Is it really possible to find 680 in one day?

[+CanadianRockies]

In an earlier message you wrote "My comment also is related to swapping containers on power trails in that it points out that swapping containers with the owner's permission is a generally accepted practice among geocachers."

 

While swapping container may be a generally accepted practice among geocachers that do power trails, it is *not* a generally accepted practice for non-power trail caching.

Just to clarify... Swapping containers with the owner's consent IS a generally accepted practice, even for non-power trail caching. At least around here. I'm specifically thinking of instances when a container is damaged, and a geocacher replaces it with a new container with the owner's consent.

 

The practice of replacing an undamaged container and its log with a different container and a different log isn't done outside of power trails, as far as I know. There's no point in doing that, since most people aren't worried about saving a few seconds when finding standard caches. If it ever was done on non-power trail caches with the owner's consent, then I have no idea whether it would or would not become a generally accepted practice.

[+humboldt flier]

While I appreciate the fact that you guys didn't partake in some of the questionable practices that others have done, that doesn't mean that container swapping, leapfrogging, driving over sensitive areas isn't happening.

You're absolutely right. It does happen and IMO it is not geocaching. At least not how I want to geocache. However, just because it is happening doesn't mean all or most who cache a power trail do those things. Just because a person enjoys the occasional power trail doesn't mean they use any of those questionable practices.

 

Some see a grueling, boring day spent cooped up in a car with other people. We enjoyed the camaraderie with good friends and the memories made and yes, the numbers gained. We had a heck of a good time and I'll never forget that day. There were ups and downs. The mental wall we had to get beyond about the halfway point, a message we left for cachers we know that would be there the next day, a chase to cache another caching car we followed for several miles before catching, the wardrobe malfunction, the lack of any other cars for miles and miles at the western end, the lunch at an old, abandoned service station, the tires at 800, the milestones and mini-celebrations, 150 (pronounced one fitty), the exhaustion as we neared the end.

 

Obviously, it's not for everyone. I just hope people realize that a power trail doesn't mean you have to swap containers or leapfrog or that all do that.

 

Ahhhhhh ...the lunch at an old, abandoned service station. ( That stirred some memories for me )

 

Was passing through the area and detoured to do a few caches at the aforementioned gas station.

 

Once upon a time I got " My Kicks On Route 66 ". BEFORE there was an interstate route I was stranded at that station and was treated so warmly by the folks who operated the facility and adjacent store. I did not get a bunch of caches this past spring with my impromptu visit but I did get a few as I walked down memory lane.

Edited November 15, 2011 by humboldt flier

[+briansnat]

Um, not a logical conclusion at all. If a cache owner says it's okay to post spoilers about their cache (a non-standard practice), that doesn't mean it's okay to write profane logs with the cache owner's permission. But it's still okay to post spoilers.

It's not OK to attack the FTF with baseball bats with the CO's permission either. But using the CO permission standard a lot of things can occur that do not resemble geocaching as the larger community defines it.

Agreed.

 

The basic elements of geocachng are navigating to the cache, finding it, then returning the container to its original location. Once you get away from that you ain't geocaching.

They aren't geocaching as you define it. But there isn't a single definition of geocaching. Different people define it differently.

 

One of the things I like about geocaching is that, to a large degree, it allows people to shape the activity to best suit their individual preferences. If some people want to swap containers with the cache owner's permission, then they can. If other people don't want to swap, then they don't. Everybody has fun in their own way.

They aren't geocaching as the majority of the geocaching world defines it.

 

You're right about people having their own definitions of geocaching. There are "geocachers" who log finds on geocaches without leaving their living room. That's their individual preference and they can call it geocaching all they want, but that doesn't make it geocaching.

 

You can go to a golf course and hit a beach ball at the hole with a tennis racket and call it golf all you want, but sorry, you're doing something else. Once you've bastardized an activity to the point where it is barely recognizable you have a new activity.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

In an earlier message you wrote "My comment also is related to swapping containers on power trails in that it points out that swapping containers with the owner's permission is a generally accepted practice among geocachers."

 

While swapping container may be a generally accepted practice among geocachers that do power trails, it is *not* a generally accepted practice for non-power trail caching.

Just to clarify... Swapping containers with the owner's consent IS a generally accepted practice, even for non-power trail caching. At least around here. I'm specifically thinking of instances when a container is damaged, and a geocacher replaces it with a new container with the owner's consent.

 

Yes, I am aware that swapping in an undamaged container when a container is damaged is a common practice but as you and I know, that's entirely different from swapping a new container with an existing, viable container. The practice of fixing a damaged container is not really relevant to this discussion.

 

The practice of replacing an undamaged container and its log with a different container and a different log isn't done outside of power trails, as far as I know. There's no point in doing that, since most people aren't worried about saving a few seconds when finding standard caches.

 

And that's what I find irksome about the practice. It's one of several practices that geocachers will use that is not generally acceptable, but cachers will justify the practice because it can save a few seconds on each cache. I feel the same way about those that justify using using terse cut-n-paste logs because "it takes to long to write a couple of unique sentences for every cache when you find 100 or more a day". Frankly, I find that attitude a bit selfish and makes me reluctant to place new caches.

[+CanadianRockies]

The basic elements of geocachng are navigating to the cache, finding it, then returning the container to its original location. Once you get away from that you ain't geocaching.

They aren't geocaching as you define it. But there isn't a single definition of geocaching. Different people define it differently.

 

One of the things I like about geocaching is that, to a large degree, it allows people to shape the activity to best suit their individual preferences. If some people want to swap containers with the cache owner's permission, then they can. If other people don't want to swap, then they don't. Everybody has fun in their own way.

They aren't geocaching as the majority of the geocaching world defines it.

I'm not privy to any polling on the subject, but I suspect most people's definition of geocaching is a little more open minded than yours.

 

Most people don't play chess with clocks, but most players consider speed chess to be a variation of the game. Likewise, most geocachers sign the physical logs but accept that geocaching can include those who don't. Most geocachers use GPSrs to find caches but accept that geocaching can include those who don't. Most geocachers don't swap containers but accept that geocaching can include those who do. At least that's my hunch.

[+Gan Dalf]

Most geocachers don't swap containers but accept that geocaching can include those who do. At least that's my hunch.

-1

[+briansnat]

The basic elements of geocachng are navigating to the cache, finding it, then returning the container to its original location. Once you get away from that you ain't geocaching.

They aren't geocaching as you define it. But there isn't a single definition of geocaching. Different people define it differently.

 

One of the things I like about geocaching is that, to a large degree, it allows people to shape the activity to best suit their individual preferences. If some people want to swap containers with the cache owner's permission, then they can. If other people don't want to swap, then they don't. Everybody has fun in their own way.

They aren't geocaching as the majority of the geocaching world defines it.

I'm not privy to any polling on the subject, but I suspect most people's definition of geocaching is a little more open minded than yours.

 

Most people don't play chess with clocks, but most players consider speed chess to be a variation of the game. Likewise, most geocachers sign the physical logs but accept that geocaching can include those who don't. Most geocachers use GPSrs to find caches but accept that geocaching can include those who don't. Most geocachers don't swap containers but accept that geocaching can include those who do. At least that's my hunch.

 

Playing chess on the clock is still playing chess. If you change the way pieces move then it's no longer chess.

[+GeoBain]

The basic elements of geocachng are navigating to the cache, finding it, then returning the container to its original location. Once you get away from that you ain't geocaching.

They aren't geocaching as you define it. But there isn't a single definition of geocaching. Different people define it differently.

 

One of the things I like about geocaching is that, to a large degree, it allows people to shape the activity to best suit their individual preferences. If some people want to swap containers with the cache owner's permission, then they can. If other people don't want to swap, then they don't. Everybody has fun in their own way.

They aren't geocaching as the majority of the geocaching world defines it.

I'm not privy to any polling on the subject, but I suspect most people's definition of geocaching is a little more open minded than yours.

 

Most people don't play chess with clocks, but most players consider speed chess to be a variation of the game. Likewise, most geocachers sign the physical logs but accept that geocaching can include those who don't. Most geocachers use GPSrs to find caches but accept that geocaching can include those who don't. Most geocachers don't swap containers but accept that geocaching can include those who do. At least that's my hunch.

My definition is pretty much the same as Briansnat's. However, I just don't care much about how others define it as it doesn't really affect me. If people want to carry a bag full of replacement caches around so they can drop a cache down instead of logging a DNF, I don't really care, but it's not geocaching.

 

If people want to play leapfrog on a power trail, I don't really care, but it's not geocaching.

 

If people want to play 3 cache monty with caches on a powertrail to speed things up, I don't really care (and apparently neither do the CO's of those PTs), but it's not geocaching.

 

Do what you want. I don't really care. I go geocaching to get out of the house. Others do it for their own reasons. I just wish Groundspeak would do away with those stupid find counts since it means absolutely nothing anymore but still drives this silliness some CALL geocaching.

[+DanOCan]

I just wish Groundspeak would do away with those stupid find counts since it means absolutely nothing anymore but still drives this silliness some CALL geocaching.

I used to be very much against the idea of hiding find counts. However, now that I see the questionable practices which are being driven by the quest for ever higher numbers I would be quite happy to support the idea of hiding the Find counts for everyone.

 

It's not easy to get me to change my mind, but power trail antics finally did it for me on this topic.

[+DARKSIDEDAN]

680 in one day is possible with planning, a crew of 3 or more and the right powertrail

[Keystone]

I am closing this thread as having been improvidently bumped.