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Cache Finds: Book Log vs. Online Log


VirusZero

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Here's a question for more experienced cachers and admins: While performing maintenance on one of my caches I found that some finders log their visits only on the logbook but never get to doing it online. I realize that some people cache in bulk then go home to log their finds in bulk too, but I have seen incidents when the cache log is signed only at the logbook, but never online, with some cachers having not logged any successful visits for months online, but having recent logs in logbooks. Is this normal procedure or can it be considered against a certain rule of the activity? Just wondering.

 

Thanks!

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There are many, many reasons for the behavior you describe.

 

1 ) Some folks aren't into the whole Internet logging aspect. It's the hunt they enjoy, not the networking part.

 

2 ) Some folks get sidetracked by life, which delays their online logging.

 

3 ) Some folks will put as much effort into their online logs as they feel the hider put into their hide.

If they think the cache is utterly devoid of creativity, and is the end result of no effort by the hider, they won't waste their time logging it online.

 

4 ) Some folks follow the Thumper rule: "If you can't say nuthin' nice, don't say nuthin' at all"

Many folks in this category, upon finding a dismally lame hide, will simply scribble their name and walk away.

 

There's probably a few hundred more reasons, but those were on the tip of my brain.

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I see many more signatures then online logs on my caches in the winter months. The snowbirds are here. Snowbirds are the retired travelers, usually in an RV. The come to Florida for part of the winter months. Of those who cache, many rarely post online - they'll log a travel bug movement on occasion. Many trade very nicely. Often taking nothing and adding some really nice item or items. I've talked to some at events; they trade nicely as they feel that they cannot hide caches, and know that their lack of online logging is somewhat inconsiderate of the cache owner.

It's all good.

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I always sign my Wife and son's Username in the logbook when they're out caching with me, but they invariably never log a Find online. More to do with point #1 on CR's list above than any of the other choices really.

 

Kind of ironic when I think about it, that an inherently outdoor activity has a relatively strong emphasis on rushing back home to sit in front of a computer.......like I'm doing right now! :)

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I see this fairly often.

Some people are more interested in being outside finding caches than sitting in front of their computer and logging them.

I have probably about 50 to 60 finds since April of this year that I haven't logged yet. I need to go back to both my GPSrs and my PDA to verify which ones were found. I've been a little better at logging in the last couple of months but I still have those old ones to go back to. I just never seem to get enough time at home to do the research I need to do. That darn honey-do list just keeps getting in the way! :)

 

I'll probably eventually go back and log them but if I don't, oh well. The main motivation for me would be so that I don't go back to the same ones again, but luckily I have a pretty good memory.

For me, it's a lot more about going out and finding them than logging them. My smilie number is not too important to me.

I think it's rather common, as I will sometimes mention to cachers that I see at events that I have visited some of their caches but still have to log them. I usually get the reply that they have a few they need to log, too. No big deal.

You should realize that once you place a cache for others to find, it's out there in the wild where anything can (and sometimes does) happen. You may have muggle logs in the cache that will never log online. There are some cachers out there who routinely do not log their finds, as the hunt is the only aspect of the game they enjoy.

To each their own.

 

Happy Caching!

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Guilty. I logged my finds online pretty consistently the first couple of years, then less, now rarely. It has nothing to do with anything except that keeping track isn't fun for me. I go caching, sign the logs, but at the end of the day probably cannot tell you the name of most of the caches. It was fun finding it, that's enough for me, my name is in the log, that's enough for the owner. I rarely cache alone, so my GeoPals know where I've been. When I go caching I usually remember the cache names that I've been to, though I have on occasion arrived at ground zero and realized that I've been there before. Again, that's okay, because at least one of the friends with me likely hasn't found it. One problem was that if I log my finds online I tend to set PQs and/or GSAK to not show my finds, so then I go caching with someone else and my PQ doesn't match theirs... they'll show caches that my GPS doesn't show, so if they want to hunt something that I've found I won't have the cache info in my GPS. To fix this I had to set my PQs to show all caches regardless of whether I found them, and if I am going to get all listings anyway then there's no need to log a find online. Overall my stats reflect less than half of my finds, and that's okay with me.

Edited by TheAlabamaRambler
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When I take noobs out, they always sign the log, but, because I don't go back to a computer with them, I think only one of them has ever logged anything on line. Also, my 8 year old daughter, and 3 year old son sign their names, but he doesn't even have an account, and she rarely signs online, and only when I do all the work.

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Well, regarding 3 and 4, I guess it was a bit idealistic of me to think that geocaching is devoid of its spoilsports. :-P

 

Thanks for the explanation, though. Rather helpful.

 

Spoilsports? For not posting how they felt about a cache when it may not have been a positive experience from their point of view? Sounds to me like they are trying not to spoil the fun of others.

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When I take noobs out, they always sign the log, but, because I don't go back to a computer with them, I think only one of them has ever logged anything on line.

Yeah, that too. I held a Geocaching 101 weekend event in a local park this past weekend where we taught geocaching. We had maybe 70 people find several caches in the park. All signed the cache log but few if any will create an account and log them online.

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I actually know a cacher who has never logged a cache online...or in the logbook. The only thing that is important to them is the hunt. They have no interest in "keeping score" (at least in a public way). They keep track of finds on their computer using GSAK and filter out everything that they have flagged as "found" so they don't look for one they have already been to.

 

I call him the "Ghost Cacher" - sometimes there but you can't prove it. :)

 

To each his own.

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Well, regarding 3 and 4, I guess it was a bit idealistic of me to think that geocaching is devoid of its spoilsports. :-P

 

Thanks for the explanation, though. Rather helpful.

 

Spoilsports? For not posting how they felt about a cache when it may not have been a positive experience from their point of view? Sounds to me like they are trying not to spoil the fun of others.

 

Naw. I usually log what I think of the cache.

But, howver, I have met several other cachers at caches who have never logged on-line. That's their prerogative. They're not claiming smileys. They're just having fun. But I do wish that they wouldn't move TBs without logging them...

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Not logging online is cheating. The rules of geocaching state

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.

 

When I find signatures in the logbook at my caches that don't have a corresponding log online, I take a pen and cross out those names.

 

Seriously, there is too much talk in these forum over who is geocaching and whether someone who doesn't log either online or in the cache is cheating. This is supposed to be a fun activity. Many people have fun just going out and looking for caches. When they find them they may or may not trade, they may or may not sign the physical log, and they may or may not log their experience online. If they had fun they were geocaching. If they were unable or just forgot to sign the physical log, I wouldn't get any more upset about them logging online than I would a person signing the physical log who for whatever reason decided no to log online. But some people do and post about the cheaters inflating their find count. If I believed that someone could have as much fun sitting at home posting bogus find logs as you can have going out and actually finding caches and never logging them, I'd be worried about bogus loggers. But real bogus loggers are few and they don't stay around very long, because it just isn't that much fun.

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Not logging online is cheating. The rules of geocaching state

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.

 

When I find signatures in the logbook at my caches that don't have a corresponding log online, I take a pen and cross out those names.

 

Seriously, there is too much talk in these forum over who is geocaching and whether someone who doesn't log either online or in the cache is cheating. This is supposed to be a fun activity. Many people have fun just going out and looking for caches. When they find them they may or may not trade, they may or may not sign the physical log, and they may or may not log their experience online. If they had fun they were geocaching. If they were unable or just forgot to sign the physical log, I wouldn't get any more upset about them logging online than I would a person signing the physical log who for whatever reason decided no to log online. But some people do and post about the cheaters inflating their find count. If I believed that someone could have as much fun sitting at home posting bogus find logs as you can have going out and actually finding caches and never logging them, I'd be worried about bogus loggers. But real bogus loggers are few and they don't stay around very long, because it just isn't that much fun.

 

A TOTALLY puritanical action for such an anti-purist. :)

Really, I think you have blown your whole anti-puritanical crusade out of the water with this single post!

Crossing out the signature of someone who didn't log online...rather childish and ineffective.

I doubt the team who signed the log (but didn't post online) will care if you burned the logsheet and ate the ashes! ;)

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