shadowmib

OK this thread was TLDR for me, but if I need a hint THAT BAD for a puzzle cache, I would either write the CO, or just skip it. Puzzle caches are difficult for a reason, for those who want the challenge.. if you dont want a challenge, do get all the LPCs out there.

You might have set up several notifications and clicked "new caches" on them all?

A lock-n-lock is a type of container that is typically quite water resistant. They come in various sizes and have tabs on each of the four sides that allow the lid to "lock" over them. The true lock-n-lock container is quite good but there are numerous copycats that may not be as reliable. This is aproximately what you are looking for, though it might be more or less camouflaged than this one. Aside from making good, watertight caches, I highly recommend them for their original purpose: food storage in the kitchen. We have a set at home and they are great.

If it's in your yard, why not get some wood and build something to put the bucket in. You could make something like this and put a door on it that you could open and get to the cache.

Camouflage BDUs 1 each color Helmet/Hat matching BDU pattern 1 each color Jungle/combat boots 1 pair LBE with Ammunition pouches Ammunition 2000 rounds Hydration system or Canteen, w/cover Pistol belt Holster for sidearm Rucksack, ALICE type M4 assault rifle M9 pistol Ballistic goggles, ANSI Z87.1989 Gloves, tactical 1 pair Kneepads, tactical 1 pair Mirror, signaling Compass, lensatic Insect repellant 1 bottle/can Snap link 2 each Knife with scabbard Pouch, first aid Nylon rope, 12 feet Poncho, lightweight Global Positioning Satellite Receiver 550 cord, 1 roll Flashlight with colored lenses That's my equipment when I'm playing airsoft... Ignore the stuff in green and thats my Geocaching gear.

I think in the case of a geo-team hunting some 5/5 cache, say for example at the top of a cliff. If you have three people hike out there, maybe an experienced rock climber, a scuba expert, and a guy in a wheel chair. If the climber and the scuba diver assisted the wheelchair bound cacher over the terrain to get to a location where he could at least phsycially see the cache, then the climber went up the cliff, lowered the cache down on a length of 550 cord for the diver and the chair rider to sign the log, then hoisted it back up, signed it and put it back in place, I think that should count as a find for all.. Now if the climber pulled the cache, took it back into town, had all his friends come over and sign the log, then went and put it back up there, I would call foul on that. I think reasonable effort must be made on the part of anyone in the group, and at least one person doing the full effort to retrieve the cache. If in my above example, they all drove to the parking lot, looked up at the cliff with binoculars and said "yes i see it up there" and then came back home and all logged FOUND on the computer, that also stinks.

I don't have any caches of my own, but don't cache owners get emails anytime someone makes a log or note on the cache? I know I get emails everyone someone logs a cache im watching. If I was that concerned I would just run out there after every DNF and make sure it was there.. But knowing my own track record with not seeing caches that are in front of my face, i would probably wait until at leasst two DNFs in a row before having a look.

I've seen a few and they all seem to be much different. Some math ones where you have to find some obscure number, or calculate intersecting bearings from given waypoints. Others where you had to literally print out a puzzle and re arrange it to find the coords. Some are literary puzzles that you might have to research to find answers. Others are cyphers and codes you need to figure you.. I would say go with what you are good at.. If you are a math nerd, come up with some complicated math puzzle to get the coords. I recently solved one where the coords were listed correct, but the cache is locked and you have to find a number from the puzzle to get the combination for the lock. If you like science, maybe tell a story that includes the names of elements, and the atomic number of the element is part of the needed coords for the cache. In summary, I think any "good" puzzle cache is one that is a bit difficult, but not impossible for someone to figure out. Something too easy and you might as well just put a traditional cache out thats a little hard to find and put in an obscure hint. Use too hard of a puzzle and no one will solve it, and your cache will not see any visitors.

Also a clue from the logs is that the hint apparently isn't meant to be taken literally, or at least not the obvious definition. For example, if the hint said "Bills" it might refer to a micro stuck under a mailbox (bills in the mail), the cache might be inside a duck decoy floating in the pond (duck bills), or it might be near a large achor monument (bill referring to the point of the anchor fluke). I've just started too and i have about as many DNF's as I have finds, so don't give up. You can't be as bad at this as me.

Well, there could be many reasons for not finding a cache. If it is there, it might not be right where the GPS says it is. I checked the cache page for the mcdonalds one you mentioned and there is one DNF followed by a Needs maintenence log stating they think its been muggled (stolen) so it might not even be there.. If it IS there, I would check around the enclosure the dumpsters are in.. Remember this is a MICRO cache so it could be tiny.. Maybe as small as a marble. Depending on the material of the walls around the dumpsters, it could be stuck in a hole in the bricks, hanging from a string in nearby shrubs, or even cliped right to a chainlink fence. I had a silver micro bison tube chained in plain sight at eye level on the pole of a chainline fence the other day and took me two trips and a hint from a previous finder before i located it. In my case I was looking TOO hard.. I actually leaned against the hiding place trying to look down some tiny crack between two fences for some cleverly camouflaged container, when the real one was bright silver and right in front of my face. Honestly though.. If someone put a cache next to the mcdonalds dumpster, I wouldn't be wearing myself out looking for it. If i didn't find it in three minutes I'd probably just log it DNF then put the whole cache on ignore, since I am really not interested in sightseeing around fast food trash cans. Spend your effort in places where its scenic, and smells better. Usually, people who put micros at fast food places and chain stores stick them under a lamp post skirt. Then at least they are quick to find. Those kind of places, I would rather not spend much time at, if any.

OK thanks for the responses. I don't think I am going to bother chasing FTFs just because it looks like it is opposed to my concept of geocaching which is to chill out and have a fun time. I don't want to feel like I am racing against others for some nebulous honor that in the end, has no real meaning. It's not like having 1000 FTFs would be anything I would put on my resume for a job.

So... another lamp post cache i guess.

Inappropriate geocaching? My answer would be placing or hunting a cache while engaging or forcing another to engage in illegal, immoral. or dangerous activity or situations.

Get an outfit like these.. You will pretty much get ignored everywhere.

If i see a cache page with a obvious typo on it. Like "TARVEL bug" or "its in a BUKCET" i might just shoot the CO a email with "typo in your cache page FYI" and if they fix it, fine, if not then i dont care. They might write back with "thanks" or "spelling was intentional" or not respond at all. No biggie. Now for example it was a native french speaker using google translate to make an english cache page, i can see how it could be botched up. Google translate is enought o get the rough idea of something but look at this.. Original text: The above text translated to another language and back to English with an online translator. Close but no cigar.

Yeah I actually did a DNF my first run ( I was there first thing in the morning but my eyes just wouldnt see it) so when someone posted a find 2 hours after my visit, i emailed him for an extra hint and went back and realized i was looking TOO hard, as it was a micro in plain sight at eye level. The other guy is the true FTF im my opinion as he is the first one to sign post publication. It's for him that I was really prompted to write this, as I kind of feel it was sort of a raw deal for him. He was a bit puzzled about the pre publication FTF claim that was on the log when he found it also. Yeah I have no problem with a cachers friend going out as a "beta test" while its placed and pending publication, but I think that shouldnt count as a real FTF because you have no competition and can just phone your friend if you cant find it.

A cache was posted near my house a few days ago. I went looking for it, but DNF. A few hours later one of the other local cachers found it. Though he found it the day it was published, someone had signed the log and claimed FTF two whole days before the publication date but not posted on the website. Today, they finally posted their find, and backdated it to the date they wrote on the log. To me this sounds a bit fishy. Sounds like the cache owner called a friend and told them where the cache was right when they placed it before it was published. While to me it doesn't make that big of a difference, since I am not chasing numbers, I still think that is a bit unfair for those that ARE chasing FTFs. What's the general opinion on this situation? To me it just sounds kind of crooked. Might as well just stop by and have all your friends sign the log and claim the cache before you even put it in place. Maybe I am missing something here?

next time try asking "hey man, got any toilet paper?"

and as others will point out.. the person who hid the cache might also be 4m off too.. so when you get to ground zero according to your device, check up to 8m away.

I give you 100 internets for that one. I would have twice as many finds as i have now, because I don't want to dig in the bushes at the burger kind in front of the drive up window, or get the LPC out of the middle of the parking lot at the chinese market with the securty guard sitting there staring at me.

Lots of competition for those FTFs eh?

Do you mean "What ARE the community's thoughts...." or "What is the community's thought..."?

1998 Green Ford Ranger Pickup Truck 2004 Yahama Virago 250

What would I be doing without GEOCACHING??

I agree with the first two but the third will fit in a fifty cal can and as such is a regular. But that aside I am suddenly hungry. I should have included a two liter coke with the sammich.