About Those Other "geocaching" Sites.

[+bilgeratt]

I need to know how to find the other caching sites. Someone searching the first stage of my multi recently told me they found a micro cache and log sheet instead of my container with the second stage coords in it. They signed it and went on.

 

I couldn't find it at first, but made sure my first stage was still there.

 

Well, I looked again today, and found it. It was about 30 ft away, and was a film cannister hidden in something bigger. The log sheet simply said "Geocaching Log Sheet" and had the two signatures of the guys who reported it to me.

 

It didn't look like any geo sheet I've seen on this site, quite frankly it looks generic. It couldn't be a letterbox, because there's no stamp and it's too small.

 

So, someone tell me, where could it be from?

 

Oh, In case you're wondering, it came out of the woods with me today. I'll return it to the owner if I can identify that person, but I wanted it away from my 1st stage. Besides, it's been there since at least June 22, and the only logs were from people trying to find mine.

[+WizCreations]

It could be www.navicache.com. I know there are more sites, but I can't remember what they are.

[+bilgeratt]

Thanks, but Navicache came up a bust. They only show two in town, and they are both caches listed on GC, and are nowhere near mine.....

 

Course, I suppose it's possible those guys were lying... and put it out themselves since they couldn't find it..... lol.

[+maggieszoo]

try terracaching.com

[+splicingdan]

Definitely NOT a Terracache. There's none listed even close to the coordinates.

Since you state that "Geocaching Log Sheet" is written on the log sheet, I believe that you've found your answer.

[+erik88l-r]

When new caches are submitted for approval the reviewer will check to see that it is not too close to an existing cache. If it is, the cache owner will be asked to relocate his new cache. Occasionally that doesn't happen and caches end up abandoned.

 

I checked to see if there were any archived / never-been-approved caches near your multi. There are none.

 

Maybe this is a new cache that's undergoing beta testing before being submitted?

Why knows......

 

erik - geocaching.com volunteer cache reviewer / adminion

[+donbadabon]

Oh, In case you're wondering, it came out of the woods with me today. I'll return it to the owner if I can identify that person

Hmm. How would you feel if they had removed your cache because it was too close to theirs?

 

A simple note on your cache page to warn potential finders that there is a "non-geocaching" cache very close to yours would have probably been the more appropriate thing to do.

[+Salvelinus]

So, someone tell me, where could it be from?

 

Oh, In case you're wondering, it came out of the woods with me today. I'll return it to the owner if I can identify that person, but I wanted it away from my 1st stage. Besides, it's been there since at least June 22, and the only logs were from people trying to find mine.

 

Maybe its local cachers doing their own thing? I have had local cachers place special caches for other cachers around here. You really don't need a website to geocache. It just makes it nicer.

 

Now that you have heard a few legimite reasons of why it possibly could of gotten there are you going to return it?

 

Salvelinus

[+Mudfrog]

A funny thing happened to me the other day. I was placing a stage of our multicache and was poking around in the weeds with a stick when i heard a thump. Turned out to be gatorade container made into a cache. Everything was wet and there was no contact info or logs on the logscroll. Was evident that this thing had been there a longgggg time. The best i can figure is that it was placed but never submitted to the geocaching site and/or that the person who hid it just plain forgot they put it out.

[+AZBuckeye04]

We've had a similar caching experience. We were searching for the final stage of a 2 part multi. The first stage was missing so we were going off the hint and a general idea of where we thought it would be. We were very surprised when we found what we thought was the cache. Check out our DNF log for Rotary-Cole Flyover for more.

 

A little more on topic now. If there wasn't even a team name or any contact info in the cache you found that does make it difficult to track down the owner. Unless the cache looked extremely weathered though, you should probably return it and just make a note about it on your cache page.

 

J of AZBliss02

[+nittany dave]

It's interesting that the 2 cachers who found the film canister logged a find on your multi but didn't find your final stage. I've known of cachers who will drop off a film canister with a new log in it if they can't find the one they are looking for and assume it is missing.

[+Renegade Knight]

We try to keep a current list.

 

If an active listing site is missing, let me know and we will add it.

Edited August 16, 2005 by Renegade Knight

[+nfa]

Don't remove geocaches just because they aren't listed on this site, are where you would like to hide one, or because they haven't been visited much (or at all). How would you feel if someone removed your cache for one of the above reasons.

 

You should return the micro to the location where it was found.

 

nfa-jamie

Edited August 16, 2005 by NFA

[+Camo-crazed]

Don't remove geocaches just because they aren't listed on this site, are where you would like to hide one, or because they haven't been visited much (or at all).  How would you feel if someone removed your cache for one of the above reasons.

 

You should return the micro to the location where it was found.

 

nfa-jamie

He said that he would return it later.

 

PS, don't sign up for navicache to find out who, if anyone, hid it, they send a lot of spam

[+Sissy-n-CR]

PS, don't sign up for navicache to find out who, if anyone, hid it, they send a lot of spam

Really? I don't think I've got the first piece of email from them other than asign up authorization and log notification.

[CoyoteRed]

PS, don't sign up for navicache to find out who, if anyone, hid it, they send a lot of spam

Really? I don't think I've got the first piece of email from them other than asign up authorization and log notification.

Opps, I'm dead meat, now. I forgot to log back into my normal account after visiting the Waymarking.com forum.

[ju66l3r]

PS, don't sign up for navicache to find out who, if anyone, hid it, they send a lot of spam

Really? I don't think I've got the first piece of email from them other than asign up authorization and log notification.

Opps, I'm dead meat, now. I forgot to log back into my normal account after visiting the Waymarking.com forum.

LOL, I hope she's on a long haul right now.

 

Navicache is not the source of your junk mail.

[Keystone]

PS, don't sign up for navicache to find out who, if anyone, hid it, they send a lot of spam

Really? I don't think I've got the first piece of email from them other than asign up authorization and log notification.

Opps, I'm dead meat, now. I forgot to log back into my normal account after visiting the Waymarking.com forum.

For a price, I'll be glad to delete the post from Sissy's account, and then you can edit your post.

 

The price? I get to delete 10 Coyote Red posts of my own choosing.

[CoyoteRed]

PS, don't sign up for navicache to find out who, if anyone, hid it, they send a lot of spam

Really? I don't think I've got the first piece of email from them other than asign up authorization and log notification.

Opps, I'm dead meat, now. I forgot to log back into my normal account after visiting the Waymarking.com forum.

For a price, I'll be glad to delete the post from Sissy's account, and then you can edit your post.

 

The price? I get to delete 10 Coyote Red posts of my own choosing.

Covering up my mistake would feel dishonest on my part. I won't do that to her. I'd rather take the heat.

[+bilgeratt]

Never fails. Go to the forums for help and get your backside jumped. And folks wonder why it's only the same few people posting here over and over.

 

For all those who genuinely tried to help, thanks. I tried all your suggestions and no luck so far.

 

For all those who just wonder when I'm going to put it back, Don't worry about it. I stated in my original post that I would return it if I could identify the owner, and if you couldn't read that it's your problem.

 

Once again, thanks to those who helped.

 

Bilgeratt

[+briansnat]

Never fails. Go to the forums for help and get your backside jumped.

 

 

Going through the posts I fail to see anyone "jumping your backside".

[CoyoteRed]

Don't remove geocaches just because they aren't listed on this site, are where you would like to hide one, or because they haven't been visited much (or at all). How would you feel if someone removed your cache for one of the above reasons.

 

You should return the micro to the location where it was found.

I've been thinking on this and I'm not so sure I'd replace it.

 

First, the micro poached his spot. His was established and it was the first stage so that actual spot was listed. 30 ft is not a fair distance--not much more than the distance from one end of our living room to the other.

 

Second, there is no name of the owner or the cache, no waypoint, or other identifying marks. We don't know what it's there for.

 

There really is no excuse for not marking your cache. It is in bold letters in the FAQ to make sure you mark your cache. We include a log sheet in the Bison capsules we sell and it has a spot for the cache name and URL, so it being a micro is no excuse.

 

I'm leaning towards it not being a legitimate cache that is listed anywhere including privately. I'd probably hang on to it and post a note on your cache page that you have it. Check in a few weeks to see if it's being replaced and if it has then it's a totally different ballgame.

[+nittany dave]

I agree with CR on this one.

 

Another possible explanation of how it got there: It could have been in a previous finders pack or pocket and simply fell out while they were searching for the legitimate 1st stage. I know lots of people who carry ready-to-go micros in their packs and spare micro logs in case one needs to be replaced.

[+bilgeratt]

Ok, after re-reading the posts as Brainsnat suggested, I realize nobody was exactly jumping me, they were simply giving me their opinion of what I should do. Sometimes, the combination of not being able to tell attitude and hear voice inflection on a forum, coupled with working nights on short sleep, causes me to read things out of context. Sorry bout that.

 

OK, to list what I know so far, and then what I suspect actually happened.

 

1. This location is not listed on Navicache. There's only two listed caches on Navicache, and both of them are actually geocaches listed on G.C. They are nowhere near my cache.

 

2. Terra cache wants me to sign up, and have two sponsors. Therefore, I can't be sure that it's not there. I doubt it though.

 

3. This film cannister did not fall out of someone's pocket, as it was in a larger container that was firmly planted in place.

 

4. There are NO identifying marks of any kind on the film cannister, or the bigger container it was in.

 

5. I mistakenly said earlier that it said geocache. It actually says:

 

MicroCache Log

Name_____________

Date______________

Comment

 

That is on the front and back of the page, a total of 21 times per side.

 

6. It has been there at least since June 22, the date the two guys signed it and logged it as my cache.

 

7. I e-mailed both of the guys after I verified the first stage, but before I found the false one. They both described what they found in detail, and both offered to change thier logs if I wanted to. I replied that they could do what they wanted to, but it would drive me nuts to know that I hadn't found the right thing. Neither has changed his log.

 

8. No one else has logged in the fake cache, at all.

 

9. As erik88l-r our friendly reviewer noted, "I checked to see if there were any archived / never-been-approved caches near your multi. There are none."

 

10. The previous finder of my cache before those two guys IS in the logbook at the final. Therefore, he must have found stage one.

 

Now, what I suspect is that two guys who were out in the hot sweaty woods didn't want to log a DNF, and this was the easiest way to avoid it. Which means this isn't a geocache at all, but it's presence IS confusing the situation.

 

Personally, I could care less if someone wants to avoid DNF's, and is willing to fudge a bit to keep their own numbers where they want them. That's their business. I just don't want this thing out there confusing the issue for future cachers.

 

I repeat what I said earlier about returning the cache if I can find the rightful owner, and if it is a cache on another site (or even someone's personal challenge to his buddies) and the owner wants it left there, I'll accomodate them by tweaking my first stage a bit to give some room between us. I just don't want to at this time because it would be silly for me to move it if what I suspect is true.

 

The only reason I even posted this here at all is the POSSIBILITY that it is a legitamate cache of some kind. I am TRYING to do the right thing by attempting to find the owner so we can resolve this issue without me just assuming it's bogus.

 

At this point I'm about out of ideas, and figure I'll change the cache page to reflect that I found that thing and am holding it for return if and when the owner discovers it gone.

 

I figure IF it is from another site, the owner probably knows of G.C. and my cache as well. You would assume that when they discover it gone they might check the page for mine just in case.

 

Once again, thanks for all who have helped so far, and if you come up with any new ideas, please let me know.

 

Bilgeratt

[+Renegade Knight]

....for all those who just wonder when I'm going to put it back, Don't worry about it. I stated in my original post that I would return it if I could identify the owner, and if you couldn't read that it's your problem. ...

Regardless of any good intentions you may have had when you removed the cache and made the decision that you don't want it near your cache, you have just stolen it. That's wrong. Now it's not there for anyone who should choose to seek it to find.

 

The right solution is to find the owner and talk to them (wich you are trying to do). You may find that their cache was listed first and so you should move your own to keep people from accidently finding yourse when they are looking for that one. In the mean time I would add a note to the cache that it's not yours to prevent confustion, and I'd put it back.

 

Anything other than putting it back is wrong.

Edited August 18, 2005 by Renegade Knight

[+bilgeratt]

"Stolen it."

 

Thanks ever so much for the vote of confidence in my character, but if I had stolen it I wouldn't be going to all this trouble to find the person it belongs to, now would I? I sure wouldn't be in here advertising it.

 

To repeat what I just said, due to the circumstances I don't believe it's an actual cache of any kind. I believe it was falsely planted by out of towners that couldn't find my cache. BUT I am still trying to verify it on the remote possibility it wasn't.

 

This isn't all that active of a geocaching community here. There's about 6 or 7 of us that cache locally, and every one of the others has found this cache and wouldn't have placed it there to begin with.

 

As for it possibly being there before mine, that would mean that it has been there for over 7 months, and still nobody has found it but two guys looking for mine.

 

Regardless, as stated in my last post, I'm willing to accomodate whoever it is, IF I can identify them. I'll move over, even if thiers was put out on June 21, 6 months after mine was approved.

 

But, because of what I'm 99% sure happened, all I figure I did was to remove someones idea of a way to pad their numbers.

[+nittany dave]

2. Terra cache wants me to sign up, and have two sponsors. Therefore, I can't be sure that it's not there. I doubt it though.

I checked and there are no listed Terracaches anywhere near your cache.

[+bilgeratt]

Thanks Dave. I appreciate that.

[+briansnat]

To repeat what I just said, due to the circumstances I don't believe it's an actual cache of any kind. I believe it was falsely planted by out of towners that couldn't find my cache. BUT I am still trying to verify it on the remote possibility it wasn't.

 

 

I think that's the best bet. That or it fell out of someone's pocket.

[+Rainwater]

maybe evilcacher placed it there to distract others away from your cache?

 

Have you tried to contact the two that signed the cache?

[+wandererrob]

I can't say I agree with removing it. If it was placed independant of geocaching.com, it's not bound by our guidelines. As somebody said, it could simply be a local cacher doing their own thing and you may never finds out who it belongs to uinless you happen to stumble on it somehow.

 

Put it back, continue looking for the owner, make a note on your cache page.

[ScottFla]

Forgive my newbieness, but why would someone put a fake cache out to help their stats? How would that help, especially in this multistage cache?

[+Ellteejak]

It's interesting that the 2 cachers who found the film canister logged a find on your multi but didn't find your final stage. I've known of cachers who will drop off a film canister with a new log in it if they can't find the one they are looking for and assume it is missing.

This sounds like what someone did.