PlantAKiss

I've enjoyed reading the thread smack talk. Lol. Good luck to all! I'll be pulling for the #31 in honor of NASCAR's Jeff Burton!

I don't believe I ever said anything about "youngins." And I'm not sour. I understand "different strokes for different folks". It's just surprising how things have changed over a few years. I still don't know what a blast radius is. Oddly enough only two days after I made my original post I stumbled upon a power trail! I was about 45 minutes out of town in a very rural area at a research facility. As I was leaving I thought I would check and see if there were any caches around and, lo and behold, I saw a long string of green markers! So I checked it out. I only had time to do a few. Found seven out of eight. One DNF in an area I thought might be posted land. The caches were placed along a new bike trail following the road. While pretty much unremarkable hides, I enjoyed the walk and the scenery. So while I wouldn't go back to do the entire trail it was a taste of it I reckon. Such a coincidence that I was wondering about power trails and found one so by accident! It's interesting to read what different people get out of geocaching. Many different things to many different people. It amazes me that anyone can do long streaks and find so many thousands of caches!

Well I have never!! ? And all this time I've been yanking 'em out. That looks like it would behead a tick rather than remove. Learn somethin' new every day...

What is a tick key?? I'm a tick magnet. Is that the same? ? and what do you use a lighter for? That cigarette you light after the satisfaction of finding the cache?

I used to print out sheets and also jot down notes on pieces of paper. Then for a while I used GSAK downloading to my GPSr (when it was alive) using my office computer because I had a Mac at home and there was no GSAK for Mac. Paperless caching is great--it saves TREES!! Now...if only cachers would just stop climbing them. :-/

$30 is not peanuts when you are unemployed. Some people aren't Premium Members, not because they don't want to support the game (as many people seem to assume), but because they simply can't afford it. I don't have much heat, no refrigerator, no insurance...many things I wish I had. I USED to be a PM back in the day. But even if I were still a PM, I wouldn't have PMO caches. I believe caches should be available to everyone. EOC--equal opportunity caching. No extreme challenge requirements, no "premium" exclusions...just hide a regular cache and let everyone have a chance to get some exercise and have a fun day. But that's just how I see caching. Hopefully some day I'll be able to be a paying member again. I do wish GS would not punish general members by taking away search features.

I don't have anything against a TB Hotel. It's the perception that a cache called that must stay stocked with TBs all the time and restrictions on removing TBs via trading rules. T stands for travel, not trade. I'll take Cerberus1's word for it about not ticking off Eartha! :-D

I thought I saw where reviewers are supposed to be removing these restrictions before a cache is published. I just can't seem to get a TB to move because I don't already HAVE one to "trade." I don't get it.... Yes, reviewers are supposed to remove such restrictions before publishing caches but sometimes they accidentally miss them and sometimes the restriction is added back in by the CO after publication. If you come across these restrictions on any so-called "TB Hotel" please email the publishing reviewer to state your concern. MrsB Seems like a request rather than a requirement so I don't see anything wrong with it. While the CO is indeed being polite, there is no mistaking the intention here which is a 1 for 1 trade and wanting to keep a stash of 6 TBs in the cache at all times. Otherwise those statements would not be in the cDescrip. I think many people think it's not a "hotel" unless there are a bunch of TBs in it.

"Older people" grew up playing outside. Younger people grew up indoors playing on computers, video games, Wii, Gameboy, Nintendo, whatever. So old people like being outdoors. Lol

Dang. I thought this was going to be about the challenges of being a short person in the caching world. ? ?

I still don't really understand PTs. How does one find a trail?? Who maintains it? Who plans it? Ha! I've never heard of a "blast radius." Obviously I don't have one. Lol I wonder at what point GS stopped admonishing don't place a cache just because you can. I do remember that. I'm sorry...I'm just musing about these things. I can't imagine being able to find caches 366 days in a row! Life stuff gets in the way. That's amazing.

<quote> The bus is a popular landmark on that trail. It gets many visitors.</quote> Reading the cache descrip/logs was disappointing. I thought it might be more respectful but there almost seemed to be a kind of gruesome glee about it. I understand a degree of curiosity about the site but...its a sad kind of landmark. The scenic landscape is stunning to be sure and worth a trek for the skilled. Too bad the cache isn't more honoring of a life lost.

I'm sorry... I cannot find how to delete a post on the (NOT FREE) phone app.

Here, here! Well said! Caching used to be about the journey, the location, occasionally cool swag in the "treasure chest.". It's still that to me (and MANY I'm sure!) but seriously how do you do 1000 caches in a day and really get to enjoy it other than seeing a high number at the end of the day? I don't get Power Trails at all. It's too bad there can't be two games...one for great hunting experiences and one for crazy challenges and high numbers that appeal to competitive gamers. They seem like two different games. I only found 4 caches the other day but I got my first cache at a State Line and saw my first Solar Farm! No big deal to most but I loved the locations. I still can't fathom working full time and finding 100s of caches a day. I don't understand how one can have long streaks and never get sick or have a car break down (unless you save finds to log when you need them). Much I don't understand about the new ways of Geocaching and Prem Membership advantage so I'll just stick to what I know. But congrats on all those impressive stats! Certainly takes dedication and time. It wonder what the numbers were like pre PTs and Challenge Caches. Can you look up data by dates?

I have always liked being out and about in the woods and creeks. I like taking photographs of interesting things particularly fungus. So my favorite caches are in the woods.

Accidental double post.

Thank you Daniela!

I rarely meet anyone who knows what caching is before I tell them. That surprises me since there are so many cachers and caches. I'm always telling people they have probably walked past many caches and never knew it. I read the book "Into the Wild" and my mother is (re)reading it now. It was also made into a movie which I haven't seen. Definitely an intriguing but sad story. I can't believe someone put a cache in the bus!! Wow...

Awwww man! I missed this! Oh well...sounds very interesting and fun! Good luck to everybody!!! --PAK

So you're saying use an online translator but kinda mention the translation might be wonky? I definitely plan to be very very nice about it. I know he could throw my coin in a river if he wanted to. Thanks for the suggestion Cerberus1!

So, do I have this right? If I click on "Find a Cache", one input window comes up with a filter button underneath. If I click on that, none of it is accessible to me...it says it's a Premium Member Feature. ??? Seriously??? Is that right? All the search features available to me before are no longer there??! Please tell me this isn't the case. I USED to be a Premium member. But since that time I've lost my job, been unemployed, in school, broke, taking care of elderly parents. I don't have the money to be a Premium member! Sometimes opting not to be a PM is not by choice but circumstance. I always felt like supporting GC/GS and did when I could. I also used to have a GPSr but that broke I can't afford to fix it. And people hear criticize cachers who use phones all the time. I use a phone because that's all I have to use. So please don't tell me as a GM I no longer get search privileges. Life is really tough and caching is one of the few, fun things I can do that doesn't cost money. Hopefully I am wrong and there is something I'm not understanding about the new search engine.

Both caches I found today were wet. One was nothing but a tiny, torn baggie (containing a sopping wet log paper) stuck in a tiny hole in a log. I think originally the hole had some kind of lid but even so there was no watertight container. I sat for a while on a mossy log and dried the log paper in the wind and sun. Second cache was a "waterproof" phone case that was also wet inside with an assortment of soggy log papers, and a pencil with a broken lead covered in thick mold (no pencil sharpener). I dried the container and the contents out the best I could. I removed the mold-covered pencil and left a shawty pen. I'll let the CO know in case he wants to put another pencil in. I honestly don't get what part of "water-tight container" cache hiders don't get. There was a child's pipe cleaner bracelet in one cache that I'd never let a child of mine wear since it was grey in places. Yuck! I left the bracelet but the mold on the pencil was 1/4 inch high!

Hello, I mentioned this here several months ago: a cacher has had possession of my Benchmark coin since 4-1-13 (almost 2 years!!). He has been dipping the coin for mileage ever since then but not dropping it. In my opinion he's basically stolen it. While I can appreciate the miles he's logged, I want my coin to travel in the normal way. I've been blown away that it met it's goal (making to Stonehenge!). It's traveled 16,000 miles all over EU! I made some edits on my TB page a while back to put some gentle hints in it about letting it pass to different cachers. This person has not logged it since 8-14. Knowing I risk pissing off the person, I have decided to bite the bullet...or coin...and contact him and ASK him NICELY to please drop my coin and let it go back to passing hand to hand. This cacher is in Germany. So what is the best method of communication? I don't speak German. Is there a translator on this board? Or should I just go to an online translator and cut and paste a message to him? I know these translators don't always get it right. I don't know anyone who speaks German who could translate for me. Any suggestions for the best way to do this? --PAK

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS! I am SO happy to read this!!! This has been a burr under my saddle for ages! Restrictions on TBs in TB Hotels. Totally defeats the purpose of a TB!! Just venting: I went to one TB Hotel that had 4 TBs in it (recently dropped by the CO). I had read the cache description on this one many times (as I had to drive past due to lack of hunting time). Finally got to stop and found it. I took 2 of the 4 because I could move them 100 miles. When I hiked back to my car, I happened to notice a recent EDIT on the cDescrip that said "1 for 1 to keep inventory" I know that wasn't on the original description! So I had to hike back to the cache to take them back because I didn't have a TB to TRADE. (In the meantime, a cop came by and checked out my car...I could see him from the cache.) And just this past weekend I saw a cache with two TBs listed in it and I was going to get one so I could drop it at this TB hotel since I drive past it every week. ....'til I saw it said "want to keep 2 TBs in the cache at all times." So I couldn't retrieve any according to the CO. So I'm glad to know that I CAN pick up a TB despite a restriction. Restrictions make no sense and it's good to know GS sees it that way too. Although I can also see that breaking a restriction could lead to a pissed off CO. Thanks for the common sense stance on that! ------------------------------------------------------------- Just saw this on a TB Hotel place in Jan. of this year: I thought I saw where reviewers are supposed to be removing these restrictions before a cache is published. I just can't seem to get a TB to move because I don't already HAVE one to "trade." I don't get it....

I don't have all the tools I might like to have with me but a lot depends on how far you go and how much stuff you want to deal with. I try to have a pen/pencil, water, tweezers, knife, gloves, SWAG, mini-grabber (used sometimes in jewelry making to pick up beads), small Swiss Army knife that has a few tools, paper towels, camping TP, hikey-pokey pole, a loupe (cuz I like to look at stuff up close), mini flashlight, bandaids. If I remember I take a trash bag to pick up trash. I also have a mirror on an extender (for looking underneath things). You can get those at car parts stores. I try to have extra paper, log books, etc. just in case something is dire and needs help. Mosquito wipes or spray a must for the woods. OH and ALWAYS CELLPHONE. :-)