How to write a good geocaching log primer
By Bert Marshall (BaytownBert)
Southeast Texas Representative Texas Geocaching Association
Southeast Texas Representative Texas Geocaching Association
“I saw the difficulty and terrain rating was a 2/2, but I
was feeling extra caching mojo this morning, so I decided what the heck?” and I
parked a mile away. I pulled out my pogo
stick and proceeded to go across the corn field instead of taking the
sidewalk…”
Let me say up front that I have written logs just like the
one you just read and taken it to ridiculous extremes, but I don’t always do
this. At the very least I will write
something like this: “Was headed north
this morning and used this neato cache to get out and stretch my legs! Thank you for placing it for my
geo-adventure. SLTFTC!” and then I will
upload a ridiculous photo of myself with my fake teeth grinning at the camera.
What’s the bid deal on posting more than one fellow who
always signs his logs “NC”, which after 3000 finds, I find to be a bit
rude? Looking at his profile, I see all
these finds and no hides and then I understand.
He hasn’t hidden any, so he doesn’t understand that possibly a lot of
work went into building, placing, and maintaining it.
Without meaning to sound self-righteous, I want to point out
something many geocaching veterans believe.
At some point in your caching experience, it is natural to want to give
back to the game and at the very least, writing a proper log is one thing a
cacher can do.
Contributing to the game can be placing caches, sending out
trackables, hosting events, teaching classes, attending CITO’s, and mentoring
newbies. Personally and this may sound
rude, I feel like by the time you’ve found 500 caches, you should be hiding
some. Otherwise you are just a game
player, not a game contributor. Your mileage may vary, but that’s how I feel.
I have 354 geocaches hidden or events posted and have sent
out 83 trackables. Now granted a lot of
these caches have been archived, but I still maintain a heckava lot of
geocaches and regularly hide more. I
religiously maintain them too, so I am not just blowing smoke. I teach classes and serve on the Board of the
Texas Geocaching Association as the Southeast Texas Representative. We SETX Geocachers, under my direction, have
an adopt a highway stretch we clean quarterly.
Now to be considered a contributor, you don’t have to do all
that. No one knows your schedule or
commitment but you and some of these things are simply beyond your scope, so
what does that leave?
Logs. Writing a
proper log may be the only thing you can do to contribute right now. I use GSAK, which is a wonderful program for
geocachers. I could easily upload the 46
geocaches I found today and write one script that describes what I did and then
wham! They all get published in one fell
swoop…
But what about posting an amazing selfie on each cache
page? What about the corn field and the
pogo stick? What about the snake I saw
or the wasp that chased me? What about
that important personal touch?
Nope. I want to relive each cache
as I write about it.
I have a friend, whose handle is Skunkonthefog. At each cache he finds (and he only goes for
caches that catch his attention), he will look around and write the first thing
that comes to mind and often, his logs are hilarious. LatitudeAttitude and + The Driver always
write great logs and I delight in reading them.
So, raise your right hand and repeat after me. “I promise to try and write better logs. Amen.”
Oh, and one more thing, don’t forget that this is a game and a good
one. Have fun and relive your experience
through your log.
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