Fellow Cachers With Limited Mobility

February 9, 2006

After clicking on Handicaching I realized that I hadn't thought about our fellow cachers with disabilitys while planning a cache! And that's just not right. I haven't hid a cache as of yet but thought others would also like to check out this site and help create an all inclusive sport. If any fellow geocachers, or anyone with a friend/relative with disabilitys has suggestions/thoughts please add them to this thread. The more input the better.

Edited February 9, 2006 by atascadero

February 9, 2006

well i think its a good idea im new so i just placed a cache 1 hour ago not approved yet one more thing how long does it take usally?? for approvement?

1.8k · February 9, 2006

Does this include stupid geocachers with limited mental facilities like <edited>, <edited>, <edited> and lastly <edited>.

February 9, 2006

well i think its a good idea im new so i just placed a cache 1 hour ago not approved yet one more thing how long does it take usally?? for approvement?

it depends on where u put it. where did u put it ?

February 9, 2006

under a bridge by the river..... not big enough cache for a bomb and its my first so no comments lol

February 9, 2006

the bomb part by the way because another topic talked about the cops thinking it wus a bomb and its out of sight unless your looking for it

and if i was gonna blow up a bridge (witch im not)

i would do a highway bridge that is always cars passing by

Edited February 9, 2006 by caching_tiger_hiding_dragon

February 9, 2006

Does this include stupid geocachers

No. This wasn't a joke post. I was serious about this subject. If it isn't a subject your interested in then just don't post!

1.8k · February 9, 2006

Does this include stupid geocachers
No. This wasn't a joke post. I was serious about this subject. If it isn't a subject your interested in then just don't post!

Who said I was joking?

February 9, 2006

Caching with someone with disabilities had not entered my mind until our grandaughter was born this past August. As soon as she is waliking we planned on taking her caching, but she was born blind so we are not sure how we can introduce her to a sport we love, I have been wrecking my brain on how to make a cache she could find , but have not come up with anything yet. ( Smell wont work due to animals) I still have time as she is only 6 months on Feb 16. ANyone with ideas please post.

1.8k · February 9, 2006

Caching with someone with disabilities had not entered my mind until our grandaughter was born this past August. As soon as she is waliking we planned on taking her caching, but she was born blind so we are not sure how we can introduce her to a sport we love, I have been wrecking my brain on how to make a cache she could find , but have not come up with anything yet. ( Smell wont work due to animals) I still have time as she is only 6 months on Feb 16. ANyone with ideas please post.

You could put a 'beeper' on or near the cache. Make it so the 'beep' isn't too loud. I've heard of blind kids playing softball with a ball that beeped. They got pretty good at hitting the ball.

February 9, 2006

Tam & I placed this cache: Flotilla Handicache which was created with handicachers in mind. Although it is just a magnetic micro it does bring seekers to an nice scenic view of the Missouri river. I placed it so that an individual could retreive it while sitting in a mobility assistance device and remain on a paved surface. We are planning on doing some larger ones in the future.

February 9, 2006

After clicking on Handicaching I realized that I hadn't thought about our fellow cachers with disabilitys while planning a cache!

Just did my second cache MO I-55 Rest Area Exit 110 and it's handicapped accessible. I won't lie and say that was my intention from the beginning, but realized that it made a good handicache after the fact. Made note of it in the description and the attributes and posted it on Handicaching .

I have a friend who is a paraplegic of something over 20 years. Makes you think about it a little bit. He's not into GeoCaching, but I may have to see if I can get him interested. Would make for good input on a cache. Hasn't slowed him down either. He takes care of several acres of property, woodworks, runs around on this four-wheeler and drives his van.

JohnTee

February 9, 2006

Speaking as one of those mobility limited persons, thank you for bringing this up. And thank all of you who think about those of us who want to do more with the sport but are overly challenged by many of the hides.

Doc

February 10, 2006

Here is an article on a sponsored geocaching event for the blind called Blind Geocachers in California's Gold Country. You might want to contact the sponsor for ideas. Some used a GPSr designed for the blind called BrailleNote GPS. It is expensive but as time goes by the price will drop plus I'm sure there is some form of assistence for devices that add mobility.

Another event here.

Here's an article about a group of blind people taking snow mobiles on the Iditarod Trail in Alaska and using GPS to guide them. Gotta love technology. Here it is ... Blind Can Plot Course With GPS

Edited February 10, 2006 by atascadero

February 14, 2006

Here is an article on a sponsored geocaching event for the blind called Blind Geocachers in California's Gold Country. You might want to contact the sponsor for ideas. Some used a GPSr designed for the blind called BrailleNote GPS. It is expensive but as time goes by the price will drop plus I'm sure there is some form of assistence for devices that add mobility.

Another event here.

Here's an article about a group of blind people taking snow mobiles on the Iditarod Trail in Alaska and using GPS to guide them. Gotta love technology. Here it is ... Blind Can Plot Course With GPS

You are a god send Mucho thanks for your post

February 14, 2006

I have an idea for a blind child...if you can, get some of those inexpensive walkie talkies. Put one on, and put it in or near the cache. Make certain the volume is on high enough that it can be heard for a distance. Have someone push the CALL button on the walkie talkie. Have someone walk with the blind child, so she stays safe...and there you are.

Actually I have limited mobility. I have a blown knee, very little disc left at L4-5, have fibromyalgia and oesto-arthritis. I MUST walk every day, but it takes very little to overdo it and have a walk turn on me putting me into pain. Geocaching provides a great way to get the walk my dog and I need. The bummer is most of the larger caches are up a ridgeline or involve a good hike, which I can not complete. I would love to see more larger caches in the populated areas, and not a days hike away. ALthough I have to say micros dont bother me all that much. I would like to quantify that I am in now way, shape or form complaining about the type of caches near me or that ALL OR EVEN MOST are inaccessible. That would be STUPID since I have yet to find more than 43 caches...

February 14, 2006

Mucho thanks for your post

Glad you liked what I found.

The bummer is most of the larger caches are up a ridgeline or involve a good hike, which I can not complete. I would love to see more larger caches in the populated areas, and not a days hike away.

Good point and something to consider when placing caches!

February 14, 2006

Hiding a regular sized cache in an urban/suburban environment doesn't leave me much choice when thinking of the handicapped.

Running down my list of caches (9 caches):

Paved Path - 1 (My Earthcache)

Park Grass - 1

Mud - 4

Ditch (Ewww) - 0

Heavy Brush - 4

Heavy Lifting - 1

Steep Slopes - 4

Planned Sites (7 sites):

Paved Path - 0

Park Grass - 0

Mud - 3

Ditch (Ewww) - 3

Heavy Brush - 4

Heavy Lifting - 0

Steep Slopes - 1

Flooded Swamp - 1

Only two of my caches can be accessed by wheelchair. Only one of those is an any weather roll-up.

Not one of my planned sites is handicap accessible. Shame on me. On top of this, I'm actively seeking a cache location that makes a flooded swamp look downright homey.

Thank you very much for pointing this out to me. I do what I know. I think how I live. I have no handicapped friends or relatives so I'm not thinking "How can I make this fun for my cousin, Joe?" I'll keep the 7 sites I've already scoped out. I'll just have to think of how to do one that's more accessible and fun too.

February 14, 2006

I think how I live. I have no handicapped friends or relatives so I'm not thinking "How can I make this fun for my cousin, Joe?"

Me too! And that's why I started this thread. Cachers with full mobility are really blessed as anyone with full mobility.

We all know what we've expierenced in life and that is how we relate to everything else. If we have not expierenced disabilities, then we don't think in that perspective. That's our challenge as people without disabilities. Never forget we are all in this together! For better or worse.

So let's make it better!

February 14, 2006

I think how I live. I have no handicapped friends or relatives so I'm not thinking "How can I make this fun for my cousin, Joe?"

Me too! And that's why I started this thread. Cachers with full mobility are really blessed as anyone with full mobility.

FYI, my dear cousin, Joe, passed away some time back. He's presently in an above ground crypt. I'm considering him the most mobility impared relative. I'm going to do a cache that'll include him in this in some way. He'd get a kick out of it. I'll call it "Jumpin' Joe's Jitterbug". I'll make it a night cache.

February 14, 2006

Sorry for your loss. I didn't relize who you were refering too.

I meant no disrespect.

February 14, 2006

He'd get a kick out of it. I'll call it "Jumpin' Joe's Jitterbug". I'll make it a night cache.

I hope my relatives also honor me with humor. I'd like that.

February 14, 2006

I hope my relatives also honor me with humor. I'd like that.

No offense taken.

I'm still close with his widow. I'm trying to get her into the game. Maybe I'll let her start the cache.

3k · February 14, 2006

I ran into this when getting a cache approved last week. My reviewer asked if it was handicap accessible and my first thought was "What is the Handicap?" A blind person would probably do as good or better than myself on a tank cache. Can we get a choice of handicap icons? Is that insensitive? The cache I listed could be reached by anyone blind, deaf, mute, with an all-terrain chair or crutches. The only limitation was no street chairs, but that NO HANDICAP icon would turn potential cachers away before they even read the description. How do we address this?

Edited February 14, 2006 by fox-and-the-hound

February 15, 2006

I read this thread a while back & have been thinking of it. With a couple of my caches that I have hidden, you could get a wheelchair or motorized scooter there, but the person probably would have to have help with the grab. For example, one of mine is in a park where the earth is packed probably would be easy for a motorized scooter, but the actual cache is in the bushes. Anyone in the scooter could enjoy visiting the park, but probably couldn't get in the bushes to get the cache. Just a thought...maybe there could be an icon for that too.

February 15, 2006

Three of my 15 caches were intended for handicapped cachers. Having spent several months in a wheelchair tends to help me remember less mobile cachers.

Even my Frog Talk cache which is rated at 5 is suited for wheelchair access!

February 15, 2006

As a wheelchair cacher, I was often asked by other cachers how they might hide caches so they're accessible. I came up with a list that works for me (most of the time) and incorporated it into an article, How to "Disable" a Cache, that I wrote for Today's Cacher (I also wrote the article about blind geocachers). I use a power wheelchair, so I've been able to get to many caches rated higher than a one-star terrain. There are few bigger disappointments than getting to within 25 feet of a cache, only to realize that, for one reason or another, I can't accomplish my goal. I can honestly say that approximately half of the "accessible" caches I've found have had one type of obstacle or another that would make logging a find nearly impossible from a manual chair. As someone already stated, it's hard to think like someone who is disabled in one way or another when you're able-bodied; I hope the information in my article sheds some light on what it's like to cache from a wheelchair.

February 16, 2006

I just joined Geocaching as a Premium member this week. My wife and I are new to geocaching. She is in a powered wheelchair and we thought it would be fun if we could find some caches that she could find. We live in Corvallis, OR and hopefully some of the ones with Terrain 1 categories will work.

That is such a great thing for those of you putting out new caches to remember folks in wheelchairs. One of the things that those of us that are "temporarily well bodied" ....we do age....don't think alot about is that for someone who was well and became disabled like my wife with multiple sclerosis, the loss of so many of the things that the person could do before is sooooooo frustrating. To be able to just do someting fun, like geocaching, can make an incredible world of difference to the quality of life for someone who has gone through a progressive debilitating disease.

We are looking forward to enjoying this hobby together. The gps arrives Friday!

Terry

February 25, 2006

I am getting ready for placement of 5 caches between now and may 30th. The first one I want to place is an ideal location for all people with or without disabilities.... My problem is, without offending someone I want to have first to locate prizes (ie. blind, wheelchaired,, walker, crutches and physically capable).

What is your idea on making these first to find gifts out without offending???????????

24.7k · February 25, 2006

I am getting ready for placement of 5 caches between now and may 30th. The first one I want to place is an ideal location for all people with or without disabilities.... My problem is, without offending someone I want to have first to locate prizes (ie. blind, wheelchaired,, walker, crutches and physically capable).

What is your idea on making these first to find gifts out without offending???????????

You can't. What you can do is give some cachers a heads up to watch for the cache.

July 10, 2010

As a wheelchair cacher, I was often asked by other cachers how they might hide caches so they're accessible. I came up with a list that works for me (most of the time) and incorporated it into an article, How to "Disable" a Cache, that I wrote for Today's Cacher (I also wrote the article about blind geocachers). I use a power wheelchair, so I've been able to get to many caches rated higher than a one-star terrain. There are few bigger disappointments than getting to within 25 feet of a cache, only to realize that, for one reason or another, I can't accomplish my goal. I can honestly say that approximately half of the "accessible" caches I've found have had one type of obstacle or another that would make logging a find nearly impossible from a manual chair. As someone already stated, it's hard to think like someone who is disabled in one way or another when you're able-bodied; I hope the information in my article sheds some light on what it's like to cache from a wheelchair.

Thanks, I love your article. I have M.S. and am a newbie. I LOVE it so far. If I were healthy, I would be hiking the mountains instead of doing micros in Chicago. It gets me out of the house by offering me some fun and excitement. I love going to the parks and spending time outside with nature, and also learning about places. I'm very encouraged by the kind attitude of the people on this forum page. Thanks to all of you!

July 10, 2010

Oh heck. From 2006? Really? Ya got me. I stated replying to 4 year old posts.

Go to events and get to know some of the locals. If you let them know your limitations they can tell you what caches they've done that are fun and yet doable by you.

Glad you're having fun.

Edited July 10, 2010 by GOF's Sock Puppet

6.7k · July 10, 2010

I just joined Geocaching as a Premium member this week. My wife and I are new to geocaching. She is in a powered wheelchair and we thought it would be fun if we could find some caches that she could find. We live in Corvallis, OR and hopefully some of the ones with Terrain 1 categories will work.

That is such a great thing for those of you putting out new caches to remember folks in wheelchairs. One of the things that those of us that are "temporarily well bodied" ....we do age....don't think alot about is that for someone who was well and became disabled like my wife with multiple sclerosis, the loss of so many of the things that the person could do before is sooooooo frustrating. To be able to just do someting fun, like geocaching, can make an incredible world of difference to the quality of life for someone who has gone through a progressive debilitating disease.

We are looking forward to enjoying this hobby together. The gps arrives Friday!

Terry

Welcome aboard!

Sign up with your local geocaching association. I think it's Oregon Geocaching at http://www.oregongeocaching.org/

Once y'all get to know folks and start attending events the local geocacher's will start taking your wife into account more often when they hide caches.

I lost a leg, can't wear a prosthesis, then broke my neck, so I cache sometimes in a wheelchair and sometimes on crutches. I started attending events and getting to know geocachers and never asked anyone to consider my limitations but they did anyway. Now we have several wheelchair cachers in our association and a surprising number of accessible caches.

2.3k · July 10, 2010

While not wheel chair bound I cache sometimes with my mom with mobility issues. I find if people appropriately rate the terrain on their caches we do well. Especially with 1 and 1.5 terrain ratings. Problem is when people give a low rating and the cache us actually up a tree or down the side of a steep cliff but they justify saying well it's a low rating until that point. But really for us that rating is most important in choosing caches and I wish people would be more mindful when low balling their terrain ratings.

July 10, 2010

While not wheel chair bound I cache sometimes with my mom with mobility issues. I find if people appropriately rate the terrain on their caches we do well. Especially with 1 and 1.5 terrain ratings. Problem is when people give a low rating and the cache us actually up a tree or down the side of a steep cliff but they justify saying well it's a low rating until that point. But really for us that rating is most important in choosing caches and I wish people would be more mindful when low balling their terrain ratings.

I think the issue you are having results from this line in the Clay jar rating system. "If the cache is within a few feet of a trail, don't worry about the last few feet." I know it doesn't help solve your problem but perhaps it helps you understand it some.

1.8k · July 10, 2010

Caching with someone with disabilities had not entered my mind until our grandaughter was born this past August. As soon as she is waliking we planned on taking her caching, but she was born blind so we are not sure how we can introduce her to a sport we love, I have been wrecking my brain on how to make a cache she could find , but have not come up with anything yet. ( Smell wont work due to animals) I still have time as she is only 6 months on Feb 16. ANyone with ideas please post.

You could put a 'beeper' on or near the cache. Make it so the 'beep' isn't too loud. I've heard of blind kids playing softball with a ball that beeped. They got pretty good at hitting the ball.

What a great suggestion.

1.8k · July 10, 2010

Asaxist and I placed a number of ADA caches on some of the DeLorme Northern Calif. Challenge pages a few years ago and we were met by a trickle of negativity about changing the game. ( HUH )

However, we were subsequently met with a flood of positive comments and encouragement over our actions which obviously opened up the game to lesser abled folks.

Edited July 10, 2010 by humboldt flier

2.3k · July 10, 2010

While not wheel chair bound I cache sometimes with my mom with mobility issues. I find if people appropriately rate the terrain on their caches we do well. Especially with 1 and 1.5 terrain ratings. Problem is when people give a low rating and the cache us actually up a tree or down the side of a steep cliff but they justify saying well it's a low rating until that point. But really for us that rating is most important in choosing caches and I wish people would be more mindful when low balling their terrain ratings.

I think the issue you are having results from this line in the Clay jar rating system. "If the cache is within a few feet of a trail, don't worry about the last few feet." I know it doesn't help solve your problem but perhaps it helps you understand it some.

I've watched many discussions about it here so I understand how people justify why they feel they need to low ball their terrain ratings. It doesn't mean I think it's correct. If people want to do that with the 2-5 on their terrain ratings good for them. All I'm asking is that they seriously think about it when they decide to give something a 1 or 1.5 terrain rating, which I know people won't do.

Per the knowledge books if something is rated a 1 it should be accessible with or without the attribute. Stands to reason that a 1.5 should be just barely not accessible. If people want to jack around with the terrain ratings because they don't want to scare people off or because they don't think the climb down the cliff or up the tree should count fine. But then put that you need to do so in the description.

1.9k · July 11, 2010

under a bridge by the river..... not big enough cache for a bomb and its my first so no comments lol

Any idea what damage a altoids tin sized clump of C4 can do to a bridge?

don't gotta be big to be an effective bomb!

6.7k · July 11, 2010

Per the knowledge books if something is rated a 1 it should be accessible with or without the attribute.

The problem with that is that TPTB made the 1/1 rating for Wheelchair Accessible optional instead of required.

Some Reviewers will sometimes ask a new listing owner who rates their cache a 1/1 if it is accessible, but not often, and even if it's not the Reviewer can't do anything about it.

Back when I was reviewing caches I tried to enforce using the 1/1 rating only for accessible caches and was told to stop, that I could suggest it but not enforce it, so in fact the 1/1 rating is useless for disabled cachers because we don't know till we get there if it is accessible or not. :laughing:

Edited July 11, 2010 by TheAlabamaRambler

Fellow Cachers With Limited Mobility

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