Wheel of Challenges

[+hzoi]

On 8/1/2023 at 4:04 PM, Harry Dolphin said:

Well, since I cannot do Adventure Caches on my GPSr, I'm out of this one.

 

On 8/2/2023 at 12:22 PM, Harry Dolphin said:

Rather a slap in the face to us GPSr users.  Actually an insult.

 

Harry, if you were really concerned about getting the souvenir, it seems it would be pretty easy to borrow another cacher's phone, log into their Adventure Lab app, and find a lab.

 

If you want the souvenir badly enough, you could host an event at a location with a lab stage nearby, then ask one of the attendees to help you out.

 

I'm guessing then that your main intent is to complain about how geocaching is continuing, against your will, to evolve past the technology that was required 15-20 years ago.

 

I can't think of many technology-dependent activities that started in the past 25 years or so that haven't changed significantly over time due to improved technology. For example, Netflix started with DVDs only in 1997, and now they're completely discontinuing DVD rentals this September.

 

I think it says a lot about how much Groundspeak still caters to GPSr-only cachers that, aside from Adventure Labs, you can still play using only a GPSr and PC. If geocaching had started in 2010 and not in 2000, it's quite likely that it would have started as an app and never had backwards compatibility with stand-alone GPS receivers.

 

You have chosen not to get a smart phone, and therefore, you have opted out of newer aspects of geocaching (and banking, and many other things) that would otherwise be readily available to you. That's your call. But it doesn't make much sense for you to turn around and be insulted by the consequences of that choice.

 

If Groundspeak discontinues pocket query downloads and stops supporting GPX files, then you can be insulted.

 

Unless or until that happens, as long as you refuse to simply borrow someone else's phone for five minutes, then no, you don't get to chase this month's souvenirs.

 

But unless your opinion has changed greatly over the last twelve years, you were never really a fan of souvenirs to begin with. So in theory, this should be no great loss to you.

[+thebruce0]

*micdrop*

[+johns123456]

I read many people will not join this month's challenge because AL is required. 

For me, the eventcache is the dissatisfier. I was forced to join meetings so often in my working days, that I refuse to join any meeting now that I am retired. I really like to meet individual geocachers on the road, though.

 

Allowing ANY type would have been better. 

[+CAVinoGal]

9 hours ago, johns123456 said:

For me, the eventcache is the dissatisfier. I was forced to join meetings so often in my working days, that I refuse to join any meeting now that I am retired.

 

I'm sorry you feel this way.  Geocaching events are not equivalent to "meetings" at all, at least in my neck of the woods!  And the variety of events means you can choose what you want to do!  We gather to have pizza, and socialize - very informal, and we have learned a lot about our fellow geocachers, met some very nice folks, and made many connections that have helped us along in our retirement hobby.  We meet to clean up a park (CITO), have coffee in the morning, sip wine on a patio, play with gadget caches, work on puzzles, all are unique and different.

 

We too, began geocaching when hubby retired (2017).  We greatly enjoy attending events and getting out to meet others.  Of course, we like meeting others on the road as well, but I wouldn't ever lump all events together as "meetings" akin to work meetings....I think you are missing a big piece of what geocaching is about!  We've come to realize that we are people with a different kind of hobby that not everyone understands or "gets" - and to be able to meet with like minded folks and talk about experiences is one of the things we enjoy most about geocaching! Maybe try a local event, just once, just for this one souvenir.  You may be surprised!

[+lee737]

So for some these challenges really are quite challenging. HQ might just see this as a success....

[+barefootjeff]

I'm guessing the traditional, event and AL were chosen for the easy level because these are the only cache types visible to basic members in the official app. Anything else and there'd have been complaints that it was excluding BMs, though I still think any three of the eight might have been a better way for the easy level.

[+Harry Dolphin]

On 8/4/2023 at 11:26 AM, hzoi said:

Harry, if you were really concerned about getting the souvenir, it seems it would be pretty easy to borrow another cacher's phone, log into their Adventure Lab app, and find a lab.

 

 

 

 

Ah!  mail me your cell phone, with instructions on how to do Adventure Labs!

 

On 8/4/2023 at 11:26 AM, hzoi said:

I'm guessing then that your main intent is to complain about how geocaching is continuing, against your will, to evolve past the technology that was required 15-20 years ago.

 

I guess I'm a Luddite.  Ninteen years I've been Geocaching.  One of my major hobbies.  I realize that technology continues onward.  But my GPSr work well, and I continue onward.  I'm not complaining that Geocaching continues onward.  I'm complaining that it has decided to discriminate agains us Luddites.  

Interesting that Geocaching decided to add a Locationless Cache for those who weren't playing when they existed.  But thoseof use who without a cell phone are left out of this challenge.  Slap in the face, you Luddite.  

[+johns123456]

On 8/6/2023 at 4:52 PM, CAVinoGal said:

 

I'm sorry you feel this way.  Geocaching events are not equivalent to "meetings" at all, at least in my neck of the woods!  !

 

Thanks for explaining, I had something else in  mind, it being called "Event". In my daily live events involve lots of people and lots of noise.

Maybe one day I'll join in on one and enjoy myself.

 

I also didn't expect to go caching with a fishing rod  and now those are one of my favorites.

[+NadineMitE]

The challenge doesn't work. I did yesterday a traditional and a AdLab Place and an Event today! 

[+thebruce0]

The first day or two is always hit or miss. Just have patience until they fix things. Undoubtedly they will retroactively reward legitimate completions if they didn't take due to the timezone issues (which they really do need to fix as it seems to happen with every new souvenir, people complaining they didn't earn it right away despite being locally within the earning window)

[+Max and 99]

In a previous promotion they could not fix Adventure Labs that were not given souvenir credit and of course you can't redo them so those people were out of luck. 

[+HHL]

3 hours ago, NadineMitE said:

I did yesterday a traditional

If you've found the traditional cache before 14:00 CET then it doesn't count as the Challenge starts at 12:00 Noon UTC.

[+barefootjeff]

4 minutes ago, HHL said:

If you've found the traditional cache before 14:00 CET then it doesn't count as the Challenge starts at 12:00 Noon UTC.

 

It's only supposed to be the leaderboard-based challenges that have the noon UTC thing. According to the official blog:

 

Iconic Cacher! From August 7–September 3 find as many different types of geocaches as you can. As you collect different cache icons with each find, you’ll also make progress toward earning two new souvenirs!

 

Nothing about noon UTC in that.

[+The A-Team]

Yep, that shouldn't apply this month. From the original post about Wheel of Challenges:

Quote

Each challenge will begin on the first Monday of the month. For challenges that involve the Leaderboard, those challenges will begin on the first Monday of the month at noon UTC (convert to your local time here).

 

[+GeoElmo6000]

On 8/1/2023 at 4:04 PM, Harry Dolphin said:

Well, since I cannot do Adventure Caches on my GPSr, I'm out of this one.

 

You're in my geocaching area and have been to several of my events... I'm hosting an event on International Geocaching Day (GCABXBF), and in the town is an Adventure Lab.  If you really want to earn a souvenir, I can let you use my phone after the event to log a lab cache.  Up to you.

[+barefootjeff]

9 hours ago, NadineMitE said:

The challenge doesn't work. I did yesterday a traditional and a AdLab Place and an Event today! 

 

I found this on HQ's Facebook page under the Icon Run thread:

 

 

So yep, it's broken again.

[+KL&NOT]

Yesterday (a full day into this months challenge) myself and a fellow cacher 2jbirds collected and logged all the cash types required for both souvenirs. No souvenirs have appeared on either of our profiles. Is anyone aware of an issue this month?

Edited August 9, 2023 by KL&NOT

[+Boomshanka]

Is there a reason that Wherigo caches were not included in the 8 types for the current Wheel of Challenges? It makes more sense to just have it as any 8 cache types (is it too late to change the criteria)?

• Traditional Cache
• Adventure Location
• Event Cache
• Virtual Cache
• EarthCache
• Multi-Cache
• Mystery Cache
• Letterbox Hybrid

[+barefootjeff]

46 minutes ago, Boomshanka said:

Is there a reason that Wherigo caches were not included in the 8 types for the current Wheel of Challenges?

 

My guess is it's because they can't be done in the official app.

[geoawareUSA9]

I merged in some duplicate topics.

[+GeoElmo6000]

29 minutes ago, Arrowrat said:

Do the caches have to be found in order? ie Trad. Adlab. Event then Virtual, Earthcache, Multi, Mystery & Letterbox.

The event we are attending isn't until 27th Aug. Yesterday, 8th Aug, we found (in order) Earth, Letterbox, Trad, Virtual, Trad, then a Multi and we are wondering if we wasted our time & effort.

 

1) No these don't have to be found in any order

2) Finding geocaches is never a waste of time and effort 

[+Smitherington]

2 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

 

My guess is it's because they can't be done in the official app.

If you mean the Geocaching App then that logic should apply to ALs too.

[+lee737]

9 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

 

My guess is it's because they can't be done in the official app.

True - but only because the Wherigo has been all but left to rot by HQ over the years....

[+Eloise at the Plaza]

Just wondering why a completed Adventure Lab shows up as smiley, but not listed as find or counted for the current wheel?

on iPhone 

anyone else had this? (Australia)

Eloise at The Plaza

[+Max and 99]

9 hours ago, Eloise at the Plaza said:

not listed as find or counted for the current wheel?

on iPhone 

Where?

[+OusKonNé & Cétyla]

Too bad that Groundspeak imposed the 8 different cache types...

It would have been so nice to look for 8 different cache types that are available in our respective regions instead of looking for imposed cache types, when some of these types are not available in the area.

Anyway, happy Geocaching to the participants!

[+bon scott]

Besides a comment in a Facebook thread has HQ addressed why some people got one or both of the current challenge souvenirs and others got neither?

 

On Monday, August 7, I embarked on an all-day trip to find 7 of the 8 required cache types including 10 labs then found my final cache, an event on the morning of Tuesday, August 8. I expected to be awarded both souvenirs immediately after I logged the event but nope. The Project-GC checker confirms that I met the requirements.

 

If the souvenirs are awarded retroactively will they be dated the date I completed the requirements or some other date?

[+Smitherington]

I received the easy souvenir minutes after I logged the third type of cache. I hope to get the hard level tomorrow. I need a letterbox and a virtual. 

Edited August 13, 2023 by Smitherington
Typo

[+RogerW1nz]

On 8/6/2023 at 5:39 PM, johns123456 said:

I read many people will not join this month's challenge because AL is required. 

For me, the eventcache is the dissatisfier. I was forced to join meetings so often in my working days, that I refuse to join any meeting now that I am retired. I really like to meet individual geocachers on the road, though.

 

Allowing ANY type would have been better. 

johns123456, there is nothing to stop you creating your OWN event, and even if you are the only cacher who attends, it counts. Choose a location near your house where you think there could be caching activity, and who knows, some "on the road" enthusiasts might turn up. Easy peasy!

[+NoPunchline]

Does anyone know whether attending a non-standard Event counts toward the requirement to attend an Event?

 

For example, if you were to attend a Mega Event or a CITO Event, would those count toward earning the souvenirs?

[+hikecycletri]

Also watching for the answer to which Event types qualify in this challenge. I attended a CITO and did some AL stages on 8/10; I have found traditionals on several days since the challenge began. I suspect the CITO was not considered an event, but it could be something to do with the general problem reported by HQ. I'll be going to a couple regular events later this month, so It's not a pressing matter, just curious.

[+lufi69]

Somebody help me. I participated in a Mega Event, is that enough for the challenge or should discovery be a regular event?

 

 

[+Smitherington]

Just did a virtual today for the last type I needed and the souvenir popped up quickly. My events were regular events. 

[+barefootjeff]

11 hours ago, lufi69 said:

Somebody help me. I participated in a Mega Event, is that enough for the challenge or should discovery be a regular event?

 

 

 

I've seen this question asked several times on the Geocaching Facebook page as well as in the comments on the official blog post announcing the challenge, but so far no-one from HQ has provided an answer. It'd probably be a good idea to have a regular event in reserve that you can attend if the mega doesn't count.

 

This is turning into a fun challenge for me. On Friday I took the ferry across Broken Bay and then a bus to Bilgola to do a nice AL along the beachfront, themed on some of the area's local history. Saturday was a group kayaking adventure on Berowra Creek where we picked up a traditional, an EarthCache and a mystery, then today I took the train down to Gordon in Sydney's north to do an LBH in a small historical park just a short walk from the station (the cache's stamp followed the site's historical theme). On Wednesday afternoon I'm driving north to Newcastle to attend lee737's event and hoping to pick up a multi along the way, which will then leave just the virtual which I'm aiming to get with a train trip to central Sydney on Thursday or Friday, depending on how the weather pans out, and will celebrate with a nice lunch on the harbour.

 

Edited August 14, 2023 by barefootjeff

[+OusKonNé & Cétyla]

On 8/12/2023 at 12:28 AM, RogerW1nz said:

...there is nothing to stop you creating your OWN event, and even if you are the only cacher who attends, it counts....

 

This proves how ridiculous is this "imposed" different cache types Challenge.

 

If the cache types had not been imposed, the geocacher could have simply chosen another type of cache.

[+CaracalShan]

I only needed the 'event' to earn both souvenirs of August, and yesterday evening there was a Cito followed by an event not too far away. So we went to the Cito, logged it as 'attended', and no souvenir came up. An hour later the Cito ended, and the event started. When I logged my 'attended' for his one, both souvenirs immediately appeared. So it seems a Cito doesn't count as an 'event' for this month's souvenirs.

[+NoPunchline]

I sent an email to Geocaching HQ Support inquiring about which events count toward the current souvenirs. The response I received stated that "Any Event Cache type will count towards the current challenge. This includes Mega-Events, Giga-Events, and CITOs."

 

Unfortunately, this seems to disagree with the experience that @CaracalShan had where attending a CITO did not award the souvenirs.

However since many users are reporting that they are now receiving the souvenir(s) when logging all of the cache types as found (including a regular Event only), it appears that the previous bug was fixed. So if this other-Event-type issue is a bug/oversight in the code, I trust that Groundspeak would fix it.

[LySt]

We're on holidays, riding our bikes through a quite rural area, and while we even did a Wherigo, we won't be able to do a virtual (there's one that would have required a boat though), earthcache (again, one that would take a whole day) or any event (none as event hosts seem to be on vacation too) while on the road for three weeks. Our hopes are now focused on our homezone where a few of those are left. Up to now we haven't even collected the easy souvenir, with six different cache types...

Edited August 24, 2023 by LySt

[+NoPunchline]

I received an email today from Geocaching HQ apologizing for the information they previously shared with me; they informed me that attending a Mega-Event does not count toward the Iconic Cacher souvenirs.

 

I wanted to update the community here in case other folks like me were planning on their attendance at a Mega, Giga, or CITO event on counting toward the souvenirs.

[+lee737]

Every time there is a souvenir the same to and fro about what counts and what doesn't seems to occur with ambiguous language used to explain. I think they should just present a standard table, with every cache type and subtype listed, and put an tick/cross next to what counts and what doesn't count.....

[+fizzymagic]

I realized yesterday that the unique and annoying thing about this month's challenge is that the "easy" souvenir only requires finding one cache!  The others are an event (not a cache) and an AL stage (not a cache). So most of the "easy" effort is non-caching.  You'd think that the geocaching site would promote, you know, finding geocaches.

 

This week I did a fun trip with a friend.  We found the following types of caches:

• Traditional
• Multi
• Letterbox
• Unknown
• Wherigo
• Webcam
• Earthcache
• Virtual

 

But was that enough for the souvenir?  No.  Because an event is required.  Blecch.
 

Edited August 18, 2023 by fizzymagic
Add info

[+barefootjeff]

1 hour ago, fizzymagic said:

But was that enough for the souvenir?  No.  Because an event is required.  Blecch.

 

My take on this month's challenge is that it's about participating in the broad range of experiences the game offers, and that includes ALs (which, like it or not, are now part of the game) and attending events. The event requirement gave me additional motivation to do the 100km drive to Newcastle for lee737's one on Wednesday evening, but in any case I made an afternoon of it and picked up a multi (which I needed for the hard souvenir) and four fun traditionals while in the area. It was a great evening with the local caching community, getting to meet some newer players as well as catching up with friends I hadn't seen for a while, and for me, being a part of the caching community is what keeps the game interesting and enjoyable. Again, this is a personal thing and I seem to be the odd one out here, but I've enjoyed the variety of experiences this month far more than I would have done finding a hundred roadside pill bottles in April, fifty popular tourist caches in May, twenty long trips away in June or trying to do a 28-day streak in July. It's swings and roundabouts, I guess.

 

But as I said earlier in this thread, I do think it would have been better if the easy souvenir had been any three of the eight rather than a specific three.

[+MNTA]

5 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

 

My take on this month's challenge is that it's about participating in the broad range of experiences the game offers, and that includes ALs (which, like it or not, are now part of the game) and attending events. The event requirement gave me additional motivation to do the 100km drive to Newcastle for lee737's one on Wednesday evening, but in any case I made an afternoon of it and picked up a multi (which I needed for the hard souvenir) and four fun traditionals while in the area. It was a great evening with the local caching community, getting to meet some newer players as well as catching up with friends I hadn't seen for a while, and for me, being a part of the caching community is what keeps the game interesting and enjoyable. Again, this is a personal thing and I seem to be the odd one out here, but I've enjoyed the variety of experiences this month far more than I would have done finding a hundred roadside pill bottles in April, fifty popular tourist caches in May, twenty long trips away in June or trying to do a 28-day streak in July. It's swings and roundabouts, I guess.

 

But as I said earlier in this thread, I do think it would have been better if the easy souvenir had been any three of the eight rather than a specific three.

 

So true!

 

You changed my opinion of this months challenge, thanks for that. Will I participate in an event probably not. But thats ok. As you said the challenge is to encourage folks to do certain thing. I can choose to do them or not. No one is forcing me to do anything. On the contrary it looks like it caused you to want to do something maybe normally you would not do (drive 100km) and you seem to have had a very positive experience out of it. 

 

Love challenges, though like all caches you can't find (do) them all.

 

 

 

 

[+barefootjeff]

24 minutes ago, MNTA said:

On the contrary it looks like it caused you to want to do something maybe normally you would not do (drive 100km) and you seem to have had a very positive experience out of it. 

 

I've driven up to quite a few of Lee's events but it's something I try not to do too often with the high cost of fuel these days and I'll try to incorporate some other caching while I'm in the area. All eight cache types I did in this promotion were something a bit out of the ordinary and particularly enjoyable, even the traditional was a water-access cache that I picked up on the way to the Mt Orient Creek EarthCache. So yes, it was all good fun and even the weather was nice for it.

[+Harry Dolphin]

10 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

 

My take on this month's challenge is that it's about participating in the broad range of experiences the game offers, and that includes ALs (which, like it or not, are now part of the game) and attending events. The event requirement gave me additional motivation to do the 100km drive to Newcastle for lee737's one on Wednesday evening, but in any case I made an afternoon of it and picked up a multi (which I needed for the hard souvenir) and four fun traditionals while in the area. It was a great evening with the local caching community, getting to meet some newer players as well as catching up with friends I hadn't seen for a while, and for me, being a part of the caching community is what keeps the game interesting and enjoyable. Again, this is a personal thing and I seem to be the odd one out here, but I've enjoyed the variety of experiences this month far more than I would have done finding a hundred roadside pill bottles in April, fifty popular tourist caches in May, twenty long trips away in June or trying to do a 28-day streak in July. It's swings and roundabouts, I guess.

 

But as I said earlier in this thread, I do think it would have been better if the easy souvenir had been any three of the eight rather than a specific three.

 

In many ways, more interesting.  Harder to find EarthCaches, Virtuals and LetterBox Hybrids.  (I save them for things like this.)  Got seven of the eight.  But I don't do Adventure Labs, without a cell phone.  Would have been much better if any three would qualify for the easy souvenir.

[+Eirlys73]

I met the requirements of the easy souvenir on the 12th of August. Still haven't got the souvenir.

[+thebruce0]

On 8/18/2023 at 9:32 PM, barefootjeff said:

that includes ALs (which, like it or not, are now part of the game) and attending events.

 

"now"? What changed, since when? Or is just because they're thrown in with geocaches (though typically by exception) for arbitrarily long?  "Find geocaches - including attending events or completing Adventure locations".

 

In a way there's a spectrum of "geocaches" in this game from literal to not-at-all-except-by-association.  Literal physical geocaches -> exceptional/grandfathered non-physical 'caches' (virtual/webcam/earthcache) -> events -> adventures. Everything but Adventures has a "Geocache listing". Nothing's changed any time recently with ALs to make them any more part of the game other than connection by exceptional association.

 

They're not geocaches, but they - by association - fall under the broad a vague label of "geocaching" according to geocaching.com. Really just still as much a part of it now as they were when the app was released...  And because of their minimal integration in the stats (being run by the same host company), they can be used to a degree in challenges and souvenir accomplishments. I don't see anything's changed with that, for years.

 

 

On 8/19/2023 at 3:30 AM, MNTA said:

Love challenges, though like all caches you can't find (do) them all.

 

This, exactly. That's why challenges are a fun (ymmv) aspect to geocaching. They're not everyone-gets-a-prize. And why souvenirs are a kind of vanilla challenge; more accessible (as in not a cache find smiley, but a digital reward, worldwide).  Because they nudge you, generally speaking, to potentially do something you don't usually do, then there's a reasonable expectation that not everyone will be able to earn it. "Earn", another good word for people to remember  

[+Max and 99]

21 hours ago, Eirlys73 said:

I met the requirements of the easy souvenir on the 12th of August. Still haven't got the souvenir.

You'll need to contact HQ to get that fixed. 

[+hzoi]

On 8/19/2023 at 6:36 AM, Harry Dolphin said:

 But I don't do Adventure Labs

 

Solutions were proposed. @GeoElmo6000 even offered to lend you his phone at a specific event in your area so you could get a lab. Instead, here we are again.

 

I see you at least changed your tune from "can't" to "don't," to reflect that you don't want help, you just want to kvetch. 

[+DreamMachine74]

I enjoyed this challenge. I usually avoid some cache types, like EC's and multis, but this gave me the push the do something I usually don't. This month was the best time for me to geocache since I've been afforded more time, so I could plan out farther geocache trips, and could host an event on my vacation time.

 

I earned the easy challenge after finding a few trads one day, then hosting an event and finding an AL stage the following day. (my 7th AL find ever, as I really dislike AL's)

 

I only needed an EC to complete the hard challenge, after finding 4 more icons on the following week, but had to be more selective with my EC choice, given the select amount of easier ones there are near me, so I decided to go for one that required a watercraft, or wading into a river.

Since I generally avoid EC's, this was a good reason to seek it and find a cache that I've been staring at on my map for nearly 7 years. Since I knew the area very well, it was a simple cache to get to, despite the river.

 

I look forward to next month, and seeing what's up next.

 

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by DreamMachine74