firestronaut

Having started off only in 2012, and only ever using an iPhone (I'm getting my first dedicated GPS unit on Saturday!), I can't really comment on how things used to be. I love having all the cache information at my fingertips, being able to refresh cache data on the go. Personally, the old style of caching probably wouldn't have held my interest for more than a few caches. However, if roles were reversed and things went from the new style to the old style, I'd be frustrated too, I think. Even I've noticed a lack of care and consideration while placing caches, particularly on powertrails. But with saying that, it's the powertrails that draw me to a new area. My health - even at 26 years old - isnt the greatest. I had knee opertaions soon after taking up Geocaching which put me out for a while, and now I'm pregnant and have to take it easy. For me, geocaching is something that gets me and my five year old out the house on a dull, wet weekend, gets us moving and walking, and gets us looking closer at the environment we live in. I guess it means different things to different people. In terms of logs, I try my best to write full, long logs. But if I've gone out for an hour in the rain, kept my head down and eyes on the ground battling the elements for three caches which were generic micro-in-the-woods, what am I supposed to say?

Log etiquette takes time to learn, IMO but I do agree the intro app should try to teach new users to write fuller, longer logs. Deleting a persons log because they haven't quite figured out how everything works takes time. My first geocache was found using the intro app. I didn't log my find from that however, but rushed back home to share my delight on my laptop instead. I don't think condemning the new cachers because they haven't quite got the hang of writing logs yet isn't fair. It wasn't until I put down my own hides that I realised what a difference log etiquette makes. Or consider this. Maybe your hide wasn't good enough to write a decent log about.

People seem to think what the word guideline means. Guidelines aren't rules set in concrete and must be done that way.

But the OP was worried about spoilers, he said he would write in the logs if he could...

I thought that was what the "encrypt log" button was for :unsure:

I had a dream when I was a kid, that I was a fireman (firewoman ) on Jupiter. Fireman + astronaut = firestronaut. Put out space fires!

I do agree with the idea of reporting it to the police. It'll be hard getting them to listen at first, but it does constitute criminal damage here, in the UK. An arrestable offence that carries a fine and a criminal record.

+1

This thread made me smile. I'm such Vivian will love geocaching. You could set up a cache in her name, and then it'll be related to geocaching

Wow. All the wrong reasons to choose an app. How so? I made my choice based on 2 things. #1 I wanted to support Groundspeak-and I think that in itself is a great reason to choose the app. #2-It's "official" not violating anything like the C:whatever app, and I can assume as long as Groundspeak is around, there will be support, and updates for the app, unlike those from people I've never even heard of. That's exactly my reasoning too. I actually just downloaded the geobucket app to have a look at it. Full of ads, and it basically just links you to the website if you want to search anything, etc. It's basically "borrowing" groundspeaks platform. I'll stick with my paid app, knowing that I have groundspeaks troubleshooting support should anything go wrong.

Did you email the CO by chance? Perhaps this isn't a great location for a cache, even if it is legal. The threats to aviation right now are, unfortunately, very real, and there is just no sense attracting attention from the authorities - mostly they have better stuff to do. I considered it, but CO hasn't logged in for a while. Here's the airport exclusion zone: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fwww.follow-the-arrow.co.uk%2Foverlays%2Fmanairport.kmz&sll=51.586582,-2.758539&sspn=0.00624,0.01929&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=13 Painswick Park is just at the top, and the exlusion zone applies to Thorley Lane. The cache (here: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?wp=GC23KF0) is located on the other side of the road. Literally just 30/40 ft away, there's a perfect place within the park and away from the main road for a cache.

In my initial disgust at what was suggested, I missed the "find 50 of 3 different types". If that became a rule, I know for sure I would probably give up caching. I find the puzzle and mystery caches difficult, plus with a 3 year old in tow 90% of the time, I like to know exactly how far we have to walk/get the bus to (I rely on public transport). I think I've found two mystery caches, that were extremely close to their posted co-ords, and only required finding other traditional caches and I'm yet to solve a puzzle one. Everyone plays this game differently, and I'm only interested in finding traditional caches, at least until I have more experience and time alone under my belt to explore other types of caches. I know I'm probably not the only one. Isn't this supposed to be fun?

I was searching a parents website for fun things to do with the little one during the school holidays. Right at the very bottom of the list, and the only thing that appealed to me and my nerd senses, was Geocaching. Made an account, spent two days reading and re-reading the rules/guidelines, googled it for a while before downloading the really bad free app for my iPhone and finding my first one. Two days later, I downloaded the paid app, found my second and then bought a premium account. You know you're hooked on this game almost immediately!

I was stopped by the police at an entrance to a park with my 3 year old in tow because somebody had reported me for poking around in the bushes. Completely understandable, considering the park was a stone's throw away from Manchester Airport. The cache was located just outside the exclusion zone. Literally, the exclusion zone started on the other side of the road. Logged it as a DNF, added it to the ignore list afterwards.

You put them down where you picked them up, why is that so difficult?

If you've paid, you're more likely to keep at it and do a better job, to justify the expense. That still doesn't make you a better cacher than the ones who stick with it as basic.

Education would work better than restriction. You don't want to scare people away from the game. I've found 58 caches, became a premium member after 6, and I've hidden 5 caches. The whole game was started by noobs, it's suppose to be fun. Where's the fun if you limit hides? What I would suggest, is not being able to place a cache until you've hit 10 or 15, and then being able to place them - unlimited. There's always the possibility of people finding really bad 15 first hides and copying them, but that's not always gonna be the case, and will give a little bit of education in the game. Limiting the amount indefinitely will only cause false finds so people can place that cache they've been working on. What drew me into playing the game was the fact it was free. I soon became a premium member, sure, because I wanted to support the game, not for the benefits - I only really use my favourite points and statistics. Limiting the amount of caches a basic member can place is slightly unfair. Just because you're premium, doesn't mean you're better. To me, it sounds more like a punishment for basics, than a benefit to premiums.

Lmao, the top picture is the cache in place, the second is the cache open. It's a real tree stump and a tube sunk into the ground and the lid of the tube screwed onto the stump

I hid this one a few days ago, as much as I want people to find my caches, I hope it gets one or two DNFs. I don't know if it's evil, more "crafty".

Public transport, legs, bike, skateboard? Your age restricts you a lot. As others suggested, you could ask your parents to drop you somewhere for a few hours. There's much worse things you could be getting up to at 14 than geocaching, and as a parent myself, I'm sure they'll be happy you have productive hobby. Maybe you could try getting your friends into geocaching? If its safety your parents will be worried about, they'll be reassured by company.

I was thinking that too.

From my experience, every cache that has had more than a handful of visitor has a trail. No matter how careful you are, you're going to disturb the land in some way.

That must have been a horrible and traumatic find