angevine

Um -- stupid question, but why would you *want* to? Logging a cache should be meaningful to the person who placed the cache, telling them of your adventures and your appreciation for the cache -- using colors just seems too "cutesy" for that venue. (Then again, since the use of emoticons appears to be taking over the Internet, I suppose that one shouldn't be surprised. The use of language to express anything is clearly going out of style.) However, if you insist, I believe that the cache logs support raw HTML. Jeannette

We've found Lock & Lock containers to be the most airtight of any currently available, unless you have an ammo can with a *really* good seal. A prior poster has it right: check and make sure it's not a knock-off. Here's one place where the brand name *does* matter. Good luck! -- Jeannette

There are a lot of reasons why you can't find a cache, and assuming that it's missing should be the *last* alternative you consider. In the order of probability, the reasons are: 1) You may have missed it (some hides are quite ingenious) 2) You may have entered incorrect coordinates 3) The cacher's coordinates may have been slightly off (happens, too, though no one wants to admit it) 4) The cache may be missing When you cannot find a cache, let's face it, it's probably your fault. So make sure that you check and re-check both the coordinates you entered (it's *really* easy to make a mistake here) and then look at the area with fresh eyes. Once you've done that, *then* log a DNF and if you'd like to pursue it, contact the cache owner directly. -- Jeannette (who has overlooked more than her share of caches in her time)

There are a lot of reasons why you can't find a cache, and assuming that it's missing should be the *last* alternative you consider. In the order of probability, the reasons are: 1) You may have missed it (some hides are quite ingenious) 2) You may have entered incorrect coordinates 3) The cacher's coordinates may have been slightly off (happens, too, though no one wants to admit it) 4) The cache may be missing When you cannot find a cache, let's face it, it's probably your fault. So make sure that you check and re-check both the coordinates you entered (it's *really* easy to make a mistake here) and then look at the area with fresh eyes. Once you've done that, *then* log a DNF and if you'd like to pursue it, contact the cache owner directly. -- Jeannette (who has overlooked more than her share of caches in her time)

There are a lot of reasons why you can't find a cache, and assuming that it's missing should be the *last* alternative you consider. In the order of probability, the reasons are: 1) You may have missed it (some hides are quite ingenious) 2) You may have entered incorrect coordinates 3) The cacher's coordinates may have been slightly off (happens, too, though no one wants to admit it) 4) The cache may be missing When you cannot find a cache, let's face it, it's probably your fault. So make sure that you check and re-check both the coordinates you entered (it's *really* easy to make a mistake here) and then look at the area with fresh eyes. Once you've done that, *then* log a DNF and if you'd like to pursue it, contact the cache owner directly. -- Jeannette (who has overlooked more than her share of caches in her time)

I suspect that there are slicker ways, but I've always done what you do --- doesn't take up that much space in my rucksack. -- Jeannette

I've never encountered an unactivated travel bug in a cache, but what delightful fun! Think about it, choose a mission for it, and activate it! You'll have a wonderful time tracing its movements. -- Jeannette

Exactly. The term was indeed taken from the Harry Potter novels, you'll hear them also referred to simply as "Muggles." They're non-geocachers. Muggles can watch one searching for an urban hide and become increasingly curious (or concerned!) about the activity. Muggles can also accidentally find caches, which has varying results: some take the cache or otherwise destroy it, others are drawn to geocaching because of it. One muggle wrote a lovely note in a cache I found. In other words, like people (which of course they are), muggles run the gamut of human behavior. -- Jeannette

I don't whine much. At least I try not to. But there's a time for everything ... My husband NotThePainter and I host a geo-event three times a year; it's very popular, well-attended, with positive comments and so on. For our first five events, we were sponsored by Backcountry.com, terrific people who gave us information about outdoor hiking and camping to pass out, and donated some lovely items for our raffle -- including backpacks, fanny packs, and generous gift certificates -- often a $50-$80 value. We were recently informed that we may no longer indicate Backcountry's support on the cache page, as it might show up on the same page as competing paid ads on the geocaching site. That meant the end of the sponsorship, as Backcountry (reasonably) wanted a link on the page to track whether people from the event were becoming customers. So we stopped, and our most recent event was not sponsored. I didn't like it, but I understood it. Then Groundspeak got involved in Google's ad program. Now it's extremely likely that competing ads will be shown on the same page as the paid ads ... and as advertisements, not as as organic part of the cache page itself. I'm sorry, but this seems completely hypocritical to me. When a small group of cachers benefits, it's not allowed; but when it's Groundspeak that benefits, it's okay? I know there's no use fighting this: any monopoly offers two options -- my way or the highway. But I still think it wouldn't hurt *too* much for a monopoly to at least be consistent in its rules. -- Jeannette

It's important that you think through everything that you place there -- will it attract animals? (nothing scented) Will it run if the container leaks? (nothing with ink) That sort of thing. Also consider all sorts of people who will be coming to the cache. Have something for everyone, unless it's a themed cache: some *nice* toys, something for teens, something for adults. Of course, the reality is that within six months it will most probably be filled with not-very-thoughtful-at-all items. I love geocaching but I sometimes despair of geocachers. -- Jeannette

My stepkids have been caching for as long as I have and we've never had a problem. Once in the woods we came across a mattress and empty beer cans and possibly more questionable things (I didn't look too closely), and the kids were quite indignant about all this "trash" in the woods. We later had a CITO event there. Never found anything like what you describe in a cache. While I don't necessarily disbelieve that such things are found in caches, it's extremely rare, and I wouldn't stop caching because of it. On the other hand, the first respondant was correct: if you feel unsafe, that will translate itself to your children. Maybe you should take up an indoor hobby with them instead. -- Jeannette

You got it: urban micros are generally more difficult to find, because there are fewer "safe" hiding places (won't get muggled) and a *lot* more people passing by and looking at you curiously. Don't just think film canister. As mentioned, magnetic devices are often used, sometimes as a hide-a-key, sometimes a long strip of magnetic material with the logbook taped to the back. In the woods, you look for something out of place. Good urban caches make you look for something that completely belongs there. So look also for things that may look like handles, or labels, or something like that which if you really think about it *doesn't* need to be there ... just blends in well. My first DNF was a small (and I mean *small* magnet attached to the back of a traffic sign. Look low and high -- people don't generally place them at eye level, yet that's where we tend to look. Good luck! Jeannette

It's up to the cache hider how many hints or clues he or she wants to give out. What irritates me is when other cachers take it upon themselves to give out hints for someone else's cache. Happens all the time, and it's one of the things I find it difficult to be Zen about ... Jeannette

You should replace caches as you found them. The owner may have given slightly incorrect coordinates (they do with surprising frequency), but that's their issue, not yours. If I find anything problemtatic about a cache (placement, logbook full, cache contents missing or damaged, etc.) I email the cache owner, as others have done for me. Its his or her responsibility. Jeannette

Gosh. It would never occur to me to do this sort of thing -- I'm constantly amazed at what people do! But that's part of the joy and frustration of the hobby, isn't it, that people do things so differently from us? Try to be Zen abut it. Do what you think is right, and ignore when others do things you think are wrong. Or vent here on the forums, that works too. But remember that you're never going to change others' behaviors, and you'll only upset yourself in the process. -- Jeannette

How incredibly cool to see Nick Drake on your list! Thanks for including him ... he's melancholy as anything (died in his twenties if I'm not incorrect, a possible suicide) but so gorgeous. Thank you for that! Jeannette (angevine)

That one is particularly useful to me. I check that when I spot an overtly negative poster. I look to see what their record is. I look to see if they always accentuate the negative, take theirself too seriously, regularly egg on other negative posts, or just check into a thread to say, "Who cares?" without offering substantial comment on the subject. I also check to see if they regularly start complaint threads or generally don't balance their negative posting with positive posts on other subjects. I like this approach. Life is far too short to mess around with trolls, and frankly, if someone is going to be nasty or rude it's probably not going to be an enjoyable cache. But ... I have to say that this never *occurred* to me. I read all about caches, but rarely about the person placing a cache. Is that unusual? Rude? -- Jeannette (wondering what she's been missing)

I absolutely read the entire cache page. It's a courtesy. Someone has taken the time and effort to write it, to put together a cache for my enjoyment and entertainment ... of *course* I read it. It never occurred to me that others might not. Didn't your parents teach you any manners? -- Jeannette, puzzled in New Hampshire

My stepchildren, ages 13 and 15, have each placed a cache. A great deal more thought and creativity went into these caches than I've seen in a *lot* of caches placed by adults. They take their cache-owner responsibilities very seriously -- again, something I don't see happening consistently with adults. Is there a reason you're asking this question? Why on earth would you want to cut off some of the most enthusiastic cachers from one of the joys of geocaching? Has something happened to make you feel like this is a worthy cause? -- Jeannette

I think that there are a lot of reasons for placing a cache, some of them more "valid" (whatever that means) than others. I'm not terribly impressed with folks who place caches just to have a substantial number of caches after their names – these are caches I tend to avoid, as they're clearly self-serving in that way. I place caches to share something with the geocaching community. My most recent one takes people on a walking tour of Manchester (New Hampshire)'s mills, so that by solving the cache they leanr something about the area's history. I always appreciate caches that bring me someplace special, someplace beautiful, someplace the cacher wanted to share with me. That, I believe, is the essence of caching. (I'm currently doing a lot of radio interviews and spots about geocaching, and that's what I'm saying ... pity the poor individual who hers one of those interviews, buys a GPS receiver, then goes out and finds nothing but lame micros...!) -- Jeannette

Wow. That's *impressively* bad behavior, Vinny. How did people respond to those admissions? -- Jeannette, amazed at what people do ...

There's a certain amount of chutzpah involved in assuming that one understands enough to place a cache when one has just begun geocaching. That's the nicest word I could find to describe the phenomenon. But don't you find that true elsewhere? We live in a fast-food environment where superficiality is the norm and people are too busy, too impatient, or just too full of themselves to be bothered to apprentice at anything. It's unfortunate but not surprising to see that attitude carry over into geocaching. -- Jeannette

To be totally blunt and totally honest, the only reason that you have not yet met a cranky or curmudgeonly cacher is because you have not yet met me. Vinny beat me to it! (No, I don't mean that I was going to say that Vinny is a curmudgeon!) My husband Paul NotThePainter was looking over my shoulder just now and said, "Oh, they haven't met *me*!" Of course, I happen to know that both Vinny and Paul are nice people .... -- Jeannette

To be totally blunt and totally honest, the only reason that you have not yet met a cranky or curmudgeonly cacher is because you have not yet met me.

First, please tell us you're sincere about the "really nice areas" part. Even though my own multi-caches end with a micro, I still shudder when I see the word, associating it with parking lots and lampposts...! I don't know that you need to use Groundspeak products. Buy some waterproof paper -- *really* waterproof paper -- at a sports store and cut that to fit your container. Often a long strip is best. Tell people in the cache desription to bring their own pencil or ballpoint pen as the cache uses waterproof paper. And put lines on it so everyone's sig is restricted in size. -- Jeannette