[My "Armchair cacher" and false logs dilemma]

Hi, all - thanks so much for the helpful replies and comments, all very non-inflammatory. For clarification, this cacher (or group?) didn't log on any of my (few) cache hides. It's only been on others' logs. I pieced it together after geofriends of mine went to find a new multi-DNF'd hide that had recently been logged as found, thought they'd be STF and found the blank log. It was a first time hide by a new cacher, and the FTF was logged by another new cacher, who had signed up that same day. A few of us thought this was sort of fishy, and playing Nancy Drew, I buzzed by one of the nearby caches logged on both cachers' finds and sure enough, no signatures for either of them.

 

I think you're right, sounds like some teens/tweens or just one person who may have created 3 different accounts. Our theory is that the cacher posted their first hide without actually placing the cache (hopefully unintentionally?) and after all the DNF's, placed it, then created an account to log a FTF to make it more legit. Now, I realize first time hiders screw up all the time, it's an honest mistake, but I was completely flummoxed by the cover-up ruse. That's a lot of effort!

 

Thanks for everyone's input on my meandering post. It dawned on me this morning that the reason I might be taking this so personally may be because I recently (and very accidentally) caught someone at my work forging prescriptions for narcotics. Someone we all trusted. I have to talk to the police today, actually.

 

If anyone interested has been looking through my finds, for the record, I haven't logged the cache that started this all yet. But plan to today. I haven't decided if I'm disturbed or amused by all this. It's Friday, so I'm leaning toward the latter.

 

I'm caching on!

-tvchick

[My "Armchair cacher" and false logs dilemma]

I'm relatively new to geocaching (less than a year under my geobelt) and I think I've just found what the geocaching community refers to as an "armchair cachers" -- someone who logs finds online that can't be substantiated when looking at the physical log.

 

This completely perplexed me, because... why? I know it's just a game, but if you're not going to play by the rules, what's the point? And also, I just don't personally get what a fake logger gets out of it? So, I started reading these forums, and I calmed myself down: maybe I'll mention it to one of the CO's I'm a friend of, maybe not, maybe they'll delete the log, maybe not. Live and let live. Cache and let cache? I'm okay with that.

 

So here's my question for the more veteran geocachers: what do you do when that armchair cacher logs an FTF on a multiple-DNF'd newly posted cache? And the cacher immediately following that person, ostensibly the second to find, arrives to find a crisp blank log? The armchair cacher posts a note about not having a pen. Er... okay. Perplexing.

 

To top that, the armchair cacher logged FTF on the first hide of (I believe) another armchair cacher. Quite possibly... the same cacher, or at the very least, a friend of. Confused yet?

 

It's a long story, and I do have evidence for all this. I want to add that I'm not looking to "police" the area or others' geocaches. I guess I'm just curious what, if anything, cachers with far more experience than I, would do?

 

And also, to be honest, I'm posting to vent a little and maybe find some solace in that. (My muggle friends wouldn't understand. Literally!) It's silly, I know, because this is just a fun hobby, but when I first discovered this, it was such a shock to me that it actually made me a bit Disheartened would be the word for it. Oh, I'll get it over it. And in the end, I should't let my being appalled by such brazen dishonesty affect how much I personally enjoy the game, right? Live and let live. Cache and let cache?

 

From the thread "Fake smilies":

"What's to stop me from going to random cache's online and logging that I found them even if I didn't?"

"A sense of honor, ethics and truthfulness?"

 

Well, I'd better get some sleep. I have tomorrow off and there's some caches near the beach I've got on the to do list. Happy summer caching, everyone!

 

-tvchick.

[TB hotels in Chicago?]

Thanks for the replies! Unfortunately I had a pretty small window of time and my main means of transportation was my high heeled feet, so I didn't get to travel very far. Just the Bean virtual and a puzzle cache that didn't fit my smallest coin.

 

But I was reminded how much I love Chicago, so I hope to be back soon to pick up some others. I just read that Lou Malnati's can FedEx pizzas to the West Coast, which I find simultaneously intriguing and disturbing.

 

I'm keeping that Planetarium cache on my radar for next hope midwest. I'll be back soon... Tasting Room wines are half price on Monday!

[TB hotels in Chicago?]

Greetings, fellow cachers!

 

Just wondering if any Chicagoans can recommend a "TB hotel" or equivalent to drop off some trackables? Will briefly be in Chicago and would love to drop off a couple. We'll be in the Millennium Park area, if that helps.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Geocaching and the Bomb Squad]

Yeah, I have difficulty with this too. I know in Hollywood sometimes things this tiny can wipe out an entire city but not so much in real life. I have to wonder just what they thought that nano was made out of .....

 

I have a hard time believing the bomb squad would be called in for a nano. Nanos are the sort of thing a muggle would pick up and throw in the trash thinking it's a pen cap or eraser. Ditto on something as tiny as an SD memory card. I wonder if there was some other "throwdown" (neat term) that was much bigger left here.

[Geocaching and the Bomb Squad]

Yeah, it probably slipped through the cracks. I was around in 2005, and they certainly didn't have the hidden waypoints feature for the final coordinates to a challenge/puzzle/mystery/multi cache.

 

I was wondering about that. I'm still relatively new to geocaching, so even though I'd seen that little question mark icon near the park, I assumed there was no way in (wherever all Disney villains go when they get offed) that this physical cache was actually on Disney property. Including Downtown Disney! When I was explaining geocaching to my friends while we were at Disneyland, they commented that the park must be an awesome place to hide caches. And I said, "No, that's just a bad idea. I feel suspicious enough at those lamp posts, how bad would that look at Disneyland?"

 

So, as soon as this published on the Internet -- I work about 3-4 miles away from Disneyland and have the annual pass, natch -- you can imagine how many of my muggle friends (who regularly jest about my newfound hobby) sent it to me. I have to admit, it made me sad for a good part of the day. I read in the LA Times article on this that the last time they'd shut down Downtown Disney to that extent was for September 11th. Maybe it's just me, but even that tiniest of connections was truly upsetting and disheartening to me.

 

Le sigh.

[California county map for profile?]

Howdy, geocaching peeps -

 

I was just wondering if anyone knew where I can find the script/html code that can show how many counties I've cached in within California? I thought I saw one on someone's profile and now I can't remember whose it was.

 

thanks!

-tvchick

[Ireland Geocachers! One in Dublin/Killarney?]

Thanks for the tip, Chaos Crew... those turned to be the exact two I ended up doing! Europe's First was an accident, but Castle Rock was a nice tip for a trackable.

[Who Should I Call?]

I've actually been wondering this exact question.

 

(Warning: ramble mode ON. Blame that Blarney Stone.)

 

I recently had a trip planned to the east coast and then overseas, and I thought it might be nice to move some travelbugs/trackables. So I went on a bug hunt. (Pesticide free, I'm organic like that. ) And maybe I'm just a relative newbie to geocaching, but I was surprised to find how many trackables were MIA at the caches, some for a looooooong time, without being reported missing despite cachers' reports.

 

Which made me wonder, as more trackables get placed and missing trackables stay logged in, would there be more trackable clutter over time?

 

And that's how I found this thread. Nice to know there's an answer. Why can't life always be that simple?

 

thanks,

tvchick.

 

[Ireland Geocachers! One in Dublin/Killarney?]

Sorry, for some reason my post didn't post... but the topic did?

 

Anyhow, I am heading off to Ireland for a quick trip to Dublin and (I think) Killarney. I'm hoping to keep my little caching streak going, but may have limited time with our travel plans.

 

So if there are any Dubliners out there, can anyone give me a few tips on the one or two caches you think I definitely shouldn't miss while there?

 

I have a cute little TB I picked up that has the goal to visit Ireland. So, it would help if the cache wasn't a nano! Any suggestions on safe places I can leave the TB are greatly appreciated also. Especially if some kind Irish geocachers want to take the TB on a tour!

 

thanks

tvchick

southern california geocacher!

[the art of magnetism (newbie question)]

Hey all! Sorry for the likely very basic question, but I was wondering... how exactly do you attach a magnet to your caches?

 

As I become of a fan of geocaching, I'm pondering placing a cache, but I don't have the technical know how. For example, how do those metallic tins get magnetic?

 

Like Denzel Washington says in Philadelphia, explain it o me like I'm a four-year-old...

 

thanks!

-tvchick.