How Do You Play Your Game?

[+parker313]

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.

I am more of a finder. I am afraid that I lack the creativity and smarts to match many of the hiders that are active in my area. I'm still just a newbie to this whole thing and I hope to hide more as I find good spots, not just dump things somewhere b/c I wanted to hide something.

 

Finding caches - I actually like driveby micros. I cache with my kids in the car and they often fall asleep. I am not going to wake them just to go caching (though if the baby wakes up when I put him in the stroller, you can't count that against me!) so if they're both asleep in the car and I want to go caching, the drive by caches are GREAT. I get such a thrill out of zeroing in on the target with my GPSr and then just FINDING the cache! It's a thrill every time. I think I could be a numbers ho if I had more time to cache

 

DNFs - I log ALL my DNFs...even the repeat DNFs. It will just make logging the smiley that much more of a sweet reward.

 

Travel bugs - Travel bugs are fun! I can't get out caching as often as I'd like to move them along as quickly as I'd like, but I'm workin' on it! I haven't bought any yet to get into circulation, but will in the future!

 

Swag - Eh. Fun, but not why I cache. The 3 yr old LOVES the golf balls and matchbox cars so I'll often take that and trade up. I've got a pretty nice stock of swag so I hope I can always be in a position to trade up.

 

Favorite aspect - Something to DO. I feel embarassed that my hobbies are so MOMish. Quilting, scrapbooking, reading, computer, etc.... This is something fun, family oriented and is not run of the mill. It's great b/c we can go at our own pace and hunt whatever we feel like on any particular day. Any activity that's basically free and gets us out of the house as a family and into the out of doors, is great!

 

I love caching. I've wanted to get into it for a few years now and am so excited to finally be doing it!

 

--Kristin

 

PS - Fun idea for a thread!!!

[+tozainamboku]

I guess I missed this thread last year. I probably would have had different answers then. It would be interesting to see how it changes from year to year.

 

I do most of my caching alone, but going with a group is a lot of fun as well. I prefer long hikes to urban hides, but do many of the later when I cache after work or if it is too hot or rainy for a hike. I will also do urban power caching with a group before or after an event.

 

I enjoy solving and finding difficult puzzle caches. I rarely go after FTF except on difficult puzzles or a difficult hike that no one had found after about a week.

 

I decided early on that all my hides would require a hike. Even back when I started, it was obvious that plenty of people would hide urban caches and few would hide hiking caches. Most of mine were placed on trails that were not so well known and were the only caches when I placed them. Some areas have become popular and have lots of caches now, while others still have just the caches I hid.

 

I always log my DNFs, but I am not sure I could defined exactly when I decide that I made an attempt. Usually it is when I get out of the car. But there are times I logged DNF when I decided not to get out of the car for some reason, and others, perhaps when I couldn't find the right trail or ran out of time on hike before getting to GZ, when I didn't.

 

I rarely trade, but I will move a travel bug that I find in a remote cache or puzzle cache if it has been there for a while. I don't discover coins at events, but I have discovered coins that I found in a cache that I didn't want to take.

 

I never logged a locationless cache as I didn't think that they were caches. But I felt that, if properly done, a virtual was just as good an experience as finding a container. Unfortunately, many virtuals were not done properly. Although they might have brought you to an interesting place, there really wasn't anything to find there. (It's as hard to define "something to find" as it is to define "Wow!", so I'm not proposing my definition as a substitute to the Wow requirement.) I believe that Waymarking is a good alternative for both locationless and virtuals. I believe that it will attract a whole new group of people who like the idea of using GPS technology to take you to interesting places but can't fathom why anyone would look for a tupperware container with some cheap trinkets to trade.

[+mgoose]

Well I am more of a hider now,(100+) I still hunt, mostly when I make the monthly meeting in OKC two Hrs away.Have found most of the caches closer to home, Have to travel to do very many, like to cache with others when I can,I like events they are a BLAST,They just keep getting bigger and better. I don't do travel bugs a lot every now and then, coins some times, I will go after a FTF if it is close some times, I don't trade alot,sig items mostly.

I log my finds,events just once,meeting if they change to a new place, log my DNFs and then put them on my watch list to see how long it is till it is found,if I get to go back where I have DNF and found it I DON'T change the DNF log. When I first started it was numbers, now I like hiding caches and meeting cachers, My hides have come a long way,I have almost 50 cache in Healdton area, (small town) from very small micro to Large caches,what is nice there is only ONE STOP LIGHT IN TOWN!! ALL Most every cache is different.

My wife goes some times she don't like the way I cache & drive, . Not in to puzzles caches,just not good at them, Now it is about haveing FUN , and not how some one else is playing the game.

Edited October 31, 2006 by mgoose

[kablooey]

I'm a terrible finder. I'm even worse as a hider.

I mostly cache alone, but mostly because I'm too anti-social to ask for caching buddies.

I prefer not to cache where there are lots of muggles; so I cache a lot at night, in the rain, or on long desolate hikes.

I don't like making phone calls; so I just log DNFs rather than call for hints.

I get frustrated when I can't find a cache. I get more frustrated when the cache is rated 1 or 1.5 stars.

I try to log my finds within a couple minutes of finding (or not finding) the cache.

I don't log all my DNFs. Sometimes I log Notes instead. Maybe I would have more DNFs than Geo Dee if I had a more liberal definition of DNF. But I am not sure that I want to be the World Leader in DNFs again.

It makes me feel good to CITO, but often I won't pick up trash if I'm frustrated by a cache I can't find.

I've been known to drive over a thousand miles to attend a CITO event.

I try to be tolerant of the way other people play the game, but sometimes I will mock and deride the cheaters, even though I know I am not completely innocent of breaking my own moral standards.

I solve the coordinates for puzzles (or otherwise brute-force their locations) before logging Finds, and there are still caches that I have visited (but not yet solved) for which I have only logged Notes thus far.

I won't log a TB or geocoin unless I pick it up and move it to another cache.

I trade down (in my mind) more often than I would like to admit. I try to make up for it in future trades.

I try not to hide any new caches unless all my existing caches are in working order.

I want people to find my caches; so I feel bad if somebody DNFs one of mine.

I willingly provide hints to any of my puzzles, though I may lead you along slowly a step at a time.

I will not log a Find on a cache I have hidden, even if I was only a co-hider and the cache is listed by another owner.

I do not log events that I have planned.

I will not log a Find on a cache that is located in the same place as an archived cache by the same owner (and I am amazed how often this happens).

I will log a Find on the same cache that has been relocated by the owner if the cache page explicitly permits it.

My day starts when I wake up and ends when I fall asleep. During that day, I always find at least one cache (at least, that has been the case for three and a half years). I try to make that find before midnight, but on a couple of occasions I've had to bend that rule to midnight Standard time.

 

I'm sure I could come up with a lot more, but that's enough for now.

Edited October 31, 2006 by kablooey

[+Snoogans]

Holy resurrection!! Batman.

 

Yep!

 

From the excellent NEW replies, this thread proves that some old threads can live again.

 

Keep 'em coming. There are soooo many ways to participate in geocaching. I love reading other's viewpoints.

[+DocDiTTo]

I hunt for a cache, sign the log, then log as found online. I've taken to logging event caches with notes rather than attends, cause I don't need the numbers, and I really didn't "find" the event. In recent weeks I've started seperating micro caches from the rest of the caches I hunt. I find my solitary hunts are much more enjoyable when micros aren't involved. However, when running with a friend or two I still enjoy the social aspect of mopping up micro spew. At least when you find a sucky cache you can all make fun of it together. I hide pretty much what I like to find. I'd much rather score one cache with a nice view than 20 caches without. I've decided that playing for numbers is pointless, so I don't. I don't log multiple finds, pocket caches, retirement cards, etc - what's the point? Big numbers don't impress me. People who find difficult or challenging caches impress me. People who hide such caches impress me more. I've decided to create some goals for myself which I might even reach some day... finding a cache in every county in PA is one goal. Finding all the caches on the Pennsylvania's Favorite Caches bookmark list is another one. And trying to complete the Pennsylvania Delorme Challenge is yet another goal. Having goals makes the hobby more enjoyable.

[+muchado]

I enjoyed reading this topic. Just about everyone who's answered the call plays the game the way I'd like to see it played. Here's some of the rules/guidelines of the game I have set for myself.

 

1. I don't waste time being offended at how some others play the game. When I saw or heard of someone doing what I consider cheating (i.e. not following my rules) I would get offended. Now, it's just so widespread that I'm much more at peace when I ignore all the "cheating" - play and let play.

 

2. I try to be honest in my logs about my experience and what I think about the cache. However, I guess I think less than half the caches I find are worth finding. I find it hard to come right out and say "this cache sucks" in my logs. I'd like to be more honest about that.

 

3. I log all my DNF's. If I abort the effort fairly early due to time, weather, or light constraints, I may or may not log a DNF. But if I even half-heartedly search for it, I'll log the DNF. I don't really associate anything negative with the DNF - I'm more than willing to log my failures for all to see.

 

4. I like numbers a lot more than I like to admit to myself. But I don't compare numbers with anybody other than close caching acquaintances who I know play by the same rules as me. Every once in a while, I like to put up big numbers (>20 in a day) on a cache raid. I'll plan a strategy and everything. But mostly, I just plug away at caches when I can.

 

5. My favorite part of caching, by far, is discovering new places I would never visit otherwise.

 

6. Getting time for caching is a problem for me. I have a wife and a 9 and 7 year old that I have to spend time with. I also have a job that takes up lots of precious time where I could be caching. I try to do caching early in the morning on weekends and a couple before or after work occasionally during the week.

 

7. My daughter (9) likes the idea of caching, but it's hard to get her to come along. I don't try hard enough and I should try harder.

 

8. I like all my hides to be special - either a fun/interesting hunt or a fun/interesting final. I'm building a Shakespeare series with a goal of having a hide for every play. But I'm not in a hurry. With few exceptions, I just wait until a connection between a cache idea and a play makes itself evident, then I run with the idea. I've got a great idea for my next one and I'm just looking for some time to set it up - it's going to be a bit of work. I've hidden one park & grab lame nano. I got the nano from a cacher who did a series of "gas saver" caches in a nearby state. I liked the idea and asked if he'd mind if I put a "gas saver" in NH using the nano I got from him. Unfortunately, the idea has been copied over and over again so that there are a lot of lame micros in the area - great for numbers, but useless otherwise.

 

8a. I hate finding unmaintained caches and try to address any issues with my caches that are raised in the logs in a timely manner.

 

9. I like the puzzles I can solve and hate the ones I can't. I have too many unsolved puzzles near my home that are taunting me. I almost always have at least one puzzle that I'm trying to solve. I finds them as I solves them.

 

10. I am not above using phone-a-friend for hints - but only after I've looked for at least 30 minutes and it just won't add to my experience or entertainment to come back again.

 

11. I generally don't like to log coins or TBs that I haven't found in a cache. I'm not really interested in TBs unless they really catch my eye and I can help them towards their goal. I like the coin icons, but I'm not interested in "discover"ing loads of coins I see at events.

 

12. With one exception, I've not logged a cache or event more than once. That exception was two caches under a single listing and the owner intended for the cache to be logged twice if you find both containers.

 

13. I don't consider a non-virtual cache "found" unless I sign the log. I've only one exception to this where I injured myself about 50 feet from the cache and my caching buddy logged me in.

 

14. I mostly cache alone, but really enjoy those times where schedules match up and I can go caching with others - although I feel a little funny sometimes about logging finds where someone else found the cache. But, it's the cost of caching with friends.

 

I've probably broken every one of these rules/guidelines at least once, but not much more than that. I've also never taken a Mulligan in golf.

[+budd-rdc]

Very cool thread. Nice to see it bumped.

 

Kablooey is not a bad a finder as he thinks he is. He's got great "search logic." He just can't see the darned cache most of the time.

 

Here's how I play the game:

 

- I like to seek old caches, like GCx, GCxx, GCxxx, and GCxxxx that has a number on the first digit, like GC9xxx.

 

- I try to visit caches that are seldom found.

 

- I often drive past cache dense areas, because I can't choose where to go.

 

- Exception to above: caches near my home. I try to visit as many as I can.

 

- Micros in cache dense areas often get ignored, but otherwise, I'll still do them.

 

- I like to seek Larges, as I often wonder how people hide them.

 

- I enjoy finding more than hiding.

 

- I enjoy moving TBs around.

 

- I trade "fair" but that's relative, so... I try.

 

- I log most of my DNFs. (Can't say ALL, unless I go back and log DNFs in 2004)

 

- I like to take photos.

[+dakotacache]

I guess I (we) fit into the Noob category as well. We've been caching for less than a year, and are hovering around the 80 finds number. For me it's a not a game, as most have put it.

For me it's the perfect solo/team event. I love to cache in the early mornings by myself. I like to hunt those little micros, the nanos and those blasted "Blinkity Blinks".

With that being said, if my family is with me durring the day, then they are big caches full of treasure for the kids. That's what's great, this one activity has so many "faces" for me.

I love going to places I have never been. There are so many places in the world that I don't know exist, and would never consider going. Now there's something that takes me there. Even if it's as simple as a big metal staircase in a public place. In the search for the super small caches, I end up studying those things. I inspect every bolt, nut, cross member, etc. This is something I wouldn't otherwise do, but love! It's like going to back to my childhood and playing with Legos again. Very Cool.

We are an outdoors family. We camp and hike and play outside all the time (Summer or Winter). This is an activity that takes us outdoors to new places. The kids love the hunt, but when they get bored, we're in a new spot they can explore.

Alright, now the scoring. Again, I don't see this as a game. I see it as a pass-time. As such, the numbers are interesting to me, only from a maturity standpoint. People with more finds, have simply found more caches. I'm not loosing because I haven't found as many as them. I just haven't been doing it as long. I'm OK with that.

I do like a FTF from time to time. That's a cool aspect of this hobby. I feel I can play it the way I want, when I want.

For now, I'm a path clearer. I'm trying to get a "found" path cleared, in every direction, around my home coordinates. The further out I go, the more challenging it is. It takes longer to get there, find the cache and get back. I like the challenge in this. I will cache when I travel, and have had business assiciates call me crazy for getting up at 4:30AM on a business trip to grab some caches around the hotel before a big day of meetings. I find it invigorating, and my attention to detail is hightened because of it.

I could go on and on, but the bottom line. This pass time is the way I like it. It's not a game to me. It's something which allows me to clear my head (when solo) and to bring my family to new places (when team). I love that!

[+Manimal N Button]

We are fairly new to the caching scene (22 finds 2events logged) We like destination caches I guess you could call them. You know the ones with something to see along the way or when you get there (waterfalls, ruins, senic overlooks...) Hard core puzzle caches are a deal breaker. Simple math like add the year joe died to .... is ok but some of this advaced algebra and other stuff isnt for us. Niether are PNG's but other than that most anything is cool. Our favorite thing about geocaching is the wide asortment of possibilities. Some days are nice walk in the park days others are more difficult hikes. Some finds are simple some take some serious looking around. Day vs. Night. multi or not. As long as I dont need a graphing calculator to figure it out and I cant park next to it im up for it!

[+Snoogans]

I thought I'd roll this thread back out since there are quite a few NEW faces in the forums since the last goround.

 

 

Yep. What I said that last time. BUMP

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Amazing... I have just realized that I never responded to this thread back in the fourth quarter of 2006 when it was last active. Having said that, let's get on with the show...

 

While I (Vinny) searched for lots (well, a few per week...) of caches -- of many different types -- in my first few months in the sport, I quickly settled into my current pattern, which is very elitist, exclusive and selective: for the most part, I tend to seek only caches with a D/T rating of 4/4 or above and which seem to be very interesting in some way (decision based largely upon reading the cache listing page and past logs, also upon feedack received from other cachers.) Because of this approach, I tend to seek only one or two caches per month. The only exception to this rule of thumb is when I am traveling and will be visiting a city, state or country, which I have not visited before, and then, in about 75% of those cases (in the other 25% I do not bother seeking any geocaches), I will lower my 4/4 rule by quite a bit just to find a few caches there in order to get a taste of the "flavor" and style of caches in that area. But even in this case, I tend to be very selective: on a recent 8-day trip to Kalamazoo, MI, my friend Taj and I went out seeking about 16 local MI caches (largely picked and loaded onto the GPSr by my wife Sue before my trip), and, of the 16 we sought, we decided to pass on a bit more than half of them (on nine, I believe) when we actually arrived at the hide sites, largely due to concerns about possible trespassing issues or other questionable (to us, that is) placement issues.

 

Now, my wife Sue's style is quite different from mine. She is addicted to puzzle caches, and also somewhat addicted to cache-hunting, and she hunts many caches each week. She has found as many as 50 caches in a day (well, on that day she was hunting with Lynn, CCCA... that explains a lot! ), and often finds ten to twenty caches or more per week. This is quite different from my style: not only do I abhor trying to solve puzzle caches, but spending that much time on cache-hunting would drive me crazy!

 

On the other hand, speaking of time devoted to geocaching, I must admit that I may spend from 20 to 100 hours over a period of many months doing painstaking research just to place one Psycho Urban cache!

Edited February 3, 2007 by Vinny & Sue Team

[+flask]

my game has changed since i've been playing. at first i didn't go out without crashco. then i went out a lot alone. i was a numbers whore. and a first find whore. at one time crashco and i eased up on FTFs because it was a foregone conclusion and (we thought) less than sporting.

 

since my near-death year last year it's now more about the company. these days new people don't recognize my name. it gives me a twinge of sadness, but tomorrow i'm still going skiing instead of caching.

 

i will log a TB i haven't moved (usually a coin) but not if i haven't held it. i won't log an event i host (and several i attended) i often don't sign the log (when out with others usually only one of us signs; granted, it's usually me and i often take the opportunity to make remarks about the others)

 

the one thing that hasn't changed is that for me it's still about the story. only problem with that is that brain damage impedes my memory. the story as told by me isn't as interesting a lot of the time anymore.

[+NightPilot]

I'm pretty laid-back about it. I go when I feel like it, and more for the exercise than anything else. I don't like puzzle caches very much, at least those that require solving them indoors or at the computer before going out. I cache to get outside, and I can find enough puzzles to solve elsewhere. I don't always post a DNF, because sometimes I just decide "I ain't going there today", for whatever reason - weather, mud, or I just got tired. Sometimes I just quit looking, and I think it's inappropriate to post a DNF just because I got tired of hunting the cache. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I hunt caches for exercise and my own amusement, and I don't think there is such a thing as cheating, because the game isn't important enough for cheating to even exist. People who scream about cheaters just make me roll my eyes and go elsewhere. This isn't really competition, and there is no way it can be made anything close to a proper competition. Pretending otherwise is just self-delusion.

 

I also have to admit I'm a poor logger. I do this for me, not for you, not for the hider. I'm not the wordy type, so my logs are usually short and to the point, the less I have to work at it the better. Please don't take them the wrong way - a short log doesn't necessarily mean a poor cache, I'm just too lazy about it to write a novel about finding a cache.

Edited February 3, 2007 by NightPilot

[+nutlady]

For the first year I just went for every cache regardless. And will admit to placing some pretty lame ones as well. I am currently trying to atone for the lame ones by placing caches that I would like to get more then a TNSL on. Unfortunatly, I still get that on what I consider clever caches....so my caches MUST be that bad.:-(.So now I sit here and think think think....it might be months before I hide a cache just so I come up with what I THINK is a cool idea. Maybe its my area, reception is still TNSL, TFTC!

In that vein, I do try to say somthing in each of my finds a hard as it is to come up with at times. So far, I have never TNSL'ed a cache. Thats like the death knoll to me.

Lately became choosy about the finds...not TOO much, but if I think its on private property, I pass it by.

Couldnt care less about FTF. Im sure I have a hundred or so.....but I dont go find the caches for that purpose and dont post it that way.

If I have found several in one day...for me thats like 20.....I still keep notes on each cache as I find them so I can write somthing appropriate on the found log . No generic log finds for me.

I dont like the sticker logs. Come on, how long does it take you to sign a log anyways?

My favorite finds are in old cemeterys. I know some dont approve, but I find myself walking about for an hour or so reading the old stones.

I might bribe a child to go with me, but for them, its old school already, SIGH. Come on mom, are we going to go shopping? But, you PROMISED!

I pass on TBS now, because I dont go very far. I couldnt actually move them much.

For some reason, after hitting 1000 finds, its just not so important for me anymore. SURE, Ill go find them.....but not going way out of the way unless Im going there anyway.

Im more concentrated now on making caches that make people go wow. 202 hid and still not met that mark. So I need to think ALOT more!

My goal is to make the TNSL people log a find with a WOW. Or at least more .

[+gof1]

Don't hold your breath, Nutlady.

I have seen some of the best caches in the area get TNLNSL.

[+Snoogans]

My goal is to make the TNSL people log a find with a WOW. Or at least more .

 

 

Throw some camping gear in the car and take a drive a few hours up 395 and explore some side roads. Fall in love with some random, beautiful, cachless spot with a view, or some other unique feature, and vow to visit it at least once a year and place a cache there. You'll get those logs at least once a year, or more, if it's not too remote.

[Clan Riffster]

The Clan Riffster approach to Geocaching:

 

The Riffster Clan is a group of three, each with our own likes/dislikes/needs.

 

Our youngest daughter, shown in the logs as "Munchkin", is a bundle of energy, and absolutely fearless. A very fun person to have around. Viv has the strongest geosense in our group, and can generally locate whatever it is we are hunting before the rest of us do. She enjoys walks in the woods, but is hindered by a disability which keeps her from being able to hike more than about a mile, round trip. Like Viv, I also have a disability, which limits me to hikes of about 3 miles, round trip. This defines what we can hunt.

 

As far as what we will hunt, that depends on who is in the group on any particular day. Munchkin loves an ammo can close to a trail. Bushwhacking over extended distances is not her cup of tea. Viv loves cleverly hidden micros, and almost always finds them while Munchkin and I are still scratching our heads. My favorite hides are those that take me knee deep in a swamp, fending off wild hogs, alligators and water moccasins with my hiking staff. Because no one else in our group shares my fascination with near death experiences, my swamp hunts are mostly done solo. This also applies to night caches, which are my all time favorite type of hide. Nobody else in our group seems willing to tromp through the woods at night.

 

Because we are such a diverse group, we tend to be fairly tolerant of the other group member's preferences. If Viv wants to grab a micro in a strip mall, I'm there for her. If I want to trudge a couple miles through a swamp..... she'll keep her cell phone handy and wish me luck.

 

I love hiding. Probably even more so than finding. For a hide to meet our standards, it has to have some degree of "Kewl!" to it. Several ideas have been tabled, and several of our hides have been pulled prior to posting due to us looking at the overall hide and noticing that it was bland. If you're gonna spend your most valuable resource, (time), hunting for one of my hides, the least I can do is show you a good time. One absolute rule we have for a hide is a quality container. Our container preference is; ammo cans, decon kits, waterproof matchstick holders and bison tubes, in that order. We haven't hidden anything else. The day may come when I play with Lock-n-Locks, since I hear lots of good things about them. I also love Otter Boxes, and Pelican cases, but they cost more than this poor Riffster can afford. I flat out refuse to use plastic food jars, film canisters or Gladware. I feel these are second rate, and unworthy of the term, "Geocache". We are all advocates of the axiom, "Let the location determine the container". If an area will support a full size container, that's what will be hidden there.

 

(A kwick caveat: I'm planning an intentionally lame cache in the near future. It will probably be a film canister)

 

For our finds, we follow the "WWJD", (What Would Jeremy Do), rule. A find equals us locating a cache and signing the log. If there are ALR's listed on the cache page, we're usually game, so long as they are fun. If we ever find an ALR that we are unwilling to do, we will not try to claim a find on that cache. Hasn't happened yet, but who knows what tomorrow will bring? Numbers aren't all that important to us, as we see them as being nothing more than the residue of our efforts. We would rather spend all day getting one good hide, than the same amount of time getting 50 so-so hides. We will, however, try and find something special for those milestone finds. Kinda adds to the flavor for us.

 

I am a puzzle nut, and will often spend my spare time perusing the state hunting for puzzles to sweat over. Unfortunately, I'm not particularly blessed with gobs of insight, so my efforts are often in vain. Not a great loss, since I have fun even on those puzzles I can't crack. If a puzzle comes up close to home, and I can't solve it, I have no qualms about begging for help. The puzzle caches I own are deliberately simple, in the hopes that most folks will attempt them. Most folks around here know that I am not shy about giving away hints, and if asked, I will give you the entire solution, up to, and including, the final coords. I hide them for folks to find. If folks can't crack the puzzle, they can't find the cache.

 

We're going to be hosting our first event in April, (a CITO), and I'll probably post an attended log. Since I attended, it just seems to be the logical course of action. Your mileage may vary. We love attending events, and meeting other cachers, but don't go as often as we could due to substandard transportation. The only vehicle in our driveway younger than 10 years old is my cop car, and I think my boss would frown on me driving that to events....but it'd make a kewl travel bug!

 

On the topic of bugs & coins, we love 'em. We'll grab just about any bug or coin we find, unless it has some really specific mission which would be hindered by us taking it. We hope to create our own coin some day, but that is a fairly cost prohibitive venture.

 

I just don't get virtuals. I think we have one virt find, which came about as a byproduct of our trip to Disney. Now that we have the little ghost icon, I can't see us deliberately hunting any more of them. I haven't grasped the whole Waymarking thing either, but to each their own. We don't make any special effort to claim FTF's, but if one pops up, and we feel like a hunt, we'll make an attempt.

 

For some reason, I, (Sean), got tasked with doing all the logging for our group. Typically, the length of my log is a direct reflection of how much I enjoyed the cache. I can wax poetic for several paragraphs on those hunts I loved, while I stick to a basic, "Took _____, left _____, Thanx for the hide!" on those that didn't wow me. Everything we do gets a log of some sort. Our rule of thumb is, if we actually looked for the cache, but couldn't locate it, we post a DNF. If we had to waive off of our search before getting to ground zero due to muggles, etc, we post a note.

 

On the subject of trading, we are as diverse as we are in everything else. Munchkin loves toys, Viv loves cute trinkets, while I like things that have an historic or scientific appeal. Give me a crusty ol' broken fossilized tooth fragment any day. When Munchkin is not with us, we usually don't trade anything, but I make these keychains out of Alphabeads that spell out "Geocaching", which we drop into every cache that is big enough, even if we take nothing. On average, I'll drop 20 keychains for every swag item taken.

 

Most of our experiences are saved for the online log. If the weather is pleasant, we'll sit down and read the logbook, but it's not a priority. I try and make accurate statements regarding everything we took and left, both in the logbook and online.

 

In this part of Florida, the "other" cache listing sites are not as prevalent. I have both a TC and an NC account, but this place is my favorite. Not knocking the other guys, it's just that this is "Home" for me. I've done a couple TC's, when we went down south, and they were fun. So far, I haven't found an NC close enough to drive to. I once heard someone call GC the Walmart of cache listing services. That comment rankled me a bit, until I decided to look at it as a compliment. GC, like Wally World, has something for everyone.

 

Did I miss anything?

[+shadohart]

Ok, I read your whole post, then scrolled forever to remove the quote from my reply! lol

 

I/we are new to the game, but we do everything as a family and this is no exception. We research, plan, plot, hike, log, trade and enjoy the after caching discussions with the kids. Exceptions do exist. i.e. PaintFiction's deathtrap caches will have to found sans children, or while the kids wait in a safe place. My personal moto is, "Learning is Life's Journey" and we apply that to caching. There's something interesting and cool to learn/see/discover about every spot we go to, so we seek that out and exploit it to the enjoyment of us all.

 

In all things we value honesty, so we log everything, DNFs included. I write the way I speak and think, so when I log, it's as if I am having a personal conversation with the planter/owner of the cache. I don't know if that's a good thing or bad, but it's who I am. This will develop over time (first logs were more like the one liner's that I'd seen others write, but no more) It's the same things I'd put in the journal for a scrapbook page (if I ever get around to making one for the caches we've found). Memories, fun times, funny things the kids did/said, weird places I had to park and what WAS that thing Bob nearly stepped on in the marsh anyway??? **grin**

 

We also do letterboxes (wonderful things these) so I'm going to post mine for Geocachers to find... several of you have walked past, over, around, or behind some of my letterboxes to get to caches already! **smile** Won't it be fun to go back and see what you overlooked?

 

The family is still considering what our signature item will be. We have our signature stamps (letterboxing) carved, but those we need to keep. We have seen other's sig items in caches, but didn't know that we could take them. Plotting a route back to see if they are still available will be this weekends fun. I love the idea of collecting things that other cachers have created and left for us to find. The kids of course will continue to seek out toys, but through the experience, they get the best treasure of all.

Edited February 5, 2007 by shadohart

[+Snoogans]

This post made me miss this thread.

[+elmuyloco5]

Ok, this thread has been buried for awhile, but I'll bite.

 

Above everything else this is a family adventure for us. We have three kids 9 and under and Geocaching is just one more way to spend family time together. I'm a homeschooler so I try to find ways to insert educational things where I can.

 

We enjoy hiding more than finding, but find more than we hide as we don't want to take on more than we can handle. Either way we enjoy caches with a purpose (or what we refer to as CWPs). That's not to say that we don't appreciate other caches, just that we lean towards the caches that will take us to a beautiful place, teach us something new, highlight something special about the area, or entertain us with great container. We feel our hides are CWPs and we state on each one why we've chosen to bring you there.

 

We do our best to swag well, container well, and hide or camo in choice ways and locations. We enjoy seeing people find our caches and want them to be happy when they do. We're always happy to help out when we can.

 

But, on the other hand, we aren't mad that some caches we find aren't what we would consider "with a purpose". We have fun caching no matter what because it's time with our kids.

 

We haven't found many caches near our home as we started with our state challenge and have mostly cached while we traveled. We're just now starting to really settle in and look for some closer ones.

 

We do our best to trade evenly, but realize the "trade up, trade even, or don't trade at all" statement is has it's faults. We know no one's gonna pass up $100 bill because they don't have even valued swag. We've never found $100, but if we do, we're not gonna feel bad about taking it.

 

The three little ones are into the swag, but the hubby and I usually stick to sig items. We feel it makes the whole thing more personable, and we enjoy catching a small glimpse into someone's personality. We carry around an assortment of swag to replenish where needed. Our kids used to leave small novelty compasses as their sigs, but now leave penny experiments (little bagged science experiments kids can do with pennies). We used to leave jewelry that we made out of marbles, but found that people really enjoyed the foreign coins my husband had collected from his trips in the Navy. So now we leave foreign coins that are bagged and have a little info printed about them. We also leave small CITO micros with a latex free glove and a trash bag as we are big fans of helping keep things clean.

 

We love events because our kids get to meet other children that cache, and we love getting to know our local cachers. We've been to three since we started this past summer and have had a blast at each. We're lucky to have a nice group of cachers in our area.

 

The kids would rather see a regular sized cache so they can swap swag, but the adult portion of our "team" doesn't mind the size too much. My hubby likes puzzles, and we are just starting to do some. I think all are equally fine and spend my time mostly reading and planning so we are more likely to find caches that we'll enjoy. I get a big kick out of cleverly camoed caches.

 

We're not big FTFers, but with 3 kids it's hard to be. We did enjoy the two we have, but mostly because they both have good stories behind them.

 

We usually log pretty quickly and try to log more than the average TNLNSL, but some caches are hard to find something to expand on. If we really enjoyed your cache, we'll let you know.

 

We always post a DNF as long as we looked for the cache. We're not at all embarrassed by not finding the cache as we know we gave it our all, and will come back when we can.

 

We never do more than sign our name in a log book. We like to do our logging online as we feel that's the way the owner will really see it.

 

We're not really into the TB and geocoin thing, although we will on occasion move one. We do enjoy seeing the coins though as some are very well thought out. We don't log anything that we haven't moved though as we're just not into that part of it.

 

We do enjoy finding benchmarks though, and have found several in our area that aren't listed.

 

We haven't really taken part in any of the other communities, but have nothing against them. We're just very new to GCing period. I think other sites are good though as they give each other competition and challenge each other to improve just by their presence.

 

Gosh, I guess that's long enough

[GeoPirates2007]

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

LOL your post sounds so familiar. I have a 5 year old and a 3 year old and their goal is to clean out all the caches they can find. it is great fun to watch as their little faces squinch up as they try to decide what they want more. Any way enough on my brood. I am a Hunter. I love the hunt and everything to do with it. Wheter its sneaking into a mall parking lot to score a LPC or treking into the woods for a quiet clearing. After I find it its over for me. Thats my game.

 

 

P.s. Good luck over there Smejk, I do not envy you guys who do what others cannot.

[+private bones]

At the moment:

 

Hiding:

Hider more than a seeker. Enjoy hiding caches that: 1) take you somewhere you would not have gone 2) make you laugh 3) are challenging and require some effort and thought to make the find. However I also like to hide kid and family oriented caches with lots of fun family swag.

 

Real, thoughtful logs make my day and make me laugh, whining logs resulting from lack of hints or other assumed entitlement send me to the forums to laugh at the Snoogans Gift Horse.

 

Seeking:

I like to find caches that have the same criteria as above. When caching with my minicacher I appreciate kid friendly and family oriented caches.

 

I rarely whine when posting logs, and if I feel the urge I have a little cheese with my wine and instead whine in a forum post. Puzzle caches make we want to whine, they bring back memories of snickering during math aptitude tests and subsequent knuckle slaps by the nuns.

 

Favorite caches are wilderness caches, but I'll skip the wildlife encounters. Snakes scare the venom out of me, big kitties make me quiver like a plump lamb, rodents send me diving into the nearest hole. I used to like lizards until a giant horny looking one attempted a trail standoff with the lizard tatoo on my ankle. Despite all of that I won't hesitate to crawl around on my belly in the name of a good hide or a good seek (as long as I don't break a nail).

 

I always log my DNF's but unfortunately don't always remember to log all my finds.

 

Quantity doesn't count, quality is everything.

 

Although I'm a visual person, a cache that is right under my nose is likely to be a DNF. Thankfully my geodog and geohusband have a better sense of smell. Always carry one of the above in your "don't leave home without it" Geopack.

 

Other:

Most embarrasing caching moment so far, hiding a small cache and then forgetting to mark the coords. Went back a week later to get coords and I hid it so well among meadow grass / brush that I couldn't find it. (See nose comment above). Geez! Nothing like misplacing your cash....

And, in keeping with my philosophy to dutifully record my DNF's, I guess if I ever find it I'll also be logging the first DNF.

 

My favorite thing about caching is the aspect of "random acts of kindness". Hiders "giving" by investing time, thought and $$ in caches for people they may not ever meet. Seekers who give by visiting the caches of strangers and appreciate their effort by hunting, finding (or not) and posting logs.

 

My least favorite thing about caching is having Poison Oak somewhere, somehow all the time. This makes for a great love / hate relationship with Tecnu.

Note to self: 1) Buy stock in Tecnu.

Edited December 2, 2007 by private bones

[+Snoogans]

Real, thoughtful logs make my day and make me laugh, whining logs resulting from lack of hints or other assumed entitlement send me to the forums to laugh at the Snoogans Gift Horse.

 

It's not my gift horse. I just googled it.

 

[+Sarge104]

Hider/Finder: Being new to the sport (Just hit 60 finds) I am still in the finder camp. My home territory is very cache poor and I do intend to do something about that as soon as I get the confidence to actually place a cache. Another thing affecting hiding caches is that I'm constantly being deployed so that leads to rushing to grab a few finds before liberty expires. I truly enjoy finding well thought out caches regardless of size.

 

How you go about hiding caches & hunting caches: I used to load up the gps and go. That is until I kept running into caches that required a complete reading of the cache page in order to find it or walking over thirty miles to find out that I took the wrong ridge to make the find. I love to bring people with me to enjoy the sport even if they may not have the exuberance that I feel when going out to make the find.

 

I now have a pda to load up the cache pages to give me that extra help to get to my destination. I'm still a very determined individual that will walk any distance to hold that container in the air and claim the find . I also enjoy taking pictures along the way to the find. It helps to keep the experience fresh in my mind and allows me to share the experience with others as well who may not have been there.

 

DNFs: I consider these important tools of the trade when planning a caching day and a sort of bench mark as well. They help me learn, from other people’s experiences, as well as my own. I'm a very goal oriented person who sees a DNF as a personal challenge to correct. Though on a few caches I have been twarted in this by the owner archiving the cache before I am able to get the smilie.

 

Travel Bugs: I love finding trackables that have missions that I'm able to help with. If I run into other cachers I am more then happy to make trades to accomplish trackables goals. Carrying trackables gives an added thrill as it gives me added incentive to find unique places to log them at as well.

 

Swag: I love to trade as well. I will always try and bring something unique with me to place in a cache. I also love finding unique things as well, and it can make a trip even more memorable. I still have with me a pikachu pencil topper I found in my first international cache in Singapore. It reminds me of the awesome time I spent there with Sir_Cache_A_Lot and other friends.

 

Favorite aspect of geocaching: Geocaching takes me to places that I would've never have thought of going to otherwise. Even in my home state I've found areas that I've lived by my entire life that I would've never even thought of going to if that little box on my gps hadn't brought me there!

[+GRANPA ALEX]

My game is:

Find the most caches for the time I have to play

Maintain my own hides the the best that I can

Avoid puzzle, mystery and LONG multicaches (4 me, a kill joy!)

Log DNF's when I feel the cache is NOT there and needs owner attention (I know others feel differently)

Log all that I find, immediately

Respect cache owners, help restore broken caches, replace wet logs & broken baggies etc.

Avoid being contrary, negative, demanding or controversial with others - if it does not uplift, drop it!

Use the progress of others to stimulate me into more activity

Go to most events to see my many caching friends & the kids

Consider that others can have opinions different from mine & accept it & them as okay

Travel out-of-town as frequently as possible to find fresh territory/caches

Remain positive & upbeat in the game - personal positive emails through gc.com & forums

Minimize time spent in the forums as the game (4 me) is in the field

When it is no longer fun, stop & go home . . . do not want to kill the joy for the next time

[Dinoprophet]

I used to find every cache I could. At least once a week after work, I'd go on a blitz and get 5-7 in a few hours (hey, it used to be that was fairly impressive). But that was a lot easier when I started. Now, there are too many for that*, and I have too little caching time. So, I mostly find fairly easy ones that are convenient to wherever I am if I have time. If I do get some time specifically for caching, I pick one or several that will give a good hike, preferrably in a place I've never been. I like to save some for winter when I can X-country ski to them. If I'm travelling, I'll try to find ones that are either mountain hikes or an unusual location.

 

I care about my numbers insofar as they accurately reflect the number of caches I've completed. I don't care what the number is; I had to look up my own find AND hide counts when someone asked recently. Also, I log events as Attended only if I found caches that were placed only for that event; if I didn't find something, I don't want it in my find count. I rarely write much in the physical log, but I write quite a bit in every online log.

 

Trading: don't usually. I used to make woodburned pins with my avatar as a sig item but haven't in several years.

 

Pretty indifferent to travelers, except for one of mine that's done very well, only to be stymied just as it was about to reach home. Still hoping. I'll help others' when I can.

 

Events: used to go them quite a bit, but again, not so much time now.

 

As for hides, I hope with every one to provide something unique. My first was an island-hopping boat multi on a small lake, then a micro (or maybe a small) on top of an 8-story building, a puzzle that used a GPS in a way I haven't seen duplicated yet, a multi on an unmarked nature trail with a boardwalk in a small park, and a couple of rugged hikes to some old foundations (these last are surprisingly unpopular; I blame the length of the hike).

 

I get disappointed by brief logs on my hides; I try to impress with my hides, and a brief log suggests the person was unimpressed (even though I know that may not be true).

 

Forums: I try to be pretty easy-going, but I have a knack for seeing both sides of an argument, which means when I open my mouth, I sometimes get both sides mad at me.

 

* edited when I realized that didn't make sense. By "too many for that", I meant the hope of finding them ALL.

 

I also wanted to add that I love puzzles, and I love scoring high-difficulty caches (unless they're needle-in-a-haystack types).

Edited December 4, 2007 by Dinoprophet

[+DanOCan]

Not sure if I replied to this thread before in the 2+ years since it started, but even if I have the way I play likely has changed anyway over time.

 

So, here it goes:

 

1) I believe every cache hide should have a purpose. I should never have to stand at a cache location and ask "Why did you want to bring me here?" I try and hide my own caches with this rule in mind. Caching should be about interesting locations, not about running up your number of hides by sticking micros to every trash bin around.

 

2) I will not log the same event multiple times to account for any temporary caches that may have been part of the event.

 

3) I will not log a find on a cache if I am with the hider when the cache is placed. However, logging it on a subsequent visit is fair game. However, I reserve the right to alter this policy if the aforementioned cache is placed while on a substantial hike or other difficult-to-get-to location.

 

4) I will log a Find on a cache where I have not signed the log if I am able to prove my visit to the owner in some other way such as a photo or an email of the cache description. I must be able to handle the container, however. If I see a cache on the side of a cliff but I can't reach it that is not a Find.

 

5) I will log a DNF if I feel I gave the hunt a reasonable amount of time and effort. If I am not able to launch a productive search I will log the details of my visit as a Note instead.

 

6) I will log a DNF more than once on the same cache if I make more than one visit and Rule #5 applies.

 

7) I will log a Find on a cache only once, unless it is a cache which provides the opportunity for multiple unique hunts such as a grandfathered moving cache.

 

8) I will strive to write good detailed online logs. I believe your online log provides you with a method of tracking your own caching history, it provides valuable feedback for the cache hider and also lets future seekers know what they can expect.

 

9) As a cache hider, I believe it is my responsibility to think about what damage seekers will do in the area where I hide caches. If I hide a cache in a juniper bush I owe it to the environment to make sure seekers can find my cache without damaging the bush. This leads into #9:

 

10) I will provide good hints on my caches. If someone makes the effort to seek my cache I want to give them every chance to find it.

 

11) I will respond quickly to any issues raised on my hidden caches. However, if the seekers do not mention any problems in their logs I will not make any special effort to check on my caches.

 

12) I believe that the reward of caching comes from the experience of the visit, not the swag. If you want to find great swag don't look for my caches. I will mention this fact in my cache descriptions so seekers know exactly what to expect.

 

12) I reserve the right to complain about the sad state of the game as it exists today. If you can prove to me that your way is a better way than it will become my way. Until then, I reserve the right to believe my way is correct.

 

13) I reserve the right to violate the guidelines above if I deem special circumstances warrant it.

 

Cheers!

Edited December 3, 2007 by DanOCan

[+Viajero Perdido]

I like to always leave some caches unfound in each corner of town. (Such as the one that's a 60-second walk from my house.) That way, I'll always have something to do when I find myself in an area.

 

I like 'em hard. I don't mind working a few days to find a single cache; those are the memorable ones. Since I've started thinking this way, it's taken my find-count forever to inch its way through the 900's. Yeah, I'll get to 1000 some day, no rush.

 

I really enjoy hiding caches, and also helping out other people's caches that need some TLC.

 

I'm trying to keep the average terrain rating on my finds above 2.0. It's hard!

 

I'll grab a TB if I can actually help it travel. Except Jeeps; nobody owns those.

 

I love events, who doesn't?

[+DocDiTTo]

 

It's not my gift horse. I just googled it.

 

 

Somehow I knew I was going to see that picture in this thread. You're waaaaay too predictable.

I'd get into the details of how I play my game, but I keep that info in my profile. Besides, the horse has been posted, so the purpose of this thread has been fulfilled.

 

I think we need Snoogs law, similar to Godwins law. Instead of Nazi related remarks closing the thread, the thread is done when the horse's head makes its appearance.

[+TrailGators]

Edited December 4, 2007 by TrailGators

[+Snoogans]

I think that there are two basic types of cachers: The smiley hunters and the cool location/experience hunters. It would be nice if each cache identifed itself as a smiley cache or as a cool location/experience cache for filtering purposes. Using the cache type, size, difficult rating and terrain rating to try to do this is like using a dull knife. These types of threads would go away if you quickly and cleanly separate caches for these two camps. I would also ask for a feature to be able to ignore all the caches from anyone that thought a Wal-Mart parking lot was a cool location/experience. I'm sure that someone will try to argue that point and I'd rather just hit the big ignore button for all their caches when they do.

 

TG,

 

This thread isn't about caches. It's about CACHERS. Please re-read the OP.

[+TrailGators]

Edited December 4, 2007 by TrailGators

[+Snoogans]

I think that there are two basic types of cachers: The smiley hunters and the cool location/experience hunters. It would be nice if each cache identifed itself as a smiley cache or as a cool location/experience cache for filtering purposes. Using the cache type, size, difficult rating and terrain rating to try to do this is like using a dull knife. These types of threads would go away if you quickly and cleanly separate caches for these two camps. I would also ask for a feature to be able to ignore all the caches from anyone that thought a Wal-Mart parking lot was a cool location/experience. I'm sure that someone will try to argue that point and I'd rather just hit the big ignore button for all their caches when they do.

 

TG,

 

This thread isn't about caches. It's about CACHERS. Please re-read the OP.

Snoogans, re-read my post. I was talking about cachers. I play the game by manually sifting through all the caches to find cool location/experience caches. Then I go find those. I was just pointing out it would be nice if I could play the game without that manual process.

 

The part I highlighted in red shows that you view this as a complaint thread. It is far from it.

 

From the OP:

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.

 

How do you play your game TG?

[+TrailGators]

Edit: I play the game by manually sifting through all the caches to find cool location/experience caches. Then I go find those.

Edited December 4, 2007 by TrailGators

[+Snoogans]

Ah, brevity is sometimes lost with me... The OP should be a clue. Sorry.

[+Team Cotati]

This post made me miss this thread.

 

WOW!! That is such a really great thread, it is doubtful that you'll ever fully recover.

[+TrailGators]

Ah, brevity is sometimes lost with me... The OP should be a clue. Sorry.

I tweaked the OP to give you what you want...

 

TG's Game:

 

I'm more of a finder than a hider. However, 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: Location. Nuff said.

 

I hope that others strive to hide good caches. In many cases I don't really enjoy them, but I try to always remember to say thanks and I'm never rude in my logs. I don't view fun as a responsibility. I don't need any more responsibilities. I view fun as something that happens or it doesn't. I enjoy spontaneity. Surprises and unexpected fun is the best kind! However, I do try to avoid caches from people that hide un-fun ones.

 

If someone cheats on my puzzle caches, I don't care. The real solvers know who they are.

 

When I posted my one event, I got a hide stat, but I also post an "Attended" log on my own hosted event. I figured I hosted it and I attended it. So why not?

 

I enjoy events and have been to 21 of them in five years. I only log them once.

 

The nearest unfound cache to my house is less than 2 miles away. I don't try to clear areas anymore. It's like digging a hole in sand.

 

When I choose to hunt a cache, it's typically because a local group is going on a fun hike somewhere. San Diego is loaded with cool places to explore. I don't like torture so I shy away from the 4+ terrain caches (the way they are rated out here).

 

I like virtuals but feel so-so about locationless caches.

 

I'm not repulsed by a micro just because it is small. I don't trade so the container size doesn't matter to me. It's much easier to do a clever hide with a micro so there are actually some great ones around here that have made the SD Favorites (see my sig), which I maintain for the SD community.

 

I think puzzle caches are cool. At one time I had done most of the ones in my area. Like I said before, it's like trying to dig a hole in sand, so I've given up on trying to do that. There are over 500 around here now. Now I just do them when I'm in the mood. I will not do ones that require hours of work. I like the tricky but elegant ones that you can solve in a few minutes once you crack them. Those are the kind that I create too. It is fun to team up with people 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 try to log my caches within two days of when I find them because I have CRS (can't remember squat (last word changed to protect the innocent )).

 

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. If you get a DNF from me it is most likely not good news for you. I have had a couple that stumped me, but I'm pretty tenacious. I'll keep going back until I find it. I don't view the sun going down as the end of my search, so I won't log a DNF until I've given up.

 

I could care less what's in a cache, but sometimes I will make a trade.

 

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.

 

I have no TBs and I have about 8 coins which I kept because I like looking at them.

 

Other geocaching sites- I participate on one other geocaching site. I believe that competition is a good thing to raise the bar. I also eat at many different restaurants. Same idea....

Edited December 4, 2007 by TrailGators

[+simpjkee]

I'm a finder. I have the attitude that you should take what you want from the game and leave the rest. If you want to hike to caches, then just get hiking caches. If you want urban finds after church, then go for those. Me......I want ALL caches. I want numbers hiking or otherwise. Of course I don't have the skills to get caches on Mt. Everest or at the bottom of a lake, but for right now, I want ALL the caches I can get.

 

I want numbers. I'm not afraid to say that I want more caches than YOU. If you don't care about having more finds than me then that's cool with me. But rest assured I want more than you. I don't neccesarily want to be #1 even in my state. Maybe top 25 in my state would be cool. That would be about 2500 caches or so. I say this not only because I'm a bit obsessive compulsive about numbers but also because I'm a native of AZ. My parents are even native of AZ, but when I got in to geocaching, I had never really left my city, let alone my state. For me, when I go to a new city in my state or a different state all together, it's not just that I want more finds, its more so that I love to see and experience areas, sights, nature, etc. that I never even considered experiencing as I grew up. A couple weeks ago I spent a day caching in Surprise, AZ which is snowbird central. I got about 40 caches there that day, but just as fun as the caches was the idea that I had a reason to drive 40 miles to experience a whole new area of MY state, ya know?

 

I have 5 hides and I want my hides to be different. I want someone who has found all five of my caches to see my 6th posted and think "oh boy! what am I gunna be faced with this time?" Even so, I don't get the logs that I think my caches deserve so I don't get a whole lot out of placing caches. I'd rather find some and write cool logs that get to read a cool log once a month.

 

All a hider needs to do to satisfy me is place a cache. It's all up to me to choose wether I want to go after it or not. Of course, 100% of the time, I choose to go after it. Some are better than others, but all of them deserve and receive my genuine thanks for if it weren't or their effort, I'd prolly be sitting at home playing PS2 or something like that.

 

I would love locationless caches, but they are long gone before I ever showed up. Virtuals are most excellent though IMO

 

I love micros just as much as regulars

 

I love puzzle caches. I will tackle any that are in my area. Some are tough so I put them off, but eventually they creep into my closest unfound cache list and then I put more effort in to them and figure them out.

 

I am by no means a FTF hound. However, with my weird hours, I get easy oppurtunities to nab a FTF here and there. I sleep from about 5am to 2pm. So when the reviewer in my area publishes a cache at 9pm or later, there is a good chance that if I don't grab it at 2am then it will stay unfound until the next morning. Such is the case tonight when I got my 9th FTF on an easy micro at 1:30am.

 

I post my DNF's and finds immediately when I get home after a hunt. One exception is when I go o a far off city for a 12 hour day hunt and find 50 something. In that case it is hard enough keeping track of all the finds that I don't keep track of my DNF's. Other than that, I always log my DNF's

 

I only trade for trackables. There doesn't ever seem to be anything in a cache that is worthy of my effort other than the new geocoin icon or the added number next to my TB icon.

 

I rarely look at the actual cache log book. I just check out the online logs and I figure that covers it and then the DNF's as well. However I always log online if I take or place a trackable. In the cache log and the trackable log. In the actual log book, I also rarely do more than just log my name and the date, unless I am first to find. Then I write FTF and my name and date.

 

I very rarely hold a TB or coin for more than 3 days. I've only moved about 55, but rest assured, if I grab your TB it will be moved and logged ASAP

 

I only log TB's and coins that I actually pick up and move. I never log a discovered it

 

I'm still new to the whole TB deal though. I onl own 3 and they have encountered a grand total of 6 cachers so far.

 

The big geocaching "thing" I have is the hint giving. I NEVER ask for hints. I want to find caches on my own. I will use anything that the owner lets me, but I will NEVER ask for hints. For example, if the owner allows a previous cacher to post a pic of the cache then for sure I will use the pic as a hint, but I would never ask the owner what the cache is. I even found a Puzzle cache without solving for the coords. I knew from the owners description that it was a lampost and then I read in a DNF log that a cacher could not access the cache because there was an RV parked next to the cache. There was a hotel in the area and so I went to the hotel one night and searched under every lamp post and found the cache. I'm cool with that because the owner allowed that person's DNF log and therefor allowed me to read it. But I would never have asked the owner to go out of their way to supply me with a hint for tha cache. I have encountered a couple times where owners give me hints when they see my DNF log and I don't like it even though they did allow me to recieve that hint even though I didn't ask for it. I still don't like that. Because I don't I write PLEASE DONT SEND ME ANY HINTS!!! in my DNF logs. I know of at least one cache (who was also going after the find on the cache) who misunderstands my request as me being too proud to recieve hints. That is not an issue. I just like the idea of figuring things out on my own. I'm competitive like that. It's like this: "You give me what you're gunna give me, and I'll do the rest without asking for more help". Not because I'm too proud, just because I want to know that I accomplished the goal without any freebe's.

 

Either way. I love geocaching. I love this game. It's the best game I have ever encountered and I hope to continue playing for as long as I continue to enjoy it which I see will be quite a while.

Edited December 5, 2007 by simpjkee

[+Snoogans]

Time to trot this old horse out again since the "game" has changed a lot in the last 5 years.....

 

My game has changed a little too:

 

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.

 

Now that I sometimes hide and find caches with my 4.5yo Snooglet, I find that sometimes the most mundane hides and locations can be great fun or a real challenge seen through his eyes.

 

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.)

 

Make that 209 events in 10 states.

 

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.

 

I drove 8,666 mile roundtrip to attend GW8. That's my longest cachin run to date. I got almost 200 caches and attended 10 events.

 

When I wrote the OP gas was a great deal cheaper. I don't go a long way outta my way to attend local (Texas & Houston) events anymore unless it's convenient or something really special.

 

Cachin' event groups have become localized and in some areas a bit Balkinized and I think that is greatly due to gas prices.

 

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.

 

Okay, I finally went and found those. One of them is so good that it got a favorite point from me.

 

Funny thing though. A friend and fellow geocacher actually hid a cache on our property (at work) and I did not become aware of it until 7 months later when one of my officers called the cops after seeing a guy stash something under a light pole base cover. It turned into one of the most interesting finds I ever had. Of course the cache is archived now.

 

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.

 

Still true, but I'll take any convenient cache just to get a fix sometimes. I'm not too picky at those times.

 

I like virtual and locationless caches.

 

Still do, but ya gotta use an alternate listing service to hide and find LCs and to hide Virts. Funny how virts were so derided back in the day, but most new cachers go outta their way to get them and many wish we could still list them.

 

SO, how do you play YOUR game???

 

 

Well?

[+Roman!]

 

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

 

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.

 

 

How can there always be tomorrow if you don't go back after logging a DNF?

 

Never mind: time machine, you go back yesterday.

[ll JK ll]

Cool thread, I've enjoyed reading how everyone plays the game.

 

For me geocaching is all about exploring, walking trails and enjoying the scenery. I don't want to come off as dramatic but geocaching has really changed my life. I'm 31, started caching in April. For the past 5-6 years I was heavy into video games and spent waaay too much time glued to the tube.

 

Now I'm caching nearly every weekend and it's great. The best part is enjoying nature. Whether it's an awesome view from an outcrop like the one at GCNWJJ or a tiny insect going about its day, caching has helped me have more of an appreciation for the natural world. I can't wait for my daughter (who's nearly 2) to get a little older so I can share the same appreciation with her.

 

As for the game itself, I'm mostly a finder at this point. I prefer caches that are along wooded trails but I don't discriminate if the cache is a pill bottle in the landscaping of a McDonald's. Sometimes micros are irritating because they can be so tough to find but once you do it's rewarding.

 

Puzzle caches are cool as well, but I'm still a little wet behind the ears in my solving methods. There are a few very active cachers in my area that have created some really tough puzzle caches so I've got my work cut out for me. I had one in particular taunting me so I got help from someone on the forums. I was excited to have the coords but once I got to the hide it felt cheap because I didn't figure it out myself. From now on I'm going solo and if I don't get it oh well.

 

I have only one hide, which was adopted from a local who has too many to properly take care of. I was stoked because it's in a nature reserve / rest stop on a major highway in my area. The previous owner let me have the full log which dates back nearly 10 years! It's cool to me to have a piece of history like that, as insignificant as it may be to some.

 

After nearly 100 finds I'm starting to enter hiding phase. I wanted to get some experience under my belt and see what others have done before I jump into the ring. I'm actually placing my first true hide this weekend. I just did a basic camo paint job on it last night and it's nearly ready to go. I'm going to release my Spidey TB and cross my fingers that it can reach its goal.

 

Speaking of Travel Bugs and Geocoins, they're an awesome concept. Giving us the ability to create custom trackables adds so many unique items to the game. I've seen quite a few creative bugs in my travels. I've bought several geocoins, released none, because I can't seem to get them off my desk as personal eye candy

 

Next month I'm participating in a CITO event to clean up a pond that's been abused by simpletons who can't hold that empty bottle until reaching a trash can. It'll be nice to meet some fellow cachers and put faces with usernames but more importantly it's going to be great to actually do something positive for that community.

 

I could ramble on another few hundred words or so but I think this pretty much sums it up

[+manicgecko]

Random... that is my game. Won't do consecutive caches on a power trail. Won't throwdown but will repair. Normally don't do more than 6 caches a day. My game is the journey... I want to come back. I love to come back to an area that has elicited an emotion in the past (love, hate, frustrated, bore, whatever) and see if it does it again 0.1 miles down the road. I love the challenge to see what a couple of random caches can create. I love to log and release the random brain fart that was going through my mind at the time even if it is just the badly mangled song shoved into my head from the title of the cache. I have looked for containers at earthcaches because I don't read the description. I have DNF'd obvious caches because my brain was stuck on preconceived notions. But I come back and degrade myself on the log for being so stupid the last time around. Even the tick on the signpost caches usually have something worthwhile on the journey. The only number I am concerned about is the 1 cache I try to find each day... all else is gravy. Will always DNF at least the 1st time around because that is part of the journey. The journey and the travel taking me out to wander aimlessly is probably the best time of the day. Signing the scrap of paper is just a chore that has to be done to meet the hobby's requirement. Keep an eye out for the dirty, bucktoothed orange cachemobile putting a little gravel in the travel and lurking around parks and culverts near you...