Printess Caroline

My suggestion would be to take a replacement log and ziplock along when you find the cache. Once there, you can decide if the cache is worth helping in such a way. If it isn't, just sign a slip of paper to log the cache and add a Needs Maintenance when you log the cache online.

nevermind. I misread.

Great idea! I'll participate also. I'll be removing the least appealing piece of swag and replacing it with something nice in each of the caches we find with tradables for the next month.

I am reminded of the story someone told me about how his grandmother would return the thank you notes he had written her with the spelling and grammar corrections she had made. I'm sure that she thought she was being helpful. He, however, felt differently. In the OP's case, though, I believe a tactfully written offer to help the cache owner would not be received badly. If I were the OP, I would start my email telling the cache owner how much I enjoyed doing their cache. Then, I would make my offer and wait to hear if the cache owner were interested before doing anything more.

I think that's creepy and a misuse of the PO feature.

I do, too. Not all cachers own smart phones nor are we all techno-savvy.

I only know of one instance in which a reviewer physically inspected a cache around here. The reviewer's note on the cache page tells the story: "Recently a new cache came into the review queue that was located within a library. I asked the owner to rework the cache so that part if it was outside and include gps usage. He reasoned that since this cache was inside a library and he copied it his should be published too. Since I was spending the holiday in the Adirondacks I decided to stop by and take a look at this one. Sure enough, it’s a book on the library shelf. No container, a required part of a geocache, no cache in the bush outside, no stage two, just a book inside the library. See photos. Since this is not the cache I reviewed and published and that the cache owner intentionally deceived me during the review process to skirt the guidelines the only option I have is to archive this cache. Reviewing geocaches is largely dependent on trust. Trust is a fragile thing and easy to obtain but once lost its hard to recover. if you believe that I have acted inappropriately, you may send an email with complete details, waypoint name (GC*****) and a link to the cache, to Groundspeak’s special address for this purpose: appeals@geocaching.com."

That is exactly why some of the most interesting PMO caches that tempt me to look at them are on my watchlist.

That's good advice. Instead of assigning blame (wrongly, in my opinion), you would be better served in considering how you might make your cache more fool proof. All kinds of people geocache. I always try to foresee what could go wrong when I hide a cache. That consideration helps me hide better caches that don't require a lot of maintenance and cause aggravation.

I propose you support the cause with the larger containers. Seems most, not all, responsed are from those who have very few, if any hides of their own so have no clue about the expense of maintaining caches, must less the cost of supplying 'larger' containers. Over 13,000 caches found and not one hide? And I should take your advice, why? Speak from experience and I just might change my views. However, the 'rules' of geocaching states "SIGN" the log. Try signing a check with a sticker and see how that floats. That is a snotty response to the one idea that would solve your issue. If you don't like it, I think that you should resign yourself to the suggestion that everyone else has offered, which is basically to take a deep breath and deal.

Douglas, You made my day (at least in a geocaching context). Agreed. We like you. Yes. Thank you, Douglas! You're awesome!

Here's the log that came to mind for me. I wrote it for a Christmas cache that a local cacher hides each year. It contains wrapped gifts for geocachers during the holiday season. Last year, he upgraded the box and added Christmas lights that lit when the lid opened and a logbook that played a carol. His Christmas cache is truly a highlight of the season for area cachers. My log: "We parked at the Spruce Mountain trail head a little after 11 and started up the trail. We were sure glad that others had broken a trail for us through the snow. As we walked along, we reminisced about finding the Adirondack Traveler last year not far from where we were walking and about a hike to Spruce Mountain fire tower before we started geocaching from which I returned with an actual dent in my backside (which lasted for over a year!) resulting from a spectacular failure to hoist myself up onto the closed tower. Mary Lou Retton has never had any competition from me, but if my husband had been videoing the incident, I imagine that I could have been a competitor on "Funniest Videos". All the while we were walking, remembering and laughing, we were also looking for a trail off to the side where other cachers had made their way to the cache. When we saw none, we thought others must have gone another, probably easier, way, so we decided to make like Prancer and Vixen in the direction of the cache. We saw evidence of other ruminant action, where deer had dug down in the snow to find acorns. Their trails helped guide us through the snow-covered terrain. Then, (que the heavenly found-it music) we spotted the glorious cache shining like a beacon of pure joy under its wintery cap of snow! And, lo, we beheld that the snow around it had not been touched by man nor beast! This was a great miracle, it seemed to us! We were FTF! We couldn't imagine anything better, but when we opened the lid to see what the GeoSantas had left for cachers this year, we laughed with glee to see the surprises the box contained. You really have outdone yourselves this year!! WOW! Once we regained our composure and had signed the log, we chose a package and returned by a different route to our car where we opened our gift. The wrapping contained a complete, new cache! Hmmm. How shall we hide it? The ideas were many as we headed home from a wonderful caching experience. "Thank you most sincerely, Mr. and Mrs. GeoSanta, for your continued generosity, creativity and good spirits! Your Christmas caches are a joy of the season! We wish you and all geocachers joyous holiday celebrations and a safe, wonderful year of caching in 2010! Printess Caroline and CJM55" flask is my favorite log writer in the area. I haven't read any new ones from her recently. I hope she is okay!!

Loved it!

Pretty sure most understood that. Again, how is this unfair? Why do you give out the coordinates of your caches to friends before a cache is published as you have admitted to doing? I think that is a far more interesting question, and your answer might be illuminating to those of us who would not usually do that. Why not? Caches are made to be found. What is the difference between getting the coords off the site or from me. Getting them from the CO is not uncommon. Remember, even Magellan did it with several caches prior to posting them on GC. As it turns out here, there was also more to the story, not that it should really impact it one way or another. To be clear, I didn't admit it, I stated it. So far, no one has pointed out how it is unfair Blah. I thought you might give a more convincing reply than basically because I can. Around here, giving coordinates out for an unpublished cache is uncommon.

Pretty sure most understood that. Again, how is this unfair? Why do you give out the coordinates of your caches to friends before a cache is published as you have admitted to doing? I think that is a far more interesting question, and your answer might be illuminating to those of us who would not usually do that.

I can't give mine away. It was a FTF prize, after all. Of course, the OP and his son could simply of these. It might be an enjoyable little fatther/son project, after all. thats not going to happen, my sons father left 9 years ago... I'm pretty sure he meant motther/son project, then. Not a bad suggestion, really.

The large baggie for swag is better than no baggie at all, for sure. However, usually this large baggie ends up getting torn up by being repeatedly opened by finders, by having the occasional jagged object inside it, and by being tugged and stuffed in and out of the cache container too many times. The individual baggies on trade items tend to go with the trade item itself, so a new trade item gets a new baggie, which helps insure that trade items are protected by intact baggies. Regarding having to dig to find the log book, yeah, that is an advantage of the one large baggie for swag. However, with a cache full of individually bagged swag, it's not difficult to dig to find the log book. You are right about the eventual deterioration of the large baggie, but an owner could easily replace it on a maintenance visit. I often carry a large baggie along with me that I will use to help protect the swag or a logbook that is in need of extra protection in a cache that I have found. I do also individually bag some swag items that I trade, which could use some extra protection in a cache. (Books, metal items, new personal items that would not be appealing if they were dirty or wet, new items packaged in cardboard wrapping, etc.) I place these items in caches in the hope of making a future cacher happy. It makes sense to me to do what I can to keep them in good condition for others to find. Baggies are a wonderful suggestion, and I would encourage their use. However, I don't think that the use of baggies on swag should be a guideline and the idea that cache owners would be encouraged to remove swag that is not individually bagged would cause undo drama. Really, it is best to leave it as a helpful suggestion.

Personally, I think that it is a better suggestion than a guideline. Here's another suggestion. It would be nice if cache owners of regular or larger sized caches left a large baggie for swag as well as a baggie for the log and trackables. Not only does the large baggie help to protect the swag, it also helps to keep things organized. With the swag (hopefully) neatly contained, those cachers who aren't interested in trading don't have to wade through the swag to locate the logbook.

I like to go back and read logs too. At one time, I was as enthusiastic as you and read them about every day. Now, it's much more occasional. Also, now that I understand how Premium Member caches work, I try not to revisit those caches to read logs. I don't like the feeling of being watched. If there were a really great one of those, I might put it on the watch list instead.

While you're at it, why not log multiple finds on your cache? You don't even have to visit the cache each time. Log it every hour, even. You CAN do that, too, so why wouldn't you?

One of the things I enjoy most about hiding multis is that the parts leading to the final do not have to be a container. You could put something together in the way Keystone suggested and you could also make stages that would be waterproof tags or objects that have coordinates / clues written on them. For instance, one of my beaver themed caches had a stage on which I burned the clue on a beaver chew and polyurethaned that part of the chew to preserve it. I found the chew; I owned the wood burner; and the polyurethane was left over from another project. Therefore, the cost to me was close to nothing. I've also seen metal tags stamped with coordinates / clues. I think that multis that have parts that aren't all in containers are more interesting, creative and fun. Personally, I wish there were more of them for me to find.

Yes. Stark raving bonkers. Sorry. There is no cure. But at least you'll have company! here is one of my funniest hides.. Elk Crossing

Thanks!

And are you still having fun with the goal? edited to make clear that I was asking the OP and not the puppet. I understood. And I didn't mean to suggest that the OP wasn't enjoying the goal. I only wanted to point out that it can get out of control real easy. If someone chooses to go this rout they need to be careful that they don't let it become an onerous task. Concentrate on having fun and don't worry about any silly numbers. I agreed with everything you said and just wanted to add that such a goal could get tiresome for the one trying to accomplish it. I know that it wouldn't be fun for me!

I realize that is a distinction reserved for people who have been caching since the early days, but I'm curious if there is anything more to it. Does a charter member have premium member privileges, for instance?