Lending a helping hand???

[Trekkin and Birdin]

When we first started caching, we would sometimes encounter logs from previous finders that offered alternate coordinates on caches that seemed to be significantly off the posted coordinates. Yes, there are a multitude of reasons that could be, but that’s not my point.

Most of the time now, if we’re lucky someone might say, “coords were really off,” but they offer no suggestions to help either those who come later or the cache owner. What’s happened to our community? Today we did one that took us to an absolute gem of a spot. We have no idea if it was placed with a phone or not, and the location was such that signal accuracy is tough (in other words, typical coulee hollow), and the previous finder at least said “my coordinates took me about 75 feet down the road.”

Even with that, it was an area rich with possible hiding spots, so when we FINALLY found it, about 50 feet off for us, we took new coordinates and included them in our log for this one. It’s just too cool of a spot to become frustrated with a 1.5 hide that’s way off. Why aren’t people more willing to help out these days?

[BeccaDay]

Trekkin and Birdin wrote:

Why aren’t people more willing to help out these days?[/quote

Here’s my guess, I think that there are so many people doing paperless caching that they don’t have anything to write down their coordinates on. Also, there was one time that I was going to put the coordinates in my log and then chickened out because I didn’t want to be rude to the CO. But more accurate coord’s certainly would be more helpful.

Not all who wander are lost. -J.R.R. Tolkien

[Trekkin and Birdin]

Becca, We just mark a new waypoint and name it in the GPSr, no need for paper. I do understand not wishing to offend the cache owner, but if shared in the spirit of helping, I don’t think most would be offended. The notes we’ve typically seen (and left ourselves) say something like “if you are having trouble, try these coordinates.” Obviously, a difference of 30 feet is well within reasonable, and if there’s a good hint, even a bigger difference shouldn’t be too tough. But these ones in our area, where there is significant topography involved and lots and lots of possibilities, and 50 or more feet off. Frustrating! We stopped leaving coordinate suggestions ourselves for awhile because we were just annoyed by what we were seeing in the way of non-helpfulness, but have decided we need to “be the change you’d like to see.”

[gotta run]

I do not list specific coordinates as a rule because I assume there are differences in devices.

On the Left Side of the Road...

[huffinpuffin2]

No hard & fast rules, but we try to help via coords, or distance & direction from posted GZ. Sometimes we’ve seen it help (rewarding), and recently, saw a logged comment indicating we may have thrown someone off (oh well, we tried.)

An easy decision to make the effort, is where the coords are clearly off, and it is at the end of a long hike, a tough puzzle, our in some other way (e.g. a KFC) strikes us as ‘a real shame someone would miss the cache’.

[kc9gbo]

I’ve done it, and usually sent updated coords to the owner to adjust but the cache owner usually ignores the updated coordinates. Most are nice and do adjust them after I send the email, guess I could post a note but I know some folks like to skew the results to make it tougher.
As an aside, I still need to get out and get some new coords for that one of mine on the bike trail as I used two gpses to get the coordinates and they were both real close.

[Trekkin and Birdin]

Paul, We didn’t have any issues with any of the bike trail ones. As Michael said, there is always going to be variation. I’m referring to those that clearly could use something to zero in the search and avoid damage to the environment by doing so. 50-75 feet down the road when there are piles of rock, rock walls, numerous tree roots and holes and stumps and you name it. Those could use some help. There was no hint given. That might help as well. We all know how it is when we think our hide is easy and it turns out to be more challenging than we thought.

[BigJim]

Funny, I just did this yesterday, and on a cache that Trekkin’ and Birdin’ DNFed. 😆

All opinions, comments, and useless drivel I post are mine alone and do not reflect the opinions of the WGA BOD.

[Trekkin and Birdin]

So Jim, why didn’t you look for it before we were there? LOL I think I know which one, too. We probably looked right at it and missed it. Neat place, though.

[BigJim]

Oh, I looked for it before you were there, after you were there, and then again after someone else found it. It was a very good hide, and yes, you probably were very close to it at some point in your search.

All opinions, comments, and useless drivel I post are mine alone and do not reflect the opinions of the WGA BOD.

[kc9gbo]

We have been pecking away at that bike trail over near Rochester and no hints along with quick coords like you say have led to some nasty changes to the area over the few months we’ve been working on it.

I have yet to have a dnf on any of the caches on the bike trail and that’s the way I want it.. Although the one I have hidden and waiting to release will be hard but is still meant to be found.

What is with this trend with bad coords? That’s the real question, it seems experienced cachers are trying to make the find more difficult and the beginners seem to not know to take multiple readings. and then to verify with the satellite view.

[zuma]

@huffinpuffin2 wrote:

No hard & fast rules, but we try to help via coords, or distance & direction from posted GZ. Sometimes we’ve seen it help (rewarding), and recently, saw a logged comment indicating we may have thrown someone off (oh well, we tried.)

An easy decision to make the effort, is where the coords are clearly off, and it is at the end of a long hike, a tough puzzle, our in some other way (e.g. a KFC) strikes us as ‘a real shame someone would miss the cache’.

this is my practice as well. If it is a brand new cache in a good spot, I will generally post what I got for coords. If it is an older cache, than direction and distance is easier to do for me and takes less time.

z

[zuma]

@kc9gbo wrote:

I’ve done it, and usually sent updated coords to the owner to adjust but the cache owner usually ignores the updated coordinates. Most are nice and do adjust them after I send the email, guess I could post a note but I know some folks like to skew the results to make it tougher.
As an aside, I still need to get out and get some new coords for that one of mine on the bike trail as I used two gpses to get the coordinates and they were both real close.

I am hopeful that there is no one low down enough to give purposefully inaccurate coords to make the find tougher. Jeez. If I knew someone was doing that, I would be much less likely to search for their caches.

z

[uws22]

@zuma wrote:

I am hopeful that there is no one low down enough to give purposefully inaccurate coords to make the find tougher. Jeez. If I knew someone was doing that, I would be much less likely to search for their caches.

z

it was happening in this neck of the woods, but I think the message has finally sunk in that it’s against the spirit of what we do.

[labrat_wr]

I agree with Zuma on at least giving distance and direction. I have one at Hartman that I got log after log stating it 50-60+ feet off everyones GZ but nobody mentioned which direction. I’m sure that I could have corrected the coords to be a bit closer without having to hike all the way back to the cache if I could have gotten a direction to move.
finally posted on the cache page to please include new coords if they felt the posted ones were off.

Disclaimer : Always answering to a higher power.

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