Team GPSaxophone

Thanks for the advice. I tried everything in the above posts, but this is the one that got me going again. Somehow my filter was only showing 1/1 caches. I reset it to show all and now it works again! Awesome! ...and now that it has happened more than once, I can conclude that it is far to easy to inadvertently change settings when a touch screen GPSr is in your pocket.

I just logged several field notes (why they're now called "drafts" is beyone me) and do not like the new interface. I get that putting Java behind every web page is the "in" thing to do now, but it is annoying having to wait (and wait) while the wheel spins before the text entry area finally loads. What was wrong with just a text entry box that is somehow improved by a somewhat shinier text box? I had to keep going back to play>drafts>compose log several times because the spinning wheel just seemed to get stuck with the page greyed out. Another thing I don't like is after submitting my log it opens the cache page instead of just going back to my other field notes, sorry, "drafts." It shouldn't take a lot of bandwidth to load a webpage with a text entry box. I should be able to load it quickly whether I'm on my phone, at work, or at home. Actually, since more and more people have mobile devices, the page should be optimized for the least amount of data transfer rather than throwing in extra coding that just slows things down.

If everyone does it this way then we might have 10 or 20 non-logged DNFs on a cache before someone finally posts one. The cache owner won't even take a look until the 3rd DNF is posted. What is helpful to other cachers is to post about your experience, not keep it a secret.

Thanks for the advice. I tried everything in the above posts, but this is the one that got me going again. Somehow my filter was only showing 1/1 caches. I reset it to show all and now it works again!

I'm quite surprised that so many seem to have had trouble with the Colorado 400t. I bought mine within the first two weeks they were available. I guess that was 2007 or 2008? Anyway, the only trouble I had was sometimes pressing on the power button wouldn't turn it on or off. It was like the button itself could go in another direction other than straight up and down and it wasn't making contact with the circuit board inside. Other than that, no real issues. Even the battery life is good (I've used both Energizer rechargeables and standard AAs) and even when I was caching a lot a set would last the weekend. Fast forward to a few weeks ago and the rock and roller wheel center portion came off. It just popped out! I put it back in but it wouldn't stay. I figured out that the outer ring could also come off and if I put the center piece in first and then the outer ring it would hold it in a little better. However, after using it for just a few minutes the center part worked its way out again. Also, when trying to enter a log it jumps past letters sometimes (others have said erratic behavior) so it's very hard to enter more than a couple of words per cache. I've tried looking for replacement parts but can't seem to find a replacement rock and roller wheel. Any suggestions?

So did I, mostly because I got to share a hotel room with you. And also with my HUSBAND! Oh, boy. That made me laugh really hard, thanks. Back in the day we all shared some time with Ambrosia

Of course, this has been going on for years without power trails in play. There are many "Team" cachers (husband/wife and/or family) logging caches. Husband on business trip in Italy logging caches on the same day wife and kids are logging caches along a bike path in Arizona....all under one team name. Perhaps, but a family could be geocaching for 10 years with one of them taking an occasional business trip while the other finds a few caches at home and it wouldn't add up to the number of caches one could "find" by driving a vehicle along the ET highway in a single day. Why should total numbers matter? Cheating is cheating, right? If ALL members of said "team" are not present to find and log the cache, then its not geocaching...right? My rule is that I must be present to log a find under my "team" name. Some of my kids have their own accounts but it's rare for them to go caching without me and log it online.

The arch would be one of the rare places where two points could have the exact same coordinates but be separated by altitude. More practical examples that have been published are a cache at the top of a cliff and another at the bottom. The coordinates are very close together but due to the elevation distance and no direct (easy) path between them allows an exception to the 528 foot guideline.

When you place any cache, you are inviting people to visit a location. 100 people visiting a particular lamp post in a busy parking lot might not be noticed. 100 people visiting a fence post on a rural road that normally sees one car a day will be. It doesn't really matter if this happens over the course of a month or a year, the increase in traffic is more noticeable when there was little traffic to begin with. Property rights do NOT begin at the fenceline. In many cities, fences are required by law to be set back 5 to 10' from the curb whether or not there is a sidewalk. In rural areas, the fence may be set back even further, especially along a highway. That doesn't mean the space between the road and the fence is public property and you can do whatever you like there. That land is still private property and subject to whatever rules the landowner wants to make for it. Sorry if you can't play Frisbee or setup a fruit stand on the side of a highway, but those are the rules. Those rules also apply to geocaching. As for power trails, we lost that battle long ago. As others above have noted, people largely ignored the "don't place a cache every 600 just because you can" aspect. They would create additional accounts or have friends place caches to completely saturate a trail or road. Now The Frog endorses Geo Art which is essentially a power trail that makes a design on the map. With the GCCO Geo Art the caches are spaced further apart than a typical power trail would be, but it has become a destination for people to fly in and visit. This traffic has not gone unnoticed and now we are paying the consequences.

Have her take you to some local geocaching events. It's a great way for her to meet some people and see just how crazy we really are. Ok, seriously, if she gets to know some of the locals it may go a long way in building up some trust.

I'm frustrated that I am forced to go to appeals to figure out the rules. Isn't it the job of the reviewer to know/learn the rules and enforce them? I'm okay with the reviewer taking time to learn the rules but simply telling me "go to appeals" isn't helpful. Yes, I understand there is a precedent part. But if a cache is in violation of a rule such as a commercial guideline, shouldn't it be required to remove the violation? A commercial violation shouldn't fall under the precedent clause. Just how would the reviewers go about enforcing that? They'd have to examine every cache in their jurisdiction periodically for caches that fit the most recent interpretations of the guidelines. Impossible! So why can't I publish a blank page then change it a week later? According to what you say the reviewers will never see that I changed it....? They must check from time to time? Maybe I'm naive but I repeat, why can't I simply change a published page to something that violates the rules after it is published? You might find that some reviewers actually make a copy of the cache listing and check back on it after it's published. Especially if it's one that has to be modified in order to meet the guidelines. You may get away with something once or twice, but you'll be on The Frog's watchlist after that.

Actually, the OP was hoping for a way to preserve FP on archived caches permanently. The problem with the OP's idea is that it waters down FPs. I've found 3800 or so caches, giving me 380 favorite points. I just looked at My Finds PQ and 1898 of those caches are now archived. That means I have 380 FPs to give out between 1900 active caches, far more than 10%. Devil's advocate: I could also give FPs out to all of the archived caches by assigning a FP then picking it up again (over and over) based on the OP's suggestion. That means I would be able to assign FPs to roughly 60% of the caches I've found. Why not just leave it the way it is?

Frame them and hang 'em on a wall. Family pictures tend to get outdated, but logsheets don't.

That reminds me...I did have a cache in California at one time but I don't get out that way as often as I used to.

I started caching when I lived in New Mexico and I've been in Colorado Springs for over 10 years now. I had several caches around Albuquerque at the time, but this is one of two left in the state. The furthest from that spot is 386 miles.

Cinco's Revenge This looks good but the cache is in USA, whilst I'm in UK however thanks for taking timeout. To answer my query Colorado is a great place for holiday.

Cinco's Revenge

I suppose that makes sense, if finding caches is the only thing that defines geocaching. To me, geocaching is more than that. Several years ago, a number of local caches were found by people who filled them with excrement. By your definition above, they were geocaching. After all, they were still finding caches listed on GC.com. That's not a widely accepted way of caching and I suspect should a lackey do that they wouldn't be a lackey much longer. I'm not so sure TCM is a "widely accepted way of caching" just because a couple of Lackeys did it.

Okay, I'll try to spell it out. I don't consider the three cache monte to be geocaching because it violates the basic "return the geocache to its original location" concept that IMHO defines geocaching (at least as far as physical geocaches go). Certain lackeys use the three cache monte, but that does not make me think that the three cache monte is therefore geocaching. I don't consider Munzee to be geocaching because it lacks the container and log that IMHO defines geocaching (at least as far as physical geocaches go). Certain lackeys play Munzee, but that does not make me think that Munzee is therefore geocaching. Does that help you understand my point? Are you saying that if certain Lackey's enjoyed playing Frisbee in the park I shouldn't expect to call it geocaching when my dog catches a Frisbee? What if there are geocaches in the same park? Aren't I close enough?

Well I suppose it matters whose bride it was. They really shouldn't be on someone else's bride as she's already spoken for. If they were on their own bride they don't need to jump off at all, unless she wasn't happy that they were on her in the first place. Then they may want to run quickly away and only return with flowers and chocolates.

Puzzle Solving 101 - Use the first few digits of the lat and long to give you a head start in solving the puzzle. It doesn't apply to all puzzles, but I sure like it when it does! It seems like you've done your due diligence - trying to solve the puzzle on your own and then contacting the cache owner. I'd say you've got the OK to contact a recent finder and see if they can give you a hint on how to finish solving the puzzle. Make it clear you aren't looking for a shortcut to getting around the puzzle but that you just need a nudge to get on the right track.

Finding caches is fun. but posting in the forums is funnerer. This is why I have more posts than finds. You've been a member since 2002, and you only have 13,336 posts? That is really really sad and pathetic. <wink!> Well, it doesn't count my 67,435 posts in the Off Topic forum.

The short answer is yes. You can hide anything you want and give the coordinates to anyone you want and let them find it. Is that geocaching? Sure it is! You're using a GPSr to hide and find the container. Can it be listed on Geocaching.com? That's another question. If it's listed here, it has to be available to anyone in the world to come and find it, not just your students. It also has to be in place for at least 90 days so people have the chance to come and find it. If it's placed on private property (such as at a church) you may need permission from the church management before placing it because you'll have several people looking for the cache who aren't there for church. They'll visit at all hours, so it should be in an accessible location as well (not behind a locked fence that's only opened on Sunday, for example). There are several other factors to consider and they should be addressed in the Guidelines (waterproof containers, what items shouldn't be placed in a cache, how close it can be to another cache, etc). Either way, your class will probably enjoy the hunt and some may ask Mom and Dad about finding other "treasures" outside of class. Good luck with your project!

It's interesting the different approaches people have to geocaching. To me, it's funny that people would spontaneously find geocaches just because they are in an area. Whereas for me, the main point of geocaching is that it takes me to interesting places that I might not consider visiting otherwise. Back in the old days, geocaching was about finding places, as in, "Here's yet another park I didn't know about." Different things mixed in such as who can be the first one there, who can hide something in plain sight, and how many can I find in a day? The rules Guidelines changed as the RASH (Recreational Activity, Sport, Hobby) grew and more people found out about it. Not all changes were good and some even drove geocachers away because it was no longer the same thing they started out doing. Some even tried starting other websites so they would have more control over keeping the RASH more focused on their way of geocaching. Despite all the changes and that not everyone likes every part of how it has grown, you can still choose how you geocache. No one can force you to post DNFs when you don't find a cache. No one can force you to like power trails or even micros for that matter. You can put together your own parameters and only look for the kinds of caches you think you will like. You don't even have to plan your day, just look on your phone or GPSr and see what cache is closest and go for it if you want to. Geocaching - something different for everyone

What if we change it to an optional topic, why I hate geocaching and/or my lunch today? I had a stale snickers bar and a warm coke for lunch while sitting in a three hour ferry lineup today, I hated my lunch. You are perfectly free to start a thread in OT about hating lunches. As you wish.