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caccbag

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Everything posted by caccbag

  1. Not impossible, but extremely unlikely that anyone would have found all our caches. I have two in Scotland and one in Bahrain (local cachers help maintain in between my business trips) - one in Pennsylvania and all the others in California (with some very challenging puzzle ones). Top three finders have found 310, 303 and 293 (out of our 419 hides).
  2. WOW!!! That is perfect! I have never heard of this site, but the data is wonderful. I learned that cachers have found our caches 366 days out of possible 366 days. I learned what cache of mine had the most finds (I knew it was in the top 3 but wasn't sure it was #1), the cache with the most favorite points (would never have guessed), etc. I am bookmarking this site. Thanks The A-Team!!!!
  3. I own over 400 caches and would like to collect some stats. For instance, I would like to see who has found the most of my caches (I know two people that have found 290+) I don't see any pocket query option that allows it. I had GSAK on my old laptop, but now use a MacBook so there goes that option. Any suggestions?
  4. caccbag

    Is Wherigo dead?

    Not quite. The iPhone is set up with an internal Safari browser with a hook that monitors for all GWC files coming from the Wherigo.com domain (which means you can't host a GWC on your own site and expect the phone to download it--I've tried numerous times). And this isn't how the other devices are set up. My idea of "native support" is through a Wherigo API. Let me put this in perspective. Let's say geocaching was set up like Wherigo is now. You have an iPhone app. It lists all the individual caches you've downloaded (just like cartridges). There isn't anything to tell you if there are any caches nearby. In addition, to download a cache you do know about, you have to browse to the right cache page on your phone and click the button to download a GPX file. The browser intercepts it and adds it to your list of caches and takes you back to that list. If you wanted to download the next closest, you had better have copied the URL. If not, you'll have to browse through the geocaching site from the homepage again. And you can't even post a field not or a log from the app, either. From my perspective on geocaching, it's such a huge pain I don't want to bother with that. I want to run a PQ and stick everything in the app at once so I don't have to bother with it. And though I don't hang out on the geocaching side of the forum, I have to admit I may have found one too many caches in my time. (I even passed a milestone: 10K finds in this calendar year alone! Hooray, me!) Ahem. Uh... As for the future, I want the Wherigo Player to be able to use an API (talk to the site directly through code). This way, the Player can send your current location and the site can provide the Player with a list of nearby cartridges, including if you have or have not played the cartridge, or if the cartridge on the Wherigo site has been updated since you last downloaded it. As for a pocket query for Wherigo, I could agree that it might be a good thing to download all cartridges within a fifty mile / eighty kilometer radius. However, I question the amount of data you're looking at downloading. On the light side, you might only be downloading a megabyte or two. Later, when there are more cartridges and they include more media and even audio, the average pocket query might hover around 30MB. So I'm a little concerned about a PQ service being offered. Anyway, that's all the time I have to write tonight. Got it - thanks. Sounds like a great improvement and one I certainly would welcome.
  5. caccbag

    Is Wherigo dead?

    I certainly hope Groundspeak revisits developing this platform, perhaps they will now that they finally saw that "Challenges" was not a good idea. Unfortunately Wherigo has been predominantly community-supported for almost five years now. I've Been frustrated using what tools they supplied in 2008. A lot has happened in the last 5 years. In 2008 I did not have a smartphone, going into 2013 I'll have at my disposal a smartphone and a tablet. Millions of gps enabled smartphones and tablets are now out there. But to use them to Wherigo we will need some support from Groundspeak. 1. Natively supported players for Ipad/Iphone and Android devices. Is Anyone using Pocked PC's now??? 2. I would use a pocket query loaded into my GPSr to get me to parking for a Wherigo. We need something like a "Pocket Query" but named differently that does what a PQ does (gets Whereigos within a radius or along a route) but has the cartridges bundled within. So all one needs to do is download it to the computer and then drag it to the Tablet/Smartphone. Do that and I can live with the windows authoring softwhere as is. Isn't that how Wherigos work on an iPhone? I use my iPhone now. I download the cartridge and pull and drop it into my iPhone. Works perfect.
  6. caccbag

    Is Wherigo dead?

    I love Wherigo's - definitely one of my favorite cache ever in 18 countries and 13 US states of caching is a Wherigo. I have made two of my own ("made" to be expanded later) and they have garned more favorite votes than almost any of my non-Wherigo caches (325 non-Wherigos created and hidden). I use my iPhone and it works perfect. Now, for each of the two I made, I needed to reach out for assistance. I used Earwigo which was the most user friendly. But still, I needed help from others. I don't think I am that stupid (don't ask my wife for opinions though) and I just got lost. If the powers that be could make it easier to build, then I think a lot more Wherigos would be created.
  7. I found this one in Genoa, Italy. Genoa is a small airport and this is an easy and fast grab.....not the prettiest, but it gets you the smiley. "Genova GC2E92H" This is a fun one at the Europort (technically for Basel, Switzerland, but it is located in France....servicing CH, France and Germany). Duty Free EAP - GC1R9QK I will echo the comments about Copenhagen Airport. If one has time, you can snag a half dozen super fast (although I did DNF the one in the walk-way). I can attest that the virtual (GC2RKGZ) at Heathrow is alive and well...at least it was when I was there....but the final is hidden in an area with major CITO karma available (beer bottles, old car parts and girlie mags scattered about) and gps was poor at GZ ...unfortunate as there was a traditional probably no more than 1000 feet away from the final that was very nice, but appears to have gone missing although owner has stated he will revive - (Fly Drive Arrive GC2P9CQ.) But saying a cache is at Heathrow is akin to saying a cache is in downtown Chicago.......definitely can be a walk or more likely a drive to get from one point of LHR to another. San Francisco has a few around it....but SFO is not really an airport you can walk from easily. There is a train (BART) that one can take from SFO to the first stop at Millbrae (5 minutes if that). Two caches there: GCRR9F and GCGC58....plus a few others in walking distance. GCBC09 is the closest Bug Hotel, with GCP52D right next to it. GC2DC01 is probably the closest to SFO (we own it), but with a major freeway in between it and the airport, it is similar to the Newark airport cache (which I did manage to get thanks to having a rental car). This one is very close to Oakland Alameda Airport....but a bit of a walk, especially with luggage (depends upon your layover and legs). GC2J0TG. I have found a few in Bahrain...but not this one. It appears to be almost on the airport, but because I did not actually grab this one as it was place after my last visit there, I can't attest to the ease of grabbing it: GC36JFT I have passed by this one in taxi from Aberdeen, UK airport a few times just never had the chance to grab. Some logs do mention grabbing it walking, so appears it can be done (like Genoa, ABZ is very small so easy in-and-out). GCWBBJ My two cents for the FRA travel bug hotel....it can be done (I did) and getting back through customs was actually not too bad for me. On the downside, when I got it....despite the inventory of 20-30 trackables, none were there. Oh well, still counted and I dropped our fist geocoin there. Although, despite having logged 100,000 mile through FRA...I have yet to get the virtual there
  8. I was born in my "area", grew up in the nearby area, went to school in my area and lived in my area for 20+ years since graduating from university.....and geocaching exposes me to places that I have never seen or was even aware of before geocaching in that very same area. Reviewers are probably the same - they may know an area very well, but they certainly can't be expected to know every park, cul de sac, school, building and other location. Here, the reviewers are basically two individuals that oversee huge metrolopitan and rural areas in northern California. I doubt anyone knows the layout of every single school or park in such a huge area. Plus, google maps are not fool-proof. I once had a local review temporaily disable a proposed listing because he/she thought it was on a school grounds (and the map did make it look as such). I pointed out that it was not, but in a nearby open field used by both the school and public seperated by about 40 feel of stairs. The reviewer then allowed it -but I decided to simply move it as I did not want to cause any issues. A very similar thing with another proposed placement - but here there were physical barriers separating the school grounds from the park and it was impossible for someone to get from one to the other without exiting and walking a long route around the parameters. That one was allowed after that explanation and still exists with no issues today. Reviewers are people volunteering their time and doing the best they can to make geocachers happy while trying to be mindful of Groundspeak rules (which I believe contain much inconstistency and vagueness and sometimes outright errors which do not make a reviewer's job any easier).
  9. I have used a bicycle (my Colnago or Kestrel) and a lot of running (I do something I call Cash-in-Dash where I run to a cache, log it then sprint to the next closest, log it, etc.). But not a motorbike. While in Bahrain a few weeks ago I met a local cacher named GlobalMedic. He does ultra-rides on his motorcycle (100 to 1000 miles at a time). I believe he has combined his long rides and just simple rides with geocaching. He is also a really nice guy.
  10. I do not appreciate any cache conneced to a garbage can or dumpster, such as a hide-a-key under the bottom of a garbage receptacle at a park. Those, as someone mentioned, placed where homeless or drug-users frequent are pretty bad. I once found one about 5 feet from their public "toilet". Yuck!!!!!!!!!
  11. If you'll excuse the poor photo, this was mine and ClareLouises cake topper: We got it from justtoppers.co.uk That is very nice! Did you make the wedding an event cache? Geocoins commenerating teh he event for guests? Guest bog a log book? Congrats on the nuptials!
  12. We are the first to admit, we are bad with attributes. Over 100 hides and I doubt 50 of our caches have them. We don't use them so that may explain why we don't post them. But we do try and I will sometimes go back and add some to our pre-exisiting caches.
  13. We are on day 96 and will get to 100 (started 1/1/11). The plan is to stop the streak there as it is getting a bit difficult to maintain especially since we have depleted the closest caches. But who knows....kind of hard to stop cold turkey
  14. I agree. When we first started geocaching my kids and I actually tried to find playgrounds where we could hide caches. For the simple reason we were a family and thouht other families would enjoy finding them in playgrounds. Never really stopped to think about the single adult cachers. In San Francisco it is even against the law for an adult to be in a playground unless accompanying a child (a law I support). Now we no longer hide any in playgrounds, have designated the ones we did as "family only caches" with plenty of warnings; and we simply archive them instead of replacing if ever muggled. All in all a sad commentary of society where innocence and fun and games are questioned and regulated. But all in all, despite the original poster's experience, I am thankful there are still people that take the initiative to make a call that may, in fact, help a child in need. We have been stopped geocaching by police a couple times. We simply explain what we are doing and we have been fine.
  15. When in the Florida Keys last year for a race, my sister asked me to find a geocache and drop a couple of her family's geocoins there. So I did. Also visited a virtual. That was the first I had every found a geocache. 71 days later, my kids and I started geocaching on our own. So that is the official slump. Since we started really geocaching, 5 days slump (twice). We are however approaching day 100 for a cache a day streak for 2011
  16. Is there on on the Everest Peak? That would be cool......or one each of the 7 summits (peak of the tallest mountain in each continent). (edit: Answered my question....there is an earthcache on the Everest Peak. GC2BX63. One find so far. ) We have managed a few countries so far: USA, France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, UK, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Denmark. Will be adding Argentina and Uruguay this summer. I guess, it would be fun to try to get at least 1 cache in 100 countries. I would also like to go back and grab some caches in countries/locations I have been in prior to starting geocaching including a lot of Asia (China, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Saipan, Guam. I do ultramarathons and each year do a race in the Florida Keys - 100 mile run from Key Largo to Key West. This year I will be geocaching along the run (not "racing" this year, just going for a finish).
  17. "Daddy muggled Mommy 9 months ago." "Mommy and Daddy reached GZ 9 months ago." "Daddy claimed it was a mega event, mommy said it was just a micro." "The stork left me under a lamp skirt." A happy smilie on the chest, an unhappy frown on the butt. "CITO opportunity" on the butt. "I may be a baby, but I already hate ivy hides."
  18. I had one (my only EC) in a City and County reserve published with no permission required. I had another in a State and County Park that was first denied because the reviewer thought it was federal land, when I corrected the reviewer I was then told I needed the State's permission. Same reviewer for both caches. The State and County park has at least a dozen traditional caches with no permission required, so not sure why EC's should be more difficult. Also not sure why the distinction between a State Park and a City/County Park....cities and counties are basically a subcomponent of the state system. Anyway, I decided not to bother. Too bad too as I thought it was a cool EC, but I can just plant a traditional there that educates cachers on the same EC facts without the added hurdle of seeking permission from politicians/administrative officers.
  19. I am guessing geology/seismic related
  20. I was told by GS that the only exceptions to the agenda and commercial cache rules are those exceptions granted by GS to themselves or their own "affiliated" causes. Otherwise they will not grant an exception. Period. So, I doubt you will get one(but since I am not a firm believer that GS rules are consistently applied, you may luck out). But as others have said, if the place where the event is held has a pre-existing entry fee (and is not a commercial establishment such as many national, state and county parks)and you have it there....and there is some agreement with the park owner your cause gets a split of the gate, then that could work. But....GS won't even let you publish the cache if it mentions or promotes your cause (Scouts is an exception). Agendas are a no-no. So even the cache description would be silent as to your cause and/or fundraising goals. Instead, I say just make a cache and hide it and have it published like any other cache. You can request the reviewer not make it go live until a specific time and date (most I have worked with will try their best). Then, hold the fundraiser "independent" of the listed cache. Advertise the event, say there is a cache hunt, prizes, etc. and a entry fee. When they show up, hand all the cache details. That is not to mean some who are not attending your event may not also find it, but those there at the event will be the only ones eligable for prizes (and they will be the only ones who know about the contest).
  21. I make enough typos myself not to be to critical of another,. But one time in the UK I saw a cache that looked as if it had been fed through a babelfish translation engine. So I merely cut and pasted it with my suggested revisions as a helpful contribution. The CO thanked me but did not use it the last I saw. I guess maybe I should have not done it - I was able to figure out the original intent despite the on-line translation engine, so I should have just assumed others would have done the same. I probably won't do so again.
  22. Thanks for all the suggestions. Overall, I think the trip was pretty successful. First, I managed to help re-activate and find the cache near the hotel (GC2BRAT - Al Fateh, The Gulf and the Palace). I did a morning run to GC194FB (Arches and Pearls) but a police boat stopped me from searching at GZ (those front mounted machine guns are very persuasive). GlobalMedic was kind enough to take me out one day and I bagged three (Equestrian Challenge, Fooled You, and Fueling next year's Grand Prix - the later being an earthcache - giving me earthcache finds in the US, Germany, the UK and Bahrain). Then my last day there, a co-worker and I found Oil Well #1 (GCRQMQ). So that gave me 5 smilies and 1 DNF. Finally, I managed to get a local cacher to agree to support a hide, so I just had published my first and only hide in Bahrain! GC2Q3VD I also managed to get 2 caches in KSA while there.
  23. We have a cache called International Monetary Fund and all the schwag is foreign coins. I stocked it with about 20 various coins from about 10 countries I have visited on business trips. Reaction seems pretty positive and people have been adding and taking foreign coins quite a bit. I have no issue dropping a quarter in a cache - my kids LOVE finding money in caches and I hope the coins I drop make other kids just as happy.
  24. Hello: I will be in Bahrain in a couple days (staying 2 days, off to KSR for 2 days, then back in Bahrain for 2 days). Will eb at the Ramada Building 88 Road 351 Block 326, Adliya Bani Otbah Ave, Manama. Probably won't have free access to a vehicle unless I can educate and convince a co-worker to go caching. I do run a lot (marathons and ultramarathons) so don't mind an early morning run. For the locals, what is/are the best caches that I should target? By best, I mean ease of access by foot? It appears to me that there may only be one (Walk along the Cornice) that is relatively close, but I may be looking at the map wrong. At a minimum, would love to get at least one Bahrain cache to add to our country count, but would welcome as many as I can get. Thanks
  25. This is just the start: http://www.geocaching.com/bookmarks/view.aspx?guid=c61a862b-7df8-4f0b-a91b-06e663a7645c More will go live today/tonight.
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