bunkerdave

That's what I was wondering, is if this was stretching the intent of the rule a bit. We may be employees, but we do not sell, as a business, and even if we did, promoting eBay would not directly promote our own business, any more (and probably less than) placing a cache would promote Geocaching.com's business. We also love eBay, and buy and sell (casually) on eBay. We just wanted to make a cache that would have some fun swag in it, and introduce more of our co-workers to the sport. It's always interesting to me how people in a position of discretion always seem to quickly take a "guilty until proven innocent" mentality, and assume that everyone is "up to something." What ever happened to the "benefit of the doubt"?

I am a little curious as to what constitutes a commercial cache. I work at eBay, in Utah, and recently a co-worker who is new to caching, (I introduced him) wanted to hide a cache near our offices which we all filled with eBay swag, and plastered with eBay stickers. The cache was posted, and denied as a "commercial cache." I am curious as to what is the actual definition of a commercial cache. My understanding from way-back-when is that they are caches that are designed to market or promote a business enterprise, for the intent of making money, (or something.) I know that once upon a time, we had cachers hiding caches in places that required an entrance fee, which was obviously a violation (however, now we have caches in state parks, so go figure.) Firstly, other than a few items that eBay sells on its website, eBay does not actually sell anything, other than internet listing services. Second, our offices are closed to the general public, and we do not sell anything at all in these offices. Third, the cache was placed OFF the grounds, so a person visiting the cache does not even have to go to the eBay office. The only thing commercial about this cache is that it happens to be plastered with our logo, and filled with our swag. No one is going to make a dime off this. The cache has been approved, but only after quite a lot of information was removed from the listing. I would like to get a little color (maybe even from the approver himself) as to why it was denied in the first place, and from the community on what exactly is the definition of a "commercial cache."

That sounds like a really good day, to me. I took a trip last summer and managed to do something like 65 over an evening, a day, and a morning before I had to get back to work, and I think that full day ended up with something about 35. Can't recall exactly, tho. I just remember I was ready to quit when that day was over. I can remember when getting to double digits was noteworthy, but with current densities, that just isn't the achievement it once was. Good on ya!

Here is the site for UTAG - the UTah Association of Geocachers:

My daughter was three the first time I took her caching. I chose one that was close to a road, out in the middle of nowhere - figured it would be easy to find. After a few minutes looking under the trees and bushes, i saw it peeking from under one we hadn't checked yet. So I said to her "will you climb under that bush and look? I can't fit in there." And she did, and of course, found her first geocache. We took it out, and I asked her what she wanted to have, and then went into my swag bag and found an appropriate item...as I was signing the logbook, I looked around, and she had started running from tree to tree, checking each and every one of them thoroughly. I thought, maybe she's on to something...instead of spending $200 to $500 on a GPS, just check EVERY rock/tree/bush/lightpost for a cache. You are bound to find one sooner or later!

I can see where a wobbling earth would present some problems for the GPS system, but isn't that one of the reasons there is WAAS? To reconcile the ACTUAL locations on the surface with the locations being generated by GPS receivers using the satellite signals? Not being an astro-physicist myself, and only scoring a 38 on the geek scale, I can't grasp what magnetic poles have to do with GPS. NerdTest

"If you love something, set it free...." I guess we can't log it, since there are now neither virtuals, nor moving caches allowed.

Ohhhh yeah.... Last year, 4th of July weekend, I was with friends in the Uinta Mtns in NE Utah, and it had been raining off/on the whole time...we were tough, so we stayed. I decided that since everyone had given up on climbing the highest mtn in utah due to the storms (good idea) I was going to try for a cache on a nearby peak that was just 86 feet lower than that one. So off I went, with the clouds all around, and thunder off in the distance. I figured as long as nothing struck nearby I was probably still okay. We had camped at 10,800', and i was probably 40 feet elevation below the summit (this one had a pretty flat summit, so i was stil .3 mile away from the actual summit, or from the cache, rather, which was on the other side of the summit.) and just as i climbed the last steep slope, i head a VERY loud crack as lightning struck the summit where I was headed. I thought for a few moments that maybe I could work my way around the summit to the other end, keeping below the top of the mtn, but I soon concluded that the less time I spent in my extremely exposed position, the better. I radioed to my companions back at camp that I was in some trouble, and that if they did not see me in the next two hours, that something really bad had happened. With that, I hightailed it for camp, fearing with each step that I would break an ankle on the loose rock that was the entirety of the mountian above 12,000 feet. Many times as I ran I heard the rocks on either side of me sizzling with static electricity, which only made me run faster. I knew that meant those rocks were likely targets for the next strike. I saw spots where lightning had hit fairly recently, charring rocks and grass, and knew the next one could easily be my head. I eventually game to a slope with fingers of snow reaching most of the way down it, and took the opportunity to glissade down this, wanting only to reduce my elevation as rapidly as possible. I headed straight for the nearest trees, and actually hugged the first one I came to. I arrived at camp in less than half the time it had taken me to get to my turnaround, and my friends had hot cocoa and grilled cheese waiting for me. I collapsed in my hammock, rising once before dawn the next day. The next day, we all set off for the same summit, and, long story short, were able to reach the summit, and find the cache, which was already in need of replacement. Only time I've even been FTF on a cache that already needed replacing, but fortunately, i was prepared. As we started off the summit, thunder rolled in the distance.

Let me just say that any woman who is comfortable enough in the outdoors to actually pee in a bush is a-ok with me! Also..I have devised the MOST discrete method of peeing when no bush large enough for cover is available: Just pee as you walk down the trail...I usually only do this when hiking OFF trail, but you can just pee as you go, and there is no real "puddle" for anyone to discover or be offended by, and no one watching you from a distance can tell you are relieving yourself. Just be careful zipping up.

I might get married just to find out....and it would be a sure way to find out if the marriage had a chance.

You have a point...but then...when was the last time ANYONE actually gave the REAL reason they were breaking up witih someone? I know lots of people who think caching is cool...for 4 or 5 a day. I think it's when i push the envelope past 15 caches in a day that most of them get a little glazed.

Man I could not be MORE jealous! Even after what I thought was an experience that would almost certainly cement geocaching into favorable light in the heart and mind of my significant other, spring reared it's lovely head and once again, I became "bunkerdave: lord of the geocache"...and...off I went. Thus began the unraveling of yet another inevitably doomed relationship. (Whew, that was close!) I have therefore determined that in order for anything to work, we much have caching in common. I therefore, henceforth will date only ladies who own their own GPS and know how to use it, preferably for finding geocaches, rather than as a spiteful projectile. (This does not preclude them from BUYing their own to appease me and prevent the unappealing circumstance of me eating my words.) In any case...congrats to the happy couple!

Both of those definitely have uses...really like them! The mouse/maze is an awesome avatar, whereas the woods/mountain/lake one would work better for a stamp/logo. Any chance I could get some jpegs of these? gps_hunt@yahoo.com Thanks! bd

I have attempted this a few times myself, but MS Paint only gets you so far. In my own caching world, and among my fellow cachers, I am known as one who tends to ignore trails and just walk straight to the cache, as much so as possible, anyway. I know many of us do this. For some reason, doing a "bunkerdave" has come to be THE term, in my area, for any ill-planned approach to a cache. What I have tried to portray in my failed attempts at a logo/avatar is the idea of going straight from A to B, with some degree of increased risk to life and limb. I wonder if you might have some ideas. In the past when I have worked with designers, it was more fun to just tell them the IDEA and let them run with it...this has always resulted in far better creations than I had imagined. So if you have any time, with all the requests here, I would love it. I plan on making the graphic into a rubber stamp, too, and maybe a patch for my gear and a decal for my car, if that helps. Very nice of you to offer these services...maybe you ought to start a business!

Perfectly said...all of it...but especially this part. I am presently putting together the third event cache at the location of Utah's first geocache (which is still alive and well) and looking forward to what I am sure will be the best one yet. We have lots of events here, the local club (UTAG) hosts two events a year, and all are well done and well attended, with auctions, food, games, door prizes, and all the other staples. These are fun. The events I have done have been pretty much just post the time and coordinates, and bring a dish to share. We have a potluck dinner, and sit around and chat. And maybe hunt some caches...ok, no maybe...we ARE addicts, after all. These have always been a blast to host, since I don't get in over my head, and everyone raves about what a great time they have each year, which makes me that much more excited to do it again. Cost for this is maybe $80 for a campsite, which people have always been happy to help out with. Caching is a fun thing...and cachers tend to be so passionate about it that the connection between them, regardless of differences in background, is enough that they can talk about it for hours. (It's also been my experience that cachers tend to be talkers, and not just ME ) Get them together in the same place and time, and the party will just happen. Nothing wrong with prizes and games and all that...i love 'em too...but it's gonna be a blast with or without all that.

I just want to know where all these cool female cachers are at?

Here in Utah, I am aware of one cache that is exactly this. http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...20-042c29ca0180 The plaque is affixed to an object at the bottom, and you get the numbers to go and find the cache on land. I have not been to it, but I just got my SCUBA card and am headed out there sometime this summer. I am trying to figure out a way to use my GPS while diving. I read on here one time where a fellow had devised a system where he would deploy his gps on a line, in a box, and could get a reading that would stay on the GPS screen when he reeled it back down. I can't seem to find that thread now. I have looked for a container that would do the trick, but most of them will leak at the kind of pressure that is found below 50 feet.

I have a really hard time telling a geocacher from a person out taking a walk, until I see them looking intently in every nook and cranny within 20 feet of a specific location, and looking at a GPS every so often. My question, then, is how in the WORLD do they KNOW that the individuals in their so-called "evidence" were even geocachers? Who, if any, is making the pro-caching argument on the floor of the legislature? Is this being heard? Is every member of the legislature being petitioned for his/her vote? I might echo a previous suggestion, that is, hiring a lobbyist. As money is no doubt an issue with this, I know there are many caching organizations around the country, and surely most of them have some funds. It would seem to me that even a modest contribution to this effort would be in everyone's best interest.

The numbers don't bug me...what BUGS me is having a cache on my GPS screen that I haven't found, knowing that it is out there, taunting me, daring me to come and find it. I have tried to resist some caches, because I knew the hider; I knew it was just a film container with a rolled up paper and a short pencil, and i didn't want to dignify it with any searching effort. But as the tides and the ocean waves, it inevitability overpowers me, and I succumb to it's lure. The siren song of that worthless, uninteresting, prizeless piece of refuse draws me in until I seek, I find, and I log. I sigh as I walk away, and that cache becomes just another number in my ever climbing find count. I have to admit, this addiction has resulted a decreasing percentage of finds actually being INTERESTING ones, indeed, last year, when I was around 600, I struggled as I searched my find list to select 50 that would qualify for a "fabulous 50" list. I suppose that is part of the draw...you really seldom do know what you are going to find, and curiosity overwhelms. I always HOPE that if someone thought the location was worthy of inviting others to come and experience it, at least it will be a place worth visiting, but that, too, has become less the case. At least there is always the camaraderie. When all else fails, we get to spend time with other people.

If I may, I can't say that as far as GPS cache posting websites go, GC.com really HAS any competitors. I suppose maybe as much as Microsoft or DeBeers have competitors. I have always been opposed to the idea of being politically correct for it's own sake. I prefer a world view which is representative of reality, not one that is watered down, candy coated and handicapped so that everyone "feels good about themselves." All men/women are NOT born with all the same opportunities, life is NOT fair, People are NOT always nice/honest/_______, as much as government and psychological weaklings would like to make it so. The idea of having to "manage the image" of an organization so that it LOOKS like it is a "model of diversity" is, in my mind an insult to the intellignce of those who are being artificially represented. It's like when you look at advertising literature, and they always have to have a Black person, a Hispanic, an Asian and a Caucasian on each and every page of the brochure...as if the entire world is actually broken down that way. How about instead of crying and whining about "everyone getting their 'fair' representation," we stop looking at people's ethnicity and focus on the contribution they make to society? As far as a "price" of having photos on the homepage...are you asserting that someone came to the Geocaching site, saw pictures of a bunch of white people at the top, and said "Oh, this is a white people's site, I guess I can't play?" Does anyone actually think that happens? And how long would someone so sensitive and emotionally fragile even last in geocaching (or most other arenas of life, I'd wager)? If in fact that HAS happened, I would submit that we are better off without them. There is enough whining already. The fact is that, as an elective, leisure activity, there is NO way to increase diversity in the numbers, nor can the appearance of such be presented without artificially OVERrepresenting this group or that one in the geocaching population. The photos displayed come from a database of images that, to my understanding are randomly uploaded to the homepage. The only solution is to have NO photos at all, which is exactly the same logic that has removed prayer from schools, and now threatens to remove God from the Pledge of Allegiance and the Ten Commandments from public display. The other answer is to take all the photos that have people in them and separate them into ethnic groups, and write the generator so that it always has a photo on the page representing every ethnic group in the world. This is essentially what affirmative action does, and the interesting thing is, that it creates MORE racism...not less.

Add me to that list. I don't know what I can do from here, but I would certainly appreciate being kept up-tp-date on a law like this. One should keep in mind that simply being "passed" by the legislature is far from the final word on any bill becoming law. I don't know how solid the organization of cachers is where you are, but i would hope that each and every one of them would be eager to be heard on this topic. Legislators have this bad habit of only listening to their constituents when it becomes politically too costly not to. "You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing....after all other possibilities have been exhausted." Winston Churchill

One of my favorite t-shirts (although I wish the shirt itself was higher quality, i'd probably wear it more) reads "I use multi-billion dollar military satellites to find tupperware hidden in the woods....what do YOU do?" You've probably seen it...always gets a chuckle.

I started caching in 2001, before I'd ever heard of Settler's of Catan, but in 2002 I was introduced to the game and it became something of an addiction for me. Evidently, I just have that kind of personality. Used to play three or four nights a week with some friends, and we don't play as much anymore, but still once in a while. Really enjoy that game. Got the seafarers expansion, as well as the 6 player expansion. Thought about cities and knights, but i like the shorter basic game. bd

Under the Macro menu there is a option called "Add Button to Toolbar..." I've added a few and it works well. Or am I not understanding? I think that should do it...not at home now, so can't try it yet, but it sounds like you know what I mean. Thanks! bd