No pencil? No pen?

May 9, 2008

So you forgot your pencil and/or pen again. Have you used the quill pen and ink method with ink that your body own body produces in massive amounts that just so happens to have the shade of red? My wife seems to think the idea is insane. What about you? How about a pseudo GC poll...

Done it.
Thought about it.
Haven't done it or thought of it.
You're a sicko!

2.5k · May 9, 2008

I teach Biology and I wouldn't even consider it.

From the viewpoint of my personal safety...there is a reason that stuff doesn't just leak out all the time--keeping organisms out that aren't supposed to be in there. I am not opening myself up to infection for a cache.

From the viewpoint of your personal safety...there is a reason you don't want to handle the log if I bled all over it. While most of the nasty germs will die by the time the stuff dries, there are some viruses and other nasties out that that are easily transmitted by blood and will stick around for days before they die--(Hepatitis B comes to mind).

Mud/dirt is so easily available. Or bark from a tree. Or the chlorophyll from a leaf.

Or hey, how about we either don't forget the pen or we walk back to the car and get it.

Please?

9.5k · May 9, 2008

I teach Biology and I wouldn't even consider it.

From the viewpoint of my personal safety...there is a reason that stuff doesn't just leak out all the time--keeping organisms out that aren't supposed to be in there. I am not opening myself up to infection for a cache.

From the viewpoint of your personal safety...there is a reason you don't want to handle the log if I bled all over it. While most of the nasty germs will die by the time the stuff dries, there are some viruses and other nasties out that that are easily transmitted by blood and will stick around for days before they die--(Hepatitis B comes to mind).

Mud/dirt is so easily available. Or bark from a tree. Or the chlorophyll from a leaf.

Or hey, how about we either don't forget the pen or we walk back to the car and get it. Please?

Four mile hike back out for a pen? No way. Although I haven't used my blood, it has been done. I've used twigs wrapped in a seriously cracked leaf to initial a log once or twice. The cracks allowed the chlorophyll to "bleed" on the paper easier.

5.6k · May 9, 2008

I've never done it, or thought about it. I always carry a pen (or three) in my caching belt pouch - one of which a "space pen" that can write on any log, no matter how soaked.

38.2k · May 9, 2008

I've used a soft stone, the lit end of a cigar, a stick dipped in mud and a blade of grass. No need to use blood and potentially gross out others.

Edited May 9, 2008 by briansnat

2.2k · May 10, 2008

If the first letter of your username is "H" it's very easy to tear one into a blank sheet on the cache page.

2.5k · May 10, 2008

Mud/dirt is so easily available. Or bark from a tree. Or the chlorophyll from a leaf.

Or hey, how about we either don't forget the pen or we walk back to the car and get it. Please?

Four mile hike back out for a pen? No way. Although I haven't used my blood, it has been done. I've used twigs wrapped in a seriously cracked leaf to initial a log once or twice. The cracks allowed the chlorophyll to "bleed" on the paper easier.

Yeah, I hear you! I wouldn't walk back four miles myself. Of course, I wouldn't head out four miles without something to sign the log with, either. And a backup...call me neurotic

That's why I have two pencils (with a sharpener), two or three ink pens, and at least one sharpie with me in my waist pack (and more in my backpack if I'm carrying that). Officially the reason I carry all those is so I have spares to leave in caches where the writing utensil has walked away (and I do leave them when I find caches like that). In reality I know I'm just too lazy --um, energy efficient--to walk back to the car for a pen.

I also have my beloved husband along, usually, and he comes with one of those never-freezes, pressurized "outer space" pens attached at all times while caching--and usually carried a fine point pen as a backup as well. He has to sign his name all day at work--He's so well trained he wakes up on the weekend and clips a pen to his tee-shirt automatically .

We can always get one of those things to work--and if not, I always have a lighter and I'd burn the end of a twig and use the carbon off that if I had to sign my name to a cache log. It the lighter won't work, there's always the magnifying glass.

I'm making a special stamp for the few latterbox hybrids we find. That'll do in a pinch for the other caches too, once I get it done.

May 10, 2008

Yeah blood is a bit much. I always carry multiple ultra fine tip permant markers (which work great on wet logs too). Unfortunately my caching partner tends to steal them from me... So far we have been lucky and I always remember to bring a spare. We are pretty resourceful though, Im sure there would be something we could rig to sign a log. Blood.... well... thats just gross.

18.9k · May 10, 2008

I've done it.....

inadvertently......

got cut up a bit during the hunt and while search around for my pen, I dripped a few drops onto the page and the logbook cover.

I've used grass, mud, burnt end of a stick, leaf etc.....

14.3k · May 10, 2008

I've used a burnt stick and a stick dipped in mud. Blood is way over the top.

3.2k · May 10, 2008

You could always claim you used invisible ink.

1.9k · May 10, 2008

I ALWAYS CARRY A PEN!!!!

Even if I'm not geocaching.

May 10, 2008

You could always claim you used invisible ink.

By far my favorite option so far!

May 10, 2008

I always use mud/dirt and a twig, it works pretty good.

Don't tell the bio teacher that in the dry months, adding a little spit makes a perfect brown ink.

- the chem teacher

May 10, 2008

Keep in mind, your are NOT allowed to put FOOD in a cache ! :blink:

May 10, 2008

We were talking about this the other day, I wouldnt do it just for the reason I wouldnt want to handle a bloody log, I usually leave a pen as swag in almost all of the caches I visit for people who need them

13.8k · May 10, 2008

The very reason we use hand sanitizer after hittin' a cache.

A number of times we were next after seeing a sig that didn't quite look like ink.

That's just too gross.

Mud, berries, stick charcoal, whatever... PLEASE don't use fluids from your body to sign.

3.2k · May 10, 2008

So you forgot your pencil and/or pen again. Have you used the quill pen and ink method with ink that your body own body produces in massive amounts that just so happens to have the shade of red? My wife seems to think the idea is insane. What about you? How about a pseudo GC poll...

Done it.

Thought about it.

Haven't done it or thought of it.

You're a sicko!

After 20 years of teaching middle school with kids constantly whining about not having a pencil I say walk home, get a pencil, and come back to log the find.

2.5k · May 10, 2008

I really don't think I want to use my blood. :blink:

May 10, 2008

The last two:

Haven't done it or thought of it.

You're a sicko!

Would be nasty to find a log written in blood... and would seriously make me wonder what else happened to the cache and cache area.

3.3k · May 10, 2008

I've heard of mud thumbprints before. :blink: My pen broke in my pocket, so I did a ink smear signature. It looked awful, but I mentioned it in my online log.

May 10, 2008

One thing is for sure...There really can't be any dispute as to whether or not you found it if your genetic code is soaked into the log. Sure It would take some very expensive tests for an owner to verify actual finders...

May 10, 2008

i cleaned out my golf bag of about 2 dozen mini pencils- with erasers- so i can leave one if possible when it says bring a pencil, left a pen in one already. but i still check my pockets 3-4 times before i leave my jeep.

9.5k · May 10, 2008

Mud/dirt is so easily available. Or bark from a tree. Or the chlorophyll from a leaf.

Or hey, how about we either don't forget the pen or we walk back to the car and get it. Please?

Four mile hike back out for a pen? No way. Although I haven't used my blood, it has been done. I've used twigs wrapped in a seriously cracked leaf to initial a log once or twice. The cracks allowed the chlorophyll to "bleed" on the paper easier.

Yeah, I hear you! I wouldn't walk back four miles myself. Of course, I wouldn't head out four miles without something to sign the log with, either. And a backup...call me neurotic

Never say never. I typically hike in well prepared. Usually over-prepared. I was in an urban park of which the full hike was 4 miles one way. I usually carried a fanny pack in those days for that sort of thing. My pen/pencil was usually in the small zipper pocket and I forgot to ensure it was still there after using it to take notes while on the phone one day. Two thirds of the way in and a micro was found and my discovery of a lack of writing utensil was made. It can happen, it will happen, and it does happen to everybody for whatever reason from time to time. You too will be victimized one day with the lack of one and you will eat your words in silent recrimination.

May 10, 2008

Why would he eat his words, he said OR... as in 'options in addition to'. :blink:

May 10, 2008

In the chat room, some admitted to blood and other various different methods (some of which were listed here). It's kind of interesting to see what people this is gross and what others don't.

I wish I worded the question a little better because, essentially, the question I was looking for an answer to is "would you do this if you have NO other tools or utensils on you and you were entirely too far to 'walk back for one?'"

Some of the ideas here were pretty good. It's always fun to see how cachers improvise. :blink:

7.2k · May 10, 2008

Putting my name in a logbook is not that important.

9.5k · May 10, 2008

Why would he eat his words, he said OR... as in 'options in addition to'.

Yah, that's a gotcha that will getcha in the rear one day. Those dependencies have dependencies.

Btw, He is a She.

May 10, 2008

Ive seen people leave an acorn in summer months when there was no mud.

May 11, 2008

I'd consider blood to ruin a cache. If i found a log that was clearly signed with blood, I'd post a needs maintenance log. Too much crap in this world for me to be touching stranger's blood. As mentioned earlier, there are several organisms that will survive for days even in dried blood. It is a plain and clear health safety issue.

5.6k · May 11, 2008

You could always claim you used invisible ink.

I understand urine works somewhat well as invisible ink...

May 11, 2008

If you have a tool to draw blood, you have a tool to draw (for example) chlorophyll.

May 11, 2008

I understand urine works somewhat well as invisible ink...

It seems you live up to your screen name. :blink:

8.3k · May 11, 2008

In my GPS case is a pen, a notepad, my sig items, and the GPS. First three go into my shirt pocket when I open my GPS case, the GPS goes in the front jean pocket. I always have a pen. Seemed like a simple solution to prevent a long hike back.

Jim

May 11, 2008

I've inadvertently signed with blood. It was an accident, I swear!

I can't imagine anyone would willingly prick their finger to sign a piece of paper, especially when there are plenty of things around you at any given cache location that you can sign with instead.

May 11, 2008

Lucky enough to have never forgot a pen so I guess I am under the "Haven't done it or thought of it" category.

3.2k · May 12, 2008

You could always claim you used invisible ink.

I understand urine works somewhat well as invisible ink...

Recently, while looking for something fun in preparation for a meeting of my Cub Scout den and researching the subject of invisible ink, I discovered an interesting item in the Wikipedia entry.

Look closely at the sixth item listed under "Inks developed by heat." :laughing:

When it comes to secure messenging it would appear that, according to this article, no male cacher is ever truly without his secret invisible ink pen. :lol:

May 12, 2008

just when i thought it couldn't get worse.

May 12, 2008

The few (very few) times that I've managed to forget a pen, I've either borrowed one off of someone (most recent was at MNH on the way to TRU) and I borrowed one off of a fellow in the nearby parking garage (If you have a brand new hockey stick in your hand, you look less crazy I guess), and the other times, I've just taken the log (put the cache back so that if somebody does come along for it, they don't have to log a DNF) and borrowed one at a nearby convenience store

Ah, isn't Urban caching great :lol:

For that matter, I don't like it when I have to sign a log in something other than green ink - I am the Taoiseach after all :laughing: - I guess Orange would work as well

And in case you're wondering, no, I've never considered signing a log with my Bloody red hand of Ulster, as it were (And I probably wouldn't cut off my hand, even to win the throne of Ulster, either)

May 12, 2008

If I'm going to sign something in blood, I'd better get more than a smiley for it! :laughing:

Mud, soot, chlorophyll, yes. I haven't had to do this yet, as I always carry around an extra pen or two in case I need to leave one in a cache.

May 12, 2008

Most of the cache info that I read tell you to bring a pen! I have not had a problem yet.

May 12, 2008

I've thought about it. (not to actually do it though)

You're a sicko

I carry hand sanitizer in my bag for this reason. I always have a space pen, a mechanical pencil, and a handfull of various writing instruments. If those didn't work then I would use charcoal, mud, or a crushed leaf, origami. There are so many other alternatives.

3.9k · May 12, 2008

I always carry a pen or pencil when hunting caches, but, if I somehow got stuck without one at a cache hide site, I would consider using mud, dust, chlorophyll from a leaf, blood or a bit of fecal material, and using a stick, twig or other found object as a makeshift pen. And, I could not imagine worrying about the chances of "infection" from a tiny bit of long-dried blood or fecal material in the logbook. In any case, numerous studies (which the media love to gloat over and try to turn into big FEAR-based feature stories) have shown that shopping cart handles and door handles in stores and public places and telephone handpieces and computer keyboards almost all contain small amounts of saliva, blood, fecal material, urine and other so-called "nasty" things, and so, if you really want to worry about chances of infection, you may wish to worry about those things first!

2.5k · May 12, 2008

You could always claim you used invisible ink.

I understand urine works somewhat well as invisible ink...

I hope you haven't forgotten the time we found a cache with a large quantity of "invisible ink."

:lol: :laughing:

The log.

May 12, 2008

Jeez. That's is really messed up.

:huh:

1.7k · May 12, 2008

In any case, numerous studies (which the media love to gloat over and try to turn into big FEAR-based feature stories) have shown that shopping cart handles and door handles in stores and public places and telephone handpieces and computer keyboards almost all contain small amounts of saliva, blood, fecal material, urine and other so-called "nasty" things, and so, if you really want to worry about chances of infection, you may wish to worry about those things first!

Don't forget bedcovers in hotel rooms. They hardly ever get laundered regularly. :huh:

While I wouldn't be too happy to note someone had signed their log entry in some sort of bodily fluid/matter, I wonder what people who are so upset at this notion would do should they come across a stranger who was bleeding after an accident? Would you help? Or would you just call 911 and not touch anything for fear of contracting a disease?

And FWIW, unless someone has an infection or has had some sort of trauma that would cause bleeding, urine is typically quite clean - with regard to pathogens. Way more clean than saliva.

May 12, 2008

Please.....get real.

24.7k · May 12, 2008

...[*]Thought about it....

Blood would attract animals, no need to go beyond that.

May 12, 2008

I'd have to ask her which cache it was to find the online log, but I know the Utah classic UtahJean has signed in blood before.

2.5k · May 12, 2008

...In any case, numerous studies (which the media love to gloat over and try to turn into big FEAR-based feature stories) have shown that shopping cart handles and door handles in stores and public places and telephone handpieces and computer keyboards almost all contain small amounts of saliva, blood, fecal material, urine and other so-called "nasty" things, and so, if you really want to worry about chances of infection, you may wish to worry about those things first!

And who says I don't?

My local store has sanitary wipes in a dispenser by the door to wipe down the cart. ... I use them.

Of course, as I said, I teach Biology. My fellow Biology teacher has a joke he likes to tell

"You know how to tell a real Biologist? They're the ones who wash their hands before they use the restroom!"

No pencil? No pen?

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