crappy logs bugging me

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 8:00 am

Do you think this will have any impact? Recently sent to noobs with over 100 finds:

Hi,

Glad you are enjoying getting into geocaching! May you find many more.

I wanted to write you because I nearly deleted one of your logs, but decided not to. When you log just a smiley face on a cache that took hours to set up, it makes some cache owners wonder if you really found it. Or worse, maybe you did find it and just did not appreciate the effort put into the cache placement.

Please understand that the only compensation that folks who place caches receive for our efforts and expense in placing caches are logs that are interesting to read, and hopefully even logs that are appreciative of our efforts. When I get a log that is just " Smile

" like your log on a cache that I have spent hours researching the history of the location on, as well as spending considerable expense and effort to place, well it makes me feel a bit cheated.

I certainly understand that there are reasons that some people are reluctant to post a decent log when they log their finds. But I am writing you to let you know that there are also reasons to do your part in keeping the game of geocaching vibrant, alive and fun by posting a decent log when you find a decent cache.

Respectfully,

zuma

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 9:10 am

Sounds like a cacher from my neck of the woods.

WGA Member Joined: 2007-11-26 Posts: 3259

Deja vu...

Allow me to preempt the usual responses.

"No one forces you to put caches out. Writing good logs, or logs beyond a single character, is not required. You should simply be happy that people took the time to find your cache instead of sitting home watching NASCAR. Not everyone is a great writer. DON'T TELL ME HOW TO PLAY THE GAME!"

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 10:37 am

The quick, short logs are becoming much more common. I just hit delete. When I get a wordy one, those are the kinds I like to read! Enjoy those when you do get them.

Life is too short to worry about stuff like this, but that is my opinion - I have friends battling cancer and mending from a trip to the ER this past weekend. Stuff like that puts things in perspective for me.

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 11:33 am

hope it helps Ralph, straight to the point but not condesending.

**puttin on flame resistant suit**
IMHO, these tend to be the cachers who take and don't give back so they will never know how it feels to place caches more than a P&G if any at all.
The norm of yesteryear of appreciative logs is long gone. You can only gleen from the good ones and toss the chaff into the fire.

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 12:57 pm

I think all of us who place caches hear your pain, Ralph, but like others have said...cherish the good and ignore the rest. Every so often, we'll have this urge to write the same kind of logs on the caches of those who write that kind on ours, but manage to stay the course and at least say something to thank them for their efforts.

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 1:04 pm

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 1:14 pm

TFTP

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 1:24 pm

Sorry Ralph ... couldn't resist Laughing

I agree with you totally. While it is exciting to see more and more people playing the game, it is sad to see that many don't share our viewpoints on how the game should be played.

The other day I found a cache that I had dnf'ed in the past. The cache was a camo'ed bison tube lodged in a natural crevice in the bark of a very large, very old white pine. The bison has a history of popping out of the crevice and being found on the ground. The previous finder's log included the following: "Found on ground. Rehide better per the way this game is suposed to be played."

"Rehide better" in this case included carving a niche in the bark with a knife, cutting all the way through the bark to the sapwood. I can't believe that anyone would believe that this is "the way this game is suposed to be played."
I was sickened by this cacher's actions.

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 2:45 pm

I can't control / change the actions of other cachers, but will speak for myself.

It's not often that I don't write at least a few lines (normally more) in my logs. I know the CO's that receive these appreciate them, so I'll continue to do my part. It's just too bad that many of your caches aren't in my neck of the woods.

As for the "rehide better"? What's up with that? Why would someone do that? Shouldn't it be rehid exactly as found? Rehiding better could easily change the D/T ratings on a cache, make the hint no longer apply, etc.

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 2:50 pm

BigJim60 wrote:

"Rehide better" in this case included carving a niche in the bark with a knife, cutting all the way through the bark to the sapwood. I can't believe that anyone would believe that this is "the way this game is suposed to be played."
I was sickened by this cacher's actions.

Cutting all the way into the bark to the sapwood is just plain senceless! Cutting into the tree is the same! But I think that is for a different subject.

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 2:54 pm

I agree with looking for more than a TFTC or such. I alway s try to write a couple sentences, if not more. I hate it when someone does my 100 Barn Quilt caches and says "TFTC". If they only know how many miles I rode my bike or walked to place them. Then I have some good cachers that go and write a different log for everyone of them. I applaud them for that.

Maybe we are not coving log writing in the classes that we have for new folks?

Joined: 2009-06-05 Posts: 2123 Location: Menominee, MI

gotta run wrote:

Deja vu...

Allow me to preempt the usual responses.

"No one forces you to put caches out. Writing good logs, or logs beyond a single character, is not required. You should simply be happy that people took the time to find your cache instead of sitting home watching NASCAR. Not everyone is a great writer. DON'T TELL ME HOW TO PLAY THE GAME!"

This.

WGA Member Joined: 2009-08-17 Posts: 126

First, I’m not a CO and I have to admit that I have been guilty of only signing a cache with TFTC. But, doesn’t the following mean the only requirement is to sign the log?
Also, I wonder how many cachers “out there” aren’t members of WGA and/or don’t monitor the forums!

http://support.groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=309

For physical caches all logging requirements beyond finding the cache and signing the log are considered additional logging requirements (Lars) and must be optional. Cache finders can choose whether or not to attempt or accomplish such tasks. This is a guideline change that applies to all logs written since April 4, 2009. If you own an existing cache with mandatory additional logging requirements, we request that you:
1. Review your own cache listing to see if the ALR can be made into a simple, optional task, or whether it must be removed altogether.
2. Edit the text of your cache listing and, if necessary, contact a reviewer to change the cache type.
3. Cease deleting logs based on Lars.

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 6:41 pm

WStemple wrote:

I agree with looking for more than a TFTC or such. I alway s try to write a couple sentences, if not more. I hate it when someone does my 100 Barn Quilt caches and says "TFTC". If they only know how many miles I rode my bike or walked to place them. Then I have some good cachers that go and write a different log for everyone of them. I applaud them for that.

Maybe we are not coving log writing in the classes that we have for new folks?

I agree, and my note to the noobs was intended to try to educate them about why writing a log is important, not chew em out for not doing it.

Maybe if every cache owner started emailing noobs when they post lame logs, some of them would start to get the message. After all, isn't education of new people something that the WGA and more experienced cachers should be doing?

z