Machete

[JASTA 11]

What's up with the engineer tape? Why was it put there?

 

To make a long story short, the guy was p-o'd because of the terrain difficulty of the cache. He figured he'd get back at us by cutting and blazing a trail through the undergrowth to the final.

[+The_Incredibles_]

Machete? Thankfully I have never needed such a thing while caching.

[+Crow-T-Robot]

Here is an example... this was taken on a footpath, which leads to the bridge you can just about see.....

 

Ouch. That picture is making my skin burn just looking at it.

 

We try to make geocaching as low impact as possible. If a land manager ever got wind of geocachers using machetes to hack their way to caches I'm sure we'd immediately become unwelcome there. Leave the machete home and if the growth is too thick, move on to the next cache, there are plenty more out there. Nowhere is it written we have to find every one. And if you're one of those who simply must find the cache due to some arbitrary goal you set for yourself, go back in the fall.

I'm sure if half the parks and landowners knew where most of the caches were placed some would be gone.examples they say off well groomed trail ......yep that sure gets followed I'm sure we already pissed off parks people and land owners. Whatrs using a machete going to do.

Assuming I'm reading this correctly, your question is, "What's using a machete going to do?" The obvious answer is, potentially banning this hobby from vast natural areas. This hobby exists at the sole discretion of land managers. Doing anything which they might perceive to have a negative impact on the properties they manage, could likely have drastic consequences. Those who have been around a while have recognized that it really doesn't matter if the actions actually cause harm. Only that they perceive it as harmful.

Yes but landowners already dont like us.there's already being damaged done when caches aren't placed off trails there's damage done when people don't think and put it there anyways and deal with it later.

 

Whoa whoa whoa. Landowners like geocachers just fine. It's the dimwits who decend upon their land with machete's and shovels that they don't like.

[+Crow-T-Robot]

Machete? Thankfully I have never needed such a thing while caching.

 

I don't "need" a machete...but whenever I brush up against nettles I sure as heck give it my most menacing glare and wish I could cause a machete to materialize in my hand right then

[+wmpastor]

Yeah, a machete ... isn't a good idea.

Right, not when you can pack an 18" Stihl!

 

Rather 18" Homelite to avoid climbing trees.

You're serious? You cut down trees instead of climbing them while caching???

[+ras_oscar]

if you do choose to take a machette, be sure you also wear your hockey mask

[4wheelin_fool]

Yeah, a machete ... isn't a good idea.

Right, not when you can pack an 18" Stihl!

 

Rather 18" Homelite to avoid climbing trees.

You're serious? You cut down trees instead of climbing them while caching???

 

Yup, and with a little gorilla glue and duct tape the tree is back the way it was. You probably would never be able to tell from looking at it that anything happened...

[+Viajero Perdido]

You're serious? You cut down trees instead of climbing them while caching???

Intimidation might work.

[We] had a serious talk with this tree yesterday, a thorough cross-examination, and I even threatened to grab the saw and bring the tree back to the campfire for a complete sifting-of-the-ashes treatment. But it refused to divulge its secret.

[+evanmars]

...

 

What's up with the engineer tape? Why was it put there?

 

Whiny, crybaby cacher thought it was too hard, and didn't have a good time, so he tried to make sure he ruined everybody else's time too by blazing the trail to the cache stages.

 

I have to apologize to the younger cachers out there. When I read about this guy, I thought he was some delinquent kid. Turns out he's a retired civil engineer!

Edited July 16, 2013 by evanmars

[+fishgeek]

My extensive experience indicates that "bushwhacking" means that the bushes are whacking you. If you need more than a hiking stick, you're coming from the wrong direction, or you need to reconsider the terrain rating of the cache.

 

My new favorite geocaching acronym: BWITO - BushWhacked In, Trail Out

 

You're not supposed to actually whack the bushes! (Unless you are in some remote jungle!)

In geocaching terms, bushwhacking just means you are off trail, and then you should be watching what you step on and try not to trample any vegetation.

[+SwineFlew]

My extensive experience indicates that "bushwhacking" means that the bushes are whacking you. If you need more than a hiking stick, you're coming from the wrong direction, or you need to reconsider the terrain rating of the cache.

 

My new favorite geocaching acronym: BWITO - BushWhacked In, Trail Out

 

You're not supposed to actually whack the bushes! (Unless you are in some remote jungle!)

In geocaching terms, bushwhacking just means you are off trail, and then you should be watching what you step on and try not to trample any vegetation.

I been thinking of placing a cache in where you MUST bushwhack in and out and rate it high. I know a few places for this.

[AZcachemeister]

 

My new favorite geocaching acronym: BWITO - BushWhacked In, Trail Out

 

Happens all too often...

[+humboldt flier]

Yeah, a machete or other tool isn't a good idea. Leaving no signs you were there when placing or seeking a cache is important. There are areas that are closed to caching because of the effects it has on the flora.

 

We went out to check on one of our caches a few months ago. It's a fairly tough multi that takes you through swamp in some stages. Well, we found that the direction to the final was blazed with pink engineer tape, and worse, the route was hacked clear in spots by someone using a lopper. (The last finder had bragged about it in their online log.)

 

Not a good way to present the game to land managers.

 

I would have deleted their log and archived the cache at that point. Then probably hide a new one in the same area with a giant warning on the page not to do that.

 

Nah, I won't delete a legitimate find. I left the logs posted, along with our 'Owner Maintenance' log and a bunch of pictures, for all to see.

 

What's up with the engineer tape? Why was it put there?

 

Regarding the marking tape:

 

Have seen it used here on the N.W. Coast of Calif.. in environmentally sensitive areas to enable cachers to I.D. the search area in order to prevent thrashing a sensitive area. The marking tapes have been of a color which blend with the foliage rather than the bright colored 'lead me home" example which appears in the photos in this thread.

 

For bushwhacking:

 

I use a chainsaw and a weed eater backed up with a Napalm flame thrower.

 

From time to time I will use a back hoe or skip loader and a 10 yard dump truck to haul off the overburden.

Edited July 18, 2013 by humboldt flier

[+SwineFlew]

Yeah, a machete or other tool isn't a good idea. Leaving no signs you were there when placing or seeking a cache is important. There are areas that are closed to caching because of the effects it has on the flora.

 

We went out to check on one of our caches a few months ago. It's a fairly tough multi that takes you through swamp in some stages. Well, we found that the direction to the final was blazed with pink engineer tape, and worse, the route was hacked clear in spots by someone using a lopper. (The last finder had bragged about it in their online log.)

 

Not a good way to present the game to land managers.

 

I would have deleted their log and archived the cache at that point. Then probably hide a new one in the same area with a giant warning on the page not to do that.

 

Nah, I won't delete a legitimate find. I left the logs posted, along with our 'Owner Maintenance' log and a bunch of pictures, for all to see.

 

What's up with the engineer tape? Why was it put there?

 

Regarding the marking tape:

 

Have seen it used here on the N.W. Coast of Calif.. in environmentally sensitive areas to enable cachers to I.D. the search area in order to prevent thrashing a sensitive area. The marking tapes have been of a color which blend with the foliage rather than the bright colored 'lead me home" example which appears in the photos in this thread.

 

For bushwhacking:

 

I use a chainsaw and a weed eater backed up with a Napalm flame thrower.

 

From time to time I will use a back hoe or skip loader and a 10 yard dump truck to haul off the overburden.

So that was the trail I saw in GA.

Edited July 18, 2013 by SwineFlew

[+J Grouchy]

I'd rather take my frustrations out on all the mosquitoes. This summer we've had record rainfall here in Georgia, so the weeds, vines, Kudzu and poison ivy are out...of...control. But worst of all are the mosquitoes.

 

I would be happy if mosquitoes went extinct...or if someone could at least invent a mosquito-whacking machete.

[JASTA 11]

I would be happy if mosquitoes went extinct...or if someone could at least invent a mosquito-whacking machete.

 

There are some available.

 

They don't work too well however.

 

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

I would be happy if mosquitoes went extinct...

Hmmmmmm.... think about this. Nature abhors a vacuum. If there were no mosquitoes, she would invent something to take their place.

That something (because the mosquito went extinct) would probably be bigger, badder and meaner -- not to mention harder to kill.

 

Besides that, mosquitoes are so plentiful because they are the primary food source for things like ducklings, frogs (think froglegs) and lots of little fishes.

 

I hate them too, but I'll takes my chances with what we already gots.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I'd rather take my frustrations out on all the mosquitoes. This summer we've had record rainfall here in Georgia, so the weeds, vines, Kudzu and poison ivy are out...of...control. But worst of all are the mosquitoes.

 

I would be happy if mosquitoes went extinct...or if someone could at least invent a mosquito-whacking machete.

 

I know two people personally (one is a co-worker) that have contracted lyme disease this summer.

 

 

[Clan Riffster]

My extensive experience indicates that "bushwhacking" means that the bushes are whacking you. If you need more than a hiking stick, you're coming from the wrong direction, or you need to reconsider the terrain rating of the cache.

 

My new favorite geocaching acronym: BWITO - BushWhacked In, Trail Out

 

You're not supposed to actually whack the bushes! (Unless you are in some remote jungle!)

In geocaching terms, bushwhacking just means you are off trail, and then you should be watching what you step on and try not to trample any vegetation.

I been thinking of placing a cache in where you MUST bushwhack in and out and rate it high. I know a few places for this.

You've just described most of my hides.

[+J Grouchy]

I would be happy if mosquitoes went extinct...or if someone could at least invent a mosquito-whacking machete.

 

There are some available.

 

They don't work too well however.

 

 

A machete may be overkill...

 

How about a Kite??

[+Dasindog]

When I am out hiking on poorly maintained public trails I will bring hand clippers to clip my way through. The clippers are part of my ‘bat belt’ and are stowed in a leather holster for quick access.

 

If I see an invasive species (eg bamboo, Himalayan blackberry, scotch broom, ivy, etc.) I will not hesitate to lop, uproot, or generally try to kill it if I can. Killing invasive plants is improvement of the ‘natural environment’ and should be normal practice just like CITO.

[DannyCaffeine]

I never used mine yet caching but I have used it to maintain an overgrown neighborhood trail.