RandMan

Sorry to read about the problems. My guess is that this character took the money and paid for a nice vacation and/or used the money toward moving expenses. It's evident he's been lying to you. I would suggest contacting the Wyoming Attorney General and file a fraud report. It wouldn't hurt if everyone here who has paid this guy file together. One of you could write the letter and add everyones name, address, phone number, the amount sent and the date paid. Good luck! Rand

IN RESPONSE TO "SBUKOSKY'S" ORIGINAL POST: I know your pain! About five years ago I started having foot problems. I worked in the swimming pool remodel and repair business, and was always on my feet. The pain was especially bad around the Achilles tendon area. I went to several doctors, and they suggested foot supports and staying off my feet as much as I could. None of the doctors really had any idea what was causing my problem. I couldn't stop work because of being a single parent with three daughters living at home - so I toughed it out! Eventually the areas around both Achilles tendons became infected. Finally in March of 2000, one of the doctors suggested I go into the hospital. They performed every test they could think of and determined I had vascular problems in my lower legs. (I stayed in the hospital for a month.) One surgeon suggested operating and removing some of the infected area around my left tendon (which was the worst of the two). I agreed, but I was so doped up from pain meds, they could have amputated (which was something they considered) and I would have agreed. After coming out of surgery, there was a large area four inches high cut out, and my Achilles tendon completely exposed. The surgeon said it was worse than he had thought and said that I will need to go back into surgery in a few days and have the tendon removed. The tendon was removed - and to this day I'm sorry I ever allowed the surgeon to operate to begin with. I believe if I would have just stayed off my feet long enough, that the infected area would have eventually healed, and I would still have my tendon. The infected area around the right tendon did heal up, but the area is still very sore. I have never been able to go back to work because of the pain meds that I take, and the pain that I still have. For the past four years since coming out of the hospital, I've lived with the pain. I use a wheelchair around the house and if I'm going someplace where a lot of walking is involved. I use crutches for easy shopping trips or for doing easy chores. The doctors still recommend staying off my feet, but I'm not the type of person that can just lie around the house watching television or reading. When I discovered geocaching a few years ago I decided that I wasn't going to let my problem get in the way of getting out of the house and getting some exercise. I'm not able to do a lot of hiking, but I have been able to do some of the caches with terrain ratings of three. As of today, I've found 462 caches using my crutches. There's some days I'm laid up after a day of heavy geocaching, but it's worth it to me. My advice to you is be very careful about taking advice from a doctor! Get other opinions. I would be better off today if I had not allowed the surgeon to just go in and start cutting away. Rand (RandMan)

Since the cache hasn't been submitted for activation yet, simply move the cache to another location, change logbooks, update the information in the other stages, and start new! This way your problem will be taken care of because now you can honestly say that when the individual accidently found the cache, it wasn't ready! It would be the same as if I found a new, unsubmitted cache on the drivers seat of the car of a fellow cacher before he/she has a chance to place it. I wouldn't be able to log it until it was officially placed! Rand (RandMan)

Looks like Nudecacher likes visiting Arizona during the colder winters in Washington. He posted several finds here a couple months ago; including a find on my cache, Grampa Abe's Hideaway. A few others he visited in February are: Winter Hide Away and Fall Nymph #1.

Let's see now, you're saying we should go out and "find" and steal the caches that we don't want showing up on our "filter find" list. And then you suggest that someone will come along and archive them - and this will take care of those pesky caches that we never plan on going after. Hmmm!!! I wonder, do you think it would be okay to go ahead and record a "found" on the caches that we steal?

CUJO!!!??? After thinking about the Pinto scene in the movie, I don't know if I would trust my kids with "Cujo." (At least not without a steel muzzle and heavy chain for a leash.)

You can purchase Decon Cannisters from RANGER SURPLUS for $3.99. The word on the street is that due to supply and demand, the price has gone up. They measure 4"x2"x2".

There are several cachers here in the Phoenix area who have placed caches in their front yard. Some have made a game of, "see if you can get the cache without us busting you" out of it. Last week I used some stealth and pulled off "the grab" without being caught on this cache. Here is my log entry: March 23 by RandMan (439 found) After finding the nearby REACH FOR THE SKY!!!! and From the Kids....It's All About the Numbers caches earlier this morning, I decided to park near this cache and wait until sunrise to try to sneak in for the grab. I arrived around 5:30 after filling up my coffee mug at a nearby convenience store. Talk radio was interesting - so the wait wasn't bad. I did manage to get a nap for about fifteen minutes though - and upon waking it was light enough to go for the cache. As I was about to get out of the van, I saw a car back out of the residence where the cache was located and drive past me ... it was around 6:25 A.M. I then walked the 200 ft to the cache and made the find easily. I signed the log at 6:30. After going back to my vehicle - and as I was about to leave, the same car that had just left a few minutes earlier came back and pulled in the driveway. Now, is that "stealth"? ... or what!? Thanks, "team RED DOG," for the challenge and fun this morning.

I'm from central Arizona. I submitted a cache yesterday for approval. It took me two trips over a two day period and about an hour and-a-half of triangulation before I finally just took an average of all of the bounces that I was getting. My bounces were anywhere from 20 ft up to as much as 80 ft. I met another cacher last night who was telling me that while looking for a cache a few days ago, he was getting bounce from 30 ft up to a mile and-a-half and everything in between.

I believe you may be referring to TEAM KFWB GPS. I believe they may be from Canada. Their profile shows that they've found one cache and hidden 292. I remember following the BOLD ENDURANCE GEOCACHE in Dec. '02. The cache was hidden on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. This is one of many caches where the prizes were abundant. Some of the prizes in this cache were: MORE THAN $1000.00 CASH; GARMIN 76S and CASE; AURORA HEADLIGHT; BUSHNELL BINOCULARS; TWO FRS RADIOS; and more! Rand (RandMan)

He had probably been told by his friends that geocaching is for geeks and was ashamed that he found that he really enjoys caching!!!!!!

C'mon Brian, how do you know she was sixteen if you and Scott (RTW) didn't pull her over and talk to her? Does your wife know you and Scott are out cruisin' for chicks? Knowing Scott ... he's probably still thinkin' about it!!!!!! Rand

The below entries I had already used in another thread, but I thought they would fit in here too. I couldn't help but think of a cache that I did back in Oct, 2002: The cache name was EATING CROW. This was probably the most interesting cache that I had a problem replacing after finding. (See my log entry below.) I'm sure the two young men and girl thought I was a drug dealer. I was shabbily dressed, had on a Bud Light baseball cap, unshaven, had on sunglasses and was carrying a gun strapped to my belt. I suspect that the trio saw me grab the cache and then sit on the park bench. They were about eighty feet away from me. The girl, I believe, was probably sent over by the guys to see what I was up to. She was very friendly and made a point of trying to see the black Altoids tin that was tucked up against my leg on the bench. I suspected that they thought I had just made a drug-grab and was hoping I would share my score. As you read below, they were involved in some heavy sex and didn't mind me watching! (I mean sitting on the bench minding my own business). EATING CROW log entry: October 22, 2002 by RandMan (398 found) When I arrived, the park was empty except for two guys and a girl who were involved in a threesome at the picnic table area. I figured they were busy, so I grabbed the cache when I thought they weren't looking. Unfortunately, after I signed the log, they seemed to be watching me continuously. My presence didn't seem to bother them though! The girl even came up to me twice (on her visits to the restroom) to say hello and carry on some light conversations. I waited around for about forty-five minutes in hopes they would finish and leave - but they didn't. I left with the cache - and did another cache close by. When I came back, they were still there! This time I went out for breakfast. After breakfast, I stopped back by and was able to replace the cache. I took the key chain and left an 'I'm a friend of Jimmy Hoffa' button. Thank you, Team Evil Fish. This is probably one of my most interesting attempts in trying to rehide a cache yet! Rand

In the past four months, geocachers have discovered three bodies while geocaching. There was Brian - Team A.I. who discovered a woman on Dec 1, 2003 on his way to place a cache. He posted a log in these forums on Dec 1st on this thread. There was the situation on Feb. 28, 2004 where Big BassDrummer found the remains of a man who had been missing for twelve years. This occurred while searching for The Cliffs of Cache. Then we have this latest discovery. Because geocaching takes us to so many out-of-the-way places - and as geocaching grows in the number of cachers, and the number of caches hidden - we are more apt to run into more of these types of strange and horrible experiences. In a way, geocaching is becoming more of a community service! We have our CITO programs across the country; and now in the past four months geocachers have helped by unfortunately discovering the bodies of someones loved ones. These bodies may not have been discovered as recent if it weren't for geocachers. Geocachers have become de facto search teams! A better story to the press would be to include all of the three incidents. Geocaching has proven to be of benefit to our communities. Rand (RandMan)

They most likely took the cache to check for leads, hoping that a cacher may have seen something unusual.

How about some examples RK.

I agree. This is going to be a difficult travel bug to place; and as another cacher said: this TB could be construed as being the cache. It would help if the ammo can was labeled a TB. Also I can't help but wonder how long the items that are placed in the TB ammo can will last. Most caches that start out with nice items in them, end up with junk in a very short time. I hate to say it, but there are cachers out there that will see this TB as an opportunity to restock their personal trade items.

I too know Jeff (Team 360) and support his choice not to sign the online logs! Jeff has contributed immensely to geocaching. I've enjoyed many of his caches - many of which have ranked as some of my most challenging finds, and definitely fun. I would say, "he's paid his dues!" Besides, I enjoy writing in my logs about the interesting cachers that I've met, or interesting experiences relating to the cache ... and if Jeff started signing the online logs, I wouldn't be able to joke with him as much as I do.

Decon Cannisters are great for small items. They measure 4" x 2" x 2". Army Surplus stores may carry them. For camouflaging a cache to have a rock-type finish (or to help your cache blend in with block walls or other concrete surfaces) you could use a paint product made by RUST-OLEUM. The spray paint is AMERICAN ACCENTS, Stone Creations . Home Depot carries this product - it sells for $6.95 for a 12oz can.

I've found that ammo cans are usually available at gun shows.

As for the women, though we scorn and flout ' em, We may live with, but cannot live without ' em. --FREDERIC REYNOLDS

Hmmmm ... was I too harsh in my criticism of "Wendover Controller" and his children? Was I wrong in adding the links to the profile of him, and the photos of his children? I may have been a bit too harsh in stating, "This parent is teaching his young children that it's okay to steal," and referring to them as "thieves." Sometimes I express my feelings out of anger! - and that is what I felt when I read what was done to the travel bug. I suppose I was thinking how the owner of the travel bug may have felt. Too often, travel bugs just seem to disappear out of caches and never turn up again. Stolen? Taken by thieves who think how nice the item may be to give to their children - or to place on their shelf as a collectible? Or taken by someone not understanding what they have taken - and decides not to continue geocaching. "Wendover Controller" seems to understand that what he did was wrong. We have all made mistakes in learning proper etiquette when it comes to geocaching. I have found that most geocachers are good people and are forgiving. To this, I apologize to "Wendover Controller" and his children and hope that you reconsider about dropping out of geocaching. RandMan

I noticed that the cache (Amsterdam Urban 1) where the family left the travel bug tag isn't listed as a micro. Regardless, Wendover Controller and his children had no business removing the "beanie toy", Mr Forgetful, from the tag. This parent is teaching his young children that it's okay to steal. In my opinion - they are thieves. It appears though that the tag was recovered by Cooper & Baxter. They were kind enough to add a stuffed toy to the tag. The TB is back on course. Rand (RandMan) (Picture link to the children removed at request of their parents by moderator)

The biggest problem with Cara's College Cache is that the cache owner, texasexile, placed this cache while visiting London. The owner appears from his logs that he may be from Pennsylvania and is unable to maintain the cache. There have been numerous no-finds and notes posted to the cache page. It appears from a note from the owner that the cache may have been moved from its original location. This cache needs to be taken over by a local so it can be checked on and maintained. As for bdh224s' "FOUND" entry, it needs to be deleted by the cache owner after the travel bugs are hopefully located. Also "bdh224s'" new cache container that he/she placed needs to be removed. The individual who left those travel bugs had no right jeopardizing them by just leaving them in their own makeshift cache in hopes that a cacher will find them. If I owned one of those travel bugs, I would be furious with "bdh224s." Rand (RandMan)

This cacher is probably worth the least while out on his caching treks: Nudecacher