logging etiquite

[+Team_State]

Looking for some advice. Recently completed a 100 day streak challenge and decide to see how far this will continue. I was in area that had several caches. I scouted out the area and spotted the other caches (but did not open or sign log) . Would it be ok to come back for these on days where we are running late and may not be able to find other cache.

 

Thanks for any thoughts on this,

Team_State

[+Max and 99]

You can play the game however you'd like, and in fact I know someone who does exactly what you describe!

[AZcachemeister]

Seems rather artificial.

That being said, there were a few caches I found but didn't have a talking stick to sign the log. I went back sometime later and was better prepared. I logged the find on the day I actually signed the log.

 

The real question is if you are comfortable in keeping your streak alive in this fashion.

I don't think anybody else really cares...

[+Walts Hunting]

When I was doing the Days of the Year Challenge (old style) I saved a few for busy or rainy days. I see no problem with it.

[knowschad]

Recently completed a 100 day streak challenge

 

You can play the game however you'd like

 

I think the OP already knows that, if he is completing a side game like a "100 day streak challenge".

 

Me, I'm working on the 167 day streak challenge.

[GOF and Bacall]

I thought streaking was against the law. Indecent exposure or some such thing.

[+BlueDeuce]

Looking for some advice. Recently completed a 100 day streak challenge and decide to see how far this will continue. I was in area that had several caches. I scouted out the area and spotted the other caches (but did not open or sign log) . Would it be ok to come back for these on days where we are running late and may not be able to find other cache.

 

 

Absolutely.

[+germanybert]

I thought streaking was against the law. Indecent exposure or some such thing.

 

Depends on where you live. Here in Europe most people don't care about nekked people runnning around. They just think that person is a bit strange.

 

For the OP, IMHO it is fine to do save the caches for another day.

[+DanOCan]

As they said, it's up to you.

 

I'm working on a similar challenge right now and I've certainly have kept several caches that appear to be easier park n grabs on the way to/from work set aside for days when I am running late or for when the weather is bad.

 

I say "appear to be" because I haven't actually looked for them until the day I sign. If I read your post correctly, it sounds like you have gone and actually located the cache but just didn't open the container or sign the log. For me it would feel weird -- after all, my log says "Found It", not "Signed It".

 

It's the same reason why I don't take up challenge cache owners when they say "You can find the container anytime you like and log as a Note but only log your Find once you complete the challenge." Why would I find a container only to claim a Found It some other time?

 

Regardless, that is just a personal thing for me and the way I play the game. I'm not saying one is right or wrong. In the end, it's your streak and no one besides you will care.

[MeffyEllis]

I thought streaking was against the law. Indecent exposure or some such thing.

Stealth required. (Which, if we can believe sigs, means one oughtn't to put a cache there.)

[+ArcherDragoon]

Recently completed a 100 day streak challenge

 

You can play the game however you'd like

 

I think the OP already knows that, if he is completing a side game like a "100 day streak challenge".

 

Me, I'm working on the 167 day streak challenge.

I got to 18 and decided it was too much work...

[AZcachemeister]

 

I got to 18 and decided it was too much work...

 

There are only a few thing I want to do EVERY DAY.

Breathing is at the top of the list.

Go Geocaching is a bit farther down.

[+Team_State]

I'm working on a similar challenge right now and I've certainly have kept several caches that appear to be easier park n grabs on the way to/from work set aside for days when I am running late or for when the weather is bad.

 

I say "appear to be" because I haven't actually looked for them until the day I sign. If I read your post correctly, it sounds like you have gone and actually located the cache but just didn't open the container or sign the log. For me it would feel weird -- after all, my log says "Found It", not "Signed It".

 

Regardless, that is just a personal thing for me and the way I play the game. I'm not saying one is right or wrong. In the end, it's your streak and no one besides you will care.

Well DanOCan,

I think you hit it right on the head for me when you said {my log says "Found It", not "Signed It"}. I was leaning this way but had to check the general consensus. In my younger days streaking was fun, now I might just scare everyone.

 

Team_State

[+BlueDeuce]

I'm working on a similar challenge right now and I've certainly have kept several caches that appear to be easier park n grabs on the way to/from work set aside for days when I am running late or for when the weather is bad.

 

I say "appear to be" because I haven't actually looked for them until the day I sign. If I read your post correctly, it sounds like you have gone and actually located the cache but just didn't open the container or sign the log. For me it would feel weird -- after all, my log says "Found It", not "Signed It".

 

Regardless, that is just a personal thing for me and the way I play the game. I'm not saying one is right or wrong. In the end, it's your streak and no one besides you will care.

Well DanOCan,

I think you hit it right on the head for me when you said {my log says "Found It", not "Signed It"}. I was leaning this way but had to check the general consensus. In my younger days streaking was fun, now I might just scare everyone.

 

Team_State

 

The flip side is that seeing a cache is not the same as reaching it, opening it and signing the log.

[+Gan Dalf]

As they said, it's up to you.

 

It's the same reason why I don't take up challenge cache owners when they say "You can find the container anytime you like and log as a Note but only log your Find once you complete the challenge." Why would I find a container only to claim a Found It some other time?

 

I can't stand this practice. I have a challenge cache that I tried to write into the rules that you could not sign the log before completing the challenge. To do this I was going to require a date on the physical log and it had to match the date of your found it online. Groundspeak wouldn't allow it, said that was an ALR...

[+Gan Dalf]

I'm working on a similar challenge right now and I've certainly have kept several caches that appear to be easier park n grabs on the way to/from work set aside for days when I am running late or for when the weather is bad.

 

I say "appear to be" because I haven't actually looked for them until the day I sign. If I read your post correctly, it sounds like you have gone and actually located the cache but just didn't open the container or sign the log. For me it would feel weird -- after all, my log says "Found It", not "Signed It".

 

Regardless, that is just a personal thing for me and the way I play the game. I'm not saying one is right or wrong. In the end, it's your streak and no one besides you will care.

Well DanOCan,

I think you hit it right on the head for me when you said {my log says "Found It", not "Signed It"}. I was leaning this way but had to check the general consensus. In my younger days streaking was fun, now I might just scare everyone.

 

Team_State

 

The flip side is that seeing a cache is not the same as reaching it, opening it and signing the log.

 

Exactly! Everyone always complains about those that don't sign the log and give the excuse "I saw it" or "I touched it" and say they should be able to log it as a find. But then flipt he tables over and some are now impplying that you should date the find the day you first saw it.

 

To the OP, don't worry about it. If you didn't sign the log, then you are fine with not logging it until you do and using the date you signed the log as your found it day...

[AZcachemeister]

 

I can't stand this practice. I have a challenge cache that I tried to write into the rules that you could not sign the log before completing the challenge. To do this I was going to require a date on the physical log and it had to match the date of your found it online. Groundspeak wouldn't allow it, said that was an ALR...

 

Funny, I have two Challenge CACHES with exactly that requirement.

Since a Challenge CACHE is all about an (allowed) ALR, I don't see the issue.

 

So far there have been no complaints, and (I think) nobody has disrespected the 'requirement' for the date of their online log to be the same as the one in the physical logbook.

[+lamoracke]

most folks I personally know (FobesMan being an exception, see above) do not care if folks sign the log in advance of being in the area for a challenge cache. I am not going to make a point of signing a "challenge cache" for the heck of it and drive 200 miles just for that fun, but I will sign it if I am working on it and near the area already. I mean, why waste the gas and pretend I have not been there already. For example, in Oregon, there is a trail of 20 challenge caches. I had completed the RQs for 17 of them. Should I not sign the other 3? I am there already and its a long drive. Those caches are now on my list as signed but not completed the RQs yet. I am looking forward to logging those and am glad I do not have to drive to central Oregon again.

 

As long as folks are not logging them as finds without signing the cache AND completing the requirements, I personally could not give a rat's patootie the order someone does them in. It should be fun, not about rules to force people to do them in order a few people see fit.

[+tozainamboku]

I think this has to do with confusing the online log with finding the cache. If the streak is for finding caches, you probably should find a cache every day. If the streak is for having at least one online log for each day, then feel free to date online logs as needed to meet the challenge.

 

The problem is the guidelines for challenges which state "Importantly, cache owners must consider how they will substantiate claims that the challenge has been met. The logging requirements on the cache page must reflect this consideration, and must be logistically viable." It would not be logistically viable to have the challenge owner follow you around to ensure you found a cache each and probably wouldn't even be viable to check the physical log books of the caches you found for the challenges. Therefore, meeting a challenge generally depends on your online logs.

 

However, if you feel the cache owner really intended for you to actually find a cache each day, it might be considered more sportsmanlike to actually find at least one cache each day. But if the challenge owner accepts the "puritan" definition of a find being signing the log, you might do what you propose and not sign the log on caches other than the first you found on a day, then when you need a find to continue the streak, come back and sign the log then. Or perhaps the challenge owner accepts the "plu-puritan" definition of a find where you must both sign the physical and log online. Then you can sign the log the first time you found it and again when you go back, but only log it online for the day you need to continue your streak, since you haven't really "found" the cache till you log it online.

[+paleolith]

It's the same reason why I don't take up challenge cache owners when they say "You can find the container anytime you like and log as a Note but only log your Find once you complete the challenge." Why would I find a container only to claim a Found It some other time?

My two challenge caches have similar wording, but you are probably talking about something a bit different. Mine say you are welcome to visit, sign the log, post notes ... and in fact people have done that, posting quite a few note visits. But my caches also require them to revisit the cache after completing the requirements to log the find, and it sounds to me like you are talking about signing the log on one day and logging the find on a much later day without revisiting the cache.

 

Why would people visit my caches to just post notes? Most often it's because they are with a group and some have qualified for the find. In some cases they are passing by and want to go ahead and check it out. Ask toz how well that worked out for him ... In one case the location of the hide has become a bit notorious and I think some are visiting partly to check it out.

 

It's also notable that mine deal with a compact geographical area, so revisiting is not a burden. So I won't claim to be making any statement about how challenge caches in general ought to be run. And as a final note, I'll point out that both of mine contain the statement that "this is for fun and you are on the honor system". Which is just a restatement of geocaching, but after a long list of rules I think it's worth reiterating.

 

Edward

[+Gan Dalf]

most folks I personally know (FobesMan being an exception, see above) do not care if folks sign the log in advance of being in the area for a challenge cache.

 

My feelings are that most of those "folks" are the exception rather than the rule. Most of the ones I know, share my feelings on the subject.

 

My opinion is, that the reward of completing the requirements of the challenge is the priviledge of finding the cache. If you haven't completed the requirements, why should you get the same reward as those that have?

[+Gan Dalf]

 

I can't stand this practice. I have a challenge cache that I tried to write into the rules that you could not sign the log before completing the challenge. To do this I was going to require a date on the physical log and it had to match the date of your found it online. Groundspeak wouldn't allow it, said that was an ALR...

 

Funny, I have two Challenge CACHES with exactly that requirement.

Since a Challenge CACHE is all about an (allowed) ALR, I don't see the issue.

 

 

Obviously, I agree with your interrpetation. I see your challenges were published a couple of years ago, mine was farely recent this year. it could be that Groundpseaks interpretation of How they want challenges managed has changed since then.

 

There were several proviosions that I was not allowed to include that I had seen included in several other challenges in our area. The old, cache precendence does not justify the publication of your cache, rearing it's head. Also I was dealing with someone at Groundspeak directly, not a local reviewer. Interpretations of the Knowledge Books can often differ from one reviewer to the next.

[+CanadianRockies]

It's the same reason why I don't take up challenge cache owners when they say "You can find the container anytime you like and log as a Note but only log your Find once you complete the challenge." Why would I find a container only to claim a Found It some other time?

I'm not sure why you would, but I can tell you why I would. For me, finding a challenge cache involves: (1) meeting the requirements and (2) signing the physical cache's log. The order isn't important to me.

 

I usually enjoy the requirements portion of challenges more than locating the physical container. So, I keep my eyes open for fun challenge caches when we travel. We currently are working on six challenges whose logs we've already signed. They are located in Utah and Minnesota, which we might not revisit for a while.

Edited September 22, 2011 by CanadianRockies

[+lamoracke]

most folks I personally know (FobesMan being an exception, see above) do not care if folks sign the log in advance of being in the area for a challenge cache.

>My feelings are that most of those "folks" are the exception rather than the rule. Most of the ones I know, share my feelings on the subject.

 

My opinion is, that the reward of completing the requirements of the challenge is the privilege of finding the cache. If you haven't completed the requirements, why should you get the same reward as those that have?

 

I feel no reward signing a "challenge cache" until I log it as found. Signing the log book is just one requirement needed, its the package and it does not cheapen it to me in the order I do them. I consider the "challenge cache" really about completing the challenge and that takes the majority of the time anyway. More and more physical caches for challenges have not been very exciting of late that I have done, so I do not feel like I am cheating myself signing in advance. A bison in a tree? a key holder in a pile of rocks on the side of a walking trail? Just off the store front in a strip mall? Even if a decent location, still just a piece of paper in an ammo can to me until the challenge is done and I can write my cool log and feel accomplished in that is over.

 

Of the more than 50 cachers I have personally asked or heard their opinions on the subject, its easily over 90% of them who do not care if folks sign in advance of finishing the requirement if they are say a> with someone signing it or b> already in the area anyway. Yes, I have asked over 50. When I had one certain cacher write an extremely rude and public log about me daring to sign in advance (even though the CO gave me permission to do so), I asked around.

 

Obviously we disagree on this issue.

 

editing because I wish I could say b and then parentheses without it switching to an emoticon.

Edited September 22, 2011 by lamoracke

[+Gan Dalf]

most folks I personally know (FobesMan being an exception, see above) do not care if folks sign the log in advance of being in the area for a challenge cache.

>My feelings are that most of those "folks" are the exception rather than the rule. Most of the ones I know, share my feelings on the subject.

 

My opinion is, that the reward of completing the requirements of the challenge is the privilege of finding the cache. If you haven't completed the requirements, why should you get the same reward as those that have?

 

More and more physical caches for challenges have not been very exciting of late that I have done, so I do not feel like I am cheating myself signing in advance. A bison in a tree? a key holder in a pile of rocks on the side of a walking trail? Just off the store front in a strip mall? Even if a decent location, still just a piece of paper in an ammo can to me until the challenge is done and I can write my cool log and feel accomplished in that is over.

 

I can't speak for those that make pointless challenges and then make the final an LPC park and grab. I can see how someone that creates a Challegne Cache Power trail would not care if you complete the requirments first before signing the log. Personally I don't go out of my way to try and complete those challegnes, to me, they are just not very challenging.

 

Of the more than 50 cachers I have personally asked or heard their opinions on the subject, its easily over 90% of them who do not care if folks sign in advance of finishing the requirement.

 

"98% of all statistics are made up on the spot..."

 

The key phrase here is "do not care". Did you really present them with the other side of your argement or did you word it in such a way that favors your position? I'm betting that a lot of those folks don't care one way or the other. If the CO says pre-logging is OK, then great, if he says you have to wait, then no big deal. Afterall, it is the feeling of the owner of the cache that really matters, not those that are trying to justify the practice.

 

Obviously we disagree on this issue.

Ya think?

[+Ash McCloud]

Ok i think whoever said it was whether you can live with it was dead on. But what about this scenario. If you are doing one of those challenges. They usually dont require it to be a certain type of cache. So how about Earth Caches. Could you stock up on some yet not actual figure out the answer till you need a cache on a day than solve it and post it. Technically that was when you completed the cache. Than you could stock pile some earth caches till you needed them.

[+DanOCan]

I'm not sure why you would, but I can tell you why I would. For me, finding a challenge cache involves: (1) meeting the requirements and (2) signing the physical cache's log. The order isn't important to me.

 

I can see that. I guess for me it is a statistics thing.

 

I find the physical cache on July 1. I sign the log and log it online with a Note. No problem there.

 

I finally complete the challenge requirements on August 1. I'm not sure what I should do in that case. If I log the Find on August 1 that feels wrong to me. For all I know I haven't even left my armchair that day. To me my online log saying "found it" is attesting to the fact that the cache is there and in place on that day.

 

I could always date my Found It log to the day when I actually found the cache. Of course, then I'm saying I had completed the challenge as of the date on the log, which is also not true.

 

The simplest way for me to deal with my internal issue is to complete the requirements and then look for the cache. That way both my physical find AND the challenge requirements are complete on the same day. (Yeah, I know, I'm nuts!) I don't even load the coordinates for a Challenge into my GPSr until I complete the requirements so I'm not tempted to sign the log in advance.

[+DanOCan]

Exactly! Everyone always complains about those that don't sign the log and give the excuse "I saw it" or "I touched it" and say they should be able to log it as a find. But then flipt he tables over and some are now impplying that you should date the find the day you first saw it.

 

Yeah, that's why it's a personal thing and different for different people -- and, to me it also depends on the cache.

 

If I am digging around under a tree looking for an ammo can under the needles and leaves and I find the container I would personally feel that was the day I found the cache, regardless of whether or not I sign the log that day or a week later.

 

If that same ammo can is 30' up in the tree and I spot it on a Monday but decide to wait until Thursday so I can come back with ropes to climb the tree then I have no issue not claiming that I found the cache until Thursday.

[+CanadianRockies]

To me my online log saying "found it" is attesting to the fact that the cache is there and in place on that day.

To each, their own. I don't take "Found It" quite so literally. To me, it means I've completed the cache. Sort of like EarthCaches. Usually, I "find" the EC location and answer the questions on the same day. Sometimes, however, I actually know the answers before I arrive. Other times, I learn the answers after a future visit to a library or the Internet. I log the EC "Found It" after I've visited the location and have the answers, regardless of the order.

 

Edited to add: When I log a "Found It" on a day other than the day when I sign the challenge cache's physical log, I explain that in my online log. That way, the cache owner doesn't leap to the possibly false conclusion that the cache is there and in place on the day of my online log.

Edited September 23, 2011 by CanadianRockies

[+BrixingtonPaddler]

Its definately a personal thing

 

I felt bad for doing a 14 cache walk 1 cache at a time during lunch breaks just for the streak, or doing part by car, then giving up.. which I know wasnt the intention of the original walk

 

I have given up at 51 as it was costing too much in fuel to get "the 1" for the day. Now I just allocate a day or 2 during the week to do some geocaching. The pressure is off and the ones I do get are much more enjoyable

[AZcachemeister]

I'm not sure why you would, but I can tell you why I would. For me, finding a challenge cache involves: (1) meeting the requirements and (2) signing the physical cache's log. The order isn't important to me.

 

I can see that. I guess for me it is a statistics thing.

 

I find the physical cache on July 1. I sign the log and log it online with a Note. No problem there.

 

I finally complete the challenge requirements on August 1. I'm not sure what I should do in that case. If I log the Find on August 1 that feels wrong to me. For all I know I haven't even left my armchair that day. To me my online log saying "found it" is attesting to the fact that the cache is there and in place on that day.

 

I could always date my Found It log to the day when I actually found the cache. Of course, then I'm saying I had completed the challenge as of the date on the log, which is also not true.

 

The simplest way for me to deal with my internal issue is to complete the requirements and then look for the cache. That way both my physical find AND the challenge requirements are complete on the same day. (Yeah, I know, I'm nuts!) I don't even load the coordinates for a Challenge into my GPSr until I complete the requirements so I'm not tempted to sign the log in advance.

 

And indeed I might set up the find on a particularly tough challenge to be my 8000th find...or whatever.

 

I might visit with someone else who HAS qualified, but I'm not touching that log until I have completed the challenge...whether or not the owner allows it.

Of course, that's just me.

Y'all are welcome to play it any way you like...except on my two Favorites Points challenges.