Bon Echo

It was a very handy feature, I used it a lot when I started Waymarking. Now when I want to find a specific location, and then the nearest waymark I either need to pull coordinates off google maps or search the geocaching maps for the nearest cache and then use the "Nearest waymarks" link. Much less convenient.

Wow, thanks Checkmark or Waywizard! I just noticed two of the waymarks were selected as Featured Waymarks.

Here's one of mine I'd like to recommend. Feed the Carp - Linesville Spillway - Linesville, PA http://www.Waymarking.com/waymarks/WMMPNB_Feed_the_Carp_Linesville_Spillway_Linesville_PA Probably one of the few legitimate "please feed the animals" locations where the animals to be fed are completely wild, not caged. usually feeding wild animals is discouraged. This site see upwards of 400,000 visitors per year! Or this one, seems like that technology really took off! World's First Successful Long Distance Telephone Call, Aug 10 1876 - Paris ON (Canada) - First of its Kind http://www.Waymarking.com/waymarks/WMH62Q_Worlds_First_Successful_Long_Distance_Telephone_Call_Aug_10_1876_Paris_ON_Canada which of course has another "end" - can't make a phone call unless someone can receive it: World's First Successful Long Distance Telephone Call, Aug 10 1876 - Brantford ON (Canada) - First of its Kind it http://www.Waymarking.com/waymarks/WMNCRX_Worlds_First_Successful_Long_Distance_Telephone_Call_Aug_10_1876_Brantford_ON_Canada Finally, this one may be my favourite Waymark submitted to date: History of the United States Of America - 1776 to 1904 - Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota, USA - Timelines http://www.Waymarking.com/waymarks/WMPYQE_History_of_the_United_States_Of_America_1776_to_1904_Mount_Rushmore_National_Memorial_South_Dakota_USA Not sure any of those are on par with some of the really great Suggested Waymarks that are currently on there. Pick one if you think it's suitable. Thanks

So I just tried to check out the "new Waymarking" website linked above. Denied! Reason given: pornography! Seriously? Obviously this is while at work. The system in use incorrectly blocks all sorts of stuff, and yet you wouldn't believe the crap that gets through. Anyway I'll try again when I get home. With that said, I liked the original Waymarking mobile site but it was pretty useless for me unless I was sitting in a McDonalds or something for me since I have no data plan. Another reason why I post visits for "those places" - because I actually could while at the location. Edit to add: even if it does not work for me, just a note of thanks to ChileHead for taking time to make the site/app/whatever. A few of the above comments seemed more like snide remarks than notes of thanks.

It's quite easy to edit - putting names to business, changing roads or paths if they are not exactly as shown. When you first create an account and sign in there's a brief tutorial. Most of us will figure out how it works in maybe 10 minutes. You can also use your handheld GPS to record tracks, and then upload those to use for drawing (or correcting) features such as road, creeks, trails etc. I just added all the trails from a local greenspace using that method. With than said, and this is important for category managers - OSM is an open source community project. All the maps have a level of "completeness and correctness" - maybe nearly 100% complete and correct, maybe much worse. So if you are reviewing a waymark submission and check the placement on the OSM map, and it doesn't look quite right - consider than the map might be the issue.

So my thread Contributing to wikipedia managed a whole of two replies (a big thanks though to BK-Hunters and fi67 for those replies). Looks like there not much interest from members here. How about the OpenStreetMaps project, anyone contribute to that one? Seems like a fitting question since that's the maps we get to use on this site. Actually, I use OSM maps on my Garmin GPS and phone and I'm pretty happy with them. Today I finally created an account and made a few minor edits. Pretty easy stuff, at least things like editing locations - i.e. putting names to buildings. You could spend every minute of every day doing that, just like adding waymarks - there's an endless number of locations still to be waymarked and we choose what we add based on our interests and what time we have available. So the question, does anyone here contribute to the OSM projects? I'm just curious. Waymarkers seem like a group that would also be interested in such a project. Maybe not mapping out new subdivisions, but adding interesting location points.

One thing to bear in mind - not all churches named "such-and-such Community Church" are non-denominational. i think many belong to some smaller denominations, while some are members of larger denominations, including those already represented by current categories. For example, I think most AGC (Associated Gospel Church) churches go by --- Gospel Church or --- Community Church. But there's really no convention, and I know of Baptist, Pentecostal and some other congregations meeting under the title of Community Church. It's not always a matter of population size, in larger cities it might be a way to stand out or to maybe even put some distance between the denomination and the fellowship. Around here they all seems to want a feel-good name - Forestview Church, Mountainside Church, Lakeside Church, Lightway Church, etc etc. Even the Baptist church I attend leaves "Baptist" out of the name. The only way to really know is to search their website or, if they don't have one, I guess you'll need to drop in for a Sunday service

I think all categories which require or relate to a plaque or sign must also (at minimum) include the full text of that plaque or sign (generally speaking). I've seen a number of waymarks where the long description was nothing more than a clear photo of the sign or plaque - no text at all. There's excellent free online software for optical character recognition [1], so getting the text is usually a simple thing to do. That way it is available for web searches and those with disabilities. [1] - I use http://www.onlineocr.net/ and output as a text file. Sometimes I need to make a few corrections and sometimes it largely fails; it really depends on the photo and how much noise there is around the characters. But overall it works well and saves me a lot of typing.

This is something I've long thought about doing and wondered if other waymarks do. We do a lot of research to create waymarks. How often in researching a location have you been surprised to see nothing on wikipeida? Just now I was looking up a "sea stack" or "flower pot" ("a geological landform consisting of a steep and often vertical column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast, formed by wave erosion" - from wikipeida https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stack_%28geology%29). The stack that I visited has been waymarked http://www.Waymarking.com/waymarks/WM1VW_DEVILS_MONUMENT_LOOKOUT_Ontario_CANADA but it's not included in the wikipedia list of stacks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sea_stacks#Canada. So do you contribute to wikipedia, yes or no? Why or why not? It seems we do rely a good deal on materials from that site. So why not also contribute. Just curious. Thanks for your responses.

I did just that, but once. I came across a website http://sumoflam.biz/ontario.htm and to me it seem abundantly clear that this person would like Waymarking - the way he provides not just random pictures but also context (both geographically and also context of the subjects). I sent him a message to tell him about Waymarking. He sent a nice reply, letting me know that he already knew about Waymarking and appreciated the website. But he was happy to keep doing his own thing. Getting back on topic... I've never waymarked a McDonald's. Probably never will. I have posted visited to several. Why? Because I was sitting in them, waiting for kids to finish eating, and there was free wifi. So why not? Because I was traveling across a dozen states and wanted some way to help track my trip, so why not. I once posted an Arby's restaurant. Why? Because I was staying at the hotel next store and had a few minutes while waiting for kids to fall asleep, so why not? A lot of Fast Food places that have been waymarked in my area were posted by a player who, due to the nature of his work, is often spending his lunch time at fast food places. So he waymarked a bunch of them. Why not? It appealed to him. Doesn't appeal to me, so I don't post them. I post what appeals to me. It's very easy to look in and see all those places already waymarked and say 'who wastes their time on that' and 'what's the point'? You don't necessarily know all the reasons and situations to be able to make those conclusions. really? Have you not visited geocaching.com lately? Talk about being used for advertising/merchandising purposes! Even if I pay to access the site, I still have to put up with ads for all sorts of Groundspeak merchandise and countless things to remind me of the benefits of being a paying member. On Waymarking (surprisingly) I don't see any ads or any advertising/merchandising purpose - just locations neatly cataloged and categorized according to a set of criteria.

Now I see where you're coming from. And I get it. I enjoy Waymaking but that reason is for me one of the biggest turn offs. You put all this work into creating waymark listings and they are for the most part ignored. Here's my advice. You want an audience. So write Wikipedia articles. They be read by thousands, many tens of thousands. You want feedback. Write reviews for trip advisor. You'll get both readers and feedback. I have a handful of waymarks that I've also put in reviews for on trip advisor. Those reviews have thousands of readers and dozens of "Thumbs Up" - they are read and appreciated and I know it (an email from 3 days ago tells me I have over 26,000 readers and 25 "Helpful votes"). And the corresponding waymarks ... have maybe one or two page views, never mind ever being logged! But my guess is you won't bother with either, because what I really think you want is exactly what you are getting via this thread. I might be wrong (I hope I am).

Actually it's mostly a copy and paste thing. Took a few minutes. Those numbers are always available whenever you do a location-based search. Run the search and then click the plus to expand the Categories section. Easy. But thanks.

Almost all are vacuous McDonalds marks. Not quite. There's 1268 waymarks within 10 kms (6 miles) of the above mentioned city. Here's how that breaks down in terms of the number of waymarks in each category; it is true that waymarks within the Business categoies account for a third of all waymarks in that area. But that also means there are more than 850 waymarks in that are not business. Look at the list. Surely something in that list appeals to you? Business Food and Drink (291), Stores/Retail (87), Natural/Organic Food Stores (10), Lodging (7), Publicly Held Corporation Headquarters (6), Wineries (3), Newspaper Headquarters (2), Auto Clubs (2), Flea Markets (1), Indoor Malls (1), A.M./F.M. Radio Broadcasting Stations (1), Farmers' Markets (1) Buildings Government and Services (58), Religious Buildings (15), Transportation (Buildings) (10), Architectural (10), Meeting Houses (5), Dated Buildings and Cornerstones (4), Converted Firehouses (2), Converted Bank Buildings (2), Blacksmith Shops (1), Geodesic Domes (1), Victorian Houses (1), Relocated Structures (1), Doorways of the World (1), Charity (1), Carnegie Library Buildings (1), View more Buildings subcategories... Culture Sculptures (Art) (47), Artistically Decorated Utility Boxes (23), Statues (Art) (7), Murals (6), Mosaics (6), Topiaries (4), Relief Art Sculptures (2), Artistic Seating (2), Etched in Stone (2), Painted Hydrants (2), Frieze Art (1), Outdoor Stations of the Cross (1), Musical Instruments (1), Kokopelli Sightings (1), Outside Wooden Display Carvings (1) History Historical Markers (59), U.S. National Register of Historic Places (14), Time Capsules (6), Exact Replicas (5), First of its Kind (4), Municipal Flags (4), Highways and Byways (4), NRHP Historic Districts - Contributing Buildings (3), Guest Books (2), Tragic Sites (1), War (History) (1), New World Ancient Evidence (1), American Guide Series (1) Structures Fountains (52), Free Community Book Exchanges (14), Freestanding Arches (6), Dated Architectural Structures Multifarious (4), Gazebos (4), Outdoor Amphitheaters (4), Bell Towers (3), Bridges (3), Windmills (2), Non-Coastal Boardwalks (1), Engineering Landmarks (1), Water Towers (1), Nuclear Power Plants (1) Recreation Public Playgrounds (35), Outdoor Basketball Courts (11), Roadside Attractions (6), Skateparks (6), Tennis Facilities (6), Bicycle Tenders (6), Lawn Bowling (4), Amateur Baseball Fields (4), Water (Sports) (3), Hiking and Trails (2), Martial Arts (2), Golf (1), Inline Hockey Rinks (1), Billiards and Pool Halls (1), Winter (Sports) (1), View more Recreation subcategories... Monuments Dedicated Benches (16), Dedicated Trees (12), Donated Engraved Bricks and Pavers (11), Citizen Memorials (9), War (8), Final Resting Places (6), Statues (People) (3), Sister City Monuments (3), Rotary International Markers (2), Police Memorials (2), 9/11 Memorial Sites (2), Animal Memorials (1), Lions Clubs International Markers (1), Firefighter Memorials (1), Peace Poles (1), View more Monuments subcategories... Technology Internet (24), Fabrication (17), Machines (12), Vehicles (8), Communication (5), Solar Power (1) Signs Elevation Signs (15), Population Signs (13), Neon Signs (10), 'You Are Here' Maps (9), Time and Temperature Signs (4), Flora and Fauna Information Signs (3), Artistic Welcome Signs (2), Unusual Speed Limits (1), Small Town, Big Name (1), Bridge Date Stones and Plaques (1), Artistic Neon Lights (1), Welcome Signs (1) Nature Parks/Reserves (40), Plants (5), Trees (Nature) (1), Demonstration Gardens (1), Scenic Overlooks (1) Waymarking Multifarious Limited Availability (17), News Article Locations (7), Real World Reproduction (4), Coordinate Games (1) Entertainment Museums (7), Live Performance (3), Movie Projection (2), Bookcrossing Zones (2), There's a Book About It (2), Movie Locations (1), Pop Culture (1), Horse Racing Tracks (1), Literary Sites (1), Official Local Tourism Attractions (1), Dance Clubs (1), Rides and Moving Attractions (1), Model Railroads (1), Photo Cutouts (1) Animals Off-Leash Dog Areas (9), Animal Hospitals (6) Oddities Satellite Imagery Oddities (3), Readable From Above (2), Man-made Devilish Locations (1), Urban Legends and Superstitions (1), Guinness World Records (1), Highway Giants - Muffler Men (1), Ghosts and Hauntings (1), Superlatives (1), Human Error (1), Letters on Hills (1), Themed Homemade Mailboxes (1) Measurement Standards U.S. Benchmarks (1)

If you want to find a direct replacement for virtual caches, you will need to look beyond Groundspeak. There are at least two active listing websites that still allow virtual caches to be listed. Both allow for logging passwords, so no need to email the CO before logging to verify you visited the area - visit the site, find the logging password and post your log. And IMO the level of "quality" or "interesting-ness" of locations being used for virtual caches on those sites is no different that those used for the original set of virtual caches. I don't shop at just one hardware store - one store is bigger and offers more selection, but sometimes I can get something at a smaller store that is more suited to my preferences or tastes. In geocaching I use the same philosophy. But I completely agree with the sentiment that Waymarking is not the same as virtual caches, just as the letterbox hybrid is nowhere close to being the same as a true letterbox. Find what you enjoy and do it. I enjoy all of the above and so that's what I do.

Wow, Waymarking must be more fun in your area. In my area, over 99% of the waymarks have never been visited, so it's hard to even imagine a waymarker that visits more than he creates. I have found/visited 4.3x as many waymarks as I have created/posted. Posted 161, visited 693. Not all waymarkers are in it for the number of waymarks created. I only create and visit waymarks that I find interesting, and skip over many (also what I consider interesting may change with time and location). I'm just as happy to log a visit, in fact sometimes I prefer that because I don't always have the time to create a new waymark. Not so hard to imagine at all....

So as I read through this thread I was thinking - this would be a lame category. but a perfect locationless cache! Naw, not going to say it. Then I saw what MountainWoods wrote, and couldn't resist. Someone did start a different site for GPSr games (there's a bunch actually), and at least a few allow locationless caches. Waymarks work best for fixed items (natural or manmade) in permanent locations (IMO). What the OP describes sounds to me like a fun locationless cache.

My only concern is that if and when someone does spot one and then looks for a category (we've all been there, pretend you don't know anything about this category and you find a location, think it is neat and next look for the correct category in which to waymark it). But you only see one category, "Historic Transformer Sub-Stations Buildings" and so, disappointed, you shelve the photos and move on. I'm guessing there;s probably 20 - 40 waymarkers now familiar with this category (based on peer review). The rest likely know nothing more than the title. Category titles are huge when you are sorting through a thousand titles. What about "Historic or Unique Transformer Sub-Stations Buildings" as a title? That should convey that any historic building is accept and any modern building as well as long as it's not just another plain box. BTW, I can't wait to return to my birthplace to get the photos of the large and historic transformer sub-station where my grandfather once worked. The substation powered the electric railway, which is long gone. The building has not been waymarked, as best I could tell it didn't fit any category until now.

I am very curious about this wizard, I suspect though that it has not worked for a long time if ever, and no hope of seeing that changed. Would have been interesting to try it out thought.

I also own the Colorado 400t and that is all I use for geocaching (just can’t stand using the phone even though it can hold many more caches - just my preference). Is there any chance that your “missing caches” on the Colorado were found by your son-in-law? If he marked them as found, they will not (by default) be displayed on the Colorado. First, make sure you are using the Geocaching mode (please refer to the manual for this or go to Set Up - Mode - Geocaching). When viewing the list of caches, use the button on the upper left corner and select “show found caches” or something to that effect (sorry, I don’t have the unit with me at the moment, going from memory). Look at what comes up. Do you see any of the “missing” caches? One solution might be to do a complete reset of the unit. That should (I would image) remove all the “saved data”. Then again, I bought my unit used and I think the previous owner did a reset, yet I was able to see a number of tracks and caches listed in some of the files. BTW, to load caches into the Colorado, I download the GPX files to my computer, connect the Garmin via USB cable, and extract them to F:/Garmin/GPX (on your system the F might be a different letter). When I want replace a GPX file, I first delete the old one from F:/Garmin/GPX That’s how I use it, others likely have easier solutions. BTW there used to be a useful wiki for the Colorado but sadly it is no longer available (or at least I can no longer find it online). Don't know if any of what I wrote it helpful to you, hopefully yes.

If it is listed on Geocaching.com as a Wherigo-type cache, it will have a physical container - always (I know someone will happily correct me if I am wrong). However, a Whergio cartridge can be hosted on Wherigo.com without the requirement for a cache - for example, play-anywhere types. Another situation is where the Wherigo cartridge is still available to download and play (on Wherigo.com) but the geocache listing has been archived. A Wherigo cartridge takes you on an adventure...a Wherigo cache uses a Wherigo cartridge to take you on an adventure and at the end of the adventure you find a physical cache.

Easily the two best caches I ever did were Wherigo's, one took me 8 months and many visits to complete. It incorporated UV stages, night-cache fire tacks, random zones / characters that would appear. It was just awesome. Yes, many visits over 8 months to finally complete it and get one smiley. It was worth it (most others completed it the same long day or over two visits but I had shorter time slots available). http://coord.info/GC3MC70 (my 500th cache find) http://coord.info/GC4RVTG (my 800 cache find) Maybe half of the Wherigo's I've done are just a multi (visit sign/etc, enter answer, go to next sign/etc, enter answer, yawn...)and could be done as a multi. But the Wherigo gives you many other options - zones, timers, multiple choice...not easily replaced. Please let them be, even without Groundspeak inventing in development and support of the platform, it continues to be developed by third parties and is now more accessible than ever. And many of the "problems" encountered with playing Wherigo's on Garmin's or on particular apps are avoidable but that takes a bit more work when writing the cartridge.

I am an officer in that category and I called the vote. It was not based on my mood. You can read the category requirements http://www.Waymarking.com/cat/details.aspx?f=1&guid=c20834f3-2fde-4be2-9358-7e4f0a678426&exp=True They were not met and the group members agreed. Sorry that you feel we are "great ambassadors *NOT* of the game". Maybe we should find another way to volunteer our time then.

catering? Seems to me that they're not even listening....

I'm interested, and Canadian if that matters. I just found this thread now. Thanks BK-Hunters for the effort with this. BTW, I just returned from your "neck of the woods" and will be posting some waymarks and visits for the East Kootenay region when I get a chance.

Thanks fi67. has it always been that way? I see no reason why it should not be able to work with a location based search. I can apply filters when using a location based search at geocaching.com, why not here as well? I appreciate your workaround suggestions. For me, that sounds like more work that it's worth. I guess I'll stick to my traditional way of Waymarking - keep your eyes open when your out and about and see what you find. gather some photos and details and later look to see if it's already waymark - if yes, visited it, if no, add it. Obviously I miss a lot that way, I'm okay with that. There's only so many hours in a day anyways and my wife thinks I give this hobby too much time as it is.