[awhip80]

So many choices! My favorite cache is one that takes me to an interesting place. Whether it be geologically or for historical value, caches like this are what keep me coming back for more. And this can be obtained through all “types” of caches, from virtual through CITO events.

I also must mention, that my hides are my favorites. Not necessarily for there location, quality, or uniqueness, but for the enjoyment that many others get from them. I believe we have hidden nearly 60 caches around the Appleton area and it is great to get all those notifications of someone making a finding and logging our hides. It brings a smile to my face every time I read a detailed log from a finder.

[awhip80]

I think that Facebook is already the dominant choice of many to promote what is happening in the WGA. I also think that promotion of WGA happenings should continue on the social media platform. I also feel that there is a place for the WGA website. It is used as a tool for the administration of the games and such that the WGA offers the membership. It acts as a place to store and refer to WGA meetings and decisions from the past.

In my opinion, both have there needed place in the organization for now. But, it would be nice to see a WGA app created for quick mobile access by the members for anything WGA. I believe this would be a big step forward in member participation within a WGA owned platform and to not have to rely so heavily on something like Facebook.

[awhip80]

JimandLinda wrote:

My how things change! The BOD considered switching these several years back and posted a poll for the members (some of us thought the weather would be nicer if we flipped them). We left it the same, per the majority of the members that voted. New members; new opinions? I voted to switch then and support it now, since no poll has been posted yet.

It’s difficult to get a majority to trust change until they get a taste of it. That’s just the way life is.

[awhip80]

I like the idea of fall camp out and spring picnic.  I assume that if a change is made, the TB race and other activities traditionally associated with the picnic would move also?

[awhip80]

BigJim wrote:

Got the mower out on Monday. It’s making a grinding sound and doesn’t move in reverse. Going to take it in to the shop today. The grass should be about 2 feet tall by the time I get the mower back.

It is “No Mow May” here in Appleton in support of our pollinators. Not really sure how to feel about this. Residents will be allowed to forgo the 8″ maximum grass height to allow for the bees and such to do their springtime duties. Then back to normal requirements in June. I like how Appleton is taking a step forward to save our pollinators, but just have the feeling that their needs to be a broader movement to really cure the problem.

I have a neighbor that allows his “natural landscape” to grow out of control all the warm months long so I think I’ll let the pollinators continue to visit his yard. I’ve got a dog to clean up after and youngsters that like to play outside so I feel it is best in my situation to keep the grass short.

[awhip80]

BigJim wrote:

And now it’s Sunday. Sunday Funday. Planning to make a trip to town for essentials. Mom is almost out of wine.

Wine is an essential staple here also. But, it seems that we have an endless supply of it.

[awhip80]

BigJim wrote:

awhip80 wrote:

Now, without singling anyone out, it is my opinion that the WGA should not be rallying to shut down all state parks and natural areas as long as the governor has not ordered them closed. .

OK, but you DID single someone out at the beginning of this thread. The WGA is NOT “rallying to shut down all state parks and natural areas.” The WGA is not making an official stance on the matter, largely because we have no control over how the state government chooses to react to the Covid situation. The comment that you referenced was made by an individual member of the board, expressing his personal opinion, not the direction or consensus of the board as a whole.

You and anyone else can believe I singled someone out on here, but I prefer to believe that I was simply reporting an individual’s opinion from a social media forum. Bringing it to, what I would like to think is a more appropriate forum for response from anyone involved and interested in the happenings of the WGA.

As I have pointed out in previous posts, I would prefer to be able to geocache very similar to how I have in the past. Doing so by following state mandated guidelines and keeping everyone’s health and safety in mind.

[awhip80]

ACME_WildCachers wrote:

While the stakes have certainly changed, participating in geocaching has always been done at your own risk. I feel it should (continue to) be up to each individual to decide if they are comfortable geocaching given the current risk factors. I believe it is possible to continue caching safely without endangering other people, but I won’t think ill of anyone regardless of what they decide for themselves provided they’re not being reckless.

I thank you all for providing your thoughts regarding the current state of affairs. Even though our individual views are not all the same, it is important to air our thoughts so we can all gain a better understanding of others opinions. I do believe the specific question asked can be answered by a simple yes/no. Even though your opinions on the matter may be extensive, you will see yourself sitting on one side of the fence or the other.

I quoted the response above because it really sums things up nicely. Geocaching has been and always will be about the amount of risk one wants to take in being able to sign that logsheet. There are caches that take you to the tip top of spindly trees, along crumbling rock faces with sheer drops, and into city sewers that have the same potential to kill as any confined space a person could crawl into. If you are some one who is a higher risk taker, you are most likely going to take some precautions during this time and hope to see as many areas open to caching as possible. If you wish to assume little to no risk, most likely you are either staying at home completely or if choosing to find a geocache you are doing so solitary, very well protected, and in far away places where no other has been for a long period.

Now, without singling anyone out, it is my opinion that the WGA should not be rallying to shut down all state parks and natural areas as long as the governor has not ordered them closed. Again, consider the risks that can be taken with geocaching in others way and has been allowed for 20 years. Cache on; please do it safely, responsibly and with the health of others held in the highest regard.

[awhip80]

Noonan wrote:

In the past few days I’ve had people discover at TB of ours that was lost at Aztalan years ago. The weird thing is that the logs make sense as someone that knows caching, and not just some spam bug. I messaged the first person, their log said, that they had discovered it, but didn’t mention where they saw it. They said they had forgotten their password, but didn’t know anything about it – and that I wasn’t the only one messaging him. The second one was really puzzling. The next one came from South Africa, saying they had discovered it while on lockdown in South Africa! By the time I got to their account to ask them about it, they had already had email and messaging locked down by GZ. Checking my TB, both logs have already been scrubbed. Ideas?

The same discovery message from South Africa came to us yesterday as well. It is a trackable which is secured to my wife’s walking stick. It has never been circulated or discovered by anyone else, it simply travels with us from cache to cache and gets logged as such (when we remember to do so).

[awhip80]

Lostby7 wrote:

Also did not vote. This a complicated and multifaceted issue…plus I’d hate to get drilled for having an opinion.

Please do not think that my post is drilling you in any way, because I have selected to quote it here. I just think that this forum is a better place to air our thoughts on a sticky subject rather than debate it on social media. I would appreciate if all would voice (and vote) their opinions one way or another here. It doesn’t matter whether you agree with me, the next person or neither of us. These forums are a platform where the WGA BOD and others can receive the thoughts from others and hopefully bring them to good use for the betterment of all.

The president’s stance on the state park issue is: They should have been closed from day one (with no explanation). My question is; Why, when all of the parks were allowed to be open from the beginning of the stay at home order?

Outdoor activities were and still are encouraged by the Governor and others. People need to get out if they can. City trails and sidewalks are being overwhelmed by numbers of people out getting a bit of exercise, so more are going out a little further to enjoy the state parks and natural areas.

Unfortunately, that also brings along with it the riff raff associated with those that cause trouble and simply just don’t know how to pick up after themselves. Is there a way that our organization could work through this situation with the DNR as has been done in the past? Or do we just decide that no opinion, and no action is where we should stand?

I do really like the discussions that come about on social media, but there are also times when discussions there make me shake my head. If I was someone new to geocaching (there are many new to the game this past month) I would be a little taken back by some of the conversations  yesterday on the Geocaching in Wisconsin Facebook page. We should be welcoming those new to the game, not making them feel like they are incompetent, have little common sense and are rule breakers who are in the state parks to leave a mess and cause destruction.

So, please leave your thoughts and have a Happy Easter! 😃🐇

[awhip80]

Kelly King wrote:

Russ, would you be willing to be part of the LCG committee?

Yes, Kelly, I would be willing to serve on committee devoted to the LCG. Thank you for asking.

[awhip80]

JimandLinda wrote:

We would like to see a WGA Grand Event. Something special for the members, separate from the regular yearly events. A buffet lunch or banquet to celebrate the most successful State group in America!

That’s sounds fantastic! Where could we hold such an event at a very low cost to the members? 😉

[awhip80]

Administration of “WGA Awesome Games” and “Cache of the Month” on the website. I have noticed that a few of these games are either no longer being played through the website or it has been quite some time since updates have been made to lists associated with the games. If they are no longer played or updated, maybe they should be put to rest to make more room on the page for something new and exciting or to simply free up room for areas that are getting traffic and attention.

[awhip80]

hack1of2 wrote:

Per Dawn’s reminder to post suggestions on the WGA forum instead of the FaceBook LCG site, the following is a suggestion on the Lonely Cache Game. Essentially it is to stop awarding bonus points for replacing missing caches (which encourages unmaintained, often crappy caches), and instead if a cache is to be replaced within the context of the game, it should be done as the cache rescue option. Here is the copy/paste from the FB site. It’s three separate posts: POST #1 An interesting issue with the Lonely Cache Game is that of bonus points for replacing a cache “with owner permission.” If you’ve played the LCG for a while I’m sure you’ve noticed times when people have replaced a missing cache (with the owner’s consent “ahead” of time) to receive 5 bonus points. I’d remove that bonus entirely! I think it runs counterproductive to the spirit of the game. If it’s missing, don’t replace it, even with permission. Archive it if the CO cannot maintain it. I’ve come across caches that get found less than 1x/year and have lame replacement containers that should have been archived, but someone replaced it to get the bonus points. Wrong action with misguided motivation. POST #2 I’m not keen on the idea of players replacing someone else’s missing lonely caches, even though it’s allowed and even encouraged by the awarding of extra points. I feel that once the replacement is placed, it still won’t get maintained, and the location blocks new caches from getting placed there. However, I thought of a cool workaround! Part of the Lonely Cache Game is an option called a CACHE RESCUE, which has to be requested/initiated by the cache owner (or the LCG admin). Cache rescues are for either removing physical cache containers and stages by others if the cache is being archived, or a request by the CO to rescue/repair a cache that they are unable to get to themselves in a timely manner. 10 points are earned for each cache rescue. Why not discontinue points for replacing a cache through current LCG rules, but allow (as always) points earned for cache rescues? That way the rescues are still initiated by the actual cache owner (or the LCG admin), rather than involving a cache that is no longer maintained and the cache owner is inactive and long gone. Makes sense to me. POST #3 CACHE RESCUES Benefits of Cache Rescue Removals requested by the CO: • Clears out geojunk: removing containers for caches that have already been archived (This can be important to land managers and parks) • Eco-friendly, cleaning up our green spaces • Removes cache containers that are about to be archived but for whatever reason the cache owner is unable to do so at the time • Doesn’t have to be a lonely cache that hasn’t been found in a long time; it could be caches that are found regularly Benefits of Cache Rescue Replacements requested by the CO: • Others can verify that all stages of a multi are in place and readable, and repair/replace stages if needed • Damaged containers can be replaced per the CO’s instructions for those that are doing the rescue/repair • CO has to request the rescue, so it helps the owner, the environment, and the person(s) doing the rescue repair • Doesn’t have to be a lonely cache that hasn’t been found in a long time; it could be a cache that’s found regularly I know of a lot of caches that have been archived and the caches are still in place, especially if it’s a series of caches or a powertrail. If you’re archiving caches and you’re the owner, without any desire of going out there to remove your containers, why not let us earn some rescue points and help you out? Submit those caches as cache rescues to be archived (or repaired). It’s a win-win for everyone!

These are great suggestions in cleaning up the LCG. It is clear that most of us that currently play the game think that there are a few things that need to be tweaked a bit in order to make it more user friendly and available for more people throughout all of Wisconsin. I also really like the suggestion from another post stating that there should be more member involvement with WGA committees. For instance, it would be nice to see the LCG committee comprised of one or two BODs and at least three members in order to get some improvements made to the game.

[awhip80]

A couple things that I can think would make for higher member traffic:

Develope an app for our smartphones that would be an all inclusive go to place for everything that the website has to offer. Also, while making the website more user friendly.

I also would like to see the LCG expanded to include more lonely caches. They don’t hit the current list until they are more than 3 years not found. After doing some research online through GSAK, I discovered more than 5000 caches in WI that have not been found for greater than one year. I think this would really increase participation in my favorite WGA game.

 

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