Group Sign-Ins

[+TeamSeekAndWeShallFind]

Do you sign logsheets with your registered GC name or different names that change daily depending on who you cache with?

Edited December 2, 2012 by TeamSeekAndWeShallFind

[+Roman!]

Sign logsheets with your registered GC name and not different made up names that change day-to-day depending on who you cache with.

 

Does it really matter how you sign the log? At worst it saves log space if it a small log and it beats stickers and stamps.

[+Beach_hut]

like Roman says (and I don't often agree with him ;-) ) it saves log space if a group of cachers all caching together sign one group name on the logsheet. As long as they add in their electronic logs how they signed the log so that if the CO can verify who has bene to his/her cache by looking at the paper log.

[+GoleeMD]

I'm fine with the group caching thing, though when the group is more than about 3 or 4 it seems kind of ridiculous. I once saw some logs from a group of 23 people who all logged 1 puzzle cache because 22 of them stood around while 1 person solved the puzzle and then they all signed in. Or I love the logs of 10 people on a 4/4 cache where only one of them risked life and limb to climb the tree or go below the railroad trestle to retrieve the container while the others stood around chatting and then they all passed around the logbook. I guess I wouldn't expect each person to put it back and let the next one go, but I also wouldn't cache in a large group either. You miss out on so much!

[Mr.Yuck]

Sign logsheets with your registered GC name and not different made up names that change day-to-day depending on who you cache with.

 

You know, I do see that every once in a while in cache logs. But then that means the people are going out of their way to tell you they made up such and such a name for the day. I will say I have no problem with it.

[+briansnat]

I'm fine with the group caching thing, though when the group is more than about 3 or 4 it seems kind of ridiculous. I once saw some logs from a group of 23 people who all logged 1 puzzle cache because 22 of them stood around while 1 person solved the puzzle and then they all signed in. Or I love the logs of 10 people on a 4/4 cache where only one of them risked life and limb to climb the tree or go below the railroad trestle to retrieve the container while the others stood around chatting and then they all passed around the logbook. I guess I wouldn't expect each person to put it back and let the next one go, but I also wouldn't cache in a large group either. You miss out on so much!

 

Some of the best times I've had caching were with large groups so I have no problem with group hunts per se. I have a personal rule though, in that if I am not an active participant in the hunt I don't log a find, and if the cache requires some feat like climbing a tree or hanging over the edge of a cliff, I won't log a find if I don't either retrieve the cache or put it back. I also don't log puzzle caches if I didn't figure out the puzzle myself. That's a personal ethic and I have no problem with people who do things differently, but I agree that they are missing out on half of the fun.

[AZcachemeister]

I would much rather read: 'Found the cache with A, B, C, L, M, N, O, and P, and we signed the log 'SOUP'.

 

As opposed to: 'Found the cache with a group of seven others, the log is now full.'

[+T.D.M.22]

Normally we log as our geoname-for me T.D.M.22 but occasional it be something like GO6-for group of 6 on the cache-, then mention something like found with Bill Reg and Harry etc logged as GO6. Save a lot of room especially on the micros and during the events.

[+Totem Clan]

I cache with 2Moore a lot. We sign the log as TC2M. It saves space on micros. There is no question from our online logs we were both there, both hunted for the cache and both had our hands on the cache. She normally holds the cache while I sign the log. Who ever found/retrieved the cache puts it back.

[+Don_J]

I cache with 2Moore a lot. We sign the log as TC2M. It saves space on micros. There is no question from our online logs we were both there, both hunted for the cache and both had our hands on the cache. She normally holds the cache while I sign the log. Who ever found/retrieved the cache puts it back.

 

Always a good idea. I've been in big groups where the person who found the cache was a 1/4 mile up the trail while the last guy is standing there with cache in hand and no idea of where it was hidden.

[+niraD]

Usually, when I'm with a group, I sign my geocaching name myself.

 

Occasionally, someone else in the group will sign my name for me while I take care of something else. Sometimes, I never actually touch the cache, even if I was the first person to spot it. (Huckle-buckle-beanstalk)

 

Occasionally, we'll sign a single group name and mention the group name in our online logs. This is more likely when caches are smaller, when the caches are more remote, when the group is larger, and/or when the cache location is somehow precarious and we want to replace it quickly. Conversely, it is less likely when caches are bigger, when caches are less remote, when the group is smaller, and/or when we are more comfortable lingering at the cache location.

[+The_Incredibles_]

I would much rather read: 'Found the cache with A, B, C, L, M, N, O, and P, and we signed the log 'SOUP'.

 

As opposed to: 'Found the cache with a group of seven others, the log is now full.'

 

This.

 

Mostly I sign my own name. However, if I go with a group, we usually sign once for the group. Otherwise, especially with a large group, it takes a ridiculously long time to get the log signed. I went with a large group once and it took 20 minutes to sign the first log. After that, we signed as a group. Also, especially with micro logs, I think the cache owner would prefer we sign once rather than fill the whole log. One other consideration is often I go with people who are very casual/new cachers and don't log their finds online or don't even have a caching name. So there's no point, really, them signing the log.

[knowschad]

Just as long as they don't use an inappropriate team caching name, I'm fine with it.

Edited December 3, 2012 by knowschad

[+jellis]

When I'm with a group we use one of the group names depending who we are with. When we log online we name the cachers who were in the group.

[+baloo&bd]

Geocaching has evolved from a underground, sparsely populated group of individuals into a very social activity. Group caching is now more the norm than the exception.

 

We are lucky to live in a very large area, north eastern Illinois, where it is very rare indeed to be involved in geocaching longer than a few months without being invited to cache with other cachers. We also have a great number of events which further promote this type of caching as many go out together afterward in the events immediate area in groups. There are also three or for groups in the area that cache together on a regular basis, and when they do use the group names, most now recognizable to area hiders.

 

Geocaching has also evolved to include more micros than when we first started. Micros and nanos have very limited logging space. As such, logging with a group name show a level of consideration for the hiders of these caches (reduced maintenance) as well as seekers who now have a place to sign where they otherwise may not have.

 

The social aspect is one that is most welcomed. Running a business, I have limited time to attend events so pick and choose the ones I do, I have a regular group I do cache with and several others I have available to me when I want to get out. The day after Thanksgiving, we went out with one of the most diverse group of cachers I have to date. A business owner, single mom, educator, retired individual, etc. most of which would not have wandered into my social circle without GC. Since there were about ten of us in total (I generally prefer 3 to 4) all signing the logs would have take a lot of unnecessary space and time.

[+LightHouseSeekers]

Usual when ther is no more than 3 of us we sign individually.

Recently as a group of 8 on a cache run we created a group name for the day and at each stop one person would sign for all with that name. Then for our on-line logs we would note that it was a group find and the name used.

 

This past weekend was an exception. Went on a night cache for a long hike through the woods. All 20+ of us signed individually, but was a full sized logbook.