This topic contains 41 replies, has 17 voices, and was last updated by 
-
Posts
-
I had been introduced to geocaching back in 2006 on a camping trip in Colorado. I did not become an active cacher until fall of 2008. I’ve been the most active over the last 8 or 9 months. I was not aware of this whole issue of puzzle tours until just recently when S|S disabled all of his caches.
I sounded off in another thread on the topic – I’m going to make more specific comments on puzzle tours right here. I will disclaimer my following comments: I do not personally know any of the parties involved in the issue at all. I doubt many here know me, however I have met a few folks at a couple FTF parties. I am a new member to the WGA… so having said that keep in mind that I have a fresh perspective on this and I have not been influenced by any WGA member or any other geocacher. My opinions are my own. I apologize if what I am going to say has already been said or hashed over and over again…
The whole cache touring thing is stupid. I’ve been reading a lot today on posts pertaining to this problem… there are opinions all over the place. People are on the fence, people say “its not our job to police game players”… people are saying a lot of different things.
Anyone ever watch a movie called The Last Starfighter? Robert Preston’s last movie… he said it best
(Robert Preston) Centauri: “I told you, I want to save it for a surprise! Heey, are you kind of kid who reads the last page of a mystery first? Who pesters the magician to tell you his tricks? Who sneaks downstairs to peek at his Christmas presents? Noooo, of course you’re not. [singsong voice] That’s why I’m not gonna tell you!”
It is just that simple. A PUZZLE CACHE requires you to SOLVE a MYSTERY… its the whole point! It is supposed to be FUN!
We can debate the inconsequential details till our keyboards fall apart… who is to blame… who should be policing the community, is puzzle touring wrong, is it acceptable, yadda yadda yadda… The fact of the matter is if you puzzle tour or condone puzzle touring… you just… don’t … get it. You are missing out on participating in the most important and rewarding aspect of geocaching! Anyone can drive down a dead and road and snag a maglock on a guard rail… how much fun is that? Kinda boring!!
I personally appreciate an intellectual challenge! Something that makes me stop and think, something that makes me USE my BRAINS! A 1/1 maglock guard rail cache compared to a good puzzle cache, can be equated in terms of the difference between watching A George Jetsons cartoon, or watching Carl Sagan’s “COSMOS”. One is fast and mildly entertaining… the other is rich and rewarding. Is this what our culture boils down to? Fast and shoddy and instant gratification? Does no one hold value to things that take a little more effort, but offer a far richer and more rewarding pay off?
is there “Geocachers Code Of Honor” written anywhere? if not I think there should be one. I think we here at WGA should do what we can to EDUCATE the caching community and the non-caching community better. I think there in lies the problem. I think some people just don’t know any better. No one would argue that proper fire arms training is a waste of time… why shouldn’t we have geocaching training? (if there is such an effort already in place, I apologize, as I am not aware of it)
I don’t know about anyone else – but I’m willing to participate and speak at a training seminar. Perhaps something we can hold every other month at a different community locations each time, say a UW branch with a geocaching club?
I’ve gotten pretty good at lecturing friends and family and coworkers about geocaching…. Lets get the ball rolling here folks! We CAN make changes to these problems!
Here is another idea. A lot of CO’s have caches in areas they can’t easily get to for maintenance issues. Everyone here has personal responsibilities… a family, a job, etc… we can’t all maintain our caches as well as we would like to. Is there a maintenance group out here? I’ve gotten into the habit myself of keeping some cache repair stuff with me at all times. Camo tape, a few micro containers to replace damaged ones… just last week I replaced a badly damaged container at a cache I do not own. Why? it needed to be replaced! I was someone who could do it… I care about geocaching! I’m sure a lot of us out here do just what I did, when the opportunity is present. Many of us have replaced logs, plastic bags, cache containers… but (and here is the idea of mine) What about organizing a group of people who are dedicated to simply helping to maintain caches. I know the actual responsibility falls to the CO themselves.. but what CO out there couldn’t use some help?
Got a sickly cache? Can’t find the time to get over to it? Who ya gonna call? Here to the rescue is the Geocache Emergency Team Responders!
To … G.E.T ‘R Done! or something like that… whatever!
OK I think this post has reached a point that might be considered absurd. I can be quite passionate about things at times. I half expect the BOD to vote to ban me after this post LOL! But I honestly think we have the desire and the ability to address the issues that concern us all, and see them taken care of. I feel we here in Wisconsin can set a new standard for Geocaching world wide – we can stand up and say WE ARE GEOCACHERS! AND WE ARE PROUD! We can let everyone know we are not a group of weirdos and nerds, we can let them know we care about our past time, and the environment… that we are not out to harm anyone And….. most importantly – that we demand our fair share of respect!!!!
@terribletom wrote:
Here is another idea. A lot of CO’s have caches in areas they can’t easily get to for maintenance issues. Everyone here has personal responsibilities… a family, a job, etc… we can’t all maintain our caches as well as we would like to. Is there a maintenance group out here? I’ve gotten into the habit myself of keeping some cache repair stuff with me at all times. Camo tape, a few micro containers to replace damaged ones… just last week I replaced a badly damaged container at a cache I do not own. Why? it needed to be replaced! I was someone who could do it… I care about geocaching! I’m sure a lot of us out here do just what I did, when the opportunity is present. Many of us have replaced logs, plastic bags, cache containers… but (and here is the idea of mine) What about organizing a group of people who are dedicated to simply helping to maintain caches. I know the actual responsibility falls to the CO themselves.. but what CO out there couldn’t use some help?
Got a sickly cache? Can’t find the time to get over to it? Who ya gonna call? Here to the rescue is the Geocache Emergency Team Responders!
To … G.E.T ‘R Done! or something like that… whatever!
There is actually a program in place for this. It is located under the “Cache Rescue” link on the left of the screen 🙂
Although I didn’t have the opportunity to do many of your caches it is terrible that it came down to this. I hope that it all works out for you. With that said I will adopt any of the caches around this area or high cliff and then put them as a dedication to remember all who have made the sport what it is today. Without individuals like you there wouldn’t be near as many puzzles or caches in various areas. So once again THANKS sincerely, Ben
Thank you Ben! I’ll be in touch in a private message.
Just to clarify for all watching, we are only paring back on some of our cache ownership demands so we can still have time to enjoy caching ourselves and take care of other priorities as well. While the issues related to puzzle caches have saddened us very much, including my son and wife, who have a more objective perspective more like other obsevers, most of ours haven’t been as directly affected. It has been a very troubling time for us and many others to hear about. We can’t imagine why some insist so much that all caches should or need to be done at any cost when there are so many. Some of what we have heard has changed the game for us forever.
I’ll take Cousin On The Pine Prairie (GC18X7A) if nobody has spoken for it yet.
Thanks much, Ed! The pine cousin is on the way to you. Another cache that was upgraded from a micro to a larger container over time after I replaced the original micro hide by Team Ridge Runners over two years ago. I know it will be in good hands, and now I can soon log it myself. Shouldn’t be too hard to find unless you get creative real soon! 😯
We are very grateful to the cachers who have adopted some of our creations and will keep them in play, whether as they are or infused with some new creativity. Several local Fox Valley caches, and a few from some more distant locations, will remain available for adoption while they stay in play, including:
Sheboygan:
Little Cache on the Prairie (GCPMX1)Royalton/New London:
WSQ Royalton (GC14289)Hollandtown:
Schut, Every Town Needs a Kids’ Cache (GC1A0BM)Fox Cities area:
Down By The Riverside (GC1A09K)
Highview Park (GC150JR)
ODS: Friendship Trail (GC1A8FM)
Memorial Marshgrass (GC1A0TY)
Did I Hear Shots? (GC1A0C7)
Miata’s Moonlit Mystery (GC12GT9)
Just Another Appleton Park in Palisades (GC15TA4)
Earth Angel Special (GC1A09W)Thanks again to those who have stepped forward to take some of our “kids” so far. All of them are people we hold in high regard! We will still have nearly forty caches to keep in great shape, but the lighter load will make it easier to do so while we look forward to getting out on the trail for some of the new hides that have been popping up all around us! 🙂
Just Another Appleton Park in Palisades (GC15TA4)
Earth Angel Special (GC1A09W)If these two are not spoken for, they are near my house Would not be an issue maintaining them
Did I Hear Shots? (GC1A0C7)
This one I had a heck of a time with, and have some ideas with it as well. If this hasnt been spoken for I would love this one!
Andy
Wow! Such a heartwarming response from so many old and new friends! The list of Sagasu adoption offers has shrunk amazingly in just over a week. Only a handful remain:
Calling Sheboygan and New London:
Sheboygan:
Little Cache on the Prairie (GCPMX1)Royalton/New London:
WSQ Royalton (GC14289)Fox Cities area:
Highview Park (GC150JR)
ODS: Friendship Trail (GC1A8FM)
Memorial Marshgrass (GC1A0TY)
Miata’s Moonlit Mystery (GC12GT9)ODS: Friendship Trail (GC1A8FM)
Give this some time, if no one claims it I can step up to this one as well… Its not to far from the house, and I have to grab a few caches down that way anyway so I would be glad to check up on it, and give it a new twist.
Let others in on this first before you hand it over to me ( if anyone else wants)Thanks for the others Dave
Thanks, Andy! One Degree of Separation is on the way to you!
No Problem Sagusu….That is all that I can resonably take, the rest are a little out my area or I just have no intrest in, and would be selfish to take. I hope you find homes for these!!! I will take care of the ones you have trusted on me.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.