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Boring caching day


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I have had a bit of a rest from geocaching for a while only doing the occasional cache when in the mood and/or if it really looks like it's a great walk or something. My old caching [and drinking] buddy Westie Walker invited me out for a full day which I graciously accepted, thinking of great caches and times we have had in the past. Well I spent the day finding caches the size of a thumbnail attached to signs in the middle of housing estates, micros hidden in woods where you could safely hide a Sherman Tank and caches whose claim to fame is simply it's proximity to a bus stop.

 

I know I know - I don't have to do them. The best fun we always had was when doing 5 in a day but every one of them I can remember vividly (thx Stuey for sending me down a pothole and back up a steep hill - great fun). I don’t think I’ll remember many at all from our day out.

 

When I explain geocaching to my muggle mates (Westie Walker was one once) they were soon converted because of the team fun, great walks/views or just simply because it took them somewhere they hadn’t been before. I’m not sure they would feel the same about finding a bus stop boredom (or whatever it is called), magnetic micro street sign madness or thicket plastic rock seeking.

 

Just a moan - I looked forward to a day of caching and just feel a bit uninspired. Perhaps it is just a case of the end not being as satisfying as the journey, mostly in the car as it happens. Now I’ll probably get thrown of the forums too..

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I don't think your experience is unique at all. When I started in 2003 every cache was special. Now 1 in 100 is. I can only suggest you try adventure caching (remote islands being 'my thing') to recharge your enthusiasm. It's not cheap, but then driving 100+ miles to find 5 great caches never was. (Mind, petrol was 82p per litre in 2003... :D )

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I think you're right doglasf - there are more and more pointless, boring caches - I'd say it's because all the good cache hiding spots are used up, but that's not true. There's some great spots in this neck of the woods with no cache.

 

I think the main problems are:

 

a) Micros - Yep I own micros, I enjoy micros, but not in the middle of Dartmoor or the middle of a 500 acre forest. (and yep I have a micro in just such a place - but it's fun - judging by the logs)

 

:ph34r: Imagination - People are placing caches for the sake of placing a cache - but please people - find somewhere interesting with some history, or a purpose for getting cachers to visit. or find some other way of making the cache fun! An interesting hide or something to make your visitor smile.

 

FUN - that's what we need more of...

 

Birdie ( Two thirds of the way through a bottle of Merlot - excuse the spelling)

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(thx Stuey for sending me down a pothole and back up a steep hill - great fun). I don’t think I’ll remember many at all from our day out.

 

hehe, it was my pleasure. Shame I had to archive it to be honest, but there is another cache down that hole should you want to get it! I've not put one at the top of the hill again yet, but it might happen :ph34r:

 

I had a day out yesterday doing 7 caches, truly good caches. You can still have days out like the old days, but you might need to be a bit choosy.

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Yup as time goes on the good caches are being diluted by the bad ones. There are just as many good caches as there ever were, they are just swamped. I think it comes down to being selective about which cache you seek and certainly don't worry about the numbers if quality matters to you.

 

Philip

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Imagination - People are placing caches for the sake of placing a cache - but please people - find somewhere interesting with some history, or a purpose for getting cachers to visit. or find some other way of making the cache fun! An interesting hide or something to make your visitor smile.

 

FUN - that's what we need more of...

Oh how I agree!!! (again :o )

I've just created a GSAK database for the journey up to the Mega this weekend and for the area of the Mega itself. I now have to go through it throwing out all the dross so I can find a few worthwhile caches to hunt for as time allows. I seem to spend almost as much time planning as caching these days. :ph34r:

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My suggestion is to check out some local bookmark lists that people have compiled. That cuts the caches numbers down to something more manageable (just like the "good old days"). I usually scout around the search results for an area, checking cache descriptions until I come across something like "favourite caches of <insert location here>", or "my top 50 caches" or similar. It's great now that there are so many caches that you don't have to go 100 miles out of your way to find a classic.

 

If the list seems to contain caches of the type that you like (remember that some people will hate the caches that you love), then it acts as a ready-made quality filter.

 

Perhaps we should have a thread where we post our favourite bookmark lists, or even just ones we've compiled?

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Sometimes the actual final cache container might not be 'thrilling' but the location and history is. However I doubt that many people read the cache pages.

 

I have put some effort into mine that detail the history and significance of hte location, one being the site of the house where Guy Fawkes and co planned the gunpowder plot. But judging by the logs people haven't read the page so don't know why it's there.

 

Another cache is a puzzle in the grounds of a large house. The coords are for the car park. You start there and then have to find numbers around the grounds, do some maths etc. I've had a number of logs stating that all they found was the car park, or the flag pole in the car park, and suggesting that the cache needs maintenance or should be archived.

 

These logs count against the cache. People looking for a 'quick cache' will see the recent DNFs etc, assume it has gone and not bother trying to find it.

 

I blame paperless caching and particularly programs like geocache navigator as these make it so much easier for people just to bang coords into a device and expect to find the box without reading the page.

 

I have to admit I'm a paperless cacher. I've got GSAK, PDA with GPXsonar and memory map. The other half hasjsut got a Nokia N95 and I've intstalled the navigator software. But I do usually read the cache pages before I set out. Got a bit lazy a while ago, slapped myself on the wrist and try to remember to read it all.

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My suggestion is to check out some local bookmark lists that people have compiled. That cuts the caches numbers down to something more manageable (just like the "good old days"). I usually scout around the search results for an area, checking cache descriptions until I come across something like "favourite caches of <insert location here>", or "my top 50 caches" or similar. It's great now that there are so many caches that you don't have to go 100 miles out of your way to find a classic.

 

If the list seems to contain caches of the type that you like (remember that some people will hate the caches that you love), then it acts as a ready-made quality filter.

 

Perhaps we should have a thread where we post our favourite bookmark lists, or even just ones we've compiled?

 

Great idea - I'll start one! I've just done that as lots of visitors were asking for good caches to visit.

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I have had a bit of a rest from geocaching for a while only doing the occasional cache when in the mood and/or if it really looks like it's a great walk or something. My old caching [and drinking] buddy Westie Walker invited me out for a full day which I graciously accepted, thinking of great caches and times we have had in the past. Well I spent the day finding caches the size of a thumbnail attached to signs in the middle of housing estates, micros hidden in woods where you could safely hide a Sherman Tank and caches whose claim to fame is simply it's proximity to a bus stop.

 

I know I know - I don't have to do them. The best fun we always had was when doing 5 in a day but every one of them I can remember vividly (thx Stuey for sending me down a pothole and back up a steep hill - great fun). I don’t think I’ll remember many at all from our day out.

 

When I explain geocaching to my muggle mates (Westie Walker was one once) they were soon converted because of the team fun, great walks/views or just simply because it took them somewhere they hadn’t been before. I’m not sure they would feel the same about finding a bus stop boredom (or whatever it is called), magnetic micro street sign madness or thicket plastic rock seeking.

 

Just a moan - I looked forward to a day of caching and just feel a bit uninspired. Perhaps it is just a case of the end not being as satisfying as the journey, mostly in the car as it happens. Now I’ll probably get thrown of the forums too..

May I offer a partial defence of some of the caches mentioned? The Bus Stop Bewilderment series of caches started as a bit of a joke (the first one, I believe, started as an April Fool), and were intended, as far as I know, to be seen in that light. Maybe that wasn't clear from the cache page, but the title of the series does give some sort of a hint as to the lighthearted nature of these.

 

The series of caches that are nanos on street signs, which are local to me, caused a lot of controversy in our area. The setter remains unidentified, although known to some. Some say they were set as a kind of protest against unnecessary caches - a case of sarcasm setting! I only did them because I made it a bike challenge - how quickly could I cycle round 17 caches? As a matter of fact I did the 21km journey in just over 2 hours - and the fun was in that achievement.

 

I agree that caches are being placed for the sake of it and without much thought of how interesting they might be, but surely there is space for a few joke caches?

 

I like nothing better than a long scenic walk with a cache to find as the bonus, and my best times have been when caching with one or two others in some scenic area.

Edited by walkergeoff
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The series of caches that are nanos on street signs, which are local to me, caused a lot of controversy in our area. The setter remains unidentified, although known to some.

That explains the 84 hides and zero finds then :o

 

.....but surely there is space for a few joke caches?

What next - celebrity caches ? :ph34r:

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You can't stop lame caches and their growth is exponential. Just look to the US to see where we're going. :ph34r:

Our solution to lame caches is to plan a days hike between these caches and enjoy the route, though they do need to be in a nice area for this to work.

 

We've also started trying to walk to any new caches in our locality from home, trying to pick up any paths we've never used before along the way. You can spend the whole day picking up one cache, but :

  • The enjoyment is 100x more than you get from driving to within 100yds of it.
  • Fuel cost and environmental impact are zero.
  • You always have something intersting to write in the log.
  • It's a great way to get ideas for where to place good caches.
  • Great exercise.

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micros hidden in woods where you could safely hide a Sherman Tank

 

Round here people hide micros on Sherman tanks. Quite a few places in France have some form of WW2 armoured vehicle at the entrance to the village. I don't know of any within 50 miles of my house that doesn't have a cache in, on, or under it. :ph34r: And there's a lot of places to conceal a magnetic micro on a tank...

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You can't stop lame caches and their growth is exponential. Just look to the US to see where we're going. :o

Our solution to lame caches is to plan a days hike between these caches and enjoy the route, though they do need to be in a nice area for this to work.

 

We've also started trying to walk to any new caches in our locality from home, trying to pick up any paths we've never used before along the way. You can spend the whole day picking up one cache, but :

  • The enjoyment is 100x more than you get from driving to within 100yds of it.
  • Fuel cost and environmental impact are zero.
  • You always have something intersting to write in the log.
  • It's a great way to get ideas for where to place good caches.
  • Great exercise.

Well said Pete. You've mirrored my thoughts again as usual. :ph34r:

 

Just like to add try cycling between caches. It's just as enjoyable as walking and you can cover a bigger area.

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Sometimes it being "all about the numbers" is relevant to the numbers people hide as well as those they find. I know I'm guilty of not really hiding enough but I do like to think that they have been enjoyable. The logs are an important indicator. You can't expect every one to be a glowing recommendation, but I would have though by the time you've had your 100th "another 35mm, SL TFTC" log you'd not be getting the enjoyment from owning the cache you should do.

 

I was caching the other day and managed 6 caches which were 1 large trad, 2 small trad, 2 micros and a nano. That is a good proportion of cache types these days. One of the micros was ingenious, and even the other wasn't a 35mm film container! :ph34r:

 

I never go anywhere on a hunt without having read the cache page and logs to get an idea what I'm going to be "seeing".

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micros hidden in woods where you could safely hide a Sherman Tank

 

Round here people hide micros on Sherman tanks. Quite a few places in France have some form of WW2 armoured vehicle at the entrance to the village. I don't know of any within 50 miles of my house that doesn't have a cache in, on, or under it. :ph34r: And there's a lot of places to conceal a magnetic micro on a tank...

 

I nearly did this (only it was a Churchill tank) for my first cache. I'd spent weeks finding out why it was there (sight of biggest ww2 factory), finding out who owned the land, writing about the history on the cache page etc. 2 weeks later it was taken away for restoration! I didn't have any magnetic containers and didn't want anyone to fall off the tank searching, so I put a lunchbox in the trees behind. It's still there, as the place has loads of history, I've only had one 'whats the point?' log.

 

I generally only go out of my way to do a good series, there's some excellent ones in the Peak District. Most of the others have been to break up a journey after work (not always a long one), or whilst taking the dog somewhere different.

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The series of caches that are nanos on street signs, which are local to me, caused a lot of controversy in our area. The setter remains unidentified, although known to some.

That explains the 84 hides and zero finds then :ph34r:

 

.....but surely there is space for a few joke caches?

What next - celebrity caches ? :P

Perhaps there ought to be a special icon for joke caches? (Only joking! :o )

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Here's a guide to sorting some interesting caches:

 

Do multis

Do caches that haven't been found for at least one month

Do caches where the terrain or difficulty rating is 2 or more

 

It isn't infallible but it will keep you away from bus stops, service stations and rubbish bins!

Edited by Pieman
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Perhaps there ought to be a special icon for joke caches? (Only joking! :unsure: )
Maybe. However it's a case of... if you don't fancy them; don't do em!

 

Personally I don't think the caches in question were meant as a joke. Maybe more of an attempt at a cheeky 'drive-by' series? They didn't inspire me to go out at midnight to claim FTF's, yet when the opportunity came they made a great late-night series.

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Here's a guide to sorting some interesting caches:

 

Do multis

Do caches that haven't been found for at least one month

Do caches where the terrain or difficulty rating is 2 or more

 

It isn't infallible but it will keep you away from bus stops, service stations and rubbish bins!

 

Works for us :unsure: The ignore button is a great feature :ph34r::drama:

 

The details all in the planning before we set out, reading the cache page, reading the logs, looking at the posted photos, checking on maps for routes, terrain etc. We go for quality not quantity and would rather walk 10 miles and do one decent cache than drive 10 miles and find loads. Each to their own.

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We're having a similar debate on one of the Scottish forums.

The problem for me is, I drive a bike, and with all my gear on it's just not possible to walk to some of the more remote caches, I'd just turn into the wicked witch of the west.

But when I'm out with arock&ahardplace caching in the car, it's a different matter. I can put my outdoor gear on and enjoy longer walks to some of the more remote caches.

So whether you agree with "lame caches" (I use those words loosely) or not, we need to cater for everybody.

And as Team I says, just filter out the ones you don't want to do.

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I was with Doug and share many of the comments that he made, I liked the mikelvitta caches that I have recently done because at least the mico’s in trees have not been difficult and the hints have been accurate.

 

The recent caches around Bracknell are a numbers thing and I defy anybody to say they were enjoyable or a memorable cache !

 

Many of the recent caches set by others have not been memorable and despite the fact of setting several caches along the Basingstoke canal myself I believe that the series of caches set by myself and others are a beautiful walk and maintainable by the cache setters (myself, douglasf and bosniabob)

 

Many new caches have not been memorable, I too yearn for the long walk adventurous caches and although Westie had a very nice walk around Windsor Park I do not condone them the hints were helpful.

 

However I am still amazed by fellow cachers that insist on leaving micros in forests with no or an inadequate clue, http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...7a-2fd59451caac is what I usually leave on the cache page when I am not happy !

:unsure:

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Here's a guide to sorting some interesting caches:

 

Do multis

Do caches that haven't been found for at least one month

Do caches where the terrain or difficulty rating is 2 or more

 

It isn't infallible but it will keep you away from bus stops, service stations and rubbish bins!

 

Thats matches my basic PQ set up these days.

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I've gone through bit of a low patch recently, and seem to have lost my touch - I've attempted ten caches this week, and only found three of them. It's getting a bit depressing - I used to be better than this!

 

Still, we plough doggedly on. Only another 40 minutes before I can flee from the office and try and find some more...

 

Lee

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Maybe it's because you spent a lot of time in "the car"....PLEASE GET OUT AND WALK.

We drove over to the area of the caches. I wasn't actually driving my car around the forest :mad:

No point really when you have Sherpa "Westie Walker" Tenzing with you to carry everything ;)

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Maybe it's because you spent a lot of time in "the car"....PLEASE GET OUT AND WALK.

We drove over to the area of the caches. I wasn't actually driving my car around the forest :mad:

No point really when you have Sherpa "Westie Walker" Tenzing with you to carry everything ;)

 

Can you let me know his daily rates as I'm rather a lazy cacher myself. :ph34r:

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Sounds like your living in the past..(yes it's only 2 years).

I think you've moved on to pasteurs new.

So best of luck old timer! :ph34r:

Hey - you just added that whilst I was typing my other answer :mad:

Are you now saying I'm hanging around with people who boil milk ? ;)

Edited by douglasf
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