ApanAnn

I log most of my DNFs, and I don't change the logs after I've found it. I like writing logs, and even if I don't find the cache it might turn into a funny story. Logging DNFs will help the cache owner, but also other cachers. If I see tons of DNFs on a cache I might skip that cache if I don't have time for an extensive search. At one cache I think I logged 2 or 3 DNFs in a row. In between my visits I could see that someone had been in the area, looking (tracks in the snow). But no logs. The cache was missing, but the other cachers had simply looked for it and then done nothing about it. If I hadn't logged all those DNFs it might have taken a long while before the CO checked up on that cache. But if they had logged their DNFs I might not have gone back there 2 more times I'm a bit bitter because the cache location was not that fun to search in after the first time.

I think it's .org, but it's easier to just do a google search for letterboxing. You don't have to register it anywhere else than here if you don't want to. Most of the letterboxes I've seen have had a bit of mystery feel to it. There are coordinates involved, but usually written clues as well. In regular letterboxing the boxes can be hidden with just clues and no coordinates so I suppose they try to emulate that.

I don't get the "Oh, I'll just stuff this nano/micro with as much log-paper as possible to save on maintenence trips!!!". Sure, you won't run out of place, but you will run into other problems like wet log because someone couldn't cram it all back in AND close the lid. And if it's stuffed really tight all it takes is a tiny bit of moisture to stick it there for good. Sheesh...

Some cache owners and cachers are very picky about logging. Technically the online log can be deleted if there's no physical log (to be able to deal with the few who "armchair log" and didn't even visit or find the cache), most cache owners don't bother to do this. Some purist cachers start to foam a little at the mouth when someone mentions logging a find online without writing in the logbook. You'll see... Sorry, I can't answer the other quuestions, but I suppose a cahce meant to be found with a 4x4 could be hidden and tagged with "special equipment needed" and with a high terrain rating. Thanks. And to be specific, one log was on a piece of like magnetic tape on a pole, which in a rainy state like oregon, doesn't keep the log very dry the other was a pill bottle with a hole drilled in the top and a lanyard hanging it from a tree, but the cord get's wet and got water in the bottle. in both cases the paper was extremely damp. I will, in the future, carry a better pen and maybe some paper to put in there if its too damp. Don't forget to log a Needs Maintenance when you find damaged caches or papier mache logs...

Some cache owners and cachers are very picky about logging. Technically the online log can be deleted if there's no physical log (to be able to deal with the few who "armchair log" and didn't even visit or find the cache), most cache owners don't bother to do this. Some purist cachers start to foam a little at the mouth when someone mentions logging a find online without writing in the logbook. You'll see... Sorry, I can't answer the other quuestions, but I suppose a cahce meant to be found with a 4x4 could be hidden and tagged with "special equipment needed" and with a high terrain rating.

That's kind of cool

Glue it into a large fake bug?

Cu placus al vi sidi sub arbo kun si? Sorry, that's the first thing that always pops into my head when I hear someone mention Esperanto. I need to ask my linguistic friend to translate my cache-descriptions to esperanto when I post some! The english translation shouldn't be a problem

I had it happen to me. Dropped a TB on a trip after finally finding a cache suiting its goal, and when I got to a computer to log the visit a few days later someone had grabbed it from me. Darn... They didn't know to dip it, so it's missing some mileage, but I didn't want to mess with it since it's not my bug. When I get my pictures sorted I'll just post a note for the bug with the pics and the cache ID to let the bug owner know. I felt a bit hurt at the time, but decided "hey, it's the internet, life is too short." So yeah, I understand the feeling. However, I do not understand the need for yelling at others.

Part of the challenge is placing the cache back as found. I would delete their logs as well. I've walked away from a few caches that I didn't have the right equipment for. No biggie come back another day better prepaired. I need to learn that one... I managed to retrieve a cache but due to muggle activity and my not very flexible body I was unable to put it back properly I hid it in another place to get it out of view and returned later with equipment to put it back. And yes, I fessed up in the online log in case someone should go looking for it before I had a chance to put it back properly.

I tend to raid my whimsy jar before going caching so I don't actually buy my swag. Most of it would probably be cheap junk in someone elses eyes, but I do it for the kids and those like me that refuse to grow up...

I think part of the problem is the "Rawr! Don't take something without leaving something else!"-attitude. I'd rather have the cacher take an item from the cache and leave nothing instead of "trading" junk or trying to cram in a trade item that doesn't fit or that will overfill the cache and make the lid leak. I tend to clean out destroyed cache items that didn't survive a damp cache, or stuff that's too big and making the lid hard to close. In some instances I leave some swag in return, in others I just leave a neater cache for the ones after me. Ticket stubs and rubber bands make me confused, but the ones I found were clean and I don't know... someone might like it? So I left them. If it's not nasty/dirty/soggy and not clogging up the entire cache I'll give it the benefit of a doubt. One cachers trash might just be treasure to someone else. Um... Someone that really needed a rubber band. EDIT: I collected candy wrappers as a kid. I would have picked up a nice one

Bookcrossing is a good idea if you want books to travel. They tend to disappear more often than travelbugs however, so be prepared for that... The people on that site are quite good at packaging books safely before releasing them outside, so you might get a few pointers in the forums there. I like ziplocks, one book in each. I think if you want two containers you could use a third large camoed container of some kind that they are both hidden in. That way people should realise that they're meant to stay together. Or why not two caches, one book cache and one TB hotel? That is if you can find the room. Or it could be constructed as a multi with coords to the TB-hotel in the library cache.

I feel your pain... I got into caching this fall and I soon had to learn to love snow caching In some instances it really helped to have snow on the ground. A cache in a tree was easier to get to when standing on a pile of snow for example. Faint geotracks made me decide it was worth it to get snow in my boots and check out the obvious hiding place. And one "under a bridge" cache was MUCH more entertaining and challenging since the easy staircase down was buried under snow and I had to take another way down. I think I stood in snow to my hips at one point. Great fun! Recently found can be helpful, but also check the previous logs. Was it found in the middle of winter last year? Should be possible this year too! I've done a lot of research before going out to try to avoid impossible caches. Yesterday I finally found one that I had DNFed twice this winter. Yeah, it was easier without all the snow on top of it... And sometimes the place itself is really beautiful in winter, even if the cache itself is under 2 meters of snow. I go there, try my best, enjoy the location and then write an epic DNF

Interesting... I had a bug grabbed from me before I could log it in the cache I had placed it, but since I'm not the owner I don't think I should attempt to correct the mileage. I'll just post a note with my pictures when I find my camera again.

After playing around with BookCrossing I'm very pleased with the found rate and log rate of trackables. I guess I'm used to releasing items into the wild without knowing if they'll ever be heard from again. Sure, the cost of a BC-bookplate is peanuts compared to a bug-tag so there's less economical risk involved I suppose.

Just please, please, please put the original date in the new logs... I've been tricked by someone splitting accounts this winter. Looks like a recent find but it's not. "Hey, someone recently found that cache with all this snow, perhaps I could follow the geotracks... never mind..." Harmless since I discovered it before going for the cache, but annoying all the same.

Yeah, I'm sure they did. There are a few out there that tell you on the cache page that everyone who is watching you knows about the cache. That the cache has permission, and the people in there know it is there. In those cases, I think this type of cache can be fun. It is awkward, but fun in a silly way to know you may be being watched. However, without a note on the cache page I usually just skip these. I'm not very fond of fishtank caches. When the listing pretty much says: "Muahahaha! This is right outside my window and I might be WATCHING you!" I pick another one... I guess I don't "get" caches too close to someones home or work place or in their yard. Sure, it's a place the cache owner feels very secure and comfortable in, but it doesn't make me feel very comfortable. I've skipped over a cache that I suspect is placed very near the cache owners home, in the middle of a yard between houses. Only problem is, there are 2 apartment complexes facing that yard and I don't think everyone is informed about the cache... Just guessing here, because if it isn't something like that I have no clue why the cache owner would want to show that... err... special place. Same with the office window one, I didn't even bother going. Eh... I guess I'm just not much of a ninja. I like urban caching since I don't have a car all the time, but I'm crap at stealth

Metal and plastic tubes for fizzy tablets seem to be popular around these parts and I've seen them described as both small and micro, even if I expect more room when a hide is listed as small. They seem pretty waterproof but the plastic aren't as robust. Overall I find many containers that I would have put in a smaller size category given the guidelines I've seen, so you should probably check what's common for your area. I'd rather have a container listed as a smaller size when it's just between two sizes, but that's just me. Larger box than expected =

I've seen a few scary hints around... Well... the english translations are scary. I can understand them, but only because I know Swedish and understand what words they are confusing for other words. Come to think of it, some have quite horrid english versions of the cache descriptions too.

Weird to find injection vial lids in a cache, but I suppose it could be worse. At least there are no used needles or other icky things.

ya they say flip off or flip open or something like that the purple thing at the very bottom is also one Huh... That could be it then. I don't think we have any injectables that you need to mix in this pharmacy so I can't check what they usually say.

It looks a little bit like the lid you remove before mixing a bottle of injectable drugs, but I'm probably wrong. Do they have any markings at all? Like writing on them?

It's a nice thought, but I think it'd backfire quickly in less cache dense areas. When you live where caches are few and far between those numbers seem much more likely to happen. (I didn't have to search for very long to find one with similar numbers in my area) The ones interested in hiding in an area might not have the means or interest to travel a lot. And those traveling and finding lots of caches might not have the time or interest to keep up lots of hides. I'd hate to prevent those willing to hide from doing so just because they need to find so-and-so many more caches first I'm sure those numbers might work where you cache, but for more rural/less cache dense areas you'd need to tweak the numbers of hides vs finds and that might ruin part of the purpose.

I could start one somewhere in Sweden.