Jen's rant about caching....

[Beach Comber]

Thanks!

Actually, one of Jen's BBQ's was my very first event - I was shy back then so I am surprised that you would even know that I was there. Thanks for remembering!

[attroll]

Thanks!

Actually, one of Jen's BBQ's was my very first event - I was shy back then so I am surprised that you would even know that I was there. Thanks for remembering!

One of Jen's BBQ's was our first event to and I was shy also and still am.

[d’76]

Thanks!

Actually, one of Jen's BBQ's was my very first event - I was shy back then so I am surprised that you would even know that I was there. Thanks for remembering!

You shy.... what ever

[Trezurs*-R-*Fun]

I'd like to make a plug here!!! uuoo uuoo!!

If I come across a cache that needs a fresh log book or an extra golf pencil or a new ziplock, I'm more than happy to supply it. If the cache coordinates are off, I'll post my coordinates in my log. -- (While up in "county", I had a cache I looked and looked for. I finally broke down and read Past logs when I came across one from Noreasta that was 18 months old that gave coords that put the cache 180 feet from the posted coords. Using those coords I walked right to the cache. THANKS NOREASTA!!!!!!!)

I know we've kicked this concept around here at geocachingmaine in the past but I thought I'd mention it here. Helping out another cacher is part of the game as far as I'm concerned.

[parmachenee]

I'd like to make a plug here!!! uuoo uuoo!!

If I come across a cache that needs a fresh log book or an extra golf pencil or a new ziplock, I'm more than happy to supply it. If the cache coordinates are off, I'll post my coordinates in my log. -- (While up in "county", I had a cache I looked and looked for. I finally broke down and read Past logs when I came across one from Noreasta that was 18 months old that gave coords that put the cache 180 feet from the posted coords. Using those coords I walked right to the cache. THANKS NOREASTA!!!!!!!)

I know we've kicked this concept around here at geocachingmaine in the past but I thought I'd mention it here. Helping out another cacher is part of the game as far as I'm concerned.

Ditto!! I have to add some more words...so Ditto again.

[Hiram357]

I'd like to make a plug here!!! uuoo uuoo!!

If I come across a cache that needs a fresh log book or an extra golf pencil or a new ziplock, I'm more than happy to supply it. If the cache coordinates are off, I'll post my coordinates in my log. -- (While up in "county", I had a cache I looked and looked for. I finally broke down and read Past logs when I came across one from Noreasta that was 18 months old that gave coords that put the cache 180 feet from the posted coords. Using those coords I walked right to the cache. THANKS NOREASTA!!!!!!!)

I know we've kicked this concept around here at geocachingmaine in the past but I thought I'd mention it here. Helping out another cacher is part of the game as far as I'm concerned.

i shall nod my head in agreement.

now could you please pronounce.... uuoo uuoo

[hollora]

May also know you from my Public Health days but hang in there! There are many to help - just ask.

I, too, was hurt by some harsh words via email regarding, not one of my caches but, someone elses. It was undeserved as I had just emailed to help. That offer was not wanted or accepted. Remember - we are all human. Let it go. Deal with priorities and know there are many to help you.

Just this past Memorial Day weekend, in an instant, my families life, future and dreams were blown apart with a devasting medical diagnosis for my husband. Fortunately, he has had surgery, is improving, has a wonderful outlook and we are plogging along. But - life has changed for us - and so have our plans. I hope not one critizes if what we do changes on a moment's notice. Sometimes, we have not control over this. Trust me - I know.

Also agreed cachers with sincere ethics should be willing to do whatever possible to help one another. Wipe out a cache, replace a log (or even hike back in with one), sharpen a pencil or whatever. That is part of the game and ethics thereof. Communication is a key and recognizing that sometimes that perhaps doesn't belong in the log.

Hang in there and I hope to meet you sometime as well as do some of your caches in the future. Chin up - bruised and skinned knees are the sign of a veteran. []

[Kacky]

The person who goes around complaining about 31 feet and dissing peoples' caches is just making themselves look bad. With that attitude, how long can they last, really?

[firefighterjake]

An Open Letter to Maine Geocachers:

After some unpleasant geocaching experiences in your State I feel compelled to ask that you consider the following measures to improve other's geocaching experiences so that they will not have to suffer needlessly as I have.

1) Please place all caches in parking lots or off roadways . . . or if they are in the woods please be sure to pave the walkway. When I was up in Maine geocaching I ended up with mud on my hiking boots that I had just purchased from LL Bean. I realize there is nothing you can do about six straight days of rain, but there is something you can do about the mud.

2) Please be sure to hide all caches under a huge pile of unlit campfire wood . . . or even better place them in 35 mm film canisters under a lamppost or attached to a guardrail. It drives me crazy when I have to look under a rock, in a hollow log or in some other hidden manner. The way I figure it I'm a busy guy and I shouldn't have to spend more than three minutes looking for a cache so please make it painfully obvious to me and other cachers so that we can spot it from 300 yards away.

3) Please make sure your coordinates are exactly right. I realize that some of you may feel compelled to spend time with your family or work for a living, but there is no reason to not have dead-on coordinates. I don't want to wander around aimlessly in a beautiful spot on a beautiful day . . . I want to find the cache and get back on the highway to speed off to my next cache find. If you need to go out 100 times before coming up with the dead-on-the-mark coordinates so be it . . . in fact, if you could hire a professional surveyor with an even more accurate GPS receiver that would be even better.

4) I know some of you folks there in Maine like the ammo boxes and the Lock N' Lock containers and you swear by them. However, I personally believe the Lock N' Lock containers just won't last 20-25 years in the woods and ammo boxes invariably start to get that distinctive "ammo box smell" that conflicts something awful with my Polo that I wear while geocaching so if you could all switch over to $50+ Pelican water-proof, shock-resistant boxes it would be really appreciated.

5) What is with all of the bugs in Maine. I can't believe how many mosquitoes, black flies, deer flies and other bugs are in Maine. I mean, you don't have those large cockroaches, but these other bugs are terrible. I suppose I could use some bug spray to ward off those biting insects, but it would really be much better for me if you could initiate an air-borne crop dusting operation to kill off these insects. It really would make my geocaching experience more enjoyable.

6) I have on occasion found some caches in Maine to need some work. The other day I found a cache that had a broken pencil. I suppose I could have brought my own writing utensil with me, but I didn't bother since it would have meant carrying in the extra weight. Sometimes I found the logs to be full and I wasn't sure of what to do . . . it was almost enough to make me sit down and cry. Occasionally I even found a cache that had a bit of water in it or some trashed items. I know I could have cleaned it out and brought the trash back home with me, but I didn't really have the time (I wanted to do 30 caches that day) and besides I didn't really want to have to haul all of that icky trash in my backpack.

Well, I guess that's about all . . . unless you can do anything about some of those caches on the mountain tops -- it's a lot of work to get up there and find the cache (you couldn't build an auto road to these caches could you?)

Thanks.

A Geocacher

[we3beans]

ooohhhh, now you've done it!