Well that’s not exactly the (humorous) response I was expecting but I’m grateful for the honest feedback. We pray you live a long and healthy life O Green One!

Maybe in/on the Galapagos. Humans suck though. Beach re-nourishment? The amount of turtle/sea life loss is astounding but the tourists want a nice sandy beach so they can then pop into HomeDepot on the way here and buy shovels to dig deep abysses that the nesting turtles who survived the beach restoration and hatchling turtles both can fall into, never to make it out. Walking the beach almost daily gives us a window to a staggering amount of beached dead sea turtles from boat strikes too. Sorry, I get your sentiment and don’t mean to be gruesome but it’s a soapbox of mine, and I’ll get off it now. Yes I agree with you, turtles left unmolested by selfish humans can live a long life!

Wow, that is a big one! Congratulations, Teacup. 🎉 🎂

As a software tester, I would like to put all the developers in a hunger games situation and let hem fight for the passwords.

Ding ding ding! Best answer for the win!

❤️🥳

Stay inky! 🎉🎉🎉🎉 Happy Cake Day

Wait? There's someone running AQ?

I was thinking about this last night!!!!

Let's keep "running" in quotes, why don't we?

Well, I think about death a lot. And this is definitely something that's crossed my mind a few times. Glad someone asked. So, basically...the site could crash out if none with the wherewithal were to step up. Hope that never happens. Eeesh.

OK, here's a suggestion, and please note that this suggestion comes from someone who couldn't code their way out of a paper bag, what about having a stripped down version waiting in the wings - kind of a flip phone version - that would basically be a repository of clues and that clues could be added to. So all that would be required is someone to pay the hosting bill. That way at least the current clues would be protected. Kind of a self-correcting site... or is that even possible?

And I guess the same goes for LbNA, right?

let copilot take it over.

Many thanks to everyone for the kind thoughts and prayers. For simplicity I will post one reply to all of you. The update is sort of depressing and I will probably put the whole story on the blog at some point when I can face it! Give me a few days to settle down...

The time estimates vary a bit, but if I take the average it's going to be about a year before I have my house back. I don't know if the insurance company can make any accommodation for Stampeaz - it's still early. They just officially decided the cause of the fire this afternoon. And it boggles the mind.

Piper and I are camping out with my sister and feel very fortunate to have a safe, warm place to stay for the time being.

Thanks again for all the prayers and support.

Maybe AI will run it...... *shudders*

Even websites that don't seem to change often need updates. I spend quite a bit of time and effort doing nothing more than keeping the websites up!

I have to constantly be upgrading software--important for security and reliability--but that often breaks existing code so then the code needs updating. Which can also break stuff, so then the code needs fixing...

And sometimes certain queries in the database start running slower and slower as the size of the database grows, so then I often spend enormous amounts of effort trying to figure out ways to make then run faster.

Then there are API calls that AQ uses (such as the geocoders or Google Maps), and they update their API's, which means I have to update the website to keep everything working.

You might not SEE any changes on the website, but it's being updated and maintained all the time. I try to be very proactive in keeping things as up-to-date as possible, and it might be able to run for years without too much trouble, but without someone to do these sorts of tweaks, it'll eventually all come crashing down.

There's no such thing as a website that doesn't need maintenance.

-- Ryan

I wonder if the admins at geocaching.com have a plan for this eventuality and if so, what is it? If it is a better plan than we have I wonder if they would be willing to include letterboxing within their bailiwick. I know, I know, heresy, but better than losing it all.

So I just did a quick google search and it looks like geocaching.com has approximately 100 full time employees and generates over 11 million dollars a year in revenue. It’s a privately owned corporation with a CEO. That’s definitely not a company built on sand and they surely have a back up plan.

I can always dream! =)

-- Ryan, knows about coding... not as much about business!

It’s ok Ryan, not everyone dreams about selling a butt ton of t-shirts and other assorted useless stuff.
G’caching is definitely more retail oriented than L’boxing which is why L’boxing is by far superior!

Found on WikiLeaks:

LAST WILL AND WEBSITE TESTAMENT
of Green Tortuga, Esq., Former Steward of AtlasQuest

I, Green Tortuga, being of sound mind and dwindling patience, do hereby relinquish all rights, passwords, and ceremonial twigs associated with the website known as AtlasQuest to the institution known as Wassamatta U.

Let it be known:

• This transfer is involuntary, mildly bitter, and executed under duress involving antlered bureaucracy.
• Wassamatta U, (a moose of suspicious ambition), shall assume full control of AtlasQuest’s sacred infrastructure, including but not limited to:
• Cryptic clue archives,
• Damp container registries,
• And the squirrel embargo.

• The site shall be taken public, monetized aggressively, and rebranded as “StampTech Global.”
• All logbooks will be digitized, tokenized, and sold as NFTs.
• Trail clues will be replaced with QR codes and motivational slogans.
• The ceremonial squirrel council has been disbanded in favor of a shareholder board.

Any objections must be submitted in triplicate, notarized by a raccoon, and buried beneath a defunct geocache.

Signed in reluctant ink,

Green Tortuga, Esq.
Trail Whisperer Emeritus and Former Keeper of Coordinates

Witnessed by:
• Rocky, Squirrel of Legal Affairs (now furloughed)
• Marjorie of Notary Services (currently unionizing)
• One clipboard-wielding intern from Wassamatta U’s hostile acquisitions division

No notes.

I'm working on planting more and planning to find your new plants soon! #IfYouBuildItTheyWillCome

I'd rethink that racoon idea. They always stick stuff in water. Best to put that LAST WILL AND WEBSITE TESTAMENT in a lock-n-lock, just in case! 😉

Racoon washing his cotton candy. 😂

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfbb4yRBH64

I'm so sorry! Glad you and piper are ok

Tomorrow, 1 November is opening day for deer season with firearms for Maine residents, Monday the 3rd for all. Hunters are required to wear two pieces of blaze orange, one must be a hat, the other cover the major portion of your torso, a vest, sweatshirt, etc. The season always closes the Saturday after Thanksgiving, this year the 29th.

Muzzle loading season is 1-13 December, same blaze orange requirements apply. There is "No Sunday" hunting in Maine for any season.

At this time of year it is wise for all to wear to wear blaze orange of some sort. We all can enjoy the great outdoors no matter what our interest may be!

Yay! I can't wait!

Noooooooo. Only some of the dinosaurs need to survive!

I hope GT is okay knowing a whole bunch of people are currently discussing his eventual demise. XD

Wellllll... for SOME of you, it may only be "currently"...