Ed_S

" Tip: only point it south..tee hee " I think I'd rather point it downwind!

I feel no need to log DNFs. If I think a cache is missing, I'll email the owner. What's the difference if the owner gets an email reporting a logged DNF or an email reporting the cache not being found? If there is a difference, it's that a personal email can contain more information regarding where the seeker was looking, landmarks, photos, and other details that would be considered spoilers if posted publicly. So the owner can make a better decision on whether it's really missing or not. If someone wants to post a DNF, I'd never tell them not to. There are some entertaining stories to be found in some DNF logs. But do I, as a cache owner, get some benefit from being notified of a DNF that I wouldn't get from a personal email? Nope. Do I, as a cache seeker, gain some benefit from posting a DNF that I wouldn't get from sending a personal email? Nope.

I still don't own a gps. Being lazy, as I am, I have purchased a GPS, rather than have to figure how to refold all those maps! But that first FTF of mine, I'm in NE Ohio. My friend who got me hooked came to visit me from his home in Oregon. He saw a new cache hidden in my area that hadn't been found, before he left home, so he brought his GPS. After he'd travelled about 2500 miles, (and a few days passed) he (and I) were the FTF. That's unheard of now!

My first FTF (which was my second find - I didn't even OWN a GPS at the time!) was GC20D1 and it was last found 4 days ago. Nice to know it's still there! There are 121 logs posted now! I remember when, at least around here, the first page of cache listings took you out to a radius of more than 30 miles. Now that first page goes all the way out to 3.1 miles. But you know what? It's still fun!

I'll usually email the owner if I find the container compromised, and I'll just replace a ziplock baggie if I happen to have one with me. As to removing stuff from the cache, it it's broken or unusable, yeah, I'll remove it and pitch it, if it's no good to anybody.

That was one of your "firsts?" I seem to recall meeting someone who looked like you at a caching get-together right about when that one came out, and the owner of that cache was there, too. There were a lot of people there that I met for the first time that day, but have met again since. Definitely a good time!

Because cacti are unforgiving???

I'll second the recommendation for RAM Mounts - I use one for my Garmin Quest, and I cache from my Yamaha Royal Star when weather permits. I get to go for a putt, often in some scenic areas, then I get to cache, then I get to ride some more . . . It just can't get any better than that! Even urban micros are better when you're on the bike! You don't even have to get off it for lamppost micros!

Everyone watching, nobody saying anything. Hmmm. Well, I'll get things going! Can we take that quote of Keystone's as the reason the whole Groundspeak Forums were on the fritz the other day?

I was really trying to stay out of this, but I have to respond: (BigWhiteTruck @ Jan 27 2006, 02:20 PM) Because he doesn't have to? What percentage of all cachers everywhere are paying members? 10%? Or is it even that high? Of all the cachers I know, very few are premium members. This was what got to me. Groundspeak could certainly make every cache available to those who paid, and they could also make the fees whatever they wanted to - if they chose to make memberships $10/week, or if they chose to make it "Pay by the download," what recourse would anyone have? Pay it or don't. Just like now. If Geocaching were closed to non-premium members, most participants would stop playing. Whether they took their caches with them or just left them abandoned, they'd stop. They'd also stop buying T-Shirts and trinkets, which ALSO goes a long way torward supporting Groundspeak. You don't suppose only premium members are buying that stuff, do you? Geocaching would fall apart, at least the 'official' Geocaching site and all its associated areas. And sooner or later - most likely sooner - someone would start up a FREE site, with just the basics, like Geocaching used to be. Do you NEED pocket queries, GSAK, and all that carp to go geocaching? No. Do you NEED a discussion forum so people who haven't been outside their mom's basement in 5 years can blather on about why "this" is better than "that" and how stupid one is if they don't know it? (I'm not accusing anybody personally here, but I am observing a stereotype) No. Can you go caching without your Geocaching-dot-com goodie bag, key chain, window stickers, and all the other souvenirs? Sure. My point is, it's an empty threat to say that they COULD make all caches pay-only. They'll never do it. Too little to gain, and too much to lose.

Hey, Archeology Man!! I think I've found a cache or two of yours! I recognize that cache Bailey and Boston found - Molly and I were FTF on it! http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...42-b21e37789680

Well, I have never (where's my boots?) been BS'ed by any cops or (gonna need my coat, too!) EMS guys! And especially not by any (getting real deep in here!) of my brother firefighters!

FOAF = Friend Of A Friend. As in, "My friend told me that someone told him that there was an ammo can cache somewhere that had a trip wire coming out of it, and the cops came and blew it up. So you're not going to be allowed to use ammo cans for caches any more." I'll be polite and call it an urban legend.

Here's one I found a long time ago, and it's still active: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...03-afe14c37c0b8

When you reply you'll see a bunch of buttons at the top of where you compose your reply. One of them is "IMG". Press it and a window will open. In that window is where you put your picture's URL. The picture has to have a URL - that is, it has to already be somewhere on the internet. This one is from my dog's profile page in her caching account.

Our pup, Molly, has her own account! http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?guid=99...eb-4138c853a742

The snow was too deep! It was raining so hard my batteries shorted out! My GPS couldn't find the satellites! I fell down the mountain! I got swept downstream! I broke my _______________ (insert name of broken appendage or appliance here.) There was a __________________ (insert name of natural or man-made disaster here.)

Don't you think the manner in which those links are given to the newbie means a great deal to the way the newbie reacts? I've seen people post things like: "Sheesh! Do we HAVE to dig this carp up again?" and include some links. I've had it done to me, in fact. To the newbie, who may not know how to find older material, that would be perceived in a negative manner. So he feels put down. To be fair, I've seen more people posting something friendly and giving links to previous discussions than I have the other way. But we're evidently breeding them with thinner skins these days . . . .

I remember when that happened - I was fairly new here, too. I'd been caching for years and just never bothered to check this forum out. I also think some of the "know-it-all-ism" went away after that week they took off. I think there's been more people with a helpful attitude, and less intolerance for the way others do things. But I want to say that evidently my skin is a little thicker than many peoples' because pomposity amuses, rather than annoys me. While I do find this a friendlier and more relaxed place now, I didn't think it was so bad before. The written word can be hard to understand because there's no way to show tone, inflection, and so on. Now what I want to see is everyone here take a week off and go hide more caches!

Hey, that's something new - imagine finding an ammo can in the woods, and it's full of micros! Hmmm - an ammo can full of 35mm film cans, and only ONE is the one you need (has the log in it, etc.)

Thanks, Keystone! I may just call upon you - I've never even attended, much less put on a geocaching show. But I like showing it to people - I'd guess that's all that's really needed!

I just emailed the OP - they're talking about Mill Creek Metropark, where I own 2 caches (among the dozen, give or take, in the park). (I gotta check this folder more often!) Ed_S

Good point! Many people forget that. And that's the trouble - with no definition of what constitutes what, everyone's perception is different. Maybe that's something that might be brought up in the way of improving the site - a list of what each icon is intended to mean. That would straighten out questions about night caching, winter, and so on, and also would put to rest the question of whether a terrain rating of "1" means handicap-accessible or not.

I have to go some distance just to get to some I haven't found - I drove about 45 miles yesterday to meet up with caching friends, and picked up 20 finds once I got there. I actually prefer the ones you have to hike to, but I'll do just about any of them. I'm more likely to do the 'drive-up micros' in the winter, when it's freezing cold, but if there are any caches in the woods where tree cover was interfering with my finding the cache in summer, I'll go back after the trees are bare and look again.

But are you familiar with the term circumlocution?