[Az-Geocaching] Altoids tin on thermometer not recommended

[Mike Schwarz]

At first this sounded like a good idea.  However, I'd
recommend NOT doing this, because:
The person who placed the thermometer there may still live in
the Prescott area, be checking on it periodically, and probably
knows nothing about geocaching.  So, upon seeing an altoids box
taped to their thermometer, they would probably freak out and
remove both from the tree.

Actually, since at least 11 years has gone by, and the numbers
have faded some, its likely whoever did the deed of placing
the meteorological instrument there has moved away, or no longer
checks it.  But as long as there is a possibility they are
still checking it, I think attaching an object to it should be
avoided.

They must have had the same spirit in the early 90's as geocachers
do today- leave an object on public property, and hope nobody
decides to remove it, and see what happens.  This has survived for
11 years up on that tree- wonder how many geocaches will survive
that long?

It'd be best to hide a container (of any size) within a few hundred
feet of it, and ask those finding the container to also find the
thermometer, take a reading, and note the temperature in both the
physical logbook and online log.  I would do this myself if I came
to Prescott often, but alas, I don't, maybe only 2-3 times per
year.  So, if someone else wishes to do this, feel free to.
Plagiarize whatever you want out of my cache description.

Mike
Team Malthusian

At 06:15 PM 5/30/03 -0700, TEF wrote:
>
>Message: 8
>From: "Team Evil Fish" <buggers@mindspring.com>
>To: <listserv@azgeocaching.com>
>Subject: Re: [Az-Geocaching] Cache 71199 description
>Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 18:16:55 -0700
>Reply-To: listserv@azgeocaching.com
>
>Velcro an ALTOIDS and make it a non virtual cache
>
>just a thought
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Mike Schwarz" <malthusian@mindspring.com>
>To: <listserv@azgeocaching.com>
>Sent: Friday, May 30, 2003 5:12 PM
>Subject: [Az-Geocaching] Cache 71199 description
>
>
>> Well, looks like the powers that be at geocaching.com set it up
>> so nobody but me can see it, even if you ARE logged in.  Drats.
>>
>> Here's the text of the description I submitted, just to satisfy
>> any curiousity anyone may have about my ill-fated virtual cache.
>> Or if anyone wants to try to locate the thermometer, even though you
>> won't increase your numbers for anything by doing so.  This does
>> require a 2 mile round trip hike, with 500 feet of elevation gain.
>> Unless you're doing more of the Groom Creek trail.  Again, if
>> anyone does locate it, let me know via an email.  And if someone
>> who lives in the Prescott area wishes to place a physical cache
>> near it, that would be great:
>>
>> NAME: What's the Temperature?
>>
>> N 34 27.750  W 112 25.526
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Get a little workout, make a weather observation, and score a cache.
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------
>>
>> RATING: 1.5/2.5
>>
> ---------------------------------------------------
>
> This is probably the first cache in Arizona that asks you to make a
> meteorological observation!
>
> I don't like to have people driving around in circles trying to figure out
> where to park, and contributing to air pollution.  So, drive south from
> Prescott on the paved Senator Highway, go about 6 miles, and park at the
> Groom Creek trailhead parking lot, at N 34 27.881, W 112 26.448.  There is
> a 2 dollar forest service fee there.  Then put on your hiking boots and
> walk just over a mile up the 307 trail, with about 500 feet of elevation
> gain, to a thermometer in the middle of nowhere.
>
> What is a thermometer doing HERE, of all places?  Beats me.  I didn't
place
> it here, but it's been here for over 10 years.  I first noticed it after
> relieving myself in the early 1990's, long before geocaching started, just
> north of the the trail.  As I walked back, the white color of the
> instrument caught my eye.  It is located on the back side of a tree within
> 10 feet of the trail.
>
> I'm sure at least a few other people have spotted this thermometer, but no
> one has removed it during the 11 years or so I've known of its existence;
> and for all I know, it may have been there for years before the early
> 1990's.  It is NOT in a wilderness area, just a regular National forest
> area, so it doesn't violate any wilderness ethics.  The numbers showing
50,
> 60, 70, 80 degrees have definitely faded with time, but are still
readable.
>
> You will need to look at 2 words on the thermometer.  At the top there is
> one word (probably brand name); write that down.  In the lower left, below
> minus 60 degrees (doubt it ever gets anywhere near that cold here), is a
> word followed by 3 initials (probably the company name); write that down.
> This item in the lower left is faded and a bit hard to read, so I will
> accept reasonable fascimiles of what it says.  The word on top is still
> very clear, however.
>
> To get credit for this virtual cache, you will need to email me (Mike)
with
> the word at the top, and the word plus 3 initials on the lower left of the
> thermometer.  Make sure you do NOT post your answers here, even if
encrypted.
>
> Then, note the temperature reading on the thermometer, and please DO post
> that with your log, along with the time of day.  It will be interesting to
> see how the readings vary with whether its early morning or afternoon,
> whether its rained recently, and of course, the time of year.  For the
> record, it read 73 degrees at 5 PM on 5/25/2003.
>
> When you get to the listed coordinates, at about 6920 feet elevation, look
> on the back side of a tree within 10 feet of the trail, on the north side
> of the trail.  This is a ponderosa pine forest, and even though the trees
> aren't real tall here, GPS signals can be degraded some.  If you don't
find
> the thermometer right away, search in a 40-foot radius.  The trail isn't
> too high-traffic, but in case a group of hikers or horseback riders comes
> by when you are at the thermometer, be discrete and try not to draw
> attention to it until they pass.  As with a physical cache container, we
> don't want those who don't currently know about the thermometer to know of
> its existence, and possibly decide to remove it.
>
> If you feel so inclined, and have the time, continue on up the trail to
the
> summit of Spruce Mtn.  This will be a 6 mile roundtrip hike, with 1400
feet
> of elevation gain total.  Or, if you're really ambitious, do the full 9
> mile loop hike clockwise.  If you haven't been to the <B>Spruce "Wild
> Goose" Cache</B> yet, that cache awaits you near the summit, just 1.5
miles
> from here!  So, score 2 caches on this hike, not just this one!
>
> Have fun contributing to the climatic records for Arizona!
>
> ---------------------------------------------------
>
> HINT:
> Some shrubbery guards the approach to the back side of the tree; it's not
> very open there.  However, I have yet to wear long pants on this trail.
>
> ---------------------------------------------------
>