+Cycler0707 Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I'm new to caching and so far it has been so enjoyable. My problem is the gash I now carry as I reached for the hidden cache, only to find the remains of a dirt colored beer bottle edge greeting my hand. I guess I'm wondering if others have experienced the same issue? I'm not talking about obstacles presented by mother nature, I'm talking about broken bottles, barbed wire, rusted metal, etc. I now pack gloves and if any search is near the ground, the gloves are on. Quote Link to comment
+XopherN71 Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Nah, I live dangerously... like today for example, I'm seriously thinking about busting out that pencil with no eraser... and using it! Quote Link to comment
+egami Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I carry gloves. I don't like to ruin my MANicure. Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I carry gloves while out Geocaching but they generally go with the trash bags so I can grab the litter and do some CITO on the way in or out. As for grabbing the cache - I generally walk away from any cache that is hidden amongst a pile of trash and rusty sharp items. So no problems here. Quote Link to comment
+PrincessBTigress Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I figure most accidents are just part of the game. I've seen caches with broken bottles, just carefully picked them up and removed them they went looking. If I didn't see something and got scratched or cut etc I just keep going. Scars heal and disappear, no biggy. (I'm a girl sitting here with finger and toe nails painted and done up nice, used to go every other week to get a manicure, etc, but I've also been on "mudding" adventures, camp outs and hard labor community service jobs. So go figure) Quote Link to comment
+Snake & Rooster Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I carry gloves while out Geocaching but they generally go with the trash bags so I can grab the litter and do some CITO on the way in or out. As for grabbing the cache - I generally walk away from any cache that is hidden amongst a pile of trash and rusty sharp items. So no problems here. Well said! If you place a cache in a pile of discarded trash, I will not waste my time looking for it. Why anyone would want to bring me to a landfill is beyond my comprehension. I do, however, carry a pair of work gloves in the vehicle for when I stick my hand blindly into cracks and crevices. The though of a black widow hiding in there has always be a bit unsettling to me. Quote Link to comment
+butrflybec Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Well I normally don't wear any, but if I clearly can't see in a spot, I normally grab a stick or use my hiking pole to check it out first. I haven't had any incidents yet besides getting the occasional ant bite. You just have to be "gentle" and don't go thrusting your hand into dark holes and such. Quote Link to comment
cachpowerd Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 no I have never had any problems with cuts or anything while caching. but now that I have heard that someone has been injured while caching I will have to be more careful. Quote Link to comment
+J-Way Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 Well I normally don't wear any, but if I clearly can't see in a spot, I normally grab a stick or use my hiking pole to check it out first. I haven't had any incidents yet besides getting the occasional ant bite. You just have to be "gentle" and don't go thrusting your hand into dark holes and such. Me too - poke it with a stick first to see if anything bites back. Quote Link to comment
+BarbVA Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 We not only bought a pair of gloves but a decent flashlight for our geo bag after sticking our hands in some unexpected situations (uhmm some kind of red spider that creeped us out, lol). Quote Link to comment
+gof1 Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 Please folks, practice "safe cache" at all times! You have no idea were that ammo can has been! Quote Link to comment
+Tallahassee Lassie Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 There are other pitfalls besides dark places. Walking into things while studying my GPS comes to mind. So does walking into spider webs (eek!) Quote Link to comment
Pacific NW Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 Unfortunately it seems like some of the good places to hide a geocache are also good places to toss drug paraphernalia, trash, bags of dog poop, etc. Quote Link to comment
CoyoteRed Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 Some folks bring rubber gloves of some sort to go through the icky trade items and moldy logbooks. I do like to have a nice pair of sturdy leather gloves. Quote Link to comment
majormajor42 Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 (edited) It helps to have a designated Geocaching backpack or something to grab-and-go. Besides maintence items such as ziplock bags, and a spare lock-n-lock I have gloves and hand sanitizer. I have black, military style gloves which are great for wilderness caches, for climbing and reaching into holes for the GRAB. More importantly, I carry thinner agile latex type gloves for the Urban caches. I find that any cache hidden below belt level has been possibly urinated on by man or beast. It is best to go urban caching the day after a good rain, long enough to have dried but still soon after a fresh rinse. I hate when something is mysteriously sticky. Guess I have to get used to that sensations when I have a kid. I hear they are sticky, like, all the time. ~shivers~ Edited April 5, 2008 by majormajor42 Quote Link to comment
+edscott Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 Maybe we should have attribute icon for "little piece of trash buried in a bigger pile of trash" I bailed out on one like that yesterday. Just don't feel like messing about in someone else's garbage. Quote Link to comment
+edscott Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 Unfortunately it seems like some of the good places to hide a geocache are also good places to toss drug paraphernalia, trash, bags of dog poop, etc. I disagree... any place that collects these things is not a good place to put a cache. Quote Link to comment
+Trucker Lee Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 Unfortunately it seems like some of the good places to hide a geocache are also good places to toss drug paraphernalia, trash, bags of dog poop, etc. I disagree... any place that collects these things is not a good place to put a cache. AMEN! Makes you wonder what it is about the hider's life that make them think this place would have any significance. or be enjoyable. Quote Link to comment
+BCandMsKitty Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 I carry a pair of kevlar lined "search gloves" for any caches I think might have sharps in or near them. And the gloves were provided for me by the Province of Ontario! One of the perks of my job. Quote Link to comment
+Foothills Drifter Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Howdy...... Be bold...be brave...be a Geocacher... Go for it! Vern / Foothills Drifter... Quote Link to comment
+_dxd_ Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 I've been lucky with my hands so far, no cuts from reaching for a cache. Around here most everyone eventually gets a bit of "desert pinstriping" on their legs or arms. My worst so far was walking over some old barbed wire hidden in the tall grass/weeds. First time wasn't so bad, daytime, it just grabbed my shoe and the bottom of my pants leg got ripped. Second time I hit barbed wire, night caching, it wrapped around my left leg (ripping my jeans and taking a nasty bite on my shin) and and my right shoe = I face planted Havta protect the GPSr in my right hand and the flashlight in my left, ya' know ? Quote Link to comment
fishdirt Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Let's see...thorns, bats, trees hitting me...nothing garbage related yet. Aside from the gloves I suggest a walking stick. It helps to have something to poke around with and to navigate on logs with (would have helped friday as I came home muddied up and cold). However I haven't found a good walking stick yet! Quote Link to comment
+Gustav129 Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 Atfter finding two used condoms near two different caches this last week, I have already put a couple pairs of nitrile gloves in my Small Geocaching pack. Quote Link to comment
+TrailGators Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 I carry gloves while out Geocaching but they generally go with the trash bags so I can grab the litter and do some CITO on the way in or out. As for grabbing the cache - I generally walk away from any cache that is hidden amongst a pile of trash and rusty sharp items. So no problems here. Well said! If you place a cache in a pile of discarded trash, I will not waste my time looking for it. Why anyone would want to bring me to a landfill is beyond my comprehension. I do, however, carry a pair of work gloves in the vehicle for when I stick my hand blindly into cracks and crevices. The though of a black widow hiding in there has always be a bit unsettling to me. I agree. I try to use a stick to make sure nothing is on the hole. Quote Link to comment
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