Is this guy legit?

September 4, 2003

I was going for this cache , when I read this gentleman's post...I went to his bio and found he has a total of 9 finds while claiming his occupation to be a "cache approver". Among other things, he doesnt want us to leave knives in caches.

His Biography:

I volunteer my time to review and approve new geocaches, and to help geocachers in setting up their caches. If you have questions about caching in California, please write to me!

Is he legit? or a self made cache cop????

____________________________________________________________

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

1.4k · September 4, 2003

Most cache approvers use a second account to approve caches. Thats why most have few finds.

When in doubt...hit it with a big hammer.

September 4, 2003

I think you may be right about this being a cache cop. If Hemlock was an approver, why not just archive the cache and tell the owner to remove it if there is a problem with it?

"Following animal paths may make the bushwacking a little easier, but probably won't pay off in the long run, since deer tend not to geocache much." - Geocacher Peeve on the Vaught Ranch Bushwackin Fun (B.D. #2) cache

September 4, 2003

Chris & Cindy....

So we're not suppose to leave knives in caches now?????

From his bio page..

"One of the biggest problems we approvers see is people putting knives in caches. Please, please do not put any type of knife in a geocache. Not even a small pocketknife. Many people cache with their children, and sometimes the children are the first to find and open the cache. We don't want these kids getting hurt now, do we?"

Sounds odd to me......

____________________________________________________________

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

September 4, 2003

From the FAQ page...

"What shouldn't be in a cache?

Use your common sense in most cases. Explosives, ammo, knives, drugs, and alcohol shouldn't be placed in a cache. Respect the local laws. All ages of people hide and seek caches, so use some thought before placing an item into a cache."

The empty can rattles the most...

September 4, 2003

I've exchanged more than one e-mail about Geocache goings-on with Hemlock. I had a question for one of the people who approved one on my caches that they couldn't answer. They refered me to Hemlock as part of the Geocache Admin. He is legit.

Keep on Caching! (and Benchmarking!)

- Kewaneh

September 4, 2003

I just looked at the cache in question and would have to guess that the reason that Hemlock did not archive it was to keep it active. A quick look at the cache owner's profile shows that they are not active geocachers - they haven't visited the website since January. By keeping the cache active, it will still show up on searches and a cacher may go look for it still. They could do as Hemlock requests and retrieve the cache. If the cache was archived now, the cache would remain out in the wilderness are indefinately as no-one would no it was there.

Keep on Caching! (and Benchmarking!)

- Kewaneh

September 4, 2003

OK, it seems he's legit...I'm going after the cache next week.

____________________________________________________________

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

38.2k · September 4, 2003

Since when were caches banned from wilderness areas? I know some wilderness areas ban them, but I don't recall a blanket ban on caches in all wilderness areas. Heck, they allow camping and grazing livestock in them. What's the harm with a little tupperware contiainer?

"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

September 4, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by BrianSnat:
...Heck, they allow camping and grazing livestock in them...

They also allow drilling for oil!

1.2k · September 4, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by geospotter:

quote:
Originally posted by BrianSnat:
...Heck, they allow camping and grazing livestock in them...

They also allow drilling for oil!

.... yup, which is better for our economy than a little hiking and camping, eh??? LOL.

But point taken.....

"Trade up, trade even, or don't trade!!!" My philosophy of life.

September 4, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by mtnsteve:
Chris & Cindy....

So we're not suppose to leave knives in caches now?????

From his bio page..

"One of the biggest problems we approvers see is people putting knives in caches. Please, please do not put any type of knife in a geocache. Not even a small pocketknife. Many people cache with their children, and sometimes the children are the first to find and open the cache. We don't want these kids getting hurt now, do we?"

Sounds odd to me......

That does sound odd - but to many others here it sounds reasonable, sadly. Many people who have extreme ideas hide behind "children" to pass them off.

Ammo boxes should be banned, too. They have hard corners which we know maim and kill children in the home. A child could choke on a lot of items in a cache, too.

This is what I am saying - if you allow the concept that things need to be totally safe, then you stop everything, including caching.....

1.4k · September 4, 2003

quote:
... the reason that Hemlock did not archive it was to keep it active. A quick look at the cache owner's profile shows that they are not active geocachers - they haven't visited the website since January. By keeping the cache active, it will still show up on searches and a cacher may go look for it still. They could do as Hemlock requests and retrieve the cache. If the cache was archived now, the cache would remain out in the wilderness are indefinately as no-one would know it was there.

You hit the nail on the head!

Hemlock - The alternative to purple frownies.

1.2k · September 4, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Hemlock:

quote:
... the reason that Hemlock did not archive it was to keep it active. A quick look at the cache owner's profile shows that they are not active geocachers - they haven't visited the website since January. By keeping the cache active, it will still show up on searches and a cacher may go look for it still. They could do as Hemlock requests and retrieve the cache. If the cache was archived now, the cache would remain out in the wilderness are indefinately as no-one would know it was there.
You hit the nail on the head!

Hemlock - The alternative to purple frownies. http://ubbx.Groundspeak.com/6/ws/emoticons/frog.gif

So, does the person who goes to get it get to log it as a find? That might be cool to have something different from *FTF*, maybe, *OOTF* (Only One To Find), LOL.

"Trade up, trade even, or don't trade!!!" My philosophy of life.

2.3k · September 4, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by SamLowrey:
That does sound odd - but to many others here it sounds reasonable, sadly. Many people who have extreme ideas hide behind "children" to pass them off.

Ammo boxes should be banned, too. They have hard corners which we know maim and kill children in the home. A child could choke on a lot of items in a cache, too.

This is what I am saying - if you allow the concept that things need to be totally safe, then you stop everything, including caching.....

Maybe we need to start a thread on People who have died while Geocaching, we can give tips on avoiding those sharp edges on the containers and stop the bloodshed!!

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

Free your mind and the rest will follow

September 4, 2003

It's going to take over 3 days to get this cache (if I can find it) and I will have to carry it out (ok, 1 oz) ....perhaps Tracey or Hemlock will buy me lunch ......I'm betting on Tracey.

____________________________________________________________

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

1.4k · September 4, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Breaktrack:
So, does the person who goes to get it get to log it as a find?

I have no problem with that. In fact I encourage it.

This can be done by either making two logs, a ''find'' and a ''should be archived,'' or by first making a ''should be archived'' log, then editing it and changing it to a ''find.''

The creation of the ''should be archived'' log sends an email to the admins.

Hemlock - The alternative to purple frownies.

1.4k · September 4, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by mtnsteve:
It's going to take over 3 days to get this cache (if I can find it) and I will have to carry it out (ok, 1 oz) ....perhaps Tracey or Hemlock will buy me lunch.

C'mon now. You can't say your sole purpose in making this 3 day trek is to retrieve a rogue geocache

Hemlock - The alternative to purple frownies.

September 4, 2003

Well, almost, kinda sorta ...I'm meeting a couple buds at the trail head, I was going to just hike in for a quick overnighter and then head back home for another trip, but I figure I'll spend an extra day or so going up to the lake now...

Been meaning to look for this one since it was placed.

"Time spent in the mountains is not deducted from the rest of your life".

____________________________________________________________

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

September 4, 2003

I recently had a question come up about this very issue. I had been leaving boxed sets of Xacto-type craft knives in caches and a fellow cacher wrote to tell me that this was against policy. I noted that the section of the site I relied on when I began (what to put in a cache) does NOT mention knives, although as it turns out they are mentioned in the FAQs - a bit of inconsistency there, I think.

So I appealed to Geocaching for clarification, noting that while I would agree that a knife or something of that sort with an exposed edge might constitute a danger, I didn't see where a boxed set of craft knives - or a retractable boxcutter type knife or folded penknife should be interpreted as a dangerous item.

The reply I received came from - guess who? - Hemlock! Here is what he said:

"You're probably correct that a BOXED [set] is probably ok. The general reasoning

behind the prohibition is that many people cache as families, and quite

often it is the kids who find and open the cache. Sometimes the parent may

be some distance away at the moment, and we don't want kids to get hurt

with any knives found in the cache. As far as boxed or otherwise packaged

knives, I'll let you make your own decision.

Thanks for your understanding.

Hemlock - Geocaching.com Admin"

So there you have it. I still occasionally leave a boxed set of craft knives, but generally only in remote locations where the likelihood is that an adult will be the finder.

Peace,

Radical Geezer

P.S. I've also come across things such as flares and live bullets left in caches, which I think is remarkably dumb, especially out here in the desert southwest where the heat could conceivably ignite such items. I queried Geocaching.com about whether there should be a prohibition against incendiary devices (including things like disposable lighters, but not including unfilled fluid-type lighters). I was told that there would soon be some modifications to the website and that they were planning on adding these as verboten items. That was about two months ago, but as far as I know that change hasn't been made yet. The upshot is that people should use some common sense - and if you come across something like a disposable lighter or flare or live bullet in a cache, trade it out for something a bit more rational.

1.4k · September 4, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by radical geezer:
I've also come across things such as flares and live bullets left in caches ... I queried Geocaching.com about whether there should be a prohibition against incendiary devices ... I was told that there would soon be some modifications to the website and that they were planning on adding these as verboten items. That was about two months ago, but as far as I know that change hasn't been made yet.

Check out the FAQ under What shouldn't be in a cache? It states, among other things, "Explosives, ammo, knives, drugs, and alcohol shouldn't be placed in a cache."

I'll agree that there is inconsistency between this and some of the other pages on the site. Some of the volunteers have been working on correcting this.

quote:
The upshot is that people should use some common sense

Amen.

Hemlock - The alternative to purple frownies.

38.2k · September 4, 2003

quote:
Check out the FAQ under What shouldn't be in a cache? It states, among other things, "Explosives, ammo, knives, drugs, and alcohol shouldn't be placed in a cache."

I'll agree that there is inconsistency between this and some of the other pages on the site. Some of the volunteers have been working on correcting this.

knives were a fairly recent addition, which is why it might not be everywhere.

quote:
So there you have it. I still occasionally leave a boxed set of craft knives, but generally only in remote locations where the likelihood is that an adult will be the finder.

Does this mean that the dozen new Wenger swiss army knives...um I mean tools...that I purchased for caches are OK as long as I keep them in their orignial boxes?

"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

September 4, 2003

Ever think about telling your kids not to touch the cache until you get there?

Not only is it safer for them, it lets you see how the cache was hidden so that you will be able to leave it in the same condition you found it.

You can also teach your kids that they shouldn't touch knives, guns, lighters or used condoms (which can be a problem in some places when the parking area get visited at night).

"I'm not Responsible... just ask my wife, She'll confirm it"

2.6k · September 4, 2003

I scanned the area with usaphotomap could not see any real trails in the cache area. There may be small animal trail there, but thats about it, looks to be about a 1/2 mile north of grizzly close to or on the ridge going to the peak

All who look are not lost

3k · September 4, 2003

Hemlock is an approver.

He didn't archive it because then no one would see the page to go remove the film can from the wild. He requested that it be removed from the wild, so if you go for the cache take it away, so it can be archived. Or, you can request to adopt it, but you will then be responsible for maintaining it. The cache placer of that cache has only placed one, never found any, and hasn't been active, or visited the site since Jan 03. If you choose not to adopt the cache, someone else will probably eventually put one that gets maintained up there.

No you shouldn't put knives, boxcutters, or any other items that could be construed as a weapon in a cache. OR FOOD!!!! Never put food in a cache, it is sure death to a cache container.

Cache you later,

Planet

So many caches, so little time.

September 4, 2003

The chances of a kid running ahead, finding a cache with a knife in it and getting hurt are way, way less than that same kid getting bitten by a snake or spider or falling off of a rock or falling into the water or getting poison ivy or running into an unsavory character or a nudist or a democrat or… Well, you get the point.

Ducks - Flying, great tasting, geocaches of meat

1.4k · September 4, 2003

The chances of a kid running ahead, finding a cache with a knife in it and getting hurt are way, way less than that same kid getting bitten by a snake or spider or falling off of a rock or falling into the water or getting poison ivy or running into an unsavory character

I think everybody here probably realized that but unfortunately in our 'sue happy' society we have to protect ourselves and others from ambulance chasing lawyers.. it's a darn shame, isn't it?

Jeff

http://www.StarsFellOnAlabama.com

http://www.NotAChance.com

If you hide it, they will come....

September 4, 2003

Am I the only one that sees an irony in not being able to put a pocket knife in a used .50 caliber ammo can?

__________________________

What are you looking for?

1.1k · September 4, 2003

What ever happened to teaching your kids the proper way to use a knife? I disagree with the no knife rule but follow it.

September 4, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by captnemo:
What ever happened to teaching your kids the proper way to use a knife? I disagree with the no knife rule but follow it.

I just hope for the "sake of the chiiiiiildren" that none of them live in homes that have kitchens.

September 4, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by SamLowrey:
Maybe we need to start a thread on _People who have died while Geocaching_, we can give tips on avoiding those sharp edges on the containers and __stop the bloodshed__!!

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

PEOPLE HAVE DIED GEOCACHING! AND I HAVE BEEN TAKING MY KIDS WITH ME. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A SAFE FAMILY SPORT.

September 4, 2003

Wonder what the hand rolled, oops, I mean hand made object is?

"You are cleared for geocaching."

September 5, 2003

My 5 year old is almost ready to be taught how to use a pocket knife, but for now, I'll stick to blunt tools (like in these pictures when he was 4 yrs old...)

"I'm not Responsible... just ask my wife, She'll confirm it"

1.4k · September 5, 2003

Oh my goodness!!!!!!! I would hate to see such a handsome young man have an accident with that dangerous allen-head wrench..... for the sake of the child, please don't let him do that again. As he is applying pressure to the wrench his hand might slip and he could skin his knuckles... or worse he might fall over onto the tool and impale himself on it. What were you thinking allowing such a handsome young man to use such a dangerous tool

On a more serious note, isn't it fun to spend time with your son while teaching him how to use tools. By doing so you teach him skills that he can use all his life and skills which can be taught to his children.

Jeff

http://www.StarsFellOnAlabama.com

http://www.NotAChance.com

If you hide it, they will come....

September 6, 2003

I loosened all of the allen bolts that hold the engine side-cover on, showed him how to take the first one out and put it in the little container to keep them all together, gave him the wrench, guided him on the next two. Then my wife started video taping him, and I just stepped back and watched.

I then said "I'm going upstairs to get a beer... do you want one? He replied "Apple juice please".

So I left him to keep unscrewing bolts, with instructions to leave the last one in... and went upstair to get beer and apple juice.

I had him stop when he got to the last bolt so I could hold the cover in place while he removed it, and that was the only help I gave him for all the rest of the bolts.

They do enjoy helping.

"I'm not Responsible... just ask my wife, She'll confirm it"

[This message was edited by Mark 42 on September 06, 2003 at 05:15 PM.]

Is this guy legit?

Recommended Posts

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Join the conversation