Another memorable DNF.

[GOF and Bacall]

Just got around to posting a DNF from GW9 weekend.

 

Didn't find it July 3 by GOF and Bacall (66 found)

 

I ran into Keystone at the parking area. He was kind enough to give me the coordinates for this cache and loan of a trekking pole. He said it was a good cache and a doable 5/5. "Cool! I'm up for that!"

 

So I changed shoes and waded out into the river. I was nearly 3/4 the way across when I stepped on a fish. Yes, a fish! I have never stepped on a fish before. Certainly not one swimming in a river. I mean what are the odds? Lucky for the fish I felt him move before I had stepped down completely. He swimmed of on business of his own and I carried on.

 

Once having gained a footing on the island I pulled out my GPS and got a fix on just where I was headed. Or that was the plan. It seems that when I punched in the coordinates I made an error. The little arrow was pointing several miles down stream. Perplexing. Realizing that I had messed up the simple task of entering a few numbers I pondered just what it was that Keystone had said. "Ammo can...the other end of the island." That may not be accurate but it is the way I remember it. How many places can you hide an ammo can on an island? So off I went. Wet from the waist down traipsing through the brush checking every hidey hole I spotted. But the effort was for naught. Having searched to the far end and back I had to admit defeat.

 

I headed back for the other shore. Much more work going that way as I had to work my way up stream a bit. It wasn't until I had reached that dry shore and was sitting with the other members of my party, the ones who had chosen to remain dry, that it dawned on me. I had taken a picture of the GC# of the cache on Keystones GPS. Could it be? Yup, the picture showed not only the GC# but the elusive coordinates. DOH! Not the brightest thing I had ever done.

 

I had planned on making a return trip for a second attempt the next day. Unfortunately I was out voted and we did other caches instead.

 

I look forward to making the return trip to tackle this cache at another time. Thanks for taking the time to hide a great cache. It certainly is high on my list of favorites. Even if GS won't let me mark it that way without actually finding it.

 

Sometimes it is the cache not found that is the most memorable.

[knowschad]

Sometimes it is the cache not found that is the most memorable.

Great story. And that motto, by the way, is also true of fishing. The ones that you remember most are the ones that got away. I'm not sure if that includes stepping on them, though.

[+WRASTRO]

Just got around to posting a DNF from GW9 weekend.

 

Didn't find it July 3 by GOF and Bacall (66 found)

 

I ran into Keystone at the parking area. He was kind enough to give me the coordinates for this cache and loan of a trekking pole. He said it was a good cache and a doable 5/5. "Cool! I'm up for that!"

 

So I changed shoes and waded out into the river. I was nearly 3/4 the way across when I stepped on a fish. Yes, a fish! I have never stepped on a fish before. Certainly not one swimming in a river. I mean what are the odds? Lucky for the fish I felt him move before I had stepped down completely. He swimmed of on business of his own and I carried on.

 

Once having gained a footing on the island I pulled out my GPS and got a fix on just where I was headed. Or that was the plan. It seems that when I punched in the coordinates I made an error. The little arrow was pointing several miles down stream. Perplexing. Realizing that I had messed up the simple task of entering a few numbers I pondered just what it was that Keystone had said. "Ammo can...the other end of the island." That may not be accurate but it is the way I remember it. How many places can you hide an ammo can on an island? So off I went. Wet from the waist down traipsing through the brush checking every hidey hole I spotted. But the effort was for naught. Having searched to the far end and back I had to admit defeat.

 

I headed back for the other shore. Much more work going that way as I had to work my way up stream a bit. It wasn't until I had reached that dry shore and was sitting with the other members of my party, the ones who had chosen to remain dry, that it dawned on me. I had taken a picture of the GC# of the cache on Keystones GPS. Could it be? Yup, the picture showed not only the GC# but the elusive coordinates. DOH! Not the brightest thing I had ever done.

 

I had planned on making a return trip for a second attempt the next day. Unfortunately I was out voted and we did other caches instead.

 

I look forward to making the return trip to tackle this cache at another time. Thanks for taking the time to hide a great cache. It certainly is high on my list of favorites. Even if GS won't let me mark it that way without actually finding it.

 

Sometimes it is the cache not found that is the most memorable.

Great story but I must ask. How do you know this is a great cache since you didn't find it? You seem to have enjoyed the experience of your DNF but I am having a problem extending your experience to the cache itself.

[GOF and Bacall]

Just got around to posting a DNF from GW9 weekend.

 

Didn't find it July 3 by GOF and Bacall (66 found)

 

I ran into Keystone at the parking area. He was kind enough to give me the coordinates for this cache and loan of a trekking pole. He said it was a good cache and a doable 5/5. "Cool! I'm up for that!"

 

So I changed shoes and waded out into the river. I was nearly 3/4 the way across when I stepped on a fish. Yes, a fish! I have never stepped on a fish before. Certainly not one swimming in a river. I mean what are the odds? Lucky for the fish I felt him move before I had stepped down completely. He swimmed of on business of his own and I carried on.

 

Once having gained a footing on the island I pulled out my GPS and got a fix on just where I was headed. Or that was the plan. It seems that when I punched in the coordinates I made an error. The little arrow was pointing several miles down stream. Perplexing. Realizing that I had messed up the simple task of entering a few numbers I pondered just what it was that Keystone had said. "Ammo can...the other end of the island." That may not be accurate but it is the way I remember it. How many places can you hide an ammo can on an island? So off I went. Wet from the waist down traipsing through the brush checking every hidey hole I spotted. But the effort was for naught. Having searched to the far end and back I had to admit defeat.

 

I headed back for the other shore. Much more work going that way as I had to work my way up stream a bit. It wasn't until I had reached that dry shore and was sitting with the other members of my party, the ones who had chosen to remain dry, that it dawned on me. I had taken a picture of the GC# of the cache on Keystones GPS. Could it be? Yup, the picture showed not only the GC# but the elusive coordinates. DOH! Not the brightest thing I had ever done.

 

I had planned on making a return trip for a second attempt the next day. Unfortunately I was out voted and we did other caches instead.

 

I look forward to making the return trip to tackle this cache at another time. Thanks for taking the time to hide a great cache. It certainly is high on my list of favorites. Even if GS won't let me mark it that way without actually finding it.

 

Sometimes it is the cache not found that is the most memorable.

Great story but I must ask. How do you know this is a great cache since you didn't find it? You seem to have enjoyed the experience of your DNF but I am having a problem extending your experience to the cache itself.

 

Never let logic stand in your way! It could be a lame turd cache in every other aspect and the journey to it would still make it a memorable one.

[+WRASTRO]

Just got around to posting a DNF from GW9 weekend.

 

Didn't find it July 3 by GOF and Bacall (66 found)

 

I ran into Keystone at the parking area. He was kind enough to give me the coordinates for this cache and loan of a trekking pole. He said it was a good cache and a doable 5/5. "Cool! I'm up for that!"

 

So I changed shoes and waded out into the river. I was nearly 3/4 the way across when I stepped on a fish. Yes, a fish! I have never stepped on a fish before. Certainly not one swimming in a river. I mean what are the odds? Lucky for the fish I felt him move before I had stepped down completely. He swimmed of on business of his own and I carried on.

 

Once having gained a footing on the island I pulled out my GPS and got a fix on just where I was headed. Or that was the plan. It seems that when I punched in the coordinates I made an error. The little arrow was pointing several miles down stream. Perplexing. Realizing that I had messed up the simple task of entering a few numbers I pondered just what it was that Keystone had said. "Ammo can...the other end of the island." That may not be accurate but it is the way I remember it. How many places can you hide an ammo can on an island? So off I went. Wet from the waist down traipsing through the brush checking every hidey hole I spotted. But the effort was for naught. Having searched to the far end and back I had to admit defeat.

 

I headed back for the other shore. Much more work going that way as I had to work my way up stream a bit. It wasn't until I had reached that dry shore and was sitting with the other members of my party, the ones who had chosen to remain dry, that it dawned on me. I had taken a picture of the GC# of the cache on Keystones GPS. Could it be? Yup, the picture showed not only the GC# but the elusive coordinates. DOH! Not the brightest thing I had ever done.

 

I had planned on making a return trip for a second attempt the next day. Unfortunately I was out voted and we did other caches instead.

 

I look forward to making the return trip to tackle this cache at another time. Thanks for taking the time to hide a great cache. It certainly is high on my list of favorites. Even if GS won't let me mark it that way without actually finding it.

 

Sometimes it is the cache not found that is the most memorable.

Great story but I must ask. How do you know this is a great cache since you didn't find it? You seem to have enjoyed the experience of your DNF but I am having a problem extending your experience to the cache itself.

 

Never let logic stand in your way! It could be a lame turd cache in every other aspect and the journey to it would still make it a memorable one.

I think you are reinforcing my point. You had a good experience but you have no idea if the cache is good or great. You have your experience and can evaluate that. You can't evaluate the cache because you did not find it.

[+Sol seaker]

Just got around to posting a DNF from GW9 weekend.

 

Didn't find it July 3 by GOF and Bacall (66 found)

 

I ran into Keystone at the parking area. He was kind enough to give me the coordinates for this cache and loan of a trekking pole. He said it was a good cache and a doable 5/5. "Cool! I'm up for that!"

 

So I changed shoes and waded out into the river. I was nearly 3/4 the way across when I stepped on a fish. Yes, a fish! I have never stepped on a fish before. Certainly not one swimming in a river. I mean what are the odds? Lucky for the fish I felt him move before I had stepped down completely. He swimmed of on business of his own and I carried on.

 

Once having gained a footing on the island I pulled out my GPS and got a fix on just where I was headed. Or that was the plan. It seems that when I punched in the coordinates I made an error. The little arrow was pointing several miles down stream. Perplexing. Realizing that I had messed up the simple task of entering a few numbers I pondered just what it was that Keystone had said. "Ammo can...the other end of the island." That may not be accurate but it is the way I remember it. How many places can you hide an ammo can on an island? So off I went. Wet from the waist down traipsing through the brush checking every hidey hole I spotted. But the effort was for naught. Having searched to the far end and back I had to admit defeat.

 

I headed back for the other shore. Much more work going that way as I had to work my way up stream a bit. It wasn't until I had reached that dry shore and was sitting with the other members of my party, the ones who had chosen to remain dry, that it dawned on me. I had taken a picture of the GC# of the cache on Keystones GPS. Could it be? Yup, the picture showed not only the GC# but the elusive coordinates. DOH! Not the brightest thing I had ever done.

 

I had planned on making a return trip for a second attempt the next day. Unfortunately I was out voted and we did other caches instead.

 

I look forward to making the return trip to tackle this cache at another time. Thanks for taking the time to hide a great cache. It certainly is high on my list of favorites. Even if GS won't let me mark it that way without actually finding it.

 

Sometimes it is the cache not found that is the most memorable.

Great story but I must ask. How do you know this is a great cache since you didn't find it? You seem to have enjoyed the experience of your DNF but I am having a problem extending your experience to the cache itself.

 

Never let logic stand in your way! It could be a lame turd cache in every other aspect and the journey to it would still make it a memorable one.

I think you are reinforcing my point. You had a good experience but you have no idea if the cache is good or great. You have your experience and can evaluate that. You can't evaluate the cache because you did not find it.

 

With all the best caches, the best part of them is the journey to find it.

What the box is or how it is hidden are secondary to the adventure of the find.

[+Chief301]

I can think if at least two of my DNF's that I would mark as "Favorites" if that were allowed (both had been muggled). They were both in very cool historical sites and epitomized what I personally consider a great cache (Location, Location, Location ). Whether I found the cache or not, the container, or the method of hiding were all secondary to the fact that I really appreciated being brought to this location. So yes, I do believe that a cache can be considered great even if you don't find it.

[GOF and Bacall]

Just got around to posting a DNF from GW9 weekend.

 

Didn't find it July 3 by GOF and Bacall (66 found)

 

I ran into Keystone at the parking area. He was kind enough to give me the coordinates for this cache and loan of a trekking pole. He said it was a good cache and a doable 5/5. "Cool! I'm up for that!"

 

So I changed shoes and waded out into the river. I was nearly 3/4 the way across when I stepped on a fish. Yes, a fish! I have never stepped on a fish before. Certainly not one swimming in a river. I mean what are the odds? Lucky for the fish I felt him move before I had stepped down completely. He swimmed of on business of his own and I carried on.

 

Once having gained a footing on the island I pulled out my GPS and got a fix on just where I was headed. Or that was the plan. It seems that when I punched in the coordinates I made an error. The little arrow was pointing several miles down stream. Perplexing. Realizing that I had messed up the simple task of entering a few numbers I pondered just what it was that Keystone had said. "Ammo can...the other end of the island." That may not be accurate but it is the way I remember it. How many places can you hide an ammo can on an island? So off I went. Wet from the waist down traipsing through the brush checking every hidey hole I spotted. But the effort was for naught. Having searched to the far end and back I had to admit defeat.

 

I headed back for the other shore. Much more work going that way as I had to work my way up stream a bit. It wasn't until I had reached that dry shore and was sitting with the other members of my party, the ones who had chosen to remain dry, that it dawned on me. I had taken a picture of the GC# of the cache on Keystones GPS. Could it be? Yup, the picture showed not only the GC# but the elusive coordinates. DOH! Not the brightest thing I had ever done.

 

I had planned on making a return trip for a second attempt the next day. Unfortunately I was out voted and we did other caches instead.

 

I look forward to making the return trip to tackle this cache at another time. Thanks for taking the time to hide a great cache. It certainly is high on my list of favorites. Even if GS won't let me mark it that way without actually finding it.

 

Sometimes it is the cache not found that is the most memorable.

Great story but I must ask. How do you know this is a great cache since you didn't find it? You seem to have enjoyed the experience of your DNF but I am having a problem extending your experience to the cache itself.

 

Never let logic stand in your way! It could be a lame turd cache in every other aspect and the journey to it would still make it a memorable one.

I think you are reinforcing my point. You had a good experience but you have no idea if the cache is good or great. You have your experience and can evaluate that. You can't evaluate the cache because you did not find it.

 

Sorry, you just don't get it. It took me someplace fun. It could be a film can laying on the ground in the open and it would still be a fun location to visit. Where it is and how you get there are a large part of making a great cache.

 

Look at it like this. A well stocked ammo can in a Walmart parking lot would still not make my favorites list. There just isn't anything new or fun about a Walmart parking lot. Seen one and you've seen them all.

[Clan Riffster]

With all the best caches, the best part of them is the journey to find it.

What the box is or how it is hidden are secondary to the adventure of the find.

That. Definitely that. No need to create enormous quote pyramids, picking endlessly at nits. For some of us, the term "cache" is a bit more holistic, encompassing more than just the container. A grand geocaching adventure will be forever set in our minds as a "great" cache, even if we did not find it. For those folks who can't, or won't think beyond the box, this principle probably won't apply.

[+MontyFam]

Exactly what I was thinking - thanks for beating me to the punch Clan Riffster. I tend to think of a "cache" as the journey from the car to the cache container and back to the car.

[+Sioneva]

This was one of my most fun DNFS ever, just outside Las Vegas. I did go back later and find the cache, but it wasn't as much fun as the not-finding part.

 

This was without a doubt my most fun DNF. Emboldened by the logs below about the road being well-graded, me and my little Honda Civic set out for fun and games at 9:30, hoping to beat the heat. Might have done it, too, if I hadn't turned off on Rainbow Gardens road instead of Lava Butte. Not nearly as well-graded, but made it to a point about .5 miles from the cache. Supposedly.

 

It got bloody HOT bloody fast. Hike hike hike, make it to the power line road. Lots of construction vehicles. I relaxed in the shade of one - this was about 11:30. Their environmental advisor, who is named Kelly by the way, was very nice and drove me up the power line road (which turned out to BE the Lava Butte Road - I waypointed the intersection with Lake Mead) and back down to my car. I guess they were worried I'd get dehydrated, though I had plenty of water.

 

Anyway... Kelly knew a lot about the ecology and geology of the area, and it was a good length drive. I really learned a lot. I wish I could have talked with her longer!

 

Oh... I'll go back tomorrow at the crack of dawn and look for the cache again. From the right road.

[+Team Van Dyk]

Almost all of my DNFs are memorable. I tend to move heaven and earth before abandoning a search, so if I've DNF'd it, I've spent a long, generally memorable, time trying to find it. In fact, I dare say I have an easier time remembering the details of most of my DNFs than I do many of my finds!

[GOF and Bacall]

I certainly am glad to see that I am not the only one who can enjoy a DNF that much. Now the question is am I not really that odd or are all of you just as odd as I am?

[+nittanycopa]

I certainly am glad to see that I am not the only one who can enjoy a DNF that much. Now the question is am I not really that odd or are all of you just as odd as I am?

 

I had a similar DNF log on a 5/5 cache on an island over a month ago. The journey down and along the river in a kayak turned out to be memorable regardless of the cache actually BEING there. Turns out the cache had been swept off in flood waters along with a few others we DNF-ed the same day.

[+Sioneva]

I certainly am glad to see that I am not the only one who can enjoy a DNF that much. Now the question is am I not really that odd or are all of you just as odd as I am?

 

You are irregular.

[GOF and Bacall]

I certainly am glad to see that I am not the only one who can enjoy a DNF that much. Now the question is am I not really that odd or are all of you just as odd as I am?

 

You are irregular.

 

So you've noticed that one arm is slightly longer that the other have ya?

[+hallycat]

 

I certainly am glad to see that I am not the only one who can enjoy a DNF that much. Now the question is am I not really that odd or are all of you just as odd as I am?

 

 

Most of the caches themselves are either ammo cans or tupperware in the woods, nothing really exciting there. It's almost always about the experience. One of my DNF's comes to mind. A tough hike, very rocky and steep. When it flattened I looked up to see a fantastic view of Boston.

I felt like it was a Wizard of Oz moment when they finally see the Emerald City. Couldn't find the cache (it was in fact missing) but really enjoyed it anyway.

[+succotash]

One of our most memorable DNFs was part of a three-part log entry... the main part is below...

 

Chapter Three – “The Long Arm of the Law”

 

It was a short drive over to this cache from the nearby Teachers Pet cache. We parked in front of the church and knelt down at the coordinates. We acquired the needed information and started doing the math. Little did we know that we were in the calm before the storm.

 

The calculation on the page for the western coordinates confused us slightly and we thought it could be interpreted two ways. We did both calculations and plotted both sets of second stages. One set was very close (just alongside the church), and one was a short drive away. We decided to check alongside the church first. We made a quick survey of the area and were close to deciding to move on when a Union County Police cruiser pulled into the church drive blocking our way. This was a little surprising but we knew we had a good reason for being there. When the second cruiser pulled in we knew this was something different.

 

As the policeman exited the car, we heard Corn’s name being announced over the police radio.

 

The police asked us what we were doing there. Luckily we had the printouts of the mystery cache webpage and we described geocaching. The police indicated they had not heard of any such treasure hunt, and were quite curious what kind of “treasure” we were seeking. We explained that it was just a scavenger hunt that gets us out of the house and takes us to interesting places. One of the policemen said he didn’t see the point of it all. We showed him on the Garmin Colorado that Union Point was covered with lots of caches that bring folks from all over to his town. In fact, we said, there was one over at the old schoolhouse that we just found. At the mention of the schoolhouse the policeman’s eyes flashed and he said, “Tell us about the schoolhouse, you know that’s now part of our City Hall.”

 

At this moment another car pulled in and a man in camouflage and a big floppy leather hat walked up. He was wearing a harness with a nice set of camouflage binoculars on his chest. The police asked him who he was. He said, “I’m the pastor here at First Baptist.” We explained to him what we were doing there and he knew of geocaching. When the police asked why he was dressed in cammo, he said he was just heading out to go hunting when he heard there was trouble at the church. The police asked if he was planning on hunting in the briar patch since he was wearing briar pants. The pastor appropriately said, “You never know where hunting might take you.” Then the pastor said that he was an FSU fan and that the police should arrest Corn for wearing a Florida Gator shirt. The policemen discussed that idea for a moment since they were both Georgia Bulldog fans. Then the kind pastor said he did not have any problem with us geocaching and that they should let us go. He then left for the woods (or briar patch depending on the outcome of his hunt).

 

At that point the police returned to the topic of the old schoolhouse. We explained the nature of the hide, and that it included bricks. The police looked at us knowingly. It seems they had received a report of strange folks pulling bricks from the old school house. Our story now at least made sense. They had us draw out the location of the cache. They were going to check it out. They were certain no one had given permission for that type of cache. Corn pulled up the webpage on the Colorado and showed that the cache was placed during an event at the schoolhouse and all was well.

 

The police took down all of our contact information and let us go on our way. They were much more relaxed now and were actually very kind to us.

 

By this time it was after 5:00 and we needed to head home to watch the Gator game. We left stage two for another day. We left Union Point heading east after an eventful afternoon.

 

As we drove down Highway 278 towards Crawfordville, GA Corn’s cell phone started ringing. It was one of the Union Point policemen that had detained us at the church. He asked if we were still in town. When he found out we had already left town, he invited us to come back and keep geocaching. Somehow he found out that it is a good thing and that visitors were welcome to spend time in Union Point seeking caches. He offered that if we came back he would even show us a new cache hidden behind the cemetery (we realized he was referring to “Point of No Return” – our first Union Point cache of the day). We declined the kind offer saying we needed to head home to watch the Gator game. He welcomed us back to Union Point any time.

 

We do plan on returning.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I certainly am glad to see that I am not the only one who can enjoy a DNF that much. Now the question is am I not really that odd or are all of you just as odd as I am?

 

You are irregular.

 

So you've noticed that one arm is slightly longer that the other have ya?

 

Have you tried adding a little more fiber to your diet. I hear that works.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

I certainly am glad to see that I am not the only one who can enjoy a DNF that much. Now the question is am I not really that odd or are all of you just as odd as I am?

You already know that I am odd, but yes, the location, the hunt, the camaraderie with other geocachers is what the game is about for me. Frankly I could care less if I never see another geocache, it's the other aspects of the game that keep me out there. Essentially all of my finds these last few years could have been DNFs since I rarely log caches online anyway... it's the experience that I enjoy.

 

I can't wait for the return of virts, since to me the cache is incidental to the hunt. I would have done Waymarks if they had put them in with PQs.

Edited July 19, 2011 by TheAlabamaRambler