Competition, Friction or Good ole fashion caching

[twooldcrows]

We should have said something earlier. We AGREE with DK especially about Maintenance and Saturation of caches in one or two areas. Many caches need Maintenance .We noticed a few cache log where cachers mention that caches are wet and the owner didn’t take care of it. As for the saturation of many caches are in violation of the Guide Lines. We wonder if the Reviewer will reevaluate some of the caches that are in need of Maintenance and few in the saturated area are in Violation of the Guide Lines? Are these going to be disable or archived or are these areas caches have a special treatment or favorism? Or are these area ignored because of the famous word Cliques. Cache owner with High placement have a big responsibility and challenge of maintaining it and the Reviewer has a big job in making sure they are with in the Guide Lines. Are this caches in violation according the Guide Lines?

In Sept. 17, I decided to take off for day of Geocaching and do something different this day and try to relax and get away from the same routine, but had I had a Bad experience. After caching all day by the Ark river I had several ticks and mosquito bites and now I have to be treated for Lyme disease for precaution. The Physician can not pinpoint what it is and there is some more test coming this Wed.. The first night I had fever and bad chills so bad my teeth were chattering . I had high fever and Headaches every morning and evening and a light fewer all this time. I had pain in my bones and muscles. I let it go for two weeks and I should of gone to the Doctor earlier. Cacher’s should be alert to the symptoms and get checked immediately by a Physician. When I receive a diagnoses Wed I will try to let everyone know what they found.

I started caching in Russellville this date and worked myself to Clarksville. One lesson I learn the Hard way is that I didn’t use precaution against Bugs. In the area of “Snake Egg Micro “ GCQ75H I got cover with Chiggers, Seed Ticks and Mosquitoes bites. No blame to the cache owner, good Maintenance but I did not expected this, and should of use bug spray or some thing for protection. By the time I got to “Just Plain Mean” GCM38N. I pull out the cache and when I open it, I got invaded by Big Ants and both Hands where cover and many stings and welts. The cache was a ant farm full with eggs. This day was a bad day for me, did have too many bugs bites. Yes, in this area I found few wet caches, full with water, full logs that don’t have room to log anymore and the previous log s mentioned it over and over that need Maintenance and nothing has been done.
It is a challenge to maintaining caches when somebody have high cache placement, it’s a big responsibility.
Cachers can congratulate each other about High Placement but what happens to Maintenance and Guide Line? Looks good on the log and I’m sure they like to be congratulated by others.
Oh well, it is up to the Reviewer. Happy Geocaching. I will try to stay out of the woods for a while. The motto is USE PRECAUTION AGAINST BUGS IT COULD MAKE YOU VERY VERY SICK.


Cache Maintenance
The cache owner will assume all responsibility of their cache listings.

As the cache owner, you are also responsible for physically checking your cache periodically, and especially when someone reports a problem with the cache (missing, damaged, wet, etc.). You may temporarily disable your cache to let others know not to hunt for it until you have a chance to fix the problem. This feature is to allow you a reasonable time – normally a few weeks – in which to arrange a visit to your cache. In the event that a cache is not being properly maintained, or has been temporarily disabled for an extended period of time, we may archive or transfer the listing.

Cachers with high numbers of placement have a bigger challenge and Responsibility of maintenance by the Guide Lines and the reviewer HAS a big job ahead, if they are in Violation. That includes All areas of AR. Let’s scrap this one up for experience.

[mountainborn]

Clique or treat . . . . .

Quietly and discretely they entered Polk County. No fanfare or hoopla, just geocachers, . . . that are intent, . . . . on having fun, . . . and ready for the next cache.
They had started finding caches up in the county seat, twenty five miles away, before daylight.
They had left home hours before sunup, traveled many miles in pre dawn chill, and were in a area where "cache saturation" is clearly not a problem.
Dedicated, yeh, I would say that was clear.
Serious ? I think they must have been, to do what they were accomplishing.
However, I never saw a frown, nor was a negative or discouraging word ever said. In fact quite the oposite, these guys were having fun and were all smiles.
They didn't just reek of bug spray and I'm not sure they had even taken time to eat breakfast.
Yet there they were, in the middle of a remote Ouachita Mountain forest road intersection, reading equipment.
Clearly we had driven up on a planning session. Deep in the mountains, their choices of travel routes were limited. The next cache might be only a little over a quarter of a mile away, yet they would have to drive 1 1/2 miles to get there.
Maps were spread out, GPS'es and lists were being conferred with.
As we drove up Butcherknife and I said "I wonder who that is" ? "Are they geocaching" ?
When we got close enough to see all the gps'es and such we knew for sure.
A friendly smile greeted us as we drove up.
Introductions and hand shakes all around followed.
As the conversation flowed about caches, I noticed that one on the cachers was wearing a Johnson county ball cap. I thought "could this be some of the infamious BIG THREE" I had been reading about ?.
Nah, surely not, there is no way to run up numbers in this area. The only reason anyone would cache here is for love of the sport.
. . . . .

[cachemates]

Well said mountainborn. Looking forward to coming your way soon.

[arkansas_stickerdude]

DK i beg to differ the caches in Clarksville are at least .10 miles apart and most multis, the next parts are .10 apart also. I would like to go to clarksville with you so you can show me what you are talking about.

[Black Knight]

Kool-Aid Drinkers...............

[NatureFish]

While I try to stay out of forum fights, I do read them (I try to read all forum posts in my Review areas), as it gives me quite a lot of insight into the cache hiders I am working with and issues I should be aware of.

When my name gets dragged in, as above, and accusations fly that I am somehow conspiring to give preference to some cachers, or that I am somehow part of a real or imagined 'clique', then I have to step in.

Except for Valorian, now in TN, I do not think I have met a single Arkansas geocacher. I don't research cachers even in my home state, and so have no idea, other than forum posts and cache listings, who's doing what.

Nor do I particularly care.

I have no clue who this "big 3" might be, as numbers are truly irrelevant to this game - I don't look at cacher's numbers and certainly don't judge anyone by them.

When Arkansas was assigned to me I had maybe 3 emails with the previous Reviewers getting me up to speed on certain park regulations and areas to watch for, but neither spoke of any particular cachers.

That makes my job simple - I can Review caches without considering personalities. No way to successfully be accused of favoritism when I know no one.

I try, as do the other Reviewers, to evaluate each listing on its merit. I get very few complaints.

What I do get, as do all Reviewers, is a bunch of guff from folks that don't know me and have never worked with me, just because of my role.

Once a geocacher decides to attack and drag me into his angst, I do become aware of the personalities involved. Frankly, I would rather not.

If you have a problem with a cache, feel it isn't being maintained, feel there is saturation in an area, whatever - there is a neat little clicky-thing called Should Be Archived that works quite nicely - it brings it directly to a Reviewer's attention. We take them seriously, and it will be resolved one way or another.

You are also encouraged to bring all other cache-related complaints directly to me at NatureFish@gmail.com.

Anytime you feel that I am in the wrong and need be corrected, write my boss - Hydee@geocaching.com. If I am in the wrong she won't hesitate to set me straight!

Any of those options are FAR more effective than moaning about it in the forums.

Ed

[Geezer_Veazey]

Any of those options are FAR more effective than moaning about it in the forums.
Ed

Well said, Naturefish. I look forward to meeting you somewhere down the trail.

Geezer

[twooldcrows]

Sorry Nature Fish, we did not mean to point the fingers at you. Only thing we want it is some answers from a person like you with experience in Geocaching. We like the way you play the Game, is fun. We where disappointed it in how the player in the Northern and northwest playing the game. Is not fun. Too much competition and friction between players. This is no fun Geocaching. Cachers in this area compete who can put better caches and next time you know they hate each other. Will continue this post Friday.
Let’s have fun in Real Geocaching in this area.

[Geezer_Veazey]

.......Is not fun.......

You have raised a curiosity in my mind and I'd like to know the answer to this question: How can one geocacher know that another geocacher is not having fun?
Geezer.

[twooldcrows]

I have my result of my blood work on Wed. After several test and confirmation lyme disease. I’m not sure if Arkansas. Geocacher site has any thing about Protection against insect bites while caching or on tick bites and precaution. The Doc told me while walking in the woods wear long socks and put the bottom of your pants inside the socks and tuck your shirt inside your pants. Spray your clothing with insect repellent; not on your skin. Ticks travel up and you will see them around your neck area. Remove any ticks from your body with in 24 hours and if you have any aches and pains in your bones and muscle ,headache chills and fever, go see the doctor. I caught it early and have not done serious damage to my joints but I will be on antibiotic for the next 21 days. No caching in the woods for a while.

I apologize to Nature fish, I did not mean to drag you into this mess. We did not mean that you personally approved this caches. We enjoyed reading your posting about Geocaching and your experience and noticed you and your friends have a lot of fun Geocaching. We have met many wonderful cachers from coast to coast and of course all of you in this part of the country. We enjoy communicating with cachers from TN. AL. MD. and CA we have learned from them.

We would like to thank nonnipoppy for introducing us into Geocaching and we won’t forget the first day we meet them and found our first cache.
Very friendly couple doing something they enjoyed. Thank you again and I’m sure you have introduced this game to many, many others, especially people looking for new hobbies and I’m sure they are thankful and loving it. Thank you for placing caches to encourage more cachers to get out and enjoy this game.

I’m one of the fortunate ones that ‘s on the road every weekend from work to home and Geocaching, helps me to break the monotony while traveling. I still have two main gripes in placing caches. One, is placing caches in Private Property without Permission. Boy, I did have hairy experiences doing this kind of caches. And today I notice a new one going south in OK side and I’m very familiar with this area. The cache was placed on Private Property without Permission and it is in an area were you find Drug Dealers, drug addicts and lot of drinking alcohol. I e-mailed the owner and the reviewer about this.
The next one is caches placed in a trashy, filthy and smelly places with dead animals near by the cache or areas that are full of poison ivy. Is very uncomfortable looking for a cache in this type of environment. Maybe somebody should start a series of Poo Poo caches as a warning to cachers ... I still don’t understand how this type of caches are approved especially if they are very unsafe.
But you know something, I don’t have to do them if I don‘t like them. I think this is poppies favorite saying. About the Clique?, how about a friendly clan of cachers
Still, there are Guide Lines in placing and caches can make the hunt a lot more enjoyable.

“Wake up Geocachers. We are located in a redneck country, If you want to get rid off some of your Geocachers friends place your caches in Private Property without Permission and watch them get shot or thrown in the Creek. They then strip of f their Geogears, like your GPS’r, Palm pilot, Lap Top and all the wiring comes with it and the software to be sold, so they can get them a new and better shot gun for the next Geocacher. Wake up Geocachers.” By Pit.

After typing a two page hateful post , why not enjoyed Geocaching . Thank you Geezer_Veazey you got me thinking. Every body should enjoy geocaching their own way. Who is going to tell you how to play the game. If any body is unhappy, then they don‘t cache.

I still think that DK has some good points on Geocaching and every one should have the right to voice their opinions….