Which date can you use to log a challenge cache

[+camillabacher]

In my opinion "found it" means ... found it. But apparently Groundspeak allows geocaches to log on the date you qualify for the challenge.

 

To me it doesn't make sense. That means you can actually log a geocache without leaving the house for example if you qualify for a challenge requiring you not to log a geocache for a full month (I know they are not allowed these days, as it is a "non accomplishment", but a few are still around including one near where I live).

 

Found it to me is when you get outside, go "play" and find a geocache and you sign the logbook.

 

Perhaps Groundspeak should introduce a new type og caches - challenge caches, and with that a new type of log simply called "qualified", to differentiate it from "found it"?

 

For me as a cache owner it is nice to know, that found it, is when someone has confirmed that the cache is still out there - alive and kicking.

 

Furthermore, presigning would make it possible to visit many countries on the same day, just by qualifying and logging found it on the same day, when finally getting there. I find it unlogical? Help me understand :-)

Edited July 8, 2015 by camillabacher

[+frinklabs]

This issue would be perfectly addressed by implementation of the Challenge Stars feature.

[+Sapience Trek]

You can't log a find until you have both accomplished the challenge, and found the physical cache. But once you have done both, you can log the find online. The date one uses is not really relevant and I know some cachers use the date they found the physical cache, some use the date they completed the challenge. Either one may occur before the other.

[+coachstahly]

I log my find whenever I end up signing the log of the challenge, not when I qualify for it by completing the requirements. Personally, I don't pre-sign challenge caches but have no problem with people who do as that's the way they've chosen to play. I've posted quite a few notes with my qualifications but haven't logged them as found yet because I haven't signed the physical log.

[+MartyBartfast]

I usually sign the log when I find the physical container, but if I'm not qualified I'll post a note saying I found it. Then when I qualify I will edit that note, change it to a find and mention when I found the physical container and when I qualified.

[+CanadianRockies]

For logging finds, I use the date I signed the cache's log or the date that I qualified for the challenge, whichever came last. That's the date I can log an online "Found it," so it makes sense to me.

[+Pond Bird]

If you qualify, then go find the cache. The day you FIND it is the day you log. Once you qualify, you need to physically visit the cache and sign the log, and the day you sign the log is the day you log the find.

[+narcissa]

You found a cache on the day you found it. A challenge cache is still a cache. No need to make it silly and complicated or to gum things up with additional site features for people to shout about.

[+CanadianRockies]

In my opinion "found it" means ... found it. But apparently Groundspeak allows geocaches to log on the date you qualify for the challenge.

The thing you have to keep in mind is that Groundspeak's definition of "found" is broader than yours.

 

You don't literally "find" EarthCaches or virtuals; rather you go to the specified location and send the required information to the cache owners. You don't really "find" events, but if you show up at one, then you can increment your total "finds" count by one. Same thing with webcam caches. For many lab caches, you send the CO a code rather than "find" anything.

 

A Groundspeak "find" is simply a shorthand way of saying, "found a physical cache, found a challenge cache and met its requirements, uploaded my webcam picture, went to the location and posted a picture (or sent information) to a virtual owner, performed the required task for a lab cache, went to a location and answered the questions for an EarthCache, attended an event, or visited an adventures exhibit." This convention saves lots of writing.

[+ChileHead]

I'm not consistent. When I have completed both requirements, I have logged finds on either the date I completed the ALRs, or the date I found the cache. I don't care about the date personally.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

If you qualify, then go find the cache. The day you FIND it is the day you log. Once you qualify, you need to physically visit the cache and sign the log, and the day you sign the log is the day you log the find.

 

Fortunately the guidelines allow one to find the physical cache and sign the log sheet before the qualifying. There are very few challenges in my area, thus if I wanted to play the challenge cache game, it would most likely be because I happened to be in an area which had a few challenge caches that I could find and sign the log sheet. Then, if I had not previously qualified, I'd wait until I did before posting an online log.

 

 

[+camillabacher]

A Groundspeak "find" is simply a shorthand way of saying, "found a physical cache, found a challenge cache and met its requirements, uploaded my webcam picture, went to the location and posted a picture (or sent information) to a virtual owner, performed the required task for a lab cache, went to a location and answered the questions for an EarthCache, attended an event, or visited an adventures exhibit." This convention saves lots of writing.

 

?

 

Would you use the date to log an earth cache, where you have not been at the earth cache site?

Would you log a web cam cache a different date than the day you appeared in front of the camera?

Would you log a virtual on any other day, than the day you went there to collect the information?

 

Just curious. I see it as the same. Found it is found it. The day you were there, found the log book and signed it.

 

I have no problem signing the logbook before completing the challenge. Do a write note, and change this to a found it later on.

 

I just wonder why you would find something on a day you haven't found it?

[+CanadianRockies]

Would you use the date to log an earth cache, where you have not been at the earth cache site?

I usually date my EarthCache "finds" on the day I was at the locations. I know other people who date their find on the date they send the required answers to the cache owner, since it's not really a Groundspeak "find" until you send the required information (i.e., you cannot log an online "Found it" if you don't send this information).

 

Would you log a web cam cache a different date than the day you appeared in front of the camera?

I don't, but I know people who do. They might date their "find" to match the day they upload their photo to the cache page, since it's not really a Groundspeak "find" until you send the required information.

 

Would you log a virtual on any other day, than the day you went there to collect the information?

Again, I don't. But some people date their find to be the day they email the information to the owner (or upload the required photo), since it's not really a Groundspeak "find" until you send the required information.

 

Just curious. I see it as the same. Found it is found it. The day you were there, found the log book and signed it...

 

I just wonder why you would find something on a day you haven't found it?

What exactly did you "find" when you did the EarthCache, webcam, virtual, event, Adventures Exhibit, or lab cache? For most of those, there was no log book to find or sign.

[+niraD]

Would you use the date to log an earth cache, where you have not been at the earth cache site?

Would you log a web cam cache a different date than the day you appeared in front of the camera?

Would you log a virtual on any other day, than the day you went there to collect the information?

So far, I've been consistent. I've logged EarthCaches, webcam caches, and virtual caches with the date I visited the site, even if I emailed/posted the verification information/photo later.

 

And I've logged challenge caches with the date I visited the site and signed the log. Although I did find the container for one challenge cache accidentally, before I had completed the challenge. I figured out which cache it was, then replaced the cache without signing the log. Later, after completing the challenge, I returned, found the cache again, and signed the log.

[+narcissa]

What exactly did you "find" when you did the EarthCache, webcam, virtual, event, Adventures Exhibit, or lab cache? For most of those, there was no log book to find or sign.

 

But for all of those things, there was a particular day when I went to the physical location associated with them.

 

But that's irrelevant. A challenge cache is a physical geocache that you find.

[+fizzymagic]

What exactly did you "find" when you did the EarthCache, webcam, virtual, event, Adventures Exhibit, or lab cache? For most of those, there was no log book to find or sign.

 

For all of those cache types, there is an expectation that you visited the location while geocaching. That date is the appropriate date.

 

I've had some people try to log one of my virts by claiming that they went to visit it before they started geocaching. Nope. No dice.

[+hzoi]

I normally don't sign the log until after I've qualified for the challenge. Then I log the find that same date. Keeps it simple.

[+Path Pacer]

I normally don't sign the log until after I've qualified for the challenge. Then I log the find that same date. Keeps it simple.

That's the way I plan to do it. I'm working on several challenge caches at the moment. I have no intention of trying to find any of them before meeting the requirements.

[+CanadianRockies]

What exactly did you "find" when you did the EarthCache, webcam, virtual, event, Adventures Exhibit, or lab cache? For most of those, there was no log book to find or sign.

But for all of those things, there was a particular day when I went to the physical location associated with them.

 

But that's irrelevant. A challenge cache is a physical geocache that you find.

Many challenge caches are sooooooo much more than the physical geocache that you find...at least for me.

[+CanadianRockies]

What exactly did you "find" when you did the EarthCache, webcam, virtual, event, Adventures Exhibit, or lab cache? For most of those, there was no log book to find or sign.

For all of those cache types, there is an expectation that you visited the location while geocaching. That date is the appropriate date.

That's the date I use as well, but I think there also can be other "appropriate" dates.

 

If I visit an EarthCache but wait a week before sending the answers to the cache owner, then which is the "appropriate" find date? I understand the logic of using the date the answers were sent, since I really shouldn't claim an online "Found it" before that date; it's the day I completed the "find." This is sort of analogous to dating one's challenge cache finds on the day you complete the requirements if you had pre-signed the log.

[+dprovan]

In my opinion "found it" means ... found it. But apparently Groundspeak allows geocaches to log on the date you qualify for the challenge.

 

To me it doesn't make sense. That means you can actually log a geocache without leaving the house for example if you qualify for a challenge requiring you not to log a geocache for a full month (I know they are not allowed these days, as it is a "non accomplishment", but a few are still around including one near where I live).

 

Found it to me is when you get outside, go "play" and find a geocache and you sign the logbook.

If you qualify for a challenge cache after you've signed the log, you date the find on the challenge cache for the day you found the final cache to complete the requirements. You can't possibly do that from your armchair. To me, that's the only logical answer. I don't particularly care if you'd rather backdate your found log to the day you signed the physical log, but I suggest you make clear what you're doing to avoid confusing people.

 

Although personally, I've never really understood people signing the log on a challenge cache before you've satisfied the challenge. I just ignore challenge caches that don't apply to me yet.

 

If I visit an EarthCache but wait a week before sending the answers to the cache owner, then which is the "appropriate" find date? I understand the logic of using the date the answers were sent, since I really shouldn't claim an online "Found it" before that date; it's the day I completed the "find." This is sort of analogous to dating one's challenge cache finds on the day you complete the requirements if you had pre-signed the log.

Not at all. You gathered the information when you visited the EarthCache. Sending in the answers later is no different than filing a found log on a traditional later: in both cases, you log when you visited the cache, not when you got around to telling everyone you visited the cache.

 

With challenge caches, you did real caching to satisfy the requirement on the date you should use in your found log, you didn't just laze around and decide later to log that you've satisfied the requirement.

[+Gill & Tony]

If you log the find on the date you signed the log then your distance statistics are correct.

 

If you log the find on the date you qualify it will mess up your distance stats.

 

Let's assume you live in the USA, travel overseas and find a challenge cache for which you don't qualify. Then you return home and finally qualify. If you log the find on the date you found it then the system knows you were overseas that day and it fits in with any other caches you found over there. If you log the find on the date you qualify you suddenly get this overseas trip in the middle of a series of local caches. That doesn't make sense to me.

[+on4bam]

I always log on the day I physically visited/found the cache. Answers for virtuals, EC.. are send at the same time. I ignore challenge caches I don't qualify for even if I'm only 1 meter away from them doing other caches (I don't even load them in my GPS). If I qualify later I'll find them later.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

If one happens to live in an area where there are a lot of challenge it's easy to see what challenges are available and work toward solving them, then go out and find the caches. If not, finding those caches happens when the opportunity to be near GZ arises and that could just as easily occur before or after the required criteria has been met. I'm not going to travel 200 miles just to sign a log sheet on may be a run of the mill hide just because I've found 30 caches starting with the letter X. But if I happened to be 200 miles from home and there were a bunch of challenge caches nearby I might find them, then think about what I need to do to meet the criteria by finding caches near home or while traveling elsewhere.

Edited July 9, 2015 by Keystone
removed quoted post

[+on4bam]

Huh? How is it ridiculous? If one happens to live in an area where there are a lot of challenge it's easy to see what challenges are available and work toward solving them, then go out and find the caches. If not, finding those caches happens when the opportunity to be near GZ arises and that could just as easily occur before or after the required criteria has been met. I'm not going to travel 200 miles just to sign a log sheet on may be a run of the mill hide just because I've found 30 caches starting with the letter X. But if I happened to be 200 miles from home and there were a bunch of challenge caches nearby I might find them, then think about what I need to do to meet the criteria by finding caches near home or while traveling elsewhere.

 

Why would you log a challenge if you don't qualify already? Distance has nothing to do with it (unless you really need that extra point).

 

I hoped to log a challenge in Tromso (Norway) a few months ago. I needed to have founds spelling out part of the national anthem of Sweden. No problem to do so BUT even though I had a few "special characters" (ÅØ...) I missed one Å to complete the list of 52 caches. I didn't even think about logging this one and then waiting for an opportunity to find a cache with to log that missing letter. I don't even know we'll make it there in the future (or maybe then the cache will be archived). Following your logic I could have logged it anyway as it's about 2200Km from home.

[+narcissa]

What exactly did you "find" when you did the EarthCache, webcam, virtual, event, Adventures Exhibit, or lab cache? For most of those, there was no log book to find or sign.

For all of those cache types, there is an expectation that you visited the location while geocaching. That date is the appropriate date.

That's the date I use as well, but I think there also can be other "appropriate" dates.

 

If I visit an EarthCache but wait a week before sending the answers to the cache owner, then which is the "appropriate" find date? I understand the logic of using the date the answers were sent, since I really shouldn't claim an online "Found it" before that date; it's the day I completed the "find." This is sort of analogous to dating one's challenge cache finds on the day you complete the requirements if you had pre-signed the log.

 

The date you visited the site is the appropriate date. No need to get silly and convoluted about something so black and white.

[+redsox_mark]

 

Why would you log a challenge if you don't qualify already? Distance has nothing to do with it (unless you really need that extra point).

 

 

Because challenge caches (currently) require two things to happen for you to log a "found it":

1. You have to find the cache and sign the log

2. You have to complete the challenge.

 

There is no requirement for 1 and 2 to be done in a specific order.

 

It is fine (and I see the logic in it) to have your own personal rule that you only will sign a physical cache log if you already quality for the challenge. But that isn't the only way to play. If one treats these as 2 separate tasks, then why not sign the log if you happen to have found the cache?

[+on4bam]

 

Why would you log a challenge if you don't qualify already? Distance has nothing to do with it (unless you really need that extra point).

 

 

Because challenge caches (currently) require two things to happen for you to log a "found it":

1. You have to find the cache and sign the log

2. You have to complete the challenge.

 

There is no requirement for 1 and 2 to be done in a specific order.

 

It is fine (and I see the logic in it) to have your own personal rule that you only will sign a physical cache log if you already quality for the challenge. But that isn't the only way to play. If one treats these as 2 separate tasks, then why not sign the log if you happen to have found the cache?

 

Just an example requirement for a challenge:

 

The cache is at the listed coordinates. In order to log this cache, you must have found and logged .......

 

No mention of "physical or online". If you don't qualify you can't log (physical or online) the challenge cache. Nowhere do they say you can physically log the cache but have to wait to log online. Looks simple enough.

[+CanadianRockies]

Just an example requirement for a challenge:

 

The cache is at the listed coordinates. In order to log this cache, you must have found and logged .......

No mention of "physical or online". If you don't qualify you can't log (physical or online) the challenge cache. Nowhere do they say you can physically log the cache but have to wait to log online. Looks simple enough.

Yes, earlier challenge cache owners could prohibit signing the physical log until the challenge requirements were fulfilled. And some of them did. But new challenge caches cannot include such a restriction. From the guidelines:

 

12. Geocachers may sign a challenge cache's physical log at any time. However, the challenge cache may be logged as found online only after the log is signed and the challenge tasks have been met and documented.

[+redsox_mark]

 

Just an example requirement for a challenge:

 

The cache is at the listed coordinates. In order to log this cache, you must have found and logged .......

 

No mention of "physical or online". If you don't qualify you can't log (physical or online) the challenge cache. Nowhere do they say you can physically log the cache but have to wait to log online. Looks simple enough.

 

Challenge cache owners are not allowed under the latest guidelines to insist that you must qualify before you sign. Keystone clarified this in a previous thread.

 

There is a statement in the Help about this scenario:

 

Write Note

 

There are many reasons to write a note, including:

 

....

 

You visited a Challenge Cache that you don't yet qualify for and signed the log, but are not allowed to log a 'Found It' on it yet. You can let others know that you visited the geocache, signed the log, and are excited to log it as 'Found' someday.

 

Reference: link

[+CanadianRockies]

If I visit an EarthCache but wait a week before sending the answers to the cache owner, then which is the "appropriate" find date? I understand the logic of using the date the answers were sent, since I really shouldn't claim an online "Found it" before that date; it's the day I completed the "find." This is sort of analogous to dating one's challenge cache finds on the day you complete the requirements if you had pre-signed the log.

Not at all. You gathered the information when you visited the EarthCache. Sending in the answers later is no different than filing a found log on a traditional later: in both cases, you log when you visited the cache, not when you got around to telling everyone you visited the cache.

EarthCaches are quite different than traditionals. Once you have found the traditional and signed its physical log, you have fulfilled all of Groundspeak's requirements for logging an online "Found it." Thus, it makes sense to use the day you signed the physical log as the date of your online find log.

 

To log an online "Found it" for an EarthCache, however, you must do two things:

 

1. Go to the specified location.

 

2. Send acceptable answers to the cache owner.

 

Until you complete both requirements, Groundspeak does not consider the EarthCache to be found and the cache owner would be justified in deleting your online "Found it" log. Thus, I understand why some people consider the appropriate find date to be the day that both requirements were met. I also understand why you would date your "Found it" to always be the date you went to the EarthCache location. Vive la différence.

[+CanadianRockies]

The date you visited the site is the appropriate date. No need to get silly and convoluted about something so black and white.

The world I live in isn't black and white; there are many shades of gray and a rainbow of colors. My world might be more complex, but it's well worth the complexity.

[+narcissa]

The date you visited the site is the appropriate date. No need to get silly and convoluted about something so black and white.

The world I live in isn't black and white; there are many shades of gray and a rainbow of colors. My world might be more complex, but it's well worth the complexity.

 

The world may be complex, but this issue isn't. You find a geocache when you find it. You visit a place when you visit it.

[+CanadianRockies]

The date you visited the site is the appropriate date. No need to get silly and convoluted about something so black and white.

The world I live in isn't black and white; there are many shades of gray and a rainbow of colors. My world might be more complex, but it's well worth the complexity.

The world may be complex, but this issue isn't. You find a geocache when you find it. You visit a place when you visit it.

Ah, but what constitutes a geocache "find" involves shades of gray (and even, perhaps, a bit of color). Or maybe you can offer us a simple definition of a geocache "find?"

[knowschad]

The date you visited the site is the appropriate date. No need to get silly and convoluted about something so black and white.

The world I live in isn't black and white; there are many shades of gray and a rainbow of colors. My world might be more complex, but it's well worth the complexity.

The world may be complex, but this issue isn't. You find a geocache when you find it. You visit a place when you visit it.

Ah, but what constitutes a geocache "find" involves shades of gray (and even, perhaps, a bit of color). Or maybe you can offer us a simple definition of a geocache "find?"

I'm gonna have to go with Narcissa on this one. Even the guidelines make a distinction between "finding" and "meeting the challenge". You found it when you saw it, picked it up, and signed the paper log. You met the challenge when you completed all of the tasks that the cache owner required. Now, which of those situations you chose to use as your log date is what this is all about. Me, I'd use the date that I found it, because of the few challenge caches that I have done, I had already met the challenge. But that's just me.

[+narcissa]

The date you visited the site is the appropriate date. No need to get silly and convoluted about something so black and white.

The world I live in isn't black and white; there are many shades of gray and a rainbow of colors. My world might be more complex, but it's well worth the complexity.

The world may be complex, but this issue isn't. You find a geocache when you find it. You visit a place when you visit it.

Ah, but what constitutes a geocache "find" involves shades of gray (and even, perhaps, a bit of color). Or maybe you can offer us a simple definition of a geocache "find?"

 

Perhaps you can explain why anyone should even bother finding the challenge cache at all, then. If it's about the challenge, just write it in your profile.

 

"Completed 7-day streak of terrain 2, difficulty 3 multi-caches in different states, hooray. June 14, 2010."

 

If that imaginary feat somehow qualifies you to log another cache as found, why would you treat that cache differently than a traditional?

[+CanadianRockies]

The date you visited the site is the appropriate date. No need to get silly and convoluted about something so black and white.

The world I live in isn't black and white; there are many shades of gray and a rainbow of colors. My world might be more complex, but it's well worth the complexity.

The world may be complex, but this issue isn't. You find a geocache when you find it. You visit a place when you visit it.

Ah, but what constitutes a geocache "find" involves shades of gray (and even, perhaps, a bit of color). Or maybe you can offer us a simple definition of a geocache "find?"

I'm gonna have to go with Narcissa on this one. Even the guidelines make a distinction between "finding" and "meeting the challenge". You found it when you saw it, picked it up, and signed the paper log. You met the challenge when you completed all of the tasks that the cache owner required. Now, which of those situations you chose to use as your log date is what this is all about. Me, I'd use the date that I found it, because of the few challenge caches that I have done, I had already met the challenge. But that's just me.

I obviously agree that you find the physical container on the day you find the physical container, and the date I put on the challenge cache's physical log is always the date I found the container.

 

But simply finding the challenge's physical container isn't enough to log on online "Found it" on Groundspeak; you also have to meet the challenge's requirements. Personally, I date my online "Found it" log to be the day I am eligible to log my online "Found it," which sometimes will be long after the day I found its physical container.

 

But I'm okay if others always date their challenge cache online "Found its" as the day they found the containers. As I noted before, vive la différence.

Edited July 9, 2015 by CanadianRockies

[+narcissa]

 

I obviously agree that you find the physical container on the day you find the physical container, and the date I put on the challenge cache's physical log is always the date I found the container.

 

But simply finding the challenge's physical container isn't enough to log on online "Found it" on Groundspeak; you also have to meet the challenge's requirements. Personally, I date my online "Found it" log to be the day I am eligible to log my online "Found it," which sometimes will be long after the day I found its physical container.

 

But I'm okay if others always date their challenge cache online "Found its" as the day they found the containers. As I noted before, vive la différence.

 

What do you do when a challenge cache is replicated in another place? Do you really log your finds on the same day?

 

What if you qualified for the cache before it was created? Did you find it before it existed?

Edited July 9, 2015 by narcissa

[+tallglenn]

I recently went back and corrected some of my challenge cache dates to when I had physically found them. My decision was obvious when I qualified for a cache I had visited in Alabama while I was in New Mexico. My found log looked like I had flown to Alabama for the day to get one cache.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Huh? How is it ridiculous? If one happens to live in an area where there are a lot of challenge it's easy to see what challenges are available and work toward solving them, then go out and find the caches. If not, finding those caches happens when the opportunity to be near GZ arises and that could just as easily occur before or after the required criteria has been met. I'm not going to travel 200 miles just to sign a log sheet on may be a run of the mill hide just because I've found 30 caches starting with the letter X. But if I happened to be 200 miles from home and there were a bunch of challenge caches nearby I might find them, then think about what I need to do to meet the criteria by finding caches near home or while traveling elsewhere.

 

Why would you log a challenge if you don't qualify already? Distance has nothing to do with it (unless you really need that extra point).

 

 

I'm not talking about posting a found it log before qualifying. I'm talking about finding a physical cache and signing the log sheet before I've qualified. From what I've read, posting a note log is a fairly common practice, then changing it to a found it log once the challenge has been completed. In fact, the guidelines specifically allow for that:

 

"Geocachers may sign a challenge cache's physical log at any time. However, the challenge cache may be logged as found online only after the log is signed and the challenge tasks have been met and documented."

 

 

I hoped to log a challenge in Tromso (Norway) a few months ago. I needed to have founds spelling out part of the national anthem of Sweden. No problem to do so BUT even though I had a few "special characters" (ÅØ...) I missed one Å to complete the list of 52 caches. I didn't even think about logging this one and then waiting for an opportunity to find a cache with to log that missing letter. I don't even know we'll make it there in the future (or maybe then the cache will be archived). Following your logic I could have logged it anyway as it's about 2200Km from home.

 

I'm going to be in Paris for a week in September. I know from looking at some of the cache listings that there are a few challenge caches. One of them is close to the place where I'll be staying and pretty on may to where I'll be working a couple of days. I'm pretty sure that I haven't already met the criteria for the challenge but it's pretty achievable (though, it would be pretty difficult if I don't go to an area about 35 miles from here to do some caching). So, are you saying that I shouldn't find the physical container and sign the log even if I happen to be passing within a couple hundred km from GZ?

[+dprovan]

To log an online "Found it" for an EarthCache, however, you must do two things:

 

1. Go to the specified location.

 

2. Send acceptable answers to the cache owner.

The way I look at it, the requirements are to go to the specific location, learn the lesson, and collect the indicated information. Sending in the answers isn't the act that fulfills requirement, it's merely how you demonstrate that you've fulfilled the requirement.

[+CanadianRockies]

To log an online "Found it" for an EarthCache, however, you must do two things:

 

1. Go to the specified location.

 

2. Send acceptable answers to the cache owner.

The way I look at it, the requirements are to go to the specific location, learn the lesson, and collect the indicated information. Sending in the answers isn't the act that fulfills requirement, it's merely how you demonstrate that you've fulfilled the requirement.

That's pretty much the way I look at it, too. As I noted earlier, I log my EarthCache finds on the days I visit the locations. But I also can see how other people's views differ on this issue.

[+on4bam]

I'm going to be in Paris for a week in September. I know from looking at some of the cache listings that there are a few challenge caches. One of them is close to the place where I'll be staying and pretty on may to where I'll be working a couple of days. I'm pretty sure that I haven't already met the criteria for the challenge but it's pretty achievable (though, it would be pretty difficult if I don't go to an area about 35 miles from here to do some caching). So, are you saying that I shouldn't find the physical container and sign the log even if I happen to be passing within a couple hundred km from GZ?

 

I wouldn't. You could try to fulfill the requirements beforehand though.

There are plenty of other caches around so I wouldn't worry about a missed challenge (or other cache for that matter).

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I obviously agree that you find the physical container on the day you find the physical container, and the date I put on the challenge cache's physical log is always the date I found the container.

 

But simply finding the challenge's physical container isn't enough to log on online "Found it" on Groundspeak; you also have to meet the challenge's requirements. Personally, I date my online "Found it" log to be the day I am eligible to log my online "Found it," which sometimes will be long after the day I found its physical container.

 

But I'm okay if others always date their challenge cache online "Found its" as the day they found the containers. As I noted before, vive la différence.

 

What do you do when a challenge cache is replicated in another place? Do you really log your finds on the same day?

 

What if you qualified for the cache before it was created? Did you find it before it existed?

 

Good points.

 

There are a lot of Fizzy Challenge caches around the world and once someone has completed the grid they'd be eligible to sign the log and post a found it log for any of them. .I don't know that I'll ever complete it myself, but if I did, it's unlikely that I would find the physical caches for one in Pennsylvania the same day as the one in British Columbia.

[+CanadianRockies]

 

I obviously agree that you find the physical container on the day you find the physical container, and the date I put on the challenge cache's physical log is always the date I found the container.

 

But simply finding the challenge's physical container isn't enough to log on online "Found it" on Groundspeak; you also have to meet the challenge's requirements. Personally, I date my online "Found it" log to be the day I am eligible to log my online "Found it," which sometimes will be long after the day I found its physical container.

 

But I'm okay if others always date their challenge cache online "Found its" as the day they found the containers. As I noted before, vive la différence.

What do you do when a challenge cache is replicated in another place? Do you really log your finds on the same day?

 

What if you qualified for the cache before it was created? Did you find it before it existed?

I'm not sure you fully understand how challenge caches work. To log an online "Found it," you don't simply have to fulfill their requirements; you also must sign their physical logs.

 

If I've already qualified for a challenge cache that is replicated elsewhere, then I cannot log an online "Found it" until I sign that new challenge cache's log.

[+narcissa]

I recently went back and corrected some of my challenge cache dates to when I had physically found them. My decision was obvious when I qualified for a cache I had visited in Alabama while I was in New Mexico. My found log looked like I had flown to Alabama for the day to get one cache.

 

Those terrain/difficulty grid things have become very popular and I know people who have logged several of those caches in different provinces and states.

 

If they logged them on the date they qualified, the logs would make it look like they had been in all of those places at once.

 

I have seen challenges published that I already qualified for. Does that make me FTF?

[+narcissa]

 

I obviously agree that you find the physical container on the day you find the physical container, and the date I put on the challenge cache's physical log is always the date I found the container.

 

But simply finding the challenge's physical container isn't enough to log on online "Found it" on Groundspeak; you also have to meet the challenge's requirements. Personally, I date my online "Found it" log to be the day I am eligible to log my online "Found it," which sometimes will be long after the day I found its physical container.

 

But I'm okay if others always date their challenge cache online "Found its" as the day they found the containers. As I noted before, vive la différence.

What do you do when a challenge cache is replicated in another place? Do you really log your finds on the same day?

 

What if you qualified for the cache before it was created? Did you find it before it existed?

I'm not sure you fully understand how challenge caches work. To log an online "Found it," you don't simply have to fulfill their requirements; you also must sign their physical logs.

 

If I've already qualified for a challenge cache that is replicated elsewhere, then I cannot log an online "Found it" until I sign that new challenge cache's log.

 

But you are logging your found it as the date you qualified, not the date you found it. So all instances of that particular challenge would have the same date.

[+CanadianRockies]

 

I obviously agree that you find the physical container on the day you find the physical container, and the date I put on the challenge cache's physical log is always the date I found the container.

 

But simply finding the challenge's physical container isn't enough to log on online "Found it" on Groundspeak; you also have to meet the challenge's requirements. Personally, I date my online "Found it" log to be the day I am eligible to log my online "Found it," which sometimes will be long after the day I found its physical container.

 

But I'm okay if others always date their challenge cache online "Found its" as the day they found the containers. As I noted before, vive la différence.

What do you do when a challenge cache is replicated in another place? Do you really log your finds on the same day?

 

What if you qualified for the cache before it was created? Did you find it before it existed?

I'm not sure you fully understand how challenge caches work. To log an online "Found it," you don't simply have to fulfill their requirements; you also must sign their physical logs.

 

If I've already qualified for a challenge cache that is replicated elsewhere, then I cannot log an online "Found it" until I sign that new challenge cache's log.

But you are logging your found it as the date you qualified, not the date you found it. So all instances of that particular challenge would have the same date.

Please don't try to put your words into my mouth. Instead take a moment to reread what I actually wrote. I date my online "Found it" log to be the day I am eligible to log my online "Found it." That's either the day I meet the challenge cache's requirements or the day I signed the challenge cache's physical log, whichever day is later.

[+SwineFlew]

Here we go again... Yes I need to quote this infamous quote by Jeremy himself.

 

Bickering over the rules of a cache "find" was never the intent of Geocaching.com. There's no prize, no leaderboard, and no trophy, so there's no reason to get your knickers in a twist about anyone else's definition of a find.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I'm going to be in Paris for a week in September. I know from looking at some of the cache listings that there are a few challenge caches. One of them is close to the place where I'll be staying and pretty on may to where I'll be working a couple of days. I'm pretty sure that I haven't already met the criteria for the challenge but it's pretty achievable (though, it would be pretty difficult if I don't go to an area about 35 miles from here to do some caching). So, are you saying that I shouldn't find the physical container and sign the log even if I happen to be passing within a couple hundred km from GZ?

 

I wouldn't. You could try to fulfill the requirements beforehand though.

 

 

I could, but it's unlikely that I'm going to travel the 3600 miles back to Paris if I complete the requirements after I've returned from my trip.

 

There are plenty of other caches around so I wouldn't worry about a missed challenge (or other cache for that matter).

 

Sure, there are other caches around, but for me, there are very few challenge caches in my area (last I checked, there were 3 within 40 miles and I've already done two of them). When I travel I typically have very little time to do any caching so one that happens to be close to where I'm staying or enroute to places I'll already be going is one that I'm likely going to try and find. Even if it happens to be a challenge cache I may still take the opportunity to find the container when I'm close to it and may never have to opportunity to do so again.