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I like using my mountain bike while caching,especially in the mountains and deserts. I now have over 1,700 finds while bike-caching. I was going to place a few challenge caches where the logging requirements were 100 finds by bike, 500 finds by bike, 1000 finds by bike and 1500 !finds by bike. It would have used the honor system. But, as everyone knows there is a hold on challenges.

 

With that in mind, who would have qualified for which ones?

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I've found a lot of caches while cycling (before or after work, when I've cycled as part of my commute). But I've found a lot of caches while hiking or driving, and a few while using other means of transportation.

 

My best guess is that I've found more than 500 but fewer than 1000 caches by bike. But that's just a guess.

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I like using my mountain bike while caching,especially in the mountains and deserts. I now have over 1,700 finds while bike-caching. I was going to place a few challenge caches where the logging requirements were 100 finds by bike, 500 finds by bike, 1000 finds by bike and 1500 !finds by bike. It would have used the honor system. But, as everyone knows there is a hold on challenges.

 

With that in mind, who would have qualified for which ones?

 

I would have qualified for ALL of them. Over 2,000 of my finds have been by bicycle. A couple dozen different bicycles at that!

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I enjoy caching by bike, both in the countryside and in London where using a bike is much faster than public transport or a car. I've got well over 100 finds by bike, probably somewhere around the 500 mark but in order to be sure I would have to read all my found logs to check (I almost always mention if I was walking or cycling).

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That wouldn't have been published. A challenge can't specify how you find a cache ... how do you prove it? The honor system isn't something a challenge cache can use.

 

I wasn't even done reading the original post and this was what I was thinking. It doesn't pass the "verifiable" requirement and would not get published.

 

For those who don't understand what is wrong with challenges, think about this. It is emptionally important to the OP, but it won't get published. It results in a rejection by the reviewer, which probably generates an email exchange (a good and patient reviewer probably repeatedly suggesting the hider appeal). More messages exchanged between GS appeals and the hider, with the end result being the cache does not get published.

 

A lot of work. No cache published.

 

Austin

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That wouldn't have been published. A challenge can't specify how you find a cache ... how do you prove it? The honor system isn't something a challenge cache can use.

 

I wasn't even done reading the original post and this was what I was thinking. It doesn't pass the "verifiable" requirement and would not get published.

 

For those who don't understand what is wrong with challenges, think about this. It is emptionally important to the OP, but it won't get published. It results in a rejection by the reviewer, which probably generates an email exchange (a good and patient reviewer probably repeatedly suggesting the hider appeal). More messages exchanged between GS appeals and the hider, with the end result being the cache does not get published.

 

A lot of work. No cache published.

 

Austin

 

I wonder if part of what comes of this is a requirement for a challenge to be checkable via the stat page and/or some sort of tool or macro prior to even being submitted...with the reviewer not even responsible for considering it without something like that in place.

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That wouldn't have been published. A challenge can't specify how you find a cache ... how do you prove it? The honor system isn't something a challenge cache can use.

 

I wasn't even done reading the original post and this was what I was thinking. It doesn't pass the "verifiable" requirement and would not get published.

 

For those who don't understand what is wrong with challenges, think about this. It is emptionally important to the OP, but it won't get published. It results in a rejection by the reviewer, which probably generates an email exchange (a good and patient reviewer probably repeatedly suggesting the hider appeal). More messages exchanged between GS appeals and the hider, with the end result being the cache does not get published.

 

A lot of work. No cache published.

 

Austin

 

I wonder if part of what comes of this is a requirement for a challenge to be checkable via the stat page and/or some sort of tool or macro prior to even being submitted...with the reviewer not even responsible for considering it without something like that in place.

 

I could imagine the 1-year part is so that GS would have time to bring software tools on line if that becaomes part of the solution. As a programmer, I can think of all kinds of verifiable stats, but it would take me some time to develop coding for them.

 

I would start by creating a mechanism for plugging in new modules so that new stats could be added easily.

 

Austin

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I'm amazed by how few of the many replies address the number of caches found while cycling.

 

I don't care if the theoretical cache would have been published or not or whether you like challenges or verifiability.

 

I'm only interested in who thinks they've found more than x number of caches while cycling. niraD gets the award for FTA (First Ton Answer). Michaelcycle is STA only 36 minutes later. Congratulations.

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I wonder if part of what comes of this is a requirement for a challenge to be checkable via the stat page and/or some sort of tool or macro prior to even being submitted...with the reviewer not even responsible for considering it without something like that in place.

It would be nice if Groundspeak implemented a challenge verification system something along the lines of GSAK macros or Project-GC's "challenge checkers." But Groundspeak doesn't have a good track record of querying their database.

 

Last August, they struggled to implement their "The Achiever" souvenir, which was awarded if you received their six other special August souvenirs. And they've had to restrict their new Search page to looking for caches within 30 miles of a designated point because extending that limit places too great a burden on their database.

 

So, I'm not holding my breath for that particular enhancement.

 

Edited to get attribution correct. Sorry.

Edited by CanadianRockies
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I'm amazed by how few of the many replies address the number of caches found while cycling.

 

I don't care if the theoretical cache would have been published or not or whether you like challenges or verifiability.

 

I'm only interested in who thinks they've found more than x number of caches while cycling. niraD gets the award for FTA (First Ton Answer). Michaelcycle is STA only 36 minutes later. Congratulations.

 

Well, you did start off the OP with fact that you were trying to publish challenges...so naturally the inclination is for folks to talk about that aspect since they likely would not be publishable.

 

As for caches found while cycling, we could get all nitpicky here and talk about actually finding a cache while on a bike vs. using a bike to get from one GZ to another. The former might be considered a T5 if accessing the cache requires use of a bicycle...though I'm hard-pressed to think of a scenario where one would actually need to be on a bicycle to grab a cache. As for the latter, just two weeks ago I rode the Atlanta to Stone Mountain trail on my bike and picked up about 14 caches while on the way there and back. At one point I chained my bike up and walked maybe a third of a mile up the mountain to grab a very old cache. Would this count as a 'biking cache'? If not, what would the radius be from where one parks their bike to GZ? On two others - both multicaches - I parked and walked several blocks to pick up each stage. Do those count?

 

Just seems like there's a lot of gray area, so while I clearly wouldn't qualify for any of those caches, it would be difficult to answer for certain even if all I ever did was ride my bike for geocaching.

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Well, I haven't been able to bicycle for about 10 years now. So I think that I've only found one cache by bicycle. But it's one of my favorite cache memories, and it's inspired me to want to make a similar multi cache in my hometown, where we have a 10+ mile riverfront loop trail. As soon as I'm able to bike again, that baby's getting placed. :anibad:

 

Alki Tour #2 Cache

Edited by Ambrosia
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I wonder if part of what comes of this is a requirement for a challenge to be checkable via the stat page and/or some sort of tool or macro prior to even being submitted...with the reviewer not even responsible for considering it without something like that in place.

It would be nice if Groundspeak implemented a challenge verification system something along the lines of GSAK macros or Project-GC's "challenge checkers." But Groundspeak doesn't have a good track record of querying their database.

 

Last August, they struggled to implement their "The Achiever" souvenir, which was awarded if you received their six other special August souvenirs. And they've had to restrict their new Search page to looking for caches within 30 miles of a designated point because extending that limit places too great a burden on their database.

 

So, I'm not holding my breath for that particular enhancement.

 

Fixed the attribution...please be a bit more careful when quoting. I did not say what you quoted me as saying.

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On bike (not MTB) - one or two. Using my bike to reach the cache - a few. Using a bike from the header of a multi-cache to the final of a longer multi-cache - a few. Using a bike for 70km of a 120km multi-cache after walking the first 50km - one. Using a bike from home to a cache and back home - a few. Biking all day on weekends or holidays and visiting a few caches on the route - didn't count them, but not too many. Using a combination of public transport for getting to the general area and and biking to the cache - more often.

 

I assume less than 200 caches including all variants.

 

But most biking I did until now was just for fun - no caching while biking. For urban caching walking and using my foldable mini-scooter has been more convenient, you can go everywhere, also where bikes are not allowed, no annoying risk your bike gets stolen, you can take the bus etc. Out of town I prefer hiking, this might change when I have the possibility to bring my bike to more remote places and start there.

 

Apart from defining what bike-caching might be me - it doesn't make sense to me to 'rate' let's say a single 70km MTB multi-cache including 4000 height meters '1 point' compared to 800 caches on a powertrail within the same distance of 70 km alongside a flat road as '800 points'.

Edited by AnnaMoritz
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As for caches found while cycling, we could get all nitpicky here and talk about actually finding a cache while on a bike vs. using a bike to get from one GZ to another. The former might be considered a T5 if accessing the cache requires use of a bicycle...though I'm hard-pressed to think of a scenario where one would actually need to be on a bicycle to grab a cache.
FWIW, I found one where I used my bike to grab the cache. It was about 9ft up, so I needed only a few more inches. Standing on the pedals gave me the just enough extra height to reach it.

 

Of course, the bike wasn't really required. A ladder or trash grabber would have worked too. But since it was along a bike/pedestrian trail, and I was on my bike,...

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FWIW, I found one where I used my bike to grab the cache. It was about 9ft up, so I needed only a few more inches. Standing on the pedals gave me the just enough extra height to reach it.

I've done that too. Back near when I started and biking around town for caches was still feasible, because the unfound were everywhere :)

Those were the days!

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I like using my mountain bike while caching,especially in the mountains and deserts. I now have over 1,700 finds while bike-caching. I was going to place a few challenge caches where the logging requirements were 100 finds by bike, 500 finds by bike, 1000 finds by bike and 1500 !finds by bike.

 

It depends on what you count as bicycle cache. I do most urban caching by bicycle and also a number of caches along bicycle trails (for some caches I ended up with 100km or more). I do not own a MTB however. So if a cache is offroad I might go by bicycle to the nearest point on a road and then continue on foot.

If I only count caches which I did as drive in by bicycle I would end up with more than 100 but less than 500, otherwise more than 500 but less than 1000 as I do a lot of longer hikes or caches abroad where I do not have a bicycle available.

Edited by cezanne
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Bike-caching is whatever you want it to be.

 

Personally, I count any find while out for a ride. If I can make the grab without dismounting, it counts. If I park my bike and walk or hike to the cache, it counts. If I drive to a trailhead, unload my bike, grab a cache in the parking lot, and then ride to the next cache, it counts.

 

If I'm driving somewhere with the bike in the van and stop to grab a cache -- that does not count. Nor does stopping unloading the bike, riding a short distance to a cache, grabbing it, loading the bike back into the van and driving to the next spot.

 

I really like my bike for power trails. The real downside to bike-caching a power trail is that at the end of the day, you're a two hour ride back to the car.

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Nor does stopping unloading the bike, riding a short distance to a cache, grabbing it, loading the bike back into the van and driving to the next spot.

 

I would count that one. If the distance to the cache is enough that unloading and reloading the bike is quicker and easier than just parking & walking to the cache, I'd say that you biked to it. What if, instead of your own van, it was a public transit bus that your bike was carried on?

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I enjoy caching by bike, both in the countryside and in London where using a bike is much faster than public transport or a car. I've got well over 100 finds by bike, probably somewhere around the 500 mark but in order to be sure I would have to read all my found logs to check (I almost always mention if I was walking or cycling).

I just did a search of all my found logs for keywords like cycled,cycling,bike and came up with 686 finds; some of them may be false positives but they'll be offset by the ones where I didn't mention any of those words in the log for whatever reason so it's a reasonable approximation I reckon.

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As for caches found while cycling, we could get all nitpicky here and talk about actually finding a cache while on a bike vs. using a bike to get from one GZ to another. The former might be considered a T5 if accessing the cache requires use of a bicycle...though I'm hard-pressed to think of a scenario where one would actually need to be on a bicycle to grab a cache.
FWIW, I found one where I used my bike to grab the cache. It was about 9ft up, so I needed only a few more inches. Standing on the pedals gave me the just enough extra height to reach it.

 

Of course, the bike wasn't really required. A ladder or trash grabber would have worked too. But since it was along a bike/pedestrian trail, and I was on my bike,...

 

That reminds me that I have done several caches that way: deep in the woods on the mountain bike, I get to GZ and the cache is up a tree. No low branches and I don't have the upper body strength to lug my 100+ kg up by my arms. What to do? Park the bike up against the tree, take off my cleats (I have a carbon fiber Fuel 98 mtb) and climb up on the top tube for the needed boost to the lowest limb. I've taken to tying my running shoes on the back of my Camelback because we have a number of COs around here that climb like monkeys.

Edited by Michaelcycle
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Ok, so there's biking as bicycling, and motorbiking. Quite different means of transport. Maybe clarify which "biking" is which :P All this 'loading' and 'unloading' of the bike had me thinking which was being used... before realizing it was loading and unloading the bike. :laughing:

Edited by thebruce0
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I went out last week and found a night cache during the day while riding my bike. My third or fourth cache found while riding my bike. Also, truthfully, it was likely the fifteenth time I have been out riding my bike in the three years I have owned it. That's something I'm working on doing more.

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Nor does stopping unloading the bike, riding a short distance to a cache, grabbing it, loading the bike back into the van and driving to the next spot.

 

I would count that one. If the distance to the cache is enough that unloading and reloading the bike is quicker and easier than just parking & walking to the cache, I'd say that you biked to it. What if, instead of your own van, it was a public transit bus that your bike was carried on?

 

If unloading and reloading the bike is quicker and easier than just parking & walking to the cache, I'd count it, too. Even if I only expect unloading and reloading the bike to be quicker and easier than just parking & walking to the cache, I'd count it. If I park by the first cache in a string of caches and then use my bike to get it and others, I count it.

 

But for my "challenge," you can count it however you want.

 

Does anyone in Los Angeles want to go riding and caching?

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