Talk about your hot topics! =)

One of my friends who read my clues for the Los Osos Oaks series
commented recently that he hates all the "legalise" in it, which I
thought was kind of amusing because I didn't think it was
particularly bad.

Most of the warnings I put in it weren't to protect my butt, though,
they were to help insure whoever goes looking for the letterbox
actually has a good time. That's the whole point, isn't it? I like
to describe the trail--particularly how long or steep the trail is so
people know what they're getting into.

On the Los Osos Oaks clues, I made a special note of the incredible
amounts of poison oak growing in the area. It wasn't to help protect
me from getting sued, though. I just wanted to make sure everyone
who went knew what they were getting into. Some people are
hypersensitive to poison oak and probably wouldn't want to come
within a hundred feet of the stuff. Others (like myself) who never
seem to get it even when we know we've touched the stuff don't really
care. (Most probably fall somewhere in between, though.) I want to
make sure people enjoy the hike, and the best way to help ensure they
do is to let them know what to expect before they even get there.

I've started adding an extra warning about prodding with a stick or
using gloves before reaching into big, dark holes. Not so much to
protect myself from being sued, but in the hopes whoever reads the
clues thinks, "Oh, that's a good idea! Let me get the gloves before
I leave!" Then, when they get there, they don't have to worry about
reaching a bare hand into the large, dark hole. And perhaps make the
letterboxing experience that much better. (Strangely, I forgot to
bring gloves for the last letterbox I found and resorted to swatting
around a stick in the hole before reaching in--but it still felt
wrong to reach in with bare hands.) The warning wasn't to cover my
butt as much as it was to help make the letterboxing experience as
good as possible for the people who are searching for it.

The one and only thing I did to help "protect" myself is provide a
link to the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer on the LBNA
website. I figured, (1) why not?, (2) it couldn't hurt, (3) it does
provide sound advice (know what you're doing!), and (4) the small
link isn't very intrusive on the page with the clues. I don't really
expect it would stop anyone from suing me, but like I said before, it
doesn't hurt either. *shrug*

-- Ryan