forthferalz

nice coin! randomfact : you can ski some lovely terrain in Whistler and the next winter olympics are going to be there ( or is that 2 facts? - another fact: we have lovely memories of Canada) TFTCointest

OMG the weekly newsletter has a "trackables 101" It's the little things - starting with saying the stuff you find in a cache are trackable at geocaching.com OR Groundspeak.com (like they are two separate types of tracking.) and leaving out something like " Note: NOT ALL GEOCOINS OR OTHER TRACKABLE ITEMS ARE TRACKED AT GEOCACHING.COM " the early canadian and state coins are all tracked elsewhere - these all belong to geocaching associations which deserve the support of GC - come on guys! Yes there's that TBXXX reference which IS confusing as the coin/TB webpage has a TBXXXX number on it which can be used just not to move a coin/tb - please just leave the field blank --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- best way to know what a newb wants is to walk a mile in his shoes . So stepping through it - I'm a newb , I read "getting started" http://www.geocaching.com/about/ - nothing at all about trackables. NB swaps only mentioned in the ( way cool ) video so no wonder your ammo cans get emptied eh? and set off to find my first cache, good hint, snagged it, I read the logbook and the stash note - "The only rules are: if you take something from the cache, you must leave something for the cache, and you must write about your visit in the logbook. " NB If a muggle finds it he reads "If you wish, go ahead and take something." But please also leave something of your own for others to find, and write it in the logbook. If possible, let us know that you found it, by visiting the web site listed below. again nothing in there specific to trackables or even mandatorily logging your find online but having watched the video exemplar I swap my engagement ring for a cute little geocoin fairy ( untrackable ) and my wedding ring for the moun10bike v.1 geocoin (which is a fair swap eh?) ok I get home, I'm beat it was a 5/5 - i head off for a soak and monday it's work - I am a xmas elf and we are kind a busy right now so I do not log my find till January 2010 ...... unfortunately I don't read the geocoin forums where 3^20 people are stressing over the stolen moun10bike coin that was not in the cache. Finally i visit the cache listing where according to the weekly newsletter I can log the coins. I see 3^20 people are stressing over the stolen moun10bike coin that was not in the cache. First i log my find - that's easy - top right of navigation menu. It asks me if i have dropped off any travel bugs - well no I picked up ...... so at this stage I can either spot the trackable items menu on the left or return to the cache listing. Let's go back to the cache page as per the newsletter ....... at this stage I can either spot the trackable items menu on the left or the Travel Bugs on the right. If i don'twork out which icon /name is my coin I might I go here http://www.geocaching.com/track/faq.aspx (not the trackables page so geocoins are not mentioned ) Say I do work it out and I get to the moun10bike coin's webpage NB once I successfully get to the coin's own webpage it will be referred to as a "travel bug". and see very prominently "Use TB2KGHX to reference this item." which returns * No Match - The number you entered is the public reference number for this trackable item. Please enter the private tracking number located on the trackable itself in order to post a log. So now i'm a slightly confused little elf - no match? what the heck? it just said use that code to reference the item! I decide to look on the coin as instructed anyway and use the correct code and all is sweet to the pick up stage - "This coin may be kept, traded, sent traveling, gifted or otherwise enjoyed by the holder." recall I paid a wedding ring for this so I'm keeping it. Imagine my reaction if it was a travel only geocoin! Back to the wee fairy coin which also has an engraved number I can see - hmmm I try logging that by clicking the "trackable items" link on the left. I think I know how to log a geocoin now so I skip the FAQ and "How to log a geocoin" - (neither of which will mention untrackables anyway) and enter 081 http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?tracker=081 oh oh I'm back at that moun10bike coin page ..... what gives? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- in summary Note: NOT ALL GEOCOINS OR OTHER TRACKABLE ITEMS ARE TRACKED AT GEOCACHING.COM " and SOME GEOCOINS ARE UNTRACKABLE - these are super special trade items and you need to trade fairly for them ... cue sales pitch to unactivated gc.com coins for swag What have you got to lose? A suggestion for development - addition to the cache log page "Have you found a trackable item?" linked to pop open a javscript page to enter the tracking number and complete that cycle before continuing with logging the cache might be useful. Most cachers log sequentially so if you dropped of a trackable on the same day it is now neatly in your inventory for the next log. more off topic suggestions just put a form for the tracking number under the inventory section of the cache page template. The fewer clicks a newb has to do to pick up a trackable the better and on the same page update that link under the inventory to go to the trackables homepage. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PS. 3^20 = 3, 486, 784, 401 and elves use the same type of rings they put into your xmas crackers as prizes

http://www.beckydavis.com/dave/ nurse dave has really really nice photos http://www.epa.gov/lead/

A smiley copper garden gorilla in my mailbox!! It is just beautiful, I love both sides equally and is a coin that brings a smile out; among my favourite designs of all.

there is something weird going on with their icons at the moment BTW -they are showing up on the loggerhead micros and other coins.

good idea- i am sooo worried about my game addicted sons getting vitamin D deficient - I want to encourage gaming on a laptop outside - will it work Check the jeep- it might glow in the dark! there were 10 made like that by the designer.

I suppose that raises another question regarding handmade items - safety. Especially if you are leaving them in a cache they should probably try to comply with some sort of standards. For things which are to be handled by unsuspecting folk or risk become embeded in the natural environment I would suggest you do not use lead.

ok i got out a new coin and stepped through the process to see what might happen. it is fromlandsharkz and it has not been supplied with either an activation code or any packaging info regarding where to get one. ( att. sharkz!) so it appears GC.com must systematise this and not rely on vendors. You will need to stipulate at thetime of approving a design that packaging contains either the activation code or a link to a website for retrieval. the gc site is plain enough if i juststick the engraved code into the tracking box i get led to activate it at a nice webpage http://www.geocaching.com/track/activate.aspx "The activation code is a unique code located on the packaging for each Trackable Item. When activated, the Trackable Item will be assigned to your user account. This way you can modify its own personal page." Suggest you update this page to include 1.links to the code hosting websites or instructions to contact vendor or link to forum if it is missing 2.a note about the creation of the TB webpage reference number and its uses after activation.

oh thankyou at last praise be: they need to know LESS. KISS your newbs The Travel bug tag is TOO WORDY the mission page prints out TOO BIG but the actual mission prints TOO SMALL to be easily read - business card size please. the trackable info. page is TOO WORDY *even the GC supplied stash note is TOO WORDY - it should fit on a business card with a space for the cache name and number (letterboxers traditionally leave business cards since 1800's - that way muggles tripping over a box can pick one up and go home to look it up) Do not coinfuse us with double dose jargon - Groundspeak.com v. geocaching.com Changing formats even slightly across menus is not intuitive. Ideally you need to get all the wording on every page consistent.This should include all offsite promotional item webpages. The fact there are two different numbers for every single trackable item must be made very very clear. It appears “Use TB1H47H to reference this item" is not sufficiently self descriptive on an individual TB's webpage. “Use TB1H47H to write a note if you do not know or wish to reveal the engraved tracking code" This webpage reference code is a source of confusion if it is printed out on a mission note. WRITE IT BIG Insist your coin vendors comply with a minimum legibility rule for a trackable coin or include a customisable packaging insert with space for same. =========EDUCATION ========== you absolutely must acknowledge 1. *that caches listed on sites other than GC.com exist and TB's must not be left in these - encourage STASH NOTES 2. that geocoins and sigitems can be tracked on sites other than GC 3. that some geocoins are NOT TRACKABLE and these may have serial numbers on them and are USUALLY swap items 4. that not every cacher speaks/reads english eg. Do not abreviate number to # or you will confuse international cachers especially non-romanised language users – it is impossible to use a google translator to get any sense from abbreviations. 5. that geocoins derive from challenge coins which may also be found as trade items in caches. 6. A picture comparing the various sorts of coins, showing a travelbug kitted out is going to be 100 times more useful than a page of text.

Coingrats! Yes we remember the thrill of finding our first shiny Canada coin and moving it - do tell what it was you moved!

ps I have a couple of deceased coin codes you can use for the purpose ( muggled and burnt please pm if you want them )

thank you for a small laugh on a very sad thread! Ona more serious note - This person is indeed very strange and very needy - a bit child like in his/her rationalisation i wonder what a profiler would make of it all? maybe someone nearby could visit the cache and drop in a bunch of fakes ( bait ) and a BIG note (small slap) so the thief might understand the feeling of the other party - the let down of finding bits of paper however carefully crafted and labeled

hmmm hard one- i'm thinking they are little so it should be short enough for them to read and sign themselves or fit on a stamp for Brandon what about a hybrid between his name and the chinese word for 'bright' Ming MingOn! the character looks like this http://www.chinese-tools.com/jdd/public/char/12000/11564.gif and 'on' is small enough to fit underneath if you want to teach him to carve stamp they are easy or the website has a cool little caligraphy generator you could make him some stickers As in english this 'bright' also means clever - shining a path through the dark I think the character for 'moon' is inside it ( bright and clear like moonlight ) which is why i thought of it for brandon (and it looks a bitlike mingnon which isfrench for 'cute' but maybenot tell himthat?hemight prefer to be ming the merciless.) I'll think a bitabouta matching one for his sis first thought is around little angel ( literally small heavenly messenger) http://chineseculture.about.com/library/sy...littleangel.htm Tianshi the character for tian ( tee yan ) heaven is easy to draw, she can do it easy and write SHI underneath in roman characters - nice strong lines it will look good with two little 'horns' in red popped on top!

now this IS a genuine fake coin - http://www.vacsew.com/cache/nonum.htm and (while so many people are looking) puhleeese think about adding your coins tracked and not to the coin wiki databases at trackablegeocoins.wetpaint.com

Thanks for a chance to get to know everyone a bit more through shared memories! I only had on living Grandma = PoPo. She lived so far away and visiting her was always such an EVENT - in those days it was rare to get on a plane and flying children were feted like royalty Like many grandmas she had been very strict with her own children and also herself having lived through a depression and a war but really made me feel like a princess before the term became trendy. Everything I did or said was lavishly praised, not an ounce of criticism. It was already quite overwhelming for a small child to be greeted with a Grandma who spoke a strange language, servants in the house, monkeys in the garden, then trips to get party dresses, boxes and jars of special food like coconut jam she had squirreled away just for me, a life sized walking talking doll ( so it was actually taller than my younger sister!) and draped me in heavy jewelry of 24 carat gold which she insisted I wear out to dinner. I'm sure my mother was petrified I was going to lose it. I didn't really make sense of all this until I visited her for the last time with my own sons. At the time I'm sure all the attention just gave me a big head! She was trying to stuff everything she felt into brief visits and caring for me years down the track, grown and heading into an uncertain world - the jewelery a gift against hard times like she had known. By then she was blind from cataract and had to feel their faces. So I had to open the fridge and get out the special treats under her instructions and got a shock - I think she had saved most of the boxes of chocolates we brought her from Australia! they were taking up half the fridge space - each one representing years between visits. I know they were old because there were varieties that are out of production!

ok i worked out how to make the tags easy to search on the wiki by adding them all to the home page. now you can just click on the tag 'handmade' ( or any of the others ) at the bottomish to bring up a list of every page (2!) that are similarly tagged. Eartha - put the links somewhere in the pinned thread FAQ?

it keeps me busy all day! Pictures are hard to come by - I am shamelessly plundering ebay for pictures. All help appreciated on the wikis ( and these ones are backed up and archived once a month ) PS eartha you might want to update your links - trackablegeocoins.wetpaint.com PPS i can't seem to work out how to search the tags from the homepages but once i go to a properly tagged coin i can click on the handmade tag and bring up all the similarly tagged items http://untrackablegeocoins.wetpaint.com/tag/handmade

hi, 1.to avoid the TB icon you can purchase a travel tag sort of coin - coinsandpins have them as well as lots of other manufacturers. These will have a unique icon and the person picking it up would ordinarily be expecting the tag to be attached 2.I would be willing to ask GC about order some spare codes for crafty things as this question comes up a lot and i have to order a block anyway soon. The other point about using a coin code is you MUST get the design/s approved first. So you need at least a drawing. Travel bug tags do not have this stipulation. 3. re 1 and 2 - not sure if leaving the tags off violates some sort of GC rule but i expect so.

ok now i'm coinfused- is that the big dipper or the little dipper on the dragon dipper coin? the title says big- the info at coinsandpins says small - it looks like ursa major so i've listed it as that on the wiki trackablegeocoins.wetpaint.com

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.as...c8-fc1e4f5d68a0 little bump - our mission is doing well ...... Michigan is near california right?

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.as...c8-fc1e4f5d68a0 little bump - our mission is doing well ...... Michigan is near california right?

ahh got it - http://www.coinsandpins.com/product_info.php?products_id=456 the big dipperis ursa major? then it is featured on Four Dragon Big Dipper Geocoin but you have to trade for it or go ebay and here's a link for the planisphere/s with a full list of the constellations http://www.compassrosegeocoin.com/constellation.php a lot of aussie coins have the southern cross on them - coinsandpins has one in presale. two i designed also have representations of 'dark constellations' on them this is a link to the original thread for the cache a falling star series. http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...w=&st=& there's an awful lot of zodiac coins and the mapamundi http://www.cachezone.de/geocoins/mapamundi_en.htm There is an event coin from germany which was much sought after that has a starmap on the back oh goodness what's its name??? and i have one too sheesh anyways i'm inspired to go make a list of entries into the coinwiki on this theme

yeah ok good cause the whole sonnet thing was proving too much of a brain strain Perhaps 3 lines requires a little more explanation although others in the forum have heard my story before. This was about a walk back to the car through the rainforest, wet leaves a-glitter in the sunset and the mountain behind glowed as red as Uluru after a looong hike to a cache called Rolland in the Clouds. Personal milestone in 2006 for the difficulty level. At the top was a micro! complete with a classic broken plastic toy, awesome scenery all around and the most exhilarating feeling of achievement. Done because i was desperate to win an Australian 2006 geocoin. This was a prize in a caching contest. It was one of several big hikes for this contest and the start of an addiction to harder walks as well as geocoins. I went off hikeless caches after that. Another girl and i were doing these very hard caches, separately, battling it out for 10th place - although I drew the line at appalling weather Amy cached in the rain and lightening We both missed out by 'that much' on a prize. The coin lust stuck. I left her a Dressel dragon to commemorate the epic effort (" in every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks ") and graduated to minting the annual Aussie coin for prizes.cheers.

walking down slowly in plastic box no treasure on fluttering leaves gold

I'm sorry for your wee coins. My travel bugs never went real well - a bit like your coins. They can get stuck an awful long time either in unvisited caches or in backpacks - I've had more than one just sit for up to a year. ( I think it is actually something to do with the individual coin itself as well - some just roll - mission be damned, they go anywhere they like! Once you get one or two that have that knack for travelling it is really fun. ) on the bright side i notice you have 10 - which is a good number. Suggest you post out one or two overseas. There's a list for safe drops on here somewhere. Make sure you have a mission card with it.