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May be dumb question....


kjohn73

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I am new to geocaching. I have only 5 finds and 1 hide. Big numbers aren't in the books for me, but I am intrigued by the many different avenues of "pursuit" that this game offers. I enjoy reading the forums and have joined a few other GEO forums. Here's the question... (drum roll, please)

 

Would it be reasonable to place a decent book, as in a good novel/pocketbook/hardcover in a cache? I will be retiring (ha!) to my home town and will be able to maintain some easy finds, along the Trans-Canada Highway in eastern Saskatchewan. People who are travelling aren't always interested in climbing Mount Everest to find a cache... are they?

 

Give me your thoughts and suggestions on this whiz bang idea. Any twists or other swag/booty ideas are welcome, too.

 

Thanks for any replies.

 

kjohn73

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You will find that certain swag appeals to certain people. So I would say go for it. I am sure someone will appreciate it and may even pass it on when they are done, like a Travel Bug, not that would be neat.

 

It would have to be well sealed, but you read it and pass it on. People may even keep a look out for it.

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It's a good idea. If you like trading books you may want to check this site out.

 

I have a Bookcrossing account and only found out about it when I discovered a registered Bookcrossing book in one of our caches.

Here in U.K. there are several caches which have been set up exclusively to accept any books as "swag" - It's a nice variation on the game.

 

MrsB <_<

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Like Mrs. B we learned about bookcrossing.com when another cacher left a book in one of our caches. We frequently leave books in caches and have visited several caches that are just focused on sharing books. We recently found a book left by another bookcrosser at a grocery store! We're reading it now and will move it again soon. The only thing to know in advance is not to expect much activity from your marked books... most books don't seem to get picked up and registered by anyone else. But it still feels great to share books. Like a previous poster we also put books in freezer bags before placing in a cache, even an ammo can. Books are great swag!

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It's a great idea and I think most people would be happy to trade books or trade nothing. But prepare yourself for the possibility that someone might pull out a few books and leave a broken toy, a golf ball, and a matchbox car in return.

 

If you're expecting it to happen, you'll be less disappointed when it does. And you'll be pleasantly surprised when it doesn't.

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I've found a couple of book caches, the last one was on the owner's property in Atlanta, called Media Cache.

 

There was one in Tannehill State Park here in Birmingham, 'Old Mill Stream' if I remember correctly.

 

'Media Cache' appears to have been archived, but a query reveals 7 active geocaches with 'Media Cache' in their title, and 703 with the word 'Book'... most of which appear to be book trading caches.

 

Go for it!

Edited by TheAlabamaRambler
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I was happy to find a book in a Dutch cache. Found out it was from Bookcrossing. Logged it at that special site and thought it was a great idea. I left it in a train to keep it moving and...it dissapeared <_<

So I think they just cleaned that train and put the book with the "lost/found" stuff or something. Gosh, I thought it was a great idea but was so sad when I noticed "my" book was gone.

I think it's a great idea to put books in caches. I agree: go for it. Let them travel from cache to cache and hope it's safer than the bookcrossing-book I had.

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Give me your thoughts and suggestions on this whiz bang idea.

It's a fantastic idea. Be sure to mention it is a themed cache. You could ask that nothing but books (or your theme item), trackables, and signature items be placed in the cache. You need to make it a fairly large cache as books are bulky. You also need a fairly secure place to hide it.

 

Some book trading caches have been at libraries, but one, in particular I remember was in a large park.

 

You might also leave some appropriate sized freezer bags in case someone forgets one.

 

Hope this helps!

 

BTW, I've seen CDs, tapes, and audio books in caches. Almost anything can be a theme.

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I really enjoy book and CD trade caches but found one once where all the paperbacks had been removed and :rolleyes: replaced with religious pamphlets. Irksome and rude way to spread your message, I thought.

 

I've found a book trading cache and traded for a book on growing Blueberries that I probably would not have bought but it turned out to be pretty useful. For CD trade caches, it would be a very good idea not to try and play it in a computer rather than a music CD player, especially if it doesn't have a commercial label. You never know what might actually be on a CD.

 

A book as swag could be read as well as serve as a traveling log. I've considered getting a TB tag, attaching it to a small noteook, and sending it off as a traveling log TB. Given my experience with sending off a TB I'm not sure how successful it would be.

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I found a cache a few years ago that was a mystery cache. There were clues to the mystery in the cache description. To be sure you had solved the mystery correctly you had to find the cache. The answer was inside the lid of the ammo box. There were mystery novels in the cache. In order to make a trade you had to trade mysteries only. This did not pervent anyone finding the cache from logging just trading. I thought this was an awesome idea.

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