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Connecticut is a Cachist State!


briansnat

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Well it looks like one state has chosen to promote letterboxing over geocaching. This is a reprehensible cachist attitude. I urge you to write the CT DEP to express your disgust!

 

Actually this post is tongue in cheek (in case you haven't figured that out). I think it's great that CT's Department of Environmental Protection has chosen to promote a geocaching like sport. They realized that the sport can be beneficial. They have their heads in the right place, unlike a number of other states and federal agencies I can name.

 

I'm just curious as to why they chose letterboxing, being that it's a pretty obscure sport, compared to geocaching. My guess is that letterboxing doesn't rule out those who don't own a GPS.

 

"You can't make a man by standing a sheep on his hind legs. But by standing a flock of sheep in that position, you can make a crowd of men" - Max Beerbohm

 

[This message was edited by BrianSnat on September 04, 2003 at 09:48 AM.]

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There's a thread here: Marwell

 

Oh wait, perhaps that's in a regional forum (it's in my MyPop which doesn't discriminate...)

 

Anyway, in answer to your question, letterboxing doesn't require any special equipment and as such, is available to all citizens as compared to geocaching. Were I choosing between the two for a public environment, that would tip the scales in favor of letterboxing. Otherwise you'd have to loan/provide GPSr's which is a cost the taxpayers shouldn't be footing.

 

Randy

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Well then, following RJFerret's logic, all states should promote hiking and not say anything about other activities that require special equipment. Ours requires a GPS (for most people), horseback riding requires a horse, snowmobiling requires a snowmobile, mountain biking requires a mountain and a bike, and so forth.

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Next time, instead of getting married, I think I'll just find a woman I don't like and buy her a house.

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quote:
Originally posted by BrianSnat:

I'm just curious as to why they chose letterboxing, being that it's a pretty obscure sport, compared to geocaching.


You'd have to ask them, but maybe it's because it's a more established sport... it's been going on for centuries I believe. I guess they'll be open to also promote geocaching too if asked. The two games are the same as far as landowners are concerned.

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quote:
Originally posted by The Leprechauns:

Well then, following RJFerret's logic, all states should promote hiking and not say anything about other activities that require special equipment. Ours requires a GPS (for most people), horseback riding requires a horse, snowmobiling requires a snowmobile, mountain biking requires a mountain and a bike, and so forth.


 

There's a difference between enabling and promoting. Generally the state doesn't promote activities that support commercial interests blatantly.

 

Let's see if I can explain it... They don't grant driver's licenses only to Ferrarri owners.

 

Since they are promoting these letterboxes, what do you expect them to do for geocaches? Tell low-income families they can't participate? Which brand would you suggest the state link from the website?

 

Could you imagine the cries of ellitism that would arise from such!?!!

 

What you're missing is one can hike the horse trails, bike trails, snowmobile trails and whatnot: IE, they can be used by anyone.

 

Enjoy,

 

Randy

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There was an article in Prevention on Letterboxing. Geocaching was a sidebar for the "lazy".

 

RJFerret has the gist of the argument down. Geoching says taht you need a GPS on the web page describing it. That quote makes it to almost every stash note. Even though you don't really need a GPS the perception is out there. Even if you don't need a GPS you do need the ability to map, normally on the computer so letterboxing will win the "Best Activity" award every time for it's low investment cost.

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I think that letterboxing is easier to "promote" than Geocaching. Carve a nice stamp, hide it and let people come. If you place a Geocache any items that were orignally placed will be quickly grabbed and you are left with the task of "replenishing". A cacher a few months down the road finding a "State Sponsered" cache could be very well dissapointed finding "Cache Trash" so to speak. Just my 2¢....

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quote:
Originally posted by moghedian:

I think that letterboxing is easier to "promote" than Geocaching. Carve a nice stamp, hide it and let people come. If you place a Geocache any items that were orignally placed will be quickly grabbed and you are left with the task of "replenishing". A cacher a few months down the road finding a "State Sponsered" cache could be very well dissapointed finding "Cache Trash" so to speak. Just my 2¢....


Got to say the many stamps we "collected" over the years in letterboxing look better in the house than the broken toys we sometimes remove from caches to the nearest bin!

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quote:
They don't need to promote geocaching. By promoting letterboxing, they're saying that tupperware left in the woods is not necessarily litter and so that helps us too.

 

My point exactly.

 

"You can't make a man by standing a sheep on his hind legs. But by standing a flock of sheep in that position, you can make a crowd of men" - Max Beerbohm

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