If you could change one thing about geocaching what would it be?

[+infiniteMPG]

We already have that.

It's just a matter of cache owners using it

Attributes are good but they are also subjective to the owner's opinion. Better use of the attributes and a review or rating system would clean things up a lot.

[+edscott]

I'd love to have my caches rated, but if only a select few get rated that I would rather mine be ignored. Those unlucky enough to be rated will get lots more visitors forming heavy geotrails thus causing the cache to be archived.. shooting ourselves in the foot with that approach.

[+TrailGators]

The way I imagine the awards system that has been proposed in v2 is that groups of users would be able to propose award categories. These would likely be peer reviewed and once accepted nominations taken. The awards group managers would review nominations and award the caches who seem to meet the criteria - or perhaps the cache would automatically be given an award if it got a certain number of nominations. A group could setup an award for kid friendly and define what that means.

I agree that it needs to be made the most helpful it can be, but awards only give kudos to a select few. Doesn't give any help to people trying to rule out lame hides or cr@ppy locations or unique camo jobs or whatever they want to search by.... I would opt for some review/rating system that's applied to all caches.

I don't think it will be a select few, but I don't know exactly how they are going to do it. If they let you choose the number of awards that caches must have to make a list, then lowering that number would expand the number you could retreive. Of course the more you expand it the list the more you risk getting less desirable ones in your download. In San Diego, I add any cache to a SD Consensus Favorites list that appears on at least 3 Favorites/Must-Do bookmarks. This system has worked well. If I lowered the requirement to include any cache with one vote, it would open the door to people voting for their own caches which I don't want. Anyhow, I would recommend to Jeremy just to collect the awards data and to let us slice it the way we want it because everyone will be different. They could accomplish this by simply listing what awards and how many awards each cache in your PQ has. Edited February 26, 2008 by TrailGators

[WashoeZephyr]

No debate here.

Add me to the "Bring back virtuals" bandwagon, Waymarking just doesn't do it!

Yeah, some virtuals we have visited have sucked, but most of the ones we've been to have been really cool! We really liked this one, unless you are from the area you would never know this was there.

[+nikcap]

Eliminate public display of numbers on gc.com.

- Most of the questionable and/or undesireable behaviors I've observed have been directly related to the numbers race.

 

That would be it for me.

Remove find counts from usernames on cache log pages. If you really want to know my find count, you'll have to visit my profile. Unless, I've also elected to hide my find count totals too.

 

If I can't have that, bring back the Virtuals.

 

While some virtuals where really nice, most where pretty lame. It would be nice to have a Virtual Cache database that went through a peer review.

Prehaps the best rated Waymarks could be promoted to Virtuals on the GC.com site.

[+olbluesguy]

In leu of a rating system ,give the first finder on a cache the ability to archive it for cause., and save us a lot of wasted time.

[+Lakebum]

Fix the problem with the NPS system so we can put caches in National Parks.

 

One way to do this maybe is if we had a review/approver who's sole responsibility is for National park caches.

 

The NPS reviewer would work directly with the NPS to ensure National Park caches are not in sensitive areas and meet the requirements the NPS would impose.

[+w2b]

I would ban placing caches more than 100 miles from home base , unless you could prove you had someone to take care of it!

I hate vacation trash caches!

[+Castlebrook]

OK I will be the one to throw the gasoline on the fire......

 

Make micros/nanos on thier own site or a seperate section, or at least limit thier numbers somehow ex: distance between/density.

 

Honestly, I like the site now, but if you could promise me that when I sign on and see the new caches in my area, I could have a "pre-filter" so they (micros) are not shown unless I ask for them, ( I am sure micro hunters might even ask for same about regular sized caches at times) I am so happy when I see new caches in my area, but then see that 17/20 are micros is kinda heartbreaking.

 

If that is a an option ya got my $30 no sweat.

 

(not so much a gripe, just a options request)

 

OK, how about picocaches? femtocaches? (Sorry, the geek came out.)

[+the hermit crabs]

I would ask Groundspeak to stop listing Travel Bug / Geocoin prison caches, and to require the existing ones to eliminate their hostage-exchange rules.

[+infiniteMPG]

I'd love to have my caches rated, but if only a select few get rated that I would rather mine be ignored. Those unlucky enough to be rated will get lots more visitors forming heavy geotrails thus causing the cache to be archived.. shooting ourselves in the foot with that approach.

Have yet to see a cache that would get archived for too many visits.... I don't even think if you offerred free beer at a cache it would get enough traffic for that to happen unless it was already in an envronmentally too sensitive area to start with.

[+infiniteMPG]

Anyhow, I would recommend to Jeremy just to collect the awards data and to let us slice it the way we want it because everyone will be different. They could accomplish this by simply listing what awards and how many awards each cache in your PQ has.

Guess I am a little lost on the "awards".... could a cacher visit say 20 caches and if he thought they were all great he could award all of them? Or would an "award" be something granted by collecting a certain number of "votes" or something? Just don't get the configuration.... if an urban cache was located near a busy airport it might get 100 visits and if 10% of the people liked it then it would have 10 "votes". If a rural cache takes a day to do and everyone visiting it thought it was great, but only 5 people have tackled the challenge it could only have 5 "votes". If you looked at the two then the airport urban cache would "look" like a better cache when it really wasn't.

[+ReadyOrNot]

Anyhow, I would recommend to Jeremy just to collect the awards data and to let us slice it the way we want it because everyone will be different. They could accomplish this by simply listing what awards and how many awards each cache in your PQ has.

Guess I am a little lost on the "awards".... could a cacher visit say 20 caches and if he thought they were all great he could award all of them? Or would an "award" be something granted by collecting a certain number of "votes" or something? Just don't get the configuration.... if an urban cache was located near a busy airport it might get 100 visits and if 10% of the people liked it then it would have 10 "votes". If a rural cache takes a day to do and everyone visiting it thought it was great, but only 5 people have tackled the challenge it could only have 5 "votes". If you looked at the two then the airport urban cache would "look" like a better cache when it really wasn't.

 

TPTB briefly mentioned it in the V2.0 thread, but did not go into any kind of detail as to how it would work. Guess its going to be a surprise

Edited February 27, 2008 by ReadyOrNot

[+OmegaLimit]

If I were to change one thing about geocaching, it would be a rule that you could only park your car once during a day while caching. You can walk, run, take a bus, ride a bike or horse all you want, but only drive to a site, and away from a site.

 

I hope that this would have the benefit of promoting the health aspects of the hobby, would cut down on the "microclutter," and make finding twenty caches in a day a real accomplishment.

 

To further encourage the use of non-motorized transportation, you can allow cachers to post the routes they took to the cache. These would be available to other cachers after they found the cache, to eliminate spoilers. We can check that a cacher never exceeded 60 mph or so. Also, uploading routes from GPSr's can help cut down on arm chair caching. If two cachers took exactly the same routes to a cache, that would be evidence that one copied the route in a computer file from another.

 

If I were allowed a second change, it would be the elimination of the “log cabin” cache. I am more interested in the find than the swag. That means I like a well placed micro better than an ammo box that is buried under a conspicuous pile of sticks.

[+David]

Include the cache attributes in the PQ data. GSAK and Cachemate cannot reflect cache attribute information. If I am wrong, please educate me!

 

-David

[+Arndtwe]

Include the cache attributes in the PQ data. GSAK and Cachemate cannot reflect cache attribute information. If I am wrong, please educate me!

 

-David

I second this!

[+TrailGators]

Anyhow, I would recommend to Jeremy just to collect the awards data and to let us slice it the way we want it because everyone will be different. They could accomplish this by simply listing what awards and how many awards each cache in your PQ has.

Guess I am a little lost on the "awards".... could a cacher visit say 20 caches and if he thought they were all great he could award all of them? Or would an "award" be something granted by collecting a certain number of "votes" or something? Just don't get the configuration.... if an urban cache was located near a busy airport it might get 100 visits and if 10% of the people liked it then it would have 10 "votes". If a rural cache takes a day to do and everyone visiting it thought it was great, but only 5 people have tackled the challenge it could only have 5 "votes". If you looked at the two then the airport urban cache would "look" like a better cache when it really wasn't.

 

TPTB briefly mentioned it in the V2.0 thread, but did not go into any kind of detail as to how it would work. Guess its going to be a surprise

Yes, plus I doubt they would give people unlimted awards. I'm guessing that you could award ~10% of the caches you've found. However, I haven't heard how it's actually going to work.

[+couloir]

I agree with a user rating system where the users provide a numeric rating and the cache receives a ranking based on finders averaged ratings. We would reward good, clever hides in good locations and rate poor caches lower. This would then provide everyone with a sense of the worth of the cache. This is already done across the internet with "products" of all sorts. I find that some of the remarks connected to finds are polite and appreciative, but don't really help us to know much more than what the original post provides.

[+edscott]

I'd love to have my caches rated, but if only a select few get rated that I would rather mine be ignored. Those unlucky enough to be rated will get lots more visitors forming heavy geotrails thus causing the cache to be archived.. shooting ourselves in the foot with that approach.

Have yet to see a cache that would get archived for too many visits.... I don't even think if you offerred free beer at a cache it would get enough traffic for that to happen unless it was already in an envronmentally too sensitive area to start with.

 

Some parks are keeping track of "geotrails" and have asked for caches to be removed as a result. I have about 5 out now that are being monitored. The areas are upland hardwood forest and not particularly sensitive, but enough traffic will form a trail most anywhere. Point is that the more we spread ourselves and our caches out, the less damage, real or perceived, we will cause.

[+TrailGators]

Some parks are keeping track of "geotrails" and have asked for caches to be removed as a result. I have about 5 out now that are being monitored. The areas are upland hardwood forest and not particularly sensitive, but enough traffic will form a trail most anywhere. Point is that the more we spread ourselves and our caches out, the less damage, real or perceived, we will cause.

Exactly!

[+WebChimp]

Batteries that never die,a nd never need recharging. Honest, that's what I'd change.

[+Geoaddict]

I have found that many of the problem caches that I have come across are hidden by newbies. I don't want to set a certain number of caches found before you can hide your first cache. A person with 50 found caches can screw up a cache just as well as a new cacher. I would like to see a form for new caches that would give the reviewer more comprehensive information about the cache. Some of the questions might be: How did you determine the coordinates? How many readings did you take? Did you average the coordinates or how long did you average the coordinates? Did you receive permission from the property owner for placement of the cache?

 

If you require the cache hider to spend some time answering these questions, beyond just clicking on the box that I have read and understand the guidelines for listing a cache, I think it would avoid many of the newbie problems. If a newbie has no idea what averaging the coordinates means, then he or she might have to spend additional time learning about best practices for hiding a cache.

[+Pepper]

You're at an event and Jeremy walks up to you and asks you:

 

"If you could change one thing about geocaching what would it be?"

 

Honestly, what would you suggest?

 

I would have no requests for change for Jeremy, it's seems to work fine for me the way it is...simple.

 

Pepper

[+Travelinmatt76]

I would like to see a time limit (1 or 2 years) set on all caches to keep the sport fresh. I've found all the caches at some nearby parks, which are now at saturation. Archive them and rehide the caches, so that the locals can enjoy caching at prime locations again.

 

Just steal them all, problem solved.

[+w2b]

I have found that many of the problem caches that I have come across are hidden by newbies. I don't want to set a certain number of caches found before you can hide your first cache. A person with 50 found caches can screw up a cache just as well as a new cacher. I would like to see a form for new caches that would give the reviewer more comprehensive information about the cache. Some of the questions might be: How did you determine the coordinates? How many readings did you take? Did you average the coordinates or how long did you average the coordinates? Did you receive permission from the property owner for placement of the cache?

 

If you require the cache hider to spend some time answering these questions, beyond just clicking on the box that I have read and understand the guidelines for listing a cache, I think it would avoid many of the newbie problems. If a newbie has no idea what averaging the coordinates means, then he or she might have to spend additional time learning about best practices for hiding a cache.

not to start a war or anything but I personally know of caches that have been placed by well seasoned (400+ finds) cachers without permission on private property simply because they have other caches in the same area that were placed before the land was purchased 3 years ago by the current owner. They have to drive by trespassing signs to get there and do it anyway. So amount of caches found or hidden have nothing to do with ethics and following the rules.

[+team lagonda]

any cache located on land with no trespassing signs should have a higher difficulty ranking..its the rules..

Edited March 1, 2008 by team lagonda

[+NJ Admin]

any cache located on land with no trespassing signs should have a higher difficulty ranking..its the rules..

It is? Where does it say that?

[+team lagonda]

its right there with man traps n land mines as higher difficulty in the rules..

[+SixDogTeam]

Batteries that never die,a nd never need recharging. Honest, that's what I'd change.

 

GPSr's with a little hand crank!!!

[+Peconic Bay Sailors]

You're at an event and Jeremy walks up to you and asks you:

 

"If you could change one thing about geocaching what would it be?"

 

Honestly, what would you suggest?

 

briansnat's avatar...

[+Huntnlady]

As former owner of Top of the Watershed and Fill in the Blanks, I'd like to add my vote to BRING BACK LOCATIONLESS CACHES

[+Isonzo Karst]

After reading through this thread, I'm thinking spell check on the forum software would be a nice change.

[Clan Riffster]

After reading through this thread, I'm thinking spell check on the forum software would be a nice change.

Now thet's just funy!

[+TrailGators]

After reading through this thread, I'm thinking spell check on the forum software would be a nice change.

Now thet's just funy!

You guys quit joking and go out and do some cashing!

[+Too Tall John]

This is a VERY good topic and it would be a shame to have it shut down.... If you find yourself hitting the "Reply" button, slap yourself. Thanks!

I agree. Oops, I guess I hit the reply button..

 

*slap!*

 

A new way for Groundspeak to raise some money: a Geocaching.com-branded GPSr.

 

It'd have applications specifically tailored to hunting caches, benchmarks, waymarks, etc. It'd of course have the Wherigo player on it. The unit would be cellular-capable, giving you the ability to log your finds from the field. Don't forget custom icons for each category. And each unit would come with it's own Travel Bug number and a plush Signal toy.

 

Platinum members, of course, would have the choice of receiving one of these units instead of the jam-of-the-month club, but since it would retail for about $15, I don't think many would take that offer.

 

Of course, after he stopped laughing at my suggestion, I'd ask about a cache rating system.

[4wheelin_fool]

It would be nice to have more icons to describe cache types (such as spitting the mystery/puzzle type up) and have a night cache icon.

For me, it would be nice to have a little icon or something on each user's profile page telling me if they were a human or a reptoid reptilian shapeshifter or an NWO agent. A good case in point is 4wheelin_fool, who has visited our home several times and with whom we have also shared meals (Chinese/Asian/sushi buffet), and whom we only belatedly discovered is a reptoid reptilian shapeshifter and agent of the New World Order (NWO) grand conspiracy. sheesh!

 

Another thing I would change is that I believe Groundspeak should block cachers from "outing" other geocachers as reptoid reptilian shapeshifter and agents of the New World Order (NWO) grand conspiracy.

 

Yes, it seems my guise of visiting Vinny as geocaching related has been discovered as a ruse and he is rather nervous because he knows that I was investigating his "other" activities and to make public his connection with a top-secret radioactive goat/alien breeding facility:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...=y&decrypt=

Edited March 4, 2008 by 4wheelin_fool

[+shamanstorm]

The thing that upsets me most is when I can't read a page before I head out, start searching for an hour, and later find that the cache has been missing for months, but is still showing active.

 

We are not into the #'s game, but enjoying each cache for what it has to offer. I would love to have Waymarking on gc.com.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

It would be nice to have more icons to describe cache types (such as spitting the mystery/puzzle type up) and have a night cache icon.

For me, it would be nice to have a little icon or something on each user's profile page telling me if they were a human or a reptoid reptilian shapeshifter or an NWO agent. A good case in point is 4wheelin_fool, who has visited our home several times and with whom we have also shared meals (Chinese/Asian/sushi buffet), and whom we only belatedly discovered is a reptoid reptilian shapeshifter and agent of the New World Order (NWO) grand conspiracy. sheesh!

 

Another thing I would change is that I believe Groundspeak should block cachers from "outing" other geocachers as reptoid reptilian shapeshifter and agents of the New World Order (NWO) grand conspiracy.

I am sorry. I owe you an apology. I was notified several days ago by the admins and the forum moderators at Groundspeak that if I did not apologize to you publicly for outing you as a slimy evil shifty reptoid reptilian shapeshifter agent of the NWO that GC would not only ban me from the forums but also delete all traces of our GC account. So, I apologize for revealing that you are the slimeball sneaky dastardly reptoid reptilain shapeshifter agent of the New World Order that you are. I really do apologize. Seriously. Really, I mean it!

 

[There, Jeremy, was that good enuf? Are we square now?]

Yes, it seems my guise of visiting Vinny as geocaching related has been discovered as a ruse and he is rather nervous because he knows that I was investigating his "other" activities and to make public his connection with a top-secret radioactive goat/alien breeding facility:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...=y&decrypt=

I am just thankful that you did not find the time-space doorway or the alien starship homing beacon during your visits to my wilderness mountain home and laboratory.

 

If you are wondering how I figured you out, it was largely because you let slip to me numerous times, while were were exploring caves together inside the fence surrounding the fenced/posted nuclear reservation, that you were fascinated with the geological K-T Boundary (aka the KT Event) and the associated "iridium anomaly" (i.e., the attendant high iridium content of K-T Boundary-associated clays and rocks.) Due to my extensive training in detecting shapeshifter aliens, I was well aware that reptoid reptilian shapeshifters are obsessed with both the Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary event and the iridium-laden rocks/clays associated with it, because of their need for iridium as a dietary nutrient. And, you also could not hide your insane excitement when I slyly tested you by letting slip the "fact" that I had 78 grams of food-grade iridium citrate complexed with radium chloride sitting on a shelf in my laboratory storeroom. You also knew a little too much about some little-known anomalous distributions of radioisotopes of rubidium, thorium and iodine in the KT Event layer in the Shepherdstown, WV-area limestone bedrock, and thus my suspicions about you were confirmed.

 

And, lastly, to add just one more thing that I would change about geocaching if I could:

I would like to see all cache listing descriptions give adequate information on safe and sane parking, as needed.

Edited March 5, 2008 by Vinny & Sue Team

[4wheelin_fool]

I am just thankful that you did not find the time-space doorway or the alien starship homing beacon during your visits to my wilderness mountain home and laboratory.

 

If you are wondering how I figured you out, it was largely because you let slip to me numerous times, while were were exploring caves together inside the fence surrounding the fenced/posted nuclear reservation, that you were fascinated with the geological K-T Boundary (aka the KT Event) and the associated "iridium anomaly" (i.e., the attendant high iridium content of K-T Boundary-associated clays and rocks.) Due to my extensive training in detecting shapeshifter aliens, I was well aware that reptoid reptilian shapeshifters are obsessed with both the Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary event and the iridium-laden rocks/clays associated with it, because of their need for iridium as a dietary nutrient. And, you also could not hide your insane excitement when I slyly tested you by letting slip the "fact" that I had 78 grams of food-grade iridium citrate complexed with radium chloride sitting on a shelf in my laboratory storeroom. You also knew a little too much about some little-known anomalous distributions of radioisotopes of rubidium, thorium and iodine in the KT Event layer in the Shepherdstown, WV-area limestone bedrock, and thus my suspicions about you were confirmed.

 

 

But we know all about your time-space doorway and alien starship homing beacon...

 

Edited March 5, 2008 by 4wheelin_fool

[+Roarmeister]

You're at an event and Jeremy walks up to you and asks you:

 

"If you could change one thing about geocaching what would it be?"

 

Honestly, what would you suggest?

 

Honestly??? - Honesty.

Honesty by not taking something of more value than what you are leaving for swag.

Honesty by not stealing / hoarding GeoCoins that you've "found" and that aren't yours.

Honesty by not logging caches without actually being there (virtual logging).

[+CapeDoc]

I would like to have the option to release my cache listing at will after it has been approved. Maybe no more than a week after approval though.

I would like it if you could request a date for a cahe listing to be published. This would give one the opportunity to publish many caches on one day. This would then give more chance for a spread of cachers to get FTFs. I find that my caches are picked off by one or 2 cachers, who get the FTFs.

[+CapeDoc]

Better treasure. You can afford a GPS.....

[+McDowra]

I agree with a user rating system where the users provide a numeric rating and the cache receives a ranking based on finders averaged ratings. We would reward good, clever hides in good locations and rate poor caches lower. This would then provide everyone with a sense of the worth of the cache. This is already done across the internet with "products" of all sorts. I find that some of the remarks connected to finds are polite and appreciative, but don't really help us to know much more than what the original post provides.

 

me too

[+gpsblake]

I'd have to go with a cache rating system as well. Maybe let finders rate what they think the difficulty/terrain level should be and average it in to get a bit of a consensus. Maybe also have a rating for the quality of the cache..

 

Agree on difficulty/terrain idea................

 

STRONGLY DISAGREE on members judging the quality of the cache, it will only create more tension among geocahers, especially ones who rate a cache with a low score. Or people will be afraid to give a low quality score to a cache of one of their friends.

 

You can read the logs or just look at the location to determine the quality of a cache.

[+snowfrog]

You're at an event and Jeremy walks up to you and asks you:

 

"If you could change one thing about geocaching what would it be?"

 

Honestly, what would you suggest?

Limit the number of letters in each adjective and also the total number of words used in a sentence while in the forums, to less than the sum of his/her own assumed and unverified IQ, divided by the daily average of words used by the poster which they never speak in public and only use in the forums to impress people (and most likely just learned the definition to, the more syllables the better), and of course bonus words awarded for warnings received. Whew..just made it!

Edited March 7, 2008 by snowfrog

[CoyoteRed]

STRONGLY DISAGREE on members judging the quality of the cache, it will only create more tension among geocahers, especially ones who rate a cache with a low score. Or people will be afraid to give a low quality score to a cache of one of their friends.

Straight up rating schemes would not work in geocaching without some sort of breaking caches out into genres much like books. Easy caches, especially urban micros, are a favorites of those who prefer quantity over quality. A rating scheme that looked at all caches would lump these caches in with quality caches. Those who prefer quality caches over those made for quantity could not distinguish between the two through the rating scheme making it useless.

 

There has been talk about a rating scheme that compared you against those who vote similar to you and return a result based on that. So, if I voted down a bunch of urban micros the scheme would be giving more weight to the votes of other who also voted down urban micros. Those who generally vote up micros would be compared to others who do the same.

 

This scheme would be like breaking caches up into genres but transparently and much more fuzzy--yet powerful and effective.

 

Then again, a simple genre scheme would be better than what we have now.

 

You can read the logs or just look at the location to determine the quality of a cache.

Yeah, but you can't filter or sort on it.

 

But, I'm not changing my vote for what to change. Eliminate the smilie and you'd, by definition, eliminate "numbers" and thusly the reason for caches placed just for numbers would eventually go away, i.e. most of the trache we see today.

[+J-Way]

In direct reply to the OP, I'd love the ability to have a list of bookmark lists. I already have access to a list of MY bookmark lists (it's on my profile), but a page where I could add lists created by others would be awesome. I could create a page with other people's favorite puzzles, a page with different cache series lists, etc.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

I am just thankful that you did not find the time-space doorway or the alien starship homing beacon during your visits to my wilderness mountain home and laboratory.

 

If you are wondering how I figured you out, it was largely because you let slip to me numerous times, while were were exploring caves together inside the fence surrounding the fenced/posted nuclear reservation, that you were fascinated with the geological K-T Boundary (aka the KT Event) and the associated "iridium anomaly" (i.e., the attendant high iridium content of K-T Boundary-associated clays and rocks.) Due to my extensive training in detecting shapeshifter aliens, I was well aware that reptoid reptilian shapeshifters are obsessed with both the Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary event and the iridium-laden rocks/clays associated with it, because of their need for iridium as a dietary nutrient. And, you also could not hide your insane excitement when I slyly tested you by letting slip the "fact" that I had 78 grams of food-grade iridium citrate complexed with radium chloride sitting on a shelf in my laboratory storeroom. You also knew a little too much about some little-known anomalous distributions of radioisotopes of rubidium, thorium and iodine in the KT Event layer in the Shepherdstown, WV-area limestone bedrock, and thus my suspicions about you were confirmed.

But we know all about your time-space doorway and alien starship homing beacon...

 

Aaarrgggh! I deny everything! I know nothing!

[+9shoes]

I really liked the virtuals, took me to many hidden away historical places I would never have known about. Even took two grandkids around and we learned local history.

[+Spookdawg13]

Over the years I have seen a drastic decline in fieldcraft. Until this year, I'd only been seen by 2 cachers, ever, since 2000. Let's see some events where instead of demo'ing new equipment, we have some classes/groups that talk about picking hides to go to with kids and dogs, and conversely hides that you DON'T take kids and dogs to... When attributes are listed to not do the cache at night - DON'T go at night, and don't complain that you couldn't find it in the dark! And don't even get me started on STEALTH... I encounter more and more people who will NOT just walk away when the cache is surrounded, even after I do! Instead, I see complaints that the cacher felt 'nervous' because there were people around! Then leave! Come back at a low traffic time for that cache!

 

The are classes for learning to drive, learning speak another language, learning to use new equipment, all over the world. This hobby includes all of these and more.

 

Oh, and I think it is time to set some minimum dimensions on caches, unless you're in my line of work, some of them have just gotten ridiculous - instead of find a GOOD place to hide a cache, now all you need is a piece of metal ANYWHERE - that's not inventive or fun. Put me down for hating nanos. At least when geocaching, as opposed to working.