Jump to content

Central Valley Cachers


Fattuhr

Recommended Posts

Is it just me or are other cachers having problems getting caches approved? I placed two caches in Manteca along the bike path and they were both rejected. I've removed the caches but here's the closing post...

 

Gerr!icon_mad.gificon_mad.gif

 

___________________

 

March 11 by ncflyers (ncflyers) (264 found)

You can [delete] or [permanently encrypt] this log entry.

Dear Bill of Green Achers,

 

Your Geocache, Cache: (GCE2C2) Center of Attention by The Green Achers Gang, has been temporarily archived because it lies within 15 feet of railroad tracks according to the mapping software we are utilizing. (In your particular instance, you are directing the finder in your narrative to go to the posted coordinates at N 37° 47.849 W 121° 13.194.) We are using Topo Zone, Yahoo Maps, and Garmin Mapsource.

 

We are not to approve Geocaches that are within 150 feet of active tracks. The rule exists for a couple of reasons, the first being the inherent danger of people being in the close proximity of a train. Since Geocaching is a family sport, many children would be close to the tracks and they are not watched 100% of the time. The second reason for the active tracks rule evolved when 911 occurred in New York City. Within the last 18 months a bomb squad was called out and they detonated an ammo can near railroad tracks because it was believed there might be a terrorist bomb inside. Instead, they found it to be a Geocache once it was blown in place. That was published in newspapers in Northern California and Southern Oregon.

 

A copy of our guidelines may be read on the link provided below:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/articles/requirements.asp

 

Unfortunately, your Geocache must be temporarily archived because it is too close to railroad tracks according to our mapping software. If we are mistaken, and these are inactive railroad tracks, please let us know. However, the information we have provided to us indicates they are active. If they are inactive please e-mail us at jdjkhamilton@cox.net and include the waypoint number (GCE2C2) on your subject line to expedite the approval process. Please do not merely hit the reply key to this e-mail, or else it will end up in the general in-tray and a considerable amount of time may go by before it is answered. Otherwise, please move the Geocache at least 150 feet from the railroad tracks and let us know once you have done it so we may approve it. Thank you for your time.

Once again, we are sorry for the temporary disapproval.

~ncflyers~(ADMIN)

jdjkhamilton@cox.net

 

Bill of Green Achers

 

"I'm Not Sure I Understand Everything I Know About This."

 

46085_1800.jpg

Link to comment

Bill, all you would have had to do to get them approved was to email the approver telling them that the caches were along a bike path, and that there is a fence between the path and the tracks. I am sure he would have approved them then.

 

The approvers are required to reject any cache within 150 feet of active railroad tracks in the absence of any further information. I don't understand why you are upset over this.

Link to comment

Bother me? I think this cache is safe and they say it's not. Are you ready to keep a 150 foot clearance from all RR? Quarter Horse. And what if they start getting concerned over the caches being too close to roads? Someone could walk out into traffic. And then you could be worried about the caches that are within 150 of any building or gathering place. I think I'll just let kids run around the area since it's not safe for Geocachers.

 

Bottom line is I think it's safe. Maybe I need a break from stashing! This is my third cache that this guy has archived. Gerr.

 

Bill of Green Achers

 

"I'm Not Sure I Understand Everything I Know About This."

 

46085_1800.jpg

Link to comment

What I meant was, why did you just accept the archive? In the case of Quarter Horse, I would point out that there's a road between the cache and the tracks. I am guessing that they would approve it after hearing that.

 

Did you email them to tell them that the cache is on a bike path?

 

My point is that getting caches approved is starting to require more communication than it used to. Don't just give up immediately and get upset! Explain the cache better. If they still reject it, then get upset!

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by fizzymagic:

What I meant was, why did you just accept the archive? In the case of Quarter Horse, I would point out that there's a road between the cache and the tracks. I am guessing that they would approve it after hearing that.

 

Did you email them to tell them that the cache is on a bike path?

 

My point is that getting caches approved is starting to require more communication than it used to. Don't just give up immediately and get upset! Explain the cache better. If they still reject it, _then_ get upset!


 

I didn't give up. The cache was archived before I had a chance to do anything. That's just how that guy is. Why is someone that has no idea about our area telling us what's safe and what's not. (You said I could get upset after it was archived). icon_frown.gif

 

I'll see if I can get some photo's this weekend. Gerr. I just don't need to be spending all this time doing this. The fun ended this morning.

 

Bill of Green Achers

 

"I'm Not Sure I Understand Everything I Know About This."

 

46085_1800.jpg

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by Green Achers:

I didn't give up. The cache was archived before I had a chance to do anything.


 

Oh! That's a misunderstanding! When an admin has questions about a cache, they temporarily archive it. But if you can convince them that it's OK, they can un-archive it. That's just how the procedure works now.

 

But that raises an important issue: how many geocachers know that the archiving isn't permanent? I'll bet most think that it is the final word. That is an issue that needs to be addressed pronto!

Link to comment

I decided last night to actually go for my 600th cache by my one-year caching anniversary, which is this coming Sunday. So I took off at 6:30 this morning and did 12 caches in Manteca, French Camp, and Stockton by 10:00, with only one unfortunate incident...

 

I highly recommend Ron's new Peace cache. Outstanding!

Link to comment

We have been through the process before as well. The approver sent a message stating that the cache is temporarily archived until we provided additional information. As soon as we clarified the situation the cache was approved.

 

An example was our flower cam cache. We e-mailed back and forth with the approver discussing the subtletiesof the cache. We were required to make some minor changes to the page and once this was done the cache was approved.

 

The approvers are given a set of rules to follow and as they stated they initially go by the mapping programs. If they notice a problem, then they notify the placer. We all know that the mapping programs have errors in them, so do the approvers. That is why they contact you to point out the problem they encountered. Explain your side and they will usually approve the cache.

 

Mary

 

39570_500.jpg

Pedal until your legs cramp up and then pedal some more.

Link to comment

Don't give up Bill! I placed a cache under a flume this week-end up near Murphy's; and wanted to post on the cache page that you had to go "under water" to get it.....but I figured it would be a battle with the approvers, so I didn't write it.

 

Wow, early congrats Fizzy! 600! - that's about 500 more than me. Great workicon_smile.gif

 

We are headed down South this week-end. I'd be happy to move a small travel bug for anyone. Let me know!

 

Have a great evening,

 

Cathyicon_smile.gif

 

There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors.

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by Catmit:

Don't give up Bill! I placed a cache under a flume this week-end up near Murphy's; and wanted to post on the cache page that you had to go "under water" to get it.....but I figured it would be a battle with the approvers, so I didn't write it.


 

Under water would not be a problem, there are caches that require swiming if not scuba diving to retreive them.

 

BTW,

My climbing harness just came in the mail today.

 

I need to get a nice rope, some carbiners, and ascenders..... the possibilities are very interesting.

 

george

 

39570_500.jpg

Pedal until your legs cramp up and then pedal some more.

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by Ron Streeter:

Marky...

....If you're going to continue to occupy that number 2 spot, you've GOT to go for....

 

this one


That one certainly sounds like fun, but we don't have any type of floatation device. Heck, I can't even get Jimmy the Duck!

 

--Marky

"All of us get lost in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

Link to comment

I stopped by my two rejected caches tonight and took messurements from the RR. One messures 151 feet as placed so there's no merrit for rejecting it (and it was permanantly archived by the way).

 

The other cache that I've quoted yesterday is 76 feet so they just have to take my word that it's safe from the train. Maybe a second opinion from someone that knows the area would help my case. The cache is protected from the RR by two lane roads in all directions.

 

Long hours of work and this fight to top things off have me whipped. Whaaaa. sniff.

 

Welcome to newbee kelley sunshine. Sorry you caught me at a bad time. I am glad your here joining us... and you like the mud too. George, Mike and Brute all play in the mud. I think Fallen's been muddy a time or two as well.

 

Bill of Green Achers

 

"I'm Not Sure I Understand Everything I Know About This."

 

46085_1800.jpg

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by Green Achers:

Nice news article, Ron. I don't like that picture you posted though... they're too young to cache and I think once they get old enough to go hunting... they'll be chicken! icon_rolleyes.gif

 

Did I mention how much fun it was at Strings? It's worth saying again.

 

I'm planting a cache in Manstinka this weekend that I've been planning for a while. It will meet Jaimee's requirements (Regular sized) and Fizzy may have a tough time with it... So, at least one of us will have fun with it. icon_biggrin.gif

 

Bill of Green Achers

 

"I'm Not Sure I Understand Everything I Know About This."

46085_1700e%2013


 

Ok. So I realize that I am A LITTLE BIT BEHIND. But I missed the news article or something. I clicked on the link and it wasn't there. What's up with that?

 

70546_800.gif

 

If there is something to B17ch about I'll make sure you're the first to know.

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by Ron Streeter:

....I don't know why your one just South of Stockton doesn't get more attention. Maybe people think they have to come in from the south in the area of Hawk's Watch, Valet, Down Under, Nothing But Knives and Doggies Best Friend. It would be quite a walk from there, but is CLOSE to another entrance.

 

The concept itself is OK, but doesn't do a lot for me. Maybe if it got started more I would do them though. How about trying another one or two to generate some interest?

 

Ron

 

__I've never been lost. Fearsome confused sometimes, but never lost.__


 

I was actually 10 feet away from this one a few weeks ago and didn't get it because I didn't have a stamp. Actually I have never bothered to read about letterboxing and had no idea of there was actually something there or what, so I left. Why was I there? I was trying to figure out how to get to another cache (wonder what one that is). It got dark.

 

70546_800.gif

 

If there is something to B17ch about I'll make sure you're the first to know.

Link to comment

I'm nearly finished writing a geocaching Widget for Konfabulator. Konfabulator is a JavaScript engine for Mac OS X which runs little mini-applications called Widgets. There are Widgets for doing all sorts of things, like displaying stock prices, weather conditions, eBay auctions, etc. Most of these Widgets pull real-time information from various Web sites.

 

The "Geocaching!" Widget I've written displays new geocaches closest to a given location, which can be specified via latitude-longitude or U.S. Zip code. Behind the scenes, it uses the geocaching.com Web site to perform the searches, and refreshes its list every five minutes.

 

Here's an actual screenshot, showing the new caches in the Manteca area:

 

icon_wink.gif )

 

You'll notice that the format of the data somewhat mirrors the cache results page on geocaching.com. I made the blue cache image a live hyperlink to the cache type informational page, and the cache name is a live hyperlink to the actual cache page on geocaching.com.

 

Anyway, if there are any Mac OS X users amongst the CVC crew, I'd be happy to send you an advance copy of it, once I finish tweaking it a bit more. I need to have some people test it for me.

 

Just let me know in this forum if you'd like to try out the new Widget, or e-mail me at mike@elness.com.

 

(By the way, this Widget will be free; I will not be making any money on it.)

 

Mike of macfamily6

 

[This message was edited by macfamily6 on March 13, 2003 at 04:46 AM.]

Link to comment

It looks like a neat application and something that I think would be really usefull. I already sent you an email..

 

quote:
Originally posted by macfamily6:

I'm nearly finished writing a geocaching Widget for http://www.konfabulator.com/. Konfabulator is a JavaScript engine for Mac OS X which runs little mini-applications called Widgets. There are Widgets for doing all sorts of things, like displaying stock prices, weather conditions, eBay auctions, etc. Most of these Widgets pull real-time information from various Web sites.


Link to comment

...I just talked on the phone to Two Dollar Bill from Sutter Creek who made the trek to Patti's Point and looked for all five caches along the way.

 

He found #1, #2 and #4 along the 19 mile round trip but had some questions about #3 (Olive Grove) and #5 (Patti's Point) so looks like I'll be taking a big hike soon!

 

Ron

 

I've never been lost. Fearsome confused sometimes, but never lost.

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by macfamily6:

Just let me know in this forum if you'd like to try out the new Widget, or e-mail me at mike@elness.com).


I'd definitely be interested in checking it out.

 

--Marky

"All of us get lost in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

Link to comment

Have you analyzed the server load you are creating on geocaching.com with this widget?

 

Some considerations:

 

1) Are you limiting yourself to the nearest 25 page, or are you going to do multiple queries for folks? If the latter, you will be creating ‘much’ more load on the server than otherwise. For people who pride themselves on having found their nearest 100, 200 caches, you’ll be retrieving a lot of pages for them every five minutes.

 

2) Will you examine the time it takes to receive a reply, and adjust the rate of your queries accordingly?

 

3) Do you have a way to determine how many total users are using your program (you could have your program query YOUR web site every so often) so that the program can discipline itself, so no matter how many people are using it, it creates a maximum load on the geocaching.com servers?

 

Etc. etc. ...

 

It’s important to be a nice net citizen when you create a web robot - which is what this program is.

 

-J

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by TeamJiffy:

Have you analyzed the server load you are creating on geocaching.com with this widget?

 

Some considerations:

 

1) Are you limiting yourself to the nearest 25 page, or are you going to do multiple queries for folks? If the latter, you will be creating ‘much’ more load on the server than otherwise. For people who pride themselves on having found their nearest 100, 200 caches, you’ll be retrieving a lot of pages for them every five minutes.

 

2) Will you examine the time it takes to receive a reply, and adjust the rate of your queries accordingly?

 

3) Do you have a way to determine how many total users are using your program (you could have your program query YOUR web site every so often) so that the program can discipline itself, so no matter how many people are using it, it creates a maximum load on the geocaching.com servers?

 

Etc. etc. ...

 

It’s important to be a nice net citizen when you create a web robot - which is what this program is.

 

-J


 

TeamJiffy,

 

Thanks very much for your comments. I'll address them one at a time.

 

1) The Widget parses only the first page of the HTML output from the nearest_cache.asp Active Server Page (ASP). Yes, I could have programmed the Widget to snarf pages 2 and beyond, but (a) I, too, am concerned about slamming the geocaching.com server, and (:) I'm too lazy to add the additional code to handle it icon_wink.gif . Mostly (a), though. Really.

 

2) The Widget is not currently coded to evaluate the length of time it's taking to do the HTTP request. Doing so would be a piece of cake, but even then it could be difficult for the Widget to differentiate between a lightly-loaded server sending to a user's 33.6Kbps modem and an overloaded server sending to a user's cable/DSL modem.

 

3) Now _that's_ an interesting thought I hadn't considered. I'll have to look into that...

 

Just to give you a little background, I have contacted the Geocaching.com/Groundspeak folks, both to explain what I'm doing and to get permission to use their logo.

 

The Groundspeak representative did not express any concern whatsoever about my Widget or its five-minute refresh frequency. On the contrary, he added me to a developer's e-mail list so that when a new Web site redesign is going to occur, my Widget can be proactively modified so that it won't break when the redesign goes live. Apparently I'm not the only one relying on the HTML output of the geocaching.com Web site...

 

Regarding the logo usage, they granted me permission, subject to a couple of minor modifications. Overall, I have found the Groundspeak folks to be very helpful and accommodating.

 

Thanks again for your thought-provoking comments.

 

Mike of macfamily6

Link to comment

Does anyone know how to find out what day a membership expires?? I know that some folks have had theirs expired with no notification and others have received emails alerting them that this would happen.

 

Any info would be great!

 

Jaimee

 

"What a fine thing it is to have an intellect, and room enough in the seat of your breeches to hold it."

Link to comment

Q. The date at the bottom our our forum posts our Geocaching date but that's a good question about the paid membership date. I'd like to know so I can renew on time. What happens if it expires... do you loose all your MO logs. icon_biggrin.gif

 

Bill of Green Achers

 

"I'm Not Sure I Understand Everything I Know About This."

 

46085_1800.jpg

 

BTW, why doesn't my CVC logo (that I stole from George) not appear on my forum posts? All I see is that it wants to appear and I can click on it to open it. What am I doing wrong??

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by Green Achers:

Q. The date at the bottom our our forum posts our Geocaching date but that's a good question about the paid membership date. I'd like to know so I can renew on time. What happens if it expires... do you loose all your MO logs. icon_biggrin.gif

 

_Bill of Green Achers_

 

"I'm Not Sure I Understand Everything I Know About This."

 

http://img.Groundspeak.com/user/46085_1800.jpg

 

BTW, why doesn't my CVC logo (that I stole from George) not appear on my forum posts? All I see is that it wants to appear and I can click on it to open it. What am I doing wrong??


 

You don't loose the logs, but you won't be able to even see your OWN MO caches. Ask me how I know.

 

The image didn't work... Try this link.

 

http://img.Groundspeak.com/user/39570_500.jpg

 

39570_500.jpg

 

39570_500.jpg

Pedal until your legs cramp up and then pedal some more.

Link to comment

....non-caching day.

 

We went to Murphys today for a nice little local parade and festivities celebrating St. Patricks Day.

 

A bagpiping group was the hit of the day as were the little children decked out for the parade.

 

A beautiful sunny day...for which all the locals were grateful as the creek in the park was running at bank level with red water after heavy rains last night.

 

The little park was converted into an old Irish/Scottish village with about 5 tents and 50 very authentic looking folks in flowing old Irish garb.

 

The Kautz Winery has 300,000 blooming daffodils lining the road to the winery and many tuplips, crocus and other beautiful flowers at the buildings. I recommend it for a nice day trip.

 

Ron

 

I've never been lost. Fearsome confused sometimes, but never lost.

Link to comment

Sounds like a nice time in Murphys, Ron. I wanted to check out the Celtic Faire in Angels Camp but was concerned about the rain.

 

I did get to find a cache today though. We went to a movie in Turlock and I then found one of Pat's new caches. I wasn't aware of the others until after we got home..grrrrr

 

Oh well..at least I got the FTF baby! icon_biggrin.gif Can't wait to read the comments when some others find it.

 

Jaimee icon_smile.gif

 

"What a fine thing it is to have an intellect, and room enough in the seat of your breeches to hold it."

Link to comment

We ended up heading to Turlock today so I could grab Pat's two other new caches as well as to try for a couple others. One of Pat's new ones was already missing, before ever having a logged find. Very odd, especially considering the fact that where he showed me it had been placed was not somewhere out in the open that would have easily been spotted. Oh well..ya just never know.

 

We also ran into Duelly at that spot and had a nice chat. It's always fun to meet cachers while out hunting.

 

Now it looks like the rain is moving in. BIG dark ugly cloud over the pasture....YIKES! Guess I finished my cache day just in time.

 

Jaimee icon_smile.gif

 

"What a fine thing it is to have an intellect, and room enough in the seat of your breeches to hold it."

Link to comment

We were in Murphys yesterday, too. My daughter was in the parade, in the karate group. I was the mom walking with the group holding our entry number. It was raining even in the morning and I thought sure we would be having the parade in the rain. But it stopped while we were in the formation place. There is a cache right there in Murphys Park, and Rob and I have ours right across the street from the park.

 

Arlene

Link to comment

Is anyone else not receiving email notification when someone finds a cache that you have placed? Pat was telling me that he wasn't getting emails, and I discovered several logs on my caches that I didn't know about.

 

We didn't change anything, so I am guessing it's something with the site...anyone know for sure or anyone else experiencing the same thing?

 

Jaimee

 

"What a fine thing it is to have an intellect, and room enough in the seat of your breeches to hold it."

Link to comment

.

.

Arlene....well, I should have been wearing my geocaching hat! I wondered if there were any caches around, but it was a non-caching outing, so they'll have to wait 'till another time.

 

.

.

Jaimee...my guess is that the geocaching servers are just lagging, and that Pat is looking at a cache page and sees a *find* or *note* before the geocaching server has a chance to get an email to him.

 

Ron

 

I've never been lost. Fearsome confused sometimes, but never lost.

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by JaimeeG:

Is anyone else not receiving email notification when someone finds a cache that you have placed?

 

Jaimee

"


 

Several of mine have new find logs and no emails have been sent to me. Looks like it has been the last two days.

 

I thought it was my yahoo email. I guess it's not.

 

Alan

Link to comment

There is a thread under the General forum (I think that's where I saw it) talking about notification. It must be something with Geocaching because lots of people are having the same problem.

 

Jaimee icon_smile.gif

 

"What a fine thing it is to have an intellect, and room enough in the seat of your breeches to hold it."

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by Marky:

quote:
Originally posted by Ron Streeter:

_Marky..._

....If you're going to continue to occupy that number 2 spot, you've GOT to go for....

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=23667


That one certainly sounds like fun, but we don't have any type of floatation device. Heck, I can't even get http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=51037!

 

--Marky


 

You don't necessarily need a boat to get to the cache icon_smile.gif

91799_600.jpg

 

[This message was edited by Camelot Cache Hunters on March 17, 2003 at 04:59 PM.]

Link to comment

....I'm confused.

 

I just looked at the pocket query for a definition I have that shows caches I have not found within 200 miles.

 

I have been using this for sometime and when I did the latest download, the work for WATCHER and the PLUCKER work, I notice that the page description for STAN WHO? does not come up.

 

There are very few MEMBERS ONLY caches in our immediate area (aside from mine) and it looks to me like Members Only caches don't come up in the pocket query. OR DID I MISS including them in my pocket query request?

 

I have some other thoughts on this, but will wait for an answer on this part first. So, my question is, do MEMBERS ONLY caches come up in pocket queries?

 

Thanks...

 

Ron

 

I've never been lost. Fearsome confused sometimes, but never lost.

Link to comment

....I just looked at the definiton on my pocket query and saw that I had not checked the members only box.

 

I guess originally I thought I didn't need it as at that time, I don't think central valley cachers were making their caches MO caches.

 

The next time I generate this query it should show me the few that ARE MOs.

 

Ron

 

I've never been lost. Fearsome confused sometimes, but never lost.

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by georgeandmary:

quote:
Originally posted by Camelot Cache Hunters:

You don't necessarily need a boat to get to the cache icon_smile.gif

http://img.Groundspeak.com/user/91799_600.jpg

 

[This message was edited by Camelot Cache Hunters on March 17, 2003 at 04:59 PM.]


 

You will if you do it that way. icon_biggrin.gif

 

george

 

http://img.Groundspeak.com/user/39570_500.jpg

Pedal until your legs cramp up and then pedal some more.


 

You're probably right. My post was only meant to be funny, not factual. I have'nt gone after that cache yet. Actually planning a kayak/cache day as it should be warming up soon. Should have went last weekend, but too much going on.

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by Ron Streeter:

 

Well, there's more than ONE WAY to navigate a river!

 

Ron


 

True, very true. Strap on those hip waders, or for those more divine walk right on top (uh oh, that will probably generate some flack.) But hey, were just having fun here, right?!

 

David

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...