Lets not cheat!

[+inthelake]

IN idaho we have a group of four cachers that use skickers with all four of there names on it so they can cache hundrerds of miles from each other and log more caches. They say ground speak says if your names in the log that all you need to log the cache, not go to the cache. is this all caching is about to some pepole the no#s???? got to be a head of every one else no matter how!!! Some one told me they are now logging caches that were arhicved be for they even started caching give me a break. i got in to this for the fun of caching if i get the no#s to thats cool, i wish people would get back to the honor of caching and only log caches they found!!! what do you think!!!!!

Edited August 27, 2011 by inthelake

[+LukeTrocity]

<br />IN idaho we have a group of four cachers that use skickers with all four of there names on it so they can cache hundrerds of miles from each other and log more caches. They say ground speak says if your names in the log that all you need to log the cache, not go to the cache. is this all caching is about to some pepole the no#s???? got to be a head of every one else no matter how!!! Some one told me they are now logging caches that were arhicved be for they even started caching give me a break. i got in to this for the fun of caching if i get the no#s to thats cool, i wish people would get back to the honor of caching and only log caches they found!!! what do you think!!!!!<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Ask yourself this question.... How does their behavior effect your life? I don't see how someone with a thousand caches is better than someone with 20. If you cheat you are only cheating yourself.

[+BlueDeuce]

Some people here do things that really have nothing to do with caching. I figure at some point they will find claiming a find with no effort doesn't provide the thrill and sense of achievement they thought it would. I'll let Groundspeak decide if it's an abuse of the system and ban them.

[+BlueDeuce]

Ask yourself this question.... How does their behavior effect your life? I don't see how someone with a thousand caches is better than someone with 20. If you cheat you are only cheating yourself.

 

It doesn't affect me at all. Do you mind if I point out the difference in people who cache and those who just log?

[+GeoBain]

Skickers are nothing. Coldgears' family has come up with the best way to log long distance caches. Just have others sign your name. Form a group covering the globe and the possibilities are endless.

[knowschad]

How long have these folks been caching? I suspect they'll get bored with such useless shenanigans pretty soon. Meanwhile, just laugh at them.

[+Max and 99]

Widespread cheating is one of the reasons I decided to stop logging all my finds. No one but me really knows how many caches I have found. This is just my way of dealing with those who blatantly cheat. I can't control their behavior and way of playing, but I sure can control mine!

[knowschad]

Widespread cheating is one of the reasons I decided to stop logging all my finds. No one but me really knows how many caches I have found. This is just my way of dealing with those who blatantly cheat. I can't control their behavior and way of playing, but I sure can control mine!

I hope that you at least post notes to thank those that hid the caches.

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Widespread cheating is one of the reasons I decided to stop logging all my finds. No one but me really knows how many caches I have found. This is just my way of dealing with those who blatantly cheat. I can't control their behavior and way of playing, but I sure can control mine!

I hope that you at least post notes to thank those that hid the caches.

 

Why?

 

What's the difference between someone logging your cache when they were never there and someone not logging on line when they actually visited the cache and signed the logbook? The on-line logs are skewed either way. But I guess it doesn't matter how others play the game, does it?

 

John

[+lamoracke]

someone using a sticker instead of their name does not seem like cheating to me. Maybe they have carpal tunnel, or they think the stickers are cool, or have an allergy to ink. Who knows!

 

However, I imagine folks using stickers to basically just quadruple their finds as the people are all over the world not connected but on the stickers, would seem like cheating to me. However, what can you do. I know a few folks who do such blatant cheating and all they do is get scorn when they are discussed. They are only hurting their own respect in the game.

[+geocat_]

They say ground speak says if your names in the log that all you need to log the cache, not go to the cache.

 

"They" are wrong.

3.6. Log Book Etiquette

When you find a geocache, write the date of the visit, your username and the experience you had into the log book. You may want to share funny stories about your adventure, or tell about the condition of the cache and the area of the hide. Some people prefer to enter just their name into the log book. Others have special stamps, stickers or paper-punchers that leave signature marks in the pages.

 

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=67

 

 

[+5g]

I didn't know politicians geocached.

[+cmar22]

Most people try to do things in life w/ integrity. So when most of us see cachers acting w/ no integrity we speak up. Does someone cheating in this particular hobby affect me? No, but I don't like liars & cheats & pointing that out let's others who are contemplating mimicking the particular slimy behavior that it will not go unnoticed.

[+tozainamboku]

They say ground speak says if your names in the log that all you need to log the cache, not go to the cache.

 

"They" are wrong.

3.6. Log Book Etiquette

When you find a geocache, write the date of the visit, your username and the experience you had into the log book. You may want to share funny stories about your adventure, or tell about the condition of the cache and the area of the hide. Some people prefer to enter just their name into the log book. Others have special stamps, stickers or paper-punchers that leave signature marks in the pages.

 

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=67

Funny to find myself agreeing with someone who just might be a puritan.

 

In reality there is no connection between signing the physical log in the cache and logging your find online. This is true whether you found the cache and didn't sing the log for some reason or whether you didn't find the cache but got someone else to sign the log for you. An online found log is your indication to others that you found the cache, as well as a way for you to keep a record of the caches you found.

 

Logging your find online is mostly on the honor system. You should log a find online if and only if you found the cache. Other logs are bogus. Groundspeak allows cache owners to delete online logs that appear to be bogus. This of course leads to disputes between cache owners and finders whose logs have been deleted. Groundspeak has determined that, in general, if a cacher has signed the physical log in the cache, the cache owner should not delete their online log. While this may be the general policy it is clear to me that found logs might still be deletable under certain conditions. If the OP has convincing evidence of cachers logging find on caches they have never been to, just because they had a friend put their sticker in the physical log, I would say get a cache owner to delete the bogus logs. If they complain to Groundspeak, we will soon find out if Groundspeak's policy is to allow online logs base solely on the name be in physical log even if the evidence shows the cacher didn't find that cache.

[knowschad]

Widespread cheating is one of the reasons I decided to stop logging all my finds. No one but me really knows how many caches I have found. This is just my way of dealing with those who blatantly cheat. I can't control their behavior and way of playing, but I sure can control mine!

I hope that you at least post notes to thank those that hid the caches.

 

Why?

 

What's the difference between someone logging your cache when they were never there and someone not logging on line when they actually visited the cache and signed the logbook? The on-line logs are skewed either way. But I guess it doesn't matter how others play the game, does it?

 

John

It matters because most hiders that I know of like to get thanked for their efforts. So... it does matter how others play the game. We don't live in a vacuum.

[Clan Riffster]

i got in to this for the fun of caching if i get the no#s to thats cool,

And somehow, the behavior of someone else is causing you to no longer have fun?

 

i wish people would get back to the honor of caching and only log caches they found!!!

Are you suggesting that in the 15 months you've played this game this has changed? 'Cuz I'm thinking folks have been doing this group caching thing a lot longer than that. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me to learn folks have been practicing alternative logging practices since, oh, June 2000? At least?

 

what do you think!!!!!

I think you need to relax. That's way to many exclamation points.

If the game is no longer fun, find another hobby.

If it's still fun, keep playing.

 

I hope that you at least post notes to thank those that hid the caches.

Why?

A quirky little thing called courtesy?

[+LukeTrocity]

<br />

<br />Ask yourself this question.... How does their behavior effect your life? I don't see how someone with a thousand caches is better than someone with 20. If you cheat you are only cheating yourself.<br />

<br /><br />It doesn't affect me at all. Do you mind if I point out the difference in people who cache and those who just log?<br />

Just seems silly to fixate on something that is irrelevent. You can fixate on it if you want to though.

[+Walts Hunting]

See my signature

[+BlueDeuce]

<br />

<br />Ask yourself this question.... How does their behavior effect your life? I don't see how someone with a thousand caches is better than someone with 20. If you cheat you are only cheating yourself.<br />

<br /><br />It doesn't affect me at all. Do you mind if I point out the difference in people who cache and those who just log?<br />

Just seems silly to fixate on something that is irrelevent. You can fixate on it if you want to though.

 

So what's your excuse for participating in this conversation?

[Clan Riffster]

They say ground speak says if your names in the log that all you need to log the cache, not go to the cache.

 

"They" are wrong.

Not necessarily. According to the OP, he's talking about a team. My wife, my youngest daughter and myself are a team called "Clan Riffster". If I go play solo in a swamp, locating an ammo can, and put our team moniker in the logbook, do I need to wait for my wife and child to find the cache before claiming it online? Or the other side of the coin; If they decide to nab a few P&Gs, and I stay home because such caches hold little appeal to me, should those not count as finds? How about the edge of the coin? If they are nabbing P&Gs, whilst I'm paddling 12 miles of mangrove tunnels in search of one Lock & Lock, whose finds don't count? Their multiple finds or my one find?

 

"They" seem to be a collective entity geared toward a common goal.

Groundspeak has recognized team finds for as long as I've been caching.

 

For arguments sake, let's call their team "Team Idaho". If Billy, (a member of "Team Idaho"), finds a cache in Boise, while Bobby, (also a member of "Team Idaho"), finds a cache in Emmett, while Betty, (again, of "Team Idaho"), hops the state line and finds a cache in Walla Walla, and all three sign the logbook "Team Idaho", whose cache counts?

[+cmar22]

For the team members that were actually at the cache location.

[+GeoBain]

Widespread cheating is one of the reasons I decided to stop logging all my finds. No one but me really knows how many caches I have found. This is just my way of dealing with those who blatantly cheat. I can't control their behavior and way of playing, but I sure can control mine!

I hope that you at least post notes to thank those that hid the caches.

 

Why?

 

What's the difference between someone logging your cache when they were never there and someone not logging on line when they actually visited the cache and signed the logbook? The on-line logs are skewed either way. But I guess it doesn't matter how others play the game, does it?

 

John

It matters because most hiders that I know of like to get thanked for their efforts. So... it does matter how others play the game. We don't live in a vacuum.

Any log left indicating appreciation is done so as a courtesy regardless of whether it is a find log or a note log. As you well know, Groundspeak has practically endorsed blank logs and tftc logs have been increasingly the norm for some time now.

 

So be thankful anytime you get anything beyond tnlnsl or tftc.

[+Coldgears]

Only 7 posts and we already have an arguement?

 

Here's my constructive criticism. Why not ask them if they are cheating. There are groups of people that geocache often, so it would not be far fetched, if these 4 people geocache together consistently, for them to use a sticker.

 

It is also not far-fetched to travel 100's of miles daily to geocache. I actually met someone in the top 30 in the world...

 

I'm sure if you sent them a nicely (I.E. don't accuse them) e-mail, explaining what you are seeing from your vantage point. They will explain what is truly going on.

Edited August 28, 2011 by Coldgears

[+geocat_]

They say ground speak says if your names in the log that all you need to log the cache, not go to the cache.

 

"They" are wrong.

Not necessarily. According to the OP, he's talking about a team. My wife, my youngest daughter and myself are a team called "Clan Riffster". If I go play solo in a swamp, locating an ammo can, and put our team moniker in the logbook, do I need to wait for my wife and child to find the cache before claiming it online? Or the other side of the coin; If they decide to nab a few P&Gs, and I stay home because such caches hold little appeal to me, should those not count as finds? How about the edge of the coin? If they are nabbing P&Gs, whilst I'm paddling 12 miles of mangrove tunnels in search of one Lock & Lock, whose finds don't count? Their multiple finds or my one find?

 

"They" seem to be a collective entity geared toward a common goal.

Groundspeak has recognized team finds for as long as I've been caching.

 

For arguments sake, let's call their team "Team Idaho". If Billy, (a member of "Team Idaho"), finds a cache in Boise, while Bobby, (also a member of "Team Idaho"), finds a cache in Emmett, while Betty, (again, of "Team Idaho"), hops the state line and finds a cache in Walla Walla, and all three sign the logbook "Team Idaho", whose cache counts?

 

Good point. I was only thinking of individuals. Bottom line to the OP, if a team wants to split up and play the way you described, just get up from your computer, grab your GPSr, and head outside!

 

 

[+GeoBain]

They say ground speak says if your names in the log that all you need to log the cache, not go to the cache.

 

"They" are wrong.

Not necessarily. According to the OP, he's talking about a team. My wife, my youngest daughter and myself are a team called "Clan Riffster". If I go play solo in a swamp, locating an ammo can, and put our team moniker in the logbook, do I need to wait for my wife and child to find the cache before claiming it online? Or the other side of the coin; If they decide to nab a few P&Gs, and I stay home because such caches hold little appeal to me, should those not count as finds? How about the edge of the coin? If they are nabbing P&Gs, whilst I'm paddling 12 miles of mangrove tunnels in search of one Lock & Lock, whose finds don't count? Their multiple finds or my one find?

 

"They" seem to be a collective entity geared toward a common goal.

Groundspeak has recognized team finds for as long as I've been caching.

 

For arguments sake, let's call their team "Team Idaho". If Billy, (a member of "Team Idaho"), finds a cache in Boise, while Bobby, (also a member of "Team Idaho"), finds a cache in Emmett, while Betty, (again, of "Team Idaho"), hops the state line and finds a cache in Walla Walla, and all three sign the logbook "Team Idaho", whose cache counts?

 

You make an interesting argument. What it boils down to is what has been repeated over and over again. This is not a competition, no matter how much ǧroundspeak may attempt to push it in that direction.

 

Your find logs are basically a history of where you've been. If, for your team, it works to log those finds as you just suggested where you were up the creek and the rest of the family were in the parking lots, then log them. It then clears them off your list.

 

If you think you might want to find those caches later or vice versa, then you would probably have separate accounts.

 

Once you come to the realization that you are not competing against anyone else then you also realize there really is no such thing as cheating in geocaching.

 

I really wish ǧroundspeak would stop encouraging the numbers frenzy or at least allow us to hide our find count. But, they realize that regardless of how insane it is to have a competition in which there is no way to regulate the competitors, the defacto competition that has arisen is quite profitable for them. As such, we'll probably continue to see this side of geocaching promoted.

 

Anyway, there is no cheating where there is no real competition. One thing about this site is that it is fairly transparent. So if someone is logging multiple finds all over the world, it is easy to catch it. Only an idiot would do it for bragging rights.

[+inthelake]

Only 7 posts and we already have an arguement?

 

Here's my constructive criticism. Why not ask them if they are cheating. There are groups of people that geocache often, so it would not be far fetched, if these 4 people geocache together consistently, for them to use a sticker.

 

It is also not far-fetched to travel 100's of miles daily to geocache. I actually met someone in the top 30 in the world...

 

I'm sure if you sent them a nicely (I.E. don't accuse them) e-mail, explaining what you are seeing from your vantage point. They will explain what is truly going on.

[+inthelake]

They say it dont,s matter if all four of them are there or not as long as there name is on the log!!!! they have said there not always togeather!! i guess pepole are in it for the no#s and thats it maybe ground speak needs to add a logged cache to there found cache write note, etc,. so when you log they log it they don,t need to log a found when there names in the log but they haven;t been to the cache i.e found the cache thanks for all the great answers!!!

[knowschad]

Widespread cheating is one of the reasons I decided to stop logging all my finds. No one but me really knows how many caches I have found. This is just my way of dealing with those who blatantly cheat. I can't control their behavior and way of playing, but I sure can control mine!

I hope that you at least post notes to thank those that hid the caches.

 

Why?

 

What's the difference between someone logging your cache when they were never there and someone not logging on line when they actually visited the cache and signed the logbook? The on-line logs are skewed either way. But I guess it doesn't matter how others play the game, does it?

 

John

It matters because most hiders that I know of like to get thanked for their efforts. So... it does matter how others play the game. We don't live in a vacuum.

Any log left indicating appreciation is done so as a courtesy regardless of whether it is a find log or a note log. As you well know, Groundspeak has practically endorsed blank logs and tftc logs have been increasingly the norm for some time now.

 

So be thankful anytime you get anything beyond tnlnsl or tftc.

 

And I will gladly state, loud and clear, that Groundspeak made a very poor decision in endorsing blank logs.

[knowschad]

They say ground speak says if your names in the log that all you need to log the cache, not go to the cache.

 

"They" are wrong.

Not necessarily. According to the OP, he's talking about a team. My wife, my youngest daughter and myself are a team called "Clan Riffster". If I go play solo in a swamp, locating an ammo can, and put our team moniker in the logbook, do I need to wait for my wife and child to find the cache before claiming it online? Or the other side of the coin; If they decide to nab a few P&Gs, and I stay home because such caches hold little appeal to me, should those not count as finds? How about the edge of the coin? If they are nabbing P&Gs, whilst I'm paddling 12 miles of mangrove tunnels in search of one Lock & Lock, whose finds don't count? Their multiple finds or my one find?

 

"They" seem to be a collective entity geared toward a common goal.

Groundspeak has recognized team finds for as long as I've been caching.

 

For arguments sake, let's call their team "Team Idaho". If Billy, (a member of "Team Idaho"), finds a cache in Boise, while Bobby, (also a member of "Team Idaho"), finds a cache in Emmett, while Betty, (again, of "Team Idaho"), hops the state line and finds a cache in Walla Walla, and all three sign the logbook "Team Idaho", whose cache counts?

 

That doesn't appear to be the case here though. If the OP is being direct with us, this is a group of unrelated cachers that log a find simply because one of the group put their sticker on the log while the rest were somewhere else putting stickers on logs, all for the purpose of increasing the overall group finds.

 

IF this is true, then it is a completely different scenario than the one that you describe.

[+Vater_Araignee]

It matters because most hiders that I know of like to get thanked for their efforts. So... it does matter how others play the game. We don't live in a vacuum.

As I say...

They want thanks? Well if it is an awesome cache, I'll let them know by way of e-mail, otherwise they can do some cache maintenance and read the log.

[+luvvinbird]

I'm retired, and I live a normal life. That's to say I have family obligations, whereas I shop for groceries, usually everyday, and I have doctor's appointments and car maintenance and daily "honey-do" chores around the house. With all the time I have on my hands, I cache as often as I can. I'm very passionate about geocaching, it's always on my mind so I feel I must get a cache as often as possible. I'll be lucky if I totaled 400 caches in the last year. But some geocachers have totals of 4000 or more. Huh? Do they cache on rainy days, snowy days? Do they work? I love the responses from the geocache pacifists who say "let it be", it's all about your experience, not theirs. Is it it only me that sees through this charade?

[+niraD]

But some geocachers have totals of 4000 or more. Huh? Do they cache on rainy days, snowy days? Do they work?

I'm hardly a numbers-oriented cacher myself, but based on what I know of people with thousands of finds per year:

 

Yes (although rainy days are infrequent here), yes (when they travel somewhere that has snowy days), and no (they're retired).

 

They travel a lot. They find a lot of caches wherever they go. The "cache a day" challenges are easy for them, because they're always geocaching anyway. They average a dozen (or more) caches a day. On a "non-geocaching day", they still find a few caches. On a "geocaching day", they find dozens (if not hundreds) of caches. A normal day of geocaching for them is likely to be a record-setting day for others who join them. Those others who join them will have to work to keep up. They've hit the various numbers run trails, but there just aren't enough numbers run trails to keep them occupied, so they find a lot of other caches.

 

The average difficulty rating of their finds is under 2. The average terrain rating is lower still. They aren't ashamed to log LPCs or GRCs or any other TLA cache that some hold in contempt.

 

They play the game very differently from those of us who consider a dozen caches a day to be lot.

[+SwineFlew]

Who cares. Let them cheat!

 

I got better things to worry about in my life.

[+briansnat]

Widespread cheating is one of the reasons I decided to stop logging all my finds. No one but me really knows how many caches I have found. This is just my way of dealing with those who blatantly cheat. I can't control their behavior and way of playing, but I sure can control mine!

I hope that you at least post notes to thank those that hid the caches.

 

Why?

 

What's the difference between someone logging your cache when they were never there and someone not logging on line when they actually visited the cache and signed the logbook? The on-line logs are skewed either way. But I guess it doesn't matter how others play the game, does it?

 

John

 

Cache owners spend the time, effort and money to hide the things. The least we can do is let them know we found it and thank them. Its the courteous thing to do. Because some people play the game in a dishonest fashion, does it mean the rest of us should throw courtesy out the window?

[+briansnat]

See my signature

 

What's a drind?

[+briansnat]

I'm retired, and I live a normal life. That's to say I have family obligations, whereas I shop for groceries, usually everyday, and I have doctor's appointments and car maintenance and daily "honey-do" chores around the house. With all the time I have on my hands, I cache as often as I can. I'm very passionate about geocaching, it's always on my mind so I feel I must get a cache as often as possible. I'll be lucky if I totaled 400 caches in the last year. But some geocachers have totals of 4000 or more. Huh? Do they cache on rainy days, snowy days? Do they work? I love the responses from the geocache pacifists who say "let it be", it's all about your experience, not theirs. Is it it only me that sees through this charade?

 

The key is that you live a normal life. Many of the people who have the high counts that you dismiss as a charade do not live normal lives.

They live to geocache. Yes they cache on rainy and snowy days, and on frigidly cold and unbearably hot days too. Some work and some are retired, but everything they do revolves around caching. Even a trip to the store or Dr is an opportunity to pick up a few caches. I know one of these people personally. He hasn't missed a day of caching in 5+ years and even found caches the day of his wife's funeral. I assure you his finds are legit. It's hard to find a cache in this state without his very distinct signature in it.

 

Do some people with high find counts cheat? You bet some do. There are some so obsessed with numbers that they toss their integrity out the window as regularly as they toss out throw down caches. But don't assume that because YOU can't do something anybody who does do it has to be cheating.

Edited August 28, 2011 by briansnat

[+geocat_]

I'm retired, and I live a normal life. That's to say I have family obligations, whereas I shop for groceries, usually everyday, and I have doctor's appointments and car maintenance and daily "honey-do" chores around the house. With all the time I have on my hands, I cache as often as I can. I'm very passionate about geocaching, it's always on my mind so I feel I must get a cache as often as possible. I'll be lucky if I totaled 400 caches in the last year. But some geocachers have totals of 4000 or more. Huh? Do they cache on rainy days, snowy days? Do they work? I love the responses from the geocache pacifists who say "let it be", it's all about your experience, not theirs. Is it it only me that sees through this charade?

 

The key is that you live a normal life. Many of the people who have the high counts that you dismiss as a charade do not live normal lives.

They live to geocache. Yes they cache on rainy and snowy days, and on frigidly cold and unbearably hot days too. Some work and some are retired, but everything they do revolves around caching. Even a trip to the store or Dr is an opportunity to pick up a few caches. I know one of these people personally. He hasn't missed a day of caching in 5+ years and even found caches the day of his wife's funeral. I assure you his finds are legit. It's hard to find a cache in this state without his very distinct signature in it.

 

Do some people with high find counts cheat? You bet some do. There are some so obsessed with numbers that they toss their integrity out the window as regularly as they toss out throw down caches. But don't assume that because YOU can't do something anybody who does do it has to be cheating.

 

Couldn't agree more. I also know a few with over 10000 caches. Another is approaching 10000 and he just started in 2009. He's legit but just loves geocaching. Another one with over 10000 has over 3 years without missing a day. Another couple have about 12000 finds and have found at least one in every state. They have lives but just incorporate geocaching into their lives. They cache on snowy days, rainy days, hot days, cold days. I just started caching last December and have nearly 1500 finds. It's not a charade. There are some who will cheat and armchair log, but they are just silly, shallow people looking for self-affirmation.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Widespread cheating is one of the reasons I decided to stop logging all my finds. No one but me really knows how many caches I have found. This is just my way of dealing with those who blatantly cheat. I can't control their behavior and way of playing, but I sure can control mine!

I hope that you at least post notes to thank those that hid the caches.

 

Why?

 

What's the difference between someone logging your cache when they were never there and someone not logging on line when they actually visited the cache and signed the logbook? The on-line logs are skewed either way. But I guess it doesn't matter how others play the game, does it?

 

John

 

When someone arm chair logs a cache it *can* effect others as it might give a false impression to the cache owner and others that want to find it that it's still viable. I had a recent incident like that myself. A couple of people posted DNFs on a cache (which should be an easy find) so I disabled it until I had a chance to verify. Then I got a found it log so I renabled the listing. A few days later I got a couple more DNFs and went out the next day and discovered it *was* missing and replaced the container. That bogus log *did* impact how I and at least a couple of other geocachers played the game.

 

Posting an online note, instead of a found it log, still tells the CO that the cache has been found, and the note can also include information about the state of the container. It also tells other cachers that the cache has been recently been found (if they read the notes). If you don't want to claim a smiley it still gives an accurate representation of the state of the cache.

[knowschad]

It matters because most hiders that I know of like to get thanked for their efforts. So... it does matter how others play the game. We don't live in a vacuum.

As I say...

They want thanks? Well if it is an awesome cache, I'll let them know by way of e-mail, otherwise they can do some cache maintenance and read the log.

I can't change how you chose to cache, but you should realize that by doing so, you are taking away one of the more powerful motives for people that hide those caches for you to have fun with. I can't make you be polite, but I can call you on your lack of it.

[+mikemtn]

Widespread cheating is one of the reasons I decided to stop logging all my finds. No one but me really knows how many caches I have found. This is just my way of dealing with those who blatantly cheat. I can't control their behavior and way of playing, but I sure can control mine!

There's only 3 Geocaching rules that I know of.

 

Quote from the Geocaching FAQ.......

 

"What are the rules of geocaching?

 

1. If you take something from the geocache (or "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."

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Widespread cheating is one of the reasons I decided to stop logging all my finds. No one but me really knows how many caches I have found. This is just my way of dealing with those who blatantly cheat. I can't control their behavior and way of playing, but I sure can control mine!

I hope that you at least post notes to thank those that hid the caches.

 

Why?

 

What's the difference between someone logging your cache when they were never there and someone not logging on line when they actually visited the cache and signed the logbook? The on-line logs are skewed either way. But I guess it doesn't matter how others play the game, does it?

 

John

 

When someone arm chair logs a cache it *can* effect others as it might give a false impression to the cache owner and others that want to find it that it's still viable. I had a recent incident like that myself. A couple of people posted DNFs on a cache (which should be an easy find) so I disabled it until I had a chance to verify. Then I got a found it log so I renabled the listing. A few days later I got a couple more DNFs and went out the next day and discovered it *was* missing and replaced the container. That bogus log *did* impact how I and at least a couple of other geocachers played the game.

 

Posting an online note, instead of a found it log, still tells the CO that the cache has been found, and the note can also include information about the state of the container. It also tells other cachers that the cache has been recently been found (if they read the notes). If you don't want to claim a smiley it still gives an accurate representation of the state of the cache.

I just love my Hubby's way of posting by using sarcasm. Others do not even read carefully enough to realize what he actually posted. It goes to the heart of the matter.

The on-line logs are skewed either way. But I guess it doesn't matter how others play the game, does it?

It caught more than a few of you, did it not?

 

Shirley~

------------------------------

[+CrackerFL]

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

-Theodore Roosevelt

[+Great Scott!]

See my signature

There is nothing that can't be handled with two stiff drinds and a bourbon soaked, rare, bonein Ribeye.

 

Walter R. Cullop

 

What is a drind?

[+Chokecherry]

I'm retired, and I live a normal life. That's to say I have family obligations, whereas I shop for groceries, usually everyday, and I have doctor's appointments and car maintenance and daily "honey-do" chores around the house. With all the time I have on my hands, I cache as often as I can. I'm very passionate about geocaching, it's always on my mind so I feel I must get a cache as often as possible. I'll be lucky if I totaled 400 caches in the last year. But some geocachers have totals of 4000 or more. Huh? Do they cache on rainy days, snowy days? Do they work? I love the responses from the geocache pacifists who say "let it be", it's all about your experience, not theirs. Is it it only me that sees through this charade?

 

The key is that you live a normal life. Many of the people who have the high counts that you dismiss as a charade do not live normal lives.

They live to geocache. Yes they cache on rainy and snowy days, and on frigidly cold and unbearably hot days too. Some work and some are retired, but everything they do revolves around caching. Even a trip to the store or Dr is an opportunity to pick up a few caches. I know one of these people personally. He hasn't missed a day of caching in 5+ years and even found caches the day of his wife's funeral. I assure you his finds are legit. It's hard to find a cache in this state without his very distinct signature in it.

 

Do some people with high find counts cheat? You bet some do. There are some so obsessed with numbers that they toss their integrity out the window as regularly as they toss out throw down caches. But don't assume that because YOU can't do something anybody who does do it has to be cheating.

 

Couldn't agree more. I also know a few with over 10000 caches. Another is approaching 10000 and he just started in 2009. He's legit but just loves geocaching. Another one with over 10000 has over 3 years without missing a day. Another couple have about 12000 finds and have found at least one in every state. They have lives but just incorporate geocaching into their lives. They cache on snowy days, rainy days, hot days, cold days. I just started caching last December and have nearly 1500 finds. It's not a charade. There are some who will cheat and armchair log, but they are just silly, shallow people looking for self-affirmation.

 

Some people with high find counts also live in areas where there is high cache saturation to support those counts. This caching season I'll probably end up with finding maybe 80 caches. I've cached out the local area and have to travel to get more caches. As someone who works and lives on a budget I can't do this constantly. If other people have 10000 hides I don't really care. I don't necessarily see them as more an accomplished person. I see them as having more time on their hands and more ability to travel. That's it. Some people like to ascribe some sense of meaning to the numbers when there really isn't any. I log my caches because I like to read my logs in the winter or on rainy days and remember my trips. That's it.

 

Also people use their accounts in any number ways. Some people have family accounts where all the family isn't at the same caches all the time. My friend and I shared this account until we split it. But it was heading that same direction too if we hadn't decided to split it. People think it's one account for one person and that everyone logs online for the exact same reasons.

 

People need to spend less time worrying about what other finders are doing and just continue on their own caching journey.

Edited August 28, 2011 by Chokecherry

[+cmar22]

See my signature

There is nothing that can't be handled with two stiff drinds and a bourbon soaked, rare, bonein Ribeye.

 

Walter R. Cullop

 

Maybe the foam on a guiness that does not go over the edge of the glass....

 

What is a drind?

Edited August 28, 2011 by cmar22

[+cmar22]

Maybe the foam on a Guinness that does not go over edge of glass.....

 

I attributed that to walt in my last post by mistake.....sorry...

[+the4dirtydogs]

IN idaho we have a group of four cachers that use skickers with all four of there names on it so they can cache hundrerds of miles from each other and log more caches. They say ground speak says if your names in the log that all you need to log the cache, not go to the cache. is this all caching is about to some pepole the no#s???? got to be a head of every one else no matter how!!! Some one told me they are now logging caches that were arhicved be for they even started caching give me a break. i got in to this for the fun of caching if i get the no#s to thats cool, i wish people would get back to the honor of caching and only log caches they found!!! what do you think!!!!!

Pssssst.................You don't win anything in this game. If you're going to let this bother you then I suggest you pick up another hobby. Don't worry about the Jones's worry about yourself and how you play. Cache on.

 

It's only cheating if you get caught. If you aint cheatin you aint tryin.

Edited August 28, 2011 by the4dirtydogs

[+A & J Tooling]

I see posts where people go online, clearly state it is gone and post a found it. They play their way. I play mine. There is no prise at the end. Nothing but bragging rights.

[+luvvinbird]

I'm retired, and I live a normal life. That's to say I have family obligations, whereas I shop for groceries, usually everyday, and I have doctor's appointments and car maintenance and daily "honey-do" chores around the house. With all the time I have on my hands, I cache as often as I can. I'm very passionate about geocaching, it's always on my mind so I feel I must get a cache as often as possible. I'll be lucky if I totaled 400 caches in the last year. But some geocachers have totals of 4000 or more. Huh? Do they cache on rainy days, snowy days? Do they work? I love the responses from the geocache pacifists who say "let it be", it's all about your experience, not theirs. Is it it only me that sees through this charade?

 

The key is that you live a normal life. Many of the people who have the high counts that you dismiss as a charade do not live normal lives.

They live to geocache. Yes they cache on rainy and snowy days, and on frigidly cold and unbearably hot days too. Some work and some are retired, but everything they do revolves around caching. Even a trip to the store or Dr is an opportunity to pick up a few caches. I know one of these people personally. He hasn't missed a day of caching in 5+ years and even found caches the day of his wife's funeral. I assure you his finds are legit. It's hard to find a cache in this state without his very distinct signature in it.

 

Do some people with high find counts cheat? You bet some do. There are some so obsessed with numbers that they toss their integrity out the window as regularly as they toss out throw down caches. But don't assume that because YOU can't do something anybody who does do it has to be cheating.

 

Couldn't agree more. I also know a few with over 10000 caches. Another is approaching 10000 and he just started in 2009. He's legit but just loves geocaching. Another one with over 10000 has over 3 years without missing a day. Another couple have about 12000 finds and have found at least one in every state. They have lives but just incorporate geocaching into their lives. They cache on snowy days, rainy days, hot days, cold days. I just started caching last December and have nearly 1500 finds. It's not a charade. There are some who will cheat and armchair log, but they are just silly, shallow people looking for self-affirmation.

 

Some people with high find counts also live in areas where there is high cache saturation to support those counts. This caching season I'll probably end up with finding maybe 80 caches. I've cached out the local area and have to travel to get more caches. As someone who works and lives on a budget I can't do this constantly. If other people have 10000 hides I don't really care. I don't necessarily see them as more an accomplished person. I see them as having more time on their hands and more ability to travel. That's it. Some people like to ascribe some sense of meaning to the numbers when there really isn't any. I log my caches because I like to read my logs in the winter or on rainy days and remember my trips. That's it.

 

Also people use their accounts in any number ways. Some people have family accounts where all the family isn't at the same caches all the time. My friend and I shared this account until we split it. But it was heading that same direction too if we hadn't decided to split it. People think it's one account for one person and that everyone logs online for the exact same reasons.

 

People need to spend less time worrying about what other finders are doing and just continue on their own caching journey.

This forum topic interested me, so I responded. That's what forums are all about, sharing thoughts and opinions, right? After reviewing some of the interesting and intelligent comments on this subject, I can see that certain individuals have a profound obsession which enables them to claim high numbers. On the other hand, it's also a reality that some claim fictitious finds. It's the latter group that darkens the image of this great pastime. Does it bother me? Only when I sit in front of my computer in the late evening and formulate opinions on the subject (usually with my friend Glen Fiddich). I really enjoy geocaching and I'm constantly spreading the word of it's healthy and educational rewards. Nothing bothers me out in the "field" and my number count is insignificant compared to the pleasure of the "hunt". As long as the cheaters know we're on to them, that type of caching won't get out of hand. BTW, I would sincerely love to read about an average day in the life of one of those (genuine) high cache numbers achiever. I think that would be very interesting, how they begin their day, how they end their day. Not the Power Trail guys, but the "joe average-but high numbers" guys. Cool....

[+TreasureKid's]

We mainly cache as a family so to save mom (me) from having to log on 4 different accounts we log on one. If dad is away at work and caches on one of his down days he still logs it under TreasureKid's. We all have our own personal TB's so that those get a visited for who was actually present during the find. We have never considered this cheating as we all sign TreasureKid's and at least one of us is always there to do the signing. We have been thinking of splitting off our 8 year old as he is starting to help with the logs so now that he can do his own he can have his own account. He is also wanting to go with other family's that he has gotten hooked, and this will give him finds of his own. Up till now he has only ever gone with mom or dad as his driver and usually with the 3 year old in tow so there has never been a need for separate accounts.

Edited August 28, 2011 by TreasureKid's