[IceCreamMan]

As an occasional Wisconsin Cacher and lurker on these forums, I’m hesitant to jump in, however, the topic intrigued me. The posted statement gives the general goals of promoting and protecting geocaching, and then goes on to list specific activities that promote geocaching with no elaboration on the activities involved in protecting geocaching.

I’m guessing that part of the reason for that is that “promoting” geocaching is somewhat straight forward. Ask anyone to write a list of activities that promote geocaching and most lists would including most of the activities shown.

However, ask someone to list the activities that “protect” geocaching and you’re not going to get the same answers. In fact, this thread shows that it’s a difficult question to answer and there’s even a little controversy involved.

The only example mentioned that would be broadly accepted is the one about keeping parks open to caching without red tape or fees. I think most cachers would agree that protects caching.

All of the other answers seemed to revolve around wanting to protect a subjective opinion of what caches are good or bad. I know people who wouldn’t be physically able to do most of the caches that would make me go “Wow”, however they love parking lot hides and will do all they can find. Does limiting placements in parking lots “protect” caching for them? I don’t see how.

To me, Protecting Geocaching means, protecting the ability of every cacher to hide and find the caches THEY like (as opposed to just what YOU like), within limited guidelines that allow for the greatest variety while preventing incidences that might put geocaching in a bad light.

This would include working with public land managers to keep areas open, working with Groundspeak to help assure reviewers are applying the guidelines broadly and consistently (and not based on their personal biases, as happens in many areas), and educating cachers on problematic placements and on marking containers.

[IceCreamMan]

@ExecLink wrote:

You might find a few cachers nearby that weekend at the Camp Cache-n-Jam (GCVW8C) event that is 24 miles away.

– Michael

We saw that and would love to attend but, alas, we leave on the 27th.

[IceCreamMan]

We lived in Sturgeon Bay back in the day. One particularly cool spot back then was a place called Cave Point. Beautiful place. Haven’t been there in decades, but I’m guessing the park is still there in some form.

[IceCreamMan]

@LightningBugs Mum wrote:

Hi David,
Welcome back 😀 The last week in July might actually work for us – especially the first half of the week.

BTW, interested in another geocoin swap?

Always interested in a coin trade. What did you have in mind?

[IceCreamMan]

Please accept my apology. I didn’t mean my post as an attack. Nor was it an attempt to stir up strife. I was simply standing up for my home area which I believe had been unfairly and inacurately characterised. Apparently I missed a good opportunity to shut up.

[IceCreamMan]

Many of us remember hearing The Lil Otter’s stories of her trip down south last year.

I’ve been reading your forums as I have a trip to Wisconsin coming up in July. I happened to catch this reference to Lil Otter’s post on her Florida trip. Her comments caused an understandable stir in Jacksonville and I wanted to jump in to defend the quality of our caches because I believe that her comments were unfair and inacurate.

I met Lil Otter (a wonderful lady from my own home town whom I enjoyed finally meeting) at the CITO event she attened in Jacksonville and discussed with her the methodology she used on her trip. She had pulled pocket queries from the downtown areas of the cities she visited. Surprise surprise. Urban areas contain lots of urban micros, few hikes and little terrain above a 2.

A little time spent on planning and selection would have yielded multitudes of caches that were right up her alley. Whatever direction her alley might take.

To get an accurate flavor of the quality of the caches in the Jacksonville area and level at which they are maintained, I suggest reading the logs from Geowoodstock 3 as well as several of the lead up articles from Today’s Cacher. While we certainly have urban micros that some might consider lame (but that others consider a fun diversion), we have a high quantity and a wide variety of quality caches for all kinds of cachers. The descrptions and ratings are as accurate as any area I’ve cached in and the level of cache maintenence is head and shoulders above. Not only that, you’ll find that the locals are a warm and welcoming bunch.

[IceCreamMan]

quote:

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Originally posted by hotdogs_off_trail:
If you don’t mind a fairly short drive, may I suggest some caches near Devil’s Lake area. It’s a beautiful glacial lake about a mile long, half a mile wide, and has 500 foot quartzite bluffs on three sides. One of the prettiest spots in the midwest. Great hiking trails, and caches from under water to almost the top of the bluffs.

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Devils Lake is at the top of my list. When we lived in Beaver Dam, we would go to Devils Lake several times every summer. I loved climbing the bluffs. My wife and kids would take the stairs and I’d take the rocks and meet them at the top. Can’t wait to do some cacheing there!

[IceCreamMan]

quote:

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Originally posted by WISearchers:
…we don’t like your big creepy spiders as big as my palm that we walked into! Do you know what kind those are?, (orange and black)

LOL blech!
Mr. WISearcher

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LOL! Those are called Banana Spiders. They do look creepy, but they’re really as harmless as kittens. You have more to fear from the saw palmettos.

We’ve done several of the Horicon caches on previous trips and they were beatiful. This is the first trip to the area when we don’t have a wedding or other function going on and will have time to do some cache runs.

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