A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forums....

[+Snoogans]

With the exception of GeoWoodstock, I have been thinking about how few of the geocachers I meet actually come to these forums. The ones that do usually ONLY participate in their local (Non-gc.com) forum.

 

The Snoogstress was telling me just the other day about some of the new geocachers that attended her geocaching class at R.E.I. It seems none of them had ever considered clicking the forum link to see what goes on here, or to look up information.

 

Maybe there's something we can all do about it.

 

I'm planning on hiding a puzzle type cache in the next few days. Coincidentally it would be called "A Funny thing happened on the way to the forums..." All you would have to do is come to the forums and find this thread to get the actual coordinates.

 

Anyone want to use this thread to hide a similar cache? You can even use the same title if you want....

 

Comments, suggestions???

 

[+briansnat]

Since the information needed to find a cache needs to be on the cache page, it may not fly with your reviewer.

[+Snoogans]

Since the information needed to find a cache needs to be on the cache page, it may not fly with your reviewer.

 

The information will tell you to look in the forums and the hint will give specific search instructions....

 

I.E. Hint: Click on the geocaching.com forums and do a keyword search for: Et tu, Brute?

 

Get it?

Edited February 13, 2006 by Snoogans

[+Snoogans]

I.E. Hint: Click on the geocaching.com forums and do a keyword search for: Et tu, Brute?

 

Get it?

 

OK. That actually didn't work. "Brute" did, but that word came up in a bunch of threads.

 

Maybe a unique word like whichadidja would work better. As in, "You didn't bring the cache page whichadidja?"

[+KandRS]

I think its a great idea, community is part of playing most games!

[+Snoogans]

I.E. Hint: Click on the geocaching.com forums and do a keyword search for: Et tu, Brute?

 

Get it?

 

OK. That actually didn't work. "Brute" did, but that word came up in a bunch of threads.

 

Maybe a unique word like whichadidja would work better. As in, "You didn't bring the cache page whichadidja?"

 

Yep! That worked. This is the ONLY thread that came up in a search for "Whichadidja."

[+Team GPSaxophone]

With the exception of GeoWoodstock, I have been thinking about how few of the geocachers I meet actually come to these forums. The ones that do usually ONLY participate in their local (Non-gc.com) forum.

Proud to be an exception

 

 

 

 

 

[+Team GPSaxophone]

I.E. Hint: Click on the geocaching.com forums and do a keyword search for: Et tu, Brute?

 

Get it?

 

OK. That actually didn't work. "Brute" did, but that word came up in a bunch of threads.

 

Maybe a unique word like whichadidja would work better. As in, "You didn't bring the cache page whichadidja?"

 

Yep! That worked. This is the ONLY thread that came up in a search for "Whichadidja."

I can see that getting abused by someone posting your keyword in several threads. This is easily overcome, however, if the searcher enters your name in the correct field (unless you post the keyword in several places)

[+Googling Hrpty Hrrs]

I think it's a great idea. Lots of puzzles require you to look beyond the cache page for the coordinates, so I can't see how this is any different.

 

I'll start preparing my "Whichadidja" cache!

[+edscott]

I.E. Hint: Click on the geocaching.com forums and do a keyword search for: Et tu, Brute?

 

Get it?

 

OK. That actually didn't work. "Brute" did, but that word came up in a bunch of threads.

 

Maybe a unique word like whichadidja would work better. As in, "You didn't bring the cache page whichadidja?"

 

Or from a hunting camp name from Northern PA back in the 50s.. "kwitchurdambelyakin" and go find the cache.

[+Team Teuton]

That's a good idea.

 

In the same vein, you could also put the coords to a puzzle cache in your forum sig line and create a series of clues to lead them there.

 

No special forum thread needed.

[+Lil Devil]

Been there, done that

[+welch]

With the exception of GeoWoodstock, I have been thinking about how few of the geocachers I meet actually come to these forums. The ones that do usually ONLY participate in their local (Non-gc.com) forum.

 

The Snoogstress was telling me just the other day about some of the new geocachers that attended her geocaching class at R.E.I. It seems none of them had ever considered clicking the forum link to see what goes on here, or to look up information.

...

Comments, suggestions???

While those of us that visit the forums may find that strange. Are the forums needed for geocaching?

If caches can be found without visiting the crazy forums, why visit?

Edited February 18, 2006 by welch

[+Team Cotati]

Let us know what your reviewer has to say about this idea, will you?

[+Snoogans]

Been there, done that

 

Ha! I KNEW it couldn't have been an original idea.

 

BTW- My cache is ready to go, but the weather has been nasty here for days. I'll probably place it on Monday.

[Team Misguided]

Instead of a 'new' thread what about asking the cachers to get info from some of the Pinned threads? Then you know the thread will be easy to find, and most of the pinned threads contain important info.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

Been there, done that

 

Ha! I KNEW it couldn't have been an original idea.

 

BTW- My cache is ready to go, but the weather has been nasty here for days. I'll probably place it on Monday.

Nasty weather? Are you sure?

 

Come visit, I think you'll like your area's weather a lot more after experiencing this:

 

[+clearpath]

Been there, done that

 

Ha! I KNEW it couldn't have been an original idea.

 

BTW- My cache is ready to go, but the weather has been nasty here for days. I'll probably place it on Monday.

Nasty weather? Are you sure?

 

Come visit, I think you'll like your area's weather a lot more after experiencing this:

 

Yeah, it was probably 50 degrees and windy where Snoogs lives...

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Since the information needed to find a cache needs to be on the cache page, it may not fly with your reviewer.

 

The information will tell you to look in the forums and the hint will give specific search instructions....

 

I.E. Hint: Click on the geocaching.com forums and do a keyword search for: Et tu, Brute?

 

Get it?

I think the idea of giving some or all of the riddle keys in the forums is a great idea. However, as for "et tu Brute", the search software currently in use here at the national forum only allows search word of 4 characters or terms using 4 characters or more per word.

 

Snoogans, I am going after the first two stages of your Quantum Leap next weekend!

[+Chance Encounter]

With the exception of GeoWoodstock, I have been thinking about how few of the geocachers I meet actually come to these forums. The ones that do usually ONLY participate in their local (Non-gc.com) forum.

 

I'm proud to be another exception!

 

Since I've been forced to move from Houston to Memphis to work on the next sixteen stages of my personal Quantum Leap challenge, however, I don't have much sympathy for the "bad weather" being endured by my former neighbors in Houston. Here in Memphis, it's 20°F, a couple of inches of sleet and snow have accumulated on the ground, and more will continue to fall for the next two or three days. That's gonna make it kinda hard to swim out to that island in the middle of the Mississippi River (curses to you, Snoogans!), but I've known ever since I opened the hatch on the converted bomb shelter almost two years ago that this would not be an easy quest...

 

Anyway, sounds like a cool idea for a puzzle cache. I've directed numerous people to the gc.com forums to seek ideas for creative new caches and to learn more about GPS units and software, but it's relatively rare to see these folks subsequently make posts of their own. Off the top of my head, the only cachers who I know personally and also frequently see in the forums are Snoogans, Mudfrog, and Pepper.

 

Have fun!

Edited February 18, 2006 by Chance Encounter

[+AuntieWeasel]

I don't see why it wouldn't pass muster with the reviewers as a puzzle cache. Lots of puzzle caches require online research to complete. Of course, google will eventually pick up the thread with your unique word, too. But I would assume your target audience isn't actively avoiding the forums so much as not bothering to come here.

 

I think it's a neat idea (if only because it's the only puzzle cache I've ever heard of that I'd have a chance of solving).

[+kasma_gang]

Sounds like fun. It is cold here people for Houston area anyway, rainy and closer to freezing than not.

Hey what is the Quantum Leap?

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Sounds like fun. It is cold here people for Houston area anyway, rainy and closer to freezing than not.

Hey what is the Quantum Leap?

 

Quantum Leap is a very sick geocache which starts in Texas, rated 5/5, by a somewhat deranged cacher named Snoogans. It becomes, over time, a kind of Holy Grail for some cachers, including me; I will be making the trek from the mountains of Western Maryland to Houston next week to start tackling this one. Now that we have ten caches in our Psycho Urban Cache series in place and published (almost all with Terrain ratings of 5), I feel somewhat okay about spending the time, effort and money to tackle this one. In any case, it gets me away from Maryland for a few days and from the (few) finders of our Psycho Urban Cache #9 - Hot Glowing Tribulations who have started to whine about possible radiation poisoning.