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DreamMachine74

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Everything posted by DreamMachine74

  1. Hmm. I've come to really like creating puzzles as my tasted in cache hiding have changed. I'm not good at solving puzzles...heck I kind of suck at it. BUT, I have a system. I also love history. So I have a lot of fairly easy puzzles, and a few....tougher nuts to crack. I think I can confidently say my rough average for puzzle creation, development, final cache container creation and development...placement THEN publishing....would be well, a few weeks. I mean, many of my puzzles only took about 2 hours or so to build out, but a handful took longer.....and in that handful there's a few that took over a month. I tested them myself, I rigorously checked them and made sure the system they need is fine, and made sure they havea logical path. Although of course, puzzle styles are a tough thing to crack if it clashes with your own...as many would be solvers have issues witha few of me puzzles. I have one D5 I hid over 6 months ago, which was published 5 months ago....strictly because that puzle took about 7 weeks to finish, or....15 hours minimum, probably closer to 25. It hasn't been cracked but I KNOW it can be solved. That being said, I think the quickest puzzle for me took about an hour and a half.
  2. I'm no good with streaks, although I don't drive nor do I care to cache consistently over a larger period of time. Last year I did a streak, not very long, but it was 21 days.....from 2020-02-21 to 2020-03-12. I did much of that streak with a hand injury which made caching tougher...but in spite of that injury, I hid a 3/5 ammo can. My no caches streak is 917 days according to GC....but I don't know if thats actually the true number. My first 4 finds were all logged on one day...the day I created an account. But I found my first cache a full month and change before I created that account...so I don't know much about those first few caches in any way. (But I do have a photo of my first cache...I posted it online in April..thats how I know that*)
  3. Well that's amazing! Awesome to see Guinness recognizing geocaching achievements....that's a heck of a crazy geo-art.
  4. That's very disappointing, but I guess people like to think they can be smart about it. I'll probably log it in spring or summer...an area with a large amount of my own caches is a frequent dumping site in one section, and also is host to invasive species like European Buckthorn, and Garlic Mustard (I can't tell you how much I dislike both species for their destructive and invasive nature). (Oh, and no, my caches aren't hidden in trash, I made sure the caches are hidden in respectable locations...though I did have to relocate a cache once due to this problem) It'll be a good workout though finding garbage bins nearby will be tough.
  5. That's a good point all in all. I purchased a few new geo-trinkets so an FTF prize won't be an issue. (which included trackables*)
  6. Rarely will I leave F.T.F. prizes simply because many of caches are too tiny or odd to work. I live in a more urban environment, so it's tough to hide biggest stuff. I am hiding another ammo can however, about the same distance from my home. I think I may just leave $5 as a FTF prize...but I'm leaving a trackable or two as well inside. It's tough making bigger caches to fit multiple items in my area, but oh well, there are a few spots around.
  7. I'm in the same boat. It's my oldest and most found cache, but not by much...it's weird having it be both a smily and an owned cache, but it's perfectly fine since the initiative was ade to adopt the cache...in this cache for myself the CO lives out of town and couldn't bother going and maintaining the cache anymore.
  8. That's fair. I'll stick to using the website for referencing disabled caches for those moments when I wonder where a cache or two went.
  9. For years I had a basic account. I knew the application was limited, and when I first started out, it was a huge turn off. When I got back into geocaching, I used the website and never stopped....it was THE only way I cached for many years until I got premium membership. Now that I'm premium, I see it's just that much more accessible and friendly to use the application, even though I do prefer the website for some things....the loading issues on the application and the clunkiness of waypoints (Using Android*) do frsutrate me at points. I also use the website at times to see caches which are disabled....I don't really get why the Application only shows fully sctive caches, and that you can't just flick a settign on and off for that, but whatever.
  10. I also agree however, the CHS is a little bit troublesome, but overall, it's a necessary thing in order to keep caches maintained and orderly. (Of course NA and NM logs are necessary too, though sometimes they are used rashly, even by not so new users.) As an example, the oldest cache in my city was given a NA log by someone who felt the cache was in a dangerous, erosion prone spot....the cache hasn't moved from the spot in 18 years despite her concerns. The trees around GZ held u the ground well, even though it is a bit of a stark fall down to the nearby creek, (Oh, and don't paint me as a negative nancy for my previous posts, I simply didn't explain my reasoning for my opinion well enough....if this were a person to person conversation, I can assure you I'd sound less harsh or brash than I do especially in my intiial post on this thread.)
  11. Of course they can, but it's not exactly something well appreciated, especially if it's a significant cache for the area. I mean, if your changing the DT range significantly after a few years, it's a little bizarre....of course that's just situation among many. I'm saying this from the position that the cache is a higher DT range, which it is.
  12. I've been caching for over 6 years and still need 9 spots filled...although this month I think I'll get one or two done. I'm only interested in getting more of my grid filled since there isnt much to do these days....lockdowns mean lots of geo-brainstorming or cache creating. I've been hiding higher T caches for a while, though I don't have a ton of em...and they're all pretty sccurate, except one or two which were old ratings that are a bit soft on the T, or too high...but only by half a star. I recently hid a 4.5/3, but I made sure everything checked out....I just found another 4.5/3 today, a puzzle cache like my own 4.5/3, but in soem ways it's easier then my own cache, the terrain is a scotche high too. Grid filling is fun, but yes,the journey is so so much more worthwhile to me. I'd rather walk 10 miles then climb a tree then just take a bus to fill a spot on my grid.
  13. I understand that, but theres a sizable group of people who understand changing DT ratings out of the blue isn't exactly fair, especially years later. I know that DT ratings are meant to guide finders on what to expect for a challenge with regards to finding the cache, but there's been many challenges created over the years where's this tool becomes more important to cachers. I think it's fair to say that as an example, a 3.5D/1.5T trad hidden for a few days but already garnering 5 to ten hides can be altered to a 1.5/1.5 if said cache is found to be far too easy...but changing said cache after say, 6 years and well over a hundred finders? I think that'd be a bit more of a nuisance. Of course, this isn't that bad of an example....a higher DT combination would be more tough to really judge, especially for newer cachers. Now....changing cache sizes is a different story altogether.... (regulars to small/micros*, or whatever)
  14. They can't really change the DT now....the cache was been found by hundreds of users and active for over 6 years. @Isonzo Karst I mean, yes they can, but it's not something seen as fair by others...changing DT's on cache years later. The cache very well could be a 4.5T IMO, depending on the tree and where it is, and how high it is. And what tools needed etc....the D may be a stotche low. Seemingly this is more of a 4T judging by the height, but I'm just guessing.
  15. Well, let's see... Posted December 15, 2019 #1. Hide more unique caches. I want to try for more mystery, multi and other types of caches....not so many traditionals….although I do have one or two ideas for some wacky traditionals. Not setting a formal amount for hides, though increasing my presence in my hometown is a goal I like working on. #2 Host an event somewhere interesting. I started doing events late into the year, when I became busier and the weather became too bothersome to be outside for long....I have some ideas for new kinds of events....the special one for next year sounds great, but I don't see myself getting it. I choose to believe my luck will be terrible. #3 Find my 1000th cache. As of typing this, I sit at 699 hides.....by January 1st, I'll be at least 710. And find more multi's....even though they can e frustrating. #4 Fill out more of my grids. I have 50 D/T combinations found...I'll have one or two more found by 2020, but push up that number. Same for my found dates....and Jasmer and yadayadayada. #5 Find my first webcam cache. I know of one now in Canada....and it's a ways away, but at least it's two train rides away....and a few hundred miles. #6 Find more counties. A goal from last year, I just want to push my map a bit...maybe even find another state. -Alright so... for my first goal, I did succeed with this by all means. I definitely hid more non trads than trads this year....9 trads out of what'll be 30 caches once my final puzzle is published in the coing hours or days. Tough puzzles, easy puzzles, tree climbs, ravine runs and valley foraging....and a couple roadside caches. All in good fun this year, and most definitely spread out in my city....I've hidden a good few in places I wouldve never expected. Number two: Well, I only succeeded on hosting one event, and that was as the uh, fear started kicking in from this....thing. It was held on March 14th, one of the last events of the year in my province. It was in a place I previously had held events....and I was planning for hosting more fun stuff in the future. Number Three: Yep. I did it...I'm sitting on 1017 currently, AL's make it 1032. I'm finding two more caches this year....so I'm content with this goal. Number Four: This was one goal which was a lot easier to do this year as I had much more time to plan. I have 72 grids filled in now.....next year I have some caches to target. This year has almost entirely been based on caching for find dates....I have nearly my whole calendar filled in now. Not so much with JASMER...but oh well. Number Five and Six: Nope. This couldnt be done.....not with the way the world is. I mean, I think I did earn at least one new county, but that was out of luck. Overall, I'm very happy with what I've done this year considering how things went. Getting my finds calendar nearly completed is a great goal for me...and getting more of my DT grid filled. More hides has been nice too.
  16. As more areas return to lockdowns and tighter restrictions, the above will be more neccessary depending on the cache location and such, as we all know. I'm starting to consider cache disabling if certain parts of my city start shuttering....my city already has entered a lockdown as of 1 hour ago...
  17. Well then, that's an interesting article on Wikipedia. The averages for many countries are lower than I expected...hm. I think I tend to rate cache too low for the Terrain rating at times, partly since I'm of average height, well a bit shorter. Tree climbs are easier for me due to my height, although I don't like some of those low-down corner hides as a result.
  18. I find in that case, there obviously has to be a threshhold between when the cacher logged the online find, and the CO checks in on the cacher who virtually logged it. Asking for proof 8 months after the virtual log is a bit unrealistic, but asking after a few fews to....say 6 months, I find that acceptable. All cachers should really have proof of logging the find in case they lose their writing utensil or what have you, but I can understand if the user deletes the image on mistake, or loses the fil in a corrupt drive...etc. In any case, it's up to the CO to be stringent there are no virtual only logs, but also its imperative the finder logs truthfully, and in the case they cannot sign the log, has photographic proof by the very least, or can describe GZ. There are grey areas in my statement which I do acknowledge however.
  19. This year I've been caching less than last year, but a bit more than what I would've thought. My finds have been as such.... 2014 4 0.0154 caches/day 2015 0 0 caches/day 2016 6 0.0164 caches/day 2017 20 0.0548 caches/day 2018 271 0.7425 caches/day 2019 418 1.1452 caches/day 2020 293 0.9391 caches/day I usually go out of town to see family, and can grab a few more caches, but that's not been possible. (*That being my vacation) After I was laid off by the pandemic, I proceeded to hide more caches for a little while, and I stick to night caching, and working on finds for my 366 calendar. I've usually maintained a find a day for the days I need (some days not being possible due to work, when I was rehired, and just life in general). Sometimes I'd see my dad, who lives in a suburb more than a few miles from me, where I could grab more caches, which helped my cache number be higher for a little while, but all in all, I'd stick to caching at night when I could, sometimes going for caches at daytime. It's getting colder soon, so all my caching will be done at day now. But I'm still hiding consistently. Between last year and this year, I've been hiding on a consistent level, the pandemic hasn't affected my hide rate at all really. Since I exhausted more of my locale for hiding spots, I've hidden less, but I've hidden further. Last year, when I started hiding caches, I hid 39 caches...mostly trads. This year, I've so far hidden 27 caches, and am planning two or three more to hide. (two for sure*) Of that, 16 have been puzzles, and the year before I hid only 2. I've stuck to 2 multis this year, just like last year...albeit this year they've been easy multis, unlike last year. I had 1 event this year (March 14th of course), and 3 last year. I'm happy with this year...and tonight I'll finally get 1,000 cache finds. (ALs dont count :P)
  20. I have many hides with song names, though I live in an urban/suburban area., and they arent catchy songs per se. I used to post lyrics in some of my earlier caches, but I like to jam them with some history of the area, and find the lyrics get in the way. That said, I think my more likeable songs for geocaching would be something along the lines of: *(GC8QW36) I listened to this record a great deal in river valleys, and my local river valley feels like a great place to hike, slip down hills and cross the river whilst listening to this song and others. Also, the cache may be more of a T4.5, but don't tell anyone
  21. I had three cache disabled due to the pandemic, all due to municipal closures of park amenities like playgrounds, benches and water features. It took me until September to feel comfortable enough to re-enable two of those said caches...one of which hasn't been found since last winter due to it's high T rating and difficulty. The final cache was disabled all the way until literally two daysago, due to an apartment compex next door which had expanded the parkette my cache was in tremendously. Many of the stones which my cache was hidden alongside were removed....and I can safely say the cache did not make it. But anyways, that cache was 2 metres from a playground....the city never actually announced when park amenities were reopened, which made reactivating caches much tougher on my part. If we see similar municipal measures, I won't be afraid to disable these caches again....it may seem a bit harsh, but I'd rather have cachers be safe and not be charged for breaking the rules.
  22. I haven't really done the un challenge properly per se, although I do still have a good selection of walking distance caches that afford me said selection. I DNFed my would-be last cache to finish this promotion, so I think I'll be taking another 5 or so caches until I get one requiring that last ancient wonder. (I searched nearly 40 minutes for that sucker last night....grr)
  23. I've had one hide dealing with this....it was a tiny parkette on the corner of two side streets, but half a dozen buildings were under construction around, literal skyscrapers going up next to a bunch of houses in a well established neighbourhood. I disabled the cache due to the virus thing happening currently, as the cache is next to a park amenity....said park amenities were off limits by the city for months, anyone near it or using it would be fined. Sure enough, once I had a reason to go to this area (even though its less than a mile from my home), I foudn out the city/developer were working on expanding the park...two apartment towers were going up next to the parkette, and the developer expanded the parkette by about 3 times its original size. The old parkette was modified as a result, and the cache, well....it might still be there. The actual hiding spot is present, but I don't know if the workers cleared off the stones and shrubbery much. (Since the cache is between a big shrub and a rock). In any case, this cache is still disabled...I'm waiting for the shrub to be less pokey since I don't feel like sticking my arm down there...it's awkward even when the shrub is cut back, but also, I'm waiting for the remaining fences in the new park to be removed. The actual cache is a bit tougher I think, since there's more muggles then ever....those two buildings have about 600+ people in them combined.
  24. For me, what I really understand to make me feel good about geocaching is making a cache create an experience, whether it be a multi, wherein you walk about a neighbourhood, learning this and that about it, or working on a puzzle which makes your mind melt....only to realize it's a bit of a nonchalant breeze into a morgue of less approachable perspectives. Then again, I also love those good ol treks in the woods wherein it's either a nice bushwhack and hill climb/ride to the cache, or just a walk through a field, overgrown with vines and what have you all around. I've created about 9 caches which all fit with one of these descriptions more or less...but what it really boils down to for me is creating an engaging experience for geocachers in the community to have fun. It's taken time to learn how to create caches like these, but it's a good process, and very helpful. I also just love the sense of achievement when it comes to thinking about where you went just from geocaching...it's interesting methinks.
  25. My first multicache find was by accident. A letterbox was hidden nearby, and when I tried to find it, I ended up finding what turned out to be an old multi that's still active. I then found the letterbox about 5 feet away....that was a strange day haha.
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