Logscaler and Red

That FindStats program had me wondering so I did all the downloads and runs. Interesting numbers came out. We did have ONE multi log that was on a cache that did not allow multi finds. Multi finds on two redone caches and one moving cache had three finds. What I found more interesting was the percentage of cache type breakdown. I might have to pass this info along to the locals and see what shakes down. Thanks. logscaler.

You are right fizzymagic, it is not all that high. Not even in the top 150 anymore I don't think. But for somewhere aroound 3 years, we where # 1 in Oregon even when we had to drive 60-75 miles to the nearest cache. That has all changed in the last year or so and a new cacher could get 1,000 or more finds easy in a summer. Good for them. I will still have the memory of "when." Now, the most enjoyment we get out of cacheing is the events and the friends we have made in this game and looking forwards to making new friends. Yes, event cache's are the "gray" area of logs. But seeing as the listing shows "attended" I can accept that. It would not bother me in the slightest if those "finds" where not in the total score. Having "status" in this game should be on your "whole", not just any one section like total finds. I admire a lot of people who I have met in this game who are sub 500 finds after several years of playing. I think that instead of admiring someone and giving them "status" for their count - big deal anyway as far as I care - you should confer "status" on people for what they BRING to the game and not for what they take from the game. Let's change thing slightly. Who would you give more status to? All things being equal, The person who can sit by a little pond and cache 100 Bluegill in a weekend or the person who manages to hook up and land that 65 pound Chinook? I know who's table I would rather stick my knees under. Pass the tarter sauce please! I got a Salmon steak to eat!!!! Nuff said. logscaler.

I have to jump back into the fray seeing as somewhere along the line, I feel slighted due to my cache count and then the reference to "cheaters." Read through all my finds and find a bogus one. If I have claimed a find, it is due to having found the "cache" be it a physical or virtual. I have "ZERO" locationless caches due to personal preference. IF there was a log to sign, we did if at all possible. Several caches have been soaked and no way to even get a pencil mark on the cache logbook/sheet so we dropped our own sheet of paper into the cache with our name signed to it. Yes, it more then likely melted due to the water, so be it. I DID sign in at the cache. Several of the caches where trashed and I cleaned them up, replaced them or worked with the cache owner to solve the problem. If no response from the cache owner, I either adopted the cache or requested it to be archived. As for going out of town and hitting 1/1 caches, IF that is all that is available, what else are you going to do? It is deep winter here in Central Oregon now, as well as a lot of other places. With a temp of 8 degrees and a windchill of dammed cold, very few people are out and about chasing the long hikes caches. They are snagging the easy ones. Human nature is it not? As for a quality cache in a parking lot, I have one. Full sized 6 quart plastic box hidden at a Target store. It gets rave reviews as it is unexpected to find a cache of that size in a parking lot. There are other things in this thread that bother me big time, I just don't feel like wasting my time debating mute points that matter not in the least. The orginal question still stands and this thread is diverting from it. What I want to know is, who is conferring the "status" on the high finders? Are they flaunting their count as a "I'm better then you because I am in the 4 digit club." Or are others conferring this status onto them? Some of us have or had more time to really enjoy the hunt steady. My lifestyle has changed and I only get to do the "binge" cacheing thing now. As I said before, I am working 4 hours away from home, I work "can see to can't" see all week long. The nearest cache to me right now is at about 8,000 feet under about 8 - 10 feet of snow, and I hate snow. But, I still enjoy the game and I will enjoy the game as I get time. As a parting shot, I did not ask for "status" due to my high score. But I will accept the responsibility of having that "status" in trying to promote the game, help the newcomers out, getting events together, answering questions about cache placement, working with the Parks department in solving problems, cleaning up abandoned caches, placing above average caches - subjective I know but I have a standard of my own I work with and it seems to be above average for what I have been finding and reading about - and trying to get others involved in this game on a positive side. In fact, we got tired of the "status" of having the most finds of anyone in Oregon and we backed off cacheing to let others take the lead and the "headaches" involved with that title. No regrets. Logscaler.

Yes, I do agree with this line of thought. We where going to go to Eastern Montana last summer until the finance's fell through. One spot I look at only had something like 29 caches in a 200 miles radius. Other spots we had looked at had something like 30 pages in a 10 mile radius. I wonder which cacher gets the higher numbers? The more we play this game, the more we look for quality. Seems to be lacking anymore. Still we go out and get a "cache fix" even if it is cheesy micro's under a lamp post, magnetic key holder under a bench, etc. Mostly due to time constraints but more along the line of after working 60 + hours a week and driving 300 - 1000 miles a week, just sitting back and doing nothing hits the spot. Logscaler.

Not touchy at all. Just agree with anyone with more then 900 postings and you will get along just fine! Logscaler

Yes, of course it will, no matter what you think or say. You will always compare caches that both parties have found and your related experince at those caches. How fast you found it, how many times you looked for it, etc. Maybe you will not voice it but you will think about it When we are talking head to head or e-mail chatting about caching I could care less about how many they have found but how long they have been caching, where they have been cacheing and WHICH caches they have found. Another major item I look for in a cacher is the experience that people have AFTER said cacher has been to an area. I keep hearing complaints about a cacher with a high find count who is getting a lot of FTF's but in the process is literally destroying the area in doing so. This person also hides only micro caches to try and keep some sort of hide/find ratio. No respect from me. But when I talk about a cacher, their caching experience always comes into play. What is the fastest way for you to rate cachers? Finds. You want to talk Jeremy into putting an average D/T box into their stats? Have at it. If your heading into a new area to cache, you will read logs for caches in that area. How will you base your cache hunt? Experience of the cacher who have DNF'ed the caches. The log's will read something like "found it" by a flock of people but the last log was a DNF by someone with 4 digit finds. Skip it or figure they don't know what they are doing? You will skip it is my bet. Now, let's flip the coin a little. I have a high find count. I do not exploit it. I even try to shy away from it and not let it be known. I have logged several DNF's and the cache owner disables the cache with a statement like " if logscaler can't find it, it is not there." Do you know how much pressure that puts on us? Lot's. Yes, on several of the caches, the caches where still there and I just did not find it. It seems like a lot of people "assign" a high status to cacher with a high count. At a lot of events, our cache count is announced like we are Royalty or something. If the count matters so little, why do so many people track other people's finds??? End of small rant. Logscaler.

We pass out Arrowheads &/or stone tools from the Silver Lake, Oregon area. Real ones upwards of 12,000 years old. We get them from a private ranch after windstorms and rain have uncovered them. Valued at from a few cents up to a few bucks to $$$. Seems like we have passed out a few hundred of them by now. Rarely do we find them traded into another cache anywhere. We have been looking to have a coin or tokens made or even hats for FTF prizes. Logscaler.

If you have other options, do it. Logscaler.

Hey Lazyboy. I have heard that FROZEN paintballs work real well at leaveing a mark. logscaler

Ahh thanks. I see said the blind man. Wonder why I got a 404 Sunday using the link posted above ?

Anyone have any ideas what happened to the frapper maps? Logscaler.

Congrats blindleader. Talk about being in an exclusive group. Max of fifty in this FTF club, unless you wanna throw D.C. into the mix. We where lucky enough to have most of Oregon done already but we still ended up putting in something like 1500 miles in two weekends to get the final 4 pages. Any word on who is close to finishing it besides GeoRoo? There does not seem to be as much interest in doing the ODC as there is in the WDC. Better advertisement I think. Logscaler.

Just about had things worked out for the time off to cache but it now seems as I have been medically grounded and Have to stay lose to home for a few months. No extended trips way out of town. A day or two is fine but not weeks away. (Edited for stupid fingers.) Sorry Logscaler.

I must have been looking for something else in that area then. I have sent a couple e-mails out to the locals in that area and maybe one of them will plant something for you to hunt. I asked Red about taking a week off to complete the Washington, Idaho and maybe Nevada challenge's. I can not express the full effect of the "NO" I was given. I still think I could hit both states in a week of working at it. And then drop into Nevada if time was left over. Logscaler.

I think there used to be a cache at Rogersburg in the 29B section but I don't show a find or no find for it. M10B, can you check and see in the archived cache's? Maybe if you ask nice, one of the locals in that area will place a couple for you to find. logscaler.

As for the "hide a cache for a section" part, IF it is a problem, drop that part out and make it so that ONLY caches you have placed before the date this cache was published count towards completing this challenge. Problem solved and other problems prevented. IE: drive by WH? caches to fill a spot. Reds ride gets somewhere around 38 MPG and I do have some vacation time to burn . . . . . But could I take a week of living out of the backseat? I'll have to think about it somewhat. FTF on three challenge cache's? Logscaler.

Some rambling's from "South of the Border". Myself, I do not see how your going to be able to set a minimum "limit" on the caches used for the challange. If you say "caches must be rated 2/2 or better" then you will exclude people with limited mobilty, something you would not want to do. You as the cache owner, should be able to allow a "Found it" smiley by the merits of the caches found/hidden and cachers who submitts a request for a "found it". Dropping off "junk" caches to fill a requirement to claim a section on this cache should not be allowed. Yes, the "junk" cache "meets" the Geocaching.com requirements, but does it meet the "Spirit" of the challange as you envisioned it? If not, then don't allow the claim until the cachers meet the challange at what ever standard you want to set. I know you (and I) will get screamed at by people who want to get a smiley for completing it by virtue of throwing out several "WH?" (Why Here?) driveby micros to fill in sections that are too tough for them to complete with the existing caches. Tough. Myself, I would judge the merits of the claim based on the caches in the sections and the ability of the cacher submitting a completion request. If there are already a lot of caches in the section, simply hiding a WH? cache to claim a section would not do at all. This type of challange is ment to have high standards. Not everyone will be able to complete it. Thems the breaks. You wanna set a real high standard and get people screaming? Set a "minimum of 10% caches in each section must be found for sections containing 20 or more caches. Any caches hidden and claimed for the purpose to fill a section must meet MY standards, not geocaching.com's." requirement to claim a section. I already hear people out there calling me names over this posting. When you say something I have not already heard, I'll tell you. My nickels worth. If you want change, meet me on the trail. Logscaler.

Well I just checked our Washington finds and we are a long ways away from getting this one done. Unless I can talk Red into taking a week off and getting out the checkbook. We have 23 sections done so far. (Edit after looking a little closer at everything.) Anyone looked at the Atlas for Alaska yet? That would have some bragging rights for whomever completes it first. Or second. Or at all. Thanks for the TOPO! map M10B. It saved me a lot of time and effort. Are you going to set up a challange for Idaho as well? Seems to me that you placed the first cache in Idaho, Right? Wrong? Camels Hump or Prairie or Elbow? (And in a Devil's Club patch as well?) Logscaler.

CR, I understand the idea your trying to get across but.... As I recall it, in these hobbies - sports, you only get ONE mistake. Logscaler.

Trying to avoid these winless arguments but I gotta jump in here . . . As for learning the gps, Try making a cache in your area along THIS line to help check the equipment out and to learn where you stand, so to speak. As for cache containers. We all go to events. Have a "Show and Tell" table with a variety of cache containers on display. Talk about the plus's and minus's of each style and type. As for new cachers who need "training". Hold an outdoor event with enough room where you can hide some temporary caches to practice on. IE; Straight hide and find, waypoint projections, offset with compass and pacing - both true and magnetic bearings, puzzle caches from a sign in the parking lot, etc. As for hiding xxx caches first, we found three caches our first day and hid one the second day. Only because the next cache was around 100 miles away. I doubt if you can travel 100 miles on any Interstate or major state route without having a cache somewhere close by anymore. But on saying that, there where these places in Montana I was looking at . . . Well, maybe there will be a few places after all. I do not care how many finds or hides a cacher has as long as the caches they place are not "WH?" - (Why here?). I joined this game to locate interesting backstreet areas of the US. I can drive down the street to the local landfill if all I want to do is wade around through junk and trash. We have hidden over 100 caches. Not all active now for different reasons. Stolen, muggled, Corp of Engineers, No longer in the area enough to maintain them so adopted them out, ect. I still screwed up the last one I put out by 300 feet. Out in the open over two miles from anything blocking reception. Typo I guess. If you have a cacher in your area who is screwing the numbers up on purpose, stop hunting those caches and lower your heart rate a little bit. As for an online test, some people are book smart and street stupid and even the best test will do them no good in the brush. Your local S&R people can attest to that. My two cents worth. If you want change, meet me on the trail. Logscaler.

This cache will not really be as hard as it sounds or looks. 4 major roads North - South and 4 East - West pretty much cover the state. Spring off a couple little side trips and your done. Roughly 2800 miles should do it. A week vaction should cover it. Logscaler.

Another edit. I am fighting a migraine that is kicking my a** so if this doesn't make any sense at all, sorry. First off, I have to say we are down to three left for Oregon and we expect to complete those this weekend. Red went SOLO - first time even - to snag one in section 31 tonight after work. 5 hours and 250 miles round trip. Look for our little blue rocket coming through your town this weekend - Sandy area - Section 61, Bridal Vail area - Section 67 and Vernonia Area - Section 65 as we head for the coast for the weekend. Not sure if we will have a FTF but Saturday noonish should see us done with it. Next. I have been overlaying this grid onto NG TOPO! for Oregon and the section's are on the whole lat/log and the 30 minute from 121 westward and on the whole lat/lon eastwards. Simple enough with a couple exceptions along the coast and Northeastern Oregon. And even those can be worked out with a little studying on it. Edit here as I forgot something: I found it easy enough to get a PQ of my HIDES first, drop that into a GSAK file, export to either NG TOPO! or MS S&T and see where they where located at around the state. Then I made a PQ for those sections left over, dropped them into another GSAK file, exported and started throwing out all but the one cache I was using to hold a section down with. If you have MS S&T, you can make your own grid as well. Just save it as the main map and rename any addons as "Main map - Our hides 001", 002 or 003 etc. and do the same for finds. That way your base map will stay unclutered with information. Heck, you might even break the state into sections or something else. Anyone else close to completeing this one for Oregon? Just wondering who I will have to run off the road this weekend. Logscaler.

If you go to a NAPA store, they will have "O" rings to replace those bad ones with and get you some spares as well. Logscaler.

Four to go for Oregon. And I hate Portland. Logscaler.

... and on your proof of insurance as well as the registration for the car even if you have your DL in your pocket. Logscaler.