Marketing The Outdoors Isn't What It Used To Be

[+Right Wing Wacko]

Article in "The Olympian"

 

"The Forest Service could open its lands to geocaching -- a sort of scavenger hunt in which participants follow clues posted on the Internet and use handheld global positioning systems to locate hiding places for items."

 

Thanks to Mopar for pointing me to this article during a chat session in Clayjar's #geocache chat room.

Edited February 6, 2005 by Right Wing Wacko

[+Anonymous']

Very cool.

[+Bull Moose]

"The Forest Service could open its lands to geocaching -- a sort of scavenger hunt in which participants follow clues posted on the Internet and use handheld global positioning systems to locate hiding places for items."

oom.

Hmm...

I've already found a lot of caches on NFS land.

[+Seth!]

The NFS hasn't had a global policy about geocaching. I've found some on NFS land. However, I did have one ranger pull a geocache of mine that was on NFS land. I'm still steamed about that—it was not in an environmentally sensitive area and was a darn good hide.

 

(BTW, I find it interesting that RWW has Lincoln on his avatar. Lincoln was a Republican, but in 1861, that was certainly not equated with Right Wing Wacko-ism—especially in Lincoln's case. It's a funny little drawing, though. Just seems a little incongruous.)

[+Stump]

(BTW, I find it interesting that RWW has Lincoln on his avatar. Lincoln was a Republican, but in 1861, that was certainly not equated with Right Wing Wacko-ism—especially in Lincoln's case. It's a funny little drawing, though. Just seems a little incongruous.)

From wikipedia:

 

Lincoln staunchly opposed the expansion of slavery, and his election polarized the nation and soon led to the Civil War. During the war, Lincoln assumed more power than any previous president in U.S. history. Taking a broad view of the president's war powers, he proclaimed a blockade, suspended the writ of habeas corpus for anti-Union activity, spent money without congressional authorization, and personally directed the war effort, which ultimately led the Union forces to victory over the rebel Confederacy.

 

Sure sounds like Bush.

[+Right Wing Wacko]

(BTW, I find it interesting that RWW has Lincoln on his avatar. Lincoln was a Republican, but in 1861, that was certainly not equated with Right Wing Wacko-ism—especially in Lincoln's case. It's a funny little drawing, though. Just seems a little incongruous.) 

From wikipedia:

 

Lincoln staunchly opposed the expansion of slavery, and his election polarized the nation and soon led to the Civil War. During the war, Lincoln assumed more power than any previous president in U.S. history. Taking a broad view of the president's war powers, he proclaimed a blockade, suspended the writ of habeas corpus for anti-Union activity, spent money without congressional authorization, and personally directed the war effort, which ultimately led the Union forces to victory over the rebel Confederacy.

 

Sure sounds like Bush.

Ok guys..... This was ment to point attention to the article in the Olympian, not my political leanings. It's time for me to swap in the Reagan Image anyway.... Today is his birthday!

[+OccidentalErrant]

Hmmm,,

By this article, they haven't opened the NFS lands to geocaching?? If they are talking about doing so that is great. But, I thought that the Gifford P et.al. were already open to this activity? I mean, I have been up there already.

[+GeoRoo]

Well count me out on opening up our Forest Service lands to geocaching!..... I don't want to see a bunch of crazy GPS toting technos out tramping my trails!.....This geocaching thing is just a fad and will soon blow over.......

[+Bull Moose]

Well count me out on opening up our Forest Service lands to geocaching!..... I don't want to see a bunch of crazy GPS toting technos out tramping my trails!.....This geocaching thing is just a fad and will soon blow over.......

Yeah, I love when I run into those people that think they own the trails.

They usually sniff at my dog, I can't imagine what they'd think if they knew what I was doing with that GPSr in my hand.

[+willcall]

Hate to broaden the topic, but is there any feeling out there for opening National Parks? While I have as much conservationist sentiment as anyone, the foreseeable caching population couldn't possibly cause as much damage as snowmobiles, logging, mining, grazing, drive-throughs, and the other hundreds of thousands of visitors. Naturally, there could be restrictions and bureaucracy (applications, fees, licenses, environmental impact reviews, etc.), so it could be made a natural part of their operations

 

If there will ever be an opportune time to lobby for a policy change, it might be this administration (although we would certainly need to generate noise from more than just our isolated blue state (WA, of course).

 

I admittedly don't know history on this, so forgive the question if it's moot.

[+OccidentalErrant]

First of all, the NFS is going to do what they want concerning the use of Government land.. to a point... either deny the use of NFS land for geocaching or allow it. Then you have some people in the general society who are going to use the forest for whatever they think they can get away with. If you have ever been up in the forests and seen all the illegal dump sites that you just happen to stumble on.. and other activities that are not quite within the realm of (legal?). I can see GC on forest land if it is regulated so as not to damage the forest, but then how to enforce that regulation when the person that is doing the damage is out there with nobody around to see him doing it. Then the damage is done and guess who gets to pay for the cleanup and/or repair?

 

To allow GC on forest lands is great. I promote the use of the natural environment for activities that are respective of societie's role as caretaker. but then again, to allow that use, you have to consider the good with the bad and allow everybody in the general public the same right of use until they prove that they are not caretakers of the land. All you need to do is look at some aspects of the land involved within cities to see what can happen.

 

This is not a political post.. just my opinion.