Worldwide Re-stock (re-swag) Your Cache Day Or Week

[+Lizzy]

Don't beat me up too much on this topic. I don't know if this idea has been brought up before (forgive me if it has) - I did a quick search & didn't see it.

 

It might be a great thing to have a week or a day or even a month that cache owners go out, clean up, and restock their caches with nice swag, new logs, etc. Make it an annual thing. I'd love to see TPTB run with this idea & promote it (if it hasn't already been done). I try to start my caches out stuffed with good stuff, but on one of my last maintenance runs - I found junk (broken items, plain rocks, a feather or two, pamphlets, etc.) It was a sad sight.

 

Even if this idea doesn't catch on, I'm going to do this for my own caches next month. It would be great fun to go out in a couple of months and find that every cache I hunt for is a treasure box!! What do you think?

[+Kacky]

Too controll-y. We should be cleaning up our caches on a regular basis, and if someone isn't, you can't make them.

[+briansnat]

It would take me a couple of months to get to them all, unless I quit my job.

 

Not a bad idea though. It's a good way to remind people to do cache maintenance. Instead of restock your cache week, perhaps it can be Worldwide Cache Maintenance Week.

Edited July 13, 2006 by briansnat

[+Lizzy]

Too controll-y. We should be cleaning up our caches on a regular basis, and if someone isn't, you can't make them.

Pretty much everything in this sport is voluntary...this would enhance the sport, not undermine it.

[CoyoteRed]

I think it a good idea!

 

Maybe a twice a year thing? Once at the beginning of the season and once at the end? When's that? I dunno, maybe the time change?

 

We have a CITO day even though we all CITO year round--we do, don't we? I think an annual or semi-annual maintenance day/week is a good idea.

[+StarBrand]

It would take me a couple of months to get to them all, unless I quit my job.

 

Not a bad idea though. It's a good way to remind people to do cache maintenance. Instead of restock your cache week, perhaps it can be Worldwide Cache Maintenance Week.

 

Me too - I had cache maintenance issues last month on the 2 caches farthest from me (in opposite directions of course) - with the busy summer months it took quite an effort to get to both of them in a timely fashion. Sad part is one of the issues was pretty bogus but the other was genuine.

[+ParrotRobAndCeCe]

I think it a good idea!

 

Maybe a twice a year thing? Once at the beginning of the season and once at the end?

 

What season is that?

 

When's that? I dunno, maybe the time change?

 

Nah, everyone's too busy changing the batteries in their smoke detectors that weekend.

[CoyoteRed]

What season is that?

 

Don't be silly! Geocaching season, of course!

[+ParrotRobAndCeCe]

What season is that?

 

Don't be silly! Geocaching season, of course!

 

I guess I always kind figured caching as a year-round thing.

[+TheManInStripes]

Speaking of seasons, if it's Tourist Season, why can't we shoot em?

[+ParrotRobAndCeCe]

Speaking of seasons, if it's Tourist Season, why can't we shoot em?

 

I wish. Especially here in DC. You can't go one stop on the metro without being inundated by them.

[+Metaphor]

I started yesterday with one maintenance visit. The others may take a bit more time. Cool idea.

[+Lizzy]

I'm not even going to wait til next month. I'm going to start next week! I wish this would've gotten the attention of Jeremy & the folks at Groundspeak ....

[+Davispak]

Sounds like a good idea. I say Sept. or Oct. is a better month, not so hot then and out of the summer cache months. Just a thought either way a cool idea.

[ParentsofSAM]

Yes have a semi annual World Wide Cache Maintaince Weeks....they should be the 2 week in March and October. That sounds like a great idea!

[+9Key]

, unless I quit my job.

I thought your job was posting in these forums.

[+JoGPS]

OP, Sounds like a great idea

[bogleman]

I like the idea. My oldest unfound cache has not been touched in almost a year now. I had plans on going out when the year mark rolls around and take some pictures and add a nice prize for the next finder. At least they/me will know it is still there.

[Cape Cod Cacher]

Speaking of seasons, if it's Tourist Season, why can't we shoot em?

 

75% of the the local economy in 5 months is a good answer. I'll put up with traffic and New York Yankees fans as long as they leave after Columbus Day. After we soak them for 9.7% room tax that plows my street in the winter.

 

I check my 'tourist cache' when I go to the beach, the other one May 2 and November 2

[+Harriet the Spy]

I think this would be a great idea!

[+Snoogans]

I like the idea. My oldest unfound cache has not been touched in almost a year now. I had plans on going out when the year mark rolls around and take some pictures and add a nice prize for the next finder. At least they/me will know it is still there.

 

We call 'em "Tourons" (Tourist + Moron) in the Mammoth area, cuz about a dozen of 'em get killed up there EVERY year.

 

One of the first ever Darwin awards was awarded to a Touron in Mammoth. linky, linky (BTW Snopes.com only says they can't prove it's false. I can tell ya, my sister replaced the laces that were cut off on that pad. It's VERY true.)

 

Is it ANY wonder that I over value the terrain and difficulty ratings on my caches?

 

Coincidentally, I recently performed owner maintenance on nearly ALL of my caches in the Mammoth Lakes area.

[+Lizzy]

OK, last week I ran out of time. It's looking like I'll restock the first 2 weeks of August. Not just maintenance, but a restock (like...a brand new cache, man). Thanks for the great feedback on this idea. Now I'm off to the dollar & outdoor stores...

[+New England n00b]

I think it is kind of a neat idea. A little community building, a little responsibility... like CITO events are.

 

I would opt for a fall time frame, personally, if there was to be a 'week' specified. Cooler, fewer bugs - much better time.

 

Like CITO, though, cache maintenance should be done reasonably regularly (reasonable for the cache location, not arbitrary). The official week should just be encouragement and a boot to teh butt of all cachers to get them motivated and out there.

[+BadAndy]

Great idea. It would promote a little preventative maintenance on our caches.

 

I have some caches that I've never revisited after placement. The logs and lack of dnf's make me confidant the cache is still in good condition, but a semi annual reswag day would only improve things.

[+Colorado Cacher]

Very great idea. Although if a date is actually posted I believe the next day would turn into "national thieve a cache day."

[+Darkmoon]

Great idea and I personally try to reswag all my caches when I check on them or do routine maintance. Now if we can only get the cachers visiting the caches to do proper swag trade, life would be so easier.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Don't beat me up too much on this topic. I don't know if this idea has been brought up before (forgive me if it has) - I did a quick search & didn't see it.

 

It might be a great thing to have a week or a day or even a month that cache owners go out, clean up, and restock their caches with nice swag, new logs, etc. Make it an annual thing. I'd love to see TPTB run with this idea & promote it (if it hasn't already been done). I try to start my caches out stuffed with good stuff, but on one of my last maintenance runs - I found junk (broken items, plain rocks, a feather or two, pamphlets, etc.) It was a sad sight.

 

Even if this idea doesn't catch on, I'm going to do this for my own caches next month. It would be great fun to go out in a couple of months and find that every cache I hunt for is a treasure box!! What do you think?

Your idea is waaaay too doo-gooder and invasive and controlling for my tastes. I felt quite nauseous even reading your suggestion BTW that is my problem, not yours; I am not blaming that on you!) Frankly, once I place a cache, anything to do with swag is 100% the responsibiity of the geo community -- specifically, those people who find the cache. If they wish to leave junk in the caches that they find, that is their bed that they made, and let them sleep in it. Far be if from me to mess with the bizarre swag habits of some members of the geo community. Now, if we hear that a logbook in one of our caches has been damaged or soaked, or that the cache is full of water (we have one cache container that seems to get found and opened only during major rainstorms...), then we will do maintenance quickly to repair those problems. About the only time I will EVER get involved with swag in a cache which we own is if someone leaves a loose and upnackaged/unsealed damp corroding battery in one of our caches (it happens; some people are very stupid...) or if someone were to leave a contraband item in one of our caches (that has never happened yet!)

[+The GeoGadgets Team]

We call 'em "Tourons" (Tourist + Moron) in the Mammoth area, cuz about a dozen of 'em get killed up there EVERY year.

 

Yep, we call them 'tour-ons' here in the Redwoods, too. This time of year you see about a thousand idiots, usually visually impaired to begin with, driving a motorhome so big that any other vehicle that size on the road needs a special permit, and the driver is only going 20 mph in a 55 zone so that they can crane their necks up to try and see the tops of 150+ trees. Why they can't pull over at the ample number of pull-outs, take photos (you know? they last longer!) and get the hell out of everyone else's way, I don't know.

 

We have a saying around here: most folks that come here from somewhere else left their brains by their front doors when they locked them to leave.

 

Now, saying that, I still love having tourists here, ESPECIALLY Geocaching tourists! In fact, most of our caches include historical data that most tourists (even locals) don't know. I hope they come away from this area with more than killer beach/sunset photos and McToys swag...

 

That, and the area I live in is considered impoverished, due to the fact that without the local prison and the fluctuation of tourists this town we have gone broke completely when the fishermen and loggers left.

 

Sad...

[+Lizzy]

 

Your idea is waaaay too doo-gooder and invasive and controlling for my tastes. I felt quite nauseous even reading your suggestion BTW that is my problem, not yours; I am not blaming that on you!) Frankly, once I place a cache, anything to do with swag is 100% the responsibiity of the geo community -- specifically, those people who find the cache. If they wish to leave junk in the caches that they find, that is their bed that they made, and let them sleep in it. Far be if from me to mess with the bizarre swag habits of some members of the geo community. Now, if we hear that a logbook in one of our caches has been damaged or soaked, or that the cache is full of water (we have one cache container that seems to get found and opened only during major rainstorms...), then we will do maintenance quickly to repair those problems. About the only time I will EVER get involved with swag in a cache which we own is if someone leaves a loose and upnackaged/unsealed damp corroding battery in one of our caches (it happens; some people are very stupid...) or if someone were to leave a contraband item in one of our caches (that has never happened yet!)

 

You do have a very valid point of view - but I have a personal interest in this too - kinda tired of opening what could be really awesome caches (from the initial stock list) to find rocks, sticks, feathers, rubberbands, etc. It's a sad truth that many do not trade equal. As I pointed out before, my idea is that this would not be a requirement, but would be entirely voluntary. Yep, a little too doo-gooder probably, but invasive & controlling I'd have to disagree. It would be considered invasive & controlling if I was REQUIRED to restock another's cache or even my own. It's all about voluntarily improving the sport, not promoting strict guidelines. I do appreciate your honest feedback & your opinion.