4wheelin_fool

You have GOT to be kidding this time. Come on... you're pulling my leg, aren't you? Say that you are. You have to be. But the OP emailed him first for a hint! So how does that work?

It seems that there were plenty of details that the original poster left out, and it also appears that imaginations of berating and harassment were false. Thank you for the update!

The cache owner can feel however he/she wants, but writing to berate you for your log is totally out of line. Berate or educate? Attempting a friendly dialog with a TFTC author is not necessarily meant to be taken negatively, although it's likely futile. If he is to receive trite, meaningless, banal, and vapid notifications on their hides from lazy loggers, then it's not out of line to send some feedback to them. No. Cache owners need to get over the notion that their caches are special and deserving of detailed logs from every finder. Emailing someone to complain about this is intrusive and ridiculous. Want better logs? Hide better caches. No. Cache finders need to get over the notion that dropping TFTC turds all over the place entitles them to be above reproach. If someone believes an educational email with helpful feedback is intrusive, they need to crawl back under their rock.

The cache owner can feel however he/she wants, but writing to berate you for your log is totally out of line. Berate or educate? Attempting a friendly dialog with a TFTC author is not necessarily meant to be taken negatively, although it's likely futile. If he is to receive trite, meaningless, banal, and vapid notifications on their hides from lazy loggers, then it's not out of line to send some feedback to them.

Yeah, but if someone is routinely violating basic geocaching etiquette, then there's a chance they're doing it out of ignorance, rather than malice. If they're doing it out of ignorance, then letting them know how their actions are perceived by others might actually help them. Exactly.

Good! It seems to be popular nowadays to get numbers, icons, D/T combos, and whatnot by doing the bare minimum.

http://www.geocaching.com/blog/2014/02/5-geocaching-etiquette-tips/ So if someone sent that, you'd change all of your logs to "SL" or "." ? That'll show them! Yeah, I have to say, I'm kind of shocked by some of the early advice the OP got, and not only that, I'm rather shocked at some of the user accounts said advice was coming from. I dunno man, would it have made a difference that I saw that the OP was once a "that's one more find for me" intro app logger? That they dropped a "nice hide" log on an excellent cache with 11 favorite points? That the 20 caches in question were PMO, and maybe the cache owner did that to cut down on intro app and Tftc loggers? Plenty of people around here have said they make their caches PMO to keep intro app users away, and plenty of people rail against lame logging around here. Was it the fact an email was sent that makes it apparently so offensive to some people? People tend to imagine emotions in text that simply aren't there, which seems common in here also. This is one reasons emoticons are often used. Reading the same letter 3 different ways could have 3 different conclusions by 3 different people. We don't see the text of the email, but yet are given enough information to figure out who it is. If the text was posted, but without identifying info, there would certainly be more varied responses. Of course some people are offended by any email that doesn't praise them. Then again, it's Monday and most are at supposed to be working instead of posting in here. Writing TFTC - poor behavior. Sending an email - highly offensive

http://www.geocaching.com/blog/2014/02/5-geocaching-etiquette-tips/ So if someone sent that, you'd change all of your logs to "SL" or "." ? That'll show them!

I don't think anyone can judge the contents of an email that was never posted. Perhaps the OP defensively overreacted to it, but some people get annoyed at any type of email or communication from someone else, and it doesn't matter how it's written. Usually there are plenty of people in here complaining about those TFTC logs but it's funny how a little communication could be perceived the wrong way. Personally I wouldn't bother to communicate anything to someone who posts "TFTC", as there is always the possibility that they have lousy reading comprehension or are illiterate. You just can't tell anything from those logs, especially if they are on a simple P&G.

There's also a cache with an ammo can near the Comedy Barn. Yes, that's the one. GC3C6MM, Smoky Mountain Travel Bug Lodge and Resort A big .50 cal can with a huge chain. That's a different cache but I think that the one at the Comedy Barn mentions it in the listing. I assume that the OP considers the rubber snake to be a "practical joke" which is why the cache at the Comedy Barn might be appropriate. Some might still consider it inappropriate to intentionally scare a potential finder but at least it would fit the theme of that cache. Whoops! The ammo can at the Big Red Barn of Laughs down the street was what I was thinking of. I know some people will destroy a cache with a sound shocking device, but getting annoyed at a rubber snake is excessive.

There's also a cache with an ammo can near the Comedy Barn. Yes, that's the one. GC3C6MM, Smoky Mountain Travel Bug Lodge and Resort A big .50 cal can with a huge chain. The second time I found that, there was an ammo can chained up, along with an ammo can lid chained up. Don't think it's safe for TBs.

And it's taken 6 months before someone finally posted a post a "Needs Maintenance" log! Experienced cachers, with thousands of logged finds each, just post their "found it" logs and move on. The same goes for the CO's other caches. Bad coords, finders not posting "NM" logs. http://coord.info/GC5AK1J http://coord.info/GC5AK10 B. All were disabled this morning, and don't know how the reviewer found out. I think the finders were just trying to give the CO a chance to fix them himself before slapping the NMs on, although a month is plenty of time.

A waiting period is not a bad idea. Kids should wait until they are 16 to hide something, and others could wait for someone else to be FTF.

Yes, of course they have. Emergency personnel have also explained to geocachers that there is no way that geocachers can insure that it is not a bomb. How do they know that that the container is in fact a geocache? How do they know that a bomb wasn't placed nearby? The entire hiding from "muggles", acting suspicious and a little antisocial gets old after a while, especially if the container is tube shaped, bright yellow, and obvious to passerby.

By using the position of TBs placed in the new hides? That's clever, although against the intentions of most COs.

That would mean something to me if I didn't see up to a dozen of those stickers placed on single lamp posts. Notice that a lot. One library near me had ten or more (couldn't tell if "more" were the same game, as some were faded/peeling off) scattered in their small parking lot. I doubt that they would all be on a single lamppost, as there is a proximity limit of 50' I believe. If there are a few in one spot, they likely are replacements, or links to other websites. Being that the site is only 3 years old, and this one is nearly 15, the popularity is evident. The purpose most micros serve is only to bring someone to a spot. Most CO do not audit the log sheet, and most don't read it. There is no reason why many of these could exist separately, or coexist together on the same site. If not QR codes, then simple barcodes would work.

How do you envision these QR codes will be used? As a separate cache type, or as a supplement to existing cache types? Some people are opposed to QR codes because they require you have a device to scan it, and that device is usually a smart phone. Others are opposed to QR codes in the same way they're opposed to Facebook - because it is fashionable to hate something ubiquitous. It should be a completely separate game, but yet have the stats shown on the profile page, similar to benchmarks. In the early days this was billed as a "high tech treasure hunt", and there were more than a few threads by people complaining that GPS usage and internet access made it too exclusive and unfair to many. I don't know about the "high tech" part anymore, but a separate QR code app, which would allow users to see others on the map and send messages sure would be popular, as well as bringing high tech back into it. There are already free apps which do that, such as Waze. Wet logs on micros are antiquated versus QR codes. Can't couch potato log them as the app knows your location. If there is just a tiny container with no storage, then a QR code is all that is needed to bring someone there. With new hides being off by 25% compared to last year, they probably should pay more attention to constructive criticism to avoid layoffs. I don't think the M game is doing so well. In my area there was a big spurt for a couple of years, then nothing. It's a small game that a handful of people still play occasionally. If GC goes that route it may be a quick slide into oblivion. I bet lots of people would jump on the QR bandwagon - way easier to hide, way easier to scan and go. They could push out most swag size caches. QR code cache owners would have even less reason to maintain their caches. Having played the QR game I have seen many many unreadable QR codes (wet, faded, torn, worn), most become litter. Most get automatically archived because of lack of response from the owner. As of right now there are 2,557,321 geocaches active. As of 10/28/14 there were 2,256,357 active QR codes.

From the profile photo it does look like a child (about 10/11 years old) hid the cache. There needs to be a check box on the submission form that reads 'I am 18 years old or older'. Glad to see someone finally post an NM. In a week someone should post an NA. I didn't take a close look at the photo as I pulled it up on my phone, and it appears that in many of these cases that age is a bigger factor than find count. That darn Dave Ulmer partially buried a leaky bucket on private property without permission, and with food in it. This will happen..

http://coord.info/GC5AK1D Coords have been off by 450 feet for over six months, and the owner last logged in a week after he hid it. Don't think it's in a watertight container and that there are any plans on maintaining it. There really isn't any way to prevent this. They joined a year before, and it often happens with hundreds of finds. Plenty of people do this part time and that will never change.

How do you envision these QR codes will be used? As a separate cache type, or as a supplement to existing cache types? Some people are opposed to QR codes because they require you have a device to scan it, and that device is usually a smart phone. Others are opposed to QR codes in the same way they're opposed to Facebook - because it is fashionable to hate something ubiquitous. It should be a completely separate game, but yet have the stats shown on the profile page, similar to benchmarks. In the early days this was billed as a "high tech treasure hunt", and there were more than a few threads by people complaining that GPS usage and internet access made it too exclusive and unfair to many. I don't know about the "high tech" part anymore, but a separate QR code app, which would allow users to see others on the map and send messages sure would be popular, as well as bringing high tech back into it. There are already free apps which do that, such as Waze. Wet logs on micros are antiquated versus QR codes. Can't couch potato log them as the app knows your location. If there is just a tiny container with no storage, then a QR code is all that is needed to bring someone there. With new hides being off by 25% compared to last year, they probably should pay more attention to constructive criticism to avoid layoffs.

The logs don't seem that bad, as I've seen much worse with profanities. There isn't any malice, and some are fine. Just ignore it. That's what she said.

What the OP could do is to arrange for a relative to hide several caches with the FTF spot already filled out with a username of someone nonexistent to see how the FTF hound reacts. Pre sign yourself as second to find, and don't claim anything, to avoid any thoughts of impropriety. Do this several times and act as if you just missed the FTF.

For the record, anyone can see who favorited a cache - simply click the Favorites box on a cache page and then select "View Who Favorited This Cache". You will be taken to a page like this. I thought that was owners only... you know, maybe I never actually tried on a not-my-cache... I'm sure I did. huh. Is it a PMO feature? Or is it literally everyone? Everyone. Also all of the favorites you gave out is also viewable to everyone under your "lists" tab.

They already have this, they are called "Lab caches", which are temporary, non geocaches at mega events. If they allowed QR codes to be listed here and not to interfere with the game, I think that would be useful. A separate tally viewable on the profile would be popular.

Ive sent emails to past expert geocachers Creekfalls90, Team Lagonda, and Coldgears to provide expert opinions and to iron this out. Hopefully we will hear something soon.