Geocaching Containers and COVID-19

There seems to be concern and discussion related to geocaching containers.  The question is can someone be infected if they find a cache which has been found by another geocacher carrying the COVID-19 virus.  There's limited information about the virus' ability to survive, but the existing data seems to indicate there is little risk in handling a geocache container unless it has been handled very recently by a COVID-19, positive geocacher.

Since most geocache containers are plastic, the best available information seems to say the virus can last as long as three days on a plastic cache container.  The virus however decays once it is on a container.  In the case of plastic, every seven hours, the virus strength deteriorates and becomes less dangerous to people until it is completely dead after 3 days.  It is also important to remember that the virus needs moisture to remain viable.  If it dries on a surface, it will die.

Cleaning a geocache container is nobel, but probably useless.  There are few chemicals that are effective in destroyng the virus.  If you want a list, check the EPA's N-list.  Make certain you are looking for products that are effective for Human Coronavirus.  Be certain to also look at how much contact time is required for the solution to stay on the surface to destroy the COVID-19 virus.  The list changes every few days (it's part of my work to be aware of this).  Most of the items on the list are items which are generally not available to the public.  Even if you could purchase them, they are no longer in stock.  There are two possible exceptions, some Lysol products and bleach which is shown on this list by its chemical name sodium hypochlorite.  Bleach solutions require longer residence times than some chemical products, but liquid bleach is still generally available.  Beware of product safety warnings if you choose this or any of these materials.

Simply wiping a geocache container generally will do nothing.

So what can you do to protect yourself?

Maintain social distancing.  This means you shouldn't be caching with your best caching friends unless you live with them.  Keep six feet or more from others you meet in a park.  Air droplets from other cachers or other park visitors are still your greatest risk.

Don't touch your face with your hands when out caching.  The virus needs a path to your body.  Most common is eyes, mouth, and nose.  This is a respiratory virus so eyes, nose and mouth are the pathways into your body.  Wash your hands when you are done caching.

We enjoyed a break in the rain yesterday to complete a super Adventure Lab at Lakeview Cemetery.  The cemetery is a haven for walkers and was busy yesterday, but it is very large and great for social distancing.  The visitors were respectful of each other.  If you are in or near northeast Ohio, this is a great way to spend some time outdoors and make a few finds while staying safe.

Social Distance Geocaching

We were out caching together Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  We chose to visit some local parks in the Lake Metroparks to find caches on walking trails.  It was easy to maintain social distancing from other walkers and enjoy the afternoon.  These were some of our sights.

Enjoy the trails.  Find some caches.  Stay Safe.

Hoping For Better Days

Take care everyone.  Hopefully we can all meet for an event in better times.  Stay Safe.  Mr. Ollivander...  aka 1/2 of miatabug

OH COVID-19 as of 24 March 2020

3-D Printed Geocache Containers

On a stop at Harns Marsh, we enjoyed joining a pair of Canadian cachers for a few finds.  They were speaking positively of a cacher who was printing 3d geocache containers.  Ali took a look and spotted a hide that on out travel plan.  When we found stage 1, it was a 3d printed screw-top micro.  It was dry inside, but much of Florida is dry during early February.  April through fall will be a much better indicator.

I wasn't expecting the second one in a small, New York town on Lake Erie's southern shore.  It actually took me by surprise when I finally spotted the printing grooves.  There was a series of caches hidden for local students to find so they could explore geocaching.  These used to a good way to at least introduce youth to the game.  This would be even better if the nearby school had student participation with the design and printing of the container.  It was reasonably protected from harsh weather so it was hard to judge the inetgrity of the container.  I felt confident this would be water tight.

I've been curious about 3d containers since being told by a local cacher that Cuyahoga County Libraries now have 3d printers for use in their Innovation Centers.  They need to approve the design and the user needs to provide materials, but think of the creative options for containers.  I have no idea how many hours the containers above required to print or the cost of raw materials, but it could be a new twist on physical hides.

Snow Geocaching

It's hard to miss that cache in the snow when others have visited.  😉

PetSTEP

One thing was very clear over the holidays.  If Geodog Phineas were able to recover from his injury, his days of jumping in and out of the GeoUte were over.  We also knew that one of us trying to hold him in the rear seat wasn't a safe idea either.

The hardest thing about finding a dog ramp is finding one that works.  The reviews are filled of failings where the ramps sag, wobble, or break.  If not under-designed, many fail from slippery surfaces or surfaces that fail quickly under wear from the dog's claws.

We spent a long time looking and reading reviews before we decided to give a try with PetSTEP.

Once it arrived, it seemed really sturdy.  We had it in the house for a couple weeks training the dogs to use the ramp on the bed.  Our first trial was a success.  With more use Phineas and Lizzie are getting much better at using the ramp to enter and exit the GeoUte.  It is great to reduce one more risk for Phineas while also making trips safer for Lizzie.

Phin makes a great model.

It is great to have Phineas still able to join us for great places like a geocaching hike near Wildcat Run by Chapman State Park.

Well Hidden Bison

I have no idea how Ali was able to spot this super hide in the woods.

This super hide had been seventeen months since its previous find.  A few freshly dropped leaves would make this nearly impossible to find.

Project GC Lonely Cache Script

Lonely cache challenges have not been a part of geocaching since the Challenge Guidelines were reworked.  There are a host of problems related to the concept of lonely caches as a challenge including encouraging throw-down hides, multiple finders in one day, on-line found logs by cachers who didn't find the cache...

Despite the restrictions for using this as a concept for a challenge, Project-GC now has a lonely cache checker for caches found one year or longer since the prior find.  Hunting lonely caches is one of the side games we play within Geocaching so we are happy to now have a tool to see how many lonely caches we have found.  

The script output...

The script says 76 since it hasn't updated for our visit to the Ghost Orchid multi in Fakahatchee Swamp.  It also shows no lonely cache finds before 2011 which makes me wonder if it is accurate since we started caching in 2004 when there were fewer cachers.

It's still fun to see the stats.  I'm not surprised we have a lonely cache find in Mexico, but I forgot the two in Canada.  The stats were fun.  With lonely finds in ten states I'm inspired to hunt for lonely caches in more states.

Our two longest lonely caches came from an afternoon visit to the LBJ Grasslands in Texas.

Our Mexico lonely cache was part of a mountain climb.

The oldest on this list came from a visit to beautiful Fillmore Glen in New York.

Our most recent lonely cache find a few days ago...

I think there is a flaw in the checker's ability to find older caches, but it is a lot of fun to look back.

An Update on Geodog Phineas

Phineas had been off the caching trail since late November.  He was on pain meds with the hope that he would recover from his neck injury.  The pain meds did not work, but our vet is a licensed for pet accupuncture.  He received three treatments each a week apart and showed great improvement.  By the last we were happy to see our beagle back.  He has continued to improve and has been removed from his meds.

What does this mean for him as a GeoDog?  Well so far he has been with us for eleven finds this year with visits to Cleveland Metroparks South Chagrin and Acacia Reservations and a cold walk at LakeMetroparks Penetentiary Glen Reservation.  It appears Phin is back, and we are thrilled.

Phin Bays at Acacia

Phin and Liz at Penetentiary Glen

We don't know if this improvement is long term or if he will need future treatments, but we will happily enjoy any time with him that we can have on the trail (or off).

He no longer jumps in and out of his dog crate to enter and exit the sport ute.  He now has a pet ramp which Lizzie is also learning to use.  There will be images of that in a future post.

The Hides of Perez8

When we travel to Florida to visit family, we always set aside time to visit Myakka River State Park.  To go along with the wonderful wildlife...

we are treated to the creative hides of cacher Perez8.  His hides are very creative.  Some are just fun.  Many are challenging field puzzles.  The images below are a sampling of some of the recent ones we found while visiting.

This one puzzled us last year.  This year, we were able to find the solution.  His hides often gather 50% favorites from the finders.

If you are in SW Florida, take the time to hunt a few of Perez8's cache hides.  If you are near, make a stop at Myakka River State Park.  The hides are plentiful and the wildlife is wonderful.

It's Not About the Numbers

I think a lot of cachers set goals for themselves if they actively cache.  For years we have played with how many cumulative caches we have found on each of the calendar days of the year.  Before the challenge cache rules changed we placed a challenge we called the Ironcacher Challenge.  It requires ten finds per day for each of the calendar days.  It was fun for us as it forced us to cache on days we might not have chosen.  We decided to continue pushing the days up.  At the end of 2018 we were at 30 finds on each calendar day.  We set a modest goal of 32 by the end of 2019.  We made it to 10 December.  I was in Mexico on business and Ali Skyped to say Phin was having issues moving and a lot of pain.  She asked about the two finds needed.  It was a quick decision that Phin's health mattered so much more than any geocaching goal.  We'll end the year three calendar days short of our goal.

As for Phineas, the pain meds weren't a very effective remedy.  For a week after I returned he spent most of his time shaking in pain under a desk or hiding under a table in the bedroom.  I was fortunate to only twice hear the horrific screams of pain if something triggered the nerve.  It will forever remain one of the worst, prolonged sounds of agony I have ever heard.

Our vet also is a certified animal accupuncture practitioner.  She mentioned that most dogs were able to benefit by the third treatment.  Phin's in great shape other than what happened recently.  We both agreed to move forward with a weekly treatment.  It was amazing how calm he was with thirteen needles stuck in him and responded well to light electrical pulses.  There was a gradual improvement over the first week after the treatment.  When at the doctor's office waiting for his second treatment, he was busy greeting customers and other dogs.  This treatment also went very well.  Phin is walking at a quick pace and resting in comfortable positions again.  His tail wags often when he is with us and outdoors.  He still remains very quiet with little to no baying something for which he has been well known to everyone who meets him.  He has at least one more accupuncture treatment, and we need to wean him off the meds.  He has the okay to walk on flat paved trails.  If luck stays on our side, he will be able to join us on short caching runs in the near future.  Our next step is to determine a way to get him safely in and out of the geomobile.  We have hope...

Woolly Webster

Geocachers see weird and unique things when playing the game.  That's part of the fun.  Other cachers bring you to odd and different things through caches placed nearby.  Woolly Webster was the first full-sized, painted buffalo I have seen in a library.

Pill Bottle Pumpkin Container

We've found many caches which use pill bottles for the container.  This one was really well done.

Pennsylvania Hunting Law Changes

Here's another news post for Pennsylvania cachers.  The govenor signed into law a new bill allowing SUNDAY hunting for three Sundays of the year.  The new law permits hunting on one designated Sunday during each of gun season and bow season for deer and a third Sunday to be determined by the game commission.  These changes are effective for 2020 and join the 2019 change opening gun season for deer on the Saturday after Thanksgiving instead of the longstanding Monday after Thanksgiving.  Be aware of hunting schedules and wear your orange!

Pennsylvania No Trespassing Law Changes

For those of us who cache in Pennsylvania, the state has made a significant change to required notification of no trespassing.  As of 27 November 2019, no trespassing signs are no longer required on private property to indicate restrictions to entry.  The law now requires only a purple paint marking.  Be aware if you are seeking geocaches in rural Pennsylvania.

To Cache A Mockingbird

We stopped for yet another well done library hide in Central Ohio.  We arrived at the library about 15 minutes before a Friday afternoon close.  The first stage was perfect, and the library staff was very easygoing about our near closing arrival.  We spotted the hide and signed the log.  We were able to make our way out of the library before closing.  😃

The cover was really well done and well deserving of our favorite vote.

You Placed It There?

Columbus Metroparks has some wonderful parks and fun a fun geocaching series placed at the parks.  We were surprised to hunt an ammo can behind a restroom on a grassy trail.  It felt weird being back there.  It felt much weirder when a man stopped by so his young daughter could visit the restroom.  Would you be concerned while searching for an ammo can behind a park restroom?

More Information When Out Caching

There's been more interest in challenges lately near our home base with a few different ones being published.  When your out caching, the ones for which you qualify may be hard to spot.  This is an easy way to make certain they are visible in the field.  If  you do this already, great.  If not, I hope this helps.

Let's take the Ohio County Century Challenge - Lake as an example.  The challenge requires 100 finds in the county and has been spreading quickly through the state in counties where there are sufficient active caches to make it doable by a someone just starting the challenge.

Here's the Cachely map at the start.

The Cachly map shows the Challenge as just another unfound puzzle.  At the wesbite on the computer, the open page shows,

If I click on the pencil next to the posted coordinates, I get the box to correct puzzle coordinates.

Copy the original coordinates.

Paste into the change field.

Submit and accept.

Your on-line page will now show the challenge as having corrected coordinates.

Cachely will now tell you with a quick map glance that this puzzle/mystery icon is waiting to be found.  The red diamond says you have reviewed this challenge and are ready for the find.

If you are only using an iPhone for caching, the process is even easier.  For the Medina County Century Challenge.  The cache shows on Cachely as another unsolved puzzle.

Open the cache page and access the waypoints.  Select the posted waypoint, slide the corrected coordinates lever, and save.

Your Cachely map now tells you this cache is ready to find and log.

If you knew this already, great.  If not, I hope this makes your caching a little easier.  We have thirty counties with over 100 finds so we may be busy finding challenges if this type spreads.