Geocache nostaligia...

[+Stuey]

Do you remember when...

 

... you'd drive a 160 mile return trip to get to a cache with a "new fangled" Geocoin in it?

 

... every cache you found was a big box full of decent trades?

 

... a micro was uncommon?

 

... every single cache you found had a great view and/or a pleasant walk and/or some history?

 

... a big day out would net you no more than 12 caches?

 

What else do you remember?

[+XopherN71]

My good old says started about 2 months ago

[+Mad H@ter]

Ahhh, memories

[+Mad H@ter]

... you'd drive a 160 mile return trip to get to a cache with a "new fangled" Geocoin in it?

Yes and you could afford to do it without consulting the bank manager for permission to fill up the car

[+UK Mega Event Committee]

Seasider drove all the way from Blackpool to Harrogate because a new series of 5 caches appeared all in one go !

 

(Hope you are well John !)

 

Whoops sorry used the wrong logon... this post should have been Harrogate Hunters !!!

Edited May 14, 2008 by UK Mega Event Committee

[CLV3]

My good old says started about 2 months ago

 

And you are a veteran compared to me. Though I have had an interest for a while, just did not have the money for a GPS til recently.

Edited May 14, 2008 by CLV3

[+The Wombles]

We would check for new caches every day. There were a couple, and we'd check to see if they were within traveling distance. For ages, we printed out every new cache in England and filed them by region for when we visited.

 

Caches were either ammo boxes or ice cream containers. A small ammo box was considered a small cache. Didn't see a micro until a Scandinavian visitor placed one in Paddington Station.

 

It was still possible to be first to place a cache in a new country (we did in Singapore). You could place caches far from home (Washington DC). You could place Virtuals (lots). Getting to the first 100 found was a huge challenge.

 

Ah, the old days.....

[+mongoose39uk]

Do you remember when...

 

... you'd drive a 160 mile return trip to get to a cache with a "new fangled" Geocoin in it?

 

... every cache you found was a big box full of decent trades?

 

... a micro was uncommon?

 

... every single cache you found had a great view and/or a pleasant walk and/or some history?

 

... a big day out would net you no more than 12 caches?

 

What else do you remember?

 

Big box full of decent trades? My first one was a micro 2 yards from the car

[+minstrelcat]

We had done all the caches in Kent at one point and had to start on Essex but that was a looong time ago. On our first caching trip we found two caches and they were about 25 miles apart - they were our closest 2 caches at the time!

 

I was just remarking to Adam the other day that caches aren't a big as they used to be.

 

Lisa

[+Jan and the Percey Boys]

1) you only stopped in a layby for a loo stop

2) A nano was someone who looked after the kids

3) An event was an event not just a meet in your local

4) Camping was done with the scouts

 

I still had teeth

[+The Blorenges]

...and on our first page of "nearest caches" the 20th was 14.2 miles away, not 2.7 miles like now.

 

MrsB

[+Us 4 and Jess]

I feel like a noobie all over again.....................oh I am compared to all of you who posted previous

 

M

[+The Hornet]

We had done all the caches in Kent at one point and had to start on Essex but that was a looong time ago.

When I were a lad............ Anyway, I remember spending 2 days wandering around London in order to "clear" every cache placed there. I managed it but within a few days another cache had popped up and it's been a losing battle ever since.

 

Funny this topic should crop up now as I've been considering placing a series of "Good old fashioned geocaches" just as described above. In fact I placed the first of these a couple of days ago (to replace an existing one).

 

One of my early memories of geocaching, apart from the thrill when I found my first one, was the frustration of finding this new hobby only for almost every footpath in the country being closed for months due to the Foot & Mouth outbreak (the big one in 2001, not the more recent one). At the time there were almost no urban caches.

[+Pharisee]

I remember when finding food and drink in caches was not uncommon and not considered unacceptable. In fact one cachers 'signature item' was a tin of sardines!!

[+The Cache Hoppers]

Our first find was a micro (Dec 2004) but it was still exciting We did see more ammo boxes in our early days caching, and lots of them are still out there, but they are the earlier ones. Ammo boxes are not in such a plentiful supply these days, whereas klip and lock boxes are easy to get hold of, so that could be an explanation as to why us more established cachers don't see so many of them popping up now. We know somewhere we can get hold of them at a reasonable price, but its a 25 mile drive each way so only pick them up if passing.

 

I like TheHornet's idea about starting off a "Good old fashioned caches" series .... maybe it will catch on. Liane

[+*mouse*]

I've only been doing this since 2005, but I remember the days when you could take a leisurely stroll to find a cache three days after it was published and you would still be first to find!! None of this scrabbling around in the dark after work getting mud on your best suit only to find that someone beat you too it 5 minutes before!

 

But it was also lonlier - much more likely to bump in to a fellow cacher these days

[+third-degree-witch]

Good post Stuey,i was musing over the same sentiments myself recently......has the bubble burst i wonder

[+Happy Humphrey]

...you could find all the IOM caches in a day! (Now it would take a really good cacher a fortnight if lucky...)

[+gazooks]

When I joined in mid 2005 - I think there ws only about 5000 caches in the UK and it took me 6 months to cover the first page of my nearest caches....

[+House Of Boo]

When we first started we had a radius of 25 miles from our house which we kept cache free (as soon as one come out we went and found it).

 

But now we are fighting a losing battle and have given up!!

 

We too miss the "old style" caches which involved a good walk or took you to an interesting area which you may have been completely unaware of.

[+pklong]

It's still the good old days up on Exmoor. Lots of proper boxes in nice locations, but the micros are starting to surround it. I still find most of the micros fun, but there is nothing like the clack of an ammo box on t'moor. Ahhh the good old days.

 

Philip

[markandlynn]

I remember when you went on holiday every cache was somewhere new and exciting and worth visiting.

 

I remember when snerdbe got every FTF.

 

Being called a numbers cacher on these forums was almost an insult.

 

pyoung1s, seasider and MarcB were regular posters.

 

MarcB caches were regular points for discussion (for those who dont know he placed the alchemy quest series in shropshire / staffordshire one of the first large scale multi's in the UK)

 

Clearing your nearest unfound was the way we went caching (not now)

 

When an ignore list was a useless site feature.

 

All puzzle caches could be solved with google and no degree in astrophysics.

 

For the Hornet there is a series of caches in the USA called a return to tradition all are on walks for one cache and are ammo boxes.

 

Great post Stuey been on our mind for quite a while.

 

The game has changed quite a bit in even this short space of time.

[+Gralorn]

Remember people like Mollins Crew and Blorenge coming miles for a Jeep in Wiltshire ! Mollins from Cornwall in the dead of night and Mr & Mrs B on a bacon sandwich from Wales, great days and good fun. Still enjoy the hobby though and do like the current trend of 3-5 mile walks with an abundance of unconnected caches to find. The recent Ailec Nor K&A one was more like an event, the amount of people out doing the walk along and back the Kennet & Avon, great stuff. Still feel sure that there will be many more 'Good Old days to come'.

[+keehotee]

 

Being called a numbers cacher on these forums was almost an insult.

 

 

It still is in some quarters............

[+Donmoore]

...and on our first page of "nearest caches" the 20th was 14.2 miles away, not 2.7 miles like now.

 

MrsB

 

I was going to make the same point but saying it is better now. I used to get to page 5 of my search and I was on the Isle of Man. Now its about page 11 I think. Caching has caught on here in the last 2 years!

[+walkergeoff and wife]

Oh well - the old days aren't what they used to be!

[+milvus-milvus]

Funny this topic should crop up now as I've been considering placing a series of "Good old fashioned geocaches" just as described above.

I've been planning to do a couple of similar "Back to Basics" caches. If we can agree on a name, this could be a much preferable series to "Motorway Mayhem", "A road Anarchy", "Off the Rails", "Supermarket Sweep", etc, etc.

[reelcutter]

I still have a couple of ammo boxes hanging around along with two of the fuse canister type. And don't mention marc b. I did his road to the wrekin series and got six out of the seven in a day only to be beaten at wrekin havoc due to failing light!! I should have waited for the longer days. . I'm not bitter though.

[+Simply Paul]

I remember when all this t'wer fields.

 

They still are.

 

I agree with much of what the OP said. When I started caching in mid 2003, it took a year to find 100, not a weekend... There is something to be said for the good old days- the numbers were lower, but the fun more-per-cache. I will say some parts of the country are still quality-led. I've yet to do a 'so-so' cache in the Highlands, for example

[+Cryptik Souls Crew]

I remember going out and doing and Dan and Pid cache about 5 days after it was published and still being FTF, the next find was 6 weeks later.

[+Firth of Forth]

There were only about 10 caches in Edinburgh and the surrounding area.

[+sTeamTraen]

No need to remember. Come to France, where the Trads are on top of beautiful hills and lunch is a lot nicer too.

[+scottpa100]

Just a comment about taking you to new areas. When you have cached thoroughly in your area (I have in north, north Wales) you end up seeing the same landscapes and views. So it is great when you go out to an area where you have not really ventured to before on a caching expedition.

 

Armed with me OS maps, caches to get and travelling on obscure footpaths, you end up exploring an area far more than what you would just visiting a place as a tourist. A bit like me in Llangollen last weekend.

[+scottpa100]

The fabled double post...

Edited May 15, 2008 by scottpa100

[Moss Trooper]

Cant let this one pass

 

My first cache was 107 miles away.. up in St Andrews..

 

It took me 9 Months to clock up my first 20 caches.

 

The furthest being 137 miles.

 

But the quality.. Hmm

 

My first which I thought was brill was just hidden under the low branches of a pine tree in St Andrews.. but if you want a real gem.. try (Well yer can't now) GC1DCB

 

It was actually a biscuit tin place at the side of the road behind a tree.. no attempt to hide it what so ever..

 

Happy Days

 

Moss T

[+The Hungry Caterpillars]

Hi espescially pharisee and mosstrooper.

Do remember the sardines and I think I know where there could still be some lurking!

We as a team got into trouble over some kitkats which apparently would attract wild bears and the like. Needless to say we had a great time revisiting the caches we had left these in and enjoying every mouthful of these disgusting out of date poisonous attractive to all creatures great and small chocolate bars!! That is in the caches that had not already lost these titbits not to wild creatures but rather hungry geocachers. On reflection perhaps geocachers are a form of wild creature?

Those were the days!!!

[+Beds Clangers]

Lke this post!!!

 

I remember finding a cache in North Wales which had been found by Seasider, I actually phoned home to tell the wife, she said "you are MAD"

 

Use to look at the numbers of my local cachers and think, "will I ever reach those dizzy heights", they were on 500, 600 or there abouts.

 

Meeting another cacher for the first time, it was Pharisee, in a pub (where else ), I rescued one of his caches that had been "squashed" by a forestry lorry.

 

Thinking paperless caching was not for me and would never catch on.

 

Being excited about finding a micro, now I just want to stamp on them!!!!!!

 

When being sued for placing a cache was unheard of!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

And finally, when you could ask Lacto' and Eck' for help/advice

 

The good old days, 2004!!!!

 

Nick

[+PopUpPirate]

Funny this topic should crop up now as I've been considering placing a series of "Good old fashioned geocaches" just as described above.

I've been planning to do a couple of similar "Back to Basics" caches. If we can agree on a name, this could be a much preferable series to "Motorway Mayhem", "A road Anarchy", "Off the Rails", "Supermarket Sweep", etc, etc.

 

No need to debate it - "Back To Basics" is fine, get it started and we'll all join in, I'll wager! Practice what you preach, people!

Edited May 15, 2008 by PopUpPirate

[+minxyy]

I remember way back last Eatster realising that there was still an easter bunny egg coin lurking in Andover, made loads of sarnies, packed the kids off to bed early and fidgeted with the eggcitement all night

of the chase. We were off at 6 am ....GPSr loaded with all the local caches for our fist long distance cahcing session and for our efforts we were rewarded with finding an easter egg coin just in time for Easter. My little girl was chuffed to bits

 

Back To Basics cache series sounds cool Stuey.....are there going to be some limits? ie

 

sizes of cache container:

types of cache container:

locations for placing the container:

what contents to include:

 

I am sure I could go on ad infinitum (ok I know I have!) have fun with it

happy caching

minxyy and gang

ps I am begining to dispise micros especially whebn they are hidden in an area that can cope with a normal sized cache

[+Molinnis]

Remember people like Mollins Crew and Blorenge coming miles for a Jeep in Wiltshire ! Mollins from Cornwall in the dead of night and Mr & Mrs B on a bacon sandwich from Wales, great days and good fun.

 

That was a good night

 

My first cache was one of the photograpers caches by Maxwell involving taking a photo of an object/placespecified by the last cacher.

 

I can remember Peter "The Hornet" selling ammo boxes out of his van at the late xmas meet at winchester.

 

A long drive from Cornwall to Scotland for the 1st Scottish geocachers day out up Ben Nevis.

 

In March 02 I had 36 unfound caches within 100 miles of midcornwall and a couple of them was on the south wales coast!

 

Yep good days

[+maxkim]

You could get a Project Ape icon without going to the States, and Seasider was the first to get to 1000....

[+The Hornet]

I can remember Peter "The Hornet" selling ammo boxes out of his van at the late xmas meet at winchester.

Ah yes, I managed to get 2 pallet loads from an army surplus place in Nottingham very cheaply and I think I sold them for a couple of quid each. Happy memories indeed:

 

[+milvus-milvus]

Funny this topic should crop up now as I've been considering placing a series of "Good old fashioned geocaches" just as described above.

I've been planning to do a couple of similar "Back to Basics" caches. If we can agree on a name, this could be a much preferable series to "Motorway Mayhem", "A road Anarchy", "Off the Rails", "Supermarket Sweep", etc, etc.

 

No need to debate it - "Back To Basics" is fine, get it started and we'll all join in, I'll wager! Practice what you preach, people!

OK. I'll be placing the first one at the weekend. "Back to Basics: A proper cache in Northampton".

 

Suggested guidelines (not rules!):

Size/type: Ammo can would be ideal; or a decent sized lunchbox; big is good - I've managed to pick up some catering sized Mayo tubs from the works canteen...

Location: Somewhere nice! Not you're local litter-ridden back alley. Somewhere you'd be happy to stumble across. Ask yourself "Why would I want to bring somebody here?". If the answer is not obvious, find somewhere else.

And a bit of a walk might be a good idea. I don't want to get run over while signing the log...

 

I'll start a Bookmark list too.

Baz.

[+Kelsborrow Wayfinders]

QUOTE(milvus-milvus @ May 15 2008, 08:11 AM)

 

QUOTE(The Hornet @ May 15 2008, 08:22 AM)

 

Funny this topic should crop up now as I've been considering placing a series of "Good old fashioned geocaches" just as described above.

 

I've been planning to do a couple of similar "Back to Basics" caches. If we can agree on a name, this could be a much preferable series to "Motorway Mayhem", "A road Anarchy", "Off the Rails", "Supermarket Sweep", etc, etc.

 

 

No need to debate it - "Back To Basics" is fine, get it started and we'll all join in, I'll wager! Practice what you preach, people!

 

Doesn't creating a series called "Back to Basics" defeat the purpose of going back to basics? Surely they should just be stand alone caches.

[+keehotee]

Funny this topic should crop up now as I've been considering placing a series of "Good old fashioned geocaches" just as described above.

I've been planning to do a couple of similar "Back to Basics" caches. If we can agree on a name, this could be a much preferable series to "Motorway Mayhem", "A road Anarchy", "Off the Rails", "Supermarket Sweep", etc, etc.

 

No need to debate it - "Back To Basics" is fine, get it started and we'll all join in, I'll wager! Practice what you preach, people!

OK. I'll be placing the first one at the weekend. "Back to Basics: A proper cache in Northampton".

 

Suggested guidelines (not rules!):

Size/type: Ammo can would be ideal; or a decent sized lunchbox; big is good - I've managed to pick up some catering sized Mayo tubs from the works canteen...

Location: Somewhere nice! Not you're local litter-ridden back alley. Somewhere you'd be happy to stumble across. Ask yourself "Why would I want to bring somebody here?". If the answer is not obvious, find somewhere else.

And a bit of a walk might be a good idea. I don't want to get run over while signing the log...

 

I'll start a Bookmark list too.

Baz.

 

I take it you'll be setting it using an old GPS, with no assistance or tuning from Google Earth, and insisting on pre sirf star or HR chips when finding too...... ???

[+Simply Paul]

Ah, but doing a search for 'Back to Basics' will bring 'traditional style quality caches' up- In theory! They'll be set by different people and thus stand alone as a self-contained quality cache. I just saw a picture taken from a most wonderful spot and I'm reaching for a small ammo can...

[+milvus-milvus]

I take it you'll be setting it using an old GPS, with no assistance or tuning from Google Earth, and insisting on pre sirf star or HR chips when finding too...... ???

 

I'll be using the good old yellow Etrex that has served me well for 4 years, yes.

[+Wavvy]

Funny this topic should crop up now as I've been considering placing a series of "Good old fashioned geocaches" just as described above.

I've been planning to do a couple of similar "Back to Basics" caches. If we can agree on a name, this could be a much preferable series to "Motorway Mayhem", "A road Anarchy", "Off the Rails", "Supermarket Sweep", etc, etc.

 

No need to debate it - "Back To Basics" is fine, get it started and we'll all join in, I'll wager! Practice what you preach, people!

OK. I'll be placing the first one at the weekend. "Back to Basics: A proper cache in Northampton".

 

Suggested guidelines (not rules!):

Size/type: Ammo can would be ideal; or a decent sized lunchbox; big is good - I've managed to pick up some catering sized Mayo tubs from the works canteen...

Location: Somewhere nice! Not you're local litter-ridden back alley. Somewhere you'd be happy to stumble across. Ask yourself "Why would I want to bring somebody here?". If the answer is not obvious, find somewhere else.

And a bit of a walk might be a good idea. I don't want to get run over while signing the log...

 

I'll start a Bookmark list too.

Baz.

 

As it happens... I have a cache planned. Just got the landowners permission. An hours walk for one find. In South West Northants.

Edited May 16, 2008 by WavendonWilliams

[markandlynn]

The mention of sirf chip sets reminds me of the days when logs saying co ords 30ft out or less did not exist and indeed half the fun of many caches was working out just where marcb thought he was compared to you .

[+The Hornet]

Seems like someone else got there first (linky). Nice looking one at the end though!!

 

Maybe we could call them "AGOFG" (A good old fashioned Geocache) instead. Or maybe even A GOG

Edited May 16, 2008 by The Hornet