If you don't log the Adventure Lab, you cannot claim a Find on the AL Bonus Cache!

[+Max and 99]

This is what I was told today by someone who just created an Adventure Lab. They will be deleting my bonus cache Found It log if I do not log the Adventure Lab.

It even states on the bonus cache page that you must log the AL in order to qualify to log the Bonus Cache. If you don't log the AL, your bonus cache log WILL be deleted.

Bite me.

 

Edited March 10, 2021 by Max and 99
spelling

[+barefootjeff]

That sounds like an ALR to me. For any other bonus cache, or any other non-challenge cache for that matter, if you stumble across the container while hiking in the woods and sign the logbook that's a valid find.

[+Max and 99]

1 minute ago, barefootjeff said:

That sounds like an ALR to me. For any other bonus cache, or any other non-challenge cache for that matter, if you stumble across the container while hiking in the woods and sign the logbook that's a valid find.

Yep!

 

[+barefootjeff]

Just for the record:

 

Quote

3.3. Additional logging requirements (ALR)

A geocacher can log a physical cache online as “found” if they have signed the logbook. All other logging requirements are considered additional logging requirements (ALRs) and must be optional.

If you own an existing cache that has a mandatory ALR, you must:

• Edit the text of your cache page to make the ALR optional, or remove it.
• Cache owners must not delete logs based on ALRs. This applies to all logs written since April 4, 2009.

Exception: Challenge caches

Challenge caches published prior to April 2015 are legacy caches and may have ALRs that require further documentation. 

Challenge caches published after April 2015 are allowed to have ALRs, signing the log does not require further documentation.

 

[+dprovan]

Seems pretty ridiculous, sure, but I'm not sure why you *want* to log the bonus cache if you didn't find the AL.

[+Max and 99]

1 hour ago, dprovan said:

Seems pretty ridiculous, sure, but I'm not sure why you *want* to log the bonus cache if you didn't find the AL.

I'm not sure if you were just stating that in a general sense so I'll clarify that I did complete the adventure lab..

[+Goldenwattle]

5 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

That sounds like an ALR to me. For any other bonus cache, or any other non-challenge cache for that matter, if you stumble across the container while hiking in the woods and sign the logbook that's a valid find.

I have stumbled across several caches...some of them even accidentally* when I wasn't looking , and signed the log. No one ever disputed my find.

 

* Some others I found after guessing where a multi or puzzle cache might be hidden. That's a game in itself. Again my log was never challenged.

If you stumble across the bonus cache I don't see they should be able to delete your log.

[+sernikk]

Finding a cache and signing the log = Found It log on the website. I hope you make the person who told you this aware that her approach is against the rules of the game.

[+Goldenwattle]

I haven't published the AL I was given, but if I did I would also have a simple puzzle (something really simple like S#% $%.&#@ E!$( ##.&$&), so those who don't want to do the AL could find the bonus cache without bothering with the AL.

[+thebruce0]

Yeah I'd say that's against the guidelines. If you found the physical cache you can log it found. There's no ALR exception exclusively for AL bonus caches.

 

8 hours ago, dprovan said:

Seems pretty ridiculous, sure, but I'm not sure why you *want* to log the bonus cache if you didn't find the AL.

 

The only reason I could is if you care about what people think about you if they notice you hadn't completed the Adventure Lab but found the bonus and that they may think you "cheated". Otherwise, it's a cache. If a friend completed the AL and we joined up for the bonus, but they didn't recommend the AL, I would still find the bonus. No reason not to other than public perception to some people.  Hey if you can justify it... it's just like finding a multicache final without completing the entire cache. Or logging a puzzle cache without knowing how to solve the puzzle. (and I return to my sentiment in relation to the above about what I prefer about having the intended cache experience; but could understand someone finding a bonus without "wanting" to do the AL).

[+dprovan]

7 hours ago, Max and 99 said:

I'm not sure if you were just stating that in a general sense so I'll clarify that I did complete the adventure lab..

No, i had no idea. It sounded to me like you didn't do the lab. So they know you did the lab but don't want to log it? That's an entirely different issue from what I see in your OP. I didn't realize you'd explained to them why you didn't log the lab you completed. I don't know why they'd care whether you log it. It's not as if anyone knows how to look at who logs an AL or cares, anyway. I don't know why you're angry -- "Bite me" -- but it certainly seems confusing. You did the work, you found the AL, why shouldn't you log the bonus cache? If they delete it, just appeal. Shrug.

[+fizzymagic]

18 hours ago, dprovan said:

No, i had no idea. It sounded to me like you didn't do the lab. So they know you did the lab but don't want to log it? That's an entirely different issue from what I see in your OP. I didn't realize you'd explained to them why you didn't log the lab you completed. I don't know why they'd care whether you log it. It's not as if anyone knows how to look at who logs an AL or cares, anyway.

Since I find the addition of every Al stage to your geocaching stats ridiculous, if I did one with somebody else (and every single one I have done so far really needs to be done by multiple people working together) then I can let them log the AL and I can still log the bonus cache.  The threat to delete my log will not hold water.

 

Given the absolutely wretched quality of all but one of the 4 or 5 ALs I have done to date, logging the bonus cache was pretty much the only nice reward for the needless tedium.

[+Isonzo Karst]

 

 I bet the ALR language on that lab bonus is gone ;-)

 

A caching couple found the bonus to my labs sans running the lab and mentioned that in their logs.  I got 2 messages and an email about this!  Struck me as odd that anyone would care or assume that something needed to be done.    There's the space along the trail with no cache, the hint, and it's an ammo can. Some impressive hunting, but doable.

[+dprovan]

7 hours ago, fizzymagic said:

Given the absolutely wretched quality of all but one of the 4 or 5 ALs I have done to date, logging the bonus cache was pretty much the only nice reward for the needless tedium.

While I disagree with almost every word in this sentence and would contest the negative reaction as entirely uncalled for from my experiences with ALs, in the end, I still agree with it in broad terms: I do the ALs, they've all been slightly entertaining, but a bonus cache makes it worthwhile as a geocaching trip.

[+thebruce0]

21 minutes ago, dprovan said:

I do the ALs, they've all been slightly entertaining, but a bonus cache makes it worthwhile as a geocaching trip.

 

Yeah, if there's a cache at the end then at least it feels more like a multi-cache/Wherigo/letterbox style experience with a proper cache at the end. And if you don't want the extra smilies you can 'hide' the AL completions.

[+barefootjeff]

11 hours ago, fizzymagic said:

Given the absolutely wretched quality of all but one of the 4 or 5 ALs I have done to date, logging the bonus cache was pretty much the only nice reward for the needless tedium.

 

My admittedly limited experience has been somewhat the opposite. The ALs I've done have mostly taken me on interesting jaunts but the bonus caches have been a bit of a let-down, usually just a nondescript location with a micro under a rock or a magnetic mint tin in a guard rail.