The Geopocalypse has arrived!!!

[+Max and 99]

Both of those geocaches are skirt lifters in parking lots so my guess is they just didn't know you could lift them. 

[+MNTA]

9 minutes ago, Max and 99 said:

Both of those geocaches are skirt lifters in parking lots so my guess is they just didn't know you could lift them. 

 

I remember my father teaching me that early in my coaching experience. Never knew before them. You are probably right my mistake

[+dimwit61]

Sort of sounds like the Newbie needs to be archived. I had one a few weeks ago that decided to move my cache to a "better location". Tried to contact them to tell them not to, but by that time they had disappeared from the game and disabled their e-mail.

[+Max and 99]

27 minutes ago, dimwit61 said:

Sort of sounds like the Newbie needs to be archived. I had one a few weeks ago that decided to move my cache to a "better location". Tried to contact them to tell them not to, but by that time they had disappeared from the game and disabled their e-mail.

Good one! 😁

[+niraD]

1 hour ago, dimwit61 said:

Sort of sounds like the Newbie needs to be archived. I had one a few weeks ago that decided to move my cache to a "better location". Tried to contact them to tell them not to, but by that time they had disappeared from the game and disabled their e-mail.

This forum really needs a "Sad" response.

[+Max and 99]

I am astounded at how many newbies in the past 2 years have logged a Needs Archived when they can't find a geocache. I've seen how frustrated the COs get because now they are requested to confirm that the cache is there. I've seen the messages that reviewers post about letting the newbie know what the standard procedure is, and then posting on the geocache page asking the CO to confirm their geocache is there. It's a lot of work. Someone else suggested today what I had already thought about: maybe if you don't have at least 20 finds, the Needs Archived log option is not available to you. 😁 It's a random number.

I just cannot believe how often this happens. 

Today it was someone with zero finds and a brand new account created today. The cache was found three days ago. Same story over and over again.

Edited April 14, 2022 by Max and 99

[+Goldenwattle]

1 minute ago, Max and 99 said:

I just cannot believe how often this happens. 

Fortunately I don't think I've ever had a NA on one of my caches. Not many NM either, although a few times it was deserved, as my maintenance could have been quicker.

 

7 minutes ago, Max and 99 said:

Someone else suggested today what I had already thought about: maybe if you don't have at least 20 finds, the Needs Archived log option is not available to you.

I agree with this idea though.

[+barefootjeff]

1 hour ago, Max and 99 said:

Today it was someone with zero finds and a brand new account created today. The cache was found three days ago. Same story over and over again.

 

I don't know if it's still the case, but at least a few years back the reviewers here wouldn't accept an NA unless there was already an NM logged on the cache and at least a month had elapsed with no action from the CO. I've seen situations like you described (thankfully not on any of my hides) where the reviewer has posted a note in response just saying an NA is inappropriate.

[+Max and 99]

I think my local reviewer handles these situations very well! Here's a sample reviewer note:

 

Hello from your Community Volunteer Reviewer,

 

As a reviewer, I am obligated to take all "Needs Archived" notes very seriously. However, after reviewing the recent note and the cache history for the last several months, I am not convinced the cache is missing or has been abandoned (although it may need maintenance). The note was posted by a new geocacher, and I am assuming that a lack of experience may have contributed to their inability to find it. I have sent them a message advising them that they should have posted a DNF log instead, and possibly a Needs Maintenance log, instead of the Needs Archived log.

 

Nevertheless, I will place this cache on my watch list, to see if there continues to be DNFs logged against it. But I advise the cache owner, when they have time, to check on the cache and confirm it is still in place and do any necessary maintenance, so that there is no question about its state. If this is done, please post an Owner Maintenance log on the cache page to document this visit.

 

 

[+dprovan]

3 hours ago, Max and 99 said:

I just cannot believe how often this happens.

Does it really happen that often where you are? I wonder why. I'm sure it happens from time to time, but I' don't remember seeing. Logically it shouldn't happen more than once per newbie, and presumably much less than that. Right?

 

4 hours ago, Max and 99 said:

Someone else suggested today what I had already thought about: maybe if you don't have at least 20 finds, the Needs Archived log option is not available to you.

With GS making the reviewers increasingly responsible for finding "bad caches", I suspect they'd probably remove the NA log altogether before that's put any kind of limit on it.

[+barefootjeff]

Last month, after a couple of DNFs, I went up onto Blackwall Mountain to check on my two caches there. One was fine but the other had gone, presumably muggled, so since it was a fairly old one (hidden in 2016) and got few finds these days, I decided in the spirit of the Year of the Hide to archive it. Fast forward to today and I was back up on the mountain sussing it out as a potential location for my recently-acquired fourth AL credit, thinking that the lookout where the cache had been would make a good AL location. Satisfied, I started walking back towards the main track and, about 50 metres from where the cache had been hidden, my geosenses pricked up as I passed a tree with a large hollow in its base. Almost on instinct, I took a look inside, only to see a Sistema sitting there. It was my muggled cache, completely intact with the logbook, pencil and swag that it had accumulated over the years.

 

 

I can't help wondering if this was the work of a newbie muggle-with-app thinking the aim of the game is to find a cache and hide it somewhere else. Or perhaps it was just a plain old muggle who realised the "hidden treasure" they'd found was actually worthless and dumped it there. It's too late now to reactivate the cache, as I'd already archived it, but I guess I can repurpose the container for the AL's bonus cache if that works out.

[+cerberus1]

10 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

I can't help wondering if this was the work of a newbie muggle-with-app thinking the aim of the game is to find a cache and hide it somewhere else. Or perhaps it was just a plain old muggle who realised the "hidden treasure" they'd found was actually worthless and dumped it there. 

 

Would a "plain old muggle" finding something hidden even bother, or realize the need to "re-hide" it?  I'm bettin' on the newb...

When the "Intro" app was around, we had some of our ammo cans disappear. 

Just a few days later cachers started calling/email, saying they found one "on the way to..." another, laying alongside a trail, with our sticker and the same swag inside.  Ended up finding most.

The only weekend n done person we managed to get ahold of did say "I thought that's how you played...".  Their one find and done...

[+dprovan]

On 4/14/2022 at 8:50 PM, barefootjeff said:

It's too late now to reactivate the cache, as I'd already archived It...

I thought you could request a cache be unarchived as long as you archived it yourself.

[+K13]

Of only there were some instructions to newbies as a part of the process when to open an account explaining that they Find the cache, Sign the log inside, Replace it as found, then Log it online.

[+niraD]

25 minutes ago, K13 said:

Of only there were some instructions to newbies as a part of the process when to open an account explaining that they Find the cache, Sign the log inside, Replace it as found, then Log it online.

 

Back in the day, when I was introduced to geocaching, a real live person (and experienced geocacher) explained the basics:

• Find the cache.
• Sign the log inside.
• Trade if you want to, but you don't have to.
• Replace the cache as found.
• Log it online, once you create an account.

I've done the same for dozens of new geocachers. That system seems to work pretty well.

[+cerberus1]

2 hours ago, niraD said:

Back in the day, when I was introduced to geocaching, a real live person (and experienced geocacher) explained the basics:

 

Yep.  After our first couple caches, others in the hobby showed us the wonders of notifications (for the other 2/3rds and FTFs).

 - Later we found they got a kick outta hearing the local FTF king "#%*@^*... those new cachers".   

Later we took many under wing, and a lot when phones started being used by more people.  They all have more finds than us now.

We haven't had a single new person ask about help in starting since '12.   Prefer winging it I guess...  

Older newbs are attending events.  That's a good thing.

[+barefootjeff]

5 hours ago, dprovan said:

On 4/15/2022 at 1:50 PM, barefootjeff said:

It's too late now to reactivate the cache, as I'd already archived It...

I thought you could request a cache be unarchived as long as you archived it yourself.

 

I wasn't sure about that, as the Help Centre says "This is done only in rare circumstances", but then I thought, well, what happened with my cache is probably pretty rare, so after discussing it with some friends on a group outing on Saturday, I sent an email to our reviewer that night explaining the situation and he unarchived it for me, so the cache is now back in action. I've set it to PMO for now, though, and will be keeping a close eye on it over the next few months.