Statistics in geocaching

[+Off Grid]

Does it really matter how many you find in a year or in your whole career. The geocachers in our area are under the impression that just because they have a thousand or two thousand caches that there god. Does it really matter how many you have? especially when putting out a cache or making a find?

 

So recently just because I did not have 2000 finds they said basically I did not know how to put out a cache and almost seemed like they were question even if I had found the 400 I have.

 

So does it really matter how many you have?

[+lookout.]

Does it really matter how many you find in a year or in your whole career. The geocachers in our area are under the impression that just because they have a thousand or two thousand caches that there god. Does it really matter how many you have? especially when putting out a cache or making a find?

 

So recently just because I did not have 2000 finds they said basically I did not know how to put out a cache and almost seemed like they were question even if I had found the 400 I have.

 

So does it really matter how many you have?

 

no

[+T.D.M.22]

Looking at that cache it did appear to be in a poor area. Multiple needles found near the cache. Just that fact I would have(and did) archive my own cache. You where deleting DNF logs. There is no reason to do so. It doesn't matter if the cache is there or not, if the co-ords are accurate or not, or if there is a person camping there. Someone didn't find it and has every right to log a DNF.

 

and what you said about GPS; the gps system is never more than accurate than six meters as it can be used as a weapon you could send a bomb through someones window

 

Is not true. I've had mine exactly perfect. The expected accuracy is 10M. Anything better is a bonus-but it is just the limitations of the machine. Trees cloud cover etc will contribute to that. In fact if you look at the history of geocaching you will learn that the most accurate civilian GPS was a mile or more off due to military concerns of it being misused. There are much more accurate methods I could use to send a bomb into your window anyhow.

 

But in the bright side-after it was unarchived everything seems to be good. It wasn't that you didn't have a lot of find, but that at first the hide was not the best.

[+StarBrand]

11+ years - I have about 1,300 finds and 170 hides.

 

It doesn't matter - as long as you are having fun doing it.

[+T.D.M.22]

I don't think it really is about the number of finds. Look at GC4578T I think the OP is just trying to make it look like his cache was perfect and it was the other cachers who are judging him, when there where problems with the cache. The whole-I know I'm right. I don't care what the more experienced people say, they just think I'm wrong because I don't have lots of finds.

 

To the OP. I think any issues the cache had have been taken care of-so just let it go on. It's not worth making a big deal of it.

[GOF and Bacall]

Statistics in geocaching does it matter?

 

Statistics? No. Experience? Yes. While some people are great cache hiders from the start most of us learn as we go. Each hide getting better along the way. Don't take it personally when someone who has lots of experience hiding caches has a suggestion how to improve yours. Odds are they learned it the hard way.

[+The A-Team]

The geocachers in our area are under the impression that just because they have a thousand or two thousand caches that there god.

It isn't that they think they're god, but they do have a lot of experience. These cachers (of which I'm one) have hidden many caches and found even more, so we've seen what can go wrong with caches. By your own admission in a now deleted note, your original coordinates were intentionally not at GZ, which is contrary to the guidelines and why your cache was archived. It's no wonder the first cachers to attempt it had problems finding it and stated that there seemed to be a problem with the cache. Also, I've found several caches over the last few years in Banfield Park, and there has always been either garbage, drug paraphernalia, homeless camps, or other unsavoury experiences near the caches. That's just the way that park is. Those of us with more experience have seen these problems in the past and know the park's reputation, so we wanted to communicate that to others that may not know its history. Unfortunately, you felt that we were making your cache look bad, so you deleted valid DNF logs and notes to cover it up. We weren't lying. There really was a homeless guy camping near GZ and there was garbage and needles immediately surrounding GZ, and others needed to know that.

 

The cachers who were posting in the first few days of your cache were only trying to notify yourself and others about problems with the cache and the area around the cache.

[+TheWeatherWarrior]

Only if you have an OCD

 

Hi, my name is TheWeatherWarrior and I have a statistical problem

[+Off Grid]

I don't think it really is about the number of finds. Look at GC4578T I think the OP is just trying to make it look like his cache was perfect and it was the other cachers who are judging him, when there where problems with the cache. The whole-I know I'm right. I don't care what the more experienced people say, they just think I'm wrong because I don't have lots of finds.

 

To the OP. I think any issues the cache had have been taken care of-so just let it go on. It's not worth making a big deal of it.

 

actual we were just talking about an opinion of experience and caches but now your dragging in stuff that doesnt matter...thats not even the topic your off topic.

[+Off Grid]

The geocachers in our area are under the impression that just because they have a thousand or two thousand caches that there god.

It isn't that they think they're god, but they do have a lot of experience. These cachers (of which I'm one) have hidden many caches and found even more, so we've seen what can go wrong with caches. By your own admission in a now deleted note, your original coordinates were intentionally not at GZ, which is contrary to the guidelines and why your cache was archived. It's no wonder the first cachers to attempt it had problems finding it and stated that there seemed to be a problem with the cache. Also, I've found several caches over the last few years in Banfield Park, and there has always been either garbage, drug paraphernalia, homeless camps, or other unsavoury experiences near the caches. That's just the way that park is. Those of us with more experience have seen these problems in the past and know the park's reputation, so we wanted to communicate that to others that may not know its history. Unfortunately, you felt that we were making your cache look bad, so you deleted valid DNF logs and notes to cover it up. We weren't lying. There really was a homeless guy camping near GZ and there was garbage and needles immediately surrounding GZ, and others needed to know that.

 

The cachers who were posting in the first few days of your cache were only trying to notify yourself and others about problems with the cache and the area around the cache.

 

and your off topic.

 

the cache has always been where you found it. there was no secret squirrel go find it it was there within 6 meters of the listed coordinates as there is a 6m accuracy.the cache was always there hiding awayyyy. we searched the area before we put the cache and found garbage and we did find bottles etc we were aware of that cleaned the area i walk by clean the area as i work somewhere around there and beside the fact we seem to be dwelling on this cache with the trash i could take you to 4 or 5 places that have had worse than said cache and we did not post that on there page. to say hey maybe clean the cache than we cito and leave.and thats because no one ever phoned the police or dealt with the homeless person in question as a citizen i am allowed to take care of such matters. in fact he actual swore at me and i found it offensive and i called the cops and got it dealt with now there is no homeless guy there and from now on there will be no homeless people there ever. obviously no one cared before about this matter and we care about this matter as there are children there and moms and the y we were very concerned.

 

we have had visitors and there have been no issues problems or concerns after.......

 

this forum question was merely a question had nothing to do with the cache. happy caching

[+Off Grid]

Only if you have an OCD

 

Hi, my name is TheWeatherWarrior and I have a statistical problem

hi my name is off grid and im sure one of us that own this account have ocd...

[+T.D.M.22]

actual we were just talking about an opinion of experience and caches but now your dragging in stuff that doesnt matter...thats not even the topic your off topic.

 

No I'm offtopican. There's a difference. May not be what you where talking about-but it's an amazing coincidence with that cache and you said in your post

 

they said basically I did not know how to put out a cache

So you really can't blame me for putting those 2 together.

Edited February 20, 2013 by T.D.M.22

[+wimseyguy]

I don't think it really is about the number of finds. Look at GC4578T I think the OP is just trying to make it look like his cache was perfect and it was the other cachers who are judging him, when there where problems with the cache. The whole-I know I'm right. I don't care what the more experienced people say, they just think I'm wrong because I don't have lots of finds.

 

To the OP. I think any issues the cache had have been taken care of-so just let it go on. It's not worth making a big deal of it.

 

actual we were just talking about an opinion of experience and caches but now your dragging in stuff that doesnt matter...thats not even the topic your off topic.

 

Statistics in geocaching does it matter?

 

Studies have shown that 88.375% of forum threads have a Paul Harvey moment.

Edited February 20, 2013 by wimseyguy

[+JKMonkey]

Sure it would be nice to have thousands of caches already, but in all honesty it really doesn't matter to me. I do it for the fun of finding the cache, not for any statistics.

[Keystone]

actual we were just talking about an opinion of experience and caches but now your dragging in stuff that doesnt matter...thats not even the topic your off topic.

and your off topic.

If you believe that a forum post violates the forum guidelines, you are welcome to report it to the moderating team.

 

The posts which you've labeled as off topic are not off topic. The topic is not "let's bad mouth the geocachers with more experience" but rather the totality of the circumstances which brought this matter into the forums.

 

I encourage the OP to carefully consider the views posted by other geocachers. It's a discussion forum, not a bulletin board.

[+TheWeatherWarrior]

If you believe that a forum post violates the forum guidelines, you are welcome to report it to the moderating team.

Reporting posts is for weasels, well unless it is for something serious (hacks/spam, pornography, hate speech). Little crap doesn't need to be reported. A little self-policing is fine! In fact it is what is expected on the internet. Edited February 21, 2013 by TheWeatherWarrior

[Keystone]

If you believe that a forum post violates the forum guidelines, you are welcome to report it to the moderating team.

Reporting posts is for weasels, well unless it is for something serious (hacks/spam, pornography, hate speech). Little crap doesn't need to be reported. A little self-policing is fine! In fact it is what is expected on the internet.

Self-policing is fine, if properly aimed. Since the OP's self-policing was misdirected, I suggested leaving the moderating to the moderators. Speaking of which... go away from this thread. Thanks.

[AZcachemeister]

If you believe that a forum post violates the forum guidelines, you are welcome to report it to the moderating team.

Reporting posts is for weasels, well unless it is for something serious (hacks/spam, pornography, hate speech). Little crap doesn't need to be reported. A little self-policing is fine! In fact it is what is expected on the internet.

Self-policing is fine, if properly aimed. Since the OP's self-policing was misdirected, I suggested leaving the moderating to the moderators. Speaking of which... go away from this thread. Thanks.

 

OUCH!

 

And back on topic...

 

No, my statistics don't matter so much.

As pointed out earlier though, a cacher's statistics can indicate that they have been around the block a time or two, and so could possibly have a bit of wisdom to share.

Naturally, having wisdom, and having the ability to impart it gently and successfully are two different things.

And similarly, the ability to accept the wisdom of others while overlooking the possibly 'rough' delivery is not an easy thing to learn.

[+Sharks-N-Beans]

The OP mentions statistics, but I believe he means find count. I actually think the stats help me understand a potential point of view of another cacher. Find counts below 300 or so and I think there is still a lot to be learned. Distance to finds speaks volumes regarding exposure to different hides. The OP, for example has pretty much stayed within a 25 mile radius. Chronology showing recent long hiatus tells me that newer trends may not be recognized or understood. Long story short, I think stats matter if relevant experience is the topic.

[+The A-Team]

the cache has always been where you found it. there was no secret squirrel go find it it was there within 6 meters of the listed coordinates as there is a 6m accuracy.the cache was always there hiding awayyyy.

I have no doubt that the cache was always in the same spot, but the coordinates were not. When you updated the coordinates, they changed by 22.5 metres, not the 6 metres you state above. You also stated the following just before the cache was archived:

The coordinates were never wrong in the first place you are supposed to hunt for the cache we decided to give coordinates near the location the second time as it seemed to be difficult for people to find that is the only reason why coordinates were changed

The way I read that, and apparently the way the reviewer read it, is that you purposely posted coordinates that were only near the cache, then later updated them to be right on top. Sorry, that doesn't fly here.

 

Now, does a high find count imply experience? As a blanket statement, no. Let's use an example of a cacher who goes and does a power-trail. They may have 1000 finds, but they're probably all micros along the side of the road, so they really don't have broad experience in geocaching.

However, in the case of the cachers who were DNFing your cache and reporting problems with the cache site, their find count does equate to experience. These cachers have found thousands of caches of countless different shapes, sizes, and types over many years, and have also hidden many caches. They have a ton of experience, so when they state something, it would benefit you to listen to what they're saying. None of the logs or notes passed any judgment on the quality of your hide. All they did was state what they found at and around GZ, because others had the right to know what they might encounter. I don't know if anyone contacted you directly, so I can't comment on any such messages if there were any, but nothing posted on the cache page ever smacked of someone with a god-complex. They were factual logs by people who know what they're talking about that were alerting you and others to problems with the cache and cache site.

 

Oh, and hopefully you've learned from this experience that deleting logs and notes won't cover anything up. Those of us who had your cache on our watchlist have a record of every log posted, and the reviewers always have access to everything.

[+NeverSummer]

Does it really matter how many you find in a year or in your whole career. The geocachers in our area are under the impression that just because they have a thousand or two thousand caches that there god. Does it really matter how many you have? especially when putting out a cache or making a find?

 

So recently just because I did not have 2000 finds they said basically I did not know how to put out a cache and almost seemed like they were question even if I had found the 400 I have.

 

So does it really matter how many you have?

In a word, no.

 

More than a word:

Your stats matter to you. They are your stats. Your stats do not equate more status in the game. However, your stats might speak in part to your level of experience with the game. That said, having more experience does not equate a better or "winning" geocacher.

 

So long as you don't lord your stats over others, it's all good. As soon as someone starts looking at their stats to say they are a better cacher, walk away. This game should be about working together, celebrating our mutual love of technology and the outdoors, and making the game welcoming to new members.

[+simpjkee]

The geocachers in our area are under the impression that just because they have a thousand or two thousand caches that there god.

It isn't that they think they're god, but they do have a lot of experience. These cachers (of which I'm one) have hidden many caches and found even more, so we've seen what can go wrong with caches. By your own admission in a now deleted note, your original coordinates were intentionally not at GZ, which is contrary to the guidelines and why your cache was archived. It's no wonder the first cachers to attempt it had problems finding it and stated that there seemed to be a problem with the cache. Also, I've found several caches over the last few years in Banfield Park, and there has always been either garbage, drug paraphernalia, homeless camps, or other unsavoury experiences near the caches. That's just the way that park is. Those of us with more experience have seen these problems in the past and know the park's reputation, so we wanted to communicate that to others that may not know its history. Unfortunately, you felt that we were making your cache look bad, so you deleted valid DNF logs and notes to cover it up. We weren't lying. There really was a homeless guy camping near GZ and there was garbage and needles immediately surrounding GZ, and others needed to know that.

 

The cachers who were posting in the first few days of your cache were only trying to notify yourself and others about problems with the cache and the area around the cache.

 

and your off topic.

 

the cache has always been where you found it. there was no secret squirrel go find it it was there within 6 meters of the listed coordinates as there is a 6m accuracy.the cache was always there hiding awayyyy. we searched the area before we put the cache and found garbage and we did find bottles etc we were aware of that cleaned the area i walk by clean the area as i work somewhere around there and beside the fact we seem to be dwelling on this cache with the trash i could take you to 4 or 5 places that have had worse than said cache and we did not post that on there page. to say hey maybe clean the cache than we cito and leave.and thats because no one ever phoned the police or dealt with the homeless person in question as a citizen i am allowed to take care of such matters. in fact he actual swore at me and i found it offensive and i called the cops and got it dealt with now there is no homeless guy there and from now on there will be no homeless people there ever. obviously no one cared before about this matter and we care about this matter as there are children there and moms and the y we were very concerned.

 

we have had visitors and there have been no issues problems or concerns after.......

 

this forum question was merely a question had nothing to do with the cache. happy caching

Part of the new CIHO program.... Cache In Homeless Out

 

I like to look at my own stats. They are interesting to me. I look at other peoples stats every so often. Mostly to see their timeline to see how active they are (especially when I don't recognize their name). Other times to see the terrain stats to see if they're more of an urban cacher or a hiking type cacher. I rarely look at their find count. If I do, it's to see if they go for multis and puzzles and stuff or if they're just the drive along the side of the road traditional type cacher.

 

I think stats can suggest experience level, but I'm weary of coming to any real conclusions. And not all experience is good experience. When I see someone with 17,500+ finds I suspect they have a lot of leapfrogging, cache shuffling, and throwdown caching experience.

[+Don_J]

So recently just because I did not have 2000 finds they said basically I did not know how to put out a cache and almost seemed like they were question even if I had found the 400 I have.

 

After reading this, the logs on the cache that you haven't deleted, including your reviewer's, and the The A-Team's post #7, I'd say that you have the propensity to exaggerate. You made just about every mistake you could make when hiding your cache. That was not because you don't have 2000 finds but probably because you reject what people are telling you because you don't like it. BTW, they were talking about your cache, not about you. Don't take it personal. Listen to what is being said and figure out how to use it to your advantage.

 

At any rate, I can't believe that you called the police on a homeless person because he was giving away the location of your cache.

[+tozainamboku]

I would guess experience finding geocaches and - even more so - experience hiding geocaches, makes some difference in knowing the guidelines, knowing how to make sure the coordinates you have are reasonably accurate, and avoiding certain areas where a cache is more likely to go missing and become a maintenace nightmare.

 

But I've also noticed that geocaching experience doesn't always mean that a cacher is more understanding of the personal stake many new hiders have in their first geocaches, and that they don't always know how to present helpful criticism in a way that doesn't come across as personal. It is particularly not helpful to imply that someone just wasn't "ready" for cache ownership.

 

I've learned to try to be neutral in my logs instead of discouraging someone who might turn into a better hider. If there is helpful criticism that I can give, then I've found it better to sent a private message to the new cache owner. It's less likely to be misinterpreted. This happened after getting logs deleted by someone who took them too personal. The OP is not the first to do this.

 

Anyhow it now appears that with the issues of coordinates and homeless folk resolved people are enjoying the cache. The OP should count this as a learning experience and she will find that hiding caches (as well as finding them) becomes easier as your "statistics" grow.

[+Off Grid]

So recently just because I did not have 2000 finds they said basically I did not know how to put out a cache and almost seemed like they were question even if I had found the 400 I have.

 

After reading this, the logs on the cache that you haven't deleted, including your reviewer's, and the The A-Team's post #7, I'd say that you have the propensity to exaggerate. You made just about every mistake you could make when hiding your cache. That was not because you don't have 2000 finds but probably because you reject what people are telling you because you don't like it. BTW, they were talking about your cache, not about you. Don't take it personal. Listen to what is being said and figure out how to use it to your advantage.

 

At any rate, I can't believe that you called the police on a homeless person because he was giving away the location of your cache.

 

we called because he was not harmless we called because this was an issue he was in a park where children play most of my friends have kids and would not want to see such a thing but that is just my opinion on the matter.

[+Off Grid]

the cache has always been where you found it. there was no secret squirrel go find it it was there within 6 meters of the listed coordinates as there is a 6m accuracy.the cache was always there hiding awayyyy.

I have no doubt that the cache was always in the same spot, but the coordinates were not. When you updated the coordinates, they changed by 22.5 metres, not the 6 metres you state above. You also stated the following just before the cache was archived:

The coordinates were never wrong in the first place you are supposed to hunt for the cache we decided to give coordinates near the location the second time as it seemed to be difficult for people to find that is the only reason why coordinates were changed

The way I read that, and apparently the way the reviewer read it, is that you purposely posted coordinates that were only near the cache, then later updated them to be right on top. Sorry, that doesn't fly here.

 

Now, does a high find count imply experience? As a blanket statement, no. Let's use an example of a cacher who goes and does a power-trail. They may have 1000 finds, but they're probably all micros along the side of the road, so they really don't have broad experience in geocaching.

However, in the case of the cachers who were DNFing your cache and reporting problems with the cache site, their find count does equate to experience. These cachers have found thousands of caches of countless different shapes, sizes, and types over many years, and have also hidden many caches. They have a ton of experience, so when they state something, it would benefit you to listen to what they're saying. None of the logs or notes passed any judgment on the quality of your hide. All they did was state what they found at and around GZ, because others had the right to know what they might encounter. I don't know if anyone contacted you directly, so I can't comment on any such messages if there were any, but nothing posted on the cache page ever smacked of someone with a god-complex. They were factual logs by people who know what they're talking about that were alerting you and others to problems with the cache and cache site.

 

Oh, and hopefully you've learned from this experience that deleting logs and notes won't cover anything up. Those of us who had your cache on our watchlist have a record of every log posted, and the reviewers always have access to everything.

i do not mind the watches. and the problems have been solved to me this matter was already resolved.

 

happy watching and happy caching

[+NeverSummer]

So recently just because I did not have 2000 finds they said basically I did not know how to put out a cache and almost seemed like they were question even if I had found the 400 I have.

 

After reading this, the logs on the cache that you haven't deleted, including your reviewer's, and the The A-Team's post #7, I'd say that you have the propensity to exaggerate. You made just about every mistake you could make when hiding your cache. That was not because you don't have 2000 finds but probably because you reject what people are telling you because you don't like it. BTW, they were talking about your cache, not about you. Don't take it personal. Listen to what is being said and figure out how to use it to your advantage.

 

At any rate, I can't believe that you called the police on a homeless person because he was giving away the location of your cache.

 

we called because he was not harmless we called because this was an issue he was in a park where children play most of my friends have kids and would not want to see such a thing but that is just my opinion on the matter.

If you really want to teach your kids something, you should have invited the homeless person for a meal.

[+Off Grid]

So recently just because I did not have 2000 finds they said basically I did not know how to put out a cache and almost seemed like they were question even if I had found the 400 I have.

 

After reading this, the logs on the cache that you haven't deleted, including your reviewer's, and the The A-Team's post #7, I'd say that you have the propensity to exaggerate. You made just about every mistake you could make when hiding your cache. That was not because you don't have 2000 finds but probably because you reject what people are telling you because you don't like it. BTW, they were talking about your cache, not about you. Don't take it personal. Listen to what is being said and figure out how to use it to your advantage.

 

At any rate, I can't believe that you called the police on a homeless person because he was giving away the location of your cache.

 

we called because he was not harmless we called because this was an issue he was in a park where children play most of my friends have kids and would not want to see such a thing but that is just my opinion on the matter.

If you really want to teach your kids something, you should have invited the homeless person for a meal.

 

in my personal opinion i dont think i would want to teach my children that.

[+Roman!]

Hmmm.

 

This is a log you posted ona cache you found today:

 

Found it02/20/2013

thanks for the find took a friend here to show off the park and our amazing cache around the corner!

 

Hard to take criticism with blinders on.

Edited February 21, 2013 by Roman!

[+Don_J]

So recently just because I did not have 2000 finds they said basically I did not know how to put out a cache and almost seemed like they were question even if I had found the 400 I have.

 

After reading this, the logs on the cache that you haven't deleted, including your reviewer's, and the The A-Team's post #7, I'd say that you have the propensity to exaggerate. You made just about every mistake you could make when hiding your cache. That was not because you don't have 2000 finds but probably because you reject what people are telling you because you don't like it. BTW, they were talking about your cache, not about you. Don't take it personal. Listen to what is being said and figure out how to use it to your advantage.

 

At any rate, I can't believe that you called the police on a homeless person because he was giving away the location of your cache.

 

we called because he was not harmless we called because this was an issue he was in a park where children play most of my friends have kids and would not want to see such a thing but that is just my opinion on the matter.

 

If you are so concerned about the children, why did you place a cache amongst broken wine bottles and used syringes? All of the logs say that the homeless man was friendly and helpful, to the point that they even learned his name. He did not become hostile until you arrived.

 

I'm starting to see a common denominator in all of your problems.

[+DOCSpanky]

Um, its a game, played on EARTH. People can take its super serious, or just have fun. Its HUMAN nature to be competitive. Just don't be a jerk.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

The OP mentions statistics, but I believe he means find count. I actually think the stats help me understand a potential point of view of another cacher. Find counts below 300 or so and I think there is still a lot to be learned. Distance to finds speaks volumes regarding exposure to different hides. The OP, for example has pretty much stayed within a 25 mile radius. Chronology showing recent long hiatus tells me that newer trends may not be recognized or understood. Long story short, I think stats matter if relevant experience is the topic.

 

This.

 

The total find count is just one data point in the statistics that can be gathered. Looking other aspects like the chart which shows a breakdown of caches at various distances from home, average D/T ratings, a breakdown by cache types and size, and other stats can all provide a better idea regarding the amount of experience one might have. Of course, none of those can really give much insight into the how qualified someone might be for hiding caches. My total number of finds is relatively low compared to many, but finds in 17 countries, on four continents, and a total cache-to-cache distance of 170,300 miles might indicate that I've seen a broad range of what geocaching can be.

[+OZ2CPU]

even a very experianced CO can make a bad cache, by choise, by bad luck, if in a hurry,

if he dont care to make a super good cache,

dont be super focused on this, not all caches need to be super high-end tip top good, with 100% FP score.

 

I rather have you make caches, even a bad cache is better than no cache at all,

but please care a little, use your own experiance and good judgement,

and be open for suggestions and friendly advice,

and dont take any bad written advice personally.

 

The general feeling is, it is more likely to see cache creation error or just plain bad caches

when it is created by a person with less - little experiance.

 

a find count alone say only ONE out of MANY things about that CO's experiance,

you need to look at their full stats, D/T matrix, cache types, and their gallery and maps and

use your own experiance to maybe figure out, what kind of a type he might be.

 

Some more sneaky people create "fake" or call it "extra" accounts for hides, so you can see NOTHING at all,

this is seen a few times on special hard to solve and hard to handle puzzles, hight D/T stuff.

 

Also remember this is no hi-score game, there is no 1st or 2nd place.

however alot of challenge caches are setup so you look more at your stats and play after them,

this you will find more and more fun, when other things starts to bore you,

some like numbers, other words with funny sounds and so on.

it is also compleetly ok not to care about any of this at all, and just enjoy the great outdoors and find caches,

please just do what you find most funny.

Edited February 21, 2013 by OZ2CPU

[Mr.Yuck]

So recently just because I did not have 2000 finds they said basically I did not know how to put out a cache and almost seemed like they were question even if I had found the 400 I have.

 

After reading this, the logs on the cache that you haven't deleted, including your reviewer's, and the The A-Team's post #7, I'd say that you have the propensity to exaggerate. You made just about every mistake you could make when hiding your cache. That was not because you don't have 2000 finds but probably because you reject what people are telling you because you don't like it. BTW, they were talking about your cache, not about you. Don't take it personal. Listen to what is being said and figure out how to use it to your advantage.

 

At any rate, I can't believe that you called the police on a homeless person because he was giving away the location of your cache.

 

I'm not the only one who saw that, eh? That is the 2nd most unbelieveable thing I've heard in the world of Geocaching, the first being the Charter Member from Missouri who made a YouTube video on how to make a crumpled up Poland Spring water bottle cache.

 

I don't want to get the cache owner worked up any more, but that note where he indicates he called the Police on the homeless guy because he was giving hints to his cache, and "that ruins the fun of Geocaching", is just bizarre, man.

Edited February 21, 2013 by Mr.Yuck

[4wheelin_fool]

It would be even more bizarre if he called the police because the homeless guy was giving away hints to his crumpled up Poland Spring water bottle cache.

[+Off Grid]

Hmmm.

 

This is a log you posted ona cache you found today:

 

Found it02/20/2013

thanks for the find took a friend here to show off the park and our amazing cache around the corner!

 

Hard to take criticism with blinders on.

 

look at the location that was one of our caches we placed the first time were there was no issues problems or concerns probably because most geocachers wouldnt want to hike up a hill to get it in my opinion everyone seems to be park and grab no walking or exercise

[+Off Grid]

It would be even more bizarre if he called the police because the homeless guy was giving away hints to his crumpled up Poland Spring water bottle cache.

he was depositing trash being rude and disrespecting the park property..when i have my son or daughter in my personal opinion as a soon to be mom in a few years as i stated i would not want them to see such a thing

[+Off Grid]

So recently just because I did not have 2000 finds they said basically I did not know how to put out a cache and almost seemed like they were question even if I had found the 400 I have.

 

After reading this, the logs on the cache that you haven't deleted, including your reviewer's, and the The A-Team's post #7, I'd say that you have the propensity to exaggerate. You made just about every mistake you could make when hiding your cache. That was not because you don't have 2000 finds but probably because you reject what people are telling you because you don't like it. BTW, they were talking about your cache, not about you. Don't take it personal. Listen to what is being said and figure out how to use it to your advantage.

 

At any rate, I can't believe that you called the police on a homeless person because he was giving away the location of your cache.

 

I'm not the only one who saw that, eh? That is the 2nd most unbelieveable thing I've heard in the world of Geocaching, the first being the Charter Member from Missouri who made a YouTube video on how to make a crumpled up Poland Spring water bottle cache.

 

I don't want to get the cache owner worked up any more, but that note where he indicates he called the Police on the homeless guy because he was giving hints to his cache, and "that ruins the fun of Geocaching", is just bizarre, man.

 

hardly worked up at all think this is amusing asked a question and got blasted on other things. and well when i like to geocache i have my gps my phone and tablet and thats it we look for the geocaches we dont get hints phone a friend we have tried to exchange a hint before but that was not worth our wild as we would prefer to use our geosenses the whole point is to search for the item in question be it a tupperware container or tube.

[+Off Grid]

So recently just because I did not have 2000 finds they said basically I did not know how to put out a cache and almost seemed like they were question even if I had found the 400 I have.

 

After reading this, the logs on the cache that you haven't deleted, including your reviewer's, and the The A-Team's post #7, I'd say that you have the propensity to exaggerate. You made just about every mistake you could make when hiding your cache. That was not because you don't have 2000 finds but probably because you reject what people are telling you because you don't like it. BTW, they were talking about your cache, not about you. Don't take it personal. Listen to what is being said and figure out how to use it to your advantage.

 

At any rate, I can't believe that you called the police on a homeless person because he was giving away the location of your cache.

 

we called because he was not harmless we called because this was an issue he was in a park where children play most of my friends have kids and would not want to see such a thing but that is just my opinion on the matter.

 

If you are so concerned about the children, why did you place a cache amongst broken wine bottles and used syringes? All of the logs say that the homeless man was friendly and helpful, to the point that they even learned his name. He did not become hostile until you arrived.

 

 

I'm starting to see a common denominator in all of your problems.

 

because we had cleaned the area of the cache where it is located as best we could as i walk by numerous times in a week and clean the area i am very cautious before i stick my hand anywhere and i did not find any needles that was my main concern as i am paranoid. if there was a needle found and garbage after well it is an urban cache.... we just did night geocaching last night with some urban caches and there was apples glass trash but we just clean it up and post postive reviews a prime example is we found a stack of needles and a box of needles near the area and this is a well known cache and its near tourists we cleaned the area thinking this might even be a one time thing.

 

happy caching

[Mr.Yuck]

It would be even more bizarre if he called the police because the homeless guy was giving away hints to his crumpled up Poland Spring water bottle cache.

he was depositing trash being rude and disrespecting the park property..when i have my son or daughter in my personal opinion as a soon to be mom in a few years as i stated i would not want them to see such a thing

 

Fair enough. But the way this log reads to me, The only reason you called the authorities on "Darren", and had him removed from the park, was because he was providing Geocachers with hints to your cache. I'm not crazy here, am I? Anyone?

 

 

called the police to take care of the "darren" situation as it seems to be a big problem for everyone including us the owners that placed the cache as he was giving away the cache and we did not want that that ruins the fun of geocaching.

 

we were not really concerned as he was not near the cache area but were concerned when we read that he was giving away the cache basically and he wasnt there when we placed the cache originally and like i said i walk by there so he may of just popped up out of no where.

 

moved the level of difficulty up as we thought the cache was easy as pie and thought the hint was a give away! brings a smile to my face that we have a tricky find:D

happy caching.

 

Edited February 21, 2013 by Mr.Yuck

[+cerberus1]

I read it that they weren't concerned with him (Darren) initially, as he was, "not near the cache area".

- But they became concerned when they found he was, "giving away the cache basically", ruining the fun of geocaching.

 

Little odd sometimes, but not crazy.

[+tozainamboku]

If you are so concerned about the children, why did you place a cache amongst broken wine bottles and used syringes? All of the logs say that the homeless man was friendly and helpful, to the point that they even learned his name. He did not become hostile until you arrived.

 

I'm starting to see a common denominator in all of your problems.

The common denominator I see is a young person placing a cache in a neighborhood park and then taking criticism of the location as well as the coordinates too personally.

 

I've never been to Victoria, but I would imagine that this park is in general no worse than some of the places where Don_J or I have placed caches in Los Angeles. Sometimes a homeless person moves in and setup up camp after the cache was placed. In some cases the homeless person had a drug or alcohol problem and bottles or needles start showing up in what was a nice clean neighborhood park. Sometimes the local kids turn a nice spot into a party spot and leave their bottles around.

 

Many cachers will either archive or disable their cache when someone reports a problem. But I've certainly seen other cache owners who delete logs that mention these problems because they think its a personal criticism or they see the problem as a temporary one that will take care of itself.

 

If someone visits your cache and notes a problem in the log, you should not take it as a personal attack. Instead investigate the issue and make the changes that are necessary. It's only a cache and if things are really that bad you can always archive this cache and hide another one.

 

And for those who find a cache with problems - it's wrong to imply that problems were cause by inexperience. Though experienced cache hiders may have learned to take an extra look around for location issues and may have learned how to verify that the coordinates they got are good, even experienced cache hiders sometimes place caches that develop problems. If you see this is someone's first cache placed and that person may be a young cacher who might be sensitive to criticism, you might take time to consider how you felt about your first hide. Instead of writing a judgmental log, instead offer encouragement and advice.

[+Don_J]

It would be even more bizarre if he called the police because the homeless guy was giving away hints to his crumpled up Poland Spring water bottle cache.

he was depositing trash being rude and disrespecting the park property..when i have my son or daughter in my personal opinion as a soon to be mom in a few years as i stated i would not want them to see such a thing

 

Fair enough. But the way this log reads to me, The only reason you called the authorities on "Darren", and had him removed from the park, was because he was providing Geocachers with hints to your cache. I'm not crazy here, am I? Anyone?

 

 

called the police to take care of the "darren" situation as it seems to be a big problem for everyone including us the owners that placed the cache as he was giving away the cache and we did not want that that ruins the fun of geocaching.

 

we were not really concerned as he was not near the cache area but were concerned when we read that he was giving away the cache basically and he wasnt there when we placed the cache originally and like i said i walk by there so he may of just popped up out of no where.

 

moved the level of difficulty up as we thought the cache was easy as pie and thought the hint was a give away! brings a smile to my face that we have a tricky find:D

happy caching.

 

 

I inadvertently placed a cache near a homeless guys "home" last month. From the logs, he is friendly but asked if I could be notified as he would rather keep to himself and not be disturbed. My plan is to relocate the cache when I get the opportunity. It never even occurred to me that I could simply relocate the homeless guy.

 

Something is drastically wrong when you elevate the importance of your geocache to a higher level than that of another human being.

[+NeverSummer]

Happy caching

That's like hearing "Have a Disney day!" at Disneyland...

 

I still find it a bit weird that the cache was hidden in a place that was filled with trash, cleaned up, and then you were surprised that it got trashed again. CITO happens. A homeless person isn't your enemy. Why not engage them in the process of cleaning up the park? If the guy was kind enough to point people to the cache, certainly they would be receptive to asking to help keep the area cleaner because non-homeless folks are going to be around the public park? Perhaps not. But, to sit there are say getting rid of the homeless man was "for the children" is just...sad. This is off topic, I know, but it is very interesting that you display such a lack of compassion and a disinterest in helping the least among us.

 

Back on topic, I wonder if this behavior is why the issue in the OP came up. If you let someone else's stats ruin your game, you're playing it wrong. If you use your stats to put others down, you are playing wrong. If you aren't having fun, you're playing wrong.

[+NeverSummer]

 

I inadvertently placed a cache near a homeless guys "home" last month. From the logs, he is friendly but asked if I could be notified as he would rather keep to himself and not be disturbed. My plan is to relocate the cache when I get the opportunity. It never even occurred to me that I could simply relocate the homeless guy.

 

Something is drastically wrong when you elevate the importance of your geocache to a higher level than that of another human being.

^This. (That should have been my previous post!)

[+sparklefingers]

 

Something is drastically wrong when you elevate the importance of your geocache to a higher level than that of another human being.

+1

That after all was his home. he isn't as lucky as us to have a roof over his head.

[+Off Grid]

It would be even more bizarre if he called the police because the homeless guy was giving away hints to his crumpled up Poland Spring water bottle cache.

he was depositing trash being rude and disrespecting the park property..when i have my son or daughter in my personal opinion as a soon to be mom in a few years as i stated i would not want them to see such a thing

 

Fair enough. But the way this log reads to me, The only reason you called the authorities on "Darren", and had him removed from the park, was because he was providing Geocachers with hints to your cache. I'm not crazy here, am I? Anyone?

 

 

called the police to take care of the "darren" situation as it seems to be a big problem for everyone including us the owners that placed the cache as he was giving away the cache and we did not want that that ruins the fun of geocaching.

 

we were not really concerned as he was not near the cache area but were concerned when we read that he was giving away the cache basically and he wasnt there when we placed the cache originally and like i said i walk by there so he may of just popped up out of no where.

 

moved the level of difficulty up as we thought the cache was easy as pie and thought the hint was a give away! brings a smile to my face that we have a tricky find:D

happy caching.

 

 

I inadvertently placed a cache near a homeless guys "home" last month. From the logs, he is friendly but asked if I could be notified as he would rather keep to himself and not be disturbed. My plan is to relocate the cache when I get the opportunity. It never even occurred to me that I could simply relocate the homeless guy.

 

Something is drastically wrong when you elevate the importance of your geocache to a higher level than that of another human being.

 

that humain being made a choice to be outside in harsh conditions

[cezanne]

But I've also noticed that geocaching experience doesn't always mean that a cacher is more understanding of the personal stake many new hiders have in their first geocaches, and that they don't always know how to present helpful criticism in a way that doesn't come across as personal. It is particularly not helpful to imply that someone just wasn't "ready" for cache ownership.

 

I've noticed that many newer cacher expect cachers with a higher find count to provide feedback to their cache. I'm not happy with that sort of expectation.

What my logs typically reflect is my geocaching experience and my preferences.

 

For urban caches that I happen to visit this typically means that I will write that I do not belong to the target audience of the cache. I will report whether the cache is ok, but will not write much about the cache itself and will neither provide suggestions what should be changed nor comments about what might be well done. Typically I might end with something like thank you for motivating me to leave home on this day with ugly weather or whatever.

 

I learnt from exchange with some of these hiders that they expect me to provide feedback and cannot understand when I'm telling them that other caches with much less finds are much more suitable to comment on their cache as they are into urban caching which I'm not. It is completely irrevelant whether I think that a cache that does not fit my preferences is good or bad.

 

While seeing the find count can be helpful in interpreting e.g. DNF logs, I do not appreciate the expectations that are put on someone who has relatively many finds and is caching for many years.

 

Don't get me wrong, when I can provide helpful feedback I'm trying to do so. But for urban caches that are so far from my rather narrow world of geocaching, I simply feel that I'm the wrong person to ask. I also need to admit that I do not care whether the urban hides are good or bad - they will typically only serves as caches that I will visit than I cannot visit those I really like.

 

Cezanne

[+Off Grid]

If you are so concerned about the children, why did you place a cache amongst broken wine bottles and used syringes? All of the logs say that the homeless man was friendly and helpful, to the point that they even learned his name. He did not become hostile until you arrived.

 

I'm starting to see a common denominator in all of your problems.

The common denominator I see is a young person placing a cache in a neighborhood park and then taking criticism of the location as well as the coordinates too personally.

 

I've never been to Victoria, but I would imagine that this park is in general no worse than some of the places where Don_J or I have placed caches in Los Angeles. Sometimes a homeless person moves in and setup up camp after the cache was placed. In some cases the homeless person had a drug or alcohol problem and bottles or needles start showing up in what was a nice clean neighborhood park. Sometimes the local kids turn a nice spot into a party spot and leave their bottles around.

 

Many cachers will either archive or disable their cache when someone reports a problem. But I've certainly seen other cache owners who delete logs that mention these problems because they think its a personal criticism or they see the problem as a temporary one that will take care of itself.

 

If someone visits your cache and notes a problem in the log, you should not take it as a personal attack. Instead investigate the issue and make the changes that are necessary. It's only a cache and if things are really that bad you can always archive this cache and hide another one.

 

And for those who find a cache with problems - it's wrong to imply that problems were cause by inexperience. Though experienced cache hiders may have learned to take an extra look around for location issues and may have learned how to verify that the coordinates they got are good, even experienced cache hiders sometimes place caches that develop problems. If you see this is someone's first cache placed and that person may be a young cacher who might be sensitive to criticism, you might take time to consider how you felt about your first hide. Instead of writing a judgmental log, instead offer encouragement and advice.

 

Instead of writing a judgmental log, instead offer encouragement and advice

 

thank you.

[+sparklefingers]

 

 

that humain being made a choice to be outside in harsh conditions

 

do you know that for a fact?

multiple things happen to cause people being homeless. like loosing your job and not being able to pay your bills. not every homeless person is a drug addict