[sandlanders]

How could I forget the great hides put out by Gram&Gramps in the Waupaca area? The only problem with their caches is that there are way too few of them! 😉

[sandlanders]

@hack1of2 wrote:

We have found all but one of Goldies (still have to get his newest one) and hope to eventually find all of MGT & SS’s. If and when that happens I don’t know what we’re going to do!

You’ll just have to drive a bit farther. 😉
That’s what this forum topic for. There are lots of great cache hiders in the state of Wisconsin! 😀

[sandlanders]

We’ve enjoyed some hides by HotdogsOffTrail and Yawningdog, too, T&B, but we have not had the pleasure of finding a jenhen cache yet, probably because we don’t cache much in that area.

As for us, we like different hiders for different reasons, but our local favorites are sadowskifamily and jar42. Both are always locating great places along the Ice Age Trail to take us, and those often include a few ups and downs! Geolivestrong has added a few of his own recently on the IAT, too. Though not limited to the IAT, the above cachers make great use of public lands to hide bigger-than-micro containers, getting us out on the trails.

Hiders whose hides never disappoint for other reasons are labrat_wr, Team Sloughfoot, and Trekkin’ and Birdin’. Rarely, if ever, do these cachers put out caches just to provide smileys. They have a reason for each placement, and their hides are solid and enjoyable to seek. Their hides are also well-maintained, a must for anyone to be considered a good cache owner.

Our favorite spot to travel for great caches is… north of Highway 64. Yes, the Hayward area is home to Hayward Cheezehead and krymdog, the one-two punch for caches that will exercise both mind and body. And the mind exercise doesn’t end with the puzzle solve. Quite often there is more to do in the field before a smiley can be attained. And you just might put on a few miles in the process. Team Smith Lake has the older hides in the area, and those are solids hides, too.

Just as there are many different reasons to award favorite points to caches, there are many different reasons to enjoy certain cachers’ hides. There is something for everyone in this game.

Disclaimer: Our list of favorite hiders is by no means complete; we have enjoyed caches put out by quite a few great hiders, and we thank them all for making the game fun for us. And we thank everyone who has adopted The Lil Otter’s caches so that those of us caching “latecomers” can still enjoy the places she sought out and shared with us from the early days of Wisconsin geocaching.

[sandlanders]

Kind of looks like the weather radar when “spotty showers” pop up.

On the main map, I can see the glowing spots around us that represent all the caches in Roche-A-Cri SP and in Buckhorn SP. And on the “blue question mark” map, I can see our little contribution to the puzzle fun in Sandland… 😈 And zuma’s challenge caches along the bike trail SW of Eau claire really show up on the puzzle map.

Thanks for the fun, TBC.

:like:

[sandlanders]

—> White River (Multiple Crossings) – GC24QEF (west of Wautoma)

—> What a long, strange trip it’s been – GCXAMN (SW of Hillsboro, E of LaFarge)

—> WWR #108- The “Hole in the Wall” Dynamite Shack – GC26QP6 (North of Hayward)

Here’s another trip down memory lane for you, Team Sloughfoot:
—> I KNOW AN ARTESIAN, WELL – GCJMT2 (Briggsville multi)

Another oldie from well before “favorite” points:
—> Point Detour – GC6F04 (the northernmost cache in Wisconsin)

[sandlanders]

Favorite points are awarded to premium members, so many people who find caches can’t “favorite” them, whether they like them or not. On each cache page in the top right is the favorites box, and by dropping down the menu, you can see the percentage of premium finders who favorited that cache.

Here are a few of our favorites from around the state. I will keep going through our list and seeing what else I can find.

Ashland Mural Walk- GC3F1MT (in Ashland)

Wayside Cavernous Cache – GCA37C (south of Coloma)

Along the Trail – GCGRAM (south of Coloma)

[sandlanders]

I worked out an alternative stat for our hides. I checked on the percentage listed for each cache, and our #1 in favorite points had only 6% of the premium finders favoriting it. All of our traditionals with the most favorite points dropped out of the Top Ten when this stat was viewed, and when looking at hides that had at least 15 finds, we have an in-the-field puzzle getting a 53% favorite rating for our new #1. The rest of the top ten are seven unknowns, one LBH, and one multi. All score over 25% of premium finders favoriting them.

There are many different ways to look at statistics.

(BTW, “Granny Squares” scored in both Top Ten lists for us. Cachers <3 "GS"!)

[sandlanders]

Six of our top ten are traditionals, four of which could be considered different container types. Three unknowns (two of them in-the-field solves), one multi.

However, after that come eight straight non-traditionals: three LBH, three unknowns, and two multis.

[sandlanders]

We have a few P&Gs on our list. Some are placed where there are really cool views. Some WRR caches could be considered P&Gs. We favorited one guardrail cache because there was a nearby forsythia bush in full bloom at the time we found it. One recent P&G was at a spot that brought back memories from almost forty years ago.

Of course, a P&G that is just there for the numbers and is not in a scenic place, especially if it’s urban (for us), will most likely not get one of our fav points.

[sandlanders]

We bestow favorite points upon caches that are memorable to us. Most often they are for the same reasons that have been listed, but sometimes our own experiences with the cache is what makes it memorable. Did we see wildlife? Were some plants blooming? Was it just the most spectacular day? Did we have any “adventures” finding the cache? Experiences vary, as do individual interpretations of memorable caches.

We’re pretty lavish with our favorite points. Although we have somewhat of a reserve, we see no reason to hold on to them. Even though they never expire, they don’t earn any interest over time. I enjoy going over our “favorites” list from time to time, and I can remember why each one has a favorite point from us.

“Favorite points” is one thing that GC got right. 😉

[sandlanders]

It seems that the author took his time and savored what each property had to offer. We have visited many places over the years, and we often said we’d love to come back and spend more time, but that doesn’t always happen.

Thanks to the WGA (before the state park cache series), we have gotten to experience many Wisconsin places through the picnics and the campouts. Looking forward to checking out many more spots. 😀

[sandlanders]

Just a reminder if you’re going out looking for the WGA SP caches… 2014 state park stickers should be available now where park offices are open, and they make great Christmas gifts!

[sandlanders]

@Hitman4 wrote:

And if my kids read this….every ornament they ever made me.

:LOL:

[sandlanders]

Granny Squares??? 😯

[sandlanders]

I wouldn’t call it a favorite (just remembered fondly when we pull it out), but I have a styrofoam ball covered in sequins attached with pins stuck into the ball, and the worn pipe cleaner hanger still has a bend in it. I made that when I was probably 5 or 6, since I remember it from before we moved. (I got to play with pointy pins at that age!) I think those supplies were left over from a Girl Scout project that my leader mom had my older sister and her troop do.

I will let you know more when we get around to decorating the tree and I become reacquainted with more of our ornaments.

[Author]

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