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Geocachers = Violent And Rowdy Bunch


M-T-P

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This quote was from a recent engadget article about a non-geocaching topic, but I was really shocked by this statement. "Since geocachers are known to be a particularly violent and rowdy bunch who would no doubt cause wanton destruction in a free-for-all pursuit of these $60 treasures. . . ."

 

http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/31/cash-in...caching-skillz/

 

Maybe it's just a joke, but ....

Edited by M-T-P
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This quote was from a recent engadget article about a non-geocaching topic, but I was really shocked by this statement. "Since geocachers are known to be a particularly violent and rowdy bunch who would no doubt cause wanton destruction in a free-for-all pursuit of these $60 treasures. . . ."

 

http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/31/cash-in...caching-skillz/

 

Maybe it's just a joke, but ....

... and maybe it's because the author reads about the wanton disrespect for peoples' property, park rules, and general laws that gets discussed here and in cache logs all the time. Oh yeah, don't forget the pictures - pictures of people where they shouldn't be in the middle of the night, people climbing up lightpoles in the middle of downtown Frederick... you get the point.

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This story is about SkySite, a balloon to provide cell phone coverage.

 

I'm a bit suspicious about the motives behind this article. Maybe someone is trying to provoke a group (Geocachers) to get more free publicity?

 

Someone should forward this article to gun owners, so the balloons can be used for target practice. Let's see if they'll enjoy THAT kind of publicity. :rolleyes:

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This quote was from a recent engadget article about a non-geocaching topic, but I was really shocked by this statement. "Since geocachers are known to be a particularly violent and rowdy bunch who would no doubt cause wanton destruction in a free-for-all pursuit of these $60 treasures. . . ."

 

http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/31/cash-in...caching-skillz/

 

Maybe it's just a joke, but ....

I took that statement as a tongue-in-cheek remark.

 

I remeber Mark from Skysite telling me once that a couple took a month vacation and spent it recovering the ballons. If I remeber right he said they made $4,000.00. Not bad money having fun chasing ballons.

 

El Diablo

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I am sitting here trying to visualize what would be left to recover if the equipment is left to fall out of the sky? I also wonder how much they anticipate getting sued for damages if it hits someone or damages property upon landing???? I can just see the lawyers lining up as we speak

They don't just suddenly drop 10,000 feet from the sky. It's a gradual descent. They can even purposely drop the ballons to a diferrent altitude in order to get in in a airstream to keep it in positions as long as possible.

 

El Diablo

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This quote was from a recent engadget article about a non-geocaching topic, but I was really shocked by this statement. "Since geocachers are known to be a particularly violent and rowdy bunch who would no doubt cause wanton destruction in a free-for-all pursuit of these $60 treasures. . . ."

 

http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/31/cash-in...caching-skillz/

 

Maybe it's just a joke, but ....

stirpot.gif

 

Ditto Carleenp.

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I've seen some fairly wanton FTF persuits. I suspect that if they just posted the lat/lon of an item that carries a bounty of $60, you'ld see some wanton violent free-for-all goin' on, especially in Texas.

 

Given the types of vehicles needed to navigate the terrain and the price of gas, I would think there's a low profit margin overall. This is probably the real reason you have to stake a claim to a SOG before you can go retrieve it.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing a post from someone who actually does this.

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Once a balloon hits terra firma, or something close, it radios its location back to its successor in the sky, which then relays the data to the SkySite website. Since geocachers are known to be a particularly violent and rowdy bunch who would no doubt cause wanton destruction in a free-for-all pursuit of these $60 treasures, only a particular balloon's general location is posted, and the first certified 'cacher in the area who calls dibs gets the exact coordinates

 

Taken in its full context, it's meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Perhaps more of the original text should have been quoted by the OP. But then we wouldn't be here discussing it, would we? :rolleyes:

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This quote was from a recent engadget article about a non-geocaching topic, but I was really shocked by this statement.  "Since geocachers are known to be a particularly violent and rowdy bunch who would no doubt cause wanton destruction in a free-for-all pursuit of these $60 treasures. . . ."

 

http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/31/cash-in...caching-skillz/

 

Maybe it's just a joke, but ....

... and maybe it's because the author reads about the wanton disrespect for peoples' property, park rules, and general laws that gets discussed here and in cache logs all the time. Oh yeah, don't forget the pictures - pictures of people where they shouldn't be in the middle of the night, people climbing up lightpoles in the middle of downtown Frederick... you get the point.

If he read the forums here I think he would have read about all the people here who condemn the handful who break the rules.

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I wouldn't quit my day job for this

 

This is my day job! :lol: You're right though, i probably wouldnt have quit my regular job to do this. But i had already quit my regular job back in March 2004 and since i like geocaching so much, this was right up my alley. And considering the short amount of time i spend doing this, the money is pretty dang good too!

 

What it comes down to is that i have to shell out time, money, and fuel to to go gecoaching. It's great fun and we enjoy it immensely but it does cost. Skysite recovery is similar in that you use a GPSr to find your prize, but getting paid to do almost the same thing is pretty cool if you ask me! :D

 

Yes there are headaches sometimes. Most do land on private property so i do have to spend time finding the owner and getting permission to go onto the property. Some land in hard to reach places,, challenging to say the least but that usually makes it more interesting for me. Some are way up in trees so i have had to devise a way of getting them down. Ive even went swimming for a couple. Nope, it's not for everyone but it's definitely something i enjoyed doing.

 

As far as the article goes, Like Carleenp said above, it does sound tongue and cheek to me as well. Just the opposite of how most of us cachers are! :lol:

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"Since geocachers are known to be a particularly violent and rowdy bunch who would no doubt cause wanton destruction in a free-for-all pursuit of these $60 treasures. . . ."

 

Wow, how did they find out ... just because we roughed up a couple of cache pirates doesn't mean we're a rowdy bunch. :lol:

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