Micro Mania

[+Team GeoBlast]

... I'm really curious how that happened....

I think it was a few things. First we have a close supply of cheap decon containers. A couple of years of complete crap burned a lot of people out on caching, and I suspect one active local challenged folks to do better after some positive comments from travelers, the good feedback was a reward. The fun level has picked up a lot in the past year around here.

 

That's a good story, you don't hear too much about a positive or desirable trend in a local caching community. That's exactly what I hope for my area.

[+briansnat]

If you expect to be able to go out on a caching outing with zero preparation and not even occasionally find yourself disappointed or frustrated by things you could have easily avoided, then not only do you have my sympathy; you also have my pity.

 

At one time I could do that. I would just load up my GPS with waypoints and head for a day of caching and rarely be disappointed. I really enjoyed that. Can't do it any longer. The only way for me to avoid it is to stop geocaching.

 

Again I say: Your expectation is unrealistic. It might be fun to go blindfolded into a library or bookstore and grab a random book of the shelf, but if I CHOOSE to do my book selecting that way I can't really blame the author when I find my selection to be disappointingly uninteresting, can I?

 

My local library was filled with great books. Authors like Thoreau, Dickens, Melville, Austen, Twain, Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Lawrence. I could go there blindfolded and be guaranteed a great book. In fact I did that because I really enjoyed the sense of anticipation when I took the blindfold off and saw the exciting new book I had chosen at random.

 

Then someone came along and started slipping Harlequin romances on the shelves. I really didn't mind a few. I figured, hey some people like them and going in blindfolded I'm bound to have a disappointment now and then.

 

Then people started sticking more and more Harlequin romances on the shelves to the point where they were the predominant book in my library. The classics that I liked were still there but were now but a small percentage of the books in the library. I couldn't go there blindfolded anymore without being practically guaranteed disappointment. I could take the blindfold off and go there, but hey, I really enjoyed going in there blindfolded. It's just not the same.

 

Note: The above is for illustrative purposes and is not a true story

[+team moxiepup]

 

Again I say: Your expectation is unrealistic. It might be fun to go blindfolded into a library or bookstore and grab a random book of the shelf, but if I CHOOSE to do my book selecting that way I can't really blame the author when I find my selection to be disappointingly uninteresting, can I?

 

My local library was filled with great books. Authors like Thoreau, Dickens, Melville, Austen, Twain, Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Lawrence. I could go there blindfolded and be guaranteed a great book. In fact I did that because I really enjoyed the sense of anticipation when I took the blindfold off and saw the exciting new book I had chosen at random.

 

Then someone came along and started slipping Harlequin romances on the shelves. I really didn't mind a few. I figured, hey some people like them and going in blindfolded I'm bound to have a disappointment now and then.

 

Then people started sticking more and more Harlequin romances on the shelves to the point where they were the predominant book in my library. The classics that I liked were still there but were now but a small percentage of the books in the library. I couldn't go there blindfolded anymore without being practically guaranteed disappointment. I could take the blindfold off and go there, but hey, I really enjoyed going in there blindfolded. It's just not the same.

 

Note: The above is for illustrative purposes and is not a true story

 

Very well put!

[+sbell111]

Wow, you really are the single most annoying person on these forums.

 

Back to the topic..Maybe the caches just got placed because the hider likes to hide a lot of caches? You probably enjoy a nice wealk int eh woods for a cache as do i, but some seem to like to drive right up to the cache.

You call it annoying, I call it brevity.

[+sbell111]

Then when you reverse the theory above, most of what you (and others) think of as crappy locations don't support a larger container as well as they would support a micro. Thus be necessity micro's tend to be in the more mundane spots in the urban jungle.

I don't know if it's still going on, but Jax had an "Anti-Micro" campaign going on for a while. The basic premise was place a regular where you'd normally find a micro. It was surprising how many regulars where placed in spots where most folks thought only a micro would work.

 

We have a regular-sized cache that folks seem to think can't be there and even check under a loose finial to see if it would turn out to be a micro. Folks stand within inches, I'm mean single digits, and can't find it. It seems all of these micros have set a paradigm about placements and folks can't think outside the box. If they can't think of a way to hide a SAW can in some location then they think it simply can't be done. Some have been proving them wrong.

That's an interesting perspective. The only thing is that some people aren't going for the super-hard hide. They may actually prefer to own the somewhat easy micro than the super-hard regular. Don't get me wrong. I don't think you were using that example to force your ideas on anyone. However, I think it's important to remember that cache owners hide the kinds of caches that they want to hide.

[+sbell111]

A fairly new local phenomena around these parts are "seed" caches. These seed caches are normal size caches that contain large numbers of micro caches which people are encouraged to take and hide. Usually they follow a theme and there are specifications limiting difficulty/terrain to 1 or 2.

 

While there are some that are placed in nice locations, the majority are in guardrails and lamp posts in not even remotely interesting areas.

 

When the first seed cache came out, containing 99 seed caches, we joined along. We can see where it is good to have caches out there that are accessible for those with limited mobility. We placed our cache in the recommended "Guardrail/lamp post", choosing a spot that offered an interesting view over a salt marsh.

<SNIP>

In the year following the first seed cache, there have been 3 new seed cache "series", all with large numbers of micros. Many folks seem to enjoy them. I have mixed feelings about 'em.

 

Like I said before, many just don't take you anywhere. Many seem to be just haphazardly tossed in the most convenient spot. Sometimes they're even in spots that are adjacent to private homes or businesses. There was one that recently was confiscated by the police because the hider put it in a guard rail near a child care center, and the owners were concerned about what people were doing. The kicker is when these caches are placed near enough to where a good, creative hide could have gone, had the hider wanted to put a little time and effort into it, but now the spot is taken by a cache chucked under a lamp post skirt only a few yards away.

I don't mind picking one up if it is on the way to another cache, but other than that...

 

A well done, creative micro is one of my favorite type of caches to hunt for, but I cringe whenever I see a new "seed" cache pop up. Maine had been pretty free of micro spew, but now it seems the tide is turning.

 

Are these "seed" caches common in other areas?

I highlighted the portion that defended my position.

 

Thanks for your help.

Edited July 20, 2007 by sbell111

[+sbell111]

If you expect to be able to go out on a caching outing with zero preparation and not even occasionally find yourself disappointed or frustrated by things you could have easily avoided, then not only do you have my sympathy; you also have my pity.

At one time I could do that. I would just load up my GPS with waypoints and head for a day of caching and rarely be disappointed. I really enjoyed that. Can't do it any longer. The only way for me to avoid it is to stop geocaching.

Again I say: Your expectation is unrealistic. It might be fun to go blindfolded into a library or bookstore and grab a random book of the shelf, but if I CHOOSE to do my book selecting that way I can't really blame the author when I find my selection to be disappointingly uninteresting, can I?

My local library was filled with great books. Authors like Thoreau, Dickens, Melville, Austen, Twain, Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Lawrence. I could go there blindfolded and be guaranteed a great book. In fact I did that because I really enjoyed the sense of anticipation when I took the blindfold off and saw the exciting new book I had chosen at random.

 

Then someone came along and started slipping Harlequin romances on the shelves. I really didn't mind a few. I figured, hey some people like them and going in blindfolded I'm bound to have a disappointment now and then.

 

Then people started sticking more and more Harlequin romances on the shelves to the point where they were the predominant book in my library. The classics that I liked were still there but were now but a small percentage of the books in the library. I couldn't go there blindfolded anymore without being practically guaranteed disappointment. I could take the blindfold off and go there, but hey, I really enjoyed going in there blindfolded. It's just not the same.

 

Note: The above is for illustrative purposes and is not a true story

I suspect that if you complained that they were ruining your library that you would get two responses:

• Lots of people like romance novels
  
• Learn to use the card catalog.
  

[+Ambrosia]

Just a note to let everyone know that I typed out a response, and then my dimmer, wiser portion of my mind made me erase it. No need to thank me.

 

[+DocDiTTo]

Just a note to let everyone know that I typed out a response, and then my dimmer, wiser portion of my mind made me erase it. No need to thank me.

 

 

Heh.. me too.

[+sbell111]

Just a note to let everyone know that I typed out a response, and then my dimmer, wiser portion of my mind made me erase it. No need to thank me.

 

Heh.. me too.

I rewrote this one three times. In the end, I probably should just not have bothered with it.

[+TrailGators]

Just a note to let everyone know that I typed out a response, and then my dimmer, wiser portion of my mind made me erase it. No need to thank me.

 

 

Heh.. me too.

Round and round it goes where it stops nobody knows...

[+Miragee]

Looks like sbell111 and BlueDeuce had it right all along . . .

 

[+The Jester]

If someone had to shell out $5 for a nice micro container would they still hide it under a lamp post cover at Wal-Mart?

Where are you finding bisons for that price? I'll buy a buch here (at retail) and come there and make a nice profit!

 

I don't think I've ever seen a nice container/bison tube under a lamp post cover. Those types of places aren't worth spending the money for a nice container. The people that hide them are basically admitting that through their actions. This has been my observation.

I'm not sure the observation about lamp post hide containers by someone who avoids lamp post hides has much validity. You wouldn't see things that you're not looking for. I have seen lock n lock containers and other nice containers under lamp post covers - and, of course, cheaper ones also - but then I don't mind hunting them.

[+TrailGators]

Looks like sbell111 and BlueDeuce had it right all along . . .

 

Some interesting things did come up in this thread this time. I thought RKs town ceasing to hide micros was very interesting. I honestly didn't think that would ever happen anywhere. Of course, all it takes it one person that likes micros to drop 300 of them up there to end that...

[+TrailGators]

I don't think I've ever seen a nice container/bison tube under a lamp post cover. Those types of places aren't worth spending the money for a nice container. The people that hide them are basically admitting that through their actions. This has been my observation.

I'm not sure the observation about lamp post hide containers by someone who avoids lamp post hides has much validity. You wouldn't see things that you're not looking for. I have seen lock n lock containers and other nice containers under lamp post covers - and, of course, cheaper ones also - but then I don't mind hunting them.

I bet I had found ~100 LPCs before the last straw broke the camel's back. Edited July 20, 2007 by TrailGators

[CoyoteRed]

However, I think it's important to remember that cache owners hide the kinds of caches that they want to hide.

My point was to refute you can only put a micro in many of the locations where you typically find micros.

 

You want super hard regular, I gave an example.

 

You want an easier regular, someone else gave an example.

 

Again, my point is folks are thinking only micros will work in urban areas when this is clearly not the case. It might not be a case of "want," but a mistaken issue of "can."

[+sbell111]

However, I think it's important to remember that cache owners hide the kinds of caches that they want to hide.

My point was to refute you can only put a micro in many of the locations where you typically find micros.

 

You want super hard regular, I gave an example.

 

You want an easier regular, someone else gave an example.

 

Again, my point is folks are thinking only micros will work in urban areas when this is clearly not the case. It might not be a case of "want," but a mistaken issue of "can."

 

However, I think it's important to remember that cache owners hide the kinds of caches that they want to hide.

[+sbell111]

I don't think I've ever seen a nice container/bison tube under a lamp post cover. Those types of places aren't worth spending the money for a nice container. The people that hide them are basically admitting that through their actions. This has been my observation.

I'm not sure the observation about lamp post hide containers by someone who avoids lamp post hides has much validity. You wouldn't see things that you're not looking for. I have seen lock n lock containers and other nice containers under lamp post covers - and, of course, cheaper ones also - but then I don't mind hunting them.

I bet I had found ~100 LPCs before the last straw broke the camel's back.

My camel is really, really hard to please. Therefore, I don't bring him with me when I go out to have fun.

[+briansnat]

However, I think it's important to remember that cache owners hide the kinds of caches that they want to hide.

 

They hide what they are familiar with. In my area most caches are longer hikes with ammo boxes and Lock n Locks at the end. 50 miles away most caches are guardrail and shopping mall micros. You can't tell me that there is some sort of anomaly that caused people who like micros to live in one area and those who like ammo boxes to live in another.

[+Renegade Knight]

However, I think it's important to remember that cache owners hide the kinds of caches that they want to hide.

 

They hide what they are familiar with. In my area most caches are longer hikes with ammo boxes and Lock n Locks at the end. 50 miles away most caches are guardrail and shopping mall micros. You can't tell me that there is some sort of anomaly that caused people who like micros to live in one area and those who like ammo boxes to live in another.

 

Areas do develope a style and it's nice to travel to see other things. It's one reason I don't think you should have a minimum number of finds before a hide. It may make that cacher re-think what would have been a creative cache for the area.

 

On the other hand, change does happen. At one time there were no LPCs and WalMart was just a place to get Lock n Locks.

[+sbell111]

However, I think it's important to remember that cache owners hide the kinds of caches that they want to hide.

They hide what they are familiar with. In my area most caches are longer hikes with ammo boxes and Lock n Locks at the end. 50 miles away most caches are guardrail and shopping mall micros. You can't tell me that there is some sort of anomaly that caused people who like micros to live in one area and those who like ammo boxes to live in another.

Without being familiar with exactly where you live and where the '50 mile away' area is, I can't really call shenanigans on your post, but I suspect that the two locations are not as similar as your post suggests.

[+TrailGators]

On the other hand, change does happen. At one time there were no LPCs and WalMart was just a place to get Lock n Locks.

I found my first LPC ~1.5 years after I started geocaching.

[+briansnat]

However, I think it's important to remember that cache owners hide the kinds of caches that they want to hide.

They hide what they are familiar with. In my area most caches are longer hikes with ammo boxes and Lock n Locks at the end. 50 miles away most caches are guardrail and shopping mall micros. You can't tell me that there is some sort of anomaly that caused people who like micros to live in one area and those who like ammo boxes to live in another.

Without being familiar with exactly where you live and where the '50 mile away' area is, I can't really call shenanigans on your post, but I suspect that the two locations are not as similar as your post suggests.

 

OK, I just ran two PQs of 500 caches. One from my zipcode in Kinnelon NJ (07405) and one from Allentown PA (18101). Allentown is approximately 50 miles as the crow flies from my house.

 

18101

Micros 42 percent of total

 

07405

Micros 9.2 percent of total

[+Miragee]

However, I think it's important to remember that cache owners hide the kinds of caches that they want to hide.

They hide what they are familiar with. In my area most caches are longer hikes with ammo boxes and Lock n Locks at the end. 50 miles away most caches are guardrail and shopping mall micros. You can't tell me that there is some sort of anomaly that caused people who like micros to live in one area and those who like ammo boxes to live in another.

Without being familiar with exactly where you live and where the '50 mile away' area is, I can't really call shenanigans on your post, but I suspect that the two locations are not as similar as your post suggests.

OK, I just ran two PQs of 500 caches. One from my zipcode in Kinnelon NJ (07405) and one from Allentown PA (18101). Allentown is approximately 50 miles as the crow flies from my house.

 

18101

Micros 42 percent of total

 

07405

Micros 9.2 percent of total

Those are some interesting statistics.

 

I haven't done a statistical analysis for this area. I pretty much avoid urban caching anymore, and when I receive new cache notifications with cache descriptions like this, I think I am right to make that choice . . . for me.

FUN LITTLE CACHE ONLY THE SMALL OF SMALL ITEMS WILL FIT, BRING A PENCIL TO LOG IN,BEWARE OF THE AERA ITS RUN DOWN AND OLDER PART OF TOWN

At least this cache owner warns you ahead of time what you might get yourself into . . .

 

 

Edit for typo . . .

Edited July 20, 2007 by Miragee

[+jtbrady01]

There's a lot of good micros in my area. Some even haven't been found. That's why they are a challenge. I have two issue with micros.

 

One, film canisters. If you are going to use them please make sure you keep the lid closed. This isn't always the cache owners doing. This goes for anyone who finds the cache.

 

Second, bison tubes are great. However, isn't there something about burying caches? I've seen too many of these where you have to do some digging to find them.

[+TrailGators]

FUN LITTLE CACHE ONLY THE SMALL OF SMALL ITEMS WILL FIT, BRING A PENCIL TO LOG IN,BEWARE OF THE AERA ITS RUN DOWN AND OLDER PART OF TOWN. At least this cache owner warns you ahead of time what you might get yourself into . . .

HaHa, I just saw that new one just pop up and I immediately ignored it. Edited July 20, 2007 by TrailGators

[+Miragee]

There's a lot of good micros in my area. Some even haven't been found. That's why they are a challenge. I have two issue with micros.

 

One, film canisters. If you are going to use them please make sure you keep the lid closed. This isn't always the cache owners doing. This goes for anyone who finds the cache.

 

Second, bison tubes are great. However, isn't there something about burying caches? I've seen too many of these where you have to do some digging to find them.

Judging from a couple of recent threads about "buried" caches you should either report them because they are against the "guidelines" or "Don't ask. Don't tell."

 

Burying a cache is definitely against the guidelines and could get Geocaching into big trouble with land managers.

[+TrailGators]

However, I think it's important to remember that cache owners hide the kinds of caches that they want to hide.

They hide what they are familiar with. In my area most caches are longer hikes with ammo boxes and Lock n Locks at the end. 50 miles away most caches are guardrail and shopping mall micros. You can't tell me that there is some sort of anomaly that caused people who like micros to live in one area and those who like ammo boxes to live in another.

Without being familiar with exactly where you live and where the '50 mile away' area is, I can't really call shenanigans on your post, but I suspect that the two locations are not as similar as your post suggests.

 

OK, I just ran two PQs of 500 caches. One from my zipcode in Kinnelon NJ (07405) and one from Allentown PA (18101). Allentown is approximately 50 miles as the crow flies from my house.

 

18101

Micros 42 percent of total

 

07405

Micros 9.2 percent of total

 

I did a similar study once for nearby Coronado Island and it had 70% micros. That area could easily support larger Decon containers.

[Mr.Yuck]

However, I think it's important to remember that cache owners hide the kinds of caches that they want to hide.

They hide what they are familiar with. In my area most caches are longer hikes with ammo boxes and Lock n Locks at the end. 50 miles away most caches are guardrail and shopping mall micros. You can't tell me that there is some sort of anomaly that caused people who like micros to live in one area and those who like ammo boxes to live in another.

Without being familiar with exactly where you live and where the '50 mile away' area is, I can't really call shenanigans on your post, but I suspect that the two locations are not as similar as your post suggests.

 

OK, I just ran two PQs of 500 caches. One from my zipcode in Kinnelon NJ (07405) and one from Allentown PA (18101). Allentown is approximately 50 miles as the crow flies from my house.

 

18101

Micros 42 percent of total

 

07405

Micros 9.2 percent of total

 

Me: 14150 (Excluding Canada, which would bring the number down considerably) 48.6% Micros.

 

Hey, at least I'm under 50%; for another month or so, probably.

 

Allentown (18101) has some pretty interesting sounding caches. Oh, they're not bad in 07405 either.

[+Renegade Knight]

...BEWARE OF THE AERA ITS RUN DOWN AND OLDER PART OF TOWN...

 

You know, back East some of the new parts of town are older than most of the West.

 

Of course in the UK they have "new wings" on some houses older than our country.

Edited July 20, 2007 by Renegade Knight

[+TrailGators]

...BEWARE OF THE AERA ITS RUN DOWN AND OLDER PART OF TOWN...

 

You know, back East some of the new parts of town are older than most of the West.

 

Of course in the UK they have "new wings" on some houses older than our country.

"Run Down" was the key phrase and I know this part of town.

 

By the way RK, what is the percentage of micros in your area?

I checked the closest 500 to my zipcode and it is 29% micros. Of course a lot of people think an M&Ms tube is a small. I view a Decon as a small.

Edited July 20, 2007 by TrailGators

[+sbell111]

On the other hand, change does happen. At one time there were no LPCs and WalMart was just a place to get Lock n Locks.

I found my first LPC ~1.5 years after I started geocaching.

I found my first about eight months after I started.

However, I think it's important to remember that cache owners hide the kinds of caches that they want to hide.

They hide what they are familiar with. In my area most caches are longer hikes with ammo boxes and Lock n Locks at the end. 50 miles away most caches are guardrail and shopping mall micros. You can't tell me that there is some sort of anomaly that caused people who like micros to live in one area and those who like ammo boxes to live in another.

Without being familiar with exactly where you live and where the '50 mile away' area is, I can't really call shenanigans on your post, but I suspect that the two locations are not as similar as your post suggests.

OK, I just ran two PQs of 500 caches. One from my zipcode in Kinnelon NJ (07405) and one from Allentown PA (18101). Allentown is approximately 50 miles as the crow flies from my house.

 

18101

Micros 42 percent of total

 

07405

Micros 9.2 percent of total

Again, I suspect that there are substantial differences between 18101 and 07405. Unfortunately, I have no time to research them, right now. Perhaps I'll get to it tomorrow if I have time and have any memory of the issue.

[CoyoteRed]

15.5% of all active caches within 50 miles are micros. Areas near us double that as does the state in general.

[+KBI]

Again I say: Your expectation is unrealistic. It might be fun to go blindfolded into a library or bookstore and grab a random book of the shelf, but if I CHOOSE to do my book selecting that way I can't really blame the author when I find my selection to be disappointingly uninteresting, can I?

My local library was filled with great books. Authors like Thoreau, Dickens, Melville, Austen, Twain, Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Lawrence. I could go there blindfolded and be guaranteed a great book. In fact I did that because I really enjoyed the sense of anticipation when I took the blindfold off and saw the exciting new book I had chosen at random.

 

Then someone came along and started slipping Harlequin romances on the shelves. I really didn't mind a few. I figured, hey some people like them and going in blindfolded I'm bound to have a disappointment now and then.

 

Then people started sticking more and more Harlequin romances on the shelves to the point where they were the predominant book in my library. The classics that I liked were still there but were now but a small percentage of the books in the library. I couldn't go there blindfolded anymore without being practically guaranteed disappointment. I could take the blindfold off and go there, but hey, I really enjoyed going in there blindfolded. It's just not the same.

 

Note: The above is for illustrative purposes and is not a true story

You still haven't convinced me that your longing for a homework-free entertainment experience is reasonable. There is a very good reason why that story can only be fictitious: there is no such thing as a guaranteed-to-randomly-satisfy-Briansnat bookstore or library.

 

What’s more lame: the easy urban micro, or the person who tragically expects never to be disappointed while simultaneously refusing to take responsibility for his own entertainment?

 

 

I would suffer the very same frustration as you if it weren't for my ability to ... enjoy the very act of doing the homework necessary to decide which caches to hunt.

I've done homework all my life, I geocache to get away from that stuff.

Kids: "Daddy, we thought we were going on a FUN family vacation, but ... you didn’t reserve a hotel room, you didn’t set us up with a rental car ... and in this town you picked at random there is absolutely nothing to do but sit here on the corner and watch the traffic light change!! You call this a vacation?!?" Why didn't you research and plan a little before we left home?

 

Daddy: "I've done homework all my life. I go on vacation to get away from that stuff."

Edited July 20, 2007 by KBI

[Mushtang]

However, I think it's important to remember that cache owners hide the kinds of caches that they want to hide.

They hide what they are familiar with. In my area most caches are longer hikes with ammo boxes and Lock n Locks at the end. 50 miles away most caches are guardrail and shopping mall micros. You can't tell me that there is some sort of anomaly that caused people who like micros to live in one area and those who like ammo boxes to live in another.

Without being familiar with exactly where you live and where the '50 mile away' area is, I can't really call shenanigans on your post, but I suspect that the two locations are not as similar as your post suggests.

 

OK, I just ran two PQs of 500 caches. One from my zipcode in Kinnelon NJ (07405) and one from Allentown PA (18101). Allentown is approximately 50 miles as the crow flies from my house.

 

18101

Micros 42 percent of total

 

07405

Micros 9.2 percent of total

 

What percentage of the caches in your PQ would be micros... if you eliminated micros from your PQ?

 

 

Hooray! Romance free library once again!!!

[+KBI]

OK, I just ran two PQs of 500 caches. One from my zipcode in Kinnelon NJ (07405) and one from Allentown PA (18101). Allentown is approximately 50 miles as the crow flies from my house.

 

18101

Micros 42 percent of total

 

07405

Micros 9.2 percent of total

My airline serves Allentown. I occasionally do overnight stops there. I have found Allentown to be a fairly dependable place for caching – there always seems to be something interesting within walking distance of my hotel that either (1) wasn’t there on my previous visit or (2) got DNFed by me on a previous visit.

 

One of the most challenging micros I ever logged was in Allentown. It took me two or three visits to crack it, as I recall, and it was ultimately a very satisfying find. Though I pretty much like all geocaching, I particularly like the clever and challenging hides, and the cache size really doesn’t matter to me.

 

Hooray for all the Allentown micros!! Hooray for the steady supply of new Geocaches!!

[nonaeroterraqueous]

I did a similar study once for nearby Coronado Island and it had 70% micros. That area could easily support larger Decon containers.

 

Thanks for the warning I, ahem, just bought a house in that area and haven't got the chance to do any, um, local geocaching. Yeah... not. Probably the locals are too poor to afford to place anything but micros. You know how down-trodden those Coronado people are.

 

Funny thing is, whenever I find myself driving down that way my car always starts veering inland, toward the mountains. It's inexplicable.

[+TrailGators]

I did a similar study once for nearby Coronado Island and it had 70% micros. That area could easily support larger Decon containers.

 

Thanks for the warning I, ahem, just bought a house in that area and haven't got the chance to do any, um, local geocaching. Yeah... not. Probably the locals are too poor to afford to place anything but micros. You know how down-trodden those Coronado people are.

 

Funny thing is, whenever I find myself driving down that way my car always starts veering inland, toward the mountains. It's inexplicable.

Coronado would actually be a very cool place to live. I don't even know if the locals on Coronado know what a geocache is. By the way, the folks in La Jolla and Rancho Santa Fe are even more down trodden.

 

My truck does the same thing. But there are some awesome beach caches and all those thong muggles don't bother me one bit.

 

Since you are new to the area you might want to try some of the SD Consensus Favorites in the link below. There are some awesome caches on that list!

Edited July 21, 2007 by TrailGators

[+Renegade Knight]

...BEWARE OF THE AERA ITS RUN DOWN AND OLDER PART OF TOWN...

 

You know, back East some of the new parts of town are older than most of the West.

 

Of course in the UK they have "new wings" on some houses older than our country.

"Run Down" was the key phrase and I know this part of town.

 

By the way RK, what is the percentage of micros in your area?

I checked the closest 500 to my zipcode and it is 29% micros. Of course a lot of people think an M&Ms tube is a small. I view a Decon as a small.

Right around 25% within 15 miles.

A year ago I'd say it was a lot higher but I am not sure how to back and verify.

[+TrailGators]

...BEWARE OF THE AERA ITS RUN DOWN AND OLDER PART OF TOWN...

 

You know, back East some of the new parts of town are older than most of the West.

 

Of course in the UK they have "new wings" on some houses older than our country.

"Run Down" was the key phrase and I know this part of town.

 

By the way RK, what is the percentage of micros in your area?

I checked the closest 500 to my zipcode and it is 29% micros. Of course a lot of people think an M&Ms tube is a small. I view a Decon as a small.

Right around 25% within 15 miles.

A year ago I'd say it was a lot higher but I am not sure how to back and verify.

You could run a PQ with a date range.

[+briansnat]

What percentage of the caches in your PQ would be micros... if you eliminated micros from your PQ?

 

Now why would I want to eliminate some of the awesome micros that are out there?

[+Renegade Knight]

...BEWARE OF THE AERA ITS RUN DOWN AND OLDER PART OF TOWN...

 

You know, back East some of the new parts of town are older than most of the West.

 

Of course in the UK they have "new wings" on some houses older than our country.

"Run Down" was the key phrase and I know this part of town.

 

By the way RK, what is the percentage of micros in your area?

I checked the closest 500 to my zipcode and it is 29% micros. Of course a lot of people think an M&Ms tube is a small. I view a Decon as a small.

Right around 25% within 15 miles.

A year ago I'd say it was a lot higher but I am not sure how to back and verify.

You could run a PQ with a date range.

About 12.5% in the last year. 15 Mile Radius to cover just my town.

 

7 Micros

49 Regular.

[Mushtang]

What percentage of the caches in your PQ would be micros... if you eliminated micros from your PQ?

 

Now why would I want to eliminate some of the awesome micros that are out there?

Um... to eliminate the rest of the pile that you consider crap?

 

To bring you back to how it used to be in "the good old days" of geocaching?

 

So you can have geocaching be closer to (1) what it was?

 

To avoid being (2) disappointed by what it has become?

 

So you can (5) eliminate any research and still have a good chance at finding the caches you enjoy?

 

Pretty much to make your experience more enjoyable based on how you've suggested you enjoy it.

 

If, however, complaining about it is what you prefer over doing anything about it that can actually help, then that's cool too. Whichever is more fun.

[+sbell111]

...BEWARE OF THE AERA ITS RUN DOWN AND OLDER PART OF TOWN...

You know, back East some of the new parts of town are older than most of the West.

 

Of course in the UK they have "new wings" on some houses older than our country.

"Run Down" was the key phrase and I know this part of town.

 

By the way RK, what is the percentage of micros in your area?

I checked the closest 500 to my zipcode and it is 29% micros. Of course a lot of people think an M&Ms tube is a small. I view a Decon as a small.

Right around 25% within 15 miles.

A year ago I'd say it was a lot higher but I am not sure how to back and verify.

You could run a PQ with a date range.

Running a PQ with a date range won't give you the results you a true snapshot of how things looked in the past because many of the caches will have been archived.

[+sbell111]

What percentage of the caches in your PQ would be micros... if you eliminated micros from your PQ?

Now why would I want to eliminate some of the awesome micros that are out there?

So you don't accidently walk into the romance novel room at the library???

[CoyoteRed]

What’s more lame: the easy urban micro,...

I simply couldn't let this one go.

 

While I'm not going to speak for brainsnat, I've got to say "lame" doesn't mean "easy urban micro," or vice versa, to the point where you can use it in such a blanket statement. There are plenty of easy urban micros that are definitely, IMHO, not lame. While a preponderance of lame urban caches are micros, neither does this mean all urban micros are lame nor all lame urban caches are micros.

 

There are simply too many gems to ignore the whole segment of easy urban micro.

 

...or the person who tragically expects never to be disappointed while simultaneously refusing to take responsibility for his own entertainment?

Another mis-statement of most folks position. It's not about never being disappointed. It's about being disappointed too often.

 

It's also funny that your statement makes it sound like it is unreasonable to expect not being disappointed very often when, in fact, plenty of us have experienced the very thing we're wishing would return and you say is unreasonable.

 

If, however, complaining about it is what you prefer over doing anything about it that can actually help, then that's cool too. Whichever is more fun.

What you call "complaining" others may call "advocating a change" which, BTW, is doing something that would actually help.

[+sbell111]

What’s more lame: the easy urban micro,...

I simply couldn't let this one go.

 

While I'm not going to speak for brainsnat, I've got to say "lame" doesn't mean "easy urban micro," or vice versa, to the point where you can use it in such a blanket statement. There are plenty of easy urban micros that are definitely, IMHO, not lame. While a preponderance of lame urban caches are micros, neither does this mean all urban micros are lame nor all lame urban caches are micros. ...

Apparently, you missed Brian's posts that specifically referenced the proliferation of micros. If he didn't have it in for micros, why did he bring up the fact that some areas have more of them that his area? Based on his posts, I don't think it is because he is jealous of those areas.

[+sbell111]

If, however, complaining about it is what you prefer over doing anything about it that can actually help, then that's cool too. Whichever is more fun.

What you call "complaining" others may call "advocating a change" which, BTW, is doing something that would actually help.

Help whom? I suppose that it would help those people who want to cache without doing any 'homework', but it appears to me that the change that some posters advocate would certainly not help those people who enjoy those caches that you find to be 'lame'. Edited July 21, 2007 by sbell111

[CoyoteRed]

My local library was filled with great books.

I think briansnat is only a little off base with this analogy. Sorry, Brain.

 

He starts off great. He references great authors, but then switches modes and inserts a particular genre and class. I think this is where the analogy falls apart.

 

I think a bit more accurate analogy would be a library filled with books, all hard back. You can see on the spine the name of the book, the author, and genre. You can see how thick the book is. You can take it down, open it, and scan the foreword, etc. to see if you might like it.

 

You've been going to this very small library for a while and you've rarely been disappointed by any book. All of the authors spin a great tale, they make you invested in the characters, get you immersed in the world they've created, rivet you with action or thought. Books that make you want to know how it turned out, but not wanting it to come to an end. That make you pause to reflect after you close the book.

 

Now, with apologies to Piers Anthony and Edgar Rice Boroughs fans but the librarian starts inserting books by these authors. Okay, the first couple of books in one of their series are okay, not bad, entertaining. But then as you get further into the series you start wondering, "didn't I already read this book?" The plots are all the same. Many of the descriptions of characters are like cut-and-paste. The end is always the same. Boring. You find while you're scanning the words you're actually thinking about changing your oil in the truck.

 

The problem is, the library only holds 500 books.

 

...and this is where the analogy, again, falls apart, but with salient point. You can visit several caches in a day, maybe even scores. How many good books can you read in a day? How much time does it take to determine you don't care for the story or the author?

 

It's time investment and it's a two edged sword.

 

If every cache where the same time investment as reading a book folks would be much likely to check it out before attempting it. The authors would also know they have to compete for the attention and design their caches accordingly.

 

But, unfortunately, if there were a way to keep score of the number of books one has read, then some folks would start reading "See Dick run"-type of childrens' books and Brian's library would soon be overrun.

 

Brian would complain. The defenders of the childrens' books would retort, "Why should you want to eliminate a viable source of entertainment? Folks love these books. Besides the librarian allows them."

[Mushtang]

If, however, complaining about it is what you prefer over doing anything about it that can actually help, then that's cool too. Whichever is more fun.

What you call "complaining" others may call "advocating a change" which, BTW, is doing something that would actually help.

For all the complaining you do about people quoting you out of context, you sure do feel free to do it to other people.