I don't know how many of you saw the Groundspeak weekly newsletter today. Back in April, geocaching did away with ALR's. If you have a requirement to log a cache (except for valid challenge caches) that requirement is no longer allowed. This does not apply to the requirements to log a virtual or earthcache.
For example, if you want them to email you some information, take a photograph, dance a jig, wear a hat, count the trees, or any other requirement to log the cache it is no longer allowed. The only requirement is that you log the cache. If the signature is there you cannot delete the online log.
From this weeks mailer:
"The Geocaching Guidelines were changed in April 2009 to remove Additional Logging Requirements (ALRs) from all physical caches – such as taking a photo at the cache site or answering a question in your log. These actions should now be considered optional tasks. Geocaches can be logged online as Found once the physical log has been signed.
We have given cache owners a few months since this guideline change to update cache listings. Going forward, reviewers will check on caches that still have ALRs and will contact the cache owner to ask that the description be modified.
If you own a cache that still has an ALR please review the Guidelines to learn how to remove or change your requirements."
If your cache is currently listed as a mystery with an ALR, let me know, I have the ability to change those to traditionals, If you spot ALR's feel free to let me know. I can contact the cache owner and work with them to get them into current guidelines.
Sometimes you will see me refer to a Challenge cache or a Bonus cache in my communication. I hope these definitions help clear things up.
Challenge : A challenge cache has a set of geoaching related requirements, Highpoints, Delorme, Fizzy, are all different kinds of challenges that push you in different ways. In order to put out a challenge it must meet a few requirements. A challenge must be geocaching related, it cannot be for the cacher that is setting up the challenges caches, and the cache owner must take on the responsibility to verify in some way.
So Bob cannot say,"Find all of my caches" or "find all 20 of my caches in my pretty flower group" before you can log this cache. Normally he cannot say find all of sues caches either, or find 12 of sues pretty flower caches. In some caches a cacher has so many caches that saying "find 40 caches by sue" may be allowed, but those should be reviewed on a case by case basis.
You have to be willing to verify those challenges, usually this may be a screenshot of the accomplishment, a bookmark, or listing the caches in the log.
Bonus: A bonus cache might be the end of a group or a series. It cannot be at the given location, and must have clues in the other containers, and is listed as a mystery Also, if someone signs the logbook, by stumbling across it, or by being shown its location, you cannot delete the logs for not completing the series. In that aspect it is much like a puzzle. If someone finds it and signs the log, the cache may be logged.
I hope that clears those up. If there area questions feel free to contact me. Or if I need to clear some misconceptions up.
I was looking at my notes this last week, and the numbers of caches that I have published. Soon I will go over 2,000. It is surprising that there have been that many. Sometimes I have vast numbers in my review list, and other times it is just a trickle. I look forward to the coming of fall & winter and the inevitable slowdown of listings.
Thanks for all the help many of you give me, for the advice, and kind words. A few days were filled with a flood of angry emails, so a simple email thanking you means a lot. About six weeks ago I placed notices on 250 caches that had been disabled for 6 or more weeks. For those that are interested, 50 were archived within 24 hours by the owners. another 50 were fixed in the following weeks. Still over the 4-5 weeks owners archived another 25. That left about 125 caches. As I skimmed through them a bunch of them had plans listed from the cache owners, I left those alone. The cache owners were taking the time to work on them, or had a plan to do something. In the end a lot of caches were archived. I hate archiving caches. The few days that followed were spent unarchived caches that owners went out and fixed and a few angry people. It is funny how someone can ignore a cache for a year, with Needs Archived Notes and Needs Maintenance notes then multiple DNF's then get mad that I archived their cache after a 4 week warning.
My time with you has been fantastic. Periodically I help in other states, It has been fun to work with other areas. The people here in Utah are really nice, or you don't send your complaints to me. Thank you. You make caching in this state. You place them, maintain them, and watch over them.
Before I end, I wanted to throw in one thing. If you have a problem, concern, issue, dislike, or whatever, feel free to contact me. I have made a number of concerned emails and posting on the reviewer forums, and most of them are your ideas. Things you have told me, I have read on the UTAG forums, or at different events over the years. I also take listen to critique. If you feel I am wrong, or that I should do something differently, please let me know. Sometimes I ask another reviewer to look at my decision, I have taken some decisions to all the reviewers to get input. That does not mean that you will get the answer you want. I don't always get the answer I want, but I will deal with you fairly.
If you look at the statistics page you see I deal with about 15 caches a day that are published, about another 5 are troubled and I have to work with you to find a way to get them listed. I have had up to 150 caches for me to review (one time-recently) and a few times in the 40-50 range. If I don't get back to you email me or post on your listing. On that note. If you give me 10+ caches you will move to the bottom of my list. Plan on them taking a while. It is not fair to other cachers for me to deal with one persons listings for 2 days, and ignore them. So if you have something that you need done plan ahead and have me look at them. The few caches for Geocoinfest were planned 3 months ago, they have just been waiting for later today for me to publish. Another cacher contacted me and spoke to me in detail about her listings.
Sometimes I don't have options. Sometimes there are policy decisions that I don't like, but that's part of the reviewers job. I don't have to like policy or the guidelines at times, but I do have to follow them, and I do my best to be fair. When in doubt ask me, I will try and answer.
What is the difference and when to use them. There are so many explanations here that I don't know where to start.
Needs Maintenance creates an attribute on the cache. You can filter those out when you run a PQ. That way caches that may have trouble you can automatically skip. It lets the owner know there is trouble. Some reviewers check those regularly. They don't let me know automatically. When things are slow I can do a PQ like you and find them and go through them.
A Needs Archived sends a note directly to the reviewer. I get those and usually look at them instantly. If you have a number of Needs Maintenance and/or Needs Archived flags, over a reasonable amount of time, you may not get a warning. Other cachers are policing you and telling you there is a problem, go fix it. I may leave you a note if it is appropriate, or disable the cache and send you a note. Time to go look at them.
Well hopefully this puts me at the end of my mass review process before winter starts rolling in. Thanks to everyone. A few sent me messages of troubled caches in their area, and some pointed out caches with issues. I sent notice out to hundreds of caches that had been disabled over 4-6 weeks. About 1/3 were archived or repaired in a few days time. Many others posted notes letting me know what their plans were for repairing a cache. I figure there are a few that are on vacation, and have not had a chance to post anything.
Thank you for fixing issues, and taking pride in your caches. Good luck and keep on caching.