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I’m no expert on the subject of mystery/puzzles caches, but I do own a few…
I’d echo much of what’s been said here but add these few additional thoughts.
I put a great deal of time into creating my puzzles some of which have been out for a year and have has as little as 2 or 3 finds. Now why would I do such a thing? Those caches are certainly not getting the same attention as some of my other easier ones. As the geocaching community as a whole is not experiencing the reward of solving and finding those infrequently visited caches…
Here’s why, and for me it’s all the reward I need for the time I invest:
A log from a simple s|s cache with 99 finds, active for 1 yr 5 months:
“nice fun cache”
A log from a difficult s|s cache with 4 finds, active for 1 yr 3 months:
“Signed log on 02-25-2008 at 9:52AM with “gotta run” and with “seldom|seen” present.
I had this puzzle figured out 05-20-2007. It was my first “real” puzzle and I was pretty glad to have the coords. Then came the real problem, recovering the cache. To make a (very) long story short, because of the correct circumstances, I got teamed up with “Sagasu” and “rsplash40” to go for the recovery! But that was not in the cards. The day all “fell into place” to make the recovery I was not available. With my previous knowledge and blessings, the others went out and “made the grab”. Congrats go to “Sagasu” and “rsplash40” on the FTF!
I was then left to work on getting a boat the rest of the summer. I came close a couple times but either the weather went bad, one person’s new boat was never delivered on time or the “blue algae” came in and that was pretty much it for a “water” recovery”. I then had to shift gears and start looking at an “ice recovery”.
The opportunity came up to check about going on the “Nifty Fifty” on ice while talking with “gotta run” about other “water” caches on the Bay of Green Bay. He was going out there to do the “Lighthouse” series so I went along and kind of made that the “dry run” for this recovery. “gotta run” finished the puzzle part of “Nifty Fifty” and I was thinking about how we did the “Bay” caches. We knew it was “possible” to get to “the scene” but had to come up with a good plan for the recovery. After much “email planning”, we had the idea of how we were going to accomplish this feat. Now it was just a matter of waiting on the weather and personal schedules. We finally went out there, -3 degrees temperature and a wind chill of -20 degrees! This was not for the faint of heart!
We put our plan into place. We had gathered the correct equipment (and made back up plans for everything) and off we went. We were able to get to the correct spot, find the anchor with in about 10 minutes of arrival and start to work on the recovery. Well, scroll down the log entries and you will see our DNF’s. That was a sad end to the initial plan. Now it was how to recover from this and get everything right.
We were each (myself, “gotta run” and “s|s”) able to contribute something to the rebuilding of the “lost” cache. We wanted to get it “back active” as soon as possible so with in the next week we put all of our pre-planned “pieces” together and met back “out there”. We put together our contributed pieces and sort of built the cache container “on scene”. Myself and “gotta run” signed the new “replacement” log in the presence of the owner “s|s”. After looking around again a bit for the original container with no luck, we placed the new one and sealed it back into its cold, watery home.
It was time to get off the ice so we all piled onto the “six by” and took the bumpy ride back in.All-in-all a real adventure! Thanks “seldom|seen” for a very interesting and nicely set up cache idea. (Best of luck with your 100th!) And a big thanks to “gotta run” for all the help with equipment and planning.
One of the things that I wanted to do in this game was to get a “5 x 5” under my belt at some point and now it is finally done!I know there are rules about burying caches and even though “seldom|seen” has this one marked as “NOT winter friendly”, we managed to “get-‘er-done”. (I don’t think the burying rule applies here though!) Now that this whole process is done, I would not suggest this winter find idea to other cachers. Wait for some nice warm weather in the spring while the water is still clear and the waves are low!
What an adventure! What fun! I will never forget this one!”
The logs speak for themselves. Ask anyone of the hundred people who’ve done “Eagles Ballroom” if they remember the hide and how unique and challenging it was. You answer will look like the log for that cache, about 3 words.
Now ask the 4 people who have logged Nifty Fifty the same question, and you had better pull up a chair, it’s going to be a while.
It comes down to quality, not quantity. I am not so concerned that Appleton is replete with caches and it is difficult for newbies to find hiding spots to place a dead-end pill-bottle. The quality and variety of caches we do have in the field takes precedence over the number we have.
How would I evaluate whether or not to archive one of mine? Simple. Read the logs and decide if a year from now if those that logged it would still remember it. If the answer was no, archive it.
I’ll admit that this game has got me hooked. For many many reasons, a few of which are:
1. I get to go to and see some great caches that few others are getting to because of the challenge involved. That challenge gets me some exercise and a feeling of accomplishment when I make the find.
2. I get to push my geocaching buddy to the limits, a guy who might not have continued in the sport if it weren’t for his finding a few of mine very early in his geocaching career. And look where he is now. Of late, I seem to be pushing him too hard, but he has vowed to keep his 300 point all-time lead and I have vowed to stay close behind.
3. All of us playing the game get the opportunity, If we wish to take it, to make contact with fellow cachers around the state to offer a helping hand in cache maintenance. I know what it is like to have a cache 100 miles away that can be difficult to get to when it’s needed. The game helps make connections which in some cases results in new Trailbosses for caches that need them.
4. And most importantly, caches are being maintained, upgraded, replaced, or archived and all of that is good for the overall condition of caches in the State and the whole point of the game.
So, I keep looking for my opportunities to play. The wife does not condone my geocaching and I therefore have to sneak them in on trips that are for other purposes. A the beginning of the June, I went on my annual fishing trip with father, uncle, brothers, son and nephews. I fished during the day and after everyone else went to bed, cached like crazy until dawn. The final tally was 2 hours sleep, 23 hours caching (22 finds) and 27 hours driving/fishing/camping for a total of 53 hours.
Now you have a better idea of how hooked I am on the LCG and what I will do to keep catching up to Dave.
Actually, I was born a triplet and the last name of the other expectant mother sharing the room with mine was Triplett, whose son (born 2 days later), was to be named Andrew, the name of my older brother by 2 years. How’s that for interesting?
Funny how you can almost give a puzzle away and yet is still remains unfound in the lonely cache game… Doesn’t anyone have 3d glasses laying around?
Just wanted to know that it’s in the to do pile. Sorry, not trying to push.
Actually, before you get too far you need to consider a number of issues with the release of the logo refresh that I am sure have not been vetted yet.
One of the biggies is what to do with existing branded overhead. I just visited CafePress and see a whole host of current wearables and premiums (coffee cups, etc.) that will be obsolete as soon as you “decide” on the new logo.
The sooner you make the decision, the sooner all of that tradeware becomes worthless, at least to the vast majority of WGA members.
What you do at this point is decide how serious you are about the update and how soon you want it to happen. I’d suggest a 2009 release to give you time no only to develop the final logo and get it positioned, but also to give you ample time to reduce the cost of the current wearables and push them through the end of the year into the holidays.
I have no idea how much overhead the WGA has, but with the variety of options, I’m sure it is substantial.
That’s just one of a number of things that need to be knocked around the table before moving forward…
… and another couple weeks slip past …
Summer is a busy time for us all I understand, but let’s see at least some cursory attention given to this, even if it’s a note saying the voting form is still in the works.
If it’s that tricky to assemble, just list the logos via HTML, assign a letter and create a set of Poll buttons accordingly.
I agree that the place is better suited for a Campout than a picnic and would vote for the campout of 09 be held there.
As far a PERMs go, I am of the opinion that if the Park kicked the caches out several years ago, then we should not attempt to place any new ones, or if we do, just a select few. This is why I think it would be better to host a Campout there as visitors could come into town and cache their butts off for 2 days and still have more caches to find. There are enough caches in the town proper that I just don’t think it’ss necessary to go placing a bunch in the park itself.
I don’t think the 2 Traditionals placed in the Park were placed with permission, though I could be wrong and am open to correction. The Earthcache is a non-issue.
1. I think the approval of an Earthcache is far easier as there is no permanent “thing” in the park for them to get sore about.
2. I intend on finalizing an Earthcache there not far from the Kilns
3. I also intend on using a few of the spots in the park as Reference Points for a cache about the Winnebago Wars. This one would also likely not have a cache in the park proper, but take you to various places for clues.
4. I think there’s another great opportunity for a 3rd Earthcache that I just haven’t had time to work on, but if anyone want to know what I’m thinking they call IM me.
So, I vote for not having the picnic there and instead reserving that fantastic place for the Campout next year.
Geez, 2 days go by and I don’t check the forums and this is what I get. Guess I’ll take the leftovers…. 🙂
@kbraband wrote:
I never heard anyone on the board or the campout committee say that one section of the selected T-shirt design is our new logo. Could the timing of the two “contests” have been planned a little better? Yes. Is it fair to compare our volunteer board and committee members to how a professional marketing department or ad agency would have handled this. I don’t think so.
This seems like a cop-out. It shouldn’t matter that the board is volunteer, most BODs are! The fact is, the BOD is elected to represent a great organization of 800+ members and in spirit the hordes of non-members who use the site. That a HUGE organization and a HUGE resposibility.
If you are going to let “other” commitments get in the way of performing you duties, like following through in an BOD accepted “logo re-fresh” timeline that you couldn’t move out because it was impossible to deviate from, at least have the courtesy to do two things:
1. Apologize to the community members who have taken part in the contest, the outcome of which is being delayed by personal commitments from the BOD (I’m sorry, this one lands in all of your laps, IMHO) and,
2. DON’T accept a design that includes a proposed logo for the WGA that has yet to be approved, or at the very least voted on, by the WGA body.
If there was no time to do the voting set-up all the BOD needed to do was a “poll”. “Hey guys, we got a great T-shirt design, but it uses an unapproved logo option, everybody cool with that?” YES NO.
If the initial choices had been made, publicly, at least you’d have some justification for “trying it on for size” but even that hasn’t happened.
I still cannot believe how flip some of you are about this logo issue and not understanding the importance of branding. But then, I’m in the business and am being overly reactionary I guess.
OK, I’ve said my peace and I’ll shut up now.
ONE LAST THING, when it finally does come about, I am voting for the “g” logo and encouraging others to do so… it is the strongest and most versatile of the bunch… (in others words, this rant of mine is not about my logo option)
Sorry to hear you’ll be leaving the area. I notice you have more that a few Point Nano caches and the one I’d be interested in adopting is the one on the military thing.
I also love your lookout towere page and hope you keep that. There are a ton more former tower sites like that up North that could be added including the only remaining one in Langlade county, The Mountain Lookout Tower, subject of cache Fire, Water Earth.
I don’t care what other’s do. I don’t log temps, but then I don’t care about numbers either, nor do I care about Milestones, FTF’s or almost ninety percent of the statistical standing aspect of the sport, with one exception: I am having fun playing the LCG. But, even this aspect of the sport would probably not appeal to me if it weren’t for the friendly competition that I have going with Sagasu, who is now a close friend and one I never would have meet had it not been for the sport.
For me it’s a question of image and it’s the same reason I get worked up about loose rules, sloppy management of a logo update process and other things that the WGA board oversees in a reactive manner.
This is an international sport. And for many of our neighboring states, this question is a moot point as they have decided not to allow it. Yet, here we are, this lone state, trying to justify logging temps to the rest of the nation with the only outcome being a bad rap and perception that Wisconsinites only care about their numbers.
I agree with all of the previous sentiments about having some way to log these with another designation. I think it’s silly to show 40 “attend” logs to represent your temp finds.
Lastly, if they are great temp caches because they are clever containers or hides, then make them permanent where they are or move them somewhere else and do so. Most of the temp caches I placed for the Campout last year, I either made permanent where they were or placed somewhere else and did so for the enjoyment of cachers who weren’t able to attend and for the de ja vu factor of those who did. There are still a couple in the works, but eventually they will all go out.
And just to keep things in perspective, keep in mind that the Referendum results are more telling of the “general” sentiment of the community than is this thread:
Logging Temporary Caches At WGA Events
The Wisconsin Geocaching Association has a long history of allowing people to log all the temporary caches they found at WGA events. For many years, Groundspeak took a neutral position on this practice. The greater geocaching community seems to frown on this practice, and the WGA often receives bad publicity after each event. The WGA has taken a neutral position, allowing people to log temp caches if they so desire. To gauge what the membership currently believes are acceptable temp logging practices, the WGA would like your opinion.
Should geocachers be allowed to make multiple “Attended” logs on geocaching.com to record temporary cache finds at WGA events?
40 (32%) – Yes. The WGA should continue to allow multiple logs for temp cache finds.
83 (67%) – No. The WGA should no longer allow multiple logs for temp cache finds.
1 (1%) – No vote
If the WGA no longer allowed multiple logs, would you still attend WGA events?
105 (85%) – Yes. I would attend regardless of whether multiple logs are allowed or not.
13 (10%) – No. It’s very important to me to be able to log the temp caches. If I can’t log them, I won’t attend.
6 (5%) – No vote.
@GrouseTales wrote:
I don’t know folks… We’ve had many t-shirts over the past few years. None of them ever turned into our logo, and I can think of a few that are worthy. I understand the concerns, but lets take it one step at a time. It’s a very nice t-shirt design 🙂
A very nice design it might be, fantasitic actually. But that does not negate the fact that you are branding a WGA shirt with a logo that has never been seen anywhere else, certainly not on the WGA home page. What would it take to place the existing logo on the shirt and re-color to match the art? Not a lot.
There’s a process for these things and a reason why branding is important if you want to build on a name. having multiple “logos” over the years suggests that no one really cares about the WGA’s name or how we are viewed by outsiders.
I’m sorry, maybe I’m more sensitive to these things, but to me is sloppy and inconsiderate. It’s like a company spending thousands of dollars for re-branding themselves with a new logo and website where they logo and then they have a sign company create a completely different logo to put up outside the business. Mixed signals that suggest the business doesn’t have it’s ___ together.
These are not complex issues.
If you are picking a shirt design, use a current AND approved logo.
If you want to use a new logo, take steps to get it approved by the WGA body. If there’s no time, don’t approve a design that uses it. Simple.
Lot’s of people worked hard to get logo’s submitted in a tight timeline to meet the April 15th Deadline. And yet, more than 2 weeks later, the WGA body has still not been given the opportunity to vote on the submitted designs.
And now there are T-shirts, in production I assume, for one of two Statewide WGA events that prominently feature an UNAPPROVED logo CONCEPT as if it were a branded Logo. Does anyone else see how incredulous this situation is?
What are you guys doing on the BOD if not managing these, rudimentary, questions of logo use and approval?
Hmmm… excellent design, but unless you are certain that the logo is THE future logo for WGA, I don’t think you should include it on a T-Shirt for a WGA sponsored function. Simply not a wise thing to do for any reason.
On the other hand, if the design is chosen by then and finalized, I’d say include it, but if you don’t have an ABSOLUTE final updated logo by the time the t-shirts are printed, it would be best to use the existing logo.
Don’t take me wrong, I love that logo. I’m just saying it should be approved before a slew of WGA members start wearing them around the state!
I would hope that the WGA board would agree with my sentiments on this…
Any word on when you’re going to get a voting module up? Lots of people invested a ton of time in the process of developing logos and we haven’t heard a peep since the 15th…
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