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Bombed Caches?


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I have had a cache supposedly bombed by the USFS. Has this happened to anyone else. Supposedly the cache was unmarked and the rangers thought it was a terrorist thing planted out in the woods. Maybe they thought someone was after Smokey? Check out "End of the Road" cache.

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Which "End of the road" cache is yours?

 

There are a box full.

 

Link?

 

Never mind. I found it.

 

Sounds like 50/50 fault on that one.

 

But if they end up writing one citation, I would appeal it in court asking why they have not removed any other caches in the forest. (Unless they already have that is.)

 

logscaler.

 

[This message was edited by logscaler on July 12, 2003 at 09:44 PM.]

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The ignorance of some people, with a little authority, never ceases to amaze me. What kind of terrorist do they think would hide an ITEM in the middle of the woods?! Hmmm... unless, like you said, they are trying to destroy the Great American Icon... Smokey Bear!!! icon_biggrin.gif

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It appeared to me the admin (Honeychile) had the right attitude. The individuals involved in dissasembling this cache were just doing their job, they were not being arrogant or ignorant, just not risking their well being without the information to decide it was something harmless.

 

All of us who use ammo cans know what they used to be used for, military ammunition. This gives those containers a certain, I don't know, preconceived notion I guess, they might still contain something "ammunition or explosives like" and someone could have been storing them at an out of the way location for use later on. This is not outside the realm of possibility and those folks called out to check it out are simply not going to take a chance with it.

 

For those of us who use ammo cans (especially me, lol), it is our responsibility to use the geocaching stickers, or mark the cans in some other obvious way so that these types of misunderstandings do no occur. The guidelines for placing caches do say to mark your cache container so it is just good common sense to do so. If you don't, then I cannot see why you have any complaint if some bomb squad puts a couple of blasting caps on the hinge and blows the top off, sorry. Sure, it's a great training exercise for the bomb squad members, but it's not their fault for being called out there and dealing with it.

 

As for calling the Rangers stupid, and not knowing which way is up or down, etc.... that's just immature and a childish reaction to a situation where some people refuse to put themselves in someone elses' shoes. They are doing their job, even if we don't always agree with their overly protective attitude, it does NOT make them bad people.

 

I'm sure we'll all agree that ignorance runs the gamut of people, not just those with "a little authority". If everybody was a computer geek with a gpsr, like us, then everyone would probably know about geocaching. Just because we are all involved in this little activity that does not mean the rest of the world is.

 

Like that guy who dresses up like a Klingon and runs a Klingon web site. Hey, that's his thing and I'm sure he and others enjoy that, but when it comes to speaking Klingon I'm lost as a goose...LOL. So I guess that would make me ignorant.

 

Just my humble opinion.

 

texasgeocaching_sm.gif

"Trade up, trade even, or don't trade!!!" My philosophy of life.

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quote:
Originally posted by The Falcon:

How many caches have you been to that ticked? icon_smile.gif

 

=====

It is the tale, not he who tells it."


 

Lol, well, yeah, but you're behind the times, the timers are all digital now, c'mon! icon_smile.gif

 

texasgeocaching_sm.gif

"Trade up, trade even, or don't trade!!!" My philosophy of life.

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quote:
March 31 by IndyJinx (2 found)

Our first find! The US forest service was conducting controlled burns in the area and had burned the cache. Amazingly, only the bags were melted, all contents survived.


 

It looks like the paint on the End of the Road cache burned off. It probably was labeled originally.

 

______________________________

How do they get a deer to cross at that yellow road sign?

http://www.geocities.com/cacheinon

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I visited a cache recently that was labeled very well. It said:

 

"Please respect this game and its players by NOT vandalizing this cache." It also had the web address clearly listed.

 

With information such as this printed clearly on the outside of the container, I cannot see why anyone would blow it up. A simple phone call to headquarters for more information on this so called "game" could have prevented the need for explosives.

 

Kar

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quote:
Originally posted by Wadcutter:

Wouldn't be a problem if everyone wrote on all geo-containers "No bomb inside, I swear". That ought to clear everything. icon_rolleyes.gif


 

LOL! There, ya see? I knew there had to be a simple solution... We just needed an SP to come up with it! Good one Wadcutter...lol.

 

texasgeocaching_sm.gif

"Trade up, trade even, or don't trade!!!" My philosophy of life.

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Whenever I go to the post office to drop off my buttons, the clerk always asks if there is anything hazardous inside the package, to which I always respond, "no nuclear weapons inside . . . today." I've always wondered what would happen if someone responded -- "Ya got me!" to that question.

 

Kidding aside, though, we live in such dark times that the line between reasonable caution and paranoia is shrinking. Nothing in the geocaching.com guidelines requires anyone to buy the official label, of course. But clear labeling might stave off future misunderstandings. Spyderman pointed out that one of my own caches here in Winston-Salem isn't labeled very clearly and I'll make it a point when I do cache maintenance to see that all mine get a clear, unmistakable label.

 

Geocaching is barely tolerated in North Carolina State Parks ($25 fee for 90 day placement), but they require a clear container. Much as I like ammo cans, I think I'll follow suit if I ever hide one in a national forest since they seem to be taking a similar strict stance.

 

52813_3100.gif

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I don't believe it is necessary to have an official label, but simply marking the outside of your container should suffice - unless of course it is a microcache. I've come across one container that could easily be mistaken for trash if it were not for its weight.

 

----

Chivalry:

A couple of medieval songwriters come up with the idea of chivalry one rainy day... and you embrace it as a lifestyle. You live and die by a code of honor that was trendy when you were a kid.

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quote:
Originally posted by The Falcon:

How many caches have you been to that ticked? icon_smile.gif


 

Do you really think a booby trap TICKS?

 

Look up the Unabomber on the FBI site they PUBLISHED his Bomb Designs.

 

IF you want a specific person, at a specified placce and time, THEN a timing device mighr work for you, but rlrctric or Pressure ot Mercury switches are better for the unwary victim's demise.

 

EVERY unattended package is suspect.

 

geocan.jpg

 

Trash-out, EVERYtime

 

~~

 

Geo-cach-er, n. generally a highy technically competent person with lots of free time. (see also- "Unemployed", Computer administrator, aircraft technician- defense worker- dot-com executive- systems administrator, et.al)

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I agree that all caches should be labeled. I make sure all my geocaches have this website and my e-mail address displayed on the outside.

 

And if it's an ammo box, at the very least the military markings should be painted over. I've found many an ammo box with the markings on it.

What do you expect some muggle to think if they encounter it.

 

Which is another issue. Hide them better! There should be no reason that an uninterested party should stumble on your cache. I've found caches sitting behind a log next to a trail, covered with a few sticks. You have to figure that someone will venture off trail to sit on the log or take a squirt and find it sooner or later.

 

"Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he'll sit in a boat and drink beer all day" - Dave Barry

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