Cache Ideas That Were Killed At The Drawing Board

July 24, 2005

Lots of us have had the "what sort of cache" should I create discussion, something unique, something that hasn't been down before. A lot of the ideas were serious, some semi-serious, and some just ridiculous thoughts. What sort of really bad cache ideas have you had?

Here's one to start the topic off:

Cache location: median of an eight lane highway. Cache name? Frogger

Have fun.

5.7k · July 24, 2005

done

7.2k · July 24, 2005

I had an idea for a puzzle cache where you have multiple paths. Some of the wrong choices took you to intermediate stages of other caches. If you had found the other cache then you might figure out you've on the wrong track. If you haven't you won't know until you found the wrong cache.

Another one took you to various caches to gather clues. The original concept was a spy themed cache, but it would have worked as a bonus cache for a "best of" series. Create a cache that lists your favorite caches of an area and take folks on a tour. In each cache gather clues to the bonus.

Both nixed because of proximity rule problems. Of course, later refinement might have made one or both possible, I've not revisited the ideas. Feel free to use them if you want.

2.2k · July 24, 2005

I have designed electronic multicache markers that change automatically.

Each day the markers change and take seekers on different paths to the final.

I just have a few minor isuues to work out before I give em a test run.

July 24, 2005

Cache location: median of an eight lane highway. Cache name? Frogger

Very funny.. I've been chuckling all morning. Thanks

Murfster

July 25, 2005

I wanted to do a cache called 'Poke It With A Stick.'

I was gonna make a small section of fake poison ivy vine, all fuzzy (steel wool) and with a pin going into a knothole on a tree, if you poked it it would spin on the pin. But S said

'no way' and spilled the idea to the local caching group to really kill it dead. In hindsight I think she's right. If you're allergic to poison ivy and grab the wrong vine it wouldn't be pretty.

- T of TandS

July 25, 2005

I have a dream - It will be a camouflaged bison tube with a $50.00 bill.

The name of the cache will be:

"UNDER THE KUDZU"

I have two spots picked out(about 2 to 3 acres on a hill side or in a drain. I have the container and the desire!

Local cachers know it is a possibility and one of these days I am going to feel froggy enough to follow through with the evil plan.

July 25, 2005

I have a dream - It will be a camouflaged bison tube with a $50.00 bill.

The name of the cache will be:

"UNDER THE KUDZU"

I have two spots picked out(about 2 to 3 acres on a hill side or in a drain. I have the container and the desire!

Local cachers know it is a possibility and one of these days I am going to feel froggy enough to follow through with the evil plan.

Anything in kudzu is evil! After living in Mississippi I realize sometimes it would be hard to find a CAR in that crap.

July 25, 2005

I have a dream - It will be a camouflaged bison tube with a $50.00 bill.

The name of the cache will be:

"UNDER THE KUDZU"

I have two spots picked out(about 2 to 3 acres on a hill side or in a drain. I have the container and the desire!

Local cachers know it is a possibility and one of these days I am going to feel froggy enough to follow through with the evil plan.

Anything in kudzu is evil! After living in Mississippi I realize sometimes it would be hard to find a CAR in that crap.

It is more than evil!

6.5k · July 25, 2005

We have/had one here like that. It was an ammo can, but in a 2+acre field of the stuff just behind a subdivision.

I was lucky enough to be advised by a geopal to look for it in spring before it was completely in full bloom, and it still took a major search.

I use the past tense, since the latest log indicates that the local kids who used the nearby firepit as the party hangout seem to have found and sacrificed the cache.

PS as a reply to an earlier post in this thread-I would be seriously steamed if a wrong turn from your cache gave someone a short cut to my multi cache. They found a cache with a log book and signed it, so they deserve a smiley, just not the way that cache owner intended it to be done. I think any cache that infringes on a other without permission, deserves to be sacrificed in the firepit.

As to my drawaing board-I can't say. They will get sorted out and deployed some day. Don't want to ruin the fun, ya know?

38.2k · July 25, 2005

The admins put the kibosh on my NYC "Subway Series". I had made all these really great containers out of PVC pipe too .

9.2k · July 25, 2005

I would say that the majority of my evil cache hide ideas are quickly squashed once I say to myself "I could never get permission to hide a cache at {fill in the blank}." Usually this happens while I am walking or driving past a place I see regularly while traveling around town.

This common sense voice has nixed ideas involving fountains, abandoned bridge abutments, sides of buildings, parking garages, urban parklets in the courtyards between skyscrapers, and so forth.

Sometimes, however, I find a spot where I can get permission or where I can comfortably conclude that no permission is needed. Then, there's a new cache!

July 25, 2005

The admins put the kibosh on my NYC "Subway Series". I had made all these really great containers out of PVC pipe too .

ha ha ha

that's the greatest thing ever written

7.2k · July 25, 2005

You know, I had the idea of putting a bison tube inside of a dummy hand grenade, but no one at the 2004 April GGA Meeting thought it would be a good idea. I mean, you know, talk about surprising a geocacher when he gets to the cache!

Spoil sports.

I think I am going to try to do the bison tube in the cut off finger. I think that one will fly.

July 25, 2005

I think I am going to try to do the bison tube in the cut off finger. I think that one will fly.

Do they make fake fingers with "twitching action?" Of course, I know it would probably be difficult getting a "moving cache" approved.

Just keep your cache away from my chili!

7.2k · July 25, 2005

I think I am going to try to do the bison tube in the cut off finger. I think that one will fly.

Do they make fake fingers with "twitching action?" Of course, I know it would probably be difficult getting a "moving cache" approved.

Just keep your cache away from my chili!

Mmmmmmmm... twitching. I like it.

Maybe I will call the cache "No... No Chili For Me, Thanks".

July 25, 2005

I have designed electronic multicache markers that change automatically.

Ooooh! Electronic markers! I'm a geek, tell me more!

July 25, 2005

How about a mobile cache attached to a big dog collar called

"Capture the Black Bear"?

1.1k · July 25, 2005

I was going to buy a stuffed animal and cover a tupperware container with the fur, some bones, red paint and a few fake flies. Basically do my best to make the ugliest roadkill container that I could. I still want to do this.

That idea turned into the never placed "O'possum where art thou?". Essentially I wanted to buy a stuffed possum and place the container inside him. I was going to hang him by his tail from a branch in an evergreen. The visual image of a cacher pulling back the branches and finding himself face to face with a marsupial still gives me chuckles. I still want to do this.

(Frankenstien never scared me. Marsupials do. Cause they're fast.)

This idea eventually turned into the now archived "Muggled monkey love". With permission, I hung a flyer on the community cork board at the local grocery store. The flyer was of the missing pet variety with a picture of a fictional child and her missing pet monkey. Along the bottom of the flyer where tear off contact slips, but instead of a phone number it contained the final coords to a near by park. Muggles was a stuffed toy monkey with a jar (the cache container) in his belly. A few cachers found muggles in his forerest hideout but Muggles the monkey and his flyer kept getting muggled. Eventually he ran away for good. I like to imagine him munching bananas in some island resort.

I've got more ideas than time or money. Most of them half-baked. The final deciding factor is all to often an upkeep issue. It's pointless to place a cache that can't be maintained.

2.2k · July 25, 2005

I have designed electronic multicache markers that change automatically.

Ooooh! Electronic markers! I'm a geek, tell me more!

They are not ready yet. The issues im dealing with are power consumption and weather resistance.

Power consumption is the main issue. Trying to make it run as long as possible in a single battery. I don't want to have to change betteries constantly.

July 25, 2005

(Frankenstien never scared me. Marsupials do. Cause they're fast.)

That was dead on Christopher Walken LOL

July 25, 2005

I have designed electronic multicache markers that change automatically.

Ooooh! Electronic markers! I'm a geek, tell me more!

They are not ready yet. The issues im dealing with are power consumption and weather resistance.

Power consumption is the main issue. Trying to make it run as long as possible in a single battery. I don't want to have to change betteries constantly.

Solar?

7.2k · July 25, 2005

The final deciding factor is all to often an upkeep issue. It's pointless to place a cache that can't be maintained.

Maintenance is what is puzzling me on my one with the bison tube in the cut off finger. I would have to replace the finger pretty often. I'm thinking that with our monthly GGA meetings I could have a pretty good supply though.

I hope AtlantaGal isn't reading this topic. I like seeing her at meetings.

2.2k · July 25, 2005

Solar?

I did consider that but maintaining stealth while allowing the solar cell to remain in the direct sunlight would be difficult.

July 25, 2005

The admins put the kibosh on my NYC "Subway Series". I had made all these really great containers out of PVC pipe too .

July 25, 2005

Solar?

I did consider that but maintaining stealth while allowing the solar cell to remain in the direct sunlight would be difficult.

Could you not place the solar panel higher than eye level (or in tree, top of pole etc) and run a long enough lead to the electro gizmo to maintain stealth?

2.2k · July 25, 2005

I could, but my ultimate goal is to make a marker that requires minimal setup, and can be used in a wide variety of settings, from thick foliage to open fields.

Ultimately, Id like to offer the design to the community as a whole.

July 25, 2005

I could, but my ultimate goal is to make a marker that requires minimal setup, and can be used in a wide variety of settings, from thick foliage to open fields.

Ultimately, Id like to offer the design to the community as a whole.

This is off-topic ... and probably better suited for a thread called "Battery-powered Caches" or something similar ...

Anyhow, digital watches run for a year or more on their tiny little batteries. What you want to do seems similar, and having a cache run for that length of time would involve minimal maintenance.

2.2k · July 25, 2005

To get back on topic, my father is a commercial lobsterman, and I once wanted to place an underwater cache out in the middle of Cape Cod bay somewhere. The cache would be heavy enough to sink to the bottom, and it would be connected to a buoy via a rope. The buoy would be painted with a GC logo so cachers would know they have the correct one.

Problems:

One good storm could potentially move the cache quite a ways from the posted coords.

My inability to join my father on his lobstering trips during the weeks would hinder any necessary cache maintenance.

He doesn't lobster in the winter so winter maintenance would be impossible.

How many cachers would actually go out there to log it?

1.1k · July 25, 2005

WH,

I have run into the same issue with a solar powered cache that I am working on.

Disclaimer: I am not an electrician. The following is not to be considered profesional advice. Do your own research and /or consult a professional.

One possible solution I have found is increasing the battery count without increasing the voltage by wiring parallel.

So if I wire 3 AA batteries in a parallel, one wire accross the + terminals and one wire across the negative terminals, I get a total voltage of 1.5 with close to three times the storage capacity of a single AA.

Wiring the same three batteries in serial, positive to negative like in a flashlight, the combined voltage is 4.5 but with similar capacity to a single AA.

So lets say my battery requirement is 3 AA batteries with a total voltage of 4.5 volts. If I parallel 2 sets of 3 serialed AAs then I have effectively doubled my capacity will maintaining a voltage of 4.5.

Another option, of course would be to use a 1.5 volt D cell in place of each AA or AAA you would otherwise require. While AAA, AA , C and D cells are all rated the same voltage the physical limitations of the cells increase repectively with size.

Again, I'm not an electrician so if your reading this and can expand on it or correct me, please do so.

2.2k · July 25, 2005

The solution I am working on is not increasing the the amount of available power, but reducing the amount of power needed.

These markers, when complete, will change coordinates every 24 hours and will change both the length of the hike, but the number of stages depending on which days you go.

One way to accomplish this is to use a rotating drum with different coordinates wriiten along it. Once a day, the drum would rotate 1/4 turn thus displaying the coordinates in the window that I want the cacher to see.

This way, power is only used once a day for a very brief period of time. I hope the batteries will last quite a while.

July 25, 2005

I had an idea for a puzzle cache where you have multiple paths. Some of the wrong choices took you to intermediate stages of other caches. If you had found the other cache then you might figure out you've on the wrong track. If you haven't you won't know until you found the wrong cache.

I have done a cache already on a simalar idea of CoyoteRed over a year ago. (GCJE24) Take a look. I have a couple of good ideas for caches in am working on right now.

Ziggy Crew

July 25, 2005

I had an idea for a puzzle cache where you have multiple paths. Some of the wrong choices took you to intermediate stages of other caches. If you had found the other cache then you might figure out you've on the wrong track. If you haven't you won't know until you found the wrong cache.

I have done a cache already on a simalar idea of CoyoteRed over a year ago. (GCJE24) Take a look. I have a couple of good ideas for caches in am working on right now.

Ziggy Crew

Check out Choose Your Own Cache Adventure

July 25, 2005

One possible solution I have found is increasing the battery count without increasing the voltage by wiring parallel.

So if I wire 3 AA batteries in a parallel, one wire accross the + terminals and one wire across the negative terminals, I get a total voltage of 1.5 with close to three times the storage capacity of a single AA.

Wiring the same three batteries in serial, positive to negative like in a flashlight, the combined voltage is 4.5 but with similar capacity to a single AA.

So lets say my battery requirement is 3 AA batteries with a total voltage of 4.5 volts. If I parallel 2 sets of 3 serialed AAs then I have effectively doubled my capacity will maintaining a voltage of 4.5.

Another option, of course would be to use a 1.5 volt D cell in place of each AA or AAA you would otherwise require. While AAA, AA , C and D cells are all rated the same voltage the physical limitations of the cells increase repectively with size.

Again, I'm not an electrician so if your reading this and can expand on it or correct me, please do so.

How about using what is called a "Sub-C" Cell battery? They are rechargable and they usually have a high milliamp rating. These cells are used to power electric R/C Cars and/or the radio control transmitter/receiver.

1.1k · July 25, 2005

How about using what is called a "Sub-C" Cell battery? They are rechargable and they usually have a high milliamp rating. These cells are used to power electric R/C Cars and/or the radio control transmitter/receiver.

Back on topic:

One way to accomplish this is to use a rotating drum with different coordinates wriiten along it. Once a day, the drum would rotate 1/4 turn thus displaying the coordinates in the window that I want the cacher to see.

IF I understand correctly, and I reserve the right to be completely wrong, the higher the milliamp rating the faster the discharge. These batteries are designed to optimize peak output for short periods of time, much like a short cycle car battery. Big burst, quick drain and a quick recharge. Regardless of the voltage required, the excess milliamps are leached out and wasted. As oppossed to a low milliamp output which will take much longer to drain.

Back on topic:

One way to accomplish this is to use a rotating drum with different coordinates wriiten along it. Once a day, the drum would rotate 1/4 turn thus displaying the coordinates in the window that I want the cacher to see.

This is nothing short of brilliant. I'd be very interested in doing this cache.

24.7k · July 25, 2005

The 10' over series was shot down. I mean it's got to be a different hide if it's 10' from someone elses cache, but NOoooOOOoooOOOoo! Some people get sensative about 'their spot'. :laughing:

For what it's worth though 10' over in a WalMart parking lot doesn't leave much for a hiding spot.

Edited July 25, 2005 by Renegade Knight

July 25, 2005

One way to accomplish this is to use a rotating drum with different coordinates wriiten along it. Once a day, the drum would rotate 1/4 turn thus displaying the coordinates in the window that I want the cacher to see.

This is nothing short of brilliant. I'd be very interested in doing this cache.

Some a** is going to crack the drum open though, so that they can find the shortest hike possible.

You can buy and program, quite easily, little LCD displays that would do what you want it to do.

July 25, 2005

I could, but my ultimate goal is to make a marker that requires minimal setup, and can be used in a wide variety of settings, from thick foliage to open fields.

Ultimately, Id like to offer the design to the community as a whole.

I'm no electronics expert, but maybe if you had them run during specific times? If they run an hour a day, they will last 24 times longer.

2.2k · July 25, 2005

One way to accomplish this is to use a rotating drum with different coordinates wriiten along it. Once a day, the drum would rotate 1/4 turn thus displaying the coordinates in the window that I want the cacher to see.

This is nothing short of brilliant. I'd be very interested in doing this cache.

Some a** is going to crack the drum open though, so that they can find the shortest hike possible.

You can buy and program, quite easily, little LCD displays that would do what you want it to do.

The point is trying to minimize power consumption thus maximizing battery life. The LCD display will need to be on all the time for it to work, as well as the other circuitry.

July 25, 2005

I'm moving the electronic/battery discussion to another thread. Please take the conversation there.

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=104040

Thanks.

July 25, 2005

I have always wanted to set a push button behind a movable rock, like the ones in the indian jones treasue hunts, but pushing on this rock would ring a bell in the cache, somewhere far away in the woods. the problem being that by yourself, you would have to keep ringing the bell until you had a general idea where to look, or when with someone else, they would ring the bell until you found it, then you could switch so they could find it also. BUT someone would just folow the wire connecting the button to the bell, now if I could figure out how to make it wireless....

5.6k · July 26, 2005

I have always wanted to set a push button behind a movable rock, like the ones in the indian jones treasue hunts, but pushing on this rock would ring a bell in the cache, somewhere far away in the woods. the problem being that by yourself, you would have to keep ringing the bell until you had a general idea where to look, or when with someone else, they would ring the bell until you found it, then you could switch so they could find it also. BUT someone would just folow the wire connecting the button to the bell, now if I could figure out how to make it wireless....

Check out the hardware stores, they have wireless doorbells...

July 26, 2005

Lots of us have had the "what sort of cache" should I create discussion, something unique, something that hasn't been down before. A lot of the ideas were serious, some semi-serious, and some just ridiculous thoughts. What sort of really bad cache ideas have you had?

Here's one to start the topic off:

Cache location: median of an eight lane highway. Cache name? Frogger

Have fun.

Curiosly, I have one planted in the middle of a 6 lane highway. Perhaps I should change its name...

2.4k · July 26, 2005

Cache location: median of an eight lane highway. Cache name? Frogger

Have fun.

Curiosly, I have one planted in the middle of a 6 lane highway. Perhaps I should change its name...

Our most recent one appears to be in the middle of a four-lane highway when you look at the coords on a map, but it's not

(It's in a bike-path tunnel that runs underneath the highway. The tunnel was just completed so it's too new to show up on many maps and aerial photos; at first glance it looks as if it must be in the middle of the highway.)

6.5k · July 26, 2005

To get back on topic, my father is a commercial lobsterman, and I once wanted to place an underwater cache out in the middle of Cape Cod bay somewhere. The cache would be heavy enough to sink to the bottom, and it would be connected to a buoy via a rope. The buoy would be painted with a GC logo so cachers would know they have the correct one.

How many cachers would actually go out there to log it?

How many lobstermen would look kindly upon some cacher searching through their traps for mctrinkets? I understand they are pretty territorial folks, and rightly so, it is tough work.

July 26, 2005

Problems:

One good storm could potentially move the cache quite a ways from the posted coords.

My inability to join my father on his lobstering trips during the weeks would hinder any necessary cache maintenance.

He doesn't lobster in the winter so winter maintenance would be impossible.

How many cachers would actually go out there to log it?

Awesome idea! Depending on where it's located, I might put the kayak in for something like this

July 26, 2005

hopefully that 51 leg multi that was dicussed in another thread will be one of these 'killed at the db.'

Nothing against multis or that cacher, but that just seemed pretty uninspired, as they asked where they could get 51 micro containers for free in a different thread.

Cache Ideas That Were Killed At The Drawing Board

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