+Are_we_there_yet? Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 With all of the Mystery cachers out there that place their coins in or around caches, I just thought I'd ask to get opinions on whether or not others think they should at least have to sign the log sheets??? We've had our share of good luck in retrieving mystery coins from caches and we've also been beaten to a few of them by other cachers. My philosophy on trying to track them down is, that I don't mind getting beat to the prize as long as it was there in the first place. I guess what really irks me now is, that with gas at over $4 a gallon I think there should be some evidence that they were there since they claim to have been. It just seems to me that this kind of contradicts the joy that they are trying to spread around. Quote Link to comment
+paulandstacey Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 They're giving something back to the caching community - what do you want people to do, delete the find?? Yeesh. Quote Link to comment
+Are_we_there_yet? Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 They're giving something back to the caching community - what do you want people to do, delete the find?? Yeesh. How is that a find??? Quote Link to comment
+TheAlabamaRambler Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 (edited) There is no obligation to sign the log if you do not intend to log a find online. There is no obligation to log a find online just because you signed the logbook. Sometimes I sign the logbook, sometimes I don't. If I don't sign the logbook I don't log a find online. If I do sign the logbook I may or may not log it online... there are well over a thousand caches out there with my name signed in them that I did not log online over the years. Overall I have probably only logged finds on about 70% of the caches I have found, and yes I sometimes drop coins, trade items and move MY TBs without logging them. Not trying to be a mystery cacher, it's just that the numbers are meaningless and the time spent logging online is better spent elsewhere, and I almost always cache with others, they know where I've been, that's good enough for me. Edited July 11, 2008 by TheAlabamaRambler Quote Link to comment
+sbell111 Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I have no idea what this thread is about. What's a mystery cacher? If it is someone who doesn't log online, why are you trying to force them to sign the logbook? How would you force them to sign the logbook? Why should I care if they sign the logbook? Quote Link to comment
+Vinny & Sue Team Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I have no idea what this thread is about. What's a mystery cacher? If it is someone who doesn't log online, why are you trying to force them to sign the logbook? How would you force them to sign the logbook? Why should I care if they sign the logbook? I must echo sbell111's thoughts exactly! Whatever is the OP talking about, and even if there were such a specious thing as they seem to propose, why should they be concerned and why would it matter to any of us? Quote Link to comment
+Are_we_there_yet? Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 I have no idea what this thread is about. What's a mystery cacher? If it is someone who doesn't log online, why are you trying to force them to sign the logbook? How would you force them to sign the logbook? Why should I care if they sign the logbook? What I am referring to is an account created by someone who makes a Mystery Geocoin. Some of them mail these coins to others, some sneak them to others at events and others find caches and place them in or around the caches and log them online. These are highly sought after geocoins, no matter how they are distributed. There are many topics that highlight the joy that they bring to others. From what I've seen most of them that log a find online, do sign the logbook. I've even seen a signature of one in a logbook and that mystery cacher has never logged a find online. My question was if they log a find online, shouldn't their signature be in the logbook? We have now gone out after a couple of different mystery cachers coins only to find no evidence of them even being there after they log the cache as a find online. Quote Link to comment
+sbell111 Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 (edited) I have no idea what this thread is about. What's a mystery cacher? If it is someone who doesn't log online, why are you trying to force them to sign the logbook? How would you force them to sign the logbook? Why should I care if they sign the logbook? What I am referring to is an account created by someone who makes a Mystery Geocoin. Some of them mail these coins to others, some sneak them to others at events and others find caches and place them in or around the caches and log them online. These are highly sought after geocoins, no matter how they are distributed. There are many topics that highlight the joy that they bring to others. From what I've seen most of them that log a find online, do sign the logbook. I've even seen a signature of one in a logbook and that mystery cacher has never logged a find online. My question was if they log a find online, shouldn't their signature be in the logbook? We have now gone out after a couple of different mystery cachers coins only to find no evidence of them even being there after they log the cache as a find online. That's really a question that could only be answered by the owners of the affected caches. Edited July 11, 2008 by sbell111 Quote Link to comment
+paulandstacey Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 They are distributing a coin for free, presumably paid for out of their own pocket. If it's your cache, delete their logs if you want - otherwise, you'll just have to accept it. it's between cache owner and cache finder, simple as that. Again, what exactly do you expect the owner the cache owner to do? Delete the log? Get them banned? Again, I say, yeesh. Talk about missing the point of the mystery cachers... Quote Link to comment
+Are_we_there_yet? Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 They are distributing a coin for free, presumably paid for out of their own pocket. If it's your cache, delete their logs if you want - otherwise, you'll just have to accept it. it's between cache owner and cache finder, simple as that. Again, what exactly do you expect the owner the cache owner to do? Delete the log? Get them banned? Again, I say, yeesh. Talk about missing the point of the mystery cachers... The cache owner can do whatever he/she wants to do. I never stated my expectations from a cache owner. Cache owners are overjoyed when the mystery cachers visit their caches, usually since they are the first to know that a mystery coin is in their cache so that they can go and retrieve it. All I asked was for other cachers opinions on whether or not they felt that if a mystery cacher, or any cacher for that matter, logs a find online then shouldn't the logbook for that cache have their signature in it? I don't see why this question is so confusing to you. Do you just log finds online and not bother to sign the logbook? Do you allow others to log your caches online without signing the logbook? I was under the impression that the point to signing the logbook was so that you could log the find online. If I am mistaken then I do apologize. Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 (edited) Why would you use a fake name online and not use the fake name in the logbook? Good question. It would be nice to have it in the logbook. (not that I get all warm and fuzzy about mystery cachers) Edited July 11, 2008 by BlueDeuce Quote Link to comment
Mr.Yuck Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I have no idea what this thread is about. What's a mystery cacher? If it is someone who doesn't log online, why are you trying to force them to sign the logbook? How would you force them to sign the logbook? Why should I care if they sign the logbook? What I am referring to is an account created by someone who makes a Mystery Geocoin. Some of them mail these coins to others, some sneak them to others at events and others find caches and place them in or around the caches and log them online. These are highly sought after geocoins, no matter how they are distributed. There are many topics that highlight the joy that they bring to others. From what I've seen most of them that log a find online, do sign the logbook. I've even seen a signature of one in a logbook and that mystery cacher has never logged a find online. My question was if they log a find online, shouldn't their signature be in the logbook? We have now gone out after a couple of different mystery cachers coins only to find no evidence of them even being there after they log the cache as a find online. Aha! So it's a Huntington, Indiana thing! I certainly never heard of it. Should their signature be in the logbook? Probably, but I don't think anyone is going to lose any sleep over it. Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Aha! So it's a Huntington, Indiana thing! I certainly never heard of it. Should their signature be in the logbook? Probably, but I don't think anyone is going to lose any sleep over it. Yeah probably, I don't know if saying you're a mystery cacher means I give you a free ride for not signing my logbook. Not sure why you would expect me to allow a log just because you said you left a coin in my cache. Quote Link to comment
+brodiebunch Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I have wondered why mystery cachers post their finds in the logbook but never online. I never think about it long though. Quote Link to comment
+Harry Dolphin Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Do you just log finds online and not bother to sign the logbook? Do you allow others to log your caches online without signing the logbook? I was under the impression that the point to signing the logbook was so that you could log the find online. If I am mistaken then I do apologize. Feel free to delete the log of the mystery cacher who gave you the great, free geocoin! Perhaps s/he is using a differet geocaching name for regular caches, and caches that s/he has endowed, and forgot to use the proper name. I agree wholeheartedly: Sign log - get smiley. Do not sign log - Do not get smiley. Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I have wondered why mystery cachers post their finds in the logbook but never online. I never think about it long though. Wrong thread. This is claiming a log on line but never signing the logbook. Quote Link to comment
+Ambrosia Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Some random thoughts: It seems that the only reason you are upset about not having the logs in the cache's logbook is that you didn't find a coin in the cache, and there is no proof that the mystery cacher was there, nor that they really left a coin. Do you think that they are lying? That they wrote a log saying they dropped a coin and then are allowing people to dash to the cache to find something that was never there? That's a big accusation, and I can't figure out what their motive would be to do that. Having them log the physical logbook is pretty irrelevant. Cachers take coins out of caches without reporting it (seemingly quite often), so they can have the coin without others knowing. It's more likely that this is what has happened to you. Having a physical log by the mystery cacher does not guarantee you that they actually dropped a coin in the cache, anyway. Everyone "should" log the physical logbook if they want to claim a smilie online. That said: It's possible that in some cases of international mystery cachers, that they were never there at all, but mailed the coin to a local cacher and had them drop it in a local cache. In that case, the local cacher may not feel comfortable logging the physical cache for the mystery cacher. The mystery cacher logs the find only to notify people that the coin is there. They log it as a find to perpetuate the mystery around them. I really have no idea if this sort of thing happens, I just suppose that it does. In this case, it's hard to say what should be done, as these are special circumstances. Who's to say? Should we get so picky that we ruin the fun of giving away free geocoins? I and several other cachers have worked with sock puppets accounts for creating caches. Some of the accounts are for organizations, etc. and some are for mystery caches to challenge local cachers. In these cases, we would be a type of "mystery cacher", in that we don't reveal who we are to local cachers to perpetuate the challenge. There have been occasions that we have logged a cache or two under these accounts to keep up the mystery. Our worry at these times is that people will recognize our signatures. But in every case we've logged them anyway, either having someone else sign it for us, or disguising our signature in some way (using block lettering or some such). It can be done, and should be if possible, in my opinion. Quote Link to comment
+paulandstacey Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Wish I could have said it so eloquently. Well put, Ambrosia. Quote Link to comment
+flask Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 wait, wait, wait! someone out there leaves popular and desirable free gifts but wishes to do so anonymously? that's got to be stopped! what will the world come to if people are allowed to perform acts of kindness and generosity without being publicly identified? imagine how terrible things would be if someone picked up your tab in a restaurant but you never found out who. they should be FORCED to come forward. boy, that really steams my shorts, thinking that somewhere someone is attempting to foist desirable gifts on unsuspecting people without being punished for it. Quote Link to comment
+TheAlabamaRambler Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 (edited) Certainly can't speak for all mystery cachers, but three so far have sent me coins from afar. Twice they mailed it to a local cacher and had him put it in a cache, then alert me that it was there, once they mailed a whole new cache containing the coin, had a local hide it then sent me the coords before it was published. As far as I know in none of the three cases did the mystery cacher log a find on the cache. But, as I learned the hard way, no signed cache log no smilie, so mystery cachers shouldn't get a bye on that practice.any more than anyone else. Edited July 12, 2008 by TheAlabamaRambler Quote Link to comment
Dinoprophet Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 How is it different than any other desirable item being left in a cache? A much-coveted sig item, say. You should treat the online log like you would any log. In my case that would be not worrying about it. Some other people delete online logs that have no matching physical log, and I see no reason they shouldn't stay consistent. Quote Link to comment
+Ambrosia Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Wish I could have said it so eloquently. Well put, Ambrosia. Thank you. Quote Link to comment
+PhxChem Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Sounds a lot like someone going out and trying to get a FTF. If they go out there and it was found already but not logged online...well then they "wasted their $4 gas." If the only reason you go to get caches is to get some mystery coin (which is still much of a mystery to me), then if you are disappointed it's not there, then that's the game you play. I don't think the price of gas (or tea in China) is going to change my viewpoint. Quote Link to comment
+flask Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 If the only reason you go to get caches is to get some mystery coin (which is still much of a mystery to me), then if you are disappointed it's not there, then that's the game you play. I don't think the price of gas (or tea in China) is going to change my viewpoint. i think they're going out to PLACE the coin as a gift. i believe they're not logging, and somehow the OP wants them to log. Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.