Virtual Caches vs. Benchmarks

[+Renegade Knight]

This is just an observation. Don't take it as me being against Benchmarking. I’m making a pro Virtual Cache point here.

 

Did you ever notice that a Benchmark takes you to a boring marker that doesn't even have the merit of being worthy of a Coffee book Table. Sure a surveyor here and there might buy "Benchmarks Across The Land, A Surveyors Guide" but that book won't be a hit at most parties and it won't get you a date.

 

I’m not sure there is a Benchmark out there that wouldn’t be better off as a stage in a multi cache. Better still even a lame Traditional Cache in the vicinity would be an improvement.

 

It just strikes me that all the bias against virtual caches applies even more to benchmarks. Sure if you recover one you have done a favor. But if you enjoy a virtual cache you have done the people who thought it important enough to point out (and not just the VC placer) a service also.

 

In reality people do enjoy benchmark hunting. Which seems to be the point of geocaching to begin with. Thus Benchmarks have their place just as do Virtual Caches.

 

Yeah, I know nothing will change. This post is a just a drop in the forum bit bucket. It’s just a new(?) angle on a topic that has been beat to death. But hey there are newbies that need included.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

That's why Benchmarks are in a separate section and not included in your 'finds'

 

Took sun from sky, left world in eternal darkness

[+RJFerret]

quote:

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Originally posted by Renegade Knight:

Did you ever notice that a Benchmark takes you to a boring marker that doesn't even have the merit of being worthy of a Coffee book Table.

---

 

Um, you just created a brilliant concept! A virtual of benchmarks worthy of a coffee table book.

 

Here's my submission: Silver Sands benchmark

 

It's in the sands of the beach with beautiful Long Island Sound views as well as Charles Island surrounded my too many caches (we just held an event at this beach).

 

Since it was your idea RK, I'll let you submit it!

 

{Grin},

 

Randy

[georapper]

should there be a separate section for VC's too, just like BMing?

 

Creativity Within The Bounds Of Conformity

[+Team GPSaxophone]

quote:

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Originally posted by georapper:

should there be a separate section for VC's too, just like BMing?

 

Creativity Within The Bounds Of Conformity

---

YES!!! I would welcome that! I even held off logging a locationless until yesterday (my first one) as I didn't want any to be included in my find count. Now that stats are gone, I suppose it doesn't matter if I find caches or not, or if they are really caches or not. I can post as many finds as I want since it doesn't matter anymore. I think I'll start logging my own caches as found also.

 

Took sun from sky, left world in eternal darkness

[+paintfiction]

quote:

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Originally posted by georapper:

should there be a separate section for VC's too, just like BMing?

---

 

I've got a separate room in my house for BMing. Now that I think of it I have 2-1/2.... wait - make that just 2.

 

Get yo' mama to push the car!

[+woodsters]

Yes, it was a benchmark with a view...oh yeah there was the beach and the island and all too... Thanks for helping me with my first benchmark Randy!

 

Brian

 

As long as you're going to think anyway, think big. -Donald Trump

[georapper]

team gpsaxophone what do you mean stats are gone? what stats. vc's are still included in totol finds. are they not?

 

Creativity Within The Bounds Of Conformity

[+woodsters]

He's referring to Dan Millers site that had stats of the cachers..

 

Brian

 

As long as you're going to think anyway, think big. -Donald Trump

[+Renegade Knight]

quote:

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Originally posted by RJFerret:

...Um, you just created a brilliant concept! A virtual of benchmarks worthy of a coffee table book. ...

---

 

Your link was broke. Still that's a novel concept. Submitting a benchmark.

[+woodsters]

Silver Sands benchmark

 

Brian

 

As long as you're going to think anyway, think big. -Donald Trump

[+JoGPS]

What so special about finding a Virtual, or regular cache , well OK you take your gps’r and go find something that been hidden for may be two years, try going after a benchmark that has never been found or used by anyone for 125 years now that’s a hunt. Until you find a few special ones then I guess how do most of ya’ll know what’s out there

 

Speaking of that all the poster above have only found a total of 12 benchmarks between them all , and yet all of you think that ya ll can make an observation about something you have no experience at.

 

I believe this would be called off topic, you above me don’t know the topic you are just guessing. Have ya ll ran out of everything to complain about?

 

Flame onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn JOE

 

http://www.geocaching.com/mark/details.asp?PID=GC2163

[georapper]

after looking at your stats, pretty impressive. shall we bow down to you now or later oh great benchmarker? BTW, what is a project ape cache type? how did you get the mystery icon replaced with the green box for project ape and identified a new cache type without it being listed on the geocaching webpage?

 

Creativity Within The Bounds Of Conformity

[georapper]

quote:

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Originally posted by georapper:

after looking at your stats, pretty impressive. shall we bow down to you now or later oh great benchmarker? BTW, what is a project ape cache type? how did you get the mystery icon replaced with the green box for project ape and identified a new cache type without it being listed on the geocaching webpage? hey, i want to do that......

 

Creativity Within The Bounds Of Conformity

---

 

Creativity Within The Bounds Of Conformity

[+woodsters]

I have no idea what a project ape cache is either, but it appears that there were 10 of them and only one is still active. Looks as if they were all placed over 2 years ago in different worldwide areas.

 

If you are a premium member and do pocket queries, project ape is one of the cache types that is available.

 

Brian

 

As long as you're going to think anyway, think big. -Donald Trump

[+CYBret]

HERE is a real, honest to goodness Markwell for you on what a Project A.P.E. cache is.

 

I've only really gotten into benchmark hunting in the last few days and still have only a few finds. I'm really enjoying it...partially for the frustration level..it's a whole different breed of frustration than you get from hunting a cache. I'm also amazed when I think of the history of these things. Would love to find a really old one, but I have yet to see any around my area that are very ancient.

 

Bret

 

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.

When a man found it, he hid it again." Mt. 13:44

[+JoGPS]

Project ape caches used to be around at the beginning the one I found was in GA it was a ammo box that was four feet tall , but were real hard to hide. There were also others that are not around today like a special coin from WA state……...............JOE

 

Benchmark hunting is quite a bit different I only find about 60% of them it makes you respect the ones that you do.

[mckee]

Benchmarks are closer to actual caches, virtuals are closer to sightseeing. With benchmarks at least you're looking for a particular spot (more difficult than finding "a great view of the city!"), one that actually has some historical merit, even though it's far less romantic or sexy than "a great view of the city!"

 

No, a benchmark is never going to get you laid. Geocaching probably won't either. Neither will amateur radio, rocketry, paintball, fixing computers, playing Dungeons and Dragons, collecting Star Trek stuff or watching reruns of Dr. Who.

 

I'm doomed.

 

Thank God I'm married!

 

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

You have the right to defend yourself, even when geocaching!

[+woodsters]

quote:

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Originally posted by mckee:

Benchmarks are closer to actual caches, virtuals are closer to sightseeing. With benchmarks at least you're looking for a particular spot (more difficult than finding "a great view of the city!"), one that actually has some historical merit, even though it's far less romantic or sexy than "a great view of the city!"

 

---

 

I would have to disagree somewhat here. I imagine that there are some virtuals that may be of the type you described. I believe there are some great virtuals with that "historic merit" in which you stated. I guess a virtual of plymouth rock would not hold any historic merit? If you get a "great view" while there (just as in a benchmark) then that is an added bonus.

 

To be honest, a benchmark is a glorified virtual that may be there or not. That may be accessable or not. There's no verification process of claiming a benchmark either.

 

I did the silver sands one because it was there at the event. It was neat to actually see one. I've looked at the bm pages locally and the few I did look at were not found. The descriptions I read were that they were on private property. I can understand the thrill of going after them and finding them. The chance that you won't find them is enough determination to keep trying. Just as a virtual, I can imagine that some people do not actually find some virtuals or give incorrect info when verifying them.

 

It's all a matter of opinion as to what you liek or prefer, but I think the above interpretation of how a benchmark is better than a virtual doesn't stand...

 

Brian

 

As long as you're going to think anyway, think big. -Donald Trump

[+HappyFrog (& gang)]

quote:

---

No, a benchmark is never going to get you laid. Geocaching probably won't either.

I'm doomed. Thank God I'm married!

---

 

You need to read this http://ubbx.Groundspeak.com/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=5726007311&f=4016058331&m=29060408

 

if you don't think that you will get something out of Geocaching.

 

HappyFrog

[mckee]

quote:

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Originally posted by Woodsters Outdoors:

 

I would have to disagree somewhat here. I imagine that there are some virtuals that may be of the type you described. I believe there are some great virtuals with that "historic merit" in which you stated. I guess a virtual of plymouth rock would not hold any historic merit? If you get a "great view" while there (just as in a benchmark) then that is an added bonus.

 

To be honest, a benchmark is a glorified virtual that may be there or not. That may be accessable or not. There's no verification process of claiming a benchmark either.

 

I did the silver sands one because it was there at the event. It was neat to actually see one. I've looked at the bm pages locally and the few I did look at were not found. The descriptions I read were that they were on private property. I can understand the thrill of going after them and finding them. The chance that you won't find them is enough determination to keep trying. Just as a virtual, I can imagine that some people do not actually find some virtuals or give incorrect info when verifying them.

 

It's all a matter of opinion as to what you liek or prefer, but I think the above interpretation of how a benchmark is better than a virtual doesn't stand...

 

Brian

 

---

 

It's all opinion, of course. You are correct in that some virtuals have historic merit, but my meaning was that if benchmarks are part of the physical setup of state/county/etc. lines, they are all of a historical nature. Do they have personal meaning? That's up to the person pursuing or not pursuing the benchmark.

 

At the very least, you will have to rely on GPS accuracy combined with your Spidey Sense to find benchmarks. Virtuals? Hit and miss. Someone pointed out in an earlier that if you can see the virtual cache target from 200 yards away, it's not really much of a hunt. I agree, but that's because I like the "hunt" portion of the hobby.

 

Do I think that virts, benches and caches are 3 separate things, and should be "counted" differently? Yup. Do I think that all 3 have merit? Yup. I would agree that virts and benches are NOT caches, in the truest meaning of the concept. They are certainly "geo" though, as they require coordinates to hunt down (unless they're a "sightseeing tour").

 

I find the benchmarks to be more interesting in concept than virtuals, but that is 100% opinion. Part of this may be that I grew up in a house in Portland with a benchmark on our curb, and wondered about it for years.

 

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

You have the right to defend yourself, even when geocaching!

[mckee]

quote:

---

Originally posted by HappyFrog:

quote:

---

No, a benchmark is never going to get you laid. Geocaching probably won't either.

I'm doomed. Thank God I'm married!

---

 

You need to read this http://ubbx.Groundspeak.com/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=5726007311&f=4016058331&m=29060408

 

if you don't think that you will get something out of Geocaching.

 

HappyFrog

---

 

Boy is this going to swing off-topic....

 

I'm not sure you can "get lucky" with your spouse by definition, since your spouse is kind of obligated to sleep with you anyway, hence the "Thank God I'm married!" addition. It sort of takes the whole luck thing out of the equation....

 

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

You have the right to defend yourself, even when geocaching!

[+Killer B's]

As a newbie who has been lurking for a few weeks reading posts I thought I would weigh in on this subject. I like regular caches, benchmarks and virtuals as they seem to simply be different facets of an interesting hobby. Which type I would hunt would simply depend on my mood that day.

I realize that virtuals can be idiotic at times but, I think a whole lot of problems would be solved simply by making a new catagory for virtuals and then posting statistics for each catagory seperatly. This seems to me to make the most sense as then those who like to compete can do it on a level playing field and those who like to enjoy all facets of the hobby (virtuals) can do it without the rancor this subject seems to bring up. Having a virtuals catagory means that people can make them as intelligent or stupid as they want and it wouldn't bug the people who want "purity" for their stats.

One of the reasons I like the concept of virtuals is that when we have a snowy winter regular caches and benchmarks aren't very easy and a virtual can still be fun then.