[DCexplorer]

@cheezehead wrote:

He’s a thought too. If ya don’t like micros, don’t go find them. There ain’t no one forcing ya to look for them!

Very true, and I totally agree with Cheezehead that everybody should pick what they do or don’t do.

The broader point I was making is that inappropriate use of micros is, at least to me, annoying. So be it.

However, they are also hurting Geocaching for the newcomers. Newcomers (and I’ve asked the ones that I know) like finding caches, not little pill tubes. They see the words “The Official Global GPS Cache Hunt Site” on the top of the geocaching home page, and naively believe that they will be using their newly-purchased GPS to hunt CACHES, not pill tubes.

Look at all the news stories and articles on Geocaching you’ve ever read; They always talk about the cache container and swag, not about how you shake the little piece of paper the size of a gum wrapper out of a tube and scratch your name on it with a one-inch pencil stub.

[DCexplorer]

I myself have had caches disappear, and it is frustrating to have to replace a container and contents. I also get tired of pulling garbage out of caches. (Ohhh! A golf tee! I’ve been wanting one of those!!! A moisture-stained inkjet business card!! Wow, thanks, Team CacheCrewNewToYou from Des Planes!!!)

However, just about any garage sale I visit has a cardboard box marked “free” on it, and these are perfect sources of no-cost swag.

I consider replacing or refilling caches part of the cost of the hobby.

But, I can’t believe that people say “I’m too poor to place full sized caches, so I MUST place micros.” If you don’t have the resources, or are too much of a tightwad, DON’T place the micro in the first place, unless, of course, the micro is the best option.

[DCexplorer]

hmmm, I’ll have to compare feature sets between the two. Creating custom routes on the computer is kinda a big deal, and to not have that feature on the Mac is, most likely, a deal breaker.

thanks for the tip.

[DCexplorer]

I thought CafePress created goods on demand, so that there’s no big warehouse full of old coffee mugs and such. Perhaps I’m mistaken.

However, obsolete merchandise can certainly be used for contest prizes and such at WGA events. I would love to win (or buy) WGA stuff at events.

[DCexplorer]

@AstroD-Team wrote:

well, I will need to know how to use the tracking on my GPSr to particpate. Can’t say its a function I ever looked at. 😳

I know! This is something new for me, also. But I think it’ll be cool if it works.

[DCexplorer]

I know the costs can add up, but some of us consolidate vehicles on the mainland to reduce the expense of driving vehicles across Washington Island ferry.

[DCexplorer]

The number of temp. caches that has been claimed, whatever extraordinary high number it was, has been downgraded a bit due to concerns from park staff. However, there will be some temps, there are some new permanent caches, and plenty of activities to do.

We’ve had cachers journey to the island by private sailboat, canoe, kayak, and even through the kindness of state employees. However, I think most take the Karfi.

One thing I am hoping to do, with the assistance of others, is to have a number of cachers walk every trail on the island with tracking turned on. We will then combine all the tracks into a comprehensive and accurate trail map of the island to present to the park officials. The hand-drawn maps which have been used forever aren’t very accurate.

[DCexplorer]

Thanks for sharing the Wiki definition regarding the origin of the abuse of deceased equines. Apparently, I’m not the only one who needs to relax.

Obviously, I was mistaken, and in the spirit of togetherness, we need to fix this dead horse. We can try:

1. Buying a stronger whip.
2. Changing riders.
3. Say things like, “This is the way we have always ridden this horse.”
4. Appointing a committee to study the horse.
5. Arranging to visit other sites to see how they ride dead horses.
6. Increasing the standards to ride dead horses.
7. Appointing a tiger team to revive the dead horse.
8. Creating a training session to increase our riding ability.
9. Comparing the state of dead horses in today’s environment.
10. Change the requirements declaring that “This horse is not dead.”
11. Hire contractors to ride the dead horse.
12. Harnessing several dead horses together for increased speed.
13. Declaring that “No horse is too dead to beat.”
14. Providing additional funding to increase the horse’s performance.
15. Do a Cost Analysis study to see if contractors can ride it cheaper.
16. Purchase a product to make dead horses run faster.
17. Declare the horse is “better, faster and cheaper” dead.
18. Form a quality circle to find uses for dead horses.
19. Revisit the performance requirements for horses.
20. Say this horse was procured with cost as an independent variable.
21. Promote the dead horse to a supervisory position.

[DCexplorer]

One more card to play…

[DCexplorer]

I was cruising the GC forums, and found a similar discussion involving Kentucky, an event in a state park, similar to what we do here.

[DCexplorer]

First of all, I realize that us cheeseheads come under fire now and then for multiple attends. But, frankly, it doesn’t bother me in the least.

I really don’t care what rules the St. Louis Area Geocachers Association, the Minnesota Geocaching Association, or the Geocachers of Northeastern Illinois set regarding multiple finds. Why cachers from other areas care about how we play here in Wisconsin in beyond me.

For someone to suggest that WGA events are somehow “tainted” by multiple attends just shows me how much that poster is a wienie and a WGA wannabe.

Most of the events I’ve attended are day-long or weekend-long events, where we’ve got 8-10 hours of hustle involved. To say that all that is only allowed one “attended” and one “find” just feels wrong. Would I still attend? Probably. But maybe I wouldn’t work as hard on a really clever hide since I’m not going to get proper credit for it. Maybe I’d quit at dusk instead of doing the last two in the dark to get 100 percent finds. I think it diminishes the event, and my efforts, even if just slightly.

I know that for my events, (Rock Island Getaways I-IV) everybody has to WORK to find the temps, and I consider them equal to a nicely-hidden permanent cache. Unfortunately, it is not practical for me to make them ALL permanent caches, because the DNR park staff, (all nice people, and very accommodating, BTW) rightly feel that Rock Island has enough permanent caches right now, and would most likely balk at dozens of new caches on their island.

To have dozens of newly-released permanent caches go live for an event, only to archive them two weeks later, would certainly invite a new level of ridicule from the larger GC community.

What we really should lobby for is an implementation for logging event temps legitimately on the gc web site.

just my .02¢,

DCexplorer

[DCexplorer]

This event is now officially “live.”

[DCexplorer]

Whoops, I lied. I meant IV, NOT VI.

Sorry!

[DCexplorer]

If you need any more help, I can always contribute my $0.02.

DCexplorer

[DCexplorer]

Many thanks to Korpl, ks9wi, Frizz, and team BearBear for accompanying me around the county. I had a great time visiting new caches, and revisiting some old favorites.

[Author]

Posts