Where is UTAG?

There have been a number of questions posed about where the UTAG (Utah Association of Geocachers) has gone.  There is a lot behind the story and i choose not to go into detail because my details are sometimes 3rd and 4th hand.  I will try and fill in a few things.

The officers were looking at the number of people leaving messages on the Utag forums and the apparent lack of interest in Utag made the decision to close things down at this spring event, and that the site would be close. 

A number of people stepped up and asked that things keep going, and volunteered to find a way to make it keep going. Possible reformatting of the site, and a group will be formed to try and keep it up to date and to keep going forward, and moderate the spam that tries to appear in the forums.

Currently things are in a holding pattern.  The website is shut down until it is transferred and gets up and going again.  The spring meeting is going to be held and most likely there will be a discussion on Utag and what we want to do to make things keep going. 

There is not a lot of info other than that.  I will see if I can get more info after an event later this week.  Utag will still be around for a while, or at least a group is trying to keep it going.  There is a group on facebook in the interim period if you really need a fix, or the geocaching.com forums. 

Update on 2011-03-31 05:41 by firennice

The most damaging thing to geocaching is...

I have moderated in the forums, followed local threads, listened to endless conversations at events and in other get togethers.   Everyone has their idea of the most damaging thing is to geocaching.

Some of the options I have heard:

• Nano's
• Micros
• Swagless Caches
• Caches in cities
• Power Trails
• Caches in Wilderness Areas
• Permission issues
• Cacher X (Some cachers in particular are named)
• New Hiders
• Cell Phone Hiders or Finders
• Groundspeak
• Other caching websites
• Ethics
• Poor Containers
• Incorrect hides
• Saturation
• Sharing finals coordinates to caches
• Cache theft
• Reviewers

Thos are just a few I thought of off the top of my head.  Some of the things I have read.   Many have been discussed ad nauseum.

Now its my turn...and because I am writing this I get to choose. The most damaging thing to geocaching is... Geocaching elitism.

What is that?  Arguing that you are right and everyone else is wrong.  Does that mean that you cannot have a strong opinion?   No it does not.  Does it mean you should stop trying to get a change made?  No.  In fact a healthy community should try and get changes made.

There are people our there that believe so strongly that a particular way of doing things is right that everyone else is wrong, and there is no point in listening to them.  In fact the other is the enemy, the other cache is the enemy.

Taking an explanation is like opening a can of worms but here goes.  I have heard a few discuss the horror of the city hide, the hide in the park, or drive by.  When I started caching I was contacted by a person that was handicapped, and they asked me to encourage people to place 1 terrain-1difficulty hides so that they would be able to get them.  The hides that were much more difficult were impossible to do and they enjoyed the hunt.  a 1.5-1.5 by themselves seemed like a 4/4 to many others.

Geocaching has gone beyond one person.  If you feel you are right and everyone else is wrong perhaps it is time to look at yourself.   A few years ago a person placed a powertrail in Utah.  I heard a number of people grumble, and in the process it was apparent that they were stolen.  People quickly replaced the caches. While others were making trips from Arizona, New Mexico, and across the US just to do the series.  It may not be about the numbers to some, but it is for others.

Another example is a cacher in the NW that conveniently takes any cache that is in an area they feel are enviormentally sensitive.  Even if the forest service has oked the cache.

Those are my best examples.  We can disagree, we can ask that changes be made, but stone throwing, purposefully taking cache from others, only ruins it for others.   We can work harder to understand others, and other ways of caching.  I may never do a certain style of caches, but some seem to love them.

I am off my soapbox, and I hope to do better posting.  Sorry for taking a week off, I am opening an online store designing two coins, reviewing, scouts and family, and those are taking my time.  Thanks, and feel free to comment.  What are your opinions.

Update on 2011-03-27 21:15 by firennice

Update on the ET Highway

There was a great article in the Las Vegas Review Journal  on the ET highway and its archival.  For the most part pointing out both sides of the story.

Some Quotes

Well, last winter Connie West, co-owner of Little A'Le'Inn in Rachel, was preparing to shutter her 10-room motel and RV park when convoys of geocachers showed up week after week. She decided not to lay off her housekeeper and hold on to the entire kitchen staff.

"They don't come in bunches of one. They come in bunches. Bunches," West said. "They came from Australia, Austria, England because the highway is considered a 'power cache.' "

and in another point

"For the first time in the history of our business, our rooms were booked all winter long," West said. "Since they removed the caches, we have had every single one of them cancel. They're not going to come here anymore. All that revenue is going to California."

A group from Ireland pulled into West's place last week to begin a trip they had planned for more than a year, West said. They had booked one night and then were headed to Alamo and Caliente. When they learned the caches along the Nevada highway no longer existed, they too aimed their car toward California.

"A guy from NDOT was in the other day and wanted ice in his Coke," West said. "I said, 'No, you're NDOT. You've pissed me off.' "

There are other power trails that are out there.  Oklahoma, and Route 66 has some, along with our power trails here in Utah.  There are a few others.  I have heard of people looking about for others to rework their travel plans.

I have read a number of notes in the forums about it, speculation, and blame is thrown.  Ultimately there is not much I can add with the many comments that are made in the forums.  The full discussions between the cache owner and groundspeak will be silent unless the cache owner decides to say anything. 

Once again if you are considering something similar think it through before you start.  Look into the permission, cache types and speak to your reviewers before you get far into it and realize there are issues. 

Update on 2011-03-14 04:30 by firennice

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Geocaching Blogs

I am looking to make a list of the geocaching blogs that are out there.  If you have one, or know of one (or a few please let me know.  These are what I have right now, but if you know of any others please let me know.  I have a fwe more to add.  I would like to put together a comprehesive list of Blogs related to geocaching.  Please do not list dead blogs (blogs with no post in the last three months.  You can email me, post them as a facebook comment, or a regular comment.

• GeoCass UK Geocaching
• Jacobs Geocaching
• the Mad Cacher
• Latitude 47
• Iowa Admins Geocaching Blog
• HeadHardHats Geocache Blog
• Udink.org
• Geocache Fanatic
• Its not about the numbers
• EricaJean
• Adventures in Geocaching
• Blazerfan's Geocaching Adventures
• BomberJjr's Geocaching Blog
• Geocaching Adventures
• Celebrations and Explanations
• College Cacher
• DS8300 from sweden
  

Update on 2011-03-10 20:34 by firennice

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Sourthern Utah Day One

We left Richfield around 10am Friday morning. We started the route south and had decided to make this a Virtual and Earthcache trip.  Wandered through Clear Creek Canyon in southern Utah and left the main road.  I actually found a nice place for another Earthcache in the area. So I was happy to take the route.

Cove FortWe stopped for just a moment, but the just a moment never seems to work out right.  We ended up taking the tour, and seeing a lot of the fort.  It was really interesting, the last time I had visted it was a mess.  That would be back in the early 80's and much of the place had fallen apart. 

We headed south and grabbed our first Earthcache of the day on the other side of the freeway from Cove Fort.

We then headed south taking a lot of back roads and seeing a lot of interesting locations.

The country was really cool, as we entered the red rock areas of Southern Utah.  It was really impressive and cool.  For the most part there are a lot of Virtuals in the area.  Panguich, Cedar City, and more. 

As we past cedar I think I had grabbed 10-12 virtuals and a couple Earthcaches.  But when we took the turnoff at the North side of Zion's Park where things got really interesting.   There was a lot of snow at the high altitude.

It was really beautiful.  There were very few people that were actually there. I think we past three other vehicles.  During the summer I am sure it would be crowded.  There was enough snow that you could do much hiking, though one couple was heading off down a snow covered trail.  There were a few other Earthcaches in the area that we grabbed though we could not get some because the trails are snowy.

We then hopped off and headed on southward.  We seemed to stop about every 10 miles.  Our Two-three hour trip ended up taking about 6-7 hours, but it was very enjoyable.  We saw much of the countryside, found many benchmarks, and virtuals and Earthcaches before we arrived at St. George for teh night and decided to stay the night.  In the end we found 10 Virtuals, 5 Earthcaches, and an uncounted number of Benchmarks this day.  So there is yet to be Saturday, the bigger day of the journey, and much more interesting.

Update on 2011-03-10 04:29 by firennice