The Blue Quasar

The idea of a box that is locked by a solar powered relay could work. When darkness falls and unit discharges it could shut off the magnetic lock. You'd probably need to have it use hydro-electricity but the control circuit could be a solar switch. Kinda like using a transistor. BQ

Happened to see this topic as I was scrolling down to the Canada Forums.... the wait time is around 72 hours, which is in the email automatically generated at the time of listing submission (as stated earlier) As for cross-listing while I can't speak for Australia exactly, what was posted above is not the policy for reviewing on GC.com As reviewers (I'm CacheDrone for Ontario) we review based on the guidelines of Groundspeak and not other listing sites. For me, I don't care if the cache is listed on a dozen different listing services... how it appears on geocaching.com is all that matters. BQ

Neither. It is just conjecture. For more than a year it has not been my position to attempt to direct anyone's personal choice how they choose to enjoy any listing on any Groundspeak website. If people are enjoying what they do, that is what everyone should want. Equally I applaud those that can log whatever appeals to them, those are are able to be selective in what they choose for themselves to experience, and especially those that understand that the experiences they enjoy themselves may not be the same as others choose to enjoy. What I would like, and hope that others do as well, is equality for everyone. As we all have Groundspeak memberships and all pay the same amount ($30 USD/year) then it would be my hope that a unified Groundspeak profile would include all content. It seems to me the best way to do that is to forgo the separation of the sites. To attempt to judge the quality of any listing, geocache, waymark, virtual, event, Wherigo, etc, is way too subjective so it is just easier to view them all as unique and equal. While I might rather learn about the history of an historic building that does not mean my friend is wrong to rather find a 35mm film can at a rest stop. Both are fun in their own way, all the power to everyone. I just want all that history in one spot. BQ

You are such a tease. I don't mean to be... the info is public. Groundspeak has been working on new maps that are much better than what is currently available but more important (to me anyway) is the new "Favorites" option where people can give praise to caches they really enjoyed by tagging them as a favorite. In short check out this link for more details As many new features take a lot of time to create and test, it should go without saying that Groundspeak has spent a lot of time on the development of the favorites feature, so much so that as reviewers we've been testing and discussing it for some time. We could not talk about it until there was a public announcement but now that there is I hope that everyone enjoys it as much as is hoped. Especially since people have been wanting some kind of rating system for a long time. Likely Groundspeak has been extra cautious to make sure that there is no method is saying "This cache sucks". Being able to favourite your top 10% of all your finds seems like a great way to say these are exceptional, without passing any judgment on the other 90%. BQ

But most people would be willing to log that they found a geocache in the parking lot of it. I'm not judging people that log lamp-skirt lifters or guardrail HAKs, just trying to show that they are comparable. BQ

Do they have pocket queries so I can get the coordinates onto my GPS in the same efficient manner as Geocaching.com? No? I can only put Waymarks into the GPS one at a time, even though Groundspeak runs both websites? Hmm. Oh, well, no thanks then. If I wanted to torture myself like that, I'd just go back to entering coordinates manually into my Magellan eXplorist 100. I could teach you how to download them in blocks of 25 and have GSAK show them the same way that Geocaches do, including the short description... but yeah, it's not even close to as good as a PQ. I still wish they would just drag all 15 categories over here as 15 new cache types, let people filter them out if they don't want them, add them to PQ options if they do, and have them count towards your stats just like Events, EarthCaches and other non-container items do. BQ

Our local reviewer (gee, that's me) has been known to lock virtuals that are being abused. Often virtuals are archived due to abuse that the listing owner is not addressing after having been contacted. If the requested actions are not done and the abuse continues, the listing gets locked. If a listing does not appear from a standard search of available cache listings, it should not be logged. At least that is my opinion. BQ

In reality it was a bit more than 6 hours downtime (try 9 hours, followed by site issues for another 4 hours), but once the dust settled the site is indeed much better. Now, just wait until Tuesday's update if you really wanna blow your mind. What ever could you mean ? Yeah, those new features are gonna be awesome. We've been playing with one of them for a little over a month now and are already talking about some extra-cool enhancements for a future upgrade. BQ

Actually I don't find the Send to GPS feature all that useful since I have my Oregon. It seems much faster to just click the GPX link which downloads the GPX file and I pick where to save it. Even if I do that with Firefox and it dumps all of the GPX files in one folder, I just copy them en masse to the Oregon's GPX folder. Save me having to wait for the Send to GPS to detect my unit. BQ

The story I heard was that these groups would not consider units without a similar button array to the 60C form-factor. The Colorado/Oregon/Dakota did not allow the same input interface as the 60C did. Now that the 62 is out some of them have upgraded. The rumour that the 60C has a better GPS chip, more stability, etc has been lingering for quite a while. True or not, it does speak volumes if people are reluctant to buy a replacement unit. Speaking from no real position of validity, it seems odd to need more accuracy for search and rescue. The people are not hidden and frankly isn't it the point to get the rescue people to the area? Again, I may be missing some key info, so I'll just say that I'm not sure how the actual GPS function factors in. BQ

Having cached with both of you, as well as my friend RCA777 before, I would have to say that this was the best cache outing I've had with you guys! I would gladly cache with any of you three again. Being only the second BFL BC that I've been to, the other being the very first, I gotta say that everything was excellent and fun. Sure there was a few stressful moments and one moment where I lacked decorum (I've apologized), but wow were these creative and fun. Sure it took us till 6am to get to the final... but why rush? Savour it! BQ

I should not have posted that as CacheDrone. It was off topic, and I apologize. Anyway, my next event is a hike along the Niagara Parkway and very much inspired by res2100's popular hikes along the Bruce Trail. Anyone that is willing to brave a 23km walk along this history filled roadway that traces the edge of the Canadian border is welcome to join us. The path is very flat, easy to bike or push a stroller along and the bugs should be gone. Linky to the event page

There's that Multi by Wild Willy that I've been putting off just in case the bridge was an issue. But in fairness, I usually take that road and have been caught more than once by forgetting about the bridge being out. Nice to know it is back. BQ

I still need to do that one! My first find is still active too. GC2B4 - Deer Bait which also happens to be Onario's first cache. I found it with my wife and son back on Saturday, 18 May 2002. I remember it very well. BQ

Since I own a few challenge caches, my take on it is they should be fun and not have aspects that are restrictive. None of mine have any form of date restriction and if anyone was able to log it the day it came out then that was fine by me. Have some new caches come out that make my challenges a bit easier? Sure. Did I encourage that? Not in the slightest. I like challenges that are basic in design. Find a cache every day for a month, one in every county, etc but once there are statements about what doesn't count then I lose interest. I've been enjoying filling in the "cache calendar" since I already had many days filled in. I missed a day in May, but all that I need to do is grab it next year. If the challenge is fun, I'll do it. But I don't think it means anything special... it's just another cache, and if it was fun then I'm glad that I did it. BQ

Federal Parks in Canada WILL allow regular caches. Parks Canada has a policy that does not allow trade items and the cache needs to have educational content within, but they definitely allow physical caches with verified permission.

I've been known to suggest new D/T's when they are blatantly out from reality, even though I am fully aware that D/T's are subjective. Whether it helps at all, I have no idea. BQ

Yes I do think that is wrong. Not sure that I agree with that, in at least that it would directly lead one to the solution a majority of the time I'm fine with that, all of it. It doesn't even concern me if people post solutions to any of my caches, detailed descriptions of where the hide is, or generally anything about my cache or those of other people. Is it wrong? Likely. Even though I appreciate that it sucks when a cache gets spoiled, it seems that you are talking about a few isolated times and not a majority of cases. Maybe I am misunderstanding you. BQ Yes I do think that is wrong.

As yet another pointless post I honestly do understand the attraction to Virtual Caches, mostly due to their rarity. Yet this same argument is rarely used for WebCam Caches. Were it me, and it certainly isn't Show player stats for all four (see lower) sites in a profile banner managed from Groundspeak.com Introduce a fourth section for social activities and move the listings and stats from Events and CITO over to that Transfer Virtuals to a 16th department in Waymarking.com Close down WebCam caches and suggest they move to that category Add PQ's that return data for all four sites, allow people to filter what they want to receive Start treating all listings as equal for 'scoring' It is difficult to evaluate which Virtual is 'worthy' just like it is to do that for any other Geocache, Waymark or Event. We have great variety in all of the games, and even in Virtuals there are great ones and boring ones, same for Geocaches, same for Waymarks, same for Wherigos... same same same. BQ

This time around I've decided to go with the concept of "I'm happy if people post spoilers or pictures" because reading the previous logs is an action of spoiling an aspect of the cache yeah yeah I know what's coming, a slew of excuses . Looking for help is another method of spoiling the cache for yourself. The listing page minus the previous logs and the gallery are all anyone needs to find any cache. Looking beyond that is opening yourself for having it spoiled in one way or another. But I'm not your typical cacher, I think spoilers are fine. I also believe in free choice, meaning that it is up to each person to decide what content they will look at. It's just to risky to hope that looking for help won't yield too much of it. BQ

This is a great suggestion as was Entogeek's reference to the listing guidelines for event caches. Events are about getting together socially as a group, not going hunting for caches. BQ

Geocache density is hard to say. All I care is that the cache is fun. I do appreciate that some people are not avid hikers and that are limited by various personal factors. Not my place to deny them their version of fun. Maybe it's because I started long ago but I don't buy the "low lying fruit" theory. All I know is that a cache location and hide style should reflect the person creating the listing. If you want a number, it would be "The most that provides a unique and interesting experience." BQ

While it may not seem like it, I have not had the time to go out caching in the ways that I had hoped and since the year is nearly half over it is time to update as others have. } I've been doing pretty well at filling in the Caching Calendar Challenge. I missed Jan 3rd and May 17th, but happy with my results so far. Will keep on this goal } Got 10 listings published, and then noticed a slight flaw in my plan and now have to get another 30 listed by the end of the year. That leaves 30 for 2011 and 30 for 2012. } Having worked on solving many local puzzle caches I hope to get much more of my local caches completed. Three goals is enough, but I still want to spend more time caching with friends. BQ

As others have mentioned, since the biking would be for the purpose of finding caches it would be against the guidelines. What you can do is set up a pub event and make the biking an optional activity after the pub. The people who show up just for the pub can wish the bikers off on their adventure. As always, talk to a reviewer to work out the details before trying to publish the event. I would hope that an event that focused on a group bike ride would be handled in the same way that a group hike would be. And I would also hope that participation is the bike ride would be option so that those that wish to simply meet up at the staging area for the approximately 15 minute gathering in advance would be allowed to log it as if it was a Flash Mob. On the other hand, I can't imagine any reviewer publishing a listing that talked about finding geocaches in any way at all. An event is about getting together to be social with peers and talk about geocaching. Some reviewers are more open to what they publish, like a distance hike with a defined route, because people can talk as they hike. I'm not sure how much conversation can really be done while riding a bike. Your reviewer might ask you about that if the only option is to actually participate in the cycling. BQ

I was there today, between Yonge St and Spadina, all along Front St. Lots of fences and police patrols, but not once did any of them care that I was taking pictures and using my GPS unit openly. Of course, that's a bit different than searching for any hidden containers. BQ