Narcosynthesis

Without knowing the cache in particular it is impossible to say for sure... multi caches normally either give you a list of waypoints for you to go to, with a question at each to give you a number. You are then given half finished co-ordinates which you can substitute the answers into to get the location for the final. An alternative would be one where you have the co-ordinates for the first stage, which has the co-ordinates for the next stage inside it and so on. If you are speaking about puzzle caches, they are a puzzle... the actual co-ordinates are fake, with the real co-ordinates hidden in a puzzle on the cache page.

I will have to say that without knowing more about the location I won't want to pick sides... From the Cache owners side, land ownership is not always particularly obvious - there are often public paths bordering property that are commonly used by the public, where you would expect to be on public land, and end up accidentally trespassing. Walk down one of those with your dog every day and you wouldn't think twice about the ownership of the land before placing a cache, perhaps on the path, perhaps straying a bit further into the private land before placing it. Certainly a cache owner should be doing their research first, but if there are no signs or markings to show where you have wandered from (known) public land into private, how many would think to probe further? On the other hand I have no idea what the area is actually like - if the land is marked as private, or if the cache owner approached it form a weird way or was just pushing his luck with the placement I can't say. I will certainly agree that I wouldn't want unknown peoples skulking around on my property without my express permission. Even with legally placed caches, there has to be something said about consideration for local residents - I know I have gone to find caches at odd hours only to find them placed (legally) next to a solitary house a distance away from town. I certainly wouldn't be happy as that homeowner when my dogs start barking late at night after a car pulls up nearby with no explanation... I am thankful that the vast majority of caches are well placed, legal and happy, sadly it only takes one poor cache to give us a bad reputation.

What I tend to carry: GPS - obvious really notepad and pen - copying down co-ordinates and notes at home, and making notes along the way. The pen also comes in handy signing logbooks. Torch - handy for poking about dark holes looking for caches Tweezers - can be useful for extracting some nano logbooks Travelbugs and swag for the obvious reasons It is also worth mentioning appropriate clothing, personal and safety items that will very hugely depending on where and when you are going - so appropriate clothing for the conditions, sunscreen or bug spray if needed, and suitable 'safety' kit for your location - for urban caches you are going to be safe enough in everyday clothes, but if you are heading out further you will want to think more about footwear, proper waterproofs and layers to keep you comfortable, a map and compass to get you home if the GPS dies (and the knowledge to use them), food and drink to keep you going and so on... Typically I keep everything geocaching specific (ie the first list) in a wee bag, which can then be stuffed into a rucksack with any other day-to-day items I want to carry with me (jackets, etc...).

If a trackable is listed but not in the cache, it means it has probably either been moved without logging (and will hopefully turn up again in the future in a different cache when someone does log it), or that it has been muggled/stolen and is truly MIA. I would be tempted to leave a note in your log that there were no trackables found in the cache, and if you want a note on the trackables page to say that it seems to have moved on from the listed cache, but you don't know to where to let the owner know. Similarly it can be a nice idea to log trackables you find - either logged at 'picked up' if you decide to move them on, or as 'discovered' if you find them in a cache and leave them there - this means the owner gets a confirmation of where the travel bug is - knowledge that you have picked it up, reassurance that it is still in the cache it should be in, or knowledge that it has appeared in a new cache but is still safely out there (as opposed to just missing from the normal cache with no idea where it actually is). I guess it can seem a bit silly logging TB's as 'discovered where they are supposed to be' but is is a nice reassurance to the owner, and logs it on my page so I can see where the TB's I have found end up.

It is possible it just hasn't been logged properly yet. It is also possible that it just won't be logged - someone that moved it without realising about the logging part, or who forgot to record the code before dropping it, or one of many other problems/excuses. In that case (basically give the person who dropped it a few days to log it, then do it yourself) I would log it as 'discovered' in the relevant cache, which lets the owner know where it is.

As a non-owner, but enthusiastic cacher, I will try to appropriately answer what I can... 2. Do you expect Cachers to sign your log? If so, do you verify the “found it” logs? I sign every log it is physically possible to, which is my 'proof' I have visited a cache. I believe most don't cross check them regularly, unless an issue appears that warrants it - most will work on trust 3. Do you practice, replace taken sway with an item of greater value? Yes, in my eyes trading down is basically petty theft. 4. If one of your caches are particularly difficult to find, do you give clues to its location not publically visible on the cache page? Example: by email I have gotten help from some owners in the past when I have had particular problems or questions - it makes for a more fun experience overall (ie I can figure out where I went wrong, rather than abandoning the search) but is not necessary. 5. Do you clean out caches of the worthless, filthy, broken items, etc.? Is this an accepted practice and do you encourage it? Yes and no... One persons idea of worthless will vary from anothers, so I will tend to leave alone normally - I will only remove what is true rubbish 6. Have you ever removed a cache completely? No, I have found a few in horrible condition, which I have reported appropriately - I do not own the cache, so I do not feel it appropriate to remove it without the permission of the owner - minor maintenance is acceptable though. 7. What happens to the disabled/archived caches, can you replace them with one of your own and how do you go about doing this? Will it get approved? What is the timeline for replacement of a disabled/archived cache? When a cache is archived, it is effectively wiped off the map and the area clear for a new cache - the only timeline is when the reviewer (ie the person who checks and approves 'needs archived' logs) decides it appropriate to archive it. 8. Do you often practice the philosophy “Cache in Trash out”? I will admit to having done little in this regard - the vast, vast majority of caches have been in pretty clean areas that didn't need help, barring a few that have been so bad I wouldn't think of tackling it on my own. 9. Do you attend “Events” and if so, would you encourage others to do so? No - basically a combination of distance and time for me - it is too hard for me to get to the events I have known about to make it worthwhile, though they do seem an excellent idea, and fun for those who make it. 10. Do you really believe some of the “find” stats that are being professed? In the main, yes, some people have been geocaching for over a decade, ad even for relative newcomers there are ways to get high find counts quickly if you feel you want to (have a search for powertrails in particular). Either way if someone lies, it makes no difference to my game, so I am not bothered. 11. How do you find locations that do not exceed the guidelines? (saturation criteria) I haven't hidden anything, but the few I have planned I did a basic survey on the map to show any nearby caches and the rough distances. 12. When a TB is found, why are so many not logged? Is it because, it is a two-step process and there is not a link to the TB on the cache page that you are logging a “found it’? Would this be a good idea? Not realising what they are, forgetting, loss or theft. The reason it is the two step process is because you need the tracking code on the TB itself - used to prevent people logging it as moved when it hasn't. 13. On an average, do lost TBs ever show up? Some do, some don't. It has happened many times though - TB's sitting in the wrong cache for a year unfound and so on... 14. Do you photocopy your TBs and send these along? Is this an accepted practice? Photocopies are generally a replacement for a lost TB 15. Do you find some of the codes on the TBs difficult to decipher? (Especially the photocopies or 0O, 1I, 8B etc.) Small reflective letters can be tricky, but nothing one or two attempts won't figure out 16. Do you find the selection options (Found it, Grab it, Discovered it, etc.) unclear? Not now - I didn't realise the point of 'discover it' at first, but the more important ones were clear enough (find, drop). 17. Which company provided the best TBs? Is cost a factor or quality? The 'official' TB tags are generally the same, and the only ones I have used. 18. Do most often seek out new, and/ or TB caches exclusively? I find whatever looks interesting in the area I am in, I have never chosen a cache based on it having a TB inside. 19. Should placement of all future caches be placed by premium members only? I have noticed that some caches are placed by individuals who appear have not found one cache themselves. I believe there should be a minimum limit of finds before you hide, but it shouldn't be limited to PM only 20. Would placement of caches by premium members only, reduce the number of unmaintained or abandoned caches? If they are only available to PM as at the moment, it would essentially ruin the game for newcomers. If they are only hideable by PM, but findable by all, then you will certainly reduce orphaned caches, but potentially at the expensive of a huge number of good ones that will never be hidden. Hopefully that has been some help.

The problem we are complaining about is the fact that a lot of people find a cache, take a nice item of swag and leave junk in return - do you believe it is fair to take a nice clean, new McToy and leave it its place a dirty broken one? Multiply that by the people who take nice items and leave nothing, or leave behind items of trash or plain inappropriate items (whether unsuitable for kids, a draw for animals or so on) and you can surely realise why many people are ambivalent or disapproving of the swag part of the game. Certainly it can be a draw for some kids, but also imagine it from the side of the cache owner who put out a cache in good faith and finds it emptied of all worth shortly thereafter - he then gets the choice between spending the money to refill it, or leaving it as an empty cache or one ful of junk which I am sure most parents won't appreciate their kids finding (whether it is a nice life lesson on disappointment or not). Personally I take part in the swag side of things sometimes - I always leave dice in the caches I find, and occasionally trade for items that interest me - interesting foreign coins, keyrings or other items. It is not an integral part of the game to me, but a nice aside when the cache isn't already full of water...

The idea of carrying a few spare logs to help out is a nice idea. Placing caches as 'community maintenance' seems like a horribly ill thought out concept. Certainly on first thought it seems good - if you can't find the cache, or it needs a new logbook, then drop a new one and keep the cache active. In reality I can only see it being a bad idea though, the concept basically removes the responsibility of the owner to keep a cache good (which is against the guidelines) and while replacing the logbook is a good idea, replacing the cache itself I can only see resulting in multiple caches appearing at the location when someone can't find the original (their fault, not a missing cache) and then leaves a new one, which then means there are now two caches that could be found, which can then be multiplied by as many people that can't find the real one, look in the slightly wrong place or whatever other excuse they have for DNF'ing. It also means caches are kept active long, which is both good and bad - in low density areas it means more 'sport' for finders, but in many areas now we seem to be reaching saturation point, where we are hoping all the poor and ill maintained caches will drop off and be archived, clearing space for a new cache for a (hopefully) more caring owner. This way keeps poor caches active longer leaving us with lots of what I will guess will be uninteresting find cluttering up the space. It also sounds to me like a recipe for lack of care by the owner - if they don't have to maintain it and replace it over time, what care do they have for putting out a nice container, hiding it well or giving us a nice location?

Caches may already exist in places they shouldn't, which can happen through the rules changing to allow/ban certain things, different reviewers interpretations of the rules or even just a reviewer making a mistake in what should or shouldn't have been allowed. The general rule is that caches in kid specific areas are a bad idea - school grounds, playparks and so on. It certainly doesn't give the sport a good name having people skulking about a school for unknown reasons... There is also the fact that school grounds are private, so a cache shouldn't be there unless it is placed with the express permission of the relevant people. Some caches do exist in otherwise prohibited locations, such as ones placed by a school as a project, but they are going to be pretty rare.

Ah, I must have forgotten to make it clear. This is *my* bug, namely one I want to start its journeys in a foreign place (where I have just been, and had forgotten to take the bug to personally). The question really was just whether it can be placed via a note, rather than a find log, which has been answered. I do understand the methodology behind moving bugs you find - ie that they should be moved in person, by geocachers themselves, and I wouldn't consider doing something similar to another persons bug. The only reason I want to do it this way is to start a new bug out somewhere interesting, which I would have done while there personally had I been more organised.

A post I half expected... The plan is to mail out the TB to a friend in another country, and for them to place it in a cache. The cache would be one I visited with them together recently, and one they actually found in the first place before I could get to it. I wouldn't even consider doing it this way unless I fully trusted them to responsibly complete the 'task', which I have no question about. I do understand the risks in getting someone less trustworthy to do something similar, and wouldn't do it if I felt it would risk a cache or the game in any way. I should say that while they probably won't be bothering geocaching much on their own, they still do appreciate the idea behind it, just it isn't their 'thing' for whatever reason. And just to make a point of it - I completely trust that the people I ask will act responsibly and as good geocachers, otherwise I wouldn't even consider asking them.

You already have the easiest solution - buy a set of TB tags, which will all come with a unique code, and use that for your trackable. If it is for a personal piece (ie a personal tracker) then you can just register your item using the code and you are good to go. If it is for a piece you want to release into the wild, then you will want to either attach the tags or transfer the tracking code across, but I would probably advise against putting something too valuable like jewellery out as a trackable as there is the potential for loss or theft. Tracking codes are normally sold in lots by Groundspeak, which come with a fairly hefty minimum order - there are companies who have bought a lot of codes and sell them individually, but to be honest it is probably easier buying a set of TB tags which are more readily available and give you the tags themselves as a reminder of the code.

As with many things in Geocaching, it is entirely possible, but it all really comes down to a personal choice of whether you think it is considered acceptable or not... The general consensus is no on the question - you hid the cache, so you are never really finding it as such, in the way that someone else will have to figure out the hiding place from the clues and information given. The rules allow you which gives leeway for groups that share accounts and similar situations.

What you have seen is what happens when people 'trade down' with a cache - they want to take a nicer item from the cache, and either don't have anything suitable to leave, or just don't care so leave poor quality items (or just plain rubbish) in return. What you do I guess depends on what effort you want to put back into the hobby - at the very minimum you should be keeping to the rule of 'trade even or trade up' - that is if you take something from a cache, leave something of equal or better value in return. A nice thing you can do for the community is to help keep caches appropriate by removing the truly worthless or inappropriate junk - rubbish, food items, anything specifically banned or not appropriate for children - to make the cache nicer for the next person to find it. It is worth noting that people do find worth in different things - the coins you see as junk may be interesting to someone... As for what to leave behind, it is up to you. I tend to leave interesting dice (4, 8, and 12 sided ones mainly) in all the caches I find, and many people make signature items like wooden nickels or small crafts, so feel free to leave whatever interests you and you think others would find interesting - or nothing at all if you don't want to take part in the trading swag part of the game.

I see two sides to the no burying' rule: A lot of caches are placed on public land, owned by councils or local governments where caches are tolerated, but not always expressly allowed (how many people have asked permission to place a magnetic on teh back of a parking meter or to place an LPC?). So far these caches are non-destructive, so tolerated by councils and so on. If people were allowed to dig to place a cache though, that then opens up problems with the landowners who won't want to have to deal with holes being dug, land being damaged and all the associate problems, who will then ban caches which we don't want. Certainly an owner placing a cache on private land is allowed to legally do what he wishes, but if he is allowed to place such a cache, there is a precedent for the next cacher who wants to place a cache and hasn't got the full permission. From the other side of it we also don't want geocachers knowing caches may be buried, and therefore turning the areas around hides into bombsites digging multiple holes in the search and leaving a horrible mess that will only compound the problems above. Pre-existing holes and buried structures are of course fair game - caves, bridges, man made tunnels and so on. They were not dug by the hider, and don't require any digging to find. As for the cache planned in the OP, if it is your land, and you want to essentially place a structure to hide a cache in, then that is presumably your prerogative - to place a PVC pipe on your land is allowable, and once the pipe is placed it then would come under the rules cover pre-existing holes - the cache is not buried, it is just placed in something else that was already buried. I would perhaps try to keep the above problems in mind though, and try to disguise the hide so that it is not obviously 'a pipe buried to hide a cache in' but more 'a pipe that was formerly doing something else useful, but now holds a cache'. Either way the final word comes from your local reviewer, who has the authority from Groundspeak to lay down their laws - if they feel it is within the rules you get your cache, if they think you are obviously bending the rules then they have the right to deny it.

Hopefully a pretty quick and simple question, but one I thought I should double check before going ahead with the plan... I recently got the chance to travel abroad, and had the intention of dropping a travel bug while away to start its journey somewhere a bit more exotic than my local area. Naturally I forgot to get everything prepared in time, so that while I did get to go geocaching a few times, I didn't actually have the TB with me to place... Most of the times I went geocaching, I ended up doing it with a few local non-geocachers who liked the concept, and understood the rules I explained (re-hiding caches, subtlety, etc...) but didn't sound like they were going to bother continuing the hobby after I left. Having been out with me and found a few caches, going back to revisit them should be a pretty simple task for them, so I was thinking about sending them out a TB for them to place on my behalf in one of the caches we visited. I was really waning to double check that it will be possible to log the TB as dropped without logging the cache as visited - I figure that logging a note rather than a find will allow me to log the TB dropped, without having me virtually jump back and forth between countries in my stats here on the site. I should also make a point of saying that I would only ask people to do this that I trust to take the game seriously on my behalf (even if they don't otherwise take part) and who will follow any instructions I give them with regards to making sure the cache is re-hidden as found and so on (as they have done when joining me), so they won't be generic muggles dumping a cache on the path after finding it by accident, or newbies leaving it poorly replaced or not closed properly and suchlike...

A few thoughts ( I guess more for clarification for any future hiders rather than yourself). If there is private land nearby that makes for an obvious route to the cache, then make it obvious on the cache page that it is private property and shouldn't be crossed. Make it obvious that there is a planned route to the cache, how long it is going to be and that it should be followed. Posting relevant waypoints like parking should also make it easier to show where you should be going. If a cache is inside a tunnel, remember that a few meters of solid dirt above you won't make for good GPS signal, so give a clear description of where the cache will be from a relevant point - probably either a waypoint at the tunnel entrance, or by placing the GZ there with a note that it will be a short trek further to the exact location. One thought on the posters cache here - if the tunnel you have used is currently abandoned, but it earmarked for a future trail, remember that you will have to 'control' your cache appropriately if/when work goes ahead - ideally by disabling it and collecting the cache before workers move in to be replaced after, and accepting the risk that if workers move in to clear the area without your knowledge, your cache is likely to disappear when work starts and the hiding area gets cleared, and need replaced with a new one when work is done.

I try and write a log appropriate to how interesting I found the cache... A boring and uninterestingly placed nano doesn't really deserve much effort and thought put into a log (the same lack of effort put in placing it), while a cache that took me to an interesting place, was an interesting hide, or was notable for any other reason gets a more interesting log as befits my more interesting experience finding it, whether a nano placed somewhere interesting with a cool history behind it, or a larger cache that took me on a fun trip to get to GZ or whatever other reason that it was made memorable for me.

A couple of options based on your personal preferences and how urgent you feel it that the log is replaced: Log a 'needs maintenance' so that the owner know the log is full, and will hopefully replace it when possible. The response time may vary dependent on the owners personal life (and how diligent they are) so you may have to wait a wee while for a new log. Swap the log out yourself, so the cache has a fresh empty log ready for the next finder, take the full log home with you, and send the owner a message explaining what you have done (and why) and giving them the option to contact you if they want it back.

I would definitely like to see a separate size for nano's, or at least a slight edit to what counts as micro and small... Based on the rules, sizes should be listed as: micro: e.g. 35mm film canister or smaller small: Holds only a small logbook and small items. regular: e.g. ammo box large: e.g. 5-gallon bucket (about 20 liters) other: See the cache description. The problem is that nano's are regularly listed under either micro or other, so you can never be completely sure whether a micro will be a logbook-only style nano, or something slightly larger with the possibility of small trades. I would probably look to reorganising the labels slightly to make it a little clearer along the lines of: micro: a logbook only cache of small size - magnetic nano's, pill bottles and similar with no space for swag. small: a small container, eg 35mm film canister or small sized plastic containers suitable for small trades only. regular: eg, ammo box or lunchbox sized container. large: e.g. 5-gallon bucket (about 20 liters) other: See the cache description. That would make it slightly clearer and more foolproof, giving a clearer idea of whether to expect trades and make sure you know what you are looking for. For those who want to make it a mystery on purpose, a suitable difficulty rating and the 'other' option is still available.

If it is the correct cache as you say, then there are two things of note to mention: The lack of log book is odd for a geocache, so I would say it is probably worth making a 'needs maintenance' log on the cache page to bring it to the attention of the owner. I guess it is possible it has gotten lost or damaged/removed, so who knows quite where it has gotten to... As for the money, what currencies and value are we looking at? It is common enough to find small change in caches, and often in foreign currencies, but at the same time I wouldn't really expect to find much of value left behind. I guess any coins are typically going to be fine, notes I would wander exactly who left them and why. Remember that if there is swag in a cache, you are free to trade for it, remembering to make sure and trade up - so leave something behind worth the same (or more) than what you have taken for the next geocacher to find.

I would definitely stick at it and give it a couple more tries and see how you get on - I think it is quite possible that there will have been something obvious you have looked over or missed that you will be kicking yourself about after spotting it... Some advance planning might also help a bit too - pick caches with relatively easy ratings and a larger size that should be simpler to find, read the cache page and recent logs to learn as much as you can about the area and the cache and check out the satellite views to give you an idea where it may be. Also it is well worth remembering the limitations of GPS systems - they are only accurate to a certain distance (which counts both for your unit finding the co-ordinates, and the hiders unit figuring them out in the first place), so when you get close to the cache, ignore the GPS and start looking. Things like odd trails in the undergrowth can often lead the way where many geocachers have been before, and start thinking about where would be a good place to hide a geocache if you were to place one - under big rocks, in wee nooks and crannies and similar, and also look for anything that might give away a location - as mentioned a pile of sticks or rocks that could be covering something about cache sized can be a good place to start, or anything else un-natural. It is also worth saying that once you have a few finds under your belt, you will get the hang of it better - having a better idea of where people will hide things and telltale signs to look for. One other thing to think about would be seeing if there is anyone who could take you out geocaching and show you the ropes - anyone you know who geocachers, or perhaps some of the more experienced locals (check out the regional forums here, or google for any local geocachign websites).

The basic idea behind a trackable is just as you thought - an item that can be left in a cache for someone else to find, who will then take it on to another cache and leave it there for another cacher to find who will pick it up and continue its journeys. Trackables can be logged as 'visiting' a cache though, to record that they have been there in the possession of a geocacher, but not left behind. For example if someone picks up a trackable, takes it to the next cache and finds out that it is too small to leave the trackable there, they can show that the trackable did visit the location, but wasn't dropped off (so just continuing the idea of showing where the item has travelled to), similarly if a trackable has a certain mission that you know you will be able to help with in the near future, you can use 'visiting' as a way to keep the trackable for a temporary period, logging where it has been until you can reach the cache you want to leave it in. Quite a lot of people (myself included) also keep a personal trackable - I have a mascot that comes geocaching with me, so stays in my possession and 'visits' caches with me - this keeps a form of travel log I can view on that trackables page showing the map of where he has travelled (and in which order) and the distance covered overall - perhaps not an essential thing to do geocaching, but an interesting aside.

No river appearing on the GPS unit is just down to the maps used on your particular model - different GPS units use different forms of maps, from ones that give you nothing more than 'the cache is x distance away in this direction' and let you work it out, some which have basic road maps, more detailed maps including trails outwith the road network, and fancier units with topographic maps. I guess you need to chalk the missing river down to experience, and plan your routes a bit better in advance (using standalone maps or satellite views for example) As for the co-ordinates putting you *in* the river, you are basically just running into the limitations of the systems involved here. GPS systems vary in accuracy depending on how well they can 'see' the satellites they position find from, so being in areas with tree cover will throw them off, as can tall buildings nearby and certain weather conditions. The GPS may say '10m straight ahead (in the river)', but if it is only getting a 15m accuracy at that point, it could believe itself at a point anywhere within a 15m circle of where you were standing. Similarly it is worth remembering that the owner of the cache is also basing co-ordinates off a similar system, so there could be some offset in the co-ordinate their unit read. A good hider will average multiple readings to try and get the most accurate and check with satellite views and the known position, but there can still be some variation depending on their vigilance. A good idea would be to plan your next attempt a bit better in advance - check the cache page to get as much information in advance as possible - check out the satellite view to give you an idea of the position, read all the information given to see what clues it may give, and check the recent logs to give you an idea if there are any common problems cachers are finding. I (as well as many other people) have gone caching without a GPS unit at all, so it is more than possible with proper planning in advance, the GPS unit is just another tool to get to the correct place, not the only one.

SAFER ?? ........if the TB owner wanted it to be SAFE, he would have kept it at home. and using someone's TB to LURE cachers to a remote/difficult cache is just WRONG. if someone wants to lure someone to a cache let them pull a $5 bill out of their own pocket and put it in the cache. OK, wait until a cacher drops your TB in to the often found cache, that all the local youngsters know about -they've seen many people going to it- and often help themselves to items out of the box. A less often visited cache is the safer option. But. As I said, cachers should really think twice before dropping TB's into the rarely visited caches. And. Ignore "yucww210" all he/she has ever posted is a copy of someone else's comment, or "Well done" "Excellent" and is probably a troll, or worse... As mentioned it is a gamble... You place a TB into a regularly visited cache and it stands the chance of being muggled or found by newbies and lost, but you also have a high chance of it being moved on pretty quickly. You place a TB into a tricky or remote cache and it is going to be pretty safe from unwanted attention, but is going to take a lot, lot longer before it moves anywhere... What you want is to find a happy medium that suits you where you can balance the risk of having it captured versus travelling. Then again, once it is out in the wild it is at the mercy of whoever finds it, so you can only hope they put some thought into it too...