Jump to content

How Do You Play Your Game?


Snoogans

Recommended Posts

"Everyone plays their own game. There is no sense in trying to police another's mindset as long as it falls within the general parameters of the game." Me (quoting myself from the poll that I posted on 10/23/03.)

 

I'm kinda curious how everyone else plays THEIR game here.....

 

So many threads get posted by one cacher shaking their finger at other cachers for the way they play "The Game." In many cases these finger wagglers just haven't taken the time to try to see how someone who plays the game a bit differently can find it fun.

 

This is not a thread to debate what's right or wrong, so let's not have any of that. Commenting on other’s posts is OK, but tryyyy not to judge. Just post how you play YOUR game. This might prove interesting if it can stay civil.

 

I'm going to try to cover as many issues as possible, but don't feel obligated to do the same if you want to participate. Just hit the points that are important to YOU.

 

At least try to cover: are you more of a hider/finder, how you go about hiding caches & hunting caches, DNFs, travel bugs, swag, and most importantly your favorite aspect of geocaching.

 

Snoogans' Game:

 

I'm more of a hider than a finder. A great log on one of my caches can really make my day and I try to place caches that will generate good logs.

 

Priority #1 for my hides: Most of my hidden caches must be above par in at least some aspect, or for me, what's the point? You don't see too many TNLNTFTC finds on my caches. All it takes is a little thought in hiding and folks will want to talk about it.

 

Conversely, a cache is a cache to me. I don't feel others need to uphold my personal set of standards in their hides for me to enjoy them. In many cases I don't really enjoy them, but I try to always remember to say thanks. I know that it's MY responsibility to have fun. It's NOT the hider's responsibility to show me a great time, in the safest of conditions, with adequate parking and restrooms, while being kid friendly, clever, giving just the perfect hint, and whatever else it takes to float my boat on that particular day.

 

I don’t absolutely require people to stick to the theme on my theme caches, but it is nice when they do. If someone cheats on my puzzle caches, I don’t care. I just don’t have control issues about small stuff and frankly, cheating to get coords on a puzzle is a part of the game whether people want to admit it or not. Whether it’s by email, under the table, or just hooking up with someone who has already done the work, if you go to the cache and sign the log it’s still a find.

 

When I post an event, I get a hide stat, but I also post a find on my own hosted events. It's hard work hosting an event and I feel that I deserve the find as well.

 

Attending events is my absolute favorite part of geocaching. When I discovered geocaching, it felt like I had found “My People.” I have attended a total of 47 geocaching events (3 non-official GC.com events) in 5 states. (Texas, California, New Mexico, Florida, and Colorado.)

 

I drove over 2,000 total miles just to attend GeoWoodstock III and it's not uncommon for me to make a 300, or 600, mile roundtrip to attend an event on any given weekend. I like talking about geocaching, so I guess that’s why I spend so much time in the forums between events.

 

Hunting caches is usually an opportunistic venture for me. I tend to WANT to hunt caches when I am traveling. I take the ones at home for granted. The nearest unfound cache to my house is less than 2 miles away. There are several caches within an easy walk from my job. One is just a couple hundred yards away.... I haven't bothered to find any of them.

 

When I choose to hunt a cache, at home, it's because the word of mouth on it is such that a great hunt is almost assured.

 

I like virtual and locationless caches.

 

I like a regular cache as much as the next guy, but I’m not repulsed by micros.

 

I think puzzle caches are cool. I don’t possess the skills or equipment (I.E. Sextant, sighting compass) to do many of the ones in my area, but maybe one day I’ll take a stab at them. Heck, it might be fun to team up with someone to tackle them. I certainly don't resent a cache being posted that I can't find.

 

FTF is not my drug of choice although it IS quite good when I get one. I'd rather look at the logs and see if a cache is worth my time most days that I choose to hunt.

 

Sometimes I'm a lazy logger. I have well over 100 caches found (possibly as many as 200) that I still haven't bothered to log. I’ve got about 15 caches from 2004 and most of the caches I’ve hit since May left to log… BTW- I have a half dozen caches hidden that I haven’t bothered to post either.

 

I post ALL of my DNFs immediately. I feel that it is important to let the owner and other potential hunters know my experience of a DNF.

 

I could care less what’s in a cache, but I usually make a trade if there’s anything at all there. Signature items are what I look for and all I really care about other than travel bugs. I especially like ANYTHING that is hand made.

 

I very rarely do more than sign my name in a log book and unless the weather is great and the bugs absent, I very rarely take the time to read one. I’d rather cover it all online. In my online logs I almost never post what I trade. I have a habit of cramming a cache that I enjoyed full of decent stuff and I just don’t feel like listing it all. If all I say is thanks, then you can bet it wasn’t a stellar experience, but I at least appreciate a hider’s effort and don’t waste my time pondering their motivation for placing a cache.

 

I think travel bugs are just plain cool as my TB stats will show. I try to log and move TBs as quickly as possible, but I’m no TB saint. I’ve lost, misplaced, forgotten, and held bugs too long. Eh, it happens.

 

I advocate counting coup on TBs even though I rarely do it. To me, Travel Bugs are a game within the game. In MY tb game, a travel bug is a game piece. Just like caches, I want to find as many as I can. I must at least touch a travel bug to get credit for it unless it’s a virtual bug. I get around, so I like to move bugs to rack up mileage and that’s the only reason that I hardly ever count coup.

 

I have 113 travel bug tags of my own. About half of those are activated and of those only about a dozen or so have been released. I don’t have unrealistic expectations about my TBs. I accept responsibility that I released an item into the world and whatever happens to it is just fine by me regardless if whether it stays on mission or not.

 

Other geocaching sites- I participate at least in some way on many other geocaching/geocaching related sites. A geocache is a geocache is a geocache to me and I really don’t understand the political nature of why some people refuse to consider using alternative cache listing sites. There’s more than one lane on the geocaching highway.

 

I'm sure I've missed something. It took about 3 hours to write this.....

 

SO, how do you play YOUR game???

 

a5e1880f-d5e2-429b-bb85-65599c8426f8.jpg

Edited by Snoogans
Link to comment
A little less wordy.  :P  ;)

ROFLMAO!!!

 

Maybe I should have called it Snoogans' Game Philosophy. :P

 

Just hit the points that are important to YOU.

 

At least try to cover: are you more of a hider/finder, how you go about hiding caches & hunting caches, DNFs, travel bugs, swag, and most importantly your favorite aspect of geocaching.

 

How about practicing your brevity with those few questions? It might be interesting to see your side. :P

Edited by Snoogans
Link to comment

Dude, are the letters still on your keyboard or did you wear them off typing that one, or were they already gone from your (complete) profile in that other thread.

 

I'm still figuring out how I play the game. I like to place caches as much as find them. I try not to trespass, I try to be honest in the logs, I try a lot of things.

I've never held a TB, so that waits to be seen.

 

I have 2 GPS units and use both to cache. I have a old computer I try to keep running, without it I'm up a creek. I am not a premium member, but would like to be one if I had a new computer to enjoy the benefits on.

I have cached alone, but most of the time one or both of my parents comes along, they drive while I stick my nose in the GPSr trying to figure out which turn we just passed. (I have an odd habit of weaving like a drunk when I try to drive and navigate at the same time.) I also enjoy hunting Benchmarks, but mostly do that when I have already found all the caches in an area.

 

I might think of some more later.

Link to comment

I try to play MY game the way that reflects who I am. That is to say, I feel that I'm a relaxed person who makes mistakes once in a while, and enjoys having fun. If something isn't fun, and I don't have to be doing it, then I'll do something else I enjoy.

 

Geocaching is quite probably the most perfect game EVER. Everyone can play as they feel. Sure, other cachers sometimes do things that may irk me, but you know what? I get over it pretty dang quick. For me, it's really easy to keep this hobby relaxed, fulfilling, and FUN.

 

In life, I sometimes falter/make mistakes, and I'll own up to each one.

In Geocaching, I log my DNF's. And I won't go back and turn a DNF into a found either.

 

In life, I'm better at somethings than others, and I try to improve the things I don't do so well at.

In geocaching, I do some caches well, but not others. Puzzles come to mind, but I WILL sit up late some nights trying to figure a couple out sometimes. Just to say that I could.

 

In life, I try to remember that I have no control over circumstances.

In Geocaching, if I don't find it, or run out of time, or don't solve the puzzle, oh well, there's always tomorrow.

 

In life, I try to be as creative as possible, to not stagnate. I have many skills/talents and enjoy using them to further a goal/project/idea.

In geocaching, I try to do the same, particularly the hides. I've only got 4 hides so far, but they are not a film cannister under a lamppost skirt. The hides may not be in stellar locations, but the containers are different than others, and make you think "outside the box".

 

In life, sure, it's cool if I'm at the front of the line, but don't grumble a lot if I'm 3rd or 4th.

In Geocaching, sure, it's cool to get a FTF, but don't get bummed/feel guilty if I'm too tired at 10pm on a worknight to drive 20 miles to snag one that just popped up. Now, 8pm and 10 miles away, that's another story! ;)

 

Thanks for the thought provoking post Snoogans! I look forward to getting to Tejas sometime for "Quantam Leap".

Edited by Old Bill
Link to comment

I like to see whats hidden behind the curtain. Even as a little kid, when we were going somewhere, I wanted to see what was inside the tree-line, behind the store, over the hill - you get the picture.

 

Caching has helped scratch that itch in my adult years. I like hiding and finding. I tend to spend A LOT of time exploring areas that harbor caches, rather than simply finding and splitting. This has led to a rather low find count, but a high satisfaction ratio. I sincerely believe that a cache is there to bring you to the area, and its up to the seeker to make the hunt enjoyable.

 

If there isn't a cache in an area I'm interested in, I explore to see if I can hide one there. My new cache theory is, if the area isn't really interesting, then I need to make the hunt interesting. A crazy story line, a unique container, or some interesting history can make a plain walk an interesting experience. Hence, my hides take awhile to put out. More than one has been shelved because someone else has placed theirs too close to my prospective hiding spot first.

 

unfortunately, the bugs usually prevent me from taking time to write much in the log book, so I try to make up for it in the online log. I hate the SL, TFTC logs on my caches, so I try to leave quality logs for others. Though I can't compare myself to Oregone's talent, I try to follow his example. ( Not imitate him, just learn from him )

 

I do my DNF's, try to trade fair, and not let others attitudes bother me. I'd like to say "Live & let live" is my motto, but I'm fallible. Occasionally, I get caught up in the controversies and arguments in the local cacher groups.

 

I've not attended but one event due to my constricted schedule, but I enjoy the comraderie of the online banter amongst cachers.

Link to comment

I've been in a hiding phase lately. A new cache just showed up in my email, and looking at it, my first thought was that I might well be able to get to it tomorrow and my second was that I ought to leave one about .8 NW of it in an area I scouted a month or so ago. If I'm short of time, I'll place rather than find. But that's just lately. I go thru hunting phases too. I hunt everything, including locationless and lamp-pole parking lot micros. I'm not a cache snob.

I've changed quite a bit in the types of caches I mostly place - I used to be into hiker bushwhacking get-you-wet in the swamp hides. But having hosted and attended so many events, I realize that a lot of folks aren't able to do those. So now I have a lot of not so special, but pleasant hides a modest distance off trail and less than a mile from the trail head. I just published 3 this weekend - they're really more about getting folks to drive into the forest. It doesn't take 4x on a lot of those roads.

I care very little about travel bugs. Mostly now I only log personal bugs and coins at events. I did get everything (TBs) out of the swamp last spring. Those bugs just sit all summer and are at risk for flooding. So I grab them and take them all to events. Not interested in swag either - used to have a sig item, but just let it go. Seems like a vanity thing, and now I just don't care. They could all be micros as far as I'm concerned. I do get testy about coordinate accuracy, but having so many hides in deep swamp, I understand the limitations in tree cover.

I log all my DNFs and am looking forward to the all important milestone 100!.Coming soon, I'm at 98. Gonna hafta do some hunting and not finding to turn that one over. :rolleyes:

I like everything about gxing - the "show and tell" aspect of logging, going new places, the hunt itself, the FIND!! (wheeee, I've got it!) and the folks. I'm not wild about the drive time - but until we get transporter technology I'm resigned.

<_<

Link to comment

Hmm, interesting topic. I try to use cachin as a way for me to spend time with my daughter, Hannah, she's 8 now. Seems to wanna chase lizards and poke sticks in the mud than look for hidden boxes. Then when the cache comes out, she is all in there tryin to get some loot. Had to start makin rules for her. She can sort through her old trinkets and take some to trade, but she has to have the same # if not less when we return home. Some caches she wants to take 4 or 5 items...hard for her to understand that we have to leave some for others. For me its all in the hunt. It gives me great pride to have FOUND the cache. Most of the time I try to get out and specifically find one that has had some trouble. If there are a few DNF logs that is the one I want to look for...but most of the time....I am another DNF log. Benchmarks are a good alternative most of the ones I look for haven't had any info updated since the '40s.

 

I recently returned from Iraq. Wanted to place a traditional cache, but as one of the guys responsible for gettin rid of the roadside bombs....I just can't bring myself to addin to the soldiers danger. So, I left a virt, somethin to log on the fly. May leave another, on my next trip, which isn't too far off. Less than 4 months away.

 

Anyhoo, 'nuff of my lame attempts at fun.

 

Smejk

Link to comment

The rules I follow are simple. I don't cheat. I log each cache only once. I don't partake in logging caches from Invite only parties. I don't log event caches because they screw up you events attended stats, plus everyone doesn't have a fair chance to log those caches since they are one day only caches. I don't log finds on my own caches or caches I was around when the hider hid the cache.

 

I am a numbers hound meaning I like to find lots of caches. I also like to see where I stand compared to other cachers and use that to inspire me to go find more. Unfortunately, it is not a level playing field in this game since some people do what I have written above and run up their stats, making comparisons unfair and biased. I will stop with this so Cybret and the other mods don't take away my posting priveleges for going to far in this post. :rolleyes:

Link to comment

Long winded but well said. We all have more than one way to look at the way we play this game, sport etc. etc.

I'm more of a hider and most of them do require some kind of a hike with a little map work thrown in for good measure. Some stretch the rules of the game but like me being a grandfather can be fun.

I've started to hide some more in a fairly remote area that requires a 4 x 4 to get there and they are not as physically difficult as some of my older caches. But the area is real nice to visit and I don't have to bust my other end to take care of them either.

Some of my backcountry ones will be archived shortly but not my 5 x 5 that one will have to stay active awhile to see how many cachers can go for the flex all moment.

I have no qualms against Virtuals or micros, if I don't like them I just don't go look for them.

Whatever I can do to spice up the game and have fun with my kids is what its all about to me.

Link to comment

OK, here's my way that I PLAY MY game.

 

I generally cache alone and, depending on my mood, will do the woodsy, bushwaching ones early in the day. If I am itching to get outside but not too thrilled to be covered in leaves and bug spray, then I concentrate on PNG's or easy-to-finds. If I don't have kids and am not going on a weekender trip, then I generally will cache. On the weekends that I DO have the kids, then I will limit my caching... (sometimes, with two teenagers, ya just gotta get outta da house!! :rolleyes: )

 

I log ALL of my DNF's. That way, I can come back to it or keep an eye on it.

 

I love travel bugs. I have 8 of my own and will be concentrating on getting a whole lot more before GW4. Having read Snoogans thread on the TB forum about the way they are going to be handled intrigued me and now I want to get 100's of my own to send out into the world. <_<

 

I have lots of ideas on hiding caches. I have only hid two. One day, I want to become more if a hider.

 

Events, wow, I have only been to three and have thoroughly enjoyed them. I feel like they are another extension of my family. I even meet scouters who share my love of scouting and caching. What could be more perfect???

 

Puzzles, not really into them. I don't want to take the time to do them. But, I am going to try to get my 16YO son to "help" me and hopefully he will get a bit excited about going to find the cache after the work he puts into the puzzles. We'll see.

 

That's it for now.

gsguru

Link to comment

Like Snoogans I'm more of a hider than a finder. I like to think most of my hides are generally of high quality. I'm not one for placing micros and park n grabs. I did have a few park 'n grabs at one time, but archived most of them because some people thought there were a great idea and started copying them. I figured there were enough junk caches out there without me adding to them.

 

I have a few micros out there chiefly because they are in high traffic areas and a larger cache wouldn't last. Most of my caches are ammo boxes or Lock n Locks in the woods, often involving at least a mile hike. I'm not one for "clever" hides. I place caches for them to be found, not to fool people (with one exception).

 

I like to stock my caches well and part of the fun is shopping for inexpensive, but useful items to place in my caches. I also enjoy finding a well stocked cache, even though I usually don't trade. I simply like rummaging through the contents to see what others left.

 

I personally don't "count coup" with TBs or geocoins, though I know a lot of people do, particularly with the coins. I don't have a problem with it. I did "count coup" on a Moun10bike coin that was passed around at an event, but after doing it I decided it was silly and haven't done it since. If I don't find it in a cache, I don't log it.

 

As far as finding, I log my DNFs. My criteria for a DNF are if I call up the cache's waypoint on my GPS, hit "go to" and come up empty, its a DNF. It doesn't matter if it was missing, there was a bear sitting on the cache, I turned around due to darkness, got a flat tire or just couldn't find it. It's a DNF.

 

For me to log a 'found it" for a cache, I have to find it. By finding the cache I mean an intact cache, or enough of the remains to verify beyond a reasonable doubt that it is (or was) the cache.

 

I'm not a numbers person and I'm not crazy about park n grabs or urban caches, but I will do them if I happen to be in the area. I will not go out of my way for them though. I will however go out of my way for a nice hike in the woods.

 

And above all, I "play the game" to get outdoors, discover new places and have fun. Now that my wife is really into geocaching it's all the better because it gives us quality time together.

Edited by briansnat
Link to comment

Although I consciously search for hiding spots every time I go out, I am definitely more of a finder than a hider; I’m relatively lazy and cache maintenance ain’t for sissies. Also, I’m not a stickler about the rules for people who find my caches. If someone wants to cheat (I’m not sure who they would be cheating) by putting a smiley on one of my caches without signing the log, or even visiting it, have at it! I simply don’t care.

 

I have never logged a find that I didn’t actually find and sign the log or meet the requirements. I like searching for all types of caches (puzzles are my least favorite); where and how someone hides a cache is a mirror of their persona, and I like people. My favorites, you may ask? I’m torn between caches that require a boat or a long hike and those pesky little urban micros that demand stealth for success. I especially like caching at night in the woods.

 

I always post my DNFs, doesn’t everybody?

 

Travel bugs are way cool but sometimes my laziness interferes; I once held onto someone’s TB so long, I felt guilty and sent the owner a $20 gift certificate from Groundspeak. My own bugs have been relatively successful. I have lost only a couple while others have traveled to countries around the world.

 

I hate it when a cache has junk in it, but I rarely trade, so I get over it. When I do trade, I attempt to trade up.

 

The greatest thing about caching is the community, and its growth is astonishing. When I first started, 2½ years ago, it was uncommon to meet other cachers. Seems like I’ve met two or three cachers every month this year. Someday, I’m sure I’ll meet Snoogans and his cute little puppy.

 

“Tanks,” for the memories! :ph34r:<_<

Link to comment

We on Team Red Oak are finders not hiders. Although we want to hide one day, we have lived in our area less than 2 years so we don't have the advantage of being familiar with the parks and other neighborhoods. So far the only way we've found some of the parks in our area is becasue we've hunted caches there, we just don't really know an area to hide a cache that doesn't already have a cache or 2 placed there.

 

We will hunt every hide, micro, regular, virtual, although in the woods we would rather hunt a regular cache. We love a challenge, and have no problems logging every DNF even if we DNF more than once on the same cache. Once we find the cache, ie sign the log, we leave the DNF(s) in the log because it is a true representation of what we did to find it. When we log, we try to say something more than thanks and we make a point of logging as soon as we come home from caching. The only exceptions are when we are traveling, then we log as soon as we come home. We are currently at a 78% find ratio. We've never done a puzzle or a night cache, but hope to one day and we've never had a FTF. We've been to one event and had a very good time.

 

We like TB's but we only pick them up if we can help them reach their goal and we strive to move them in a timely manner. Currently we have a bug and a coin that we've held onto way too long, our plans changed and we didn't make our trip as planned and I feel guilty for hanging on to them. We only log TB's we physically pick up and move.

 

Usually we don't trade anything. For us the fun is just finding the cache and if we don't find it, we've spent time together away from the house and we've explored a little bit. Sometimes I will stop on my way home from work and find a cache solo, but those finds are still logged under our team account.

 

Normally we plan what caches we're going to look for and we will read the cache pages and even the logs several days in advance just to make sure we are prepared. Then we print the pages (sans logs) of the caches we plan to look for. Normally by the time we get around to looking for the cache, we've forgotten what the logs have said and we never decipher hints unless we have looked for 30+ minutes. We like to feel as though we have found the cache, not like we've been told where the cache is, so we've only asked a cache owner for a hint once and then we told her where we were looking and just asked for confirmation that we were in the right spot.

Link to comment

I like to find caches -- don't really care what kind although I like ones with a hike and room for trade stuff best. I also like to hide. I have 5 caches so far and I'm thrilled when someone logs a new find on one. As I find more caches and see new types, I'm trying for better hides of my own.

 

I like to trade although I rarely keep anything I get from a cache. I usually trade it again at another cache along with stuff of my own.

 

I like travel bugs. I own 4 although only 2 are released. I have found several and would like to find more. I've never seen a geocoin of any kind!

 

I log all finds and DNFs online!

 

I guess I like just about all aspects of the game! <_<

Link to comment
I like to trade although I rarely keep anything I get from a cache.  I usually trade it again at another cache along with stuff of my own.

 

Me too.

 

There are very few pieces of actual cache swag that I have kept. It just goes in another cache along with other stuff of my own, unless I decide to make a travel bug out of it. I only keep signature items.

 

My nephew was caching with me one time when I traded for a Sonic race car. He commented that I had passed that exact same car up (distinguishing scratch on it) at a cache about 20 miles away weeks earlier. I didn't even notice, but I had suspected and seen several items of swag hitchhike to other caches.

 

There were so many stories about this item of cache swag that I HAD to make it a TB.

Edited by Snoogans
Link to comment

I have no rhyme or reason as to how I play; but I am on a mission to clear all the caches that are closest to home and work out from there. I enjoy a challenge be it a hard hike or a clever micro, but I will go for any cache. I do not normally work with travel bugs, trade or concern myself with the number of finds. I have hidden a few easy and a few hard and as mentioned before I want people to find my hides I do not want to see any DNF's on my cache pages. I have taken the kids on a majority of the adventures and they seem to enjoy it as long as the hike is not that hard. I enjoy solo caching, it gives me an excuse to get out of the house. My favorite time to cache - midnight or later. Why? that is when I get out of work and it adds to the excitement and challenge.

Link to comment

I got into geocaching because I love finding treasure and I wanted to get my kids off the couch and out into the fresh air - getting some exercise and experiencing nature. So NOT ONCE, in our 337 finds, have I not taken at least one child with me to share the experience. They gripe and moan about it, but I don't care cuz it's good for them. They hold me back some from getting more finds, but it keeps me from getting burned out.

 

I have also taken a picture of every one of our finds and it goes into a binder with a copy our log and the cache page. BTW, I like ALL types of caches and don't discrimate based on size, type or complexity. Of course the kids prefer caches where there is swag to exchange, so we tend to pick more of those, but I do love a challenging micro too.

 

Unless we are on vacation, I log every find and DNF within 24 hours, sooner if there is a TB involved. I will always try to find something interesting to say about the experience, like if we saw an animal or some cool mushrooms, or what the weather was like. I also always say what we exchanged.

 

FTF: I do enjoy them. I'm more likely to try to get one from a hider that doesn't already have a cache on my FTF list. If someone hides a series of caches all at once, I will FTF only one of them and leave the rest for others.

 

TBs: Sometimes I hang onto them a bit too long, but I try to do interesting things with them and sometimes post pictures. I also have a binder with pictures of every TB we've ever found too. I try to be fatalistic about the fate of the TBs we send out. TB pet peeve: event catch-and-release.

 

Events: I LOVE events. It's so fun to meet other cachers and talk to them. Event temporary hides: I will log them if I feel they are worthy. If not, then I don't. I've recently gone back and deleted some of those event temp find logs that in retrospect I felt were not smilie-worthy.

 

I would be more of a hider, but I want each cache I put out to be memorable to the finders - there's got to something different about it. It takes me a lot of time to put one together, so therefore I don't have very many. But the ones I do have get me great logs from happy cachers, so that makes my day.

 

Geocoin collecting has become my sub-hobby. It's something I can do while the kids are in school. <_< Ummmmm....I think that's it.

Link to comment

I will hunt any cache. I dislike cemetery caches and parking lot caches but I have hunted them. I try to get at least 10 caches in an area before I go look for them. I always try to make a day out of it. I always cache alone. Any trade items I take go into a bag at home and I use it as swag for another find. I have never been to an event and I don't plan to any time soon. If I meet another cacher on the trails then great, but a meet & greet is not for me. I have hidden some quick finds and I have hidden some that require a good hike. This sport combines all of my hobbies and I love it.

Link to comment

I love finding. I equally love hiding (though I admit that I hate maintaining!).

 

Nothing beats a nice hike or a great view or a clever container, though quantity is always fun from time to time.

 

I often plan my caching around my vacations...though I've been known to plan my vacations around caching too.

 

I recognize that this is simply a game and if I don't have fun, it's ultimately my fault for choosing caches I shouldn't have.

 

I don't particularly care about travel bugs. (I think I feel the same way about Waymarking, at least so far.) I have never owned a travel bug and probably never will. I have a couple shiny geocoins that were given to me at home, in a box, that will likely never see the light of day. That said, I like pretty new icons--including all the new geocoins--and will log them (but more than likely just one of each) if I get the chance.

 

Barring any bizarre other rules, if I sign the log, it's a find. If I don't, it's not a find. Pretty simple. My only reason for caring about my finds being accurate is so a cache I've found doesn't show up again in my pocket queries (yes, I know I can use GSAK for that purpose, but I don't care quite enough to figure it out).

 

I won't go out of my way for a virtual cache, but I'll log them if they're conveniently located on my way from somewhere to somewhere else. Sometimes they're actually interesting...sometimes they're stupid. Just like any other type of cache.

 

Sometimes it's fun to hide puzzle caches. For the most part, though, I'm not wild about solving them. I almost always filter them out of my queries.

 

Same goes for multi-caches, unless they're local hides. I like knowing exactly where I'm headed, at least as far as having all the coordinates.

 

I love events. Hanging out with big groups of other cachers is always fun. I've made lots of good friends that way.

 

That said, I go caching to get away from people, so I don't normally care for caching with large groups.

 

I love cemeteries, so I generally enjoy cemetery caches. However, I don't care for caches in the middle of residential streets or where I feel totally exposed. That's not to say I don't enjoy urban hides--there are plenty of spots to hide caches in the middle of cities where you don't look conspicuously out of place.

Link to comment

I love caches that don't require fifteen tons of extra equipment or miles of hikes to find.

 

My preferable caching attire is jeans and flip flops, so if a cache requires much more than that, I tend not to go seeking it without planning for it well in advance.

 

Since most of the people in this area don't trade, I try to stock my full sized caches with things that kids would enjoy so that the families that cache in the area will have an enjoyable hunt with their families.

 

I also prefer my caches to belong to a series as opposed to just being out there on their own, because I believe this gives cachers goals (I was trying to complete your ___ series)...

 

I will move travel bugs and traveler tags whenever I find them, although sometimes it takes me a while to find a suitable cache.

 

I absolutely hate caching alone. I find it to be boring. I'm more in it for the memories and the good hunts than for anything else.

Link to comment

Thanks folks for all the replies and not judgeing how others play when it seems to be 180 from your own. Maybe there would be fewer complaint threads if more people just took the time to see it the other guy's way. :ph34r: I had an interesting back and forth with another poster to this thread, offline, and I think we both got something positive from it even though we are on opposite sides of the fence about some things.

 

I can see that I did forget a few items in my game philosophy from what others are posting. DykeDiva just may get her second volume. <_<

 

Carry on.... :ph34r:

Link to comment

Our favorite rule is the 'no stealth when busted' rule. If future-cachers (mistakenly labeled muggles quite often) spot us hunting for a cache and obviously are wondering what we're up to, we introduce ourselves and geocaching to them. We show them the GPS, which everybody thinks is cool, and ask them to help make the find. We usually trade email addresses and give them the www.geocaching.com site address.

 

- T of TandS

Link to comment

Many many nuances go into Apollo Bob's game but I'll only mention a few that come to mind.

 

For me, one cache page=one find=one smiley. While I appreciate the generosity of hiders offering up bonus smileys for answering a trivia question about the cache site, posing like a monkey for the webcam, humming "The Star Spangled Banner" quietly to myself in the shower after the find, or even an extra smiley for each and every time I ever think about the cache until the end of time, I will respectfully decline. Find count is measured by my own personal yardstick, as it is for everyone else. I imagine that bonus smileys could be seen as a way to balance out multicaches with multiple finds that only count as one, so that's cool. But I don't play that way.

 

I am an obsessive list completer, so I do like to fill up my search pages with the little checkmarks. However, if I ever develop a strong dislike for a particular cache type (hey, it could happen), I will not force myself to find them just to fulfill that end.

 

I will return to caches I have not found multiple times like a stubborn mule. Some of my most satisfying experiences have come from finally finding a cache that eluded me over and over again. I will also willingly and happily seek caches with any number of DNFs as previous entries, because maybe I'll be the one to find it, and if it's truly not there anymore, I still enjoy the journey out to see where it could have been. The journey and the finding of unknown places in the area is every bit as satisfying as finding the little hidden box.

 

I hope you all are enjoying your game however you play it!

Link to comment

Interesting topic....

 

I'm coming up on my one year Geocaching anniversary, and along the way I guess I've played quite a few different games.

 

In the beginning I guess it was all about the numbers. Finds came fast and furious. My friend and I started by hitting every cache we could manage during our lunch breaks from work (which was quite a few, actually). There were a few day trips to log as many finds as possible. Eventually, the need to balance caching with family time slowed the pace by about half, but it's all good. I am at peace with my smileys.

 

When I can manage them, FTF's are a bit of a big deal to me. It started out as a bragging rights/ winner-of-the-race thing (and a pretty effective way to get your name noticed by the locals!). I'll still run out at midnight for an FTF, but it's no longer a drop everything, get it at all costs issue. Now the race aspect is still there, but the driving force is the possibility of meeting another, hopefully new, geocacher. If I can be accused of counting coup, it would be for that. Meeting fellow cachers in the field is a rare event. I can count them on one hand. It's like a semi-planned coincidence. I love it.

 

Events are starting to be more important. The first one I went to was alright, but not enough to convince me to go to another. I did go to another, though, and dragged the whole family along, and we had a blast. We're going back to the same event next year. Already got our site booked!

 

The community aspect of caching seems to be where I'm at right now. I've replaced caches in my area for their owners, just because I had a container and was going to be in the area. I'm about to replace one for the second time for a team that's too far away to do it themselves. No biggie. I'd want another cacher to do the same for me. I carry gear to clean out caches that are dirty, or dry out ones that are wet. I often leave more items than I take, if I take anything. (The girls ALWAYS trade something!) I want to leave the caches in better shape than when I found them. Want to start finding better caches? Take better care of the ones you find.

 

I'm much more of a hider/maintainer now. My wife met another local cacher by accident at a Barnes&Noble recently, and they had some high praise for my caches. That makes it all worthwhile to me... to have your efforts appreciated. Again, want to find better caches? Put out great ones. Set the bar for your area. Excellence invites immitation.

 

I'm still an icon, um, whore. It's the collector in me. How can you NOT want a complete set?!? I want as many icons as I can reasonably get. (Luckily my friend has come across far more of the newer geocoins than I!) To that end, I've still not placed an Earthcache, and while I REALLY want a Virtual icon on the right side, I'll spare my reviewer the sheer volume of submissions it'll take to find an acceptable one. The APE cache in Maryland is on the top of my To Do list.

 

I'll hunt any type of cache. Plenty of considerations go into my decision to hunt what, and when, but I don't practice wholesale discrimination on any one kind of cache.

 

Cache, and let cache.

Link to comment

I like to hide 'em. I'm really crummy at finding them, having found only about six hundred in the last three years or so (most found under other screen-names of course).

 

I don't care for the smiley count myself and would greatly appreciate some way to mark a cache as found without incrementing a counter next to my name. That being said I know that others do like the little yellow faces so I like to offer bonus smileys for wearing tinfoil hats or dressing like a space alien for the webcam. Smileys are worth exactly zero cents anyway so why not have some fun with 'em.

 

I like to use challenging or off-the-wall containers and mind-blistering puzzles, though when out searching for others' caches I prefer that you please use a large ammo can or 5-gallon bucket, painted fluorescent orange and visible in a clearing from half a mile. Thanks in advance for your support and cooperation.

 

I prefer clearings. Don't like bushwhacking. Thorny vines rip my delicate skin and if I have to hunch over and waddle in to the undergrowth like a duck, well that injures my lower back. Let me walk up to the cache straight up, proud and tall, chin out. We'll both feel better afterward.

 

I don't hunt for micros unless they're really clever or permit me to find the cache without opening my car door, like this one I found in Corpus Christi TX that was stuck under the drive-thru shelf of an abandoned Whataburger.

 

I like 'inside' jokes and clever hides, not cruelty. A rock-colored peanut butter jar tossed in a boulder field of like-colored rocks is cruel, not clever. A pink granite colored fake rock in a field of white granite boulders, now that's something only a cacher (or geologist) would notice.

 

Last I checked I play on all the caching sites, not just one. Variety is the spice of life. Some sites are more active than others. I also have different caching handles for different sites. Again, variety puts the J in Jazz.

 

I want to get into (non-internet-based) letterboxing, but have no skill to make a rubber stamp. That's my stretch goal.

 

I think caching should involve taking your kids or your neighbor's kids along. If your neighbor kids don't know about caching and you do, I think that's cheating them of something they might enjoy. Of course after age 14 or so they'll have more pressing matters to think about so don't drag a reluctant teen into the hunt.

 

I think knitting is dangerous and should be regulated at the federal and state level. It's Those Needles. Knitting needles should be on the list of cache-prohibited items for sure.

 

The best caches are the ones that make you say "Cool," because they're the ones you take newbies to when you want to show them what the hobby could be like if everyone held this philosophy.

 

I was in to travel bugs for awhile but then got tired of them. I'm thinking the geocoins are cool though, but only if uncirculated.

 

Events are the best part of the game. Different areas have different ways to play the game. Different areas have different levels of intensity and different ways of holding events.

Link to comment

I like cemetery caches-I guess that is a given with my screenname. I bought my GPSr to help me find local cemeteries for the Historical Society. I remembered reading about geocaching and gave it a try. When it takes too much time away from my primary volunteer job, I back off.

 

I don't mind micros, but I've pulled up to alot of locations(while alone) and felt really uncomfortable about the location(too out in the open) and didn't even bother to get out of the car. I do not log those as DNFs, and if I ever get back to the area with my family while caching then maybe we will get out and look for it. If not, I'm not worried about it. IE, I don't mind lightpole caches, but only if they are in an area where I don't feel like an idiot for lifting up a lightpole cover! :mad:

 

Since I go about 50/50 caching alone/caching with my hubby and/or 6yr old daughter, I like just about any(except for those I mentioned above). I won't cache alone on any where the terrain is over 2, or out in the woods.

 

I haven't hid many yet(first 2 yesterday, actually), but mainly because I am quite insecure about how what I hide may be recieved. I don't want any of mine to be labeled as "lame". My first two are rather easy, but I put alot of thought and history into the placements and cache pages. That is what is most important to me.

 

I'm an extreme introvert, and don't do well in crowds and don't make friends easily, so I really don't do "events". I really don't understand the whole "logging an event a whole bunch of times". Don't get it.

 

Have not ever done a travel bug or coin, because I haven't travelled very far, so I can't really help them. Maybe someday.

 

I don't usually do any trading if I am alone-I am usually in too much of a hurry to get on to the next one or explore the area. It's more about the location that the cache. In fact, I don't even care if I can't find the cache if you brought me to a really cool place! My kid loves to trade though, so the trade stuff is in her backpack and she is responsible for it all.

 

I've tried to introduce the rest of my family to this, but most of them are techno-dumb, so they would never ever do this if they weren't with me. But they enjoy it ok while we are out(as long as it doesn't involve going into the woods anywhere).

 

Finally I LOVE Virtuals, because they usually take me someplace very cool and very historical and I would rather go look up some history and report on it than try to find a cache in the area. As I said before, just getting me to the cool place is most important.

 

Before geocaching, weekends and off-days were spent driving the backroads of Tennessee-just for the heck of it! We stopped at cemeteries and historical markers, Civil War battlefields and little country stores. We still do this, only now we stop to look for ammo boxes and magnetic key holders along the way!! :mad:

Link to comment

are you more of a hider/finder, how you go about hiding caches & hunting caches, DNFs, travel bugs, swag, and most importantly your favorite aspect of geocaching.

 

OmegaBane's Game:

 

I am definitely more of a finder at this point. I'm still relatively new to the game and think I would really love hiding, but just haven't gotten to that point yet.

 

My finding technique is probably less of a "technique" than "organized chaos." In many instances I will do little more than get the coordinates and figure out it I am looking for a Traditional, Multi or Virtual. Yah, failing to read the cache description has at times gotten me in trouble - especially with respect to attire. Thankfully I carry a Sidekick with me, and as long as I can get a good signal I can pull up a cache description while out in the field. The Sidekick is also useful because I can log my finds immediately on the GC website. And its built-in camera feature means I don't have to always remember to bring a digital camera with me when I go out caching. You'll see if you review my logs that every GC I have found has a picture of me posted along with it.

 

I usually cache alone. My only caching partners to date have been my mom, my sister and my dog. The dog has only been out with me once. These cache-mates accompanied me in Utah when I was home visiting on a vacation from work.

 

As for DNF's I don't mind posting them if I feel like the cache is actually not there. What really gets me is when I give up on a cahce that I know is probably still there. But I stop looking when it isn't fun anymore and return later when I have new energy to continue the search. In my profile I keep a running list of unresolved DNFs. Sadly, some of them may not soon be resolved as I recently moved from San Francisco to New York (though I may soon be moving out to Los Angeles). BackBend is the cache for which I have posted to most DNFs - three total. I know the cache is there, but have been completely unsuccessful all three time, a fact which honestly is terribly embarrassing to me.

 

I love the TB. I own 8 tags, but haven't activated or released any of them yet. The problem is that I am currently living/working in New York City. Sadly, there just aren't too many caches in the city that are large enough to accomodate travel bugs, not to mention that I keep pretty ridiculous hours with my job (14-18 hours a day) and finding time even to just go out looking for a single cache is difficult.

 

Like most of us, I am not in the game for the swag. I enjoy well-thought out or meaningful sig items and small toys that I can toss in my bag of collected swag. Personally, I have no sig item, but that's just more a matter of not having time to develop a good one... I wouldn't want a lame sig item, so better have none than something stupid. I tend to leave toy cars in the caches I find. I've got a nice box of toy cars that I'm doing nothing else with, and they tend to fit nicely in the caches. Some of the cars are kind of dumb, I admit, but many of them are pretty non-standard.

 

My favorite aspect of geocaching is the adventure. I much prefer the hunts that take me out on a hike than the grab-and-go caches many people are fond of hiding. It is nice to have urban caches or caches in city parks and what not because they give you something to look for when you don't have an entire weekend to get out into the mountains, but they're not the most fun. The remote caches are also pretty fun because they aren't frequently visited. It's kind of cool to find a cache that's been sitting there just waiting to be found for a month and knowing it might not be found for at least another month or so.

 

That's my game... As I am still relatively new to the game, I know my game will develop and change over time, which I am looking forward to.

Link to comment

I have found over the years that I have been playing the game that things have changed at least the way I look at things have.

 

I have always traded as fair as I could, however I am sure there have been times when I was a little on the uneven side one way or the other. It has gotten to the point now where about all I actually trade are WG$1s or Travel Bugs, otherwise I just sign the log and hit the trail.

 

I prefer to hike a mile and a half in the woods and DNF (which I log everytime I have one simply because if someone else goes to look they need to know) than to drive around town finding 20 traM laW lampost micros.

 

If you want to look for those that is all well and good and fine, and I have found a few like that, but its not really my thing.

 

I hiked 2 miles to a cache I had already found yesterday just to show a friend the waterfall at the end of the trail.

 

As for counting coup on Travel Bugs or geocoins, I personally think if you are going to move it along and help on its mission fine otherwise exactly what is the point of doing this? Just to get an icon on your page? So what? I did this once a couple of years back and thought it was the coolest thing in the world, however now I guess I am just old school I say if you find it and move it great, otherwise leave it be.

 

I enjoy meeting other geocachers on the trail, though I haven't met many. I have recently made a new geocaching buddy and we enjoy going every chance we get, it is almost like I have a renewed interest in geocaching now (and she is single in case any of you single guys are interested)

 

I have found that I enjoy caching more when I am on a trip, as others in this thread have said, there are caches really close to my house that I have no Earthly desire to go find, not saying I won't ever find them, just saying at this moment in time I could care less, BUT you tell me we are going 200 miles today to find some caches I would be ready before you were I betcha :laughing:

 

To each, their own I don't agree with things some cachers do, hey I am sure not everyone agrees with my methods either, one thing about it, no one has ever complained about any of my caches that I have hidden (knock on wood)

When it comes to me hiding caches I much prefer ammo cans in the woods to Wal Mart micros I think I said that already but it is worth repeating.

 

Bottom line would be as long as you are out in the world getting exercise that is probably the best thing.

Cya on the trails,

Rusty

Link to comment

As someone else said of themselves, I'm still trying to figure out how I play the game. With only something like 66 finds, I'm pretty much a noob.

 

(aside: holy cow, Firefox 2 is spell checking for me!)

 

That said, here are a few points...

 

I mostly cache alone. My wife doesn't care for geocaching per se, but she does like to get out and wander around with me. Unfortunately, our schedules rarely mesh. My few friends merely think I'm nuts. I've met some geocachers on the trail and they've all been very nice and friendly, but I'm not real comfortable socially with people I don't know well. So, I mostly cache alone.

 

I spend an inordinate amount of time poring over the Geocaching web site, and GSAK listings, and Google maps. Far more than I do actually geocaching. I'm an information geek, and something about amassing and examining cache listings really appeals to me.

 

I try to always say something in my logs. The hider went to the effort to put it out there, so I feel like I owe at least some effort beyond TNLN in return. I can't always come up with anything, but I do try.

 

I have some swag, but I never remember to bring it along. Even if I do, I'll likely leave an item but not trade. I'm not real interested in cache contents. I'm a "getting there" and, I freely admit, numbers guy.

 

I don't hate micros. In fact, I kind of like them. Part of being a numbers guy, I expect.

 

I have not yet hidden a cache, though I'm collecting materials. I set myself a rule that I wouldn't hide one until I'd found at least 100. That way I have experience enough to know the difference between a good hide and a bad one. Plus, I'll be reasonably sure that I'm sticking with the hobby, and not irresponsibly placing a cache only to abandon it.

Edited by VeryLost
Link to comment

we are pretty new to this, i think today is our 1 month anniversary.

 

for us this is a family activity, we only do it together with our children (8 and 10)

 

i'm not a huge fan of the micro (mainly because i can never find them :laughing: but hubby has no problems) but if there is one between two traditionals, then we will go for it.

 

we DO log event caches, the one we went to last weekend was at night and pouring with rain, i earned all 12 of those caches, we were soaked and cold !

 

i try to avoid tb's i always feel too much pressure to move them on :laughing:

 

i don't write too much in the log book, (afraid i'm taking up too much space) but always make sure i do write in the online logs.

 

i havn't logged the 2 dnf's we've had because i feel that we just didn't look in the right place (but kept an eye on them and other people found them after we didn't)

 

i do take a bunch of Mc toys with me, if the cache is pretty empty or just has rusted ucky junk, i figure people would rather find some Mc toys in ziplocs than a mess or nothing.

 

my youngest and i sit and make beaded keychains and put them in mini ziplocks with our team calling card, as our signature item i kind of like that aspect as much as caching.

 

pretty basically, were not into the numbers or the loot, we just like to get out and see places we probably would never have seen, if it wasn't for caching.

 

kate

Link to comment

We play to have fun as a family. Now papa pirate drools at the thought of finding some of those hides that involve a 3 mile hike to a mountain lake, but with 4 little ones, that's not really an option. So, we make the absolute most out of the caches we do find. The kids love to trade, so we generally have a backpack full of toys for them to trade. Other than a few FTF trinkets and a couple sig items, mama and papa pirate don't really trade. We firmly believe in trading even or up, so all of our kids trade goodies are fresh from the package (or still in the package). We're more about larger caches than micros (although micros have their own ways of being fun). There's nothing like seeing that UPR at the end of the hunt! :blink: We've hidden 7 caches and hosted 1 event, which was a blast. Most of our hides involve places we want people to see and experience, although we've placed a couple cache and dash rest area types. We try to get travel bugs back into circulation as fast as possible, have been good about posting our DNF's for about a year now, and want everyone to loosen up a bit and just have fun with this. Our favorite part of geocaching? Being together as a family, having some fun and seeing new places.

Link to comment

I'm an avid Cache Hider, as well as an Avid Cache Hunter.

 

Whenever I hide a new cache, it must meet my personal criteria to "Lead by Example" I will never hide a new cache where you have to "watch out for muggles."

 

As a hider, I feel it is my absolute duty to place caches that are both memorable, as well as enjoyable.

 

Reading the logs of cachers who were entertained by my caches, or follow my lead and hide the same kind of caches that I like to hide, is absolutely priceless.

 

Being recognized as someone who hides good caches is an honor I like to uphold.

 

I only hunt the type caches that I like to find. If a cache doesn't meet my criteria of being enjoyable, I purge them from my GSAK database (pre download), or add them to my ignore list (if they are on my nearest list).

 

I like to write long logs on my favorite cache finds. Lackluster finds receive lackluster logs.

 

I have been bitten by the Jeep TB, and the Geocoin Bug. I have revisited old finds multiple times for the purpose of discovering new coins or Jeeps.

 

I enjoy FTF hunting, but pick and choose my battles wisely. I wont drive 20 miles one way to get FTF on a micro. I'll rack my brain at 5:00 am to solve new puzzle cache to bag on my way to work.

 

I've come to work many times with spiderwebs and leaves in my hair, as well as socks filled with stickers, water, etc, after bagging some new caches.

 

I'd love to make the "front page" gallery of GC.com

Link to comment

Whenever I hide a new cache, it must meet my personal criteria to "Lead by Example" I will never hide a new cache where you have to "watch out for muggles."

 

As a hider, I feel it is my absolute duty to place caches that are both memorable, as well as enjoyable.

 

Ya know, I think a cache or two of mine would make that list. They're just 4 or 5 hours away up 395 too. Heck, most of the other caches in the area would make your list too. :blink:

Link to comment

I'm somewhat new at this. My first find was just last Memorial Day weekend with a borrowed GPS. Within a week of that I had my own, and now have about 65 finds. I like hiking in the woods so that is my preference for where to look for caches, although I have done other kinds. I haven't moved/taken/logged any TB's because I'm never sure just when I might go on the next hunt and would feel pressured into doing it just to get to TB moving again. My son enjoys geocaching, too, and has been along with me on about half of my finds. In fact, he just bought himself a GPS. My wife has been along sometimes and enjoys it, although I think she likes hiking in the woods more than geocaching itself. I usually don't trade anything. However, I'm also a rock hound and have a tumbler to polish rocks, and I usually leave some polished rocks in the caches I find (that is, when I remember to take some when I leave home).

 

During the last couple of months, I have also gotten into Waymarking. I have listed about 44 waymarks and have about that many visits. I'm interested in historical sites, sites having to do with technology or historical technology, nature sites, sites with good scenic views, and similar. Waymarking looks like a way of finding out about these examples that otherwise I might not be aware of.

Link to comment

Whenever I hide a new cache, it must meet my personal criteria to "Lead by Example" I will never hide a new cache where you have to "watch out for muggles."

 

As a hider, I feel it is my absolute duty to place caches that are both memorable, as well as enjoyable.

 

Ya know, I think a cache or two of mine would make that list. They're just 4 or 5 hours away up 395 too. Heck, most of the other caches in the area would make your list too. :blink:

 

When I have lots of "gas money" and much more free time, I will visit those caches. I really want to find your deep crevice cache. :ph34r:

Link to comment

First, It needs to be pointed out that I am an EXTREME noob to this gig... I have under 10 finds. My brother in law got me into this game by telling me about it last year over Christmas.

 

It took me almost a year to get into the game (to acquire a gps, I should say)

 

So far, I have only cached with my sons (ages 10, 8, 4 and 2) and my wife. We love it. We just got our gps last week and have found 6 and logged 2 DNF's and reported 2 that needed maintenance. It has been a blast with the kids. We have a TON of caches around our area and like the hunt. It is always fun to see which of the boys will find it and if it will have any swag in it.

 

Because of the boys, I try not to hunt Micros. I don't have anything against them, but to keep it enjoyable for them, I like to hunt (and find) stuff that they are able to be more a part of.

 

It seems to me that Geocaching is the perfect sport for anyone who wants to be involved at ANY level. The caches are out there for us to find. We can cache alone, with pets, with kids, spouses or groups. We can hunt everything or just those that interest us. We can cheat as much or as little as we like, we can use google maps, a compass, a $699 GPS unit or a $99 special that everyone else hates. I love it. I can play when I want and for however long I want to play. It is all about personal satisfaction to me and the fun I am having with those I cache with (or myself, if I do it alone).

 

I am a finder right now and I really appreciate the time others have taken to make hides and the upkeep that goes along with that. I hope to someday hide some and help the game evolve.

 

I think I am about to order som TB's and/or som GC's (anyone have any suggestions on where to get them??) and release them.

 

viva la CACHE!

 

Toddstep

Edited by toddstep
Link to comment

Amazingly, my philosophy is a lot like Snoogans', with the following exceptions:

 

I'm not into travel bugs as much. I only own a few, and so far as I know, only one still exists. I rarely pick up travel bugs anymore.

 

I do like to try for FtFs, but not obsessively. If there's a new cache near my house or near work and I can get away, I will. If I can't, then I'll find it when I get around to it.

 

When I first started, I logged temp caches at events as finds. I no longer do so, but I'm not so obsessed with having "clean" stats that I will go back and delete the extras. I still sleep fine at night.

 

I tend to hunt solo, although I'll bring the family along if I know the walk won't be too excessive for the kids, or if there's a playground involved.

 

For some reason, I don't seem to cache much in February.

Link to comment

I like this thread-- guess I'll give it a shot....

 

We love hiding a good cache, but we have found far more than we have hidden. When hiding, we really do try to offer something special-- whether it's a great view, an interesting and little known location, a different type of container or just a plain ol' wacky experience! Like Snoogans, we love reading new logs on our caches and we try to offer an experience that warrants more than a "TFTC!"... so far, we've been pretty successful at that!

 

Our favorite caches to hunt are higher terrain, traditional caches that involve a good hike or an exciting back-road drive. With that said, we're always up for the challenge of a well camo'd urban micro. We've been very impressed with the disguises some cachers come up with, and there are some pretty talented micro hiders in our neck of the woods. Truthfully, we'll pretty much hunt for any cache-- although we're a little less critical when we are on vacation than when we are in our home turf. Usually, if we arrive at a cache location and it's really icky or lame, we'll leave and move on to the next one (and post a DNF).

 

While we really do enjoy a good multi or puzzle cache, we don't seem to hunt them nearly as often as traditionals... mostly because of timing or intelligence issues :). The two puzzle caches we have completed are both among our favorites.

 

Never found a virtual that blew my mind, but I have enjoyed some great Earth Caches.

 

We almost never trade. It's all about the location, the hunt and the logbook, as far as we're concerned. We rarely move travel bugs, but we will grab a geocoin from time to time if it's a type we haven't seen before. Overall, we try not to take anything from a cache that puts too much responsibility on us... :D

 

I think logging online is very important, whether it's a smiley, a purple frown, a note, needs maintenence or even an SBA. Since geocaching is an online community, we try very hard to log any visit to any cache online so that other users can learn from our experience. The only exception has been a couple of virtuals that were so lame we forgot about them before we got home. We post every DNF and we track our DNF milestones on our profile page!

 

It's always fun to be the FTF-- but it has its drawbacks, too! The best FTFs are the ones we didn't plan or try for... we rarely go out of our way for a FTF, but we have done it. Overall, FTFs represent a fairly small percentage of our finds.

 

I consider myself to be fairly anti-social and extremely sneaky-- so my favorite part of caching is sneaking out of a party, seminar, job, get together, etc... to go find caches by myself. It's a great feeling when you dip out of a party for an hour to go caching and come back without anyone ever noticing you were gone :):(. With that said, it's always cool to make a new acquaintence through caching-- I email back and forth with several folks that I met online after finding their hide or after they've found one of ours. Who knows, we might even all go out caching one day! We've never attended an event, but we've certainly entertained the thought....

 

The best part of geocaching for me is finding new places and spending time with my family. I've traveled all of my life and I can honestly say that being a member of GC.com is better than any travel-guide on the market :D

 

Okay... that's it... this post is way too long already.... :)

Link to comment

I like this topic too.

 

Let's see, I estimate that I do about 90% of the caching myself, with another 7% with other cachers and 3% with my family. Rough estimate of course.

 

I am more of a finder than a hider. When I do hide a cache, I tend to overthink it and end up with something a bit "out there" but I believe that's fine. In fact of the 12 caches I've hidden, only 2 of them are normal "go find the container" caches and the rest are pretty unique ideas to the area. I guess I'm a big fan of puzzles, and a well thought out cache gets much better online logs.

 

As far as finding caches go, I prefer a hike or something very interesting to see. My favorite types of things to find are abandoned man made objects that are out in the woods, such as ghost towns, old cars, old mining operations...etc. I also like puzzle caches, but only if they aren't some kindof obscure cryptography lessons. Something where you have to use your head rather than Google.

 

I also have never ignored a cache, and I tend to look at my donut-shaped pocket query and "clear out" areas of my map. For some reason I can't bring myself to ignore caches that I know that I will probably end up hating, if only for the fact that I have been pleasantly surprised a half dozen times doing a cache that I was sure would be lame but ended up being decent.

 

If there is a logbook (as opposed to just a logsheet) I almost always take some time to write something besides just signing my name. I like to read the logbooks on my caches, so I like to return the favor. I usually go into some detail in my logs, but am usually honest if the cache has problems with it or if I had a bad experience because of where/how the cache is hidden. I also tend to only leave the TFTC or TNLNSL or Found It logs for unremarkable parking lot micros...adherring to the if you don't have something nice to say philosophy.

 

I'll go after the FTF if it's convenient, but I don't typically grab my gear and rush out the door to go find them, although I have done so on some occassions.

 

I rarely trade, but do carry some trade items in case I find something I know my son will enjoy...such as hot wheels cars.

 

I tend to take TBs and Geocoins if I can help them along or they don't have a mission sheet with them (I'll just assume I can help them). I am not that big on having my own TBs and coins, but do have a few that are still active.

 

The best part of geocaching is getting out into the woods and finding new things and places. I like the outdoors, although I wish I would have appreciated it more when I was growing up and actually lived in the country. I guess I was too distracted by not having a lot of kids to play with or being able to participate in extra-curricular activities since we didn't live in town.

Edited by ThePropers
Link to comment

My finding game: I usually leave something, don't usually take anything unless it's neat and what I have to leave is of equal or better value. Except travel bugs, I do enjoy moving them along and then watching where they go. I don't care for micros too much, so I don't hunt many (boy, that was easy, wasn't it?). Although I've found some to be very clever hides. But more than anything, I want to be shown a place I wouldn't have otherwise seen.

 

My hiding game: Only hid 2 so far. The first one, I focused on making sure it was well stocked, even though the location was at least somewhat interesting. My 2nd hide was entirely about the location, but also made sure it had some swag.

 

I consider it more of a hobby than a game though, I don't care to `beat' anyone at it, just loves me some crazy places to see.

Link to comment

I like to find them and I like to hide them. I haven't hidden many because I'd like the hides to be a little different or at least interesting or challenging. I have 4 micros that are insanely easy but they are part of an overall cache where you need the info from them to find the 5th one which will enable you to find the 6th one. 5 and 6 are the good part. I've considered a lot of spots for caches but didn't place one there because it just wasn't interesting enough.

 

I LOVE to be FTF. I'll go out at 10:30 on a work night if I think I can score a FTF. I don't need to get it to be happy though. I'll look for pretty much any kind of cache but I prefer a regular cache or, if it's a micro, I'd like it to be in a cool place. Like I said though, I'll look for all of them.

 

I like event caches and am deeply disappointed that Geo Woodstock didn't come to the Sacramento, CA area. We had hoped that it might make it there next year but that isn't going to happen. I can't afford to travel to far away event caches so I have yet to make it to Geo Woodstock. Sigh........

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...