Jump to content

Struggling with my virtual 3.0 award


Recommended Posts

Hey everyone,

 

I was lucky enough to receive a virtual 3.0 award. I've been very excited to cook up an idea but I've been having a lot of self-doubt that my ideas are "not good enough". I'm hoping to bounce my ideas off you all and get some feedback.

 

I live in a town that, in my opinion, doesn't have anything too remarkable and I wouldn't be very satisfied putting the virtual on a local sightseeing object, the options are just not interesting enough in my mind. We do have 1 other virtual placed in the town that's pretty well done as an epic multi-waypoint adventure that highlights the riverfront. We also have a ton of adventure labs in our area.

 

I've considered driving out of town to put it at some sightseeing spot where I know it'll get reasonable traffic, like at a waterfall, for instance. I have several waterfall options. They all already have Earthcaches at those spots so kind of already are highlighted with a virtual cache of sorts. And also, I'm not exactly at my most creative by just slapping this on a waterfall.

 

Another idea, which I've completely written up and at this point could publish with the click of a button, is a sort of book club cache, set at the local library, where you are encouraged to tell us your favorite book in your log, or else the most recent book you read and whether you would recommend it (there is a location-based question as well). I think this one is nice and simple, elegant in its way, a bit different and fun if people cooperate (I don't think I'm allowed to require people to make the book recommendations in their log). But then I'm second-guessing myself that it's just kind of basic and maybe not a good use of a virtual reward, as the same thing could be constructed as a traditional cache. Once I realized that, the idea soured pretty hard for me.

 

I have considered making an underwater cache for a long time, as I do love the river here. I haven't done it because the river is strong and somewhat dangerous if you're not a good swimmer, so it would really not be accessible to a lot of people. A virtual would have that same problem, though the setup would now be a lot easier (just sink an object with a code written on it, something like that). I'm starting to think this would be a reasonable use of the virtual reward because it solves a lot of the maintenance and logistics problems, but again, not very accessible to a lot of people and also potentially dangerous. But I have to admit it would be appealing to make a virtual that's a little "different" than the typical fare.

 

Probably my best bet is to keep thinking about a good enough sightseeing spot out of town that I'd have to travel to, that's the "safest" plan. But what are some opinions on some of the other ideas?

 

Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this. I just want to thoroughly consider my options before pulling the trigger!

Link to comment

Look at 'the old days' of caching.

A lot of logs say, along the lines of: "But for Geocaching, I would never have known about this..."

Often somewhere where a physical cache couldn't be placed.

 

An easy photo to prove you were there is nice, and/or a simple question, with a reasonably simple answer to prove you were there is nice!

  • Upvote 2
  • Helpful 2
Link to comment
14 minutes ago, Korichnovui said:

I have considered making an underwater cache for a long time, as I do love the river here. I haven't done it because the river is strong and somewhat dangerous if you're not a good swimmer, so it would really not be accessible to a lot of people. A virtual would have that same problem, though the setup would now be a lot easier (just sink an object with a code written on it, something like that).

 

That sounds interesting, and there's a fun multi up the coast that has a submerged object with the coordinates for the final written on it, but I don't think that would be allowed for a virtual since they can't have physical waypoints:

 

image.png.0615a5b8c29f4a4796d9ce0b2ecc5577.png

 

If there was something already existing underwater that had a word or a number on it, that would be okay I guess. There's a Rewards 1.0 virtual something like that in Sydney that's based on a submerged motorcycle (GC7B8K9).

  • Upvote 2
  • Helpful 2
Link to comment
53 minutes ago, Korichnovui said:

Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this. I just want to thoroughly consider my options before pulling the trigger!

 

This is what I did for my VR 3.0, and the story behind it.

 

My virtual cache is in the middle of the pedestrian portion of a bridge (that allows cars and pedestrians) between two states, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, with the Delaware River under you.  Link: https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC9P6A2_caching-in-two-states-at-once-nj-pa-edition

 

I chose this for several reasons:

  • I wanted to create a cache that wasn't educational nor made you do a task like counting stuff; I wanted to bring people to a beautiful place that I really enjoy.  I do have a photo requirement for the cache.  There are lots of interesting historical or other type of educational virtuals out there, and I wanted to create something that was just fun and beautiful.
  • I did a cache just like this in Cincinnati between Ohio and Kentucky.  Both pairs of states (NJ/PA and OH/KY) are separated by rivers along their entire border, and I liked the idea of bringing people to a place that was unusual, in this case a place where one could stand between the two states.

 

Maybe my cache can help stir up an idea.  Good luck!

 

ETA: I placed my virtual cache about 75-90 minutes from my house, this isn't anyplace close, but I did visit to confirm the beauty I remembered, and to get coordinates.

 

Edited by GeoElmo6000
  • Helpful 4
Link to comment
27 minutes ago, GeoElmo6000 said:

 

My virtual cache is in the middle of the pedestrian portion of a bridge


I considered this! We have multiple bridges that span the rivers where I live. But it seemed a bit too similar to the pre-existing virtual. Nice idea though. And thanks for sharing your reasoning.

Link to comment
44 minutes ago, colleda said:

Hanford Reach National Monument looks like an interesting place. I guessing it's about 1 hour from you?


Full disclosure, I haven’t been up there! I’ll add it to the list of potential out-of-town spots, seems like it could be a strong candidate, thanks for the suggestion!

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
7 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

 

That sounds interesting, and there's a fun multi up the coast that has a submerged object with the coordinates for the final written on it, but I don't think that would be allowed for a virtual since they can't have physical waypoints:

 

image.png.0615a5b8c29f4a4796d9ce0b2ecc5577.png

 

If there was something already existing underwater that had a word or a number on it, that would be okay I guess. There's a Rewards 1.0 virtual something like that in Sydney that's based on a submerged motorcycle (GC7B8K9).

You could instead have a word on it that is the answer to a question

Link to comment
17 minutes ago, MNTA said:

You could instead have a word on it that is the answer to a question

 

You're still placing an object there, which I don't think is allowed for a virtual. They're supposed to be, um, completely virtual I guess, but probably best to check with a reviewer first if you want to go down that path.

  • Upvote 1
  • Helpful 2
Link to comment

Think about what is nearby where a physical geocache is prohibited or not practical. National Park Service property is a great choice in this regard, or a National Wildlife Refuge. Cemeteries also - bring visitors to notable graves.

 

Downtowns with historic buildings and artwork unlikely to have viable hiding places are also good, especially if you don't want to make a more elaborate Multi, Wherigo, or Adventure Lab.

Link to comment

I think your book club idea is a great one. virtuals are not limited to only going places traditionals cannot go. I haven't seen that done before and it encourages people to interact with books which is a massive plus among our online game frenzied youth. You could even have a question they need to answer found in a page of an obscure reference book that cannot be removed. Something like the oldest book in the library. The book alone could be worth the trip.

Link to comment

I suggest that you sleep on it a bit longer.  When I received my virtual, I had no idea what to do because I really didn’t expect to get one.  I did review all the virtuals within about 50 miles, and while most were scenic or historic, the rest fell into many categories.  I then discovered that the scenic or historic locations that I was familiar with were occupied by caches (traditional, virtual, and earth) so I set the task aside. A short time later, the memory of a news article about the dedication on a new city park that was created out of thin air bubbled to the surface.  A eureka moment of sorts.  
 

So, a little patience is in order.  Besides, you have about 6 more months. 
 

Joe

  • Helpful 2
Link to comment

 So here is my idea for my virtual reward. Opinions welcome.

I don't expect tons of visitors, nearby caches get a handful of finds each year. The cache at the closest gas station ~30 miles away the cache there had 13 finds last year. Fill ups a must last summer I thought $5.95 a gallon was expensive, middle of no where. They have great desserts in the desert too ;)

 

The location I have chosen is in a dry lake bed during the summer months on BLM land. Love going there. Great views nearby hot springs, wild horses, caves and caching. Seen cars, motorcycles, parasailers, crazy cars with huge sails, and one airplane. Not sure if it qualifies as a dark skies location but may be close so star gazing is amazing. Even let my kids take turns driving staying far away from any other vehicles.

 

So the draw to me is the location I love to share. Now technically I could place a cache in some locations nearby but it is hours from my home so would not be able to handle any maintenance.  Plus with a virtual I can require photographs. 

 

So here was my fun thought. My kids have always loved goofing off with forced perspective photography. Goggle it for some great examples. Think Holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa, holding a car in your palm of your hand, or simply the old skit squishing your head. Plus a second picture of your gps with the lakebed in the background showing the coordinates being on a confluence.

 

 

 

Link to comment

@MNTA - you've described a great location for sure.  Keep in mind that (1) a face cannot be required in any verification photo task, and (2) visitors who use their smartphone as both a GPS and a camera will find it difficult to take a picture of their GPS as a logging requirement.  The Help Center article on Virtual Reward Caches provides guidance and examples for acceptable logging tasks.

  • Upvote 1
  • Funny 1
  • Helpful 2
Link to comment
4 hours ago, Keystone said:

@MNTA - you've described a great location for sure.  Keep in mind that (1) a face cannot be required in any verification photo task, and (2) visitors who use their smartphone as both a GPS and a camera will find it difficult to take a picture of their GPS as a logging requirement.  The Help Center article on Virtual Reward Caches provides guidance and examples for acceptable logging tasks.

 

Smartphone screengrabs?

  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
5 hours ago, TeamRabbitRun said:

 

Smartphone screengrabs?

@Keystone is correct it can be difficult/impossible potentially.

 

If you are solo and only have one device with a gps and the same device is your camera you are out of luck.  Thanks for point that out.

 

Link to comment
37 minutes ago, MNTA said:

@Keystone is correct it can be difficult/impossible potentially.

 

If you are solo and only have one device with a gps and the same device is your camera you are out of luck.  Thanks for point that out.

 

 

What I meant was, if the requirement request is to take a photo showing your device and the surroundings, then yes, you're out of luck, but if you have a phone from which you can grab screenshots, then do you think most COs would accept a screengrab of the app with the correct position displayed?

Link to comment
28 minutes ago, TeamRabbitRun said:

 

What I meant was, if the requirement request is to take a photo showing your device and the surroundings, then yes, you're out of luck, but if you have a phone from which you can grab screenshots, then do you think most COs would accept a screengrab of the app with the correct position displayed?


There are also Apps that superimpose the GPS information onto the camera view.  I have one of those.  I’ve never felt the need to make a screenshot as described, but the capability is there.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
4 hours ago, TeamRabbitRun said:

 

What I meant was, if the requirement request is to take a photo showing your device and the surroundings, then yes, you're out of luck, but if you have a phone from which you can grab screenshots, then do you think most COs would accept a screengrab of the app with the correct position displayed?

 

It'd be too easy to fake. Look, I just visited your cache GC9FFWX but I forgot my pen:

 

Armchair.jpg.29bf5c42231fd7f1f694071333c7a376.jpg

 

Can I log my find?

Edited by barefootjeff
  • Upvote 1
  • Funny 1
  • Surprised 2
Link to comment
16 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

 

It'd be too easy to fake. Look, I just visited your cache GC9FFWX but I forgot my pen:

 

Armchair.jpg.29bf5c42231fd7f1f694071333c7a376.jpg

 

Can I log my find?

 

Can YOU log it? 

 

No, because I believe shoes might be required to hike the Mill Brook Preserve, and I don't want to promote that sort of funny-business.

 

  • Funny 4
Link to comment
On 6/8/2022 at 5:57 PM, MNTA said:

@Keystone is correct it can be difficult/impossible potentially.

 

If you are solo and only have one device with a gps and the same device is your camera you are out of luck.  Thanks for point that out.

 

 

This is what I did for my recent virtual for logging requirements:

 

Quote

Logging requirements

  • You must physically visit the given coordinates on the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge, where you will find the painted border between New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
  • You must take a photo of yourself or your team (or if you're shy, your GPS device) at the given coordinates, which must include the painted state border.  Be creative and have fun with it!

 

Some people took photos of themselves, some of their feet.  As long as it looks to me like they've been there I'm fine with it.  You can see the pics here if you want.

 

https://www.geocaching.com/seek/gallery.aspx?guid=765da630-2dc3-4e7d-8c49-37ce8258a80e

 

 

 

Edited by GeoElmo6000
  • Upvote 1
  • Helpful 1
Link to comment

Hello

I'm very happy with my "no virtual cahche" ... yes, in Portugal i am the third owner and have no virtual award ... never ... why? I don't know ... maybe for having too many caches ... or because my name is not a "lucky name" or bacause my name is in a "black list of owners" ... I have no problems because i don't have a Virtual Reward ... :rolleyes:

(and yes, this post is "off topic" but is what i feel about Virtual Rewards ... be happy and don't forget "geocaching is about friends and having funny, not just numbers or yellow smiles".

  • Funny 3
Link to comment
3 hours ago, A J Pombo said:

Hello

I'm very happy with my "no virtual cahche" ... yes, in Portugal i am the third owner and have no virtual award ... never ... why? I don't know ... maybe for having too many caches ... or because my name is not a "lucky name" or bacause my name is in a "black list of owners" ... I have no problems because i don't have a Virtual Reward ... :rolleyes:

(and yes, this post is "off topic" but is what i feel about Virtual Rewards ... be happy and don't forget "geocaching is about friends and having funny, not just numbers or yellow smiles".

 

This thread was started by someone who received a virtual award 3.0 and is trying to figure out a good way to utilize it.  I'm sorry you haven't gotten a virtual reward yet, and it took me a while as well, but keep putting your name in the hat and hopefully you get one.  I'm happy to see the OP is trying to create a meaningful geocache that people will enjoy.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment

Thanks for all the thoughtful replies. I am taking Joe_L's advice to heart and sleeping on it a bit. And I've been looking more into Moun10Bike's suggestion of the Hanford B Reactor and that's actually a fantastic suggestion. So I went on the tour and it was really good. I think it would make a great virtual. I have it all written up but when I asked the tour people for permission they really balked at the idea. "We'll have to ask our Department of Energy liaison." Ouch. I haven't heard back yet. It may be a lost cause. I'm going to try to call them today and see if I can talk to that DOE person directly.

  • Surprised 1
  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
On 6/17/2022 at 12:50 PM, Korichnovui said:

Thanks for all the thoughtful replies. I am taking Joe_L's advice to heart and sleeping on it a bit. And I've been looking more into Moun10Bike's suggestion of the Hanford B Reactor and that's actually a fantastic suggestion. So I went on the tour and it was really good. I think it would make a great virtual. I have it all written up but when I asked the tour people for permission they really balked at the idea. "We'll have to ask our Department of Energy liaison." Ouch. I haven't heard back yet. It may be a lost cause. I'm going to try to call them today and see if I can talk to that DOE person directly.

 

Oh, government...! :( 

  • Funny 1
Link to comment

I used my virtual as motivation to go places I'd intended to, but hadn't  made the effort. Rather enjoyable. I chased Champion trees of Florida for a while.  Enjoyed all that I visited, but each presented issues.

 

(Quite near my home is the state's Champion palmetto (Serenoa repens). Seemed appropriate.   Sadly, a truly ugly walk.  Just off a US Interstate exchange, pull off on a county road, walk through a huge sand pit,  ugly with illegal dumping, ATV and 4 wheeler use, full sun, deep sand, road noise.  300ft walk through woods, monster towering saw palmetto - ancient).

 

Ultimately, it took me the full year to find a place, and get the necessary permit back, but I'm happy with it.

 

 

 

Link to comment
13 hours ago, Isonzo Karst said:

I used my virtual as motivation to go places I'd intended to, but hadn't  made the effort.

 

 

Yes, the Hanford B Reactor tour is exactly this. It's a free tour of a facility that's really critical to the history of our area, and the tour is really very well done, but a lot of people still haven't done it.

 

I'm hoping to talk to the DOE person tomorrow, so fingers crossed! Meantime, what do you guys think about these logging questions? I'm not really sure of the year-to-year longevity of the #1 requirement, and if it changes (or the others) then the questions could get dropped, or I'll have to go on another tour and come up with more questions!

 

1. In the large Front Face Room, to the left there is a large diorama of the facility, with red buttons to light up the different areas. How many red buttons are there on this display?

2. In the Valve Pit Room, there's a Safety News bulletin on the wall. How many safe hours are announced on this bulletin?

3. In the Control Room, there's an old calendar on the wall. It says "Hanford Project" on the top of the calendar. What is the latest month/year on the calendar, down in the bottom right corner?

4. If you go back past the Exhaust & Intake Fans, you'll find a mural painted on the wall. It says, "I need you on the job... Full time" at the top. Here you see mention of HEW--what does HEW stand for?

Finally, one last request to help prove you were there:

5. Please include in your log a photo of your favorite room. ( But please don't include a photo that gives away answers to the above questions )

Link to comment

During the tour you mention, is there a guide giving you information along the way, or is it one of those self-paced tours?  I ask because as a visitor, and cacher, I would have to split my attention between the guide and getting answers for your Virtual.

  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
On 6/20/2022 at 10:35 PM, K13 said:

During the tour you mention, is there a guide giving you information along the way, or is it one of those self-paced tours?  I ask because as a visitor, and cacher, I would have to split my attention between the guide and getting answers for your Virtual.

 

It's both. There is ample time given for self-directed exploration so it works out pretty nicely, I think.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
2 hours ago, Korichnovui said:

 

I called again today and they're still trying to check with the DOE!

 

I've offered to contact that person directly so I can explain the situation in my own words. They'll "get back to me" on that. 

 

Are there any opportunities for a meaningful virtual there that is publicly accessible without the need for express permission? It's really a historical spot and it would be a shame if you had to give up on it due to government bureaucracy.

  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
20 hours ago, Moun10Bike said:

 

Are there any opportunities for a meaningful virtual there that is publicly accessible without the need for express permission? It's really a historical spot and it would be a shame if you had to give up on it due to government bureaucracy.

 

There's no way to get anywhere near the B reactor on your own. Maybe in the reach just above it and you could look across the river... Haven't tried it. I've also considered putting the virtual in the reach anyway. If this DOE doesn't go anywhere I may scout that out.

 

I've gone back and forth on this. I'm not asking the tour-goers to do anything different than what they're expected to do on the tour anyway, not in the slightest. I could place the virtual and no one would be the wiser. But I could see some kind of worst-case scenario where someone asks the tour people something about the virtual, and one thing leads to another and someone becomes concerned. We are supposed to ask for permission, so I'm trying my best.

  • Love 1
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...