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Permission Letter


Criminal

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The following is a letter to request permission for cache placement. The nature of the cache requires this as it will be placed in plain sight (sort of). Please let me know what i should add, subtract, or otherwise get my point across. icon_rolleyes.gif

 

24 September 02

Dear Mr. XXXX,

 

I would like to request permission to place a geocache in XXXXXX Park. If you haven’t heard of geocaching I would be happy to explain as well as provide some links that can provide further information

 

Geocaching is a game where a cache “owner” hides a small container (the cache) and posts the latitude and longitude on the Internet website. By entering your zip code into the database you are provided with a list of geocaches that are hidden in your area. You then transfer those coordinates into a handheld GPS receiver and use the information to navigate to the cache. The cache consists of a container with a log book and some small “treasures” that are traded between players. You simply find the cache (if you can!), write your entry in the logbook, trade a “treasure” if you desire, and then log onto the website to report your find. From humble beginnings right here in the Pacific Northwest, it has grown exponentially; as of today, there are 29,573 active caches in 148 countries around the world.

 

This link, http://www.idahostatesman.com/Extras/IdahoOutdoors/story.asp?ID=16772 is an article published recently in the Idaho Statesman. The most popular website is, http://www.geocaching.com and has a wealth of information about this fast growing game. This link, http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=6379 takes you to one of my geocaches which is hidden near the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. As you can see, there are coordinates, a brief description, and at the bottom, the logs of the other players who have found it.

 

Specifically I am requesting permission to place a geocache in XXXXX park which will consist of a XXXXX. XXXXX This is referred to as a multiple cache and differs from the example above in that there is more than one container.

 

This sport has proven to be extremely family friendly and is enjoyed by players of all ages. One of the mottos of geocaching is, “Cache in, Trash out”; we take great pride in removing any trash we notice while seeking the cache. In addition, it brings people to discover parks, scenic areas, and other places of interest they may have never known about. It allows families to spend time together, getting exercise, and enjoying nature. It benefits the city of Gig Harbor by bringing people to our parks and area businesses.

 

I am available to answer any question you may have regarding geocaching or my request at your convenience.

 

Respectfully,

Criminal

 

Some details have been left out, but you get the gist of it.

 

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

Throw your jelly out the window; let the dog-gone shack burn down.

**Huddie Ledbetter**

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I think that calling Geocaching a game could make a difference. If you were a land manager, if someone asked permission to play a "game" on the land they manage, what would you think? Call it a sport or an "outdoor activity".

 

I'd also make the letter a lot shorter. Most people don't have a lot of time to read letters, so make it as short and to the point as possible.

 

"Life is a daring adventure, or it is nothing" - Helen Keller

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What else would you put in XXXX Park?

 

The length? I'm in the Air Force, remember?!?!? It's the only way I know how to write! icon_wink.gif

 

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

Throw your jelly out the window; let the dog-gone shack burn down.

**Huddie Ledbetter**

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Its a good letter and has the right tone. If its under one page, it will get read so long as it doesn't look like junk mail (which it doesn't). Clip a properly photo-finished photograph of the intended hiding spot to the front of the letter and it will definitely get read. You might reconsider requesting a "multi-cache" for the first one (that could be a little confusing) -the land manager might get the impression that you plan on leaving dozens of little boxes. Also, a reference to the fact that you will be checking on the cache regularly might be a good point to make.

 

You may not agree with what I say, but I will defend, to your death, my right to say it!(it's a Joke, OK!)

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The only reason I have to ask permission is due to the nature of the cache. Check your email, details coming at ya…..

 

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

Throw your jelly out the window; let the dog-gone shack burn down.

**Huddie Ledbetter**

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seems like a good letter, should work.

my only suggestion would be to have a spot picked and looked over, and request permission for that spot.

Then provide a picture of the area, or give them the coords and describe the area a bit. Also add a comment something like "If this location is unacceptable, I'd be open to suggestions for alternate location(s). "

 

that way it provides room for future requests, or at least it seems that way to me.

(example)you ask "can i put a cache in the park"

they say "no"

or

you ask "can i put a cache here?"

they say "no"

and you then ask "can i put a cache over there?"

 

whack.gif

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Your letter looks good but i still like asking for permission either by phone or in person. I just like to hear that "yes" come from their mouths. Also if there are any other questions, then they can be answered right there on the spot. I recently drove up to one of my favorite Texas state parks north of me and asked the superintendent for permission to place a cache there. Was just too cool to see her get excited, tell me YES, and offer to help too!

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In addition, consider mentioning that it's standard practice for cache hiders to keep an eye on the comments on geocaching.com, check on it personally periodically and remove it upon request if it ever becomes a problem.

Please post a copy of the finished letter and let us know how it went. I've been thinking of hiding my first cache in an area that will definitely need permission and I'm working on my speech.

You might also consider adding a newspaper article to give the game a little more credibility. Here's a good one, featuring a park ranger encouraging geocaching in his parks:

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=5302935&BRD=1078&PAG=461&dept_id=151025&rfi=8

 

Mickey

 

[This message was edited by MaxEntropy on September 23, 2002 at 08:55 PM.]

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I wouldn't ask permission if I intended for the cache to be hidden. Some things can be hidden in plain sight.........

 

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

Throw your jelly out the window; let the dog-gone shack burn down.

**Huddie Ledbetter**

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Good point but would have been more useful five minutes ago. icon_rolleyes.gif Just sent the final copy out via email. Stay tuned.......

 

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

Throw your jelly out the window; let the dog-gone shack burn down.

**Huddie Ledbetter**

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The response:

 

_______________________________________________

This sounds like an interesting activity. It would be desirable to contact the recreation supervisor for the the Gig Harbor area, including the city, named Jeremy, right uphill from the new Columbia Bank at the old Thriftway. If he buys in to the program as part of the areas advertised recreational opportunities, then I will permit placement. To actually place a device, Jeremy will need to contact Dave Brereton, City of Gig Harbor Operations Manager at XXXXX. You can contact Jeremy next Monday by stopping at the building just uphill from the Thriftway.

_____________________________________________

 

Not really sure what he said. It's not likely to be easy. Starting to doubt this "permission" thing.

 

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

Throw your jelly out the window; let the dog-gone shack burn down.

**Huddie Ledbetter**

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Sure beats "No, your game will cause too much environmental impact to the grasses at out park and may scare the squirrels. And in doing a background check on you, I see you didn't vote for Al...".

 

Bear with it, and prepare for any questions that may be presented to you that you might not have noted in the letter.

 

Like the number of visitors. It might help to look at similar caches in your area so you can give a guess as to the frequency of visits you expect.

 

Maybe other people can think of some questions that may be asked to help prepare Criminal?

 

Save our forests, wipe your *** with a tree-hugger.

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I like your letter. It's a neat introduction.

 

What I did for the last two places, where I asked and received permission to hide caches, was print off the geocaching.com's introduction pages. I used that and a face-to-face conversation to interest the folks in letting me on their property. No, the last two places are not public, they were private business properties. But, I've asked and received permission for two public places also. I've got permission for more places then I'm currently using.

 

For the next cache site I'll use a cover letter similar to yours, some of geocaching.com's printouts, and a sample geocache log page all assembled in a binder. With that type of approach, I can't think of anyone here in the Midwest who would turn me down.

 

Jeepster

- Road kill on the information highway ...

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At some time in one of your conversations, you may want to mention the particular type of cache container you plan on using....especially if it is an ammo can.

While asking permission at my town's local park board meeting to place a cache, they suggested I also inform the local police chief simply so the local officers knew what was going on and what the container looked like (just in case someone found it accidentally). It was a very good suggestion and the park board, police chief and I had a some nice conversations regarding geocaching.

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This is part of a response I recieved in reply to my request for permission to metal detect in a local park.

 

 

"Certain areas along coastal beaches that have been determined to be

archaeological sites may be altogether excluded from metal detector use.

Please be aware that sometimes park management does not post these areas,

which would call attention to these sensitive sites and result in an

increased risk of unauthorized digging"

 

So, I can dig unless it's posted, on the other had it may not be posted.

 

After several letters, I still am not sure If I can or can't.

 

-------------------------------------------------

"Big Mouth don't make a big man"--John Wayne

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I'm getting a little tired of this "sensitive" earth crap. Permisson is a sometimes thing for me. This particular cache required asking, the way it is to be placed could be considered vandalism without permission. Otherwise I'd just do it. icon_mad.gif

 

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

Throw your jelly out the window; let the dog-gone shack burn down.

**Huddie Ledbetter**

 

[This message was edited by Criminal on September 27, 2002 at 09:01 AM.]

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I fully agree with asking permission first. I think it is the noble, ethical right thing to do.

 

What I have a real problem with is the suspicion that people have, and the 'well, that could mean you are trampling on some figs' response that is sometimes seen.

 

Truthfully:

Nature takes back trails every year - so we go out with shovels to reclaim the trails - in two scoops of dirt we create more impact than a lot of Geocachers create with their walking to the cache.

 

Rock climbing creates permanent damage - or do those holes left by spikes in the rock somehow 'fill back in naturally' over the course of a year or so.

 

Snowmobiling can push down on grasses more than normal snowfall would

 

Hunters leave blinds and their presence is known in the woods, and they certainly go off-trail during their hunts

 

Before people complain the wrong way - I am actually in favor of pretty much all of these activities, within limits, in park lands. My beef is that somehow, when a park allows all those other activities, that they show some sort of 'problem' with Geocaching!

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I had an appointment this morning with the Park and Rec department of my town. I brought the FAQ page with me and the nearest within 20 miles seek page and explained it all to the director of Park and Rec and told her I would like to put one in a park that was once over grown and unused until an Eagle Scout made it his project and cleaned it up. I also want to put one in other areas if this one gets approval and made mention of that to her. The thing that really got her attention, and she said so, was our motto of Cache In - Trash Out. She said they have a commission meeting on the 30th so before the meeting I'll go pick out the hiding spot and show it to her. I told her she could request me to remove it if she thought there was any environmental impact to the area. She liked that idea. The best thing is that nagging feeling of not having permission is gone. So hopefully within a month there will be several new caches in my area. I also explained to her that I would want the authorites that be to be aware of this sport because of all the caches that have been detonated lately. icon_biggrin.gif

 

Cache you later,

Planet

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Planet, that’s encouraging. I was considering just throwing in the towel on this one. Work has been too busy for me to get downtown during their banker’s hours and follow up on it. I’ll keep it simmering on the back burner for now.

 

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around,

Throw your jelly out the window; let the dog-gone shack burn down.

**Huddie Ledbetter**

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