AltDotAir

Thanks! I found the way to do it via AstrosFan's instructions, can't quite figure out the sbell111 method. What seems buggy to me is that in the 'advanced search' page, even though one can 'search' for locationless caches by type, it's always a null result. I think. == Alt Dot Air ==

Punting the no-new-locationless issue, how does one currently search for existing locationless? I've discovered the way to get the 'search by cache type' pop-up, but this requires an additional parameter (postal code, country, keyword, etc.) Even when I type in a country-state combo, I get no results back. I'm just trying to get the old list of all locationless caches. Any help would be appreciated! In general, although I'm sure this has been noted before, it's frustrating that there's no consistency in the search options. You search from the main page, you get one set of options and can get to your state map. You search from the 'My Page' you get a different set of options, no state map. You get to more search options, you get the 'search by type' pop-up with parameters but only one at a time. In any event, thanks for any help / advice anybody can give me about how to find locationnless pages right now. - Alt == Alt Dot Air ==

OK, I'll beat the nag some more. The ban on vacation caches is moronic. There are plenty of "local" caches that aren't maintained. We have "local" caches placed in our area by people utterly unaware of the local scene or even local laws that are approved because the placer is within some arbitrary distance that makes it 'unvacationlike'. At the same time, what requires maintenance for a virtual cache that happens to be created on vacation? What's the harm? Along with the ban on moving caches and the moratorium on locationless, this is all part of a disturbing trend of overregulating the wrong way. At the same time, I've seen HIDEOUSLY dangerous caches approved because they don't violate the rules (placed in active roadways, amidst broken glass and syringes, etc.) Geocaching is about finding a certain spot at a certain time. The experience, even if extended to only one more person, is sharing that spot and perhaps that moment. It's one thing to be sensitive to local requirements. It's quite another to declare 90% of the world off-limits just because there are no locals with GPSrs and the amount of leisure time required to follow our sport of choice. And it's quite another still to say that an experienced geocacher with a good track record of sensible placement can't in turn place a cache someplace more than XXX miles from her or his home. I just think this is pure laziness by the admins, or maybe a form of control freakiness. It certainly is a pointless restriction without the goal clearly defined as a consequence of the policy. I've made this suggestion before: if you REALLY want to worry about the QUALITY of caches, have a review process for the first five caches placed by a new cacher, and make a requirement that you can't place a cache until you've found, say, 25 caches of at least two different types. Coming soon: bootleg caches everywhere and competing geocaching websites if these silly restrictions keep popping up. == Alt Dot Air ==

Please, no more virtuals here We're cached in enough. If you're going to be here for at least a week, try to make it down Big Sur. There's some mighty fine caches down the coast, too many to mention specifically, but you can either do drive-and-short walk caches or drive-and-hike or both on one of the most spectacular stretches of highway on the planet. This is what I'd recommend as caches from Moss Landing south for a visitor... - Ladybug Lookout and Bohemian Rhapsody (Iron Chef). Unfortunately you won't get the wildflowers in July, but for an afternoon loop on the coastal range quite close to Monterey, as good as it gets. One of them is a very neat hide problem, all sorts of cool microclimates, some challenging hiking, great views (do it Ladybug Lookout first to maximize these), everything caching should be. - if you want to do another day of hiking, I suggest doing a grand tour of the Fort Ord caches. There are three distinct areas -- main base, East Garrison, and Toro Park sides. Quality of the hides varies, but you can experience the weirdness of the abandoned base alongside some surprisingly unspoiled native chapparal (there's five distinct habitats/climates within the Fort). My personal favorites in this area: Equine Shrine, The Funny Tree, X Marks the Spot (a GREAT puzzle cache, start working on it now). Moose View is also fun but in an off-the-beaten track corner. - Treasure Island (Aquadyne). In Monterey near the state beach, this one's a lot of fun, see cache page as to why. - Virtually all of Just a Short Walk's caches are worth the trip, but in the peninsula proper, there are some devious micros. I liked Just Waves and Change, Stupid Cache multi (anything but!), and Walk the Plank!, all of which will take you through some 'touristy' areas but might show you a thing or two you would otherwise miss. - Jack's Cache Revisited (another JaSW-maintained) is one of the most challenging caches we've ever done...maybe it was the circumstances, but it was a great location, a head poseur, a hard find, and required some physical effort in a precarious spot. Start from Carmel Beach, you may run into a famous person along the way. I'd mention a couple of our caches but I think that would be inappropriate I would be interested to see what the other locals' "can't miss" list might include, though. == Alt Dot Air ==

Heads up for our friends in the Central Valley... The Central Coast Geocachers of California are having a picnic event on Saturday, June 21st, in Monterey, 4 pm to sunset. Details and RSVP info in the link below. This is casual, come when you can, but we've got a few mini-events in the works: a kids' mini-cache hunt, a guided hike for newbies to some close-by caches, a mini-Trash-out affair, a Tall Tales of Caching Contest, etc. I now you folks have an event in Fresno that day, but everybody's welcome if you happen to be in our neck of the woods. Info/RSVP: Summer Solstice Central Coast Caching Picnic == Alt Dot Air ==

Just a heads up for you cachers from the "other" bay area... The Central Coast Geocachers of California are having a picnic event on Saturday, June 21st, in Monterey, 4 pm to sunset. Details and RSVP info in the link below. This is casual, come when you can, but we've got a few mini-events in the works: a kids' mini-cache hunt, a guided hike for newbies to some close-by caches, a mini-Trash-out affair, a Tall Tales of Caching Contest, etc. Please join us if you are so inclined, all are welcome. Info/RSVP: Summer Solstice Central Coast Caching Picnic == Alt Dot Air ==

The Central Coast Geocachers of California are having a picnic event cache on Saturday, June 21st, in Monterey. Details on the cache page below. Planned events within the picnic include: Kid-mini-cache hunt, a local expedition for newbies, a small trash-out event, and a Tall Tales of Caching Contest. Stop by whenever, 4 PM to sunset. RSVP info and more details on the cache event page: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=70534 Hope to see you there. == Alt Dot Air ==

My main goal is twofold: 1. I believe this is ethically wrong behavior. 2. I believe it will bring discredit to geocaching. But, as I predicted, the ad hominem attacks started well before any serious consideration of the issues. == Alt Dot Air ==

You're going to get a skewed sample by posting here, Compass. Too rabid a bunch that they read discussion boards about an outdoor activity == Alt Dot Air ==

Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is there to maintain with a virtual cache? If it's not maintenance, why forbid a non-local cacher from 'placing' it solely for that reason? On another vaguely-related note...why not be consistent about the intent of the vacation rule? Although I do wish the "locals only" rule was enforced a bit more for cache-postings. "Vacation" is the wrong word. "If you live too far away from the cache to maintain it within a day's notice of a problem" might be better-wording. We have caches that are hidden in our area -- very popular with visitors -- that tend from the poorly-selected to the outright wretchedly-concieved. Some of these have been hidden by very experienced cachers who live a few hours away who do the hiding on cache-sprees, not on "vacation". I don't blame people for wanting to share the magic of the area and plant a few, but the problem is not vacationers as much as day-trippers. On the third hand, we'd have utterly no caches in some remote spots were they not put there by visitors. Caches can't always be maintained by one person, but they can be maintained serially (we frequently find ourselves replacing pens, ziplocs, even whole containers for caches that are in great spots but which are on hard times and where the original cache-placer is not in evidence. There, that's a completely different can of worms I probably am going to wish I hadn't put the can opener to. == Alt Dot Air ==

I'm going to go out on a limb here and propose a new geocaching rule of thumb. Once gain I found a cache in an active cemetary that had an actual container. This one took the cake, because the container was RIGHT ON A GRAVE. The deceased died in 1998, and it was obviously well-tended. This cache was placed by an extremely well-experienced cacher (at leat by number of caches placed). It seems to me like regardless of your religious beliefs, one ought to respect these spots, but most especially when the graves are likely to be visited by relatives. The kicker on this one is that it was a sort of mini-multi-cache, and the first stop would've made a great virtual cache all by itself (which we have suggested to the cache-placer). And what's more, it was a film cannister -- what's the point, since we can log visits on the website anyway? But of the half dozen graveyard caches we've run across, only one can be said to have been done tastefully and in a way that would definitely not offend any relative, visitor, or caretaker were it to be discovered by non-cachers. I can't post a 'this cache should be archived' because the only rule it seems to violate is the no-private-property-without-permission rule (graves are usually owned by the estates of the deceased.) I propose we add a rule that is clearly expressed in the cache-placement guidelines: no physical cache containers on the grounds of cemetaries without explicit permission of the caretakers (which, dare i say it, will likely NEVER be granted.) I've found the reaction on these boards tends to be rabidly against any restrictions whatsoever, but I again plead with everybody to get some sense of what kind of reaction this is going to get if/when it's discovered by a bereaved relative -- and the consequent possibility caching would get bad press and regulation. We regulate ourselves or someone else will volunteer to do it. == Alt Dot Air ==

I was a little surprised to see how few cachecs Jeremy has conquered, but I guess that's an indication he has a life We're one degree separated, though, if you count the no-find Jeremy logged on the great Jack's Cache Revisited cache. OK, enough of that now, I'm procrastinating from doing something else == Alt Dot Air ==

My parents used to go to church with Kevin Bacon's parents, so I'm only a third degree. That's better than Gregory Peck or Humphrey Bogart 8-). == Alt Dot Air ==

I for one would prefer the proposed six degrees function not become part of the software, because it's way too fun a game to play on your own on those days when you can't get out of the house/office but want a little vicarious geo-adventure. Click on our profile to see how we play it. It's actually sometimes a fun way of planning out a cache expedition to a new and unknown area. == Alt Dot Air ==

thanks for the link to the previous thread. I'd actually searched around to see if it had been discussed previously but it's getting harder and harder to find things here...! == Alt Dot Air ==

We try to make certain there's some kind of consistency in our own cache-postings with respect to three areas: * kid-friendliness * handicap accessibility * dog-friendliness and we also add in comments for appropriateness for mountain bikes and horseback access. For us, some of these considerations are vital when trying to pick out a cache. So we'd like to suggest the following things be added to the cache report form, and displayed via graphical icon with each cache listing (on the page, with search results, etc.) I'm not suggesting the web site has to be like a Michelin Guide, but some simple graphical symbols by caches would be an enormous help to helping extend the sport to those who have extra travel considerations. Here are specifics I suggest as a strawman: * kid-friendliness. One to Five Rating. Display this as follows: a five-person family consisting of two adult icons (one of which has mountain climbing gear on him/her), one sort of middle-sized teenager- kid icon, one kid-size, and one sort of toddler. The most kid-friendly would be 5-stars, showing all five members of our fake geocaching family. You'd subtract off one family member as the cache became progressively less kid-friendly, until you were left with only one icon, the adult in special gear. * Handicap/disabled accessibility. Put the universal disability access sign (the little half wheelchair) up on caches that can be done from a wheelchair (assuming full use of two hands). There aren't many out there, but this is a fun sport and it would be nice to advertise the few that are. * Canine friendliness: I suggest the following levels represented by cartoons: NO DOGS: a friendly puppy with the international "no" sign over it. DOGS ON LEASH ONLY: a friendly puppy on a leash connected to a human. DOGS ALLOWED RESTRICTED HOURS: a picture of a dog sitting, looking up at a little clock icon. DOGS OFF LEASH ALLOWED, BUT YOU MUST CLEAN UP: A dog next to a Mutt Mitt symbol. DOGS ALLOWED NO RESTRICTIONS: Two happy dogs cavorting. Bike/Mountainbike accessibility: put a symbol of a bike next to the cache name. Horseback accessible: puta symbol of a horse and rider next to the cache name. == Alt Dot Air ==

I just triple-checked, and realized the image was a smidge over 100K. In the past, when this happened, I got a clear error message stating the file was too large. This time I'm just getting URL failure to load messages. (It worked fine when I reduced the images to a lower size). This brings up another minor pet peeve...I spent an hour whacking my head one day some months ago trying to figure out why my modifications to our profile page were resulting in a "page inaccessible" error with a Microsoft OLE SQL blah blah blah error message. I finally just tried edits at random, and discovered there's a size limit to text on the profile page. What would have been really helpful is (a) some kind of notice there's a size limit and what it is, and ( a useful error message when the size is exceeded, not just a Microsoft OLE blah blah blah error message. Obviously the error is being generated when the database update is attempted; you need to return a message to the CGI so a proper HTML error message is generated. Thanks in advance for putting this on the maintenance to-do list... == Alt Dot Air ==

I repeatedly get an error "error accessing..." with the URL for the upload CGI. I've tried it with multiple pictures on multiple cache logs and on our profile page. Oddly enough, I was able to upload an image for a new cache we posted yesterday. But it's been two days now with the same error message. It does not smell like a timeout issue; although the site has been slow the last few days, the error message comes back before the usual timeout interval. We've uploaded many images before so this is not a newbie problem (although to be sure I would love more consistency on the site as far as having buttons in the same place and sequence in different areas, such as TBs, cache logs, etc.) == Alt Dot Air ==

Having finally gotten an appropriate cable, I've been using the EasyLoc facility a little, and I'm going to try the handheld downloads. But my question is this -- is there any way to get a pocket query generated ON DEMAND, instead of on a schedule? Generally this is useful if, say, I find out I'm going to be in location X on a given date -- not something that follows a schedule. I've looked over the pages and futzed with the system, and the only way to get a set generated seems to be on a schedule. What, if anything, am I missing? aTdHvAaNnKcSe for any help! - Matt (Alt of AltDotAir) == Alt Dot Air ==

(1) the two caches I was looking for were archived after this thread went up -- coordinates were way off, several other cachers had the samme problem. In fact, the greatest central coast cacher of them all ended up exactly the same spots I was looking, which was comforting. (2) the "known waypoints" were in fact getting wonky readings, which was the real weird EPE. Two days later, when I checked again, they'd reverted to credible readings. (Yes, I was very careful in getting the right number of satellites, etc., and I was using two different units.) So there was some kind of strange transitory signal problem, I think, but I can't say what it was. The difference was that it wasn't when I was trying to find the caches -- which were clearly not properly located -- it was when I tried to find my own house and the other waypoint nearby! you know what...now that I think of it...I did have some red meat that day! A red herring but no real answer other than that the Gods Willed it So That Day, I guess. == Alt Dot Air ==

a series of bars across a road creating a grille, but with metal slats going only in one direction (in the direction perpindicular to the flow of traffic). Cattle won't cross it because their hooves won't get any purchase. It's used instead of a gate (more convenient than opening and closing a gate every time). Below a cattle guard is a trough a foot or two deep. This has drains on the sides so water doesn't collect. Cars simply drive over it. I have a picture of this one if only I knew how to post one to a forum 8-( == Alt Dot Air ==

I know this has been touched upon in many other discussions, but one thing I'n worried about with caching in general is it getting a higher (negative) profile -- and then being regulated. Just one dumb accident, properly publicized, would be enough to get caches legally banned on public property. (California definitely seems like the kind of state where this could happen...no one is safe when the legislature is in session.) Putting a cache on a road (and while I'm no legal scholar, I'm pretty sure it's just as technically illegal as putting a cache on a railroad bed) seems to me like it's not just tempting fate with respect to potential injury, but it's the kind of cache that might get be used by an officious government employee as "evidence" that the whole sport is a public nuisance. I cite skateboarding as an example. Twenty years ago there were few public prohibitions on skateboarding, anywhere. A bunch of skateboarders made nuisances of themselves, one or two injured themselves on public property, and now skateboarding is highly-regulated. Yes, there's lots of differences between skateboarding and geocaching, but my basic point is it only takes one or two dumb caches and one or two dumb -- or uninformed -- cachers to spoil it for everybody. My gut is still that this particular cache crosses the line of common sense, but the vibe I'm getting from posts here is I should just leave it at having posted as I did and move on. == Alt Dot Air ==

The problem with putting warnings like this in logs is that they scroll back... Here's the cache link: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=34564 I really don't want to spoil this for future cachers, but I guess that's the rub of the question. It seems like the warning about this cache location, if given properly, is inherently a spoiler. our log: quote: Found at 17:03, tenth of twelve on the day. Left a 10-Lira piece and took the squished penny. At the outset, we'll say this was an extremely clever hide. Great concept, nice camou job. We just wish it were in a safe location. More on this below. Let's just say Fire House Fun might become Emergency Room Fun awfully fast. Leaves had collected below the cache container, so it wasn't as hard to spot as it probably was when first placed. When this gets cleaned out by the road crews, the cache may go missing -- be alert. However, that may be a good thing. We came *this* close to posting that this cache should be archived, but will instead allow cachers to decide for themselves with this warning. This is a hideously-dangerously-placed cache. We don't want to spoil this for the well-seasoned cacher, but at the same time, this just is not a safe cache to do. We've clung to rocks 100 feet above the ocean surf, we've searched within yards of railroad tracks, we've braved mountain lions and rattlers in search of caches, and trust us, this is just a bad idea for a placement. The same concept can be used in a safer location, and we'd urge the cacher to consider moving this one elsewhere. For now, anybody who's finding this -- PLEASE DO SO WITH A PARTNER, PREFERABLY TWO, WATCHING IN TWO DIRECTIONS. == Alt Dot Air ==

* whether it's a freeway or a side country road, you'll still be wearing a toe-tag if you get hit by a vehicle. I did not take part in the Freeway discussion earlier, though, so I will refrain from making any additional comments of comparison. However, I have done two caches that were quite close to the freeway, and they both clearly state 'you do NOT have to cross the roadway to get this cache'. That's what I consider proper labeling of the potential hazards. * I know the cache of which George speaks on this loop, and it's a hazardous climb to be sure. But the slip and fall would just be a "normal" 30 foot drop to the side of the road, not onto the road itself. The difference is the cacher clearly stated that it was hazardous (read Cave Man's page), said kids shouldn't be allowed, etc. AND that the location is obvious. In the cache in question, Fire House Fun, what I'm concerned about is the process of searching. Actually, here's an excerpt from Cave Man's page: quote: when you find the small parking spot it will become obvious where the cache is. Then you will have to decide if you want to get it or not. If you are doing the Canada loop on your bike and are wearing bike shoes please be careful. If you are not then please be careful anyway. Kids not advised. There's nothing like this on Fire House Fun. It occurs to me what we're talking about is the nature of informed and assumed risk. We have a very, very, very high assumption of risk by the cache-seeker and the cache-seeker only the way geocaching is set up. I agree with that. Again I'm seeking as to what the line is. == Alt Dot Air ==

is simply that you don't KNOW it's going to be dangerous, do you, until you find out where it is, unless the cacher has posted something about the hazard. For example, I've done a few caches that were near railroad beds. But the cacher clearly posted 'you do NOT have to cross the RR tracks to do this one' thus limiting the search area. The extent of my actions is a public post in our log indicating our opinion that this is dangerous. It's not a spoiler. I think this is the MINIMUM we should do given our subjetive opinions about the cache location. It's the responsibility of the cache-placer, no doubt, for the cache itself...unless this violates the perceived line. I don't by the ad absurdum argument that this is just one danger among many. I thought I pointed out in the original post that I had willingly undertaken dangerous situations in caching. So just launching off on the 'if you think doing the cache is so dangerous don't do it' line of "argument" is specious. What I'm trying to get at is where the line is. We prohibit caches along active railroad tracks. How is the middle of an active road different? Why? I AM NOT ASKING RHETORICALLY. I want to understand. One other clarification -- there's no side fence. This is in the right lane of traffic as you go East. I will point out again I think this is a clever hide -- I just wish it had been done on a cattle guard on a trail or turn-off, not in the road. FWIW, I can post a picture of the cache itself if that won't be considered a spoiler. Can pictures be uploaded to bulletin board posts....? - Matt == Alt Dot Air ==