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What IS & ISN'T in the "Spirit" of Geocaching?

Snoogans

By Snoogans
in General geocaching topics

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Snoogans

+Snoogans

Posted
Posted

Don't look at ME? I'd like to know too. :D

 

If a cache has been through review and got published it's all hide and seek to me.... <_<

 

But for YEARS I've heard certain hides and other aspects of geocaching being talked down for not being in the spirit.

 

So what exactly IS the spirit of geocaching? I think it's going to be elusive, so start with some examples are in the spirit and NOT in the spirit and maybe a picture will form... Kinda like my tree of angst grew out of that discussion....One can only hope. :(

 

Thanks to TAR for making the post (#101) on that other spirit thread that stuck in my mind and prompted this one. :)

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Snoogans

+Snoogans

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Any cache with an olive in it. Olives should not be in the spirit of geocaching.

 

(I know, I know. But it's my birthday, and I don't feel like being serious atm!)

 

Happy Birthday! :(

 

Olives in the geocaching context are certainly NOT in the spirit UNLESS they are in a jar/mixed drink/on a pizza at a geocaching event. :)

 

Therefore I decree olives to be geocaching fence sitters. :D

 

NEXT! <_<

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Rick618

+Rick618

Posted
Posted

Hamsters. Hamsters are not in the spirit of geocaching, they are in the spirit of Hamstercaching. The two are often confused.

 

Seems most of the "spirit of" issue are harkening back to the good old days when you had to drive some distance to take a hike to find a cache or make a stop at an interesting spot.

Now, most any big box parking lot or fast food stop may have one stuck in a uninteresting place. So be it.

 

The find remains the same but the journey to it seems to be what has changed. Things do change, not always for the better.

 

Most of the angst can be relieved by filtering for what you personally enjoy and not be bothered with all those "lame" caches and letting the rest get on getting on.

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mrbort

+mrbort

Posted
Posted

Quoted from the other thread:

 

for me, the "spirit of geocaching" is that moment when i go "a-ha".

 

it may come at the end of a hike, or when i find the devious container, or when i figure out what the catch to the puzzle is.

 

I quite liked this and was surprised that nobody really commented on it. Seemed to encompass pretty well for me what is the defining personal moment in geocaching.... Not sure if it's the spirit but it, to me is a strong step toward a description of the essence.

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mrbort

+mrbort

Posted
Posted

Well, mrbort, if you want to get all serious about this, I like what Semper Questio said better:

 

Seems to me geocaching is about having fun.

 

hah! I did want to get serious apparently :( Yes, I think your quote was good but I also think it lacks something intrinsic to the geocaching experience.... there are lots of things that are fun but I just thought flask brought up a good definition of what that spirit was in that moment of discovery that we've all felt when we finally glimpse the cache. Also, I've been known to keep on searching a bit after it's fun just for that 'a-ha' moment :D Point taken though... I probably should have replied to the other thread... chalk it up to a lot of sleeping in the car with a very warm dog in the heart of the midwest.

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The Blorenges

+The Blorenges

Posted
Posted (edited)

One of the things that I enjoy about "the spirit of geocaching" is the feeling of being one of the global geocaching community.

 

I can read a post or a log from Jackalgirl (in Japan), JABs (in Australia) or Jumpin' Jack Cache (in USA) and know that although we may be caching in very different countries/climates/communities we are all sharing a common experience of searching for caches of one type or another. That doesn't mean we all agree about every aspect all the of the time, but at least we all know where we're coming from to start with - The basic guidelines of geocaching are the common denominator!

 

MrsB

Edited by The Blorenges
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Chrysalides

+Chrysalides

Posted
Posted
there are lots of things that are fun but I just thought flask brought up a good definition of what that spirit was in that moment of discovery that we've all felt when we finally glimpse the cache.

Yes, I see what you (and flask) mean now. Very good point - that rush of excitement at the moment of discovery.

 

chalk it up to a lot of sleeping in the car with a very warm dog in the heart of the midwest.

I'm not sure I want to know more - but that doesn't sound like it is in the spirit of geocaching :P

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Sioneva

+Sioneva

Posted
Posted
I think it is very much in the spirit of geocaching for everyone to send me $10 money orders.

Of course. In the spirit of geocaching, I'll leave it in a geocache. Somewhere.

 

Oh, and a belated happy birthday to you :P

 

Thank you. :)

 

Here, in a helpful spirit, I'll find you a geocache right by my house! :D

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StarBrand

+StarBrand

Posted
Posted

What IS in the spirit of Geocaching?

  • Honesty - in logs, in trading, in cache listings
  • Taking time to rehide a cache in the manner intended
  • being polite when engaging others
  • signing the log

What ISN't in the spirt of Geocaching?

  • deliberately misleading other cachers
  • exposing a cache to muggles needlessly
  • harming caches or cache locations
  • not following the guidelines
  • not reporting gross violations of guidelines

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Snoogans

+Snoogans

Posted
  • Author
Posted

What IS in the spirit of Geocaching?

  • Honesty - in logs, in trading, in cache listings
  • Taking time to rehide a cache in the manner intended
  • being polite when engaging others
  • signing the log

What ISN't in the spirt of Geocaching?

  • deliberately misleading other cachers
  • exposing a cache to muggles needlessly
  • harming caches or cache locations
  • not following the guidelines
  • not reporting gross violations of guidelines

 

OOOOOOKAY! :)

 

Now that looks like a good format and a great start to the more serious reason I posted the thread. :D:D:D

 

Can anyone add to this list? :P

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mrbort

+mrbort

Posted
Posted (edited)

What IS in the spirit of Geocaching?

  • Honesty - in logs, in trading, in cache listings
  • Taking time to rehide a cache in the manner intended
  • being polite when engaging others
  • signing the log

What ISN't in the spirt of Geocaching?

  • deliberately misleading other cachers
  • exposing a cache to muggles needlessly
  • harming caches or cache locations
  • not following the guidelines
  • not reporting gross violations of guidelines

 

OOOOOOKAY! :)

 

Now that looks like a good format and a great start to the more serious reason I posted the thread. :D:D:D

 

Can anyone add to this list? :P

I guess based on a few other posts in this thread it would be fair to add to the IS column:

  • Having Fun
  • The 'Ah-ha!' moment
  • Sense of belonging to a larger global community

Edited by mrbort
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TheAlabamaRambler

+TheAlabamaRambler

Posted
Posted

Robert Fulgham's delightful book Everything I Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten encapsulates the spirit of geocaching (and life in general)...

 

These are the things I learned:

 

* Share everything.

* Play fair.

* Don't hit people.

* Put things back where you found them.

* Clean up your own mess.

* Don't take things that aren't yours.

* Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.

* Wash your hands before you eat.

* Flush.

* Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

* Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.

* Take a nap every afternoon.

* When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.

* Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

* Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.

* And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.

 

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and geocaching and politics and equality and sane living.

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Harry Dolphin

+Harry Dolphin

Posted
Posted

Yes. I wonder what spirits they're consuming! Definitely a lot stronger that what I consume...

"Dear Mr. Dolphin. We were unable to find your cache. But, in the spirit of geocaching, we are going to log it. And, in the spirit of geocaching, I'm sure you will allow it."

As far as I can see, "The Spirit of Geocaching" is an entitlement for cheating! Gotta love these euphemisms. Ptui.

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OKH

+OKH

Posted
Posted

Robert Fulgham's delightful book Everything I Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten encapsulates the spirit of geocaching (and life in general)...

 

These are the things I learned:

 

* Share everything.

* Play fair.

* Don't hit people.

* Put things back where you found them.

* Clean up your own mess.

* Don't take things that aren't yours.

 

You're leaving out the whole sub-game of full contact geocaching. Nothing like drilling an unsuspecting cacher with an open field tackle, I say.

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Unkle Fester

+Unkle Fester

Posted
Posted

I'm not sure, but if it exists, I'm sure you can get some on eBay.

They have shots for that too, I'm sure.

 

It began with a five gallon bucket with a can of beans inside that some guy put in the woods so that others could try to find it with a gpsr. How's that for a "spirit".

It's really not in the woods, but on the side of the road. Granted, a backroad only previously driven by locals, but a road none the less.

 

i cant contribute cause i never pinned a bug to a wall.

It's never too late to start.

 

http://msucares.com/pubs/infosheets/is0657.htm

Super glue and string works better (whole new meaning to "fly" a kite) very entertaining.

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knowschad

knowschad

Posted
Posted

What IS in the spirit of Geocaching?

  • Honesty - in logs, in trading, in cache listings
  • Taking time to rehide a cache in the manner intended
  • being polite when engaging others
  • signing the log

What ISN't in the spirt of Geocaching?

  • deliberately misleading other cachers
  • exposing a cache to muggles needlessly
  • harming caches or cache locations
  • not following the guidelines
  • not reporting gross violations of guidelines

 

OOOOOOKAY! :)

 

Now that looks like a good format and a great start to the more serious reason I posted the thread. :D:D:D

 

Can anyone add to this list? :P

 

Nawww... as they say in the old movies, "sappy post". :D

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Renegade Knight

+Renegade Knight

Posted
Posted

...So what exactly IS the spirit of geocaching?...

 

It's not about what is the spirit. It's about what isn't the spirit. As in "your argument about that (lame cache)is good, I can't come up with a counterpoint because my entire argumet is "I don't like it", so I'll go with "it's not in the spirit".

 

News channel 6 just pulled up. I wonder what's going on. Whatever it is, it's not in the spirit of caching.

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Snoogans

+Snoogans

Posted
  • Author
Posted

...So what exactly IS the spirit of geocaching?...

 

It's not about what is the spirit. It's about what isn't the spirit. As in "your argument about that (lame cache)is good, I can't come up with a counterpoint because my entire argumet is "I don't like it", so I'll go with "it's not in the spirit".

 

News channel 6 just pulled up. I wonder what's going on. Whatever it is, it's not in the spirit of caching.

 

ROFLMAO! When I posted this thread I wondered how long it would take for someone to get there.

 

Of course. The spirit of geocaching is a highly subjective individual thang. It's quite obvious.... At least to me and you. :blink:

 

BTW- I never argued that lame caches were good per se that I can recall. Maybe you can correct me. :D

 

My main stance is that good or lame a cache is a choice and since a cache must pass minimum review criteria and are placed on a volunteer basis bemoaning the existance of caches that don't meet one's personal aesthetic are counter productive and illustrate one's need to lay blame on others for making poor choices of how they spend their quality time.

 

Now, a subjectivly lame cache IS good. :D Good for one subjective smiley whatever value you place upon it. :D:blink:

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geodarts

+geodarts

Posted
Posted

I have always maintained that anything I can't find is not in the spirit of geocaching. Especially if I have walked six miles, with a 2000 foot elevation gain, to get there.

 

But taking geocoins for your personal collection, depleting the cache contents, or flaming people in the forums would probably rank up there as well.

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J-Way

+J-Way

Posted
Posted

Here in KC Blue Moon Beer is THE spirit of Geocaching.

I miss Blue Moon beer :) Too bad I didn't know about Geocaching back when I lived in Greenwood.

 

You're leaving out the whole sub-game of full contact geocaching. Nothing like drilling an unsuspecting cacher with an open field tackle, I say.

Most people only play the full-contact version when making FTF attempts, and having a team REALLY helps. One member of the team waylays the opponent, the other members go for the find!
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Unkle Fester

+Unkle Fester

Posted
Posted

In the spirit of Geocaching:

Graveyards

Ghosts

Goblins

Gargoyles

Zombies

Not in the spirit:

Cache Thiefs ('nuff said)

Lemonade (EVIL!)

Mayonaise (just thinking about it gives me the chills)

Those little cocktail weenies (it's like a hotdog teaser)

Carnies (they smell like cabbage)

Minature corn on the cob (you find at salad bars)

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TheAlabamaRambler

+TheAlabamaRambler

Posted
Posted

Most people only play the full-contact version when making FTF attempts, and having a team REALLY helps. One member of the team waylays the opponent, the other members go for the find!

 

We must have been on some of the same cache runs! Watching MommaDirtClod and CCCooperAgency run to ground zero and muscle each other out of the way for the find is a hoot! And twice we've had cachers crash their cars into each other while racing to a cache. :)

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nikcap

+nikcap

Posted
Posted

This is a very interesting question.

 

First, I need to figure out what Geocaching is.

Is it a generic term for hiding something in the woods, recording the location on a GPSr and in some method sharing that location with other people.

or is it more of a brand name term for findable object on this site?

 

For me, a Geocache is something found by using the geocaching.com website.

 

From the FAQ

What are the rules in Geocaching? 1. If you take something from the cache, leave something of equal or greater value.

2. Write about your find in the cache logbook.

3. Log your experience at www.geocaching.com.

In more detail, there are the 8 east steps to geocaching.

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mrbort

+mrbort

Posted
Posted

In more detail, there are the 8 east steps to geocaching.

 

Really :D ? I looked 8 steps to the east and it wasn't there. That danged spirit is harder to find than those evil micros...

No, it's a typo, it should read "8 eats steps..." Meaning 8 people ate the steps up to Groundspeak headquarters....

 

But really the spirit of geocaching is about baking bread and it was a typo of a different nature: Should have read "there are 8 yeast steps to geocaching" ... sorry to have to reveal the secret but part of it is that geomate jr is a breadmaker.

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