Thoughts On Cachers That Don't Post Finds?

[+Treasure Bandits]

It's become obvious to us, as well as other geocachers in our area, that there are some people participating in this game that find caches, exchange goodies, and sign the logbook, but DON'T log the find on the cache page.

 

One of our caches had a post saying that it was waterlogged, and someone else had written in the log a month earlier stating the same thing, but we never received a post informing us about it.

 

Another time, we were sitting feeding our baby in a parking area of a cache after completing it, when we saw another family at the cache. when they were done, one of the children was holding a toy that we had just placed in the cache. We talked for a minute, then they drove off. We never saw a post from them, and after the cache owner emailed us with the name they signed in the logbook, we looked up the profile in geocaching.com, only to find there was no profile by that name.

 

Is this a common thing? How would these people log travel bugs, for example?

[Rangers of Ithilien]

There are a fair number of people out there who dont log caches on the geocaching website. It might be with some of them that the cache is also featured on another cache website and they logged it there. It also might be simply that they prefer not to. You will never get everyone logging their finds here.

 

I wouldnt worry about it too much. These people are enjoying themselves without harming anyone after all.

 

Tiffany

[Find Now, Log Later?]

Is this a common thing? How would these people log travel bugs, for example?

 

A geocaching.com account is required in order to log travel bugs online. I don't log my finds online anymore, but I still trade travel bugs. No online log is required to pick up a TB, but one must write one in order to assign a TB to a cache. I write a "Note" log that states I assigned the TB to the cache. After the TB has been assigned, I delete the note. The notes can also be used to alert the cache owner (and anyone on the watch list) to issues concerning the cache, because they receive the automatically-generated e-mail containing the text of the note (that was deleted.)

[Rangers of Ithilien]

Ooh, I'm interested.....why do you no longer log your finds Bassoon-Pilot? You obviously go to a lot of trouble to ensure Tb's are delt with in the right way so its not laziness.....

 

I'm intrigued

 

Tiffany

[+briansnat]

I see logging my finds as a courtesy to the owner. He went through the trouble of placing it, so the least I can do is let him know I found it and enjoyed the hunt.

 

And as a cache owner, I enjoy reading the logs of the people who hunt for my caches, so it is disappointing when people don't log online. I guess I could go read the paper log, but they tend to be much more brief...often just a name and a date.

 

The practice doesn't seem to be common, at least in my area. Once in a while, I'll see a name or two in the logbooks that weren't in the online logs, but overall it seems to be a very small percentage.

[Find Now, Log Later?]

I see logging my finds as a courtesy to the owner. He went through the trouble of placing it, so the least I can do is let him know I found it and enjoyed the hunt.

That's what the logbook is for. Remember the "good old days" when one of the "guidelines" was to "email the cache owner and tell them you found their cache!"?

 

I've never seen an online log that was written with the "business end" of a lighted cigar or twig dipped in mud (or blood.) Never saw dozens of gnats or mosquitos mushed in the pages of an online log; never saw the ink of an online log run as a result of being written during a downpour.

 

Those are the good stories.

Edited May 1, 2004 by Bassoon Pilot

[+Renegade Knight]

In my area it's about 40% who don't log online. Rather than repeat what BrianSnat said I'll add that we also have active cache pirates stealing caches. Those who don't log online run a good chance of never having the owner enjoy their logbook log.

[+Kunjamuk]

Yes, I have found that my cache is found 2:1 relative to the number of times the on-line log is signed. I was curious about this as well.

[+beejay&esskay]

15% of the cache loggers didn't log online for my (only) cache.

 

(Unfortunately, one of these took a travel bug. Not sure if the TB will ever reappear.... )

[+Team DEMP]

My opinion is that if the cache wasn't posted online, I'd never know about it, so logging it online is the right thing to do.

 

I like reading the logs from others of caches I thought were terrific. If people don't log, I don't get that added benefit either.

[+bons]

My parents are over 70 and are now caching. However, I don't expect them to get an account and start logging finds online. They're simply not online people. I also wouldn't expect new cachers to create an account and start logging finds. I have a co-worker who went out to look for some caches this week. I'd say the odds of him creating an account are about 50-50.

 

When I go to the movies I get online and find out what movies are in my area, where they are, when they are, and go see them. But I don't log onto an online service and say that I saw the movie. Some people do. I'm just not one of them.

[Black Mage]

The way I see it, logging is part of the fun, a way to share thoughts on the location and stories, and, in my case, pics. My little brother, on the other hand, has an account, but he says that it is too much trouble. Combine that with the fact that he complains too much on the trail, so I rarely take him caching anymore.

[+TeamK-9]

I'm very good friends with a cacher who has an account online but simply doesn't log finds online. Basically, he actually has two accounts, one that he used to place a cache a while back, and the other that he posts to the forums with.

 

I one time asked him why he didn't log finds. He told me about how when he first started caching, he wanted to be just like some of the big cachers who logged thousands of finds. But upon getting futher into the sport, he found out just how many of those big finders got such high numbers. He first read about what most people call speed caching. Where you simply pick a cache dense area, and get to a cache quickly, and move on without really stopping to enjoy the scenery much.

 

So anyway, he doesn't post finds online simply in protest of all the big finders.

[+Renegade Knight]

I'm very good friends with a cacher who has an account online but simply doesn't log finds online. Basically, he actually has two accounts, one that he used to place a cache a while back, and the other that he posts to the forums with.

 

I one time asked him why he didn't log finds. He told me about how when he first started caching, he wanted to be just like some of the big cachers who logged thousands of finds. But upon getting futher into the sport, he found out just how many of those big finders got such high numbers. He first read about what most people call speed caching. Where you simply pick a cache dense area, and get to a cache quickly, and move on without really stopping to enjoy the scenery much.

 

So anyway, he doesn't post finds online simply in protest of all the big finders.

I don't know who your friend is but he's not punishing anyone but the cache owners. The Big finders probably don't even know about the protest and to be blunt why should they care? Why should your fiend care?

 

If they took the time to write a dadgum fine log and show the big finders what a log is supposed to look like they would earn every bit the reputation that the people he's protesting have for big finds.

 

When I started I was impressed by big numbers. Cache were few and far between and it took real work to get past 100. Now a good month in a target rich area and you can blow through 500.

[+TeamK-9]

I think he told me he usually emails the cache owner just with the condition of the cache, and if it's in bad condition he always emails the cache owner...

[+Team GPSaxophone]

People that don't log online are too paranoid for their own good.

[+bons]

There's a number of reasons to not log online that have nothing to do with paranoia.

 

Many people simply don't want to log online. It's not fear or paranoia. They simply aren't they type of person who bother to type their experiences online.

 

In our office we have people who tend not to speak up in meetings. It's not that they're afraid to speak up. It's that they're just not the kind of people who speak up in meetings. I appreciate these people. If everyone felt the need to say their piece the meetings would take forever.

 

Just because someone makes a different personal choice than you do doesn't make them paranoid.

 

We can't all be heros because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by. -- Will Rogers

[Find Now, Log Later?]

When I started I was impressed by big numbers. Cache were few and far between and it took real work to get past 100. Now a good month in a target rich area and you can blow through 500.

 

I couldn't agree more; that's a great reason not to log online ... One can seek the caches that sound interesting and ignore the dreck, and never receive an e-mail from a cache owner that says "How come you look for HIS caches but you don't look for MY caches?" (That brings up another thought ... remember when it was considered a "courtesy" for cache owners to seek the caches of the local cachers who visited their caches?)

 

When caches were "few and far between" and required miles and miles of driving and hiking, I used to average a couple of caches per day. Geocaching was fun and exciting, and I logged my finds in the logbook and online. Typically, seekers were immediately contacted by cache owners for in-depth feedback, conversation, and/or to swap "war stories." (Returning to that topic of "courtesy," I recall that almost invariably, e-mails from cache owners began with "thanks for taking the time to look for my cache!" Cache owners were excited, too, that people would actually go out of their way to seek their caches.)

 

Now that a (usually micro, log-only) cache can be found under practically every mailbox, guardrail, payphone, lightpole, etc., I average a cache or two per week. From the number of caches I've seen that are in deplorable condition, from the number of caches I've seen that contain multiple scraps of soggy paper with names scribbled on them, it is clear to me that many, many cache owners couldn't care less whether you visited their cache or had fun. I suspect that some cache owners receive perverse pleasure reading the politically-correct online logs of people who made the effort to find their ("not recently maintained") cache. ("Parked 75 feet from the cache. The container had a lot of cracks and was full of water. Didn't take anything, but I left a new multi-tool in a ziplock bag, along with a dry piece of paper to use as a log. Thanks for the GREAT cache."

 

Appreciation to the owners of caches one visits can be demonstrated through the logbook or a manner other than an online log.

[+GPSKitty]

I see logging my finds as a courtesy to the owner. He went through the trouble of placing it, so the least I can do is let him know I found it and enjoyed the hunt.

 

And as a cache owner, I enjoy reading the logs of the people who hunt for my caches, so it is disappointing when people don't log online. I guess I could go read the paper log, but they tend to be much more brief...often just a name and a date.

 

I agree. Along with the fact that if it's not logged online, the rest of us miss the opportunity to read about the find.

I have only found one regular sized cache so far. The rest have been virts and micros. Only enough room for name and date in a micro, but that doesn't mean it was a micro sized experience.

Logging online is a courtesy to the whole community in my opinion.

[+wildearth2001]

You guys are all talking so bad about the people that dont log online, but maybe you need to remeber that Team 360 does not log his finds online and he is one of the most respected cachers here in the US. I dont think I have ever herd of a complaint with his hidden caches, and he never comes in here and complains. I also never hear you guys talk bad about him, but here you go with general statments like

People that don't log online are too paranoid for their own good.

[+TEAM 360]

You guys are all talking so bad about the people that dont log online, but maybe you need to remeber that Team 360 does not log his finds online and he is one of the most respected cachers here in the US. I dont think I have ever herd of a complaint with his hidden caches, and he never comes in here and complains. I also never hear you guys talk bad about him, but here you go with general statments like

People that don't log online are too paranoid for their own good.

First, thank you for your kind comments, wildearth2001, but I have had my moments here in the forums. Trying to keep it cool lately. I am sure Sax was just funnin' with me, since I KNOW WHERE HE LIVES... ...hehehe...

I think everyone knows that I don't log online because I don't want my numbers to be posted. I am holding out in protest, waiting for the "opt-out" feature that was supposed to happen here two years ago. Once that is available, I promise I will go back and log every single cache I have ever done (oh, I remember them all...can't tell you what I had for breakfast yesterday, but I remember all my caches!)

Thank you again, wildearth2001...see you all out on the trail, I am catching a plane up to Portland tonight to clean up the Original Stash Tribute Plaque and place a nice camo cover over it for the Geocaching Birthday Event 2004, which is on Monday. Although I am unsure if he will show up, I even invited the Inventor of Geocaching himself, Dave Ulmer...

[+KBer]

...I am holding out in protest, waiting for the "opt-out" feature that was supposed to happen here two years ago. Once that is available, I promise I will go back and log every single cache I have ever done...

 

Just out of curosity what would this proposed "opt-out" feature opt you out of?

[+wildearth2001]

...I am holding out in protest, waiting for the "opt-out" feature that was supposed to happen here two years ago. Once that is available, I promise I will go back and log every single cache I have ever done...

 

Just out of curosity what would this proposed "opt-out" feature opt you out of?

having your stats shown (number of caches found)

[+Team DEMP]

...I am holding out in protest, waiting for the "opt-out" feature that was supposed to happen here two years ago. Once that is available, I promise I will go back and log every single cache I have ever done...

Just out of curosity what would this proposed "opt-out" feature opt you out of?

having your stats shown (number of caches found)

It doesn't stop you from posting on the forums which shows number of posts. What's the dramatic difference between number of caches found and number of posts?

 

Do you not keep score when you play golf? Do you disconnect your speedometer? Do you turn off tracks on your GPS?

 

Just wondering what the difference is and what I might or might not get from knowing your cache count. Am I any different at 165 (or whatever I'm around) then if I was at 2, 20, 200 or 2000?

 

Now if you can find a way to opt out of getting a year older - then maybe I can somehow join in that celebration.

[+harleycache]

Now if you can find a way to opt out of getting a year older - then maybe I can somehow join in that celebration.

Oh, there's a way, but it's waaaaaaaaayyyyyyy too permanent!