Rigour

Maybe his definition of "virtual finding" a virtual cache means you just simulate having been there.

Any cache that chooses New Order for its soundtrack is my kind of cache.

Any cache that chooses New Order for its soundtrack is my kind of cache.

quote:Originally posted by Gustaf:http://www.geocaching.info.se is the situation in Sweden. That is a very impressive home page, Gustaf!

There's a bit of an outlaw aspect to what we do, and we all draw the lines in different places at different times. I for one appreciate FullOn's saying that hey in retrospect he made a mistake and probably shouldn't have gone on. On the other hand (and here's where I am gonna get in trouble) I am not going to let a piece of wood with some symbols on it override my own judgement. I'm no anarchist (ok, maybe I am) but just because some schmo puts a sign up, that in and of itself doesn't alter my behaviour. It DOES make me stop and think. I say this because in re-reading posts from a hunt I did some time ago, I realized that I went right on past a "Trail Closed" sign, which on reflection I suspect I disregarded because it looked like it was old and meant that the "finished" trail was closed, not that the path the trail became after that was. And in part because I was on public lands, so a 6 inch sign someone put up last year isn't quite enough to make me abandon what I'm doing. But here's the thing: when I hunt a cache, I really start with a strong presumption that the cache has been placed properly and/or with permission. So a sign in and of itself is unlikely to stop me - I'm not likely to think "I shouldn't be here" unless I see a barrier which seems designed to stop ALL traffic of any kind - not just motorized vehicles.

Kudos to Jeremy for reversing himself on this one.

Taz, I take your point. On the other hand, placing a cache is a learned skill much as finding one is. I have now placed 3 caches, and I know that I'm actually getting better at all aspects of cache placement: - choosing/designing/filling the container - hiding the container in a good location - writing a better description of it So I agree people need to think more about their caches, but I also don't want to discourage people from being enthusiastic and learning from experience.

OK, there's me, and I see also Secret Spy /Lowly Worm. Have any others taken advantage of the opportunity of geocaching to pop "the" question? Just wondering...

I'd want to know about the fee, otherwise risk of commercial caches.

for me as well to say thanks to Jolly for the many laughs in KODT (I really will send you a couple of tales from the table sometime, JB) but very specifically for convincing me to actually start geocaching, as opposed to just thinking about it. Jolly's stories and his editorial made me realize that I didn't need to be in James Bond shape or have specialized outdoor equipment/ training to start. (Previous to that, I was under the impression that geocaching was an "extreme" sport.) Also for the laughs in the forums, the tale of Jolly's trek through the mud was really comforting to me (nice to know I'm not the only one it can happen to), in addition to being great laughs. So thanks again, Jolly!

for me as well to say thanks to Jolly for the many laughs in KODT (I really will send you a couple of tales from the table sometime, JB) but very specifically for convincing me to actually start geocaching, as opposed to just thinking about it. Jolly's stories and his editorial made me realize that I didn't need to be in James Bond shape or have specialized outdoor equipment/ training to start. (Previous to that, I was under the impression that geocaching was an "extreme" sport.) Also for the laughs in the forums, the tale of Jolly's trek through the mud was really comforting to me (nice to know I'm not the only one it can happen to), in addition to being great laughs. So thanks again, Jolly!

I don't allow unencrypted spoilers in the logs of my caches. I understand that some people don't like to take a chance with the logs, but that to me is the reason, to make it safe for those who want to check the logs.

Suppose I go on a fantastic hike and the cache is crap. Is that a good experience or a bad one? What if it's the reverse? Great cache, poor trail. Difficult to express with a number. Easy to explain in a log.

Did each of the boy scouts visit the cache? Yes, they did. If they choose to register and I want to know how many caches they've found, they have to log individually. That said, I don't think this is that big an issue, doesn't happen that much. In the (fictitious) example of the boy scout troop, they probably wouldn't register as individuals.

Did each of the boy scouts visit the cache? Yes, they did. If they choose to register and I want to know how many caches they've found, they have to log individually. That said, I don't think this is that big an issue, doesn't happen that much. In the (fictitious) example of the boy scout troop, they probably wouldn't register as individuals.

quote:Originally posted by brdad:When it comes to individual items - Isn't everything we put in a cache capable of changing our views or beliefs on something? Capable, yes. But I don't disagree with items which are capable of chaging our opinions, I disagree with those which have that as their goal. The difference between primary purpose and secondary effect, I suppose.

Hence my use of the proviso "for my way of thinking...". I should elaborate that people can obviously do whatever they want, but I consider it a bit artificial to just carry a bug and log where I go. The mileage becomes more of an accident of when caches are logged rather that where. But like I say, to each his own.

This is a repeat of my posting about relgious items left in caches, but I think it's appropos here. I don't offer this as a matter of coercive policy, however - I agree with those who say fair warning in the cache details is enough. But maybe food for thought for would-be placers.... As a committed Christian, I can understand the desire to share the Good News big-time. As a signature piece, anything is probably OK. I personally would be glad to find a religious item in a cache, BUT (you knew I was going there) I don't think any item which has its goal to change someone's beliefs (about anything) belongs in a cache. It's just simply a matter of that not being the place for it. There are lots of places where people can get religious information if they want it. That's not why they geocache. I'm not saying it wouldn't be helpful to some people, but think of this: what if you left a tract with your views, and then a Buddhist did the same, then a Mormon, then an NRA member, then a Ralph Nader supporter, then a pro-Palestinian, then a feminist, then Planned Parenthood, etc. Can you see how that would become tiresome or divisive? Just my two cents, if everyone doing what I'm doing would be dysfunctional.... Put another way, I think these caches are commercial. Perhaps the product they are selling is really good and people would be really happy if they bought it, but again, there are lots of places people can go to get advertising - for whatever cause.

The Top 2 Most Travelled Bugs are personal bugs. For my way of thinking that sort of defeats the purpose, which is to track how much the bug moves, not the person. It's an easy matter to inflate distance totals with a personal bug. On the other hand, who cares? It's not like you're hurting anyone...

OK, Rockdoctors, thanks for that. I haven't been in places that were that busy up here in the Great White North, but I can see how that might happen.

Between the parks service and the occasional thread on this, I thought I'd start a thread which lays out the reductio ad absurdum, and see if I'm not the only person who thinks some people are a little nuts. The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle postulates that the very act of observing something alters it. Given that, I think that the best thing for everyone who loves nature to do is to stop geocaching immediately, and never again visit parks, so that they will remain pristine and uncontaminated for future generations to ignore. Is it just me, who grew up on a farm in the country who feels that this bruhaha about social trails is much ado about nothing? I'm not talking about cases where there are rare patches of endangered flora but holy smokes, people worried about footprints and opportunistic seeds carried in on hiker's boots? Let me be frank here and say I don't give a rats patoot about that. Things I would worry about: 1. disturbance of nesting areas or as I say patches of endangered flora 2. non-biodegradable garbage left in situ (yes, that means as far as I'm concerned you can throw your apple cores away with total disdain for the many species which have been rendered extinct by discarded apple cores) 3. careless use of loud / polluting motorized vehicles where there are not trails designed for their use If there's some part of this I'm really missing, I'm honestly interested in understanding it. But bent tree branches? Are we talking about those dead scrub branches killed out below the canopy? Get real. Is it just me the uninitiate who doesn't understand this all? Should I be ashamed that like the bears, I too have sh-- in the wooods? [This message was edited by Rigour on July 31, 2002 at 08:00 AM.]

As a person who works in the business, I know that letter writing works. Post the names and addresses of the appropriate political officials in this thread. I for one will write to them. If 10 more people do the same, I can almost guarantee something will happen. If 100 people do, I will guarantee it.

As a person who works in the business, I know that letter writing works. Post the names and addresses of the appropriate political officials in this thread. I for one will write to them. If 10 more people do the same, I can almost guarantee something will happen. If 100 people do, I will guarantee it.

As a committed Christian, I can understand the desire to share the Good News big-time. As a signature piece, anything is probably OK. I personally would be glad to find an item like that in a cache for me, BUT (you knew I was going there) I don't think any item which has its goal to change someone's beliefs (about anything) belongs in a cache. It's just simply a matter of that not being the place for it. There are lots of places where people can get religious information if they want it. That's not why they geocache. I'm not saying it wouldn't be helpful to some people, but think of this: what if you left a tract with your views, and then a Buddhist did the same, then a Mormon, then an NRA member, then a Ralph Nader supporter, then a pro-Palestinian, then a feminist, then Planned Parenthood, etc. Can you see how that would become tiresome or divisive? Just my two cents, if everyone doing what I'm doing would be dysfunctional....

it's like blood in the water, a pretty girl in a male-dominated field I think it was Henry Rollins who wrote "the smell of a beautiful woman can ruin a perfectly good day."