Checking Up On Your Own Caches?

[+Eco-sheep]

Despite posting a DNF (link here) for our first attempt at Geocaching, my family are undeterred and happily planning new hunts AND places to stash our own caches. Although we'll wait until we've succesfully found a few first, I just wondered how often the more experienced amongst you visit the caches that you placed yourselves to check that they're in good condition and not filling up with water or similar. Or does that depend on how frequently they are visited - or in other words can a regularly visited cache be monitored purely by log postings on Geocaching.com?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Steve.

[+Bud Lightbeer]

I have only one cache in the wild at the moment and haven't yet re-visited it. I rely on other cachers comments to determine whether some attention is required. That said, as we are moving soon, some distance away, I will pop up and check all is well before we depart for pastures new.

 

From what I have seen in the logs, most cachers wait for a couple of DNF's or a negative comment about the state of the cache before they visit in person to make repairs or confirm all is well.

 

Even better, I now carry some spares for cache repair to save them a trip. Enjoy placing your first cache, now I must get back to planning where my second will go. Not much room left around Dartmoor

[Nediam]

I only own 2 caches, so maybe some one with a few more might be better suited to answering your question.

 

However, One of my caches is very close to home and I usually drive by it once or twice a week just to check it's still there. My other cache is a little further away and to be honest I should probably check it this weekend as it's been a couple of months since it was last found.

 

If a cache is regularly visted and no-one posts any notes along the lines of: - "it's a bit damp, damaged or a full log book" then I see no reason to check on it every week/month. Just pop in now and then to check all is OK.

 

With regards to your DNF, don't give . It might be worth trying an easier rated cache. I did that cache last year and it is quite well hidden. Plus as you say, it could have been had by "muggles"

 

You could try Railway Walk, it's not too far from the other cache you tried and it was found yesterday (plus the walk to the cache is nice and flat )

Edited February 27, 2006 by Nediam

[+purple_pineapple]

We don’t check on our caches at all! Not quite true of course. We rely on the logs to inform us of any potential problems, as most of our caches are found at least once a week. We have one cache X Marks The Spot which I doubt will be found that often, but its also our furthest away. We will endeavour to get out there at least once a month if it hasn’t been found, although I would prefer this to be two weeks. Its finding the time at the weekends though…

 

In theory, regularly found caches don’t need to be checked on, although you may find the log book runs out of space suddenly if no one reports it! Oh, and its sometimes nice to top up the swaps..!

 

Dave

[+Us 4 and Jess]

we have 9 caches and most of them are fairly close to our home, the caches are placed in areas where we regularly walk jess so they are checked on at least once a month, also because i like to read the log books and to see what has been left inside of the caches

 

if we have a dnf on a cache that is pretty easy we would walk jess in that area as soon as possible to check it out

 

i have found that if i find any caches in the north east that have a problem i would write my log for the cache as normal, and then i would send an email to the owner of the cache through their geocaching profile saying there is a problem with their cache and explaining why, then most cachers will go out to their cache and sort it out as soon as they can.

 

i think the "norm" would be if you have 2 dnfs on your cache then you check it out.

 

Mandy

[+Eco-sheep]

With regards to your DNF, don't give . It might be worth trying an easier rated cache. I did that cache last year and it is quite well hidden. Plus as you say, it could have been had by "muggles"

 

Thanks for the "chin up" Nediam. Actually the worst thing about the DNF was the horrible feeling of failure. We hadn't looked at the photo clues in the gallery, but were able to decrypt the written clue in situ. However, when we got home and looked at Redpanda's photos we knew that the thing had gone. A quick e-mail to him confirmed that he had already been given reason to suspect that all was not well with his ammo box. We were very grateful for his quick reply, because finding out that the cache had probably been pinched, along with pictorial confirmation that we had been looking in the right place, quickly alleviated our down in the dumps feeling. Unfortunately, with this being our first Geocaching expedition, I had excavated and replaced half of the ground in the area thinking that it was well buried!

 

You could try Railway Walk, it's not too far from the other cache you tried and it was found yesterday (plus the walk to the cache is nice and flat )

 

That's on our to do list on Friday after school. We had considered it, and Himley Plantation, for yesterday, but decided on the walk up onto Orton Ridge instead. Never mind, we're not downhearted. All I need to do know is figure out how we can set a cache full of toys for "children who don't have any themselves", the brainchild of my 6 years old son. It would appear that he seems to associate a box and toys with Romanian orphans or such like, a legacy of the Christmas shoe box appeals methinks.

 

Thanks for the replies everybody.

 

Take care,

 

Steve.

[+The Mars Bars]

We have 12 active caches.

 

I have just this morning been and replaced a box on one cache that had a cracked lid and

replaced a shredded camo bag on another nearby whilst I was out.

Dropped a TB in and replenished the swaps as I went.

 

I have made maintenance visits on some of my easily reached caches, but others I have not seen since I placed them as they are found at least 2 or 3 times a month and the logs report that they are in sound condition.

 

I have another puzzle cache that involves series of boxes to find each containing a clue, they need replenishing from time to time. The final cache contains a small amount of genuine Roman coins that I try to keep stocked. This does as you will understand require more maintenence visits than most!

But I do rely on the logs to keep me abreast of when things are getting low or in need of attention.

 

I have teporarily disabled another one for a week or so until I can get around to checking it out.

 

Another is in Birmingham where I visit for work on a regular basis but I also have back-up from a local cacher for emergency maintenance.

 

It's a nice touch if you can carry spare logbooks, pencils and clipseal bags in your caching kit.

I carry my spares and swaps in a tupperware container that can also be donated if I see fit.

 

Beware of setting too many caches, or else you are in danger of creating "geolitter"!

 

Cheers

Dave

[+HazelS]

I have 8 caches currently, but another 4 of mine are inthe area I used to live and have been adopted by local cachers.

 

I generally check my caches whenever there is a DNF. However, before my Ex and I split up there was one particular cache we'd check out whenever we were having a bit of a barney cos it was a bit of a drive and a walk - we couldn't escape each other!!! lol!!

 

I have another cache that is about a 0.75 walk from the car prking, and I've never had to check on it... it's now been adpoted though.

 

Of my newer caches, I've not had to do any maintenance visits personally - I sent my Parents out to do the series and they gave them the once over!! I do, however, have to go to one of them tonight and double checkit - It's there but it's been put back wrong, and is difficult to reach!

[+scaw]

watch the logs to see what the visitors say Most are in areas i visit often so i just do a quick check up and restock when ever i am about.

Recently while on holiday i got an email saying one of my caches hadn't been covered up and was visible but the emailer had covered it so i then placed info on the geocache page asking for it to be left covered well

[+Pharisee]

Quite simple, really. While 'found it' logs keep coming in and there are no adverse comments, I ignore them. As soon as I get a DNF or someone reports a problem, I'll go and check at the first opportunity.

[+Write and Mane]

We have a fair number of caches in South Wales.

 

We respond to peoples comments in the logs and if we get a couple of DNF's we do a miantenance visit, usually within a week, if possible, although some require a fair slog to get to them!

 

Our Merthyr Marathon Series had four caches which had not been visited for several months, we were considering maitenance visits to them before the lighter evenings and warmer weather encourages people to look for tupperware boxes. Thankfully local cachers have got itchy feet and been out and done them, so we only had to replace a box that was reported missing and a new log book in an other.

 

If we get a couple of DNF's we try to check them before making a decision to temporarily disable. We thinkand hope people read the logs before going out to do a caches, so will have a good idea of the current state of a cache.

 

Enjoy but do not despair if you get DNF's, watch to see if others find them.

[+The Mars Bars]

 

Enjoy but do not despair if you get DNF's, watch to see if others find them.

 

Dead right there!

 

Some people's idea of "looking" is less than thorough!

 

one, two or even three DNF's doesn't mean that the cache has gone.

 

I have a micro in Birmingham which I was informed, via the logs, was definately gone!

 

I was not able to get there over the Christmas period so a local cacher kindly offered to replace it for me, he knew the location because he was a previous finder. I sent him a few ready made micros, all labeled up etc.

He Kindly replaced the cache...next day someone found both the original and the replacement!!

 

Cheers

Dave

[+Eco-sheep]

 

Enjoy but do not despair if you get DNF's, watch to see if others find them.

 

Some people's idea of "looking" is less than thorough!

 

I imagine so. Hence my reluctance to say that our dnf is missing - until Redpandas confirms one way or t'other.

[+BikerKats]

We have one which we placed on New Year's Day. Four weeks later a finder was disturbed by a muggle, who subsequently logged a find. We went to check it the following weekend, just in case the muggle had not hidden it properly; fortunately all was well.

[alistair_uk]

Personally I place caches close to home and pass a few of them every day. As a result of this I can easily check of the cache if something in a log concerns me, be it a find or a DNF. I now tend to check on a cache if it has not been found for a couple of months and did a full sweep before the last event, but I am paranoid like that.

[+little-miss-naughty]

i only own one cache but am working on another, i vist every few weeks just to check the leval of the river so it dosnt get washed away. sadly though it has to be removed for the really bad weather in the winter but the good news is its now back in action.

LMN

[+Belplasca]

I usually rely on cache logs, too.

 

But I was beginning to despair of one of my canalside caches in London, after I had failed to find it twice, myself! (It's one that I took over, and I had never found it before...)

 

So, I made a concerted effort and went there with a friend last weekend. And they found it for me

 

So it now has a nice new log sheet, and a new location that should keep it drier.

 

Another of mine is Cara's College Cache in Regent's Park. But the head gardener is a cacher, and regularly leaves TB's in there, so I usually know it's safe - even though it gets more than it's share of DNFs...

 

Bob Aldridge

Edited February 28, 2006 by Belplasca

[+Birders]

We check on our caches frequently during good weather and less frequently when it's bitterly cold. Cachers are responsible for maintaining their caches and if they can't do that they shouldn't put them out.

[+Nellies Knackers]

A lot of cachers do maintainence on other peoples caches while they are there,I've replaced micro containers and logbooks before posting the original back to the cache owner,and often taken a spare logbook along when previous logs have complained about wet/full logbook.

Treat other caches as you'd like you're own treated and you won't go far wrong is the way I see it.

Of course if a cache is in a smelly old bin liner it's 'maintainence' to remove the bag as well as CITO.

[+Pharisee]

I was not able to get there over the Christmas period so a local cacher kindly offered to replace it for me, he knew the location because he was a previous finder. I sent him a few ready made micros, all labeled up etc.

He Kindly replaced the cache...next day someone found both the original and the replacement!!

 

Cheers

Dave

 

I've had that happen, too. My cache at Wimpole Hall has a (largish) Micro hidden in an old oak tree. A cacher reported it missing so I hotfooted it over there with a replacement. Three months and 10 finders later, a cacher reported "Found two extra clues at location 4, happily they both said the same thing.". He'd found the original and the replacement. The original had been re-located in another hole about 15 inches above the correct one putting it out of reach of 'normal' sized people. I guess that some tall cacher has a warped sense of humour

[+Nellies Knackers]

I know the one you mean! It was far enough up as it was.

Great series though