You've just hiked through hell and high water and finally found the cache...

[+gururyan]

...so you whip out your pen. Finally, you can call this adventure "done" and mark it completed . . . just have to sign your na—then it happens. You try not to panic. You flip the cache log over looking for a clear spot to swirl/scribble your pen because it's not writing. The log is too damp or grimey or slick or whatever other reasons that cause your pen to fail. You think of how far you have trekked, how long the drive was, all your determination and focus about to go down in vain due to a 53¢ pen.

 

This came to mind yesterday when I had three cache logs not cooperate with my otherwise working pen. As I searched frantically for a spot to try to get the ink flowing, I noticed other such scribbles as well as what can only be assumed to have been failed scribbles — embossed scribbles, no ink. We can only wonder if those embossed scribbles are a testament to the poor soul that had to leave the cache unsigned, unclaimed, and unconquered.

 

I'm still in my infancy with geocaching but I've quickly learned to carry a golf pencil as back up. I need to find my old "space pen" to carry with me. It's small and can even write underwater, assuming you have some waterproof paper to write on.

[+cw1710]

Emboss your name with the nonwriting pen..just like the scribbles. Someone on here signed a FTF log in mud once too. I remember them posting a picture of it. (They did it neatly as they could)

[+Happy Bubbles]

Or you could sign another scrap of paper and leave it with the logbook.

 

I've used a twig dipped in berry juice to sign my initials before.

Edited April 2, 2010 by Happy Bubbles

[+rob3k]

Or you could sign another scrap of paper and leave it with the logbook.

 

I try to carry a mechanical pencil, but they also don't write very well on a soaked log. If all else fails I just leave a little scribble and/or indent with my pencil. A clean scrap of paper like Happy Bubbles suggests also works.

 

Kind of the same deal with a nano log that is 100% full. I just sign as small as I can on top of an older sig 'R3K'.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Emboss your name with the nonwriting pen..just like the scribbles. Someone on here signed a FTF log in mud once too. I remember them posting a picture of it. (They did it neatly as they could)

 

It was a FTF but I signed NYPC in mud with a stick once. The next person to find the cache was kind enough to trace over my signature with a pencil.

[+HawkLawless1]

Used a green crayon once that had been left for swag because I forgot my pen in the car.

[+DENelson83]

You could also try jabbing your finger and signing the log in blood if you so desired.

Edited April 2, 2010 by DENelson83

[+Sioneva]

THere's always the 'green leaf and stick' trick. I've smudged green in many logs as a mark I was there...

[+nikcap]

You could also try jabbing your finger and signing the log in blood if you so desired.

 

That's what I would do.

 

Then I'd be verified by finger print and DNA!

 

This is why I always have my cache bag with me. It's guaranteed that I'll have 3 or 4 non-working pens in there and at least two pencils with broken points!

[+Seeking Some Cache]

Get a gel pen, they write on wet paper very well. I found a cache this winter that was frozen in the tree and the lid wouldn't come off either, I used my gel pen to sign the outside of the container and it worked for that also.

 

...so you whip out your pen. Finally, you can call this adventure "done" and mark it completed . . . just have to sign your na—then it happens. You try not to panic. You flip the cache log over looking for a clear spot to swirl/scribble your pen because it's not writing. The log is too damp or grimey or slick or whatever other reasons that cause your pen to fail. You think of how far you have trekked, how long the drive was, all your determination and focus about to go down in vain due to a 53¢ pen.

 

This came to mind yesterday when I had three cache logs not cooperate with my otherwise working pen. As I searched frantically for a spot to try to get the ink flowing, I noticed other such scribbles as well as what can only be assumed to have been failed scribbles — embossed scribbles, no ink. We can only wonder if those embossed scribbles are a testament to the poor soul that had to leave the cache unsigned, unclaimed, and unconquered.

 

I'm still in my infancy with geocaching but I've quickly learned to carry a golf pencil as back up. I need to find my old "space pen" to carry with me. It's small and can even write underwater, assuming you have some waterproof paper to write on.

[+jsdad]

Never heard of a "gel" pen. Any office store carry them?

[+dakboy]

Never heard of a "gel" pen. Any office store carry them?

All of them. Pilot G2. Very common, very popular pen.

[+niraD]

My cache kit includes an Ultra-Fine Sharpie and a Fisher Space Pen (actually, a Bic pen body with a Fisher Space Pen refill). I also carry weatherproof replacement log sheets that I leave when a cache's existing log is full or unusable.

[+tozainamboku]

You could just go ahead and log your find. But if you want to imagine that there is a rule saying that if you didn't sign the log you can't log your find, be my guest. No one can force you to log a find online if you don't think you should log one.

 

I think most people would not have a problem logging a find in this case. Most cache owners aren't going to check the logbook either; or if they do they might accept the whatever mark or scratch you have left. However, my preference would be to be honest in the online log as to what happened and be confident that most cache owners are reasonable and understand the guidelines. Signing the log is not required to log an online find and so long as my log does not appear to be bogus it should stand. If a cache owner insisted on deleting my log, I would let everyone know that this cache owner is a puritan - more concerned with a rule that doesn't actually exist than whether someone enjoyed finding their cache.

[+sseegars]

Mud, blood, burnt end of a twig, mushed up clover mites, berries. Always carry a scrap of paper and extra pen.

[+atmospherium]

A cacher logged a local cache along the lines of, "No writing instrument. Twisted a leaf into the letter J." I found that cache a few months later. The leaf was still there, still in the J shape. Whatever works.

 

I've had to hike back to the car a few times to retrieve my forgotten pen, and once I sharpened a pencil stub with my car key. Haven't had to draw blood yet.

[+Don_J]

You could just go ahead and log your find. But if you want to imagine that there is a rule saying that if you didn't sign the log you can't log your find, be my guest. No one can force you to log a find online if you don't think you should log one.

 

I think most people would not have a problem logging a find in this case. Most cache owners aren't going to check the logbook either; or if they do they might accept the whatever mark or scratch you have left. However, my preference would be to be honest in the online log as to what happened and be confident that most cache owners are reasonable and understand the guidelines. Signing the log is not required to log an online find and so long as my log does not appear to be bogus it should stand. If a cache owner insisted on deleting my log, I would let everyone know that this cache owner is a puritan - more concerned with a rule that doesn't actually exist than whether someone enjoyed finding their cache.

 

After reading all of the posts about stickers defacing containers and logsheets, I'm amazed to read about the lengths that these same people would go through to basically deface other peoples logs. If the log is wet and unusable, why cause further damage in the quest to sign it. Sticks, blood, mud? Come on! Either replace the thing, or simply log your find online followed by a NM. Better yet, take a photo if you think the CO is going to be what Toz calls a puritan.

 

If I'm slow on maintaining a logbook, the last thing I would consider is deleting a log from a legitimate finder, simply because he was not able to sign.

[+debaere]

You could just go ahead and log your find. But if you want to imagine that there is a rule saying that if you didn't sign the log you can't log your find, be my guest. No one can force you to log a find online if you don't think you should log one.

 

 

I personally do the "best attempt" approach to signing logs to claim a cache. Assuming I can actually get the container in my hands, but the log is unsignable (I had one that was literally a block of ice when I got to it), I still claim it online as a find, with a note stating why I didn't actually sign it. Most of the time if I can't sign the log its a "needs maintenance" log as well.

[oakenwood]

"A beautiful day for caching. Found it after a brief search. Turns out I forgot my pen. The blob of earwax-- that was me. TFTC!"

[+bittsen]

A little mud signature and a picture of your mud signature is all you should have to leave as proof of a cache find.

[+CanDMan47]

My daughters hide had a person sign with a lipstick thumbprint.

[+NeecesandNephews]

You could just go ahead and log your find. But if you want to imagine that there is an online log still there after the CO deleted it saying that if you didn't sign the log you can't log your find, be my guest. No one can force you to log a find online if you don't think you should log one.

 

I think most people would not have a problem logging a find in this case. Most cache owners aren't going to check the logbook either; or if they do they might accept the whatever mark or scratch you have left. However, my preference would be to be honest in the online log as to what happened and be confident that most cache owners read and understand the guidelines. Signing the log is required to log an online find and so long as my log does appear in the cache it should stand. If a cache owner insisted on deleting my log, I would let everyone know that this cache owner is a puritan - more concerned with a rule that actually exists, and enjoying seeing their cache logged like they intend, than whether someone whined about their online log being rightfully deleted.

[CoyoteRed]

Paper test:

Different types of writing instruments were used. Then the paper was wetted. Same instruments were used again. Picture tells the tell. (Well, except the for the bleed-through.)

 

I guess I've been lucky. I've never forgotten a pen or had a problem with marking the logbook.

[+ipodguy]

Just the other day, I had to sign a log with the burnt end of a stick.

[+simpjkee]

If that happened to me, I would pull out my backup pen.

If my backup pen didn't work, I'd pull out my other back up pen.

I would repeat this until I got through all 8-10 of my back up pens (yes I do carry that many when on a cache hunt such as this).

 

If none of my 8-11 pens worked, I'm not sure what I would do. I've never had to go past my 1st or 2nd back up pen so I don't worry about it.

[+tozainamboku]

You could just go ahead and log your find. But if you want to imagine that there is an online log still there after the CO deleted it saying that if you didn't sign the log you can't log your find, be my guest. No one can prevent the cache owner from deleting your log if he doesn't think you should log one.

 

I think most people would not have a problem logging a find in this case. Most cache owners aren't going to check the logbook either; or if they do they might accept the whatever mark or scratch you have left. However, my preference would be to not mention this in your online log in case you get one of the cache owners who interprets the guidelines to mean: Signing the log is required to log an online find, and hope he doesn't actually check and discover that your name does not appear in the cache log and delete your find. If a cache owner insisted on deleting my log, I would let everyone know that this cache owner is a puritan - more concerned with a rule that he believes actually exists, and enjoying seeing their cache logged like they intend, than whether someone whined about their online log being rightfully deleted.

Very funny. I made some more changes because you left in some stuff that might confuse someone into believing they could log a find online when they hadn't signed the log book.

[+NeecesandNephews]

You could just go ahead and log your find. But if you want to imagine that there is an online log still there after the CO deleted it saying that if you didn't sign the log you can't log your find, be my guest. No one can prevent the cache owner from deleting your log if he doesn't think you should log one.

 

I think most people would not have a problem logging a find in this case. Most cache owners aren't going to check the logbook either; or if they do they might accept the whatever mark or scratch you have left. However, my preference would be to not mention this in your online log in case you get one of the cache owners who interprets the guidelines to mean: Signing the log is required to log an online find, and hope he doesn't actually check and discover that your name does not appear in the cache log and delete your find. If a cache owner insisted on deleting my log, I would let everyone know that this cache owner is a puritan - more concerned with a rule that he believes actually exists, and enjoying seeing their cache logged like they intend, than whether someone whined about their online log being rightfully deleted.

Very funny. I made some more changes because you left in some stuff that might confuse someone into believing Tozspeak and Groundspeak are one and the same. They are not.

 

 

Happy to entertain you!!

[+Natman3400]

I always keep a grease pencil on hand. They write on most surfaces, even underwater.

Funny saying about ballpoint pens: NASA spent millions on developing the ball point pen so they could write in zero-G, Russia just used pencils.

Edited April 3, 2010 by Natman3400

[+dakboy]

Funny saying about ballpoint pens: NASA spent millions on developing the ball point pen so they could write in zero-G, Russia just used pencils.

It's be funnier if it were true

[+Natman3400]

Sadly, it is. At least partially.

Edited April 3, 2010 by Natman3400

[+dakboy]

Sadly, it is. At least partially.

Except for the part where

• Both programs used pencils to start with
  
• Both programs switched to pens by the end of 1968
  
• NASA didn't spend "millions" on R&D - they bought the pens for 3 bucks each from the company that developed them using their own R&D money
  

But yeah, if you ignore all of those critical, important details, I guess it's partially true.

[+Natman3400]

The thing is, In the end nasa wound up paying millions, but it was kept semi-secret. A little known fact is nasa shot in a few attempts, but were unable to prefect the critical vacuum seal, and came out with something along the lines of a rolling-ball pen, which still needs gravity. The budgeting is unclear, so the exact amount spent on the failure is unknown to this day. And there is still no real "proof" because nasa never filed a patent on the pen. But that is just what my great uncle told me, and he is a private contractor, and only contracts for nasa, so that my not be entirely true.

 

And i am aware of the fact that nasa didn't develop the ball-point pen, but im pretty sure the developing company did spend millions.

 

Still i thank NASA for my pilot V5.

[+Ramona Retired Snipe]

Another option if you forgot your ink stick of choice but for some reason remembered your camera. Take a picture of your GPS and the log and load it into the log entry. Just make sure your not posting a spoiler pic.

[+larphead]

i have had to use the sharpen the pencil with my bike keys and a rock trick. really dissipointed myself there. i have always carried a knife since i was about 14. i also recently signed a log with a crayon left as swag.

now i carry one of these in my kit.

http://www.riteintherain.com/ItemForm.aspx...5b-b08bec6d155c

[+Natman3400]

I left a 256mb micro sd with my name in a text file once, i needed to get rid of it anyway, i hate the free ones that come in phones.

[oakenwood]

Another option if you forgot your ink stick of choice but for some reason remembered your camera. Take a picture of your GPS and the log and load it into the log entry. Just make sure your not posting a spoiler pic.

I did that once with a cache whose log had turned into a wet, moldy lump of fiber. It was either that or scratch my log entry on the inside of the cache container.

[roguemind]

Used a crayon found in a "pirate sticker kit" that we found in the cache. Teach me to bring a pen. I bet the new sharpie pens would help solve any issues.

Edited April 4, 2010 by roguemind

[+BlueDeuce]

The log is too damp or grimey or slick or whatever other reasons that cause your pen to fail. You think of how far you have trekked, how long the drive was, all your determination and focus about to go down in vain due to a 53¢ pen.

 

Carry a camera and take pictures of your find, or leave an extra slip of paper with your name, maybe even just provide a detailed description to the owner. Most will be cool about it.

[+Natman3400]

I just found a 8mb sd card, going to put my name on a textfile on it and use it as the log entry.

[+WRASTRO]

We have signed with a stick and some mud, a stick and Dandelion juice, A stick and "other" semblances of liquid. Pens and pencils are recommended.

[+adenium]

I took a photo of myself once with the cache in hand and sent it to the owner, explaining that somewhere between the car and the cache my pen had wandered off. My log was never deleted so I guess it was OK.

[+Fncnca]

I carry two Sharpie Ultra fine point pens. Signed a log yesterday that was dripping.

With the tiny point, it is fairly easy to find a small speck of space on full logs, to sign.

[+BulldogBlitz]

carve your initials in the nearest tree....

 

[Amo_Angelus]

I carry two pens with me. One gel pen that I prefer to use as it it sparkly and pretty coloured, and a fountain pen as I've pecome quite proficient in making them work even when the ink carteridge is empty

[+Anno Lynke]

the next cach i hide will require that no store bought writing utensil be used to sign the log

[+pamlicojack]

I guess I'm weird in that I always make sure my pens work before I get out of the car. I have a scratch pad that I use and always carry 2-3 in my pockets (all tested on the pad) before going out and searching...

[+BlueDeuce]

the next cach i hide will require that no store bought writing utensil be used to sign the log

 

I think blood was brought up before.

 

What's your plan?

[+DanOCan]

I'd just claim my Find and move on, explaining to the owner what happened. Done it plenty of times and no one has ever questioned me or taken me up on my offer of "providing more details upon request". I never understood the point of defacing a log with mud or whatever -- most cache owners are cool and understand that it isn't really a big deal.

[+brslk]

I guess I'm weird in that I always make sure my pens work before I get out of the car. I have a scratch pad that I use and always carry 2-3 in my pockets (all tested on the pad) before going out and searching...

 

You aren't really weird because I do that also. I test my pens in the car before searching for the cache.

Doesn't really help though when I leave the car in -35 c. weather for a 20 minute hike and the ink is frozen by the time I find the cache.

I try to bring along a pencil also to combat this but sometimes forget.

Only once have I not signed the log book and claimed a find. That was because my pen was frozen and the log was full (yes, every bit of it).

 

Thankfully the CO was OK with that and didn't delete my log.

I would have understood if he did though and went back and signed it (wasn't too far from home).

[DannyCaffeine]

Pencil + knife (to sharpen it) = pretty much foolproof