Still sad.

[+Rustynails]

Why not one virtual per premium membership? This would eliminate power trails and ensure quality virtuals. If you only had one opportunity you wouldn't waste it on something silly. 

[+J Grouchy]

10 hours ago, rustynails. said:

If you only had one opportunity you wouldn't waste it on something silly. 

I totally would.

[+niraD]

4 hours ago, J Grouchy said:

14 hours ago, rustynails. said:

If you only had one opportunity you wouldn't waste it on something silly. 

I totally would.

Define "silly"...

[+Manville Possum]

15 minutes ago, niraD said:

Define "silly"...

 

Stand at a POI and take your picture with your GPS unit. 

[+niraD]

Personally, I'm sad that Groundspeak received so much grief over the Virtual Rewards, especially from people who were convinced that Groundspeak's algorithm had picked the "wrong" people to receive Virtual Rewards.

[+J Grouchy]

20 minutes ago, niraD said:

Define "silly"...

I definitely wouldn't have some self-important informational or educational point to make and I wouldn't quiz them or make them do homework (coughearthcachecough).

Stuff like that is why I don't enjoy virtuals.  

 

I'd also make sure there were actual geocaches nearby.  I know I'd never go out of my way to get a virtual, so I wouldn't expect others to either.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

1 hour ago, Manville Possum said:

 

Stand at a POI and take your picture with your GPS unit. 

That depends on the POI.  I was just looking at a cache in Uganda that would be a great spot for a virtual cache and wouldn't really need anything more that a photo confirmation to indicate one has visited the location.  

There's a possibility I may be going there in February and would not only visit the location even if there were no other caches nearby, but I'd be willing to pay for the hour long ride to get there (some claim it'll cost around $70).

Edited December 20, 2017 by NYPaddleCacher

[+rosebud55112]

On ‎12‎/‎20‎/‎2017 at 11:55 AM, niraD said:

Personally, I'm sad that Groundspeak received so much grief over the Virtual Rewards, especially from people who were convinced that Groundspeak's algorithm had picked the "wrong" people to receive Virtual Rewards.

That was my reaction as well.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

On 7/20/2017 at 9:06 PM, TeamCatalpa said:

Actually I think I'm more really disappointed and a bit upset, beyond just sad.  I found a virtual today, a wonderful, historic spot in a town where I used to live, and I realized I remembered the site as it used to be.  Made me nostalgic, and it also reminded me how much I enjoy virtuals, and what a shame it is that they're not an option anymore.  There's tons of film cans in corners, and they have their purpose, but the virtuals are special.  I've seen old train engines, a Coast Guard light ship, a breath-taking avenue of flags, and several caves, among other wonderful experiences that I would never have had without geocaching virtuals.  And there's never a worry about getting snark from muggles, or finding something nasty in the container.  So many times there's a beautiful view, a historic building, or fascinating museum that doesn't have good place for a physical cache, but is still worthy of attention, and that speaks to the best part of geocaching, that seeing something new in your own back yard.  It's just a dirty rotten shame that they can't be done anymore.  There's been so many changes to the website, the app, and geocaching itself in the last few years that just don't make any sense and that take some of the fun out of the hobby.

Ok, guess I'm done with my rant now.  :-P

You are preaching to the choir, thanks.

[+WearyTraveler]

I was unaware that many virtual cache solutions were in waymarks.  I guess I just go to the location and find the answers.  Who'd have guessed.

While reading about arm chair virtual caching etc...  I don't think that that's a reason or a detriment to having virtuals.  We've got cachers that carry a bag of throwdowns that have thousands of "finds," amazingly haven't "not found" a cache in years, and have left a string of micros in place of the originals.

I personally like the going after virtuals and wish they'd be reinstated (not just a one time "reward").  Maybe with more stringent approval requirements.

And what's wrong with the arm chair solution?  The "Finder" would have learned something from the Internet search, wouldn't they?  And that's one of the cool things about caching - you learn something new and cool.

 

 

[+NYPaddleCacher]

4 hours ago, WearyTraveler said:

And what's wrong with the arm chair solution?  The "Finder" would have learned something from the Internet search, wouldn't they?  And that's one of the cool things about caching - you learn something new and cool.

The game is more than learning things on the internet.  The point is to actually visit locations.   Using Google Street View one can "walk" around Notre Dame, visit the Eiffel tower, and even virtually walk through the hallways of some of the museums, but to claim credit for a find at any of these locations, one should actually go to Paris.