mtn-man, what do you have against me?

[stygarfield]

Seriously dude, why the attitude in the reviews you give my caches. I'm a nice guy, and don't think that I did anything to deserve the snippy attitude that I got. So I made a couple mistakes - I didn't realize that you NEEDED a GPS to place a cache - and then went and borrowed one, all of a sudden an IPhone isn't good enough, yet there's nothing written in the guidelines to that effect. (yes, there was another issue with that cache, and I fully understand that it was too close to another, it was a misunderstanding on my part, and you were justified in archiving it.). Unfortunately, I'm poor, and GPS's are expensive. I don't understand what you meant by "Until you can afford to buy a GPS, please stick to finding caches without one."... Because I've never cached WITH a GPS. I borrowed one to place my latest cache, as you had suggested.

 

Edit:

 

I apologize if I came off harsh, I appreciate everything you do as a volunteer - I just got a little upset at what I perceived to be unjustified disdain. I should have just sent you a message through geocaching.com, but I let my foul mood take control, and I am unable to delete this post myself. I will place another cache, and will ensure that it follows the full guidelines.

Edited March 29, 2010 by stygarfield

[+ghettomedic]

"I didn't realize that you NEEDED a GPS to place a cache"

Well then you obviously didn't read the guidelines that you are required to, and just clicked saying that you did, thereby lying.

 

It is very frustrating when people place caches and the coordinates are WAY off because they didn't verify coordinates.

[+hurleyanne]

Welcome to geocaching! I see that you're pretty new to this activity. Personally, I didn't hide any caches until I had already found over 100 and had been caching for about 10 months. I spent a lot of time reading forums, checking out advice about how to hide caches. There is a great video tutorial by iceandrye in BC about cache hiding. You can watch it here in the episode titled "An Introduction to Geocaching" (scroll down to the bottom of the list of videos) http://www.icenrye.com/new/

 

I know of a teenage geocacher in Saskatchewan who apparently caches using Google maps, but has borrowed a GPS receiver when he hides caches. Maybe something like that would work for you too.

 

Also, just a heads up here, but communication via typing on the internet can often go awry. I doubt that mtn-man was intending to be rude. He's a busy guy and probably just wrote something quickly. Perhaps your being upset over the rejection of the cache projected some unintended feeling from his words.

Edited March 29, 2010 by hurleyanne

[stygarfield]

"I didn't realize that you NEEDED a GPS to place a cache"

Well then you obviously didn't read the guidelines that you are required to, and just clicked saying that you did, thereby lying.

 

It is very frustrating when people place caches and the coordinates are WAY off because they didn't verify coordinates.

 

And I realized that, and if you had bothered to read the rest of my post, you would know that I had borrowed an Iphone to place my second cache. I had even borrowed an aviation-grade GPS to confirm the coordinates of the Iphone when I found that Iphone GPS's aren't considered accurate enough (even though this is not mentioned anywhere in the Guidelines).

 

It is very frustrating when people jump to conclusions before getting the whole story, or after only reading what they want to see. Try reading the whole thing next time, it'll make you a better person.

 

Welcome to geocaching! I see that you're pretty new to this activity. Personally, I didn't hide any caches until I had already found over 100 and had been caching for about 10 months. I spent a lot of time reading forums, checking out advice about how to hide caches. There is a great video tutorial by iceandrye in BC about cache hiding. You can watch it here in the episode titled "An Introduction to Geocaching" (scroll down to the bottom of the list of videos) http://www.icenrye.com/new/

 

I know of a teenage geocacher in Saskatchewan who apparently caches using Google maps, but has borrowed a GPS receiver when he hides caches. Maybe something like that would work for you too.

 

Also, just a heads up here, but communication via typing on the internet can often go awry. I doubt that mtn-man was intending to be rude. He's a busy guy and probably just wrote something quickly. Perhaps your being upset over the rejection of the cache projected some unintended feeling from his words.

 

Thanks for the warm welcome! I will check out those videos ASAP, as soon as I get back from work. I think what you mentioned about communication being tough was a big part of the problem I had, he is obviously a very busy person, and what he does is all volunteer.

 

I have never cached with a GPS - only use google maps/earth, and a map/compass to find caches (everyone should try to find a cache using solely a map and compass, they're good skills to keep practicing!) As you had mentioned - I did borrow a Iphone to place my second cache, but apparently they're not accepting an Iphone as a valid GPS device - c'est la vie I guess - but I did borrow a GPS from one of our aircraft, and confirmed the location of the cache within 5m - not too shabby considering some of the hides out there.

[+popokiiti]

Mtn-man and all the other reviewers are all volunteers and have lives and work outside of geocaching. He is responsible for a large area and number of caches being submitted for publication. He has to work within the guidelines set too. When you borrow a GPS to get the co-ords, get a few readings and average them so they are as accurate as can be. I am sure your cache will be published soon. Took us a while to get a couple published in the beginning, because we were new to hiding. I only have one hide, and had a lot of help with that.

Good luck!

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Sorry to intrude... I wandered into the Canada forums for a different reason, but...

 

Making a mistake (not knowing that use of a GPSr is required for placement) is simply human error. Anyone here ever NOT make a mistake? True, it would be a fairly grievous mistake in cache placement. It is a mistake recognizable as one that a relatively inexperienced cacher has not read the guidelines.

 

(reading into the matter) I believe that the reviewer was confident, by your cache submission, that you had not fully read up/understood the requirements for placing a cache. Whether or not you agree with your perceived 'tone' of the reviewers' response is another matter.

 

Keep in mind (just trying to be helpful here), to launch into an argumentative or confrontational dissertation, certainly will not help your cause. You know, you are probably going to have to deal with the same reviewer in future activities. First impressions, especially negative ones, are pretty darn hard to shake.

 

Although iPhones are not addressed in the placement guidelines, they still are not recognized by many as being GPSr devices, and the guidelines do state GPS! I am in that same camp. Perhaps some day, but that day has not arrived.

 

I hope that you can iron out the differences and that you have an enjoyable 'caching career.

 

As a side-note: If I were a reviewer, and somebody called me 'dude' in addressing me -- all bets would be off, from that point on.

 

My 2¢!

[+42at42]

and I am unable to delete this post myself.

 

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