Wsga "parallel Sticks Rule"

[+Half-Canadian]

My six year old nephews recently found these parallel sticks while on a cache hunt in California!

 

[+leatherman]

Huh? Please elaborate for the ignorant.

[MarcusArelius]

Must be one big cache under there!

[+Half-Canadian]

Huh? Please elaborate for the ignorant.

The t-shirts they are wearing are from the WSGA "store" and have the WSGA logo on the front and the slogan "Parallel Sticks Rule" on the back.

[+leatherman]

The t-shirts they are wearing are from the WSGA "store" and have the WSGA logo on the front and the slogan "Parallel Sticks Rule" on the back.

Hmm. That's not an explanation for the parallel sticks reference.

 

Let me try to guess.

Parallel sticks alludes to a Geo-obvious pile of logs that draws your attention while searching for the hiding place of a cache container.

 

Since it is a Washington reference, shouldn't it be the "Ubiquitous Stump"? Rather than "Parallel Sticks".

 

What is the term used for the obvious pile of rocks covering the cache container? It's used frequently in the mid-west regions.

[Fledermaus]

What would you do?

 

Q1. If you are out caching and you come across a cache that has been obviously marked with "Parallel Sticks", should you replace them as found or remove them and make the cache blend in better with the environment as best as possible?

 

Q2. What would you do if you had been out checking on one of your own caches a few days earlier, knowing that it was then well camouflaged and without "Parallel Sticks", and discovered that a subsequent cacher left it completely exposed or had marked it with "Parallel Sticks"?

 

I have encountered many cases where a cacher, even those with high numbers after their name, seem to have no regard for keeping a cache well camouflaged and/or leave them exposed to potential lose by muggles. Since I am not a "People Person" with great diplomatic skills, I would tend to be rather critical in my words. Therefore, I don't respond to such incidences. However, maybe I should, but some might take what I say to being "Hit over the head with a 2x4". This is because I seldom use frills, bells and whistles in my comments.

 

Afterall, I being the owner of a cache, have reasonable expectations that a fellow geocacher, who finds one of my caches, will take care of it as if it were their own. But on the other hand, cows can fly if you use a large enough catapult too.

 

I have found that having a lot of easy caches, those that require very little thinking, are not my forte. For of late, most of my newer caches require a bit more brainware, thus making them more challenging and hopefully a positive learning experience.

 

One of my rules is simply this: If it doesn't look like a cache, it probably is!

[Baxter]

I can smell a cache from a mile away so it doesn't matter. Woof!

Edited August 16, 2004 by Baxter

[nolenator]

Ah the many questions, I am a blend and match kind of guy. If it is obvious that the person who placed the cache wants it found quickly to minimize plant damage, it is prudent to "parallel stick it". Personally I like getting stumped myself. Go anywhere you want with that one. Peace, Nolenator

[+Kfam]

Fledermaus Posted on Aug 16 2004, 04:42 AM

  What would you do?

 

We always try to re-hide as close to the way we found it as we can. Sometimes it has become very obvious with what looks like too many parallel sticks and we may remove or reposition a couple of the sticks and sprinkle with surrounding ground cover to better camoflauge them.

 

On a recent FTF hunt (coincidentially, Fledermaus'), upon reaching the general area, I spotted a small pile of parallel sticks at possible cache location. The cache turned out to be several yards away from this little pile. After finding and rehiding the cache as found, I touched up the immediate area of footprints and evidence of the search, then returned to that first little pile. As a ruse for the next hunters, I added a couple more sticks and footprints leading the wrong way. It just seemed like a fun thing to do at the time. Hopefully the cache owner didn't mind (or notice) that I had done this. Not hearing any complaints, I assume that this was okay.