Wagonmaker
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Posts posted by Wagonmaker
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That's too bad - I found both those two caches you mentioned when I was in London about a month and a half ago and there was nothing amiss then!
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Referring back to the original question: I don't think there is anything wrong with labeling this cache as a traditional, and I also don't think the owner needs to say squat about how to access the log. A traditional cache is found at the posted coordinates, but could still require some trickery to get your name on the log. The onus is on the cache finder to do what they must to get their name in the log. If it appears that there is no log in the cache, my first assumption would be to look more thoroughly at the things in the cache, not to assume the CO "did it wrong" and forgot a logbook, so I'll just take the liberty of adding one myself. (Which I would only ever do after checking with the CO first.)
Now, all this being said, I do agree that a flashlight just looks like swag, and could easily be removed by accident as a tradable item. The flashlight would need to be secured somehow, or, be the only thing in the cache. There is one cache around here where the only thing in the cache is an old film camera, and you have to figure out that you needed to pull the logbook out of the film compartment to sign in. That one is also labeled (appropriately, in my opinion) as a traditional.
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I had never thought of NOT dating the logs, even on nanos.
+1
Totally agree. For me, the date is part of the whole point! I would never think of not writing the date. I also make sure my online logs match the actual find date, and that both match the date I wrote on the physical log. Anything less feels somehow incomplete for me personally.
I always find it fun, especially when I'm caching around home, to see that someone else found the cache before me today. Because our caching community is pretty tight-knit, I usually know the person, and it adds a layer of fun for me, to know that they were here, maybe even just moments before. If I know them quite well, I might even text them and meet up to continue caching together. Without the dates, I would never know.
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Need help with my Garmin 600t. There is a problem with my touchscreen, which has made the GPS very frustrating to use.
The touchscreen senses "ghost" taps sporadically, at times several each second, which severely affects its functionality. It's like it thinks someone's touching the screen when no one is. The majority of the "ghost" taps are located near the bottom of the screen, but not all of them. I have had this GPS unit for about 3 years (I think). This problem began about four weeks ago, and I have tried doing a software update, and resetting and restoring factory defaults, but the problem persists. I have also adjusted the screen sensitivity to the lowest possible sensitivity. Sometimes I turn it on and it works fine for hours, other times it begins sensing ghost taps right away, to the point of not being able to do anything at all. Locking the screen and waiting a few seconds sometimes helps the problem go away temporarily.
Has anyone else experienced this strange problem? I've contacted Garmin and their suggestions have not worked.
Thanks in advance!
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When one posts to a forum, they should realize that others may have a different view.
Rue the day when everyone agrees with everything, as then forums would only be about bolstering one's ego.
You can have and share your different view without being rude or condescending though.
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Temporary cache listings like events seem to be excluded from the Favorites system. You can't give them Favorites points, and you don't earn Favorites points for them. I would expect lab caches to fall into this category.Also if I find a lab cache, would that increase my cache count but not counted towards in gaining fav points?Thanks! I actually didn't know that!
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Congratulations on beating your record! Love that feeling of accomplishment! By your blog entry, looks like it was a highlight for you.
I see there are the beginnings of negativity in this thread towards those who enjoy collecting numbers, which is too bad. There are lots of different ways to play this game, and shame on anyone who holds this condescending view towards one of them. I enjoy both the days where I find lots of caches ("imaginative" or not) and the days where I find a few.
Just relax! Everyone is in it to have fun their own way.
Personal best for me (and yes, it is "best") was 290 caches on a day this spring near Medicine Hat.
Cheers!
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The trick is to use an app that will average the coordinates...and do it several times, coming at GZ from multiple directions.
This is a good idea too; averaging several readings will yield good accuracy. But, I would not say that accuracy to within 6-9 metres is a good goal for cache-hiding.
A (very) common occurrence around here is someone placing a cache using a phone, then one of the FTF-hounds spending a great deal of time finding it, then posting "good" coordinates using their GPS, then every log thereafter stating that they used those "good" coordinates to find the cache, and even repeating the good coordinates in their logs. After awhile the CO clues in and modifies the coordinates to match the "good" ones.
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This challenge needs to be archived for sure.
A challenge getting more difficult over time is one thing, but a challenge that is now literally impossible to begin and complete needs to go.
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I find the accuracy of my GPS to be far superior to the accuracy of my phone. I only cache with my phone when I forget my GPS, or if I stop on the way somewhere when I wasn't planning on caching.
In the end, if your phone is accurate enough for your searching needs, and you don't find there is lack of accuracy (or don't get frustrated if there is), then your phone is fine.
BUT, please please please, don't HIDE a cache using only your phone. Cachers who search for your cache need your coordinates to be as accurate as possible, and caches hidden with phones often get reports of coordinates being "off" when they are finally found.
Cheers!
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Around here, many cache descriptions differentiate between "winter-friendly", which means it should be above the snow line, and "winter-findable", which means it might be low buried in snow, but should be in an obvious location (like at the base of the large, obvious tree in the area). Seems to work for us; we do get rather a lot of snow around here!
Also, I'll second the love for winter caching. Much prefer winter caching to summer caching: no bugs, no ticks, no sweat, no sunscreen, no leaves, no muggles! Just me and my tuque and gloves!
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Stealth is very important for the integrity of the cache - but one way to be stealthy, that I have found to be quite effective, is confidence. Go into an area looking like you are supposed to be there, and looking like what you are doing is completely normal and mundane, and most people won't give you more than a passing glance. They'll assume you know what you're doing, and have every right to be doing what you are doing (which, really, is perfectly true), because you don't look shifty or suspicious while you're doing it.
This doesn't work in all situations, and can fall apart if you don't find it pretty quickly, but I have found it shields me in alot of situations.
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The main issue is that the link was convenient and quick.
Obviously, there are other methods of retrieving the same information, but they are longer and more cumbersome, especially if you don't live in the United States. I don't want another bookmark cluttering up my browser and I don't want to use five or six clicks, and two scroll-down menus, with related wait times between each. I want the convenient link to be re-instated on the page that is designed for that purpose: my account page.
Frankly, the blanket statement that the link will not be returning, when clearly it is desired by users, is concerning for me. If there was another feature coming down the pipe that will refine home coordinates and "replace" this link, then the link should have stayed until the new features were in place (and should still be re-instated until that time as well).
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I'll add my voice to the masses who want the "Search newest in (province)" link back. I used it constantly. I get notifications about new caches, and I want to plug in my GPS and quickly download them to go find them - easiest way to get a list of new caches in your area. I also used it for finding event information quickly. ("Wait, what time does that start again? Let's check the event page.")
Using the "Hide & Seek a Cache" link is cumbersome if you don't live in the US (which is a different frustrating point) and I don't want a whole bunch of different geocaching bookmarks cluttering my browser - until now I've had one, which had all the links I ever needed right on the one page.
If some cachers don't put in their home province/state, or don't even know how to spell their own province/state, that's their concern. Many of us did put it in correctly and used that feature. Please bring it back.
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The naysayers aside, I think this is a great idea. It encourages a great social networking between geocachers, which in turn, fosters a solid community and increased cooperation in a region of cachers. If we built in the option to hide all discussion notes, or even required a click to see discussion notes for any log, then the cache pages would not get cluttered, and those who don't wish to see the notes don't have to.
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I like this idea. What I would like is to be able to filter out caches found by other users, especially in a PQ. If I am going out for an afternoon of caching with a geo-friend, it woud be great to be able to load in only those caches that we both haven't found.
Thelast poster mentioned that GSAK can do this, so my secondary suggestion for this would be... release GSAK for Mac!
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Would you be interested in selling to regional asociations for resale?
The Manitoba Geocaching Association may be interested in purchasing several sets to resell to our members. Are you interested in producing in larger quantities?
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Last year for 10/10/10, there were geocoins developped to honour the momentous date, with regional colour schemes and were available for bulk ordering. Something similar happened on 09/09/09.
I'm just wondering if there are any plans for an 11/11/11 geocoin this year? I'm not sure how the coins were produced in previous years or who was in charge of organizing the colour schemes and distribution. Was this a Groundspeak initiative, or did regional caching associations take the task on themselves? (Is there a forum already for this topic?)
So, as you can tell, I have lots of questions on the matter!
Any information about the development of these coins would be greatly helpful! Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Merci d'avance!
Wagonmaker
on behalf of the Manitoba Geocaching Association (MBGA)
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I am an educator who brought geocaching to my school this year. You are asking for a list of things the students can get out of geocaching. Here are a few:
- Orienteering / using a GPS unit to navigate
- Map sense
- Longitude / Latitude and other systems of global cartography
- Problem solving (and puzzle solving)
- Responsible use of parkland and public property
- Environmental awareness
- Cache In Trash Out
- Teamwork
- Sportsmanship (playing along for everyone's collective enjoyment)
... Just to name a few!
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Somebody already mentionned this:
When viewing a PQ on the Google Map, ALL my icons, disabled or not, are greyed out.
Also, each of my PQs includes all the required caches, plus one cache that is thousands of KM away, and besides which, is archived! My southwestern Manitoba PQ includes an archived cache in central Arizona.
Help?
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Do we really need another discussion on this matter?
Why can't we each find and hide the caches we want, for the reasons we want, and leave the rest for those who do want them? This game is so different for each cacher, it's difficult to please everyone.
Just go out and have fun!
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What's Latin for cacher beware?
Caveat cachor?
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Hello! Welcome to this great game! Sorry your hunt didn't go well.
I'm from Winnipeg, and a very active member of the MB Geocaching Association. Feel free to contact me via my profile if you have any questions whatsoever!
To do that:
Click on my name on the left, and then click on "Send Message", which will effectively send me an email.
Lots of great caches in Lorette and in Winnipeg in general!
Keep logs brief
in General geocaching topics
Posted
You are definitely entitled to that opinion, so you should write short logs if that's what you prefer.
In my opinion, logs that describe your experience in detail are important. They tell the story of your cache, and they tell the story of me as a cacher. Sometimes when I have a free moment, I enjoy going back and reading some logs on my found caches. It's nice to reminisce about a cool caching day, a cool cache, or even a cool experience that happened while looking for and finding a cache, even if the cache itself wasn't particularly special.
And, on the other side of the coin, I love reading about what people experienced while finding my caches. And, it actually ticks me off quite a lot when there is a short log. I go through a lot of effort for almost all my hides; my reward is reading about the fulfilling experience of others. If I spend hours putting together a cool puzzle cache and finding the perfect hiding spot with a cool view, and you give me ten words or less, that's really crappy.
So, moral of the story: to each their own. I don't complain about the short logs I hate (........ except in this post I guess....), and I don't expect others to complain about my longer logs.