DudleyGrunt
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Posts posted by DudleyGrunt
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GSAK will do it...
I do want to load them to GSAK, but how would GSAK get my the caches for me.
I received another answer from Ian on Facebook, though.
In <<unauthorized app removed>> you can search caches by owner name, or tap the owner name in a log or cache description and select "caches hidden" in the popup. Hit "load more" until all are listed. Lastly, menu, export, gpx.It seemed to work and I was able to send to email. I'm very excited.
Just tried to load that gpx file to GSAK and it acts like there are no caches in the file and doesn't load anything. URGH!
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Wondering if anyone has a solution I have missed.
How can you get a GPX file of all your hides (including archived), without having to individually download one for each cache? I'm looking to load it into a 3rd party app to search and run stats against.
The only other way I can see of doing this, at present, would be to build a Bookmark List of all your hides, or at least your archived hides, and then run a PQ off of that. Shouldn't there be a better way? Anther listing site I use offers this capability.
The new search tool will return archived caches if I search for my hides, but there is no way to save those results.
I would like to see them add a My Hides PQ like the special My Finds PQ.
Even if you don't know how, is this something you've ever wanted? Would you use it if offered?
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I don't normally have anything special to add, so just say, "Hi," since it is required.
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Greetings, springs21. If you don't remember or for the others here, I was one of the two hosts of the event I assume you're referencing. I don't think there were any others in town that day. I'm very sorry that you did not have a good experience. I host monthly meet and greet events at home in Maryland and always get positive feedback. I'd likewise thought that everyone had seemed to have good time at this one. I'll try to answer some of your concerns from my point of view.
I've read through this forum post, and would like to post from the other side of the spectrum...the intro player. I started playing two months ago, and searched around for a group event to receive more information and guidance. My sibling (also new with around 150 finds)and I ended up traveling to Charlotte, NC (near her home)to attend a group event on August 31. The seasoned cach players at this event made things more difficult, as they seemed more interested in peddling other websites, and trying to force other to play side games rather than explain proper edicit for new geocaching.
When I host an event, I tend to keep it very unstructured. My plan is to mix cachers and food and let it go from there. Normally, if someone introduces themselves a rookie cacher, at least some of the others (myself included) will be happy to offer advice, tips and tricks and answer any questions you would have. This was a little bit of an unusual event in that at least half of the attendees were active users of other geocaching sites and other geo-location games. That being the case, I believe I ended up talking with some of these folks a lot. Not matter what, it is unfortunately difficult for me to have involved conversations with every attendee at each event.
I won't name them here, but yes there are other sites and games. While I can't attest to everything that everyone said to you, I would STRONGLY doubt anyone tried to FORCE you to use any of these. The event itself was also listed on one of them, though.
Now before everyone under the sun jumps on me saying that is not the norm, I will say I am confirmed for one of the 1 million geocach. meet and greet events in Southern Georgia scheduled this Saturday. I'm giving it a second go, of trying to learn more about this hobby and how to better respect it,
I'm glad to hear that. If someone asks me for one piece of advice for a new geocacher, it is always to find other local cachers thru events or local forums and get to know them and, thereby, the hobby. I'm glad that you are going to give it another shot. It might not all happen in one meeting, but just get to know folks and join in on the conversations and ask questions.
...but from someone just coming in, I would like to give the following comments.
1. New players (less than six months) should not be used to peddle other websites similar to geocaching. The whole process of geocaching is overwhelming to new players, please don't add confusion.
There are occasionally "Geocaching 101" events, but not every event is specifically designed to teach new cachers about the game. See my comments above, though. Groundspeak does not own the events (or the caches). They only own and control the event/cache listing pages. While they do have guidelines on what makes good and bad swag for caches, I don't think they have any interest in controlling what can be discussed at an event. IF they would allow it, I would have been happy to reference that this was likely to involve more of a indy caching orientation, but understand why that wouldn't have been appropriate.
2. When hosting events as seasoned veterans, please do not pair a group of adults with a group with children. Those single adults are either having a day out away from their kids, or may not be kid friendly.
I have NO IDEA what you're referring to. There was no planned pairing of cachers at my event. Maybe this is something you've heard of from other events?
3. Encourage new player, but don't ruin it for them! We told the organizer that we were going to head up the street to attempt "octopus garden" (one of the oldest geocaches around our area), and the guy pretty much gave away the location before we even left the parking lot.
You must be mistaken as to who you were talking to about Octopus Garden. While I did find it when I was in town 2 years ago, I didn't talk to anyone about it at my event. I did hear someone talking (to you?) about it that morning. I recall overhearing advice on the approach and that it wasn't what it used to be. I don't recall anything more than that.
4. Deodorant and a shower are a must. I know we are all heading out for a day of getting dirty and hot, but showing up for your event smelling ripe does little to encourage others to attend your future events.
I promise you by my co-host and I had showers before coming to the event and I even used deodorant. I can't attest to the other attendees, but I did not notice any especially ripe folks. Given that it was at 6:30 AM, I'd be surprised if anyone had done a lot of caching directly before showing up.
5. Own your caches! I've got a whoppping total of 52 completed, I've attempted at least a dozen that were gone. Over half the ones I found were in such poor shape, it's clear they have not received much love lately. ...and yes I bring spare logs to replace if needed.While not pertaining to my event, I'll agree with you here - in general, at least. Too many cachers put out hides and then forget about them or don't do maintenance visits. One thing that does help is to log your DNF's when you can't find one (knowing it may not be gone, you may just not have found it) and let the owner know if there is a problem when you find it. While making pre-emptive maintenance checks is a good idea, we all have lives to live and other priorities. Responsible owners, though, are happy to check on caches when it appears there is a problem.
6. I contacted my local geocaching club (about 45 miles south of me) as I was interested in setting up a puzzle cache based on a great one I solved in Texas. I asked foradvice for a first time person setting up a cach and received the following reply (and I quote) "In the last 6 months our reviewer for caches in GA has been very strict and has frustrated many of us so much that we are no longer interested in hiding caches." This doesn't help your game get better with encouragement like this going to new players.
Again, I agree. He may just be accurately conveying the general feeling of the local caching community resulting from what they see as an overly aggressive reviewer.
So stepping off my soapbox now, I'd love to understand this hobby better and if you could direct me (with reply or hyperlink location) to the following locations it would be nice.
- Specific guidelines for hiding
- Abnormal tools in your geohunting kit that you now can't live without
- Best national events to attend
Thanks in advance
Springs21 (one of the guys killing your hobby)
Others have answered these, but I agree that Geowoodstock is THE premier national (international, really) event to attend. I invite you to make the drive up to Maryland over Memorial Day weekend next year. I'm on the planning committee (for kids activities) and am confident Geowoodstock XIII will be a great event.
I would also recommend checking out the various geocaching podcasts. I would name one in particular hosted by HeadHardHat and his wife (of North Carolina) that is especially geared toward new cachers, but I'm not sure that would be allowable.
Honestly, no hard feelings. Please feel free to drop me a note offline (PM me) if I can offer any other assistance or advice.
Also, I don't necessarily think that users of the intro app are ruining the game. There are issues relating to them tending not to be as educated about the written and unwritten rules of the game and not needing a validated e-mail, so cache owners and others can't reach out to them with advice when they see things that might be a problem. However, today's intro app user may become tomorrow's seasoned cacher.
Welcome to the game.
Happy Trails!
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I started to create a I <3 Geocaching Lab Cache the other day. I believe I left in a "draft mode" (I wasn't finished with it). How do I get back to it? I'm not seeing it linked anywhere in my Groundspeak profile. Don't think I can start over since the site doesn't know that it isn't good to go and that I've not already sent the link out. Help!.
Thanks.
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Interesting thread. I don't come into these forums much anymore, but was looking for something specific and stumbled on this. I looked for, but couldn't find the "Like" button for some of Snoogans and Mr. Yuck's posts.
I was amazed to see so many references to other caching sites (by name) and that this thread hadn't been locked and the posters warned or banned. Maybe the mods are getting soft.
Guess I'll volunteer that I have SO many issues with Garmin's OC site, but am not sure that offering Pathtags as publicly advertised intensives is a bad thing, per se. At the other (real) North American OC site, we're contemplating something as a thanks to the folks who've been supporting us (via finding / hiding caches) for the last 2 years. Not sure what it'll be (we don't have big (or much of any) money behind us), but I'm sure it won't be quite what Garmin is doing.
I did recently learn that some good caching friends who've NEVER expressed ANY interest in non-GS caches, have recently been hiding some Garmin caches, after being "seduced" with Chirps by a Garmin rep. Now, that felt more "dirty" and I felt a little let down that they never acted on my suggestions, but are know all in for Garmin.
Happy Trails!
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OK, I'm interested.
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Anyone else interested in trading? I don't have a signature patch, but have extras of the new Maryland Geocaching Society, GeoCachers4Christ, and another caching related patch I'm not allowed to mention in these forums.
Here is the back of my geo-vest, as it is currently adorned.
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Hmm, a tracking number, not a good idea.
Don't get in here often, but I do agree. But, hey, it was the name of the TB, so I couldn't really help it.
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I'm very happy to have just completed a patch / wooden nickel / Pathtag trade with slowdownracer. Thanks!
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That is one I have seen. I just dropped them a not about purchasing one.
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As some may know, I love me some geocaching patches.
My caching vest I wear, when the weather permits, has a number of caching related patches on it, including...
GC4C *
MAGC
MGS *
NoVAGO
BSA's Get in the Game geocaching program
Geocaching.com
and others *
I'm especially interested in other caching patches, apart from the ones you can just go online and buy from any caching retailer. Is anyone familiar with or have any event patches, ones for other caching groups, etc.?
* I have extras
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I knew they wouldn't quite be Virtual Caches, but this seems like a very cautious approach.
While I don't see caching as all about the numbers, I do find my stats / milestones interesting. I'll be interested to see what happens if they are eventually retroactively counted toward people's find counts. I imagine there'd be a bit of outcry.
I enjoy virtuals and never saw Waymarks as quite the same thing, though I dabbled in them for a while. Will be interesting to see how these will actually work. What will make them different from virtuals, aside the name and how they're counted (or not) toward you finds.
How will the creation process work? What will the constraints be? How will you need to "prove" you've completed the challenge?
And, finally, will the they be completed using the official GC.com app? Will there be a separate app? Will it cost $9.95?
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This morning, a coworker brought me a ziplock bag of trackables he found in his yard. He first spotted them about a week ago along the side of his house in Woodbridge. At first, he left them, thinking someone might come along to get them when they realized they were missing.
The following items were in the bag, all of which were last logged into caches back in October / November of 2009 in Florida and Georgia. I've grabbed them all and will move along, once I contact the owners. If I don't hear from them in a reasonable time, I'll still go ahead and move them along. So far, I've heard back from on owner, who said that his son will be very glag to see it back in circulation.
Recovered items:
Chap's Travelling 2007 MAGC BRTango Geocoin
Homies' Diary TB
OHH PARIS Travel Bug
TB FKG69M
Tiger TB
2 military challenge coins (not geocoins)The nearest listed cache is 0.2 miles a way, but it is a Puzzle, so I'm not sure where the final is, but my coworkers home is smack in the middle of a residential area, so I doubt it is adjacent to his house.
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Comparison of Geocaching Services
Schrottie has updated his website that compares the features of the various cache listing services.
Sites included are:
GC - Geocaching.com (basic)
GC - Geocaching.com (premium)
OC - OpenCaching (v 2.0) (de, it, others) (doesn't seem to have ANY features not in 1.0)
OC - OpenCaching (v 1.0) (pl, us, others) (actually seems to contain features NOT in 2.0)
AU - Geocaching.com.AU
OX - Garmin's OpenCaching.COM
TC - TerraCaching (basic)
TC - TerraCaching (premium)
Interestingly, even though I believe he is from Germany, where Navicache seems to be most active, it is not included.
Brief summary of the site:
This comparison is based on the features that the respective platforms offer to the user. Only those functions that serve the purpose of using the data have been evaluated. The quantity and quality of the caches have not been evaluated because they are user-generated content and cannot be influenced by the platform operator. -
Actually, it looks like TC will end up being taking over by one of a few groups that have expressed interest in keeping the site alive.
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I just learned of a group that seems to be a general, global caching group - geochums.
I disagree. You may have found some sort of "mission statement" on their website stating otherwise, but Geochums (which I joined in about 2007, and occasionally read, but never post), is all NE Ohio, all the time. Cleveland? Akron/Canton? That's about it. Not that it's not a nice forum or anything, but it is definitely 100% NE Ohio residents talking about NE Ohio caching.
Actually, I've not found any mission statement. I simply didn't find anything that identified it as a local / regional group. I've also not gotten any responses from my question asking about a mission statement or to my introduction post.
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I just learned of a group that seems to be a general, global caching group - geochums.
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I just learned of a group that seems to be a general, global caching group - geochums.
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Well, I would like to chime in with an admission that I'm surprised that I wasn't chided by Keystone for my first post in this thread (with links to other caching sites) and that the thread hasn't been locked.
Maybe they're being a bit more open than in the past.
I was turned off by the their approach to the feedback service when Jeremy told me that my opinion on a cache listed on the ocean floor held no value since I didn't live near the cache. I guess only sea creatures can comment on that one.
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Not sure what "aspects" of Geocaching you need to discuss but when visiting this sandbox - you have to remember they are a business and they strive to show a profit from thier line of thinking and thier products. Does not seem very surprising at all that the competition is not allowed free advertising.
You don't go to a Microsoft site to discuss your new iPad - do you??
I guess you're replying to the OP, but I can understand why they'd frown on that, but that does support the value in the idea of a "small g" geocaching forum for the hobbyists.
However, the other listing sites I use have no issue with referencing either GS/GC.om or the other non-corporate listing services.
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Hey, natvitxn!
I know this is an "old" thread, but I don't make it here often. I spend most of my geocaching forum thread time on other sites, ironically enough.
I use the following....
My two local clubs...
Maryland Geocaching Society - MGS
Northern Virginia Geocaching Organization - NoVAGO
Two global "special interest" clubs...
Military Association of GeoCachers - MAGC
Three other listing sites...
And, lastly, the closest to a generic, global geocaching forum...
I also have a Facebook page for Geocachers Unlimited to share general caching info.
Geocachers Unlimited is for anyone who is a true geocaching enthusiast and not only a fan of one particular listing site. Also, this is NOT a place to bash anyone or any site. Open discussion and constructive criticism is encouraged, though. -
Thanks. I was hoping I was missing a more direct way to find the answer or that someone might just be able to share a rough number.
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Can anyone tell me how many of the (nearly) 1.2 million caches on the site are in the US? It appears that for most countries, you can get an idea of the number by doing a search by country feature, but the US is not included in that option. I could add up each other country and subtract, but I was just curious if anyone had a decent estimate.
Thanks.
Want a PQ of All My Hides (Including Archived)
in How do I...?
Posted
I tried the c:geo technique again, but first selected all the caches and saved them offline before experting to a .gpx file and e-mailing it to myself. It worked pretty well, but a few things would be better if I could get a My Hides PQ from GC.com.