Palujia

Gotcha - replied already on GAGB site = us Palujias are in for a couple

Sounds like a good idea !!

Sorry, perhaps I wasn't making myself too clear. If the cache is in a remote spot, and the logs (how ever few) are good then, it surely will survive. My point was - reading the logs (as previous replies state- 35mm in muddy field next to rubbish tip etc) would put me off So if we avoid the obvious "not so good" ones then problem solved (hopefully) - Did you read the new thread about how many caches there are now in the UK Plenty of good ones out there to find !!!

Mine seem to be working allright ?? Maybe I got a good batch ? both clips,do up tight and no complaints so far!

We thought long and hard about putting out our first series. It had to be more or less "cache and dash" as "she who must be obeyed" can't walk far (for maintenance) but with enough traditional boxes to encourage TBs etc. Had some initial teething troubles - one moved on advice from reviewer and all co-ordinates checked and re-checked as advised by a couple of early DNFs. Tried to make the Titles and clues either humerous and/or informative and have had no further trouble and finds logged regularly. We are perhaps lucky, living in rural Oxfordshire and can find nice, interesting locations for caches. Visiting the Outlaws near London we researched some local caches and decided not to bother that weekend as they were nearly all nanos in supermarket car parks or on road signs etc. So it must be difficult for some "townie" cachers to put out interesting caches. We always check logs before going out to try and find and, obviously, if there are a lot of negatives, or too many DNFs - we don't do that one. If everyone did this the really obviously "not very good ones" would wither through lack of interest - and if no logs for 6 months or so would probably die out

Further to my last - going in to the hobbycraft site (on your reply) go to storage containers and they are on page 4 or 5

No, the tiny ones are about 75 pence each - but they have "lock and lock" type clips with a grooved top going into a tounged box. Mine seem to be ok having been out in the worst of the weather for the last 3 months. They have (had?) them on offer at the local hobby craft and a pack of 8 was only a couple of squids. Have tried both the clear (painted with humbrol enamel) and black - The black ones seem to blend in to the background as well as the camo'd ones so will continue with them. I have bought some of the larger ones (as shown) and they also work a treat - saving them for my next series !! (As a further thought) I also scour the local £1 and 99pence shops as they also have a decent selection of all sizes of lock type containers) Hope this helps

I picked up an american TB a few weeks back and thought, I'll move it along (as you do) - Got home and logged on to find that its mission is to visit "football grounds" - Living in the Oxfordshire area we don't have many (its last home was a premier Div Club) Nothing near Oxford or Swindon - the nearest is a cache quite near Reading. After putting a bug, who'se mission was to go into caches with the word "stone" in, in a cache containing the "Soldier Stone" (although the title was something else)I got blasted by the next finder, for not finding a "correct" cache to put it in. So I'm a bit worried about finding a football ground cache within reasonable travelling distance. I am a great believer in moving on TBs and coins but it is getting more difficult with the amount of nanos and micros none of which are big enough (mitch - the american bug) is attached to a six inch tall stuffed dog and my last one was attached to a very large plastic dog bone !!!(which was picked up by a caching friend who says she knows of a cache big enough to put it in - thank Geo) Anyway I am now thinking of putting out a cache near a local non-league ground as a desparation measure, so as to be able to move the TB along and not disappoint its owners)

As usual there seems to be a lot of people upset by cards. We saw them and thought, what a good idea. We now leave them where ever possible along with a small cyrstal heart we buy in quantity from a local supplier. If this upsets the majority of owners then chuck them when you maintain the caches. I like looking at them and enjoy the variety and keep them in the geocaching albums we started with the hobby. Luckily our caches appear to be waterproof (other than the keysafe - which got changed on advice from more experienced cachers) so they are in reasonable condition to keep. I do agree that some older caches get cluttered and a lot more micros are appearing but we always check what sort of cache we are looking for before going out on our expeditions so know what to expect !!

We recently did the Marham Fen series in Kings Lynn Norfolk. A really nice walk and a really well thought out and cunning hides - even though they were all 35mm film pots. It was pouring with rain and the hides were about 1/2 mile apart in a circular route. We did not mind the rain after finding the first cache as we were looking forward to solving the next one and even though one was the proverbial large ivy covered tree and took a really hard look to find the container "clipped" into the ivy (with a plastic ivy leaf stuck to the container)The co-ordinates were so good that you really were a foot from the container when the GPS said so. If you keep the interest up and don't put the caches too far apart, and like others have said make sure the track can be done in a reasonable time (or broken up into easy bits) Make sure the hides are really good, and the clues relevant I would say go for it !!

Just browsing through the forum and came across the thread. It reminds me of when I took up Golf - the odd "muligan" here and there and sooner or later it occurs to you that you are really only playing against yourself, and the more truthfull you are with your scoring the better you feel when you actually do beat your handicap !! Not by not counting airstrokes and the odd mis*** - but by playing exactly by the rules ! Same with caching - not logging DNFs, teaming up with other cachers and "pooling" results by someone signing for all. The satisfaction of looking back on the profile and remembering the squelching through the bog, getting scratched by thorns, and stung by nettles, and after the second or third DNF eventually finding that elusive cache ! Priceless. Have now invested in a Garmin 550 so can now equate my photos with caches even better Don't get like certain football managers though - "It's not life and death - its more important than that " Happy caching and don't worry about FTFs - you'll get some sooner or later. If you read back on this forum and on the GAGB forums about FTFs you will see that some cachers go for a long period without FTFs and others set PQs and are on the move as soon as the e mail arrives on the mobile. I have had several myself without trying in anyway and have only been caching since March this year !! cheers

I also found that the keysafes get wet too quickly - so went to (advertising) Hobbycraft and found that they do a really small lock type box in black or clear (if you get the clear one the standard humbrol enamel paints work, camo green/brown)- removed the magnets from the keysafe and stuck them on with super glue and Robert's your mother's brother. Have sourced some rare earth "super" miniature magnets on the interweb thingee and look forward to sticking small plastic boxes in all manner of places Geronimo! palujia

Food for thought indeed. I, in common with most cachers I suppose, approach a cache location looking at the GPS. But when the proximity "dings" I examine the area carefully to see if there are any "telltale" trails leading towards where the arrow is pointing and as the woods are usually wet and boggy most of the year round you can often see where cachers have searched. I will try and be more aware of the local flora(although I have been caching in shorts for some months and am very aware of nettles and thorns so try and tread carefully) - In relation to the cache mentioned - if permission not sought then de-activate and move to a more ameanable location !! going loco down in Minster Lovell !! cheers palujia

Just a message of support !! Don't let it get you down and I hope you get it sorted - this sort of thing spoils the enjoyment of a great hobby - why are there such people in the world Chin up cheers palujia

Thanks - entry now submitted keep paws crossed till November

A scrattering of cachers !! or perhaps a Lurking ?

Looking at the original posting about not signing logs, (difficult if a nano and the strip is full)- photo and Message the owner. When We first started. she who must be obeyed made up a "Caching bag". This contains spare pens/pencils. Spare batteries for the GPS, set of gardening gloves for "feeling down 'oles", set of two way radios so she can sit down with elderly dog if terrain gets over 1 1/2 ! and shout orders Like "I'm getting very bored with this, haven't you found it yet" etc. Paper copies of cache instructions just in case and the pda for notes. This bag hangs on the coat pegs behind the front door with the dog leads etc., and so we are always prepared when the urge comes on ! Optional items are spare cache boxes, spare logs for cache maintenance and calling cards, travel bugs and Swapsies- We always put a little crystal heart and calling card in any caches we find that are big enough for them -Not forgetting the GPS !!!which I leave in the car usually downloaded with the latest PQ just in case I come into some quality time when I'm out in the car ! Once the habit has set in, its easy just grab the bag and go

Wotcha ! You must be the other support then - I heard there were two but didn't believe it !! Seriously though - good luck !! and welcome

We try to look for caches near Pubs - I wonder why !!!

Also on the GAGB site under "downloads" on the home page

Have had to re-check and re-set a couple of my caches due to what appears to be GPS error, when setting out the cache. No matter how carefully I checked the co-ordinates when originally setting - on re-checking after a couple of comments have had to "move" the co-ordinates by a few seconds. So although the caches haven't moved the co-ordinates have !! Reviewer has been kind to me, as this is my first series and I really wanted to get it right !!- Cache set with Garmin Extrex " Leg-end " or "Foot"as its known chez Palujia, not Iphone.

We stayed just outside Betws y coed in June - Place called Rydlydan (near the Y giler Arms - good pub !!) There are some really nice caches in and around the town - Betws y Board walk and the Troll Bridge are a couple of good ones . I know that you did not want series but the A5 Drive by series is well worth a try (the ugly house etc) We were going to try for the one on top of Snowdon but at £25 each for the train and no dogs (there were four of us with 4 dogs!!) we decided not to - now too old to walk up. Looking at the piccys it would appear the earth cache is on top of the trig point and there is another amongst the rocks - but Hey - for that price !! GC15G1V and GC121JY the ones in Betws y Coed

And here's one I changed earlier !!!

Just to add a little humour to what started out as a humourous thread, got serious then ridiculous and sort of lost its way ! I impersonated a police officer for 30 years or so my superintendant told me !! (and got away with it !!) Now happily drawing my pension

This thread has certainly sparked a lot of debate - going from Curse of the FTF to diatribes about newbies putting out trash caches ! As a relative newbie myself having only 38 finds to my name - although I'm not a number hound - having limited time to search, I am a bit miffed about the strongly held views by some of the more "senior" cachers. My fun was planning my first series - she who must be obeyed does not walk far so they had to be more of a "Drive by" rather than a walk for miles. She likes to oversee the locations. I put out the series one by one. In several of them the reviewer or the finders made suggestions which I took on board and corrected (e.g. the commercial magnetic keysafes leak and spoil logs. Container changed !) and also inadvertantly "advertised" a local Farm shop !!. But no one has said or even implied that they are in any way "inferior". We are not all tarred with the brush of "newbies shouldn't hide caches till they are more experienced" Also as an input to the Curse - an awful lot of us are not FTF chasers so, as one "poster" has said, the curse only applies to the FTF. Those of us trailing along at the rear can enjoy another series at our leisure !!