Wonder Boy
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Posts posted by Wonder Boy
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A High-Quality Cache: A high-quality cache should be a sturdy container, waterproof and camouflaged well enough to keep muggles from disturbing it. If it is not camouflaged it should be very well hidden. It should be placed in a spot that has some significance to it. History, scenery, adventure, science etc.
A Low-Quality Cache: A low quality cache is a cheap container that quickly gets wet or has animals chew it up. It is also easily found by muggles. And a series of cheap container caches are the ultimate. Don’t put a DNA container every .1 mile along a boring highway that goes on endlessly. Strictly a numbers game then. I have seen these along busy highways and they aren’t popular with LEOs. Also, I’ve seen flower beds destroyed by someone looking for a cache in one. Children’s playgrounds are also a poor chose. Many catchers are men and having them snooping around a playground is potential trouble. And don’t put a cache in areas that are littered. CITO is fine but it shouldn’t become more of a challenge than finding a cache. Anther poor choice are “lamp skirts” in mall parking lots. I found one once with a note attached to it. The note was from someone who saw the cache found and returned. They said that this is evidently a popular way to drop off drugs. So there may be someone watching that you have to do some explaining to. Simply put, think about where you are placing that cache.
Community Steps: Log your DNFs. I make a list of my hides that haven’t been found and if they are consistently not found I will check them out. This is especially important if the CO has a lot of caches to maintain. If you don’t find it a 2nd time and don’t get a response from the CO in a reasonable amount of time on a consistently not found cache, contact them directly through geocaching.com. If still no response, write a “needs maintenance” log and/or let the local reviewer know. If the cache doesn’t meet the guidelines for a cache, contact the CO and/or the local reviewer. Keep records of your cache hides so that if someone contacts you, you can possibly give them a hint or if there is a problem you can check on it yourself. And lastly, write a decent log. It takes a lot of work to place and maintain a cache so something more than a TFTC is appreciated. I’m sure phone caching has a lot to do with that. But edit your log later when you get to a computer and have time, or on your phone if you don’t use a computer. If we want geocaching to return to a family activity we need to put out more caches with swag in them. If you bore the kids with endless micros they won’t remain geocachers when they grow up.
Geocaching Steps: I’ve seen caches under overpasses on interstate highways, near courthouses, post offices, schools, prisons, etc. These can be sensitive areas. Be sure there is a compelling reason to place a cache there. And if you decide to place one at these sites, be sure you get permission to do so. I’ve seen reviewers approve such caches with no proof that permission was obtained. Sensitive areas need more than just a “Yeah, I’ve got permission.” In the ‘Note to reviewer’ box. Some area just shouldn’t have caches. Earth Caches were a great idea and my 2nd favorite type of cache. The old virtuals that aren’t allowed, except at the whim of Groundspeak, could become a new type of cache. Similar to an Earth Cache. They would be “History Caches” with a similar write up to an Earth Cache. Most virtuals I’ve found, and I search for a lot of them, deal with history. Like Earth Caches they are a great alternative to a regular cache, especially where a container is not allowed. They are my favorite.
Geocache Quality
in User Insights
Posted
I believe many caches are placed with phones nowadays. I use a high quality handheld GPS. But it means nothing if the cache was hidden in any area with even a partially obstructed view of the sky with a phone. The phone coords will be off and you searching the posted coordinates won't mean much. Geo senses are more important here.