditions that he might not have been aware of. If cache owners keep tabs of their caches, and cache finders give constructive feedback, there should be no need to have rigid rules on when a cache needs to be moved or removed. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

quote:Originally posted by John, Mark & Kyle: And let's face it, most caches lose their charm after they've been around a while. I disagree. Most cachers only visit each cache once (unless making an extra trip to pick up or drop off a travel bug, etc.) New cachers are getting involved in the sport all the time. Some of my favorite cache finds were ones that had been around for a long time...they were still new to me. In my opinion, the important thing is regular maintenence of caches. As seasons change, the conditions of the hiking route and/or hiding place can change drastically. One of the great benefits of logging our finds online is that it allows feedback to the cache owner, and a way to flag conditions that he might not have been aware of. If cache owners keep tabs of their caches, and cache finders give constructive feedback, there should be no need to have rigid rules on when a cache needs to be moved or removed. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

$60,000 and accurate to within less than a centimeter. {drooling} As much fun as it is using my GPSr to find happy meal toys, it's definitely great to see equipment like this used for something so noble. I can see his log now. "Took the nine miners, and left a golf ball." ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

$60,000 and accurate to within less than a centimeter. {drooling} As much fun as it is using my GPSr to find happy meal toys, it's definitely great to see equipment like this used for something so noble. I can see his log now. "Took the nine miners, and left a golf ball." ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

quote:Originally posted by GypsyMoth: [how do you get those automatic quotes?] Rather than clicking on the 'Post Reply' button at the bottom of the screen, click on the double quotes in the header line of the specific post that you want to quote and reply to. (It's the last symbol on the right, and if you hold your cursor over it, it'll say 'Reply with Quotes'.) quote:"What about the oldest? My mom went out, and she's 68, but I've heard stories of 80- and 90-something cachers out there. Stories anyone?". The oldest cacher that I've crossed paths with (not at the same time, though), is The Malumute Kid from the Grand Rapids, MI area. He's 70-something. I think it's great to see people of all ages and physical conditions participating in this sport. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

quote:Originally posted by GypsyMoth: [how do you get those automatic quotes?] Rather than clicking on the 'Post Reply' button at the bottom of the screen, click on the double quotes in the header line of the specific post that you want to quote and reply to. (It's the last symbol on the right, and if you hold your cursor over it, it'll say 'Reply with Quotes'.) quote:"What about the oldest? My mom went out, and she's 68, but I've heard stories of 80- and 90-something cachers out there. Stories anyone?". The oldest cacher that I've crossed paths with (not at the same time, though), is The Malumute Kid from the Grand Rapids, MI area. He's 70-something. I think it's great to see people of all ages and physical conditions participating in this sport. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

Thanks, but I doubt I'll just 'happen' to be in the Florida area when you're having an event. Perhaps the people in this forum might be more likely to be interested. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

Thanks, but I doubt I'll just 'happen' to be in the Florida area when you're having an event. Perhaps the people in this forum might be more likely to be interested. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

quote:Originally posted by Mr. Snazz: My roommate and I have been skipping the easiest caches around our area and going out for the harder ones, so that in the winter when everything ices over and gets snowed on, we can do the "easy" ones. The only downside to that tactic is that, the easier the cache is, the more likely it is to get accidentally found. And, the more often it gets found, the higher its chances are of getting plundered or stolen. I hope those caches you're 'saving for later' will still be active and available once you're ready to get back to them. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

quote:Originally posted by Mr. Snazz: My roommate and I have been skipping the easiest caches around our area and going out for the harder ones, so that in the winter when everything ices over and gets snowed on, we can do the "easy" ones. The only downside to that tactic is that, the easier the cache is, the more likely it is to get accidentally found. And, the more often it gets found, the higher its chances are of getting plundered or stolen. I hope those caches you're 'saving for later' will still be active and available once you're ready to get back to them. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

quote:Originally posted by BrianSnat: "In general, the Where's George definition of natural and geographic circulation is spending your cash in the course of any normal transaction with any unknown person/entity". quote:Originally posted by sbell111: I don't know about everybody else, but trading items is a normal transaction for me. In my opinion, it would count as a normal transaction as long as you didn't trade it for another bill. If you're trading it for a trinket, that's a transaction similar to what happens in the outside world. But to trade one dollar for another shouldn't count. By the way, I logged a bill once that I got as change from buying Girlscout cookies. Since I knew the person who was collecting the money, was that a violation of the rules? P.S. I think, rather than GeoGeorges, it should simply be shorted to GEOrges. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

At least they left your logbook. When I had a cache stolen (the only one I had in an ammo can, as it turns out), I was more upset about losing the logbook and cache camera than the box itself. Just the idea that people are willing to steal is bad enough, but to know that they likely tossed stuff into the trash, while ruining everyone's fun is even sadder. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

At least they left your logbook. When I had a cache stolen (the only one I had in an ammo can, as it turns out), I was more upset about losing the logbook and cache camera than the box itself. Just the idea that people are willing to steal is bad enough, but to know that they likely tossed stuff into the trash, while ruining everyone's fun is even sadder. ------- "I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"