Just wanted to let you all know that my Groundspeak imposed, 6 month long ban from Geocaching.com has ended.

I am finally logging about 500 caches that I found during the ban including my trip to Utah which included one FTF and three caches above 12,000 feet when I summited Mount Peale and Kings Peak. :cool:

Let me show my ignorance .....because I truly don't know or understand what happened here. I've never been an "insider" or part of the establishment, and I'm not up on why this ban occurred (And I DON'T WANT to know!) But are you saying that you were given a "six-month ban" by geocaching.com......yet you could continue to go geocaching, go online and get cache info/coords/etc. (use the system) to find caches during that ban and now log them? That the "ban" was really just making you wait six months to log your cache finds? Doesn't sound like much of a "ban" to me...in fact, that sounds petty.

why were you banned?

Well, it was a site ban meaning I couldn't log into Geocaching.com or any of Groundspeak's owned sites, however I got PQs from another cacher while Banned. It's odd because during the ban, I still got notifications from Geocaching.com when any of my owned caches were found. So I requested that they archive all my caches, considering how am I to maintain caches when I cannot access the site to post maintenance logs? Like I said, I was unable to go online myself to get cache info and PQs but when someone else gave me PQs that they had already run or gave me updated cache info from their GSAK database, yeah I could still cache.

I was banned because at Geowoodstock in Warren, PA over the summer, I confronted TAT (MainePublisher) and MissJenn (a Groundspeak lackey) over many inconsistencies, hypocritical actions, and their non application of standards and rules when publishing caches from one cache owner to another. The open forum was a Q+A featuring about 15 volunteer Groundspeak Publishers from around the country which I happened upon. After patiently waiting my turn, I raised my hand and asked some poignant questions to MainePublisher mainly about why he was refusing to publish caches of mine, one in particular, and then published another by another cacher a month later only 100 ft from my cache location, all the while claiming I didn't have permission for the hide (a shopping center lamp skirt cache) yet neither did the other cacher who placed one their a month later yet his was allowed to be published and not mine. After I got home from a great weekend caching with Marcipanek at Geowoodstock, and throughout NY, OH, WV and PA I was notified that my account was locked and I was banned for six months due to a log from several months ago on a cache that I criticized MainePublisher in. Obviously, they used this particular log as an excuse to ban me, even though it was months old. This is my second ban (Groundspeak calls it locked account). My other lasted from mid October last year to Mid November or so.

Chadd, you obviously enjoy geocaching. I am not suggesting you change what you say or who you say it to if that's your thing, but my question is it worth it for you to be a self titled "Antagonist" as well as "The Maine King of Cache Hides (and controversy )" The whole abrasive thing just doesn't seem to work. Go out, find caches, have fun. You do what you need to do, and others will do what they need to do.

Cool Beans Mainiac, I havent been following this much as you will see. This is my first log in in two months, However , That sounds like good advice to me.. Its all about having fun. And of course enjoying the caches that we find. Being a CHARTER MEMEBER of Geocaching.com , Its not about the numbers , as I've aged and going on my 10th year of geocaching in March . I now try to just enjoy the caching time I do and not worry so much about how many, what kind, or be critical of anyones cache. After all there is no cash prizes involved. Just good fun and good people for the most must. Cache on!

Very nice looking path tag.

I owe you one of my pathtage Ekidokai! Ill catch u soon... now Go Dry your colthes!

Chad banned? Why am I not surprised. :) I think that you do have to speak your mind if you think someone is not being objective when they are in a position of "authority" like a publisher. There is always an element of favoritism sometimes. I have been banned from sites for ASKING too many questions about certain people, ( those that remember my involvement with sledmaine.com remember this). But as Maniac stated: Is it worth it to be the antagonist? In the end did you win your fight? Just enjoy geocaching and leave the politics to the hacks in DC/Augusta.

Chad banned? Why am I not surprised. :) I think that you do have to speak your mind if you think someone is not being objective when they are in a position of "authority" like a publisher. There is always an element of favoritism sometimes. I have been banned from sites for ASKING too many questions about certain people, ( those that remember my involvement with sledmaine.com remember this). But as Maniac stated: Is it worth it to be the antagonist? In the end did you win your fight? Just enjoy geocaching and leave the politics to the hacks in DC/Augusta.


I agree to certain extent. I think there's a difference between asking honest questions and being inflammatory just to get a rise out of people. I've never met the guy, but I have read a lot of his comments on here before I got tired of the girl drama and blocked them. One of the nice parts of current geocaching is the plethora of caches out there. I can go out, have fun, find hides and support cachers that I think are in it for the love of the game and outdoors. I work in a high school, thank goodness I don't have to cache with a freshman mentality.

By the way, I still feel terrible for being the last person to drop of some of your coins that disappeared a few years ago. Maybe Karma has caught up and I've written them a ticket. :)

Girl drama? Oh come off it..... sound's sexist. And I'm not even a female!

All I have to say, is that MainePublisher and I have put our past behind us, and we have moved forward and I thank TAT for his part in doing what he did for me recently.

Now.... I did come on here tonight to post something.... which maybe considered "drama" but I am actually yawning.... been caching all day. I guess it will have to wait for tomorrow....

Goodnight!

Chad banned? Why am I not surprised. :) I think that you do have to speak your mind if you think someone is not being objective when they are in a position of "authority" like a publisher. There is always an element of favoritism sometimes. I have been banned from sites for ASKING too many questions about certain people, ( those that remember my involvement with sledmaine.com remember this). But as Maniac stated: Is it worth it to be the antagonist? In the end did you win your fight? Just enjoy geocaching and leave the politics to the hacks in DC/Augusta.

Oh EH . . . was it the kids that changed you? ;) :) I used to remember your rants against your favorite person in the whole wide world . . . RQ's best buddy. The funny thing is . . . folks still remember you there and occasionally mention wishing you were back . . . I never minded your posts . . . honestly most seemed pretty straight forward . . . just one's opinion. Never could figure out why speaking your mind in the way you did got you banned. I will say though . . . you really do seem to have mellowed a bit over the years . . . perhaps it was having two daughters! ;) I feel for you . . . you are way outnumbered now.

I just realized getting all wound up over some computer idiots was probably not good for my blood pressure! :) Funny how that Millinocket thing all worked out. Simply put I got banned because I criticized one of Sledmaine.com biggest sponsors. MONEY! And as we all found out later that guy was the SCUM BAG we were told he was. I wish I could be back there but I am still banned to this day. What was that like 8 years ago now or something? What really made me angry was the sites owners/admin LOVED the ratings I got them and were all grins when I would see them in person. UNTIL I made some comments about that particular sponsor that was backdooring the entire sledding community with Roxeanne. Then they turned downright ugly. Nice guys. No warnings. Nothing. I was just asking some questions from the people that were discussing the issue and I think we ALL got banned. Dont question discussion board authorities I guess. :(

I just realized getting all wound up over some computer idiots was probably not good for my blood pressure! :) Funny how that Millinocket thing all worked out. Simply put I got banned because I criticized one of Sledmaine.com biggest sponsors. MONEY! And as we all found out later that guy was the SCUM BAG we were told he was. I wish I could be back there but I am still banned to this day. What was that like 8 years ago now or something? What really made me angry was the sites owners/admin LOVED the ratings I got them and were all grins when I would see them in person. UNTIL I made some comments about that particular sponsor that was backdooring the entire sledding community with Roxeanne. Then they turned downright ugly. Nice guys. No warnings. Nothing. I was just asking some questions from the people that were discussing the issue and I think we ALL got banned. Dont question discussion board authorities I guess. :(

I think it depends on the BBS . . . a woodstove forum that I am on is very easy going with most folks . . . I only know of one or two folks that have been banned . . . and the owner is a wicked nice guy . . . very easy going . . . very liberal . . . yet he still welcomes differences of opinion if folks are civil.

With most BBS you would be right and the owner is a wicked nice guy . . . very easy going . . . very liberal . . . yet he still welcomes differences of opinion if folks are civil.
But those guys were taking their marching orders from the pocket book and the legal threats of a certain Ex-Millinocket councilman who was a business sponsor of their site.