Thoughts & opinions (rant) for Sept 30 2011

There is a lot of debate regarding the recent roadside cache ban that is in effect until
Groundspeak & the MOT here in BC can get some sort of agreement in place. Everyone is getting really antsy over it and I can see in the forums that the reviewers are doing what they can. 
I think that most of us forget that we must use common sense when hiding a geocache and that some areas are perceived to be dangerous to ourselves as well as others.  Highways are not always the best spot.  I personally think that if you are hiding on a highway a good pullout is required.  Not a 4 foot shoulder but an actual pullout, rest area, road, etc. 
Now these new temporary measures might spawn some caches illegally placed just because.  That is not going to do any of us any good.  All it will do is show that geocachers have no regard for the guidelines, the law, etc.  It makes all of us look bad. 
Here on Vancouver Island I have seen so many illegal placements and not just ones on the highways.  For the most part I ignore them unless they are on a structure that will cause a problem such as a dam or a BC Park cache that does not follow the BC Parks Policy on geocaching. 
These policies have been painstakingly discussed and fought for and designed to cause as little environmental impact as possible but still allow us to hide and find caches.  The geocacher who ignores and thinks that it does not apply to him/her puts us all in the hotseat and has the potential to ruin it for all of us.
I am not saying that we should get out there and become cache police.  For the most part this hobby is self-policed and I still have hope that everyone thinks first and hides second.  

Archiving a cache is sad

Well this cache has not been found for over a year so I decided that maybe it needs to be freshened up or removed..hopefully someone else will get out there and place one.  (Not on the highway guys!!)
I decided to head out to http://coord.info/GC176AY this morning to take the JR`s for a walk.  I knew that the logging company had closed the trestle and put a gate at each end.  Even let T-Bone off the leash because I knew she couldn't go very far on this road/walk. 
Was a great morning for the walk.  Was still warm out, and no wind.  Nice quiet day now that most of the campers have departed from the lakeside. 

It didn't take long to walk across and remove the stages and final.  The second stage was not hanging up but almost buried in the debris below the hook.  Had to dig it out.   Well I guess after a year anything is possible.  The last cacher DNF'ed this cache and I still don't know why.  It was a pretty straightforward multi with a magnetic key case on the railing, a bison tube in a post and the final in between them both in a post as well.

 

Another November Storm in September

Wow..the wind is howling and gusting.  Sounds and feels like the roof is going to come right off... hunkered down with JR's trying to ignore it but it is hoard.  would like to get out and get a walk in today but so windy and miserable...

Port alberni & the Geo-Cathlon

Never been to one of these before so have no idea what it is or how it works.  Just know that any day out of town doing something I enjoy is a good day.
Weather is rain & cold but going prepared.  50/60 theme so sorta dressed the part but with this weather I am  not getting to overboard.

Blowing up a storm

Well the wind is howling right now.  Feels like all the trees around me should come tumbling down.  I canot remember a September storm like this one.  Usually reserved for November. 
Good day to putter around the house.  I have been neglecting it for so long that I feel extremely guilty about it.  Not so guilty that I stop doing my regular activities to do housework though. 

Geocaching

The one thing that I love to do is geocache!!  I have over 3500 finds and 126 hides at this time.  I am an Earthcache Master, enjoy hiking and seeing new places.

Welcome to Toads & Roads

This is my new blog. Here I will try to maintain a sense of humor and fairness.  It might not always be possible but I will try, I really will.