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bumblingbs

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As I grow into geocaching, I find that I like to hide caches more than I like to find them. But I do need somebody to get me into right thinking. I've just finished a maintenance run of most of my caches, and I need to start all over again. The ones I found - about half were in the wrong place, or exposed. Cache contents? I won't even go there. So, how can I do it without getting into a temper tantrum?

 

If that was the This, here is the That:

 

I have a baby carrier. A high quality baby backpack. Free, if you've got a baby. Only problem is, I live in Port Townsend, and I don't deliver.

 

Best

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As I grow into geocaching, I find that I like to hide caches more than I like to find them. But I do need somebody to get me into right thinking. I've just finished a maintenance run of most of my caches, and I need to start all over again. The ones I found - about half were in the wrong place, or exposed. Cache contents? I won't even go there. So, how can I do it without getting into a temper tantrum?

 

If that was the This, here is the That:

 

I have a baby carrier. A high quality baby backpack. Free, if you've got a baby. Only problem is, I live in Port Townsend, and I don't deliver.

 

Best

I'll give you my Have Fun mantra. Hiding them provideds you the fun you seek. If it isn't providing fun to keep up with the maintenance of the existing caches, consider adopting them out or archiving them. Or, just shrug your shoulders and say to yourself stuff happens and carry on.

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Totem Lake, I've never met you, but I've already been impressed by you. I only ask you attempt not be be "last to find", and that you trade in a fair manner.

And by "you" , I obviously don't mean you. It's about time you came to Port Townsend. If you have a 3 month old, all the better - I have a baby backpack for you.

P.S. If everyone who had caches violated in some matter went away, there would be no caches. I'm understanding that it happens, just need to be told how to deal with it better.

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P.S. If everyone who had caches violated in some matter went away, there would be no caches. I'm understanding that it happens, just need to be told how to deal with it better.

I agree with TL: You either shrug it off as one of those things that happens (and accept it as a fair price to pay for the fun), or decide it's not worth it. Honestly, where I am in that equation on any particular day varies based on factors such as my free time to go fix things and how jaded I'm feeling in general.

 

More functionally, of course you learn from what has gone wrong. I've learned that Bison tube O-rings fail quickly, resulting in "needs maintenance" posts for wet log sheets (one more reason to move away from the tubes). I've learned, somewhat surprisingly, that the larger the container, the less frequently it seems to need maintenance (except perhaps swag content). And I've learned that someone on Lake Joy doesn't want a geocache in the little county park there. I'm adjusting my approach accordingly as I have these little epiphanies, and as general attitude and free time allow. If and when the work/hassle element of it outweighs the enjoyment I get, I'll stop. Not there yet though.

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I don't want to get to the point of not enjoying placing caches. I love it. I love taking people to a new place, or sharing some history. I have several more caches planned.

 

I just want the finders to respect them. I am poor. The loss off a cache with $10 worth of contents, plus the gas to drive there hurts.

 

Baby backpack still available. Would it help if I gave co-ords?

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You might try the WSGA Garage Sale thread for the Baby Backpack. Otherwise give people time to read and respond. Some of us don't have access from work/school.

 

Cache contents will degrade, it's a fact of the game. If you own a cache you have to be prepared to clean out the carp and re-fill with better swag every time you do a maintenance run. TL has the right attitude, this is supposed to be fun. If it's not, then you are either not doing it right or this isn't the right thing for you.

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Totem Lake, has it summed up well. Place as many as you can comfortably maintain. I havent looked at your placed caches in your profile, but I would hope you don't throw out alot of lame micros with no interesting qualities in the listing or the cache itself for the sake of hiding them. That seems to be the thing in the Bremerton/Port Orchard area lately. Whatever you hide make sure it is good. Quality is better than quantity and IS looked at by fellow cachers in the area. Like I said, whatever quantity you choose to hide, just make sure you are comfortable and able to maintain that one last hide you placed.

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I was really excited when I placed my first cache. Its close to home so I would check it often. Really was an eye opener how fast the good swag I left turned to junk. (turned into nothing left at all at one point)

So the next few I left mediocre stuff in a bit of a tougher hide, and the swag has held up better.

less finders = less junk seems to be the theory. Or maybe the harder hides attract better hunters who are not doing much trading.

 

Now I am placing swag according to difficulty. Harder hides I leave better items. Or at least I try to depending on how my wallet is doing at the time. Easy hides get the less nifty toys since I know the cache is going to get pounded.

 

Just something to consider...

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I can empathize with you on some of the disappointments. On one of my last few cache hides, it took less than 2 weeks before the contents were wiped out in one of the containers. It was sad to read that log. Not just unequal trades - completely emptied. Thanks to nice folks like the kinderhoff cachers, who restocked it a bit when they found it - kinda balances things out for me. Could've been local muggles, don't know - but I love this sport so much, I don't mind having to restock the containers once in a while - kinda my way of giving back to something I've found a lot of enjoyment with. I think what would make me steam, is if the containers are taken. I don't plan on having tons of hides out there, so I can maintain the ones I've got - and I promised my husband that I'll stop getting ammo boxes in the mail.... :)

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On one of my caches, now archived, the very first finders were a family of cachers. They literally cleaned out the cache of brand new in the package items and left a travel bug in exchange. That was my eye opener. Nothing like having to do a maintenance run to restock a cache after the first finder. :)

 

I try to make sure my family never does something like that, and we try to leave the cache fuller than when we found it.

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Totem Lake, has it summed up well. Place as many as you can comfortably maintain. I havent looked at your placed caches in your profile, but I would hope you don't throw out alot of lame micros with no interesting qualities in the listing or the cache itself for the sake of hiding them. That seems to be the thing in the Bremerton/Port Orchard area lately. Whatever you hide make sure it is good. Quality is better than quantity and IS looked at by fellow cachers in the area. Like I said, whatever quantity you choose to hide, just make sure you are comfortable and able to maintain that one last hide you placed.

She puts out some dandy caches such as Mt Townsend which has been adopted by Shunra. This was one of my favorite hikes. I fully recommend this hike in the mid-summer so you can see the Alpine springtime blooms in the meadows.

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Totem Lake, I've never met you, but I've already been impressed by you. I only ask you attempt not be be "last to find"

 

Better: you can preempt it: After X finds, you post a Note announcing that the next finder will be last to find, and is requested to remove the cache. Then you archive the listing.

 

That way you'll get to place many caches without the area getting oversaturated, you'll never have to do any maintenance runs, and those of us in Port Townsend without knee injuries will regularly have new caches to hunt <_<

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Totem Lake, I've never met you, but I've already been impressed by you. I only ask you attempt not be be "last to find"

 

Better: you can preempt it: After X finds, you post a Note announcing that the next finder will be last to find, and is requested to remove the cache. Then you archive the listing.

 

That way you'll get to place many caches without the area getting oversaturated, you'll never have to do any maintenance runs, and those of us in Port Townsend without knee injuries will regularly have new caches to hunt <_<

 

Oh, Shunra, I love hiding caches and you know it. I just hit a little stretch here where everything seems to be going wrong with them. I hope it will pass, because I would rather be out hiding new ones. Especially working on new ones for the WSGA campout.

 

And, yes, I'm sure I've hidden a lame cache or two, I have the log to prove it, but I try to get either a good hide, or a beautiful spot, or some interesting local history. It's awfully nice when I can get all three, but I usually don't.

 

I hope Port Townsend's best cache finder with the broken knee is healing well.

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hey bumblingbs;

 

Hang in there. I understand the money aspect of caches getting muggleds and swag depleting. I'm student teaching right now so having to replace anything is painful. If you have to limit the number caches you place by all means do so. But it would be a shame to see you give it up all together. I know that when we did our northern olympic camping trip we got to do a few of you caches and we enjoyed every one... Even the one we DNF'd because it was muggled.

 

Take care and happy caching.

 

Bccruiser

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As I grow into geocaching, I find that I like to hide caches more than I like to find them. But I do need somebody to get me into right thinking. I've just finished a maintenance run of most of my caches, and I need to start all over again. The ones I found - about half were in the wrong place, or exposed. Cache contents? I won't even go there. So, how can I do it without getting into a temper tantrum?

 

 

Hey, Mrs. B! I understand your comments about hiding caches -- I love hiding them, too! And I've probably got a few too many to maintain adequately, but that's a topic for another day.

 

I still think some of my most favourites of all the caches I've ever found were your Sweet 16 series. Those (the ones I could find, anyway <_< ) were some of the most creative caches, and the containers were small and simple or in some cases even just a film canister. Not every cache has to contain an elaborate array of baubles and trinkets...in fact I think most of us who have found more than our first few caches enjoy the hunt far more than what's in the cache. I love the caches that make me laugh, and yours usually do that really well!

 

Oh, and by the way, I have absolutely no need of a baby backpack, thank God! :D

 

Your pal,

H-C

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As I grow into geocaching, I find that I like to hide caches more than I like to find them. But I do need somebody to get me into right thinking. I've just finished a maintenance run of most of my caches, and I need to start all over again. The ones I found - about half were in the wrong place, or exposed. Cache contents? I won't even go there. So, how can I do it without getting into a temper tantrum?

 

 

Hey, Mrs. B! I understand your comments about hiding caches -- I love hiding them, too! And I've probably got a few too many to maintain adequately, but that's a topic for another day.

 

I still think some of my most favourites of all the caches I've ever found were your Sweet 16 series. Those (the ones I could find, anyway <_< ) were some of the most creative caches, and the containers were small and simple or in some cases even just a film canister. Not every cache has to contain an elaborate array of baubles and trinkets...in fact I think most of us who have found more than our first few caches enjoy the hunt far more than what's in the cache. I love the caches that make me laugh, and yours usually do that really well!

 

Oh, and by the way, I have absolutely no need of a baby backpack, thank God! :D

 

Your pal,

H-C

 

Half Canadian, I adore you. Hope I can hide something new you'll like. Not a puzzle, though....oh, wait, there is one......

 

BCcruisers, I enjoyed your logs, and the one you DNF'd is back. So you come back, OK?

 

Anyway, this thread seems pretty much done. Baby backpack going to baby. Done. The moderator may lock it.

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