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I just did my first power trail.


Coldgears

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I wanted to do another virtual... So I looked around the geocaching map and found one I really wanted to do. One thing I noticed though is that there was a series of caches called "All in the woodland early 1 - 10" All hidden in the same park at around the minimum distance. I thought, "wow I can get a virtual and a power trail." There were a variety of containers, from peanut butter containers, to jam containers, to lock and locks. They were all "barely" in the woods. (most were deep in the woods but along the nature trail... So no bushwhacking) 8 were in the woods 2 were in urban settings all in one giant circle. I found 12 caches, the virtual the 10 letterbox hybrids (The powertrail) and one traditional quite a bit away from the trail.

 

The real reason why i'm typing this is because I had a blast. It would be a shame if the powertrail guidelines kicked in and I couldn't find a series like this... This is the only one within 10 miles from me (Over ten miles driving distance due to the delaware river blocking pennsylvania to new jersey). I think they should put a limit of 20 caches for the powertrail guideline... Because this was just too fun.

 

f32fb3f5-edc1-4036-bb7b-9034c5f27cf5.jpg

782d3db4-2432-4b68-9aab-0d30e5fc9737.jpg

 

Oh, and I got to see one of the 20 built futoro houses EVER! It was amazing... (Picture above)

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I wanted to do another virtual... So I looked around the geocaching map and found one I really wanted to do. One thing I noticed though is that there was a series of caches called "All in the woodland early 1 - 10" All hidden in the same park at around the minimum distance. I thought, "wow I can get a virtual and a power trail." There were a variety of containers, from peanut butter containers, to jam containers, to lock and locks. They were all "barely" in the woods. (most were deep in the woods but along the nature trail... So no bushwhacking) 8 were in the woods 2 were in urban settings all in one giant circle. I found 12 caches, the virtual the 10 letterbox hybrids (The powertrail) and one traditional quite a bit away from the trail.

 

The real reason why i'm typing this is because I had a blast. It would be a shame if the powertrail guidelines kicked in and I couldn't find a series like this... This is the only one within 10 miles from me (Over ten miles driving distance due to the delaware river blocking pennsylvania to new jersey). I think they should put a limit of 20 caches for the powertrail guideline... Because this was just too fun.

 

f32fb3f5-edc1-4036-bb7b-9034c5f27cf5.jpg

782d3db4-2432-4b68-9aab-0d30e5fc9737.jpg

 

Oh, and I got to see one of the 20 built futoro houses EVER! It was amazing... (Picture above)

I haven't heard of any guidlines on power trails. There are quite a few power trails in DFW, some with more than 20 caches. Very cool house.

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I've got this 100 cache power trail (or power logging road) waiting for me once I get my licence and my jeep. It's the VLH series on Vancouver Island, BC in Canada.

d773e79a-a39c-4a6a-8dd4-060691f1db4f.jpg

Why can't I get a REAL powertrail like that...

 

If someone placed a powertrail like that where I live I would archive all of my caches, and stop geocaching locally. Seriously.

Why would you take such drastic action? Seriously. It's just a big group of caches you could ignore.

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If someone placed a powertrail like that where I live I would archive all of my caches, and stop geocaching locally. Seriously.

 

Knowing you, I believe that you would. Even though I don't agree with you on your stance on power trails, I do appreciate that you've explained your position in the past.

 

I'm not sure how I would feel about a power trail locally. It seems like they work well in areas where there isn't anything else... but in a populated area where there are a lot of other active caches, etc. Hmmm. Not sure how I would feel about that.

 

I do however, enjoy cache series. Especially those that involve hiking or driving out a neat road to complete the series. It's usually a lot of fun... but although I have no problems with power trails as a concept, I do admit there is a difference between a series of 10 or 12 caches with more than a half mile between them than an endless string of caches 528 feet apart.

 

But who is to make the distinction between power trails and series? Hmmm...

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I do however, enjoy cache series. Especially those that involve hiking or driving out a neat road to complete the series. It's usually a lot of fun... but although I have no problems with power trails as a concept, I do admit there is a difference between a series of 10 or 12 caches with more than a half mile between them than an endless string of caches 528 feet apart.

 

But who is to make the distinction between power trails and series? Hmmm...

 

A half mile apart? Don't you remember the wailing and gnashing of teeth over the Studmill power trail? Those were around 0.75 miles or more apart. As I recall it was quite a bit of driving to get them all.

 

But yes, I have asked the question and never got an answer, even from the the well known power trail haters, just what is a power trail? Just what is an acceptable series? It gets real sticky coming up with a good definition. And just about any definition you put on a single hider can easily be circumvented by a group, or several sock puppets. So the only thing we are left with is the subjective opinion of the reviewers and I can see that quickly becoming another wow factor tussle.

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I've got this 100 cache power trail (or power logging road) waiting for me once I get my licence and my jeep. It's the VLH series on Vancouver Island, BC in Canada.

d773e79a-a39c-4a6a-8dd4-060691f1db4f.jpg

Why can't I get a REAL powertrail like that...

 

If someone placed a powertrail like that where I live I would archive all of my caches, and stop geocaching locally. Seriously.

 

Yep, geocide the answer to all problems. If it happens make sure you fill out and submit form RK-666.

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I've got this 100 cache power trail (or power logging road) waiting for me once I get my licence and my jeep. It's the VLH series on Vancouver Island, BC in Canada.

d773e79a-a39c-4a6a-8dd4-060691f1db4f.jpg

Why can't I get a REAL powertrail like that...

 

If someone placed a powertrail like that where I live I would archive all of my caches, and stop geocaching locally. Seriously.

 

Yep, geocide the answer to all problems. If it happens make sure you fill out and submit form RK-666.

 

Ooooh! message me when that happens. I love a good geocide!

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I've got this 100 cache power trail (or power logging road) waiting for me once I get my licence and my jeep. It's the VLH series on Vancouver Island, BC in Canada.

d773e79a-a39c-4a6a-8dd4-060691f1db4f.jpg

Why can't I get a REAL powertrail like that...

 

If someone placed a powertrail like that where I live I would archive all of my caches, and stop geocaching locally. Seriously.

 

Yep, geocide the answer to all problems. If it happens make sure you fill out and submit form RK-666.

 

I didn't say I would stop geocaching altogether. I said I would stop particating in an area where someone in the local community turned it into a race and a competition to see who could find the most caches in a limited amount of time. I have no desire whatsoever to play the geocaching game as a competition. I wouldn't fill out any forms or write up a long diatribe. I would just stop participating. Why should I participate in something I don't want to do?

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I wanted to do another virtual... So I looked around the geocaching map and found one I really wanted to do. One thing I noticed though is that there was a series of caches called "All in the woodland early 1 - 10" All hidden in the same park at around the minimum distance. I thought, "wow I can get a virtual and a power trail." There were a variety of containers, from peanut butter containers, to jam containers, to lock and locks. They were all "barely" in the woods. (most were deep in the woods but along the nature trail... So no bushwhacking) 8 were in the woods 2 were in urban settings all in one giant circle. I found 12 caches, the virtual the 10 letterbox hybrids (The powertrail) and one traditional quite a bit away from the trail.

 

The real reason why i'm typing this is because I had a blast. It would be a shame if the powertrail guidelines kicked in and I couldn't find a series like this... This is the only one within 10 miles from me (Over ten miles driving distance due to the delaware river blocking pennsylvania to new jersey). I think they should put a limit of 20 caches for the powertrail guideline... Because this was just too fun.

 

f32fb3f5-edc1-4036-bb7b-9034c5f27cf5.jpg

782d3db4-2432-4b68-9aab-0d30e5fc9737.jpg

 

Oh, and I got to see one of the 20 built futoro houses EVER! It was amazing... (Picture above)

 

Looks familiar. I think I found some caches there that are either part of the series or predated them and recall that house. I think it was a virtual.

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I didn't say I would stop geocaching altogether. I said I would stop particating in an area where someone in the local community turned it into a race and a competition to see who could find the most caches in a limited amount of time. I have no desire whatsoever to play the geocaching game as a competition. I wouldn't fill out any forms or write up a long diatribe. I would just stop participating. Why should I participate in something I don't want to do?

 

I suppose the answer is that you do not have to participate in that aspect of the game. Some people turn geocaching into a competition for the first to find. Some people turn it into a competition to see how many repetitive caches they can do in the shortest period of time. Some people turn it into a competition to see how many numbers they can add to their find totals. Some people turn it into a competition to see how many great areas they can explore before they die. Some people turn it into a competition to see how many people find their particular cache. Most areas have at least one person who wants to play competitive caching games.

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A half mile apart? Don't you remember the wailing and gnashing of teeth over the Studmill power trail? Those were around 0.75 miles or more apart. As I recall it was quite a bit of driving to get them all.

 

Actually, I'm not familiar with that one. Is it in the Pacific Northwest? I've only lived in Oregon for two years, so if so, I haven't heard of it. But I would like to... :P

 

But yes, I have asked the question and never got an answer, even from the the well known power trail haters, just what is a power trail? Just what is an acceptable series? It gets real sticky coming up with a good definition. And just about any definition you put on a single hider can easily be circumvented by a group, or several sock puppets. So the only thing we are left with is the subjective opinion of the reviewers and I can see that quickly becoming another wow factor tussle.

 

Exactly. It definitely gets sticky I think. I think there are as many opinions about it as there are geocachers really. I would consider up to 50 in a row a reasonably sized series, and someone else probably considers that to be a power trail that has too many caches, etc etc etc. I suppose that TPTB will have the final word. We'll just have to see how it goes.

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A half mile apart? Don't you remember the wailing and gnashing of teeth over the Studmill power trail? Those were around 0.75 miles or more apart. As I recall it was quite a bit of driving to get them all.

 

Actually, I'm not familiar with that one. Is it in the Pacific Northwest? I've only lived in Oregon for two years, so if so, I haven't heard of it. But I would like to... :P

It by Bangor, Maine. I would do that long before the ET highway. Not nearly as many caches but it looks to be some very pretty country.

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But yes, I have asked the question and never got an answer, even from the the well known power trail haters, just what is a power trail?

 

As Justice Potter Stewart once said about a different (and even more sticky matter): "I know it when I see it." I think there is a difference between repetitive trails set up for the purpose of that kind of caching and high density areas where caches have been placed over time with different styles of hides. Just as there is a difference between a small series of themed caches and a large repetitive one. But Stewart's definition did not provide a workable test for the Supreme Court, any more than the "wow factor" did for virtuals, and various proposals to limit repetitive trails seem either far too sweeping or simply set up new rules that could easily be evaded.

 

So I think the genie is out of the bottle and the proximity guidelines is all that is needed. If a repetitive trail is set up, give it its own icon or category so that people who like them can keep track of their numbers and people who do not like them can filter these type of caches.

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So I think the genie is out of the bottle and the proximity guidelines is all that is needed. If a repetitive trail is set up, give it its own icon or category so that people who like them can keep track of their numbers and people who do not like them can filter these type of caches.

I certainly won't argue with that.

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I didn't say I would stop geocaching altogether. I said I would stop particating in an area where someone in the local community turned it into a race and a competition to see who could find the most caches in a limited amount of time. I have no desire whatsoever to play the geocaching game as a competition. I wouldn't fill out any forms or write up a long diatribe. I would just stop participating. Why should I participate in something I don't want to do?

 

I suppose the answer is that you do not have to participate in that aspect of the game.

 

I've heard that answer before. My response to that this. I've seen plenty of evidence that choosing not to participate in a particular aspect doesn't change the fact that others participating in that manner can negatively impact others enjoyment of the game. Looking at your specific examples, reordered a bit...

 

Some people turn geocaching into a competition for the first to find.

 

That probably isn't going to impact how others play it *unless* the competition is so fierce that participants are breaking traffic laws (so that they can get to the cache before anyone else), putting me and my son (who is often a passenger when I'm driving around town) in jeopardy. I don't care if I'm FTF on a cache or 2nd, or 10th.

 

Some people turn it into a competition to see how many people find their particular cache.

 

I don't think I've ever seen a case of this. I suspect everyone that places a cache wants others to find it. I don't think I've ever seen anyone say that they wanted to place a cache that had the most finds. I, personally, won't place a cache just to provide others an opportunity for a quick, easy find. If the local geocaching community just put out geocaches so lots of people could find them without consideration for making the cache interesting, I would do a lot less geocaching in my local area (as it is, I haven't been particularly inspired to do much local geocaching in the last several months). A relatively small percentage of finds in an area isn't going to have much of an impact though.

 

Some people turn it into a competition to see how many great areas they can explore before they die.

 

I wouldn't really consider that a competition, but more of a personal goal. It's something one can do without geocaching too. Since it involves people geocaching in others areas it doesn't impact anyone that isn't trying to compete in that manner.

 

Some people turn it into a competition to see how many repetitive caches they can do in the shortest period of time. Some people turn it into a competition to see how many numbers they can add to their find totals.

 

I saved these for last because I believe these sort of competition *do* impact how others play the game. I've read evidence of environmental damage due to those competing to try and find as many as possible in the shortest period of time ignoring the request to park on the pavement and walk to the cache. I've seen evidence of cut-n-paste logs or stickers applied to cache logs and even the outside of the container on caches that were not part of the power trail. I've seen evidence of leapfrogging, when a group of cachers went in more than one vehicle and split up the caches along the trail. All of these behaviors can impact my enjoyment of the game whether or not I choose to play that aspect of the game or not.

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A half mile apart? Don't you remember the wailing and gnashing of teeth over the Studmill power trail? Those were around 0.75 miles or more apart. As I recall it was quite a bit of driving to get them all.

Yes, they were almost all .75 miles apart. More have been added since we did it last year, but it was over 100 miles just to get the caches themselves, not including others in the area and the drive to and from the hotel in Bangor, which was pretty far away.

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If someone placed a powertrail like that where I live I would archive all of my caches, and stop geocaching locally. Seriously.

I have been trying to understand this comment. It makes no sense what so ever. Why would you stop geocaching locally and archive your caches? What would you accomplish?

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I just hid my first power trail.

 

Geocaching Map of Caches

 

You will have to zoom out to see all 20 (Oh my gosh, how will anybody find them all in one day?? LOL :P ) I don't know if it even qualifies as a "power trail" but I kind of put it together with a tongue-in-cheek when setting up the cache page.

 

I took a beautiful park located in Newark, NJ, not known for being the nicest or safest town in the USA, and gave a reason for people to visit it. As far as I know there has never been a cache in this park before mine (I have 4 others on the north side of the park not part of the trail) and I am pleased with the logs I have received. Instead of a typical power trail with identical containers hidden in the same location along a route, I placed each hide so that it would stand alone as a fairly unique hide compared to the others and I varied the hides so that it would keep things interesting. It is set up along a park road where you could easily park and grab each one. I am very pleased to see that the majority of the cachers either walked or biked to the caches rather than driving the whole way. See, a "power trail" can be put together and still be fun!! :angry:

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I've got this 100 cache power trail (or power logging road) waiting for me once I get my licence and my jeep. It's the VLH series on Vancouver Island, BC in Canada.

d773e79a-a39c-4a6a-8dd4-060691f1db4f.jpg

Why can't I get a REAL powertrail like that...

 

If someone placed a powertrail like that where I live I would archive all of my caches, and stop geocaching locally. Seriously.

 

Yep, geocide the answer to all problems. If it happens make sure you fill out and submit form RK-666.

 

I didn't say I would stop geocaching altogether. I said I would stop particating in an area where someone in the local community turned it into a race and a competition to see who could find the most caches in a limited amount of time. I have no desire whatsoever to play the geocaching game as a competition. I wouldn't fill out any forms or write up a long diatribe. I would just stop participating. Why should I participate in something I don't want to do?

You don't HAVE to stop in that area.. just ignore them. I've never done a power trail (but I got one waiting) but they seem like fun. I don't like micros but that doesn't mean I'm gonna stop caching in an area that has lots of micros. It just what you think are fun. Some people like traditionals, some like multis, some like puzzles, some like micros, and some like power trails.

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...I've never done a power trail but they seem like fun. I don't like micros but...

Isn't that kind of a contradiction? If hunting for a particular cache type does not elicit happy thoughts, would multiplying it by a thousand suddenly make them appealing? I would think the reverse would be true. For instance, my wife loves urban caching, which mostly means micros, around here. I can tolerate them, to an extent, because I enjoy her company, and being with her, when she is enjoying herself, is rather pleasant. However, my tolerance gets strained if we do too many of them. One thousand such pillars of boredom would likely drive me to being a gibbering loon. :P

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...I've never done a power trail but they seem like fun. I don't like micros but...

Isn't that kind of a contradiction? If hunting for a particular cache type does not elicit happy thoughts, would multiplying it by a thousand suddenly make them appealing? I would think the reverse would be true. For instance, my wife loves urban caching, which mostly means micros, around here. I can tolerate them, to an extent, because I enjoy her company, and being with her, when she is enjoying herself, is rather pleasant. However, my tolerance gets strained if we do too many of them. One thousand such pillars of boredom would likely drive me to being a gibbering loon. :P

ah-HA! you see that the 100 cache power trail in my area is small caches.. not micros

I would not like a 100 cache power trail of micros.

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I just hid my first power trail.

 

Geocaching Map of Caches

 

You will have to zoom out to see all 20 (Oh my gosh, how will anybody find them all in one day?? LOL :P ) I don't know if it even qualifies as a "power trail" but I kind of put it together with a tongue-in-cheek when setting up the cache page.

 

I took a beautiful park located in Newark, NJ, not known for being the nicest or safest town in the USA, and gave a reason for people to visit it. As far as I know there has never been a cache in this park before mine (I have 4 others on the north side of the park not part of the trail) and I am pleased with the logs I have received. Instead of a typical power trail with identical containers hidden in the same location along a route, I placed each hide so that it would stand alone as a fairly unique hide compared to the others and I varied the hides so that it would keep things interesting. It is set up along a park road where you could easily park and grab each one. I am very pleased to see that the majority of the cachers either walked or biked to the caches rather than driving the whole way. See, a "power trail" can be put together and still be fun!! :angry:

 

I'd do that! Especially considering I did some of these, maybe 15-20 miles away, a few months ago: Geocaching.com Google Map

 

I also have done 41 (every one a small and regular) with a variety of hiding methods along a rural gravel rails to trails in Southern Ontario.

 

Distinguishing between the one the OP is referring to, the two in New Jersey, and the one in Canada, all vs. 250 identically hidden rural roadside micros is pretty easy. For me, at least. :smile:

Edited by Mr.Yuck
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I wouldn't mind doing a power trial, if every hide was different. Once you found one, then you know where the next 100 are hidden. I hate walking up to a cache and knowing where it is before I get there. Is pretty obvious to me that they are just to pump your numbers up.

 

+1 I've done a power trail, and the repetetiveness of it was the worst part. As I've said, it was more fun than I thought it was going to be, but it would have been WAY more fun if each hide were different and interesting and took some thought. However, I have a feeling there wouldn't have been so many caches in the series if this were the case.

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