Blue_Stone

Seems to me, 95% of all multi-caches have micros for each stop, except the final, unless thats a micro also. So how many of you who dont like micros bother searching for multis? I dont let the container type really deter me from a cache. What turns me off is lousy implementation of ANY cache container. We only have a few LPC's around my area. Most micros are decently implemented around here. I find I end up doing MANY traditional hides that involve tupperware or ammo cans hidden at the base of a tree, covered with three or four parrallel sticks, and can be seen from 30ft away. I would rather see a creative micro in the woods, than this type of hide. Although we are starting to see a cacher place more and more lame 35mm micros hidden on the "Welcome To" signs at each small town around here. I cant really think of any one single, well-done micro right now, as there ARE quite a few around. Not to mention the excellent ones used in most of the multis around here.

OK, so I'm planning a cache, and I'm thinking its gonna be a Diff 4.5.....Then I got to wondering, what would it take to make a Diff 5 cache. Besides a really difficult puzzle cache that requires a professional background in cryptology, (we've had a spate of these around here lately. Thanx TazD and MickEMT.LOL), what ideas might justify a Diff 5? Does anyone know of any example caches that are a 5? Post them up.

I like that one... But how about streamlining it: "Caches that require digging of any kind. Any part of a cache that is hidden by creating a depression below ground level, by using any solid object, is not appropriate."

Hmmm... I think you just eliminated ALL underwater caches, all caches hidden in stone or rock walls, all caches placed in dead trees in woodpecker holes with bark epoxied to the lid, all caches placed in rock piles, all caches covered by leaves, and all caches that end up covered with a layer of snow..I'm sure there are more that would be affected by that wording, but my brain is on overload trying to think of them all.

Normal way?...Exactly what IS normal?...Can you define that so it fits everything and everyone this hobby entails? Are we gonna have a Big Brother overseeing EVERY aspect of this "game"? And as to what it could cause...Thats all "What Ifs"....Yes, we as humans, NEED to use our common sense to determine the "What Ifs" of our actions....But when it becomes a mantra, what kind of life, or "caching experience", are we gonna be left with?... We can waste away our whole lives worrying about "What Ifs", and never accomplish or do anything because of it... How about we worry about our OWN "What Ifs", and let other people, and TPTB worry about there own "What Ifs".

I cant speak for that cache. I have seen caches near us that are clearly against guidelines and many, many finders just dont care. They will walk right past several no trespassing sings and some would even note it in their logs. (Even though they broke the law to find it.) I would say the majority of people just dont care about the guidelines. (IMO.) I cant help but notice, (since I've recently started reading the forums again), but you sure have a LOT to say about how caching should and should not be "played", for someone who seems to have only joined less than three months ago. This is a "game", "sport", "hobby", "activity", "escape"....WHY do people insist on trying to making it so tiresome?

I am very disturbed by the number of people who have expressed the opinion here that these caches should be banned even when a existing hole is used or when permission has be received from a landowner, because some geocacher will be dumb enough to copy this cache by digging a hole in the lawn at a local park or some other place that would cause a problem. You shouldn't hide any caches then because some geocacher may be dumb enough to copy that hide on highway bridge or outside a military base. Gosh, if you get permission to hide a cache at the local KMart you shouldn't do it because some bozo will hide one at Wal*Mart without getting permission. Let's ban all caches now because cachers are incapable of knowing when a particular hide is inappropriate. Thank you!...I agree...I am seeing more and more replies to complaints about banning different types of hides in the forums recently, solely based on: "OOOooo!!...we better not hide it like that...Some newbie may see it, think its OK and copy it!" Jeeez!!!....If thats the way we're gonna start hiding caches, I give geocaching another year, tops, two years before there are no more quality caches left, or allowed to be placed, and we're left with one generic type of hide, and all junk. ie everything is banned for some reason or other, and all thats left to fit the guidelines is an unpainted, clearly marked lock n lock, with an official geocaching sticker on it, 15ft off the clearly marked, maintained hiking trail, at the base of a tree, with parrallel sticks covering it....That way, all land managers, bomb squads, LEOs, and muggles will know right away that "Oh look, thats one of those harmless geocache thingies!" There are guidlines in place, and as far as I know, TPTB (ie reviewers) use these to say "yea or nay" to publishing caches. I think exceptions SHOULD be made, IF justified. You CANNOT come up with guidelines to cover every situation, in every location. Its up to the hider when submitting the cache, to do the necessary research and get the necessary permission for the cache to meet the guidlines. If the hider feels there is an issue that may push the guidelines, they need to make the reviewer aware of it. On the flipside, if the reviewer feels there is an issue, they should allow the hider to fill in the gaps. Due to different circumstances in different areas of the world, different cultures, different laws, etc, exceptions SHOULD be allowed, IF JUSTIFIED. Just because a park in Utah says caches are not allowed, because they have their own rules that ban ALL caches, does that mean it has to be added to the guidelines that ALL parks in the country have to ban caches, just so some shmuck might see a cache in a park in NY, and decide to hide one in the banned park in Utah, which causes bad press for the sport? If we as a community allow the guidelines to be so stringent, without allowances for exceptions, and take some responsibility for our own hides, then what do we even need reviewers for? Example: There are, say X amount of rules. If a cache gets palced and it breaks, bends, or even seems questionable, it gets reported by another cacher. It automatically gets archived. So what would we need reviewers for? I dont know about you people, but I cache to get AWAY from rules, regulations, and especially the idiots who the rules are needed for in the first place. Go ahead and regulate the heck out of caching...We'll see how long it exits as a "hobby", "sport", "activity", whatever... OK...thats my spiel from the soapbox...

LOL...Well said again, RK! I was thinking basically the same thing myself when I read that analogy. Another basic example of quantity does not necessarily equal quality.

WELL said, RK!....I've been kind of surprised and disappointed with some of the "huge numbers" finders in the sport. Just because a cacher finds several thousand caches, doesnt necessarily make them an expert in my book. Probably, most of those numbers are from quick park & dashes, LPCs, and guardrails. IMHO, you only need to find just so many of those types of hides before you become an "expert"...If I want to know if someone is "experienced", one thing I look at is the diff/terr ratings on most of the caches they've found.

Its your cache...do what you want with it. i dont see a problem with it...Just remember to "trade-up"...

OK, I have to replace the girlfriends MeriGreen I "lost" geocaching, plus I have been wanting another Meridian of my own. (Sorry I ever sold mine... ) I've been trying for two weeks to get a decent deal on ebay, but it seems like its impossible anymore. Stoopid ebayers overpaying like crazy. Anyway, I'm looking for either Colors or Platties in good shape, hopefully no scratches on the screens. Would also like eithr Mapsend 3D or Direct Route, and hopefully a windshield mount for each. I have cables, manuals, SD cards, firmware files, and Mapsend Topo already, but if those came with them, great. ALSO, would be very interested in the old GPSCity.com neoprene Meridian cases. Please email me at toyfvr@frontiernet.net if you have either for sale. Thanx!

My "target" trees of choice are Red Sumac...Gawd I HATE those things...Take those down by the dozens ...I cant believe people use them as ornamentals....Blech!

Not those logs. cache could have been placed in a dead tree or log. water or even just snow could have frozen it in its "hole" in the tree or log, or between rocks, etc.

That wasnt aimed at the OP...Yes, I agree and accept that digging with a pointy object is not acceptable... I'm talking about the grey area where a hider comes across an already existing depression, and utilizes it.

I dont think its about anyone trying to break the rules...I think its about "interpretation" of the rules. And when did they become RULES?...i thought they were "GUIDELINES"...

Now THATS what I'm talkin' 'bout!! SHWEET!! (Although you do seem to be missing your grille bezel...LOL)

I'm sorry if you feel this is harsh, JDub, but from what you have just explained, that is EXACTLY what I am talking about. It sounds to me like your cache needs to be hidden away from the "maintained landscaping", or archived. I dont agree with people hiding caches in "landscaping". Obviously, some agency paid good money to create it, and maintain it. Also, those are prime spots to attract muggle attention, and I would bet that kind of attention would be bad. People are talking about not hiding caches in the ground, or drilling holes in trees, even DEAD ones for godsakes. I would think the kind of hide you're talking about in maintained landscaping is one of THE worst possible places to put a cache.

OK, I'm gonna sit the fence on this one... I agree with both viewpoints. I have seen experienced cachers go in and tear places up looking for caches. One thing people really need to ask themselves about when they hit GZ is "OK...Whats the difficulty on this one, again?" Then search accordingly...Easy spots first, then progressively search harder. Dont just go in and start tearing things up on a difficulty 1 or 2 cache... They also need to realize its only polite to try to put the logs, stones, camoflage back as close to exactly as they found it to maintain both the difficulty and quality of the hide for future finders. thats MY biggest beef with going in and tearing things up looking for the cache. The other side: Sheesh!...Everyone who hides a cache has to realize the location is going to get quite a bit of wear and tear...Its the nature of the beast. Hiders need to think about this when hiding the cache. "Hmmm...In this bush 10ft into a hedgerow at the edge of a village park looks like a good spot..." Then 6mos, a year later, whenever, they wonder why there is now a "highway" going straight to the cache, and all that great leaf and foliage cover that hid the cache so great is now gone!...Or the dead tree or log it was hidden is now nothing but moldy, wet sawdust on the ground...Those darn finders who tear everything up!" If you're gonna place a cache, you need to think about how often it might get hit, and if its a lot, you might want to think about having to come back and slightly move it every once in awhile. Every cache is gonna get wear and tear in the immediate vicinity. If you dont like it, move the cache slightly, or if you can't replicate that "great " hiding spot, maybe its time YOU as a hider archived or temporarily disabled the cache, so the area can "rejuvenate its oh-so precious" natural state. Nature changes...Stuff dies, rots, new stuff grows...Get over it...plan caching (hiding AND finding) accordingly.

I hope its not the same one I just bought for a fellow cacher! I didnt get mine on ebay, but it is a no-name brand... Have you tried going to the manufacturers website and tried downloading the latest drivers? Also, have you tried NOT using the drivers that came with the product, and letting XP try to detect the new hardware by itself?...Sometimes the generic XP drivers actually WORK!!..LOL {Blue_stone waiting for moderator to move this thread to the appropriate forum...}

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Did that...must have been something else... I got these two caches as the oldest unfound in NY: (both puzzle caches based on cryptography, go figure... ) GC10XD9 GC113FV

Try this link: [[Link removed by moderator] I for one like it...the detail on the truck is not all that great, but at least its a TRUCK. I hate generic off-road stickers that use a Jeep. A Jeep body style is pretty unique, and there are SOOO MANY more off-roaders that wheel things OTHER than a Heep Jeep. I am dadgum sure not putting a sticker with a Heep on it on my Landcruiser, its bad enough they get mistaken for, and called "jeeps" as it is... Another point, is this sticker is for an INTERNATIONAL organization... Heeps comprise a very SMALL number of vehicles you will find off-road in the rest of the world outside the US.

huh...I just tried a PQ for any unfound active OR inactive caches in NY... Guess EVERY cache in NY has been found...LOL Got this PQ result: "Sorry, no results were found for this search."

MY GF bought me one last week for a birthday gift. I wasnt happy at all, even before the unit arrived. Its not a GPS I would purchase myself. Too expensive, and too much emphasis on the Auto-nav function of the unit. Seems like they took the Roadmate series, with its emphasis on automobile usage, and haphazardly threw in the outdoor function. We'll be returning the Crossover in the next few days. Anyway, the first time we tried to use it in an urban location, it wouldnt show the "waypoint" we entered. So I pull over, and try to figure out the menu's and functions. Well, it kept locking up, then rebooting. Did this repeatedly, to the point I was tempted to throw it out the window. Also, couldnt get it to power down, and it ran the battery down in just a few hours. I also dont like the cheap rubber "armor"...it kept shifting around while holding it. I am about as pro-Magellan as you can get, but I think the last quality Magellan products were the Meridians. The eXplorists seem OK, but they made some "upgrades" over the Meridians that I think were backward progress. The menus and functions on the 2500T are DEFINATELY not as intuitive as the older Maggies. Unfortunately, I dont like the direction magellan has taken, and as far as buying a new GPS, I think about the only thing I would consider from them is an eXplorist XL, which is too much $$$ for me. I REALLY prefer not to by a Garmin, and am not happy with my Lowrance, so it looks like I will be looking at off-brand GPSRs soon.

I somewhat agree. I use a Palm Lifedrive and bT GPS. One thing I dont like about the PDA is it is NOT water proof, or even water resistant. I have to carry a Ziploc in the pouch I carry the PDA in, in case of showers or water crossings. I'm looking at an Otterbox for it, but more $$$. Also, there are NO, I mean NO good hard cases that completely protect the PDA from a fall. I have a Rhinoskin hard case, and had it clipped to my belt. Well, the beltclip that came with it is a POS!....The mounting screw works loose with the motion of the case as you walk, and it came apart and fell onto my driveway as I was heading out the door to go caching. Of course, the PDA landed on the top corner, the spot that is NOT protected by the hard case. Gouged up the PDA body, but at least it still works.