Was it my breath?

[Neos2]

Amazing how often the word 'micro' pops up, isn't it? Who'd a thunk.

Not really--micros are the main thing that keeps me IN the game. I know a lot of people feel the same way. We truely enjoy finding those clever little hides tucked away in unexpected places. If all I had to look forward to was trudging through soggy woods to find an ammo can hidden in hollow log or under a pile of stick, I would have quit this game a long time ago!

[+ReadyOrNot]

We truely enjoy finding those clever little hides tucked away in unexpected places.

 

Boy, if only that were true for more than 5% of them, I might agree with you! Usually, the words "Clever" and "Unexpected" aren't the words that come to mind when I come across them...

[+TrailGators]

We truely enjoy finding those clever little hides tucked away in unexpected places.

 

Boy, if only that were true for more than 5% of them, I might agree with you! Usually, the words "Clever" and "Unexpected" aren't the words that come to mind when I come across them...

The more beer you drink the more clever and unexpected they get! I was at an event last year and we went night caching after the event with several beers our bellies (we were all walking of course). Anyhow, urban night caching was a lot more challenging under those conditions...

[+ReadyOrNot]

We truely enjoy finding those clever little hides tucked away in unexpected places.

 

Boy, if only that were true for more than 5% of them, I might agree with you! Usually, the words "Clever" and "Unexpected" aren't the words that come to mind when I come across them...

The more beer you drink the more clever and unexpected they get! I was at an event last year and we went night caching after the event with several beers our bellies (we were all walking of course). Anyhow, urban night caching was a lot more challenging under those conditions...

 

Anything with beer and friends has the potential to be a hoot

[+hairball45]

Good caches, lousy caches, micros, huge ammo cans brimming with goodies, parking lots and hillsides, I havn't regretted any of them. Oh, I did say "dang, that was nasty" for a couple of them but I took the smiley anyhow. What might stop me could be bad health (good now but who knows in a few years), gas prices - I've depleted a 24 mile circle around my house, more than that to the east, or just getting tired of it. So far that has happened to me on a number of hobbies. Some, golf and model trains, just got to darn costly. Others simply exhausted my interest quotient. I don't think Wal-mart hides will drive me away however. Would I rather take a nice walk and find a box full of Krugerrands? Well sure. I'll take a bison tube in a pine tree that I can spot from 30 yards away too. I think Sbell is right, people just tire, some quicker than others.

hairball

[+edscott]

Let's also remember that the newbies don't understand how to filter out certain cache types. In fact, a new person could grab a couple lame caches on the side of the road and think, "Is this what geocaching is?"........

 

And thus a great reason to add a "Quality" notation of some type generated by previous finders on each and every cache page....

[Neos2]

We truely enjoy finding those clever little hides tucked away in unexpected places.

 

Boy, if only that were true for more than 5% of them, I might agree with you! Usually, the words "Clever" and "Unexpected" aren't the words that come to mind when I come across them...

This is going to sound smart aleck, but it really isn't. I'm really am so sorry for you that you can't find good micros near you. I've seen so many many sad things you and the rest of the anti-micro crew has posted about micros. It's sad that the same double-handful of micros you guys have found are worth whinging about so repetively. Always dwelling on it must really be wearying to you; I know it's wearying to the rest of us to hear about it over and over ad naseum.

 

Funny thing is, I believe that you really had that bad a reaction to a few micros. I don't "get it" but I believe it.

 

I've found a lot of micros. In fact, 66% of the more than 800 caches I've found have been micros. They didn't all rock my world, but that's true of many of the ammo cans in the woods I've found, too. For the most part, I've enjoyed the caches I've found. The few that were mediocre didn't take away from the ones that were just wonderful. I don't dwell on the few negatives, of any size, shape, or nature--and many many caches have made me laugh, giggle, grin, whoop, and otherwise express my thorough enjoyment of the sport.

 

I think folks stop caching for many reasons. Mostly I think that people start new hobbies and either find it isn't for them for a multitude of reasons, or they just move on to the next new hobby. I suspect that most people who begin caching and really seem to like it but end up quitting probably enjoy it most when they are caching with others and discover that the people they want to cache with aren't into it as much as they are. Given the choice between spending less time with those people or less time caching, well, the people win out. Those of us who stick with caching are either lucky enough that our loved ones enjoy caching too, or we don't mind going without our loved ones, and they don't mind sharing us with our hobby.

[+TrailGators]

Let's also remember that the newbies don't understand how to filter out certain cache types. In fact, a new person could grab a couple lame caches on the side of the road and think, "Is this what geocaching is?"........

And thus a great reason to add a "Quality" notation of some type generated by previous finders on each and every cache page....

If you suggested that to Jeremy, he would likely repeat what he has said before. He doesn't want some of his customers feeling bad because some other customers are giving bad ratings to them. That's why he has been in favor of some type of positive reinforcement to accomplish the same goal. So he'll tell you that they are going to let cachers give out various awards with V2 of the website coming out later this year. I think this will help to keep people that get the wrong impression about geocaching because they start off with some poor caches. Someday newbies can start off with the caches that have received awards. Edited February 27, 2008 by TrailGators

[+ReadyOrNot]

Funny thing is, I believe that you really had that bad a reaction to a few micros. I don't "get it" but I believe it.

 

Why do you assume that I've had some kind of bad reaction? Honestly, if a micro shows up 2 blocks from my house, I'll trot over there, grab it from its obvious location, sign my name on the moist log and replace it, fighting back the yawn and wander back home. I'm not against making my mark. The question was, why are people leaving. My answer was clear and concise. I don't think anything in my remarks can be taken a whining, just stating the facts.

 

If you find enjoyment out of finding a magnetic key holder stuck to a fire hydrant, more power to you. But I don't think that is what the majority of people expect when they first start this hobby. When they are confronted by micro after micro in these pointless locations, they may quickly burn out, never truely experiencing the "Real" sport.

 

On Topic: People leave because of expectations not being met

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

... On Topic: People leave because of expectations not being met

 

I think there's truth in that.

 

I love all caches, from the lamest roadside micro to the highest mountaintop ammo can.

 

We did a 14-hour 2-event cache run Saturday with around 30 folks in a 10-car wagon train and had a blast at every one, and at least 40 of the 68 we found were micros. We didn't care, it was the group experience we shared that was the thing we enjoyed. I will say that we had more fun looking for the 'evil' micros than we did looking for a pretty obvious boxes in the woods... the black fishing cork hung off of a creek bridge with nearly invisible fishing line that took forever to find, the bison tube in a pipe where you had to pour water in to get it to float up... with several people holding their fingers over the many holes in the pipe so the water wouldn't drain out, caches like those are a blast! The caches I liked best? The ones where the cache listing taught me something about the place, told me why it was worth bringing me here. Didn't matter about the container!

 

But, when most of us explain the game to someone new we expound on the unique, interesting, scenic, historic caches... we don't say "We hide a lot of film cans in Wal-Mart parking lots too", so they are often led to believe that all caches are well thought out and interesting.

 

Then they see the reality. Maybe 1 out of 20 are like they'd been told to expect... maybe less (regardless of container size).

 

Yup, we give them expectations and then for the most part disappoint them, that's why many leave.

 

'Lame' micros are fine, for those of us who enjoy them, ammo boxes under a log behind a local ball field are fine, just be sure to tell new cachers that it's a mixed bag and that they have to select the ones they like if it matters.

[+Da3Amigos]

I'd LOVE to hear from some of the new folks with only a few caches found. How has your experience been so far? Do you have a positive or negative view so far?

 

Well we certainly qualify as newbies with only one find (happy to say it was on our first attempt and it had a 3.5 difficulty rating)

 

Personally, I got into geocaching to spend some fun quality time with my 2 boys. We love to hike and I thought this would be a great way to have some fun on the trips.

 

Last week I purchased a new GPSr and told the boys we were going geocaching. Of course they asked what it was all about and after I explained they were all for it.

 

After we got to GZ it took us about 15 minutes to find the cache and I don't know who was more excited, me or my sons. The cache was in pretty bad shape, the contents were wet and musty but you would have thought we discovered a chest of gold bars.

 

I let my youngest son who is 6, decide what we would take from the cache and then we added something back to it for a trade. Luckily I had a good pen that we could sign the damp log with. I took a picture of the boys holding our "find" (btw, for you pros it was not a spoiler pic ) we hid the cache where we found it and headed home.

 

On the way home the boys made me promise we would go again next weekend!

 

We certainly won't be doing too many micros as I want my sons to be able to do more than just sign a log. I only hope they will continue to enjoy the hobby for a long time!

[+paleolith]

I pretty much agree with the reasons given, but I'd like to add one that hasn't come up.

 

For most cachers, a lot of the pleasure of caching is getting outside and going somewhere interesting. How much is this varies, but it's probably between 10% and 90% for virtually all cachers.

 

Yet to get that pleasure, you have to spend quite a bit of time ... online ... sitting ... in front of ... a computer. Loading pages. Figuring out how to search (how do I love caching? let me count the ways to search). Staring at the GPSr while walking instead of watching the scenery, trying to figure out how to make the stubborn GPSr work. And trying to remember how to capitalize it.

 

I think at 120 finds I'm finally getting over that hump, but it's taken a while. It's probably worse because I mainly like the remote caches (my average terrain is about 2.5). Still, I'm pretty competent in computer use (wrote my first program in 1966). So if I feel like I'm spending too much time in front of the computer to prepare to go outside, I imagine that others feel this even more strongly.

 

And guess what? They are the people least likely to be ... sitting in front of the computer reading this forum.

 

Of course, going for good hikes can require a lot of prep time too. I have a lot of hiking guides and maps and have certainly spent my time studying them. But I find that the caching part tends to add to the total prep time.

 

I don't claim to have a solution. The gc.com UI could use improvements, but mostly they won't significantly decrease the time required. Oh, when we get gigabit to every house and gc.com can deliver it and home computers are fast enough that browsers can render it in time that users perceive as instantaneous, that will help. (Now, we spend a LOT of time waiting on gc.com servers, waiting on the net, waiting on our own net connections, wiating on our browsers to render the pages.)

 

GPS receivers need huge improvements for geocaching. They are obtuse, and that's putting it kindly. Load one cache and go find it, easy enough. Load a dozen, or load a neighborhood, and keep track of it -- that's getting to seem an awful like what people are trying to get away from by going out and looking for caches. PDA? Geez, now we carry TWO computers to go geocaching? I'm not denigrating this as a solution to the current situation, but we REALLY need a GPSr with a high sensitivity chip, the ability to manage geocache information (not just waypoints minimally configured as caches), the ability to store and automatically update reasonably large numbers of caches (sorry, 1000 doesn't cut it), display ALL the information that gc.com presents on the cache's web page, show street and topo maps of a large area (counties or states) without having to spend many hundreds of extra dollars, etc. In a single device.

 

And that auto update thing ... right now we have to do a lot of advance planning. A really useful device would constantly download (wireless, or satellite when no other connection) caches in the area I'm travelling. I should be able to go to North Dakota, turn on my GPSr, head for the Black Mountains, look at nearby caches and decide what I feel like finding since I have three hours left today. With no advance prep. Yes, I realize this isn't technologically feasible today -- but most of it is, except for the satellite backup part. (Think iPhone with built-in GPSr.)

 

Whew, a quick comment may have turned into a rant ...

 

So, to get back to my point: too much time in front of the computer for the pleasure of getting outdoors.

 

Oh ... and is anyone leaving dental floss in caches for finders to use? Just a thought. Might help the game.

 

Edward

[+Isonzo Karst]

I'm spending too much time in front of the computer to prepare to go outside, I imagine that others feel this even more strongly.

 

And guess what? They are the people least likely to be ... sitting in front of the computer reading this forum.

 

Excellent post! I've been caching several years and several thousand finds later, I now just look at a hiking area, check for caches, download a PQ JUST for that area (small radius of a couple of miles) and go. I no longer spend much time researching doodly. It's just no fun.

 

I think several good points have been made in this thread, and it appears that a partial solution would be:

 

1) more beer

 

2) we need to buy Starbrand a water-pick and one of those sonic-type electric toothbrushes

 

Oh ... and is anyone leaving dental floss in caches for finders to use? Just a thought. Might help the game.

 

YES! you'll be delighted to know that a Florida cacher very kindly leaves floss as his sig item! What a champ.

[+sbell111]

I admit to not having read through this whole thread yet, but one comment that I have is not to interpret the changing faces at events as a sign that former attendees have quit geocaching. Unless you have actually checked their stats (which I recognize that maybe you have done), you can't be sure that they have quit. For that matter, I guess it's entirely possible (albeit unlikely) that they're still caching but not updating their stats here. ...

That's a very good point. It should also be mentioned that sometimes these people with no recent logs haven't really quit. They've just taken a break. Sometimes, life gets in teh way and people step away from teh game for months at a time. It's not that they don't enjoy playing, it's just that they can't make a commitment to it.

We truely enjoy finding those clever little hides tucked away in unexpected places.

Boy, if only that were true for more than 5% of them, I might agree with you! Usually, the words "Clever" and "Unexpected" aren't the words that come to mind when I come across them...

Sometimes, 'clever' and 'unexpected' is from a muggles POV. I have tons of fun finding easy peasey micros in mundane locations simply because the local populace has no clue. It's one of the biggest draws of this game.

But, when most of us explain the game to someone new we expound on the unique, interesting, scenic, historic caches... we don't say "We hide a lot of film cans in Wal-Mart parking lots too", so they are often led to believe that all caches are well thought out and interesting.

 

Then they see the reality. Maybe 1 out of 20 are like they'd been told to expect... maybe less (regardless of container size).

 

Yup, we give them expectations and then for the most part disappoint them, that's why many leave. ...

Interesting. When I explain the game to people, I talk about boxes in the woods, trinket trading, interesting locations, but I also discuss micros placed in ordinary areas surrounded by unwitting mundanes. I explain that there's probably a micro hidden within a few blocks of whatever urban location we're at. In fact, that's the part that I'm most excited about when I talk to them about it and the point at which you can see their excitement. Many times, I've then taken my victim to find a local micro. Some of these friends have quickly signed up for an account and continue to be active cachers.

[+MarshMonsters]

Oh ... and is anyone leaving dental floss in caches for finders to use? Just a thought. Might help the game.

 

YES! you'll be delighted to know that a Florida cacher very kindly leaves floss as his sig item! What a champ.

 

My Mother in Law gave us a bunch unopened dental floss packs that were in my husband's bathroom when he lived at home. We also got a bunch of opened packs too. We have enough opened packs (not counting our own floss) to last us 5+ years. After we learn the sport better we may create a cache with a dental floss theme!

[+Renegade Knight]

It's just like everthing else. Look at marriage. Most people can't even hack that and I'd be they loved their partner more than life itself. I can't say that much about caching or any other activity. Those come and go, and normally quicker than a marriage...

[+lare58]

Let's also remember that the newbies don't understand how to filter out certain cache types. In fact, a new person could grab a couple lame caches on the side of the road and think, "Is this what geocaching is?".

 

I'd LOVE to hear from some of the new folks with only a few caches found. How has your experience been so far? Do you have a positive or negative view so far?

 

Well I hope that I can fit that bill, I found out about Geocaching from a friend who had heard about it from somewhere, while I was visiting AZ. I got back to IL and started researching on the web, sounded interesting so I finally got a GPS in Dec but somethings went wrong and I didnt get out to look for my 1st cache untill Jan 08, I was lucky in the area that I had found a local group of cachers and met up with a group of them on my first outing. We did a 4.5 / 4.5 nano first ( not my 1st choice) and I had fun there, Then we went and did some in the wooded areas here and I had a blast with them.

 

I have been out a couple times with groups which I feel really helped in learning the ropes and such, But if I was just starting out by myself and going after the lampskirts right off the bat I would have thought to myself that this is not for me. I have been to a few P&G and I have yet to see 1 that I can figure out the reason for the cache to be there in the first place. I can see where micros and nanos would be there if that is all that could be placed and at some interesting location, But just to say I have a cache in the middle of the local shopping mall parking lot is a waste to me.

 

I think a lot of people start this with good intentions but then they go after the close ones to home and all they find are the lampskirts and such and dont really try to figure out that there are more to this then just those.

 

I have seen this in the friend from AZ as I already upgraded my GPS and sent them my 1st one and I saw them go for the closest to home and it was a lampskirt and they were getting frustrated untill I got them to leave that one alone and look for different ones that would not be micros and in the middle of parking lots. They still havent found any but they are at least still willing to try with a little guiedance even if it is from a totally newbie but I have explained how thrilling it is to find a few of the ones I have found in the woods here.

 

Larry

[+bash177]

I guess I am one of those that started with a fire but burnt out quickly. my biggest problem is that I havent found anybody to join me other than my 4 year old son. Dont get me wrong, I have a lot of fun with him, but I can only to the easier caches. then other main reason is time. I just do not have much time avaible. But I am still here, mainly lurking. Hopefully come springtime I will be able to get going a little more. I just got a mountain bike, which I hope that I can combine the two together.

[+Littleone816]

I'm a relative newb, but my son (9) and I love going out to find them... he's found a few of the finds I've got logged, and we both have a great time!

 

However, the 12" or so of snow that's on the ground is a bit of a deterrent. Both of us are anxiously waiting for the snow to melt some so that we can get out again!

 

Stupid winter... *grumbling*

 

Linda

Edited February 27, 2008 by Littleone816

[+EhudMH]

Let's also remember that the newbies don't understand how to filter out certain cache types. In fact, a new person could grab a couple lame caches on the side of the road and think, "Is this what geocaching is?"........

 

And thus a great reason to add a "Quality" notation of some type generated by previous finders on each and every cache page....

 

In general, I think that logs on a cache are a pretty good indicator of the enjoyment level of the cache. If you ignore the generic copy&paste logs from your friendly neighborhood statmonkeys ("We found 96 caches on a blistering run through your city, this was one of them, TNLNSLATFHABTNANTFTC") oftentimes you can gauge quality of the cache based on the logs. There are several cachers in my area who's logs I look for when determining if I want to devote the time to try to find a particular hide.

 

I started caching in fall of 2006 and quit for almost a year, in large part because of uninteresting hides. Granted, there are TONS of good spots (and good caches in those spots) in my area, but because of the time of year I got going, and my work schedule, it always seemed to be dark when I got out of work...and face it, finding 20 LPC's in the dark isn't the "fun, treasure hunting adventure" that caching was advertised to me as. I got back into it the late part of 2007 and by being selective with some of my finds, I've had a blast. It all depends on the cacher and if they're "into" caching, but a lot of it depends on the caching community around them and their level of ingenuity, too. Urban caches can be fun (there are MANY around here that have made me laugh out loud when I found them) but like anything else, they take time to figure out how to place right. The caching community around you is going to, obviously, play a huge role in your enjoyment level of the game.

[+Nishnabotna]

My first search was to a parking garage - dnf

My 2nd was a film canister in a bush. Signed it.

My third was a key holder under a merry go round. Didn't bother signing it.

Gave up.

Now I go camping and hiking and don't bother with the cache thing.

[Clan Riffster]

Anybody know why so many get excited about it and then fade away?

Two words: Film Canisters.

I've long suspected those little plastic buggers were harbingers of unspeakable evil. I conducted intense, black ops interviews with the head of Nosferatu and the Alien Hive Queen, who share control of this planet, and they both stressed that film canisters would prove to be the death of us all. They conducted top secret experiments on soldiers convicted of heinous crimes, measuring their IQ prior to, and after, finding a film canister. There was an average of 17% decrease in intellect after the find. Following the projected bell curve, they hypothesized that after finding enough film canisters, folks will lack the necessary cognitive skills to turn off Jerry Springer. Inevitably, those folks get swallowed up by their couches, never to be heard from again.

 

All because of film canisters...

[+9Key]

My first several finds were regular sized containers hidden in parks, but it was one very unique urban cache that really got me hooked. If I was starting out these days with all of the thoughtless micros I doubt I would have stuck with it.

[+Parabola]

I guess I am one of those that started with a fire but burnt out quickly. my biggest problem is that I havent found anybody to join me other than my 4 year old son. Dont get me wrong, I have a lot of fun with him, but I can only to the easier caches. then other main reason is time. I just do not have much time avaible. But I am still here, mainly lurking. Hopefully come springtime I will be able to get going a little more. I just got a mountain bike, which I hope that I can combine the two together.

 

He that's awesome. I take my 4 your old son out caching with me and that's all he talks about for days. He loves to tell stories about how far back in the woods we went and the turkeys we sturred up and scared the heck out of us. The streams we had to cross and finally the treasure we find at the end. But I do have to get real selective when I take him with me becuse sitting in the car half the day isn't what he likes. So I look for a large park that has larger containers and we make a day of it. So of the caches I have found before but they make his day. You can really get some great father and son time in by going caching. Hope you stick around. I like to see cachers that have some family involment with geocaching.

[+Parabola]

Let's also remember that the newbies don't understand how to filter out certain cache types. In fact, a new person could grab a couple lame caches on the side of the road and think, "Is this what geocaching is?"........

And thus a great reason to add a "Quality" notation of some type generated by previous finders on each and every cache page....

If you suggested that to Jeremy, he would likely repeat what he has said before. He doesn't want some of his customers feeling bad because some other customers are giving bad ratings to them. That's why he has been in favor of some type of positive reinforcement to accomplish the same goal. So he'll tell you that they are going to let cachers give out various awards with V2 of the website coming out later this year. I think this will help to keep people that get the wrong impression about geocaching because they start off with some poor caches. Someday newbies can start off with the caches that have received awards.

 

The one think that worries me about this rating system is will some rate a cache as complety awesome and get some sort of award. Maybe someone will rate a cache just because that person is a buddy. I'm kind of concerend over if people will be honest or not. I know everyone enjoys different type of caches so the ones I consider a waste would still get a positive rating from some one else. But would this privlage get misused I guess is the question. Plus how many more sock puppet account will open up so someone will be able to rate there own cache.

 

I do like the idea of some how rewarding a person for taking time to hide a great cache that most will enjoy but I just have to wonder if idea will have a down side and be I guess padded for lack of a better word.

[+Firespinner]

It is almost March and already a few of the new area Christmas cachers have put thier GPS units out on the Garage Shelf never to be used for Geocaching again.

 

Anybody know why so many get excited about it and then fade away? Any great ideas for keeping folks energized about caching? Especially in a semi-rural area. With 110 active hides, I am nearing the limits of caches I can logistically maintain.

 

I've been doing this for over 6 years now and still feel that rush when I find a cache or spot a new location for one. It is hard for me to understand why 80% or more of cachers that have started up around here have stopped caching after no more than a year or so.

 

The names and faces at our local events just keep changing.

 

I'm new and I'm still totally jazzed about it, but I had to put my caching on hold due to a knee injury that isn't healing. I know many people who like the idea of caching but aren't 'in to ' it enough to do it in the cold icky weather months.

 

Hopefully my knee will get healed enough to do some soon....I am in possesion of someone's coin and I need to release it.

[+tenacityj]

I'll chime in because, I'm actually one of the cachers to which SB could be referring. I just found a few caches last weekend which was about 200 days after I "stopped" caching.

 

I think all of the posts (the ones that I read) share valid points. However, I don't believe that people quit because of micros, crappy caches, change in life, or SB's breath. They quit because a combination of these things or sometimes just one of these items. Fact of the matter is that the reason is different for everyone. Just like caching is different for everyone.

 

Some cachers enjoy caching by themselves, I do. Some enjoy caching in groups, going to events, trading, signing the log and just leaving; some like micros, some like large caches, traditionals, puzzles, and some will like the new cache type. Some like hiding, some just finding and some enjoy both equally. Everyone enjoys this activity for various reasons and so people quit for various reasons.

 

My break was just due to life. My job changed, I started working more, and am still in the middle of a divorce. I see my child only 50% as much as I did before (sometimes we like to cache, sometimes she wants to do something else). Plus, I got a little fed up with people. By that I mean, cachers who don't rehide caches (that's really iritating when you try to make a difficult hide and any joe on the street can find it because the cacher before didn't rehide). I've had my tree-top caches muggled several times because a cacher couldn't climb the tree and so had a nearby muggle child climb for her. That cache keeps disappearing.

 

I could keep replacing if I had time and I could keep caching if I had time, but life sometimes dictates just how much time I have. Starting to work on the time factor and trying to get out to cache more, hide more, and maintain more. Have some good ideas for caches (I think, hope to be somewhat entertaining and original), just need to find the time.

[+TrailGators]

Let's also remember that the newbies don't understand how to filter out certain cache types. In fact, a new person could grab a couple lame caches on the side of the road and think, "Is this what geocaching is?"........

And thus a great reason to add a "Quality" notation of some type generated by previous finders on each and every cache page....

If you suggested that to Jeremy, he would likely repeat what he has said before. He doesn't want some of his customers feeling bad because some other customers are giving bad ratings to them. That's why he has been in favor of some type of positive reinforcement to accomplish the same goal. So he'll tell you that they are going to let cachers give out various awards with V2 of the website coming out later this year. I think this will help to keep people that get the wrong impression about geocaching because they start off with some poor caches. Someday newbies can start off with the caches that have received awards.

 

The one think that worries me about this rating system is will some rate a cache as complety awesome and get some sort of award. Maybe someone will rate a cache just because that person is a buddy. I'm kind of concerend over if people will be honest or not. I know everyone enjoys different type of caches so the ones I consider a waste would still get a positive rating from some one else. But would this privlage get misused I guess is the question. Plus how many more sock puppet account will open up so someone will be able to rate there own cache.

 

I do like the idea of some how rewarding a person for taking time to hide a great cache that most will enjoy but I just have to wonder if idea will have a down side and be I guess padded for lack of a better word.

I've thought about that too, but I think that if 70-80% of the votes are honest, then even with the noise caused by sketchy voting, that the better caches will still rise to the top in each category. The problem I noticed when I created the SD Consensus Favorites list is that it takes awhile for people to vote. So it could take several months to get some useful data from the new system. I'm just saying this because I think that some people will draw opinions too early. I've also learned that the voting in San Diego has been very honest. There may be a few buddy caches but even those caches are pretty darn good.

[+paleolith]

Yet another point, a bit more speculative than my previous one:

 

Some people don't quit, they just finish. They find all the caches.

 

OK, I hear the screams, half a million caches etc etc ... but some people aren't looking to go out and explore new places, just to have some more fun in the places they already enjoy. If those places have ten or 50 caches, maybe they will find those caches and enjoy the experience but still have no desire to go somewhere else to look for caches. It was an enhancement to their existing experience.

 

I'd guess this applies to only a minority, and that most who start would happily cover at least a small city. But I'd guess that it does apply to a significant number.

 

Edward

[Salty Pirates]

I'm new and I think that a lot of people leave because their is not enough beginner information. Its like get a gps, get the coordinates go look and look and look. I'm fining that thier is a lot more to it than that. Like setting up the gps and getting the right software and stuff. I haven't found much info on these things and its not helping me stay interested.

[+PyrateWench]

I'm new and I think that a lot of people leave because their is not enough beginner information. Its like get a gps, get the coordinates go look and look and look. I'm fining that thier is a lot more to it than that. Like setting up the gps and getting the right software and stuff. I haven't found much info on these things and its not helping me stay interested.

 

The info is out there, just have to search and read a lot. I know there's a lot of information on the Getting Started board and everyone is really helpful. I understand what you mean, but it's kind of hard to get one newbie guide when there's hundreds of GPS's out there and everyone kind of does their own thing.

 

I just started geocaching last month, I spent most of the time reading these forums and FAQs here and on the Garmin website for my GPSr. A weekend of trial and error caching helped with the GPSr tinkering and then back to search the forums for more answers.

[+couloir]

My first foray into this discussion and a relative newbie into geocaching, but as an older athlete with many sports and activities behind me, I can offer this idea.

I have long thought that we keep trying different sports or activities until we find the one(s) that meet our own personal needs. We try golf, tennis, orienteering, ballroom dancing, and all the other activities as hopeful participants and then we find out, through experience, whether the experience matches who we are and want to be. As complex beings, we have social, personal, and physical needs that a sport laregelu fulfills, or not, but we don't really know until we give it a try for a while.

My friends all want me to golf, but it just isn't me. I am happy out on the trails by myself, so hiking, exploring, orienteering, and geocaching suit my needs and my personality, but it has taken me a long time tio find that out. All of us are constantly exploring new activities to determine our own personal best fit. In sort, geocaching has to fit who we are, or we won't stay with it.

[+TrailGators]

My first foray into this discussion and a relative newbie into geocaching, but as an older athlete with many sports and activities behind me, I can offer this idea.

I have long thought that we keep trying different sports or activities until we find the one(s) that meet our own personal needs. We try golf, tennis, orienteering, ballroom dancing, and all the other activities as hopeful participants and then we find out, through experience, whether the experience matches who we are and want to be. As complex beings, we have social, personal, and physical needs that a sport laregelu fulfills, or not, but we don't really know until we give it a try for a while.

My friends all want me to golf, but it just isn't me. I am happy out on the trails by myself, so hiking, exploring, orienteering, and geocaching suit my needs and my personality, but it has taken me a long time tio find that out. All of us are constantly exploring new activities to determine our own personal best fit. In sort, geocaching has to fit who we are, or we won't stay with it.

This is a very good answer!

[+K0BKL]

Gas prices are a big reason for me to almost quit the hobby.

I gave away my last 7 caches, archived a letterbox (Frozen in!)

and probaly will not renew my premium membership.

Enough is enough! They are talking 4 dollar gasoline this summer!

I would still enjoy geocaching if I could afford it!

Hard to afford anything now!

[+Keruso]

Gas prices are a big reason for me to almost quit the hobby.

I gave away my last 7 caches, archived a letterbox (Frozen in!)

and probaly will not renew my premium membership.

Enough is enough! They are talking 4 dollar gasoline this summer!

I would still enjoy geocaching if I could afford it!

Hard to afford anything now!

 

you could always ditch the car and get that dusty bike out of your garage

 

or in the case of today around here, sled-dogs(lol, in Pennsylvania)

[Tahosa and Sons]

Well I've sure seen a lot of them come and go.

 

And caching has changed from the cache hunter to the smiley hunters. Just for the heck of it this winter I dropped about 11 very easy roadside small ones. And did the bean counters ever get a sweat up for there was a drive by that required nothing.

 

But those lame ones do have a purpose for there are those that can't do the tough ones and the log by a cacher who said his 3 year old grandaughter found it.

 

But I will continue to hide the tough ones in the hills, even though they only get about 3 finders a year, I sure get a lot of enjoyment out of hiding and maintaining them.

[+Knight2000]

Gas prices are a big reason for me to almost quit the hobby.

I gave away my last 7 caches, archived a letterbox (Frozen in!)

and probaly will not renew my premium membership.

Enough is enough! They are talking 4 dollar gasoline this summer!

I would still enjoy geocaching if I could afford it!

Hard to afford anything now!

Let's be reasonable about this. What other activities are cheaper? Unless you are driving around a 1978 Ford van that get 7mpg, i can't agree with you there.

 

Sure it costs a little in fuel, but all activities have their price. Geocaching is more expensive that sitting at home and reading a book. Other than that, i don't get it. If things are that bad, maybe you need a more fuel efficient vehicle.

 

Last summer we would spend a full day of caching and drive maybe 100 miles. With our horrible fuel mileage at the time it would have taken about 5.5 gallons of fuel.

 

5.5 gallons x $3 = $16.50

 

Where else could we spend all day with the kids doing an activity that was enjoyed by all? Heck, that is almost a trip to McDonald's for us. It costs money, but so does everything.

[+Elde]

Let's also remember that the newbies don't understand how to filter out certain cache types. In fact, a new person could grab a couple lame caches on the side of the road and think, "Is this what geocaching is?".

 

When Groundspeak introduces a lame/not lame attribute - then that filter will work. Until then, you need to get more than few caches under your belt before the filter between your ears is calibrated.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

deleted by poster

Edited March 1, 2008 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+Chalky723]

I think people just take a break sometimes, I started in 2005 but then didn't cache for the whole of 2006 & then some- family life & work got in the way...

 

I've started again now with a vengeance - the main difference now is that I've upgraded to a mapping GPS that means I can download loads of caches at once instead of having to type them in and have a cheap old Palm for paperless caching.

 

I keep them both in a small bag & take it whenever we go out - there's always something nearby.

 

On the other hand, I did a lovely 9 mile walk along a river, finding 16 caches - 4 were containers of a "decent" size, the other 12 were film cannisters.

 

I think the "magic" isn't quite as strong when you just have to sign a log - I like to look at all the toys etc....

 

Chalky

[+hybird]

I got the idea to try geocaching when I got a Garmin nüvi for Christmas (2007).

 

I haven't been out much due to a couple reasons:

 

I thought I would find someone to get out there with me. I haven't yet and I don't enjoy being alone when I'm looking for caches.

 

I have discovered that I'm not very good at finding caches.

 

Even though the nüvi can put me right on top of the caches, (at least the ones I have found) I need to invest in GPSr that is more suited to the activity. However, the first two reasons for not getting out much is the reason I haven't put out the $ for another one.

 

What a conundrum...

[+obxWaMi]

I'm a newbie that doesn't intend to quit. I only have about 30 finds under my belt, but I'm already planning how to celebrate my 100th and my 1,000th.

 

As usual, I jumped into geocaching with both feet within a few days of learning of it. Found my first cache within 20 minutes of purchasing my GPS. I ran out the next day and bought a backpack and about $30 worth of swag. Over the past two weeks I've purchased a premium membership, a Palm m500, cachemate, and GSAK. A few days ago I ordered a TB and I have made ready our travel item and it's goal, and I've already decided which cache we are going to place it in while we are on Spring Break in a few weeks. Oh, I have also created a map and list of the caches in the area we will be visiting.

 

Because of my hubby's bad back (4 major surgeries in 3 years) we have had to pace ourselves. Being a "all or nothing" go-getter, this is a good thing, ((I hate admitting that)) because otherwise I would have quit my job and cached every available daylight hour.

 

The only thing that would make this better for me is having someone to cache with when the weather is good, but my hubby's back isn't.

[+J-Way]

My first cache was a "Small" in the landscaping at the entrance to my subdivision. A few trade items, kinda neat at the time.

 

My second cache was an ammo can in the front yard of an active local cacher. I spent about 30 minutes chatting with her about the local scene. I was hooked.

 

About two months later, I was trying to find a cache a day by stopping at least once on the way home from work. After a week or so of this I had a "What's the point" moment as I was debating whether to stop at this LPC vs. that GRC; I really wasn't having fun or seeing new and interesting places, just increasing a number on a web site (classic extreme start-up followed by burn-out).

 

I would have probably completely quit within another month, but then I discovered Terracaching.com where high-quality caches are rewarded and low-quality caches are archived (theoretically... it's a LOOONG way from a perfect system). Several awesome puzzles and outstanding hiking caches kept me interested in the general game. Now I'm more skilled at identifying quality caches here, so I'm active on both sites.

 

Then I started traveling a lot for work this past summer and fall, and was able to add finds in 5 more states, plus it gave me something to do other than watching TV in a hotel room.

 

Now I'm settled in for the long-term, but I use short-term goals to keep having fun:

- I love solving puzzles, so I solve them in advance and keep the solutions in a private bookmarked list. I go find the caches whenever I'm in the area.

- I'm slowly filling out my Distance/Terrain combination grid (see my profile - 46 out of 81 combinations filled!). I'm planning on hiding a Grid Challenge cache when I'm finished (or maybe just close), unless someone local beats me to it.

- I'm VERY slowly adding more counties and Delorme grids to my totals for the Tennessee County and Delorme challenges.

- I'm slowly increasing my average difficulty and terrain rating for all found caches. I'm currently in the Top Ten in Tennessee for both (according to the people who have uploaded stats to www.itsnotaboutthenumbers.com and set their home location as Tennessee).

 

I'd have quit long ago if the only aspect to this game was inspecting the underside of lamp post skirts.

[+karmajay]

As a fairly new participate I'll say it seems most here talking about the hikes and "bad micros" must live in areas where trails and woods are not too far away. For those of us that live in a more urban environment, finding the micros can still be fun. Eventually I may be willing to make a day of it by driving a few hours to a more wild spot but at the moment I can't.

 

Also, while micros may not be the MOST exciting find, their small size definitely makes you search which I think is part of the fun.

 

I think most people leave because as people and especially as we get older we try to fit so much into our lives. Right now, I work full time and go to school full time and am still able to fill a few hours every Saturday with the kids finding micros in the city. I have plenty of other interests that I don't participate it, but hope one day I'll be able to.

 

Finally, I look forward to a time I live somewhere that has hills, mountains, trails, etc! (Tampa bay, FL ain't exactly a hilly place! The only hills are actually drained swamps!)

[+BlueDeuce]

Ah, define 'as we get older'.

 

I still say that it's a matter of staying involved in such a way that balances the amount of effort. Too little and it's forgotten, too much and it gets routine. Both make it uninteresting.

 

I would have to add that one key element is sharing the experience with others, whether that be on the trail, or the club, or whatever. Everything in moderation. Plan for it so that you keep looking forward to going, but not so much that you get tired of doing it.

[+TrailGators]

I still say that it's a matter of staying involved in such a way that balances the amount of effort. Too little and it's forgotten, too much and it gets routine. Both make it uninteresting.

 

I would have to add that one key element is sharing the experience with others, whether that be on the trail, or the club, or whatever. Everything in moderation. Plan for it so that you keep looking forward to going, but not so much that you get tired of doing it.

Moderation is the key! I couldn't agree more.

[+Iowa Tom]

What gets me is when they lose interest AFTER they pick up a TB I'm watching.

[miles_vagar]

I'm with the micro fans. I really enjoy finding a cache and thinking, "Wow, probably five hundred people walk past here a day and nobody ever sees this!"

 

I understand you might be sick of micros under lamp post skirts, guys, but why not be productive? You know, spend some time making micro-sized trade items? Swap a quarter for a press-on tattoo and slip it into a film canister at the Wal-Mart P&F. Or, if you're really pressed for time, go to a bank and exchange five bucks for a few dozen relatively worthless coins from East Timor or wherever.

 

If you really think this is why we're losing people, and that actually bothers you, maybe you should try to do something that makes these otherwise lame caches fun and interesting to new cachers.

 

Keep in mind that these are just tiny, easy things to do. If you really want to get creative and fix your broken urban geocaching scene, try doing something like hiding your own, better, harder to find, more adventurous cache, NOT logging it on Geocaching.com, and putting instructions on a little slip of paper that you leave in park and finds for the fresh, not-yet-jaded geocacher to carry away.

 

*braces for the storm of flaming offal hurled by lazy, whiny members of the old guard who remember the better days of geocaching before [insert username here] started hiding those dreadful micros on their turf*

[+sbell111]

My first search was to a parking garage - dnf

My 2nd was a film canister in a bush. Signed it.

My third was a key holder under a merry go round. Didn't bother signing it.

Gave up.

Now I go camping and hiking and don't bother with the cache thing.

You have a lot of posts for someone who decided the game wasn't for them and gave up on it a year ago after one find.

 

Joined mid-2006

Found one cache mid-2007

Edited March 6, 2008 by sbell111

[+lorianne621]

I have been around awhile and in the beginning I found several caches with a friend and his GPS. About 6 months later I bought my own unit and found a few more. I found the learning curve a little steep trying to do it on my own and like many others here have said, life happened. One relationship failed, I moved, I met someone new and in the midst of all those things I set geocaching aside for awhile. I never forgot it though, I did fire up the GPS and take it with me whenever I would travel so in a year and a half I have found 13 caches in three states. I have had a few that I did not find as well.

I also like it best if someone is with me but I don't mind going alone if I can find the time. I am lucky that my new boyfriend loves to hike and having caches to find gives us a destination and I think I was more excited seeing him find his first cache than I was to find it myself. His first cache also was a micro and a film canister to boot so no complaints from me in that department.

I expect to continue to geocaching as long as I am able. I don't think I will ever be as gung ho as some here and I will always have some downtime in the winter but I get a little excited as spring approaches.

I wonder if some of th newbies have left just because they failed to do the research and find out what is out there. I know that I have learned much this winter that I failed to learn last year because I was too busy to do so. I was unaware for example that there were caches I could get to only by boat. I am excited by this as we do a lot of kayaking and boating in the Spring and I think it would be neat to find a cache like that.

As for swag. I don't really care what is in the cache. I rarely take anything and if I do I usually leave one of those golden dollars. The only thing I ever got really excited over was a geocoin and that was in my last find. I will move it on soon and I will hate to see it go. I recently ordered one of my own and intend to purchase more. It isn't about the toys it is about the find.