Geo-Post Office

[+KlawPaws]

I am a fairly new geocacher - just under 100 finds under my belt - and I need some guidance on a Postcard Cache.

 

Within the past week I picked up a postcard from GC15EAB (GTKN Cricket's Cache). The cache description states the following:

 

<snip>

This is a Geo-Post Office!

 

It is used to swap letters and postcards between geocachers!

 

Here is how it works:

 

Caches are placed to hold postcards. Each postcard will have a short message and a forwarding address on it. The address will contain the person's name that you are trying to send the postcard to, their home city, and a destination cache. The idea is to move postcards between Geo-Post Offices until they reach their destination. When you move a postcard or message from one place to another, let the person who it's being sent to know where you moved it to, because they might be near enough to go and pick it up. If you move a postcard from one Geo-Post Office to another, please move it closer to the city or cache!

<snip>

 

The postcard I picked-up states the following:

 

"Off the Record"

Tryin to get to Baltimore!

6/11/10

 

If you can try to put it in the geocache

"SSB - Fort McHenry National Park" (GC22APO)

 

The Fort McHenry Cache description says that it is a log only cache. No trackables. No Swag.

 

So, how do I notify the owner? I searched for "Off the Record" as either a geocacher or an actual cache with no luck. In addition I shouldn't drop the postcard in the destination cache since it is a log-only cache. According to the cache gallery there are pictures showing a large log book and I am pretty sure I can slip it in between a few pages. That doesn't mean I should though

 

We were headed to BWI airport this evening and were planning on stopping by Fort McHenry specifically for this drop-off. Not a lot of time to determine what we should do...

 

Suggestions?

 

Thanks!

[+The Blorenges]

A bit of snooping and I found a cacher called offtherecord He's not very active (at all!) but several of his few finds have been in Pennsylvania where you picked up the postcard. The best I can suggest is to move the postcard into a cache somewhere near the Fort McHenry National Park cache and then email offtherecord to let him know what you've done. If it's not the right move... well... you did your best!

 

MrsB

[+KlawPaws]

Thanks for replying MrsB.

 

I never even thought to search for "OffTheRecord" (no spaces). The geographical location seems logical but the person has never even logged the cache that the postcard was dropped in... I am trying to e-mail him/her now so we will see what happens.

 

Is there a way to seach for other Geo-Post Offices? I noticed that the destination cache ended in APO which I thought could mean something...or maybe the acronym is just a coincidence.

Edited September 2, 2013 by KlawPaws

[+The Blorenges]

I think the geo-post office idea was popular a few years ago, there used to be one or two at least here in UK but I think they've been archived now.

 

A quick search using 'geo-post office' brings up these: List You may find more by doing searches for variations of the words.

 

MrsB

[+Ben0w]

In my humble opinion: If you can place the card in the target cache box behind the logbook, just do it. If it fits, it's perfectly OK. There is no such thing as a "log only cache".

[+The Jester]

There is no such thing as a "log only cache".

Nano?

[+Bear and Ragged]

There is no such thing as a "log only cache".

Nano?

 

 

I'd be temped to drop it in that cache.

In addition I shouldn't drop the postcard in the destination cache since it is a log-only cache. According to the cache gallery there are pictures showing a large log book and I am pretty sure I can slip it in between a few pages.

 

That suggests -to me- that the Cache Owner doesn't want swaps/TB's in the cache, maybe things have a habit of 'disappearing' from the cache? Or it encourages muggles to look for caches in the area for 'trinkets' to take.

[+KlawPaws]

I just wanted to provide an update:

 

The Fort McHenry geocache IS a log only cache. You actually have to ask the Park Rangers for the log book. The log is kept behind the desk in the Visitor Center. The Ranger pulled it out of a drawer and watched me sign it. We even discussed the postcard and they absolutely refused to let me leave it.

 

Also the original owner of the postcard never answered my e-mail so maybe he/she is not into geocaching anymore or something.

 

I still have to do something with the postcard!!!

[+lamoracke]

I just wanted to provide an update:

 

The Fort McHenry geocache IS a log only cache. You actually have to ask the Park Rangers for the log book. The log is kept behind the desk in the Visitor Center. The Ranger pulled it out of a drawer and watched me sign it. We even discussed the postcard and they absolutely refused to let me leave it.

 

Also the original owner of the postcard never answered my e-mail so maybe he/she is not into geocaching anymore or something.

 

I still have to do something with the postcard!!!

 

Sarcasm, send it to the ranger in the mail! If you really want to take care of the postcard and make sure its not just tossed in the bin, take a picture of the postcard at the park sign or front door, then put back or send back to person. Up to you.

[+KlawPaws]

Actually I did take a picture of me holding the postcard in front of the sign for the park. I also took pictures of the front and back of the postcard. All 3 pictures are posted in my log for the cache.

[+Ben0w]

There is no such thing as a "log only cache".

Nano?

You know, you took my statement out of context of this thread?

 

Sure there a caches (= container AND logbook) where you would have technical difficulties to place any size of swag, but even in a nano and under a magnetic sheet there is space for some special swag (*). But to generally not allow cachers to use this space is ridiculous.

 

After the updated information given I'd still consider this type of "cache" (alone asking a muggle/ranger to hand out the logbook, plus no container) as totally strange and probably not beeing a cache in context of this/my geocaching game.

 

YMMV

 

(*) To prevent another reply of the type above: yes, I'm aware of cache type webcam, earthcache, virtuals, challenges and so on. But there is no physical space for logbook/swag a cache owner could deny placing something. So this would be not the context of this thread either.

Edited September 11, 2013 by BenOw