NYPaddleCacher

I have no idea how close I come to completing that one. To be clear, my objection isn't about using finds to complete a challenge after a challenge has been posted. It's about creating a group of cache specifically so that they can be used to complete a challenge. Sure, it might help other cachers to create a D4.5/T4.5 cache if there are few in the area, but I also think it's a bit contrived to pick the rating you want a cache to have then place a cache with the attempt satisfy that criteria. IMHO, there a lot of cache are improperly rated (mostly 5/5s) because the CO wants to own a cache that rating rather than giving it an accurate rating based on where and how it's placed.

If there is contest between quantity vs. quality, quantity will always win, simply because each cache uses the same amount of real estate. A larger quantity of caches will take up more real estate (which prevents any other type of cache from being placed) than a small number of caches which COs made an effort to be higher quality than a cache placed simply to increase find counts. I would contend that those that primarily enjoy caching for the numbers are less discriminate about caches they find (a find is a find, they all add to the find count) than those that rate quality over quantity. Quantity has a far greater negative impact on those that want quality than vice versa. They're not equally enjoyed. Ever since the guideline which stated "don't place a cache every 600 feet just because you can" was removed, the trend and mindset towards caching for the numbers had greatly exceeded any kind of effort to promote quality. The number of multi or puzzle caches placed in an area where I numbers trail can be created so significantly dwarfs the number of caches placed to increase the find count for others that it's an insult to suggest that they're in any way equal. The all about the numbers mindset has been rampant for over 10 years and shows no sign of letting up. Stop pretending like we can all play the game like we want.

There are a few people at the university where I work that contributed systems to Perseverance (and previously worked on Spirit and Opportunity), specifically the Mastcam-Z camera. I wonder how long it's going to take for the picture of the tracking code to make it into Facebook/Reddit/etc.

That sounds like an excuse, taking advantage of a loop hole to make a claim to have done something that was not really done. The fact that one can get away with logging a find because their name is in the logbook, doesn't change the fact that the challenge is to find a cache every day. Claiming that you've found a cache every day when if you haven't is dishonest and I can't believe how some condone dishonesty (e.g. it's not hurting anyone) in this game.

I can't say that I really agree with that. When a trail system or park is saturated with caches intended to help finder increase their number, without consideration for quality, there isn't room for anything else. It's extremely rare (I've never seen it anyway) for an area to have a greater percentage of caches with a focus on quality than those just placed for numbers hounds.

Those islands are also fairly close to the Conch Shell Horn cache, placed in July 2001 and never been found (and still active). There are thousands of islands in the Caribbean and 26 countries. The only one I've ever visited is Cuba.

having a friend write their name in a cache logbook isn't cheating?

That's alway felt backwards to me.

Absolutely. The puzzle could be connecting to the wifi then visiting a URL by ip address which serves a website. (or who knows what other experiences could be provided by that sandboxed wifi) 100% feasible! I'm the developer of a couple of web based applications that use a web server and browser but are intended to be used without (or very limited) internet access. One of them has been installed in hundreds of research locations around the world, exclusively in developing countries. Another similar project is something called SolarSpell (https://solarspell.org/) that basically a solar powered digital library that can be built (instructions are on the web site) by a local institution in a developing country. I've met with the the developer of the project several times to talk about some potential collaboration.

Congrats on getting into the Guinness book, but I really wish those placing geocaches would focus more on quality rather than quantity, and one-upping other geocachers to see how can create more quantity.

"jumped through a lot of hoops"....what does that mean? Is that similar to "gamed the system"? Although setting a goal to find a cache "n" days in a row may be a good way to create a personal challenge, if as many have described it becomes a chore, and simply finding a cache, any cache, becomes the focus I don't think it's good for the game. It just supports the notion, that numbers, not quality is all that matters.

All I know is that it tasted really good at the Hairy Lemon pub in Dublin.

Really? You can complete a D/T matrix just from your neighborhood? I've been playing since 2007 and haven't completed it once.

Yes, I've done a fairly substantial amount of XSLT programming, and yes, it's quite hideous. I'm primarily a java programmer so I've created some java objects that can be used to map the GPX XML into a java model, then I can transform that into other formats (including a csv file format, or an excel spreadsheet) , store data into a relational database or index cache data into a search index.

To me, the whole idea of a bonus is that you put a lot of work into completing something and you get something extra as a bonus (that doesn't require extra effort). No particular reason why it can't be complicated or difficult other than it kinda doesn't fit the definition of a bonus.

You can check if the GPX file is using 1.0.1 by opening it up with a text editor (notepad will work fine). The second line will look like this: <gpx xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" version="1.0" creator="Groundspeak Pocket Query" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0/gpx.xsd http://www.Groundspeak.com/cache/1/0/1 http://www.Groundspeak.com/cache/1/0/1/cache.xsd" xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0"> Note this portion of the line: http://www.Groundspeak.com/cache/1/0/1/cache.xsd That indicates that the GPX 1.0.1 schema is being used (you can open that link in a browser if you want to see what it looks like). Note also the URL with topografix.com . That's the basic GPX definition without any of the Groundspeak extensions.

As a point of clarification, neither javascript nor Java is inherently problematic. Both can execute in the browser (Java as an Applet) and be benign. Both can also be used for nefarious purposes. About the only thing I see java applets being used for anymore are those in browser jigsaw puzzles.

All https means is that data sent in between a client (your web browser) and server is encrypted before sending it across the internet. That's important for sites which require a login an password. It doesn't protect a user if the contents of a site are nefarious. Although Groundspeak allows puzzle caches which use external web sites, there are restrictions. One of them is that the site can't require a login. Html isn't a program, but just a markup language. Web pages that appear to be interactive more most likely using "javascript", which *is* executable in a web browser. It's not inherently bad (the geocaching.com site contains a *lot* of javascript), Flash and Java Applets are two other mechanisms for executing code in the browser and both are risky. Downloading and installing something from a web site is the most risky and Groundspeak won't allow a puzzle to be published that requires such a download.

Most of the clipboard and vests and "official looking" vehicles tend to be used in urban and sub-urban settings, but IMHO it's hard to avoid attention when it's just you and another person or two in the woods. Simply pulling out a notebook and pen, and gazing into the trees or looking closely at the ground makes it appear that you're doing "something" but not something interesting enough that anyone is going to ask questions. I live in a small town with a well known university and smaller college so there are a few people out doing "research".

'Read the hint on the cache page.

Do a search for recordable greeting cards.

I was talking specifically about the maps on the geocaching.com site (and the OpenStreetMap Default map specifically). The Groundspeak database doesn't maintain county information for any caches and doesn't get data from PGC either. PGC and GSAK can populate county info because they use external services that return place names given a set of lat/long coordinates. Those services return a hierarchy of place names from the country level, then a second level (state/province/territory), then a third level (a county in the U.S.) and if relevant a city. It's been a really long time since I used the cache submission form but the CO just selects a "State" name from a list and doesn't validate if the lat/long coordinates are in that state. There is no place for a CO to enter in a county and the Groundspeak doesn't derive a county name and store it anywhere from the lat/long coordinates.

Yes. Gaiters. They work well in the snow as well as tall wet grass.

The mitten pic was kind of a joke. Those are the glove in the Bernie Sanders meme that's been going around. I used to ski downhill (a lot...I was on a corporate racing team) so I know what makes a good glove. One pair of gloves is never enough.

I have notifications set up to my gmail account. I've made changes on my caches that generate a notification and get the notification very quickly. The last time I intentionally went after a FTF I saw the cache published on a Thursday. The next morning I was on a plane to NYC, then Tokyo, Singapore, and finally Malaysia, arriving on Sunday around noon (there's a dateline crossing). I took a nap then hired a cab to take me to the park where the cache was located and found an clean log.