Micro Caches

[+Parabola]

In this area (near the OP) we have two cachers with over 900 hides between them. I have not looked at all their caches but one seems to have about 75% micros and the other has 2 small and 2 or 3 unknown in the first 10 pages, the rest all micros.

I don't care what size the container is, a cache is a cache and a lame cache is a lame cache.

 

And the sad part is look how many are missing by looking at the not found log's. A lot of them also have needs maintance posted to them and we all know these two cachers know how to get rid of that icon.

 

One of the cachers I posted a needs maintance log as the cache is missings back in May and still it sit's there untouched by the owner.

 

But somehow or another they are allowed to keep placing new caches

 

If one put's a SBA log on one heaven forbid. Your inbox will be full of hate mail.

 

And yes you are correct a lame cache is a lame cache no matter what size it is but it seems more micro's land in that catagory than any other size so again it's stereo-typed to the micro size.

[Clan Riffster]

Vinny you know you shouldn't have told them that. This now brings the plot to public light.

Fear not. Most of the mortals on this plane of existence wouldn't recognize the truth if it bit them on their backside.

Too many nights spent eating Ho-Ho's & watching X-Files.

[+GrateBear]

I actually prefer micros. Why? Because I have found so many clever ones. And the bigger caches, like ammo boxes, always seem so much easier to find. Flip over a piece of bark or rock, and there it is.

[Mr.Yuck]

I actually prefer micros. Why? Because I have found so many clever ones. And the bigger caches, like ammo boxes, always seem so much easier to find. Flip over a piece of bark or rock, and there it is.

 

Ever been under heavy tree cover with an older Garmin in the Northeastern U.S.? They ain't that easy to find.

Edited October 19, 2008 by TheWhiteUrkel

[+WRASTRO]

I just moved back to the area, was living in Louisiana. There are currently 906 caches within a 20 mile radius that I haven't done yet. Why are there so many Micro's? I don't mind doing an occassional micro cache, when they are clever and can not put a regular cache in the same area. But from what I have seen lately most of the micros are put in areas that a regular cache can be placed, therefor not a regular cache could be put in. People use your imagination. I lived in the New Orleans area and never saw so many micro's as I have seen in the quad city area.

Quotes from logs from this month from one of my micro hides which is in an area that could easily support a lame ammo can. The point is that the hide can be what is important and a well thought out hide and container can make all the difference. This is an urban hide in a neighborhood park that also has three other "regular" hides. The hide is on a boardwalk through a wetland and it is made clear that you are to stay on the boardwalk.

 

October 28 by Happy Finder (2827 found)

Wow! Nicely done very difficult cache. It was good to sneak away from the office for some time to make this grab. The cammo here is exceptional. I don't think I've ever found a cache that was hidden similarly. TFTH!

 

October 25 by Admirer (6002 found)

This deserves a difficulty rating and then some. I've not seen one designed quite this way. Excellent job.

 

October 25 by Out of Area Visitor (1471 found)

We knew we were in for something evil, and this cache didn't disappoint Companion and I. There were quite a few walkers on the path, some rounding the bend at inconvenient moments when one or the other of us was down on our knees. No one spotted us make the actual retrieval, however. Very well done!

 

October 18 by Thankful Finder (116 found)

Very ingenious hide. Thanks for the cache.

 

The problem is lame hides not lame micros. Just a part of the game. If you want a picture of the container and a description of the hide you can PM me. This style of hide will work in many, many locations.

[+Wild Thing 73]

Micros....just love them, I can't place enough of them. happy caching.

[+GrateBear]

I actually prefer micros. Why? Because I have found so many clever ones. And the bigger caches, like ammo boxes, always seem so much easier to find. Flip over a piece of bark or rock, and there it is.

 

Ever been under heavy tree cover with an older Garmin in the Northeastern U.S.? They ain't that easy to find.

 

Can't disagree with you there. I've looked for a few in MA, but most of my tree cover searches have been in the forest preserves around Chicago. But, I have prevailed. Now I live in Boise, and while there is a lot of tree cover, it's not as dense as New England.

And, I will admit, I don't like tramping through the brush!

[+Parabola]

I just moved back to the area, was living in Louisiana. There are currently 906 caches within a 20 mile radius that I haven't done yet. Why are there so many Micro's? I don't mind doing an occassional micro cache, when they are clever and can not put a regular cache in the same area. But from what I have seen lately most of the micros are put in areas that a regular cache can be placed, therefor not a regular cache could be put in. People use your imagination. I lived in the New Orleans area and never saw so many micro's as I have seen in the quad city area.

Quotes from logs from this month from one of my micro hides which is in an area that could easily support a lame ammo can. The point is that the hide can be what is important and a well thought out hide and container can make all the difference. This is an urban hide in a neighborhood park that also has three other "regular" hides. The hide is on a boardwalk through a wetland and it is made clear that you are to stay on the boardwalk.

 

October 28 by Happy Finder (2827 found)

Wow! Nicely done very difficult cache. It was good to sneak away from the office for some time to make this grab. The cammo here is exceptional. I don't think I've ever found a cache that was hidden similarly. TFTH!

 

October 25 by Admirer (6002 found)

This deserves a difficulty rating and then some. I've not seen one designed quite this way. Excellent job.

 

October 25 by Out of Area Visitor (1471 found)

We knew we were in for something evil, and this cache didn't disappoint Companion and I. There were quite a few walkers on the path, some rounding the bend at inconvenient moments when one or the other of us was down on our knees. No one spotted us make the actual retrieval, however. Very well done!

 

October 18 by Thankful Finder (116 found)

Very ingenious hide. Thanks for the cache.

 

The problem is lame hides not lame micros. Just a part of the game. If you want a picture of the container and a description of the hide you can PM me. This style of hide will work in many, many locations.

 

Well, I'll quote myself but I didn't know how so here it is again. (I really want a crossed eye'd smily)

 

And yes you are correct a lame cache is a lame cache no matter what size it is but it seems more micro's land in that category than any other size so again it's stereo-typed to the micro size.

 

My biggest complain from this whole area that sparked the tread is the lack of maintenance on them. That and I can't take my son out in this area cause he's all about the treasures inside and trading for them.

 

But I totally agree with you WRASBO, a lame hide is a lame hide just it seems all micro's get slapped into that category due to the shear amount of them. There are lot's a great and cleverly hidden micro's out in the world.

[Clan Riffster]

And the bigger caches, like ammo boxes, always seem so much easier to find.

That's a hoot!

I've been caching with numerous folks who were searching for my ammo cans. On several occasions I've had them give up in frustration, asking me for help. My answer on many of these hunts was, "You're standing on it". Just because someone hides something bigger than a film can doesn't mean it's gonna be easy to find.

[+sbell111]

And the bigger caches, like ammo boxes, always seem so much easier to find.

That's a hoot!

I've been caching with numerous folks who were searching for my ammo cans. On several occasions I've had them give up in frustration, asking me for help. My answer on many of these hunts was, "You're standing on it". Just because someone hides something bigger than a film can doesn't mean it's gonna be easy to find.

Not 'easy to find', 'easier to find'.

 

While it's true that some cachers have hidden devilishly difficult large caches, it doesn't change the fact that tiny caches are easier to hide really well. The simple fact that they are easier to hide well results in more of them being used in difficult to find caches.

 

The fact that some people die in SUV accidents doesn't change the fact that it is easier to survive an accident if driving an SUV verses a compact car.

[+Renegade Knight]

I just moved back to the area, was living in Louisiana. There are currently 906 caches within a 20 mile radius that I haven't done yet. Why are there so many Micro's? I don't mind doing an occassional micro cache, when they are clever and can not put a regular cache in the same area. But from what I have seen lately most of the micros are put in areas that a regular cache can be placed, therefor not a regular cache could be put in. People use your imagination. I lived in the New Orleans area and never saw so many micro's as I have seen in the quad city area.

I have a new take on this. Actually it's a repackages old take. It goes like this.

 

If caching were a Jar and you stick in the big rocks until you can't add any more that's a few rocks. Those are the locations that everone and theri dog would want to put a cache. The few spots that just stand out. Then you get to pebbles. You can add more pebbles than rocks. These are the good spots but not the truly great ones. Then you get to sand...That's the micros...

[Clan Riffster]

While it's true that some cachers have hidden devilishly difficult large caches, it doesn't change the fact that tiny caches are easier to hide really well. The simple fact that they are easier to hide well results in more of them being used in difficult to find caches.

And yet the vast majority of these so called, "easier to hide really well" caches which I've found are hidden very poorly.

Very little thought to their placement. Very little creativity employed in the hide technique. The copy/paste of geocaching?

Kinda odd.

You'd think that something which is "easier to hide really well" would more often result in really hidden well caches.

But instead, we get Micro Spew.

 

(Not that that's a bad thing, if that's what you're into)

[+sbell111]

While it's true that some cachers have hidden devilishly difficult large caches, it doesn't change the fact that tiny caches are easier to hide really well. The simple fact that they are easier to hide well results in more of them being used in difficult to find caches.

And yet the vast majority of these so called, "easier to hide really well" caches which I've found are hidden very poorly.

Very little thought to their placement. Very little creativity employed in the hide technique. The copy/paste of geocaching?

Kinda odd.

You'd think that something which is "easier to hide really well" would more often result in really hidden well caches.

But instead, we get Micro Spew.

 

(Not that that's a bad thing, if that's what you're into)

I can't really reply to your post because instead of continuing to discuss truisms, you shifted to your personal desires. I will not try to tell you that caches that you find to be lacking are really good, because there isn't a point to that conversation. I will simply state that I don't think that your last post follows the previous discussion and that whether a cache is easy to find or hard to find has little effect on whether the cache is 'good' or 'bad'.

Edited October 29, 2008 by sbell111

[+Renegade Knight]

...You'd think that something which is "easier to hide really well" would more often result in really hidden well caches....

 

That matches my local experience.

[Clan Riffster]

I can't really reply to your post because instead of continuing to discuss truisms, you shifted to your personal desires.

That's kewl. Inaccurate, (as expected), but still kewl. If that's your wish, have at it.

The "truism" I was referring to is that these tiny containers, which allegedly are "easier to hide really well" (to quote your personal theory), end up, on average, not being hidden well. Maybe this is where my personal bias kicks in? When I see something described as "done well", I assume it refers to being above average, as in, "Son, you did real well at the rugby game today", or, "Joe, your presentation to corporate went well". If you define "well" as simply being acceptable, then please feel free to disregard my earlier posts, as they obviously do not apply to you.

 

It would seem, (to my obviously biased aesthetics), that if there were any merit to your argument, the end result would be a noticeable percentage of tiny containers which were hidden "well". Sadly, the reverse is true. It's almost as if the type of person who tends to acquire incredibly cheap, and sometimes even free, containers, are as thrifty with their creativity as they are with their wallets.

 

Your mileage may vary. If so, that's perfectly OK.

[+tozainamboku]

I can't really reply to your post because instead of continuing to discuss truisms, you shifted to your personal desires.

That's kewl. Inaccurate, (as expected), but still kewl. If that's your wish, have at it.

The "truism" I was referring to is that these tiny containers, which allegedly are "easier to hide really well" (to quote your personal theory), end up, on average, not being hidden well.

I take "easy to hide well" as meaning hidden so as to not be accidentally found by muggles, not as hidden in some unique way so as to be a challenge for the typical geocacher to find. It is fairly easy to hide a micro from muggles. Several techniques even allow the cache to be hidden in plain sight and muggles still won't find them. Many of these techniques have become familiar to any geocacher who has a significant number of urban finds. Larger caches are much more difficult to hide so that they are undetectable by muggles. In order for these caches to not get muggled all the time they often have to be hidden in locations where few if any muggles will go.

 

In fact, the LPC poster child of "lame" micros is a great example. It would be extremely rare for a muggle to lift up the skirt of a lamppost and accidentally find a cache. If these cache ever get muggled it is most likely because a muggle observed a geocacher fiddling with the skirt. These are also challenging hides for the novice geocacher who has not seen one before. It is hard to say that these are not well hidden.

[Clan Riffster]

These are also challenging hides for the novice geocacher who has not seen one before.

Perhaps. My first LPC took me every bit of 1/2 second to figure out where it was. Maybe our idea of "challenging" differs somewhat?

It's just hard for me to imagine the type of person who would find an LPC challenging, being able to operate even the simplest of GPSr's.

 

It is hard to say that these are not well hidden.

Your interpretation of "well" and my definition of "well" are apparently different. But that's OK.

[Mushtang]

These are also challenging hides for the novice geocacher who has not seen one before.

Perhaps. My first LPC took me every bit of 1/2 second to figure out where it was. Maybe our idea of "challenging" differs somewhat?

It's just hard for me to imagine the type of person who would find an LPC challenging, being able to operate even the simplest of GPSr's.

It is hard to say that these are not well hidden.

Your interpretation of "well" and my definition of "well" are apparently different. But that's OK.

Dude. Sometimes it just seems like you want to argue with anything anyone says.

[Clan Riffster]

Dude. Sometimes it just seems like you want to argue with anything anyone says.

Dude, if you want to insult me, could you do it in a PM? Insulting me here might be considered a forum violation.

Thanx!

Edited October 30, 2008 by Clan Riffster

[Mushtang]

Dude. Sometimes it just seems like you want to argue with anything anyone says.

Dude, if you want to insult me, could you do it in a PM? Insulting me here might be considered a forum violation.

Thanx!

I was just making a comment on how your posts come across. It wasn't meant to be an insult, more of an observation.

 

[+Team GeoBlast]

Dude. Sometimes it just seems like you want to argue with anything anyone says.

Dude, if you want to insult me, could you do it in a PM? Insulting me here might be considered a forum violation.

Thanx!

I was just making a comment on how your posts come across. It wasn't meant to be an insult, more of an observation.

 

 

This is a pure observation, not a flame or insult.

 

It seems like every micro thread I have read follows the same pattern.

• An innocent question is posed about micros by someone who is unaware of the explosiveness of the subject.
  
• Immediately, someone will say "here we go again"
  
• A variety of people will offer their feelings about micros. The majority of those comments are unfavorable.
  
• The conversation will degrade
  
• That will scare away the previously mentioned posters with an honest and unique (to them) opinion
  
• What is left is the strongly opined vocal minority and anyone who has the energy to debate them
  
• Name calling and insults intensify
  
• Moderator closes thread
  

[+Moose Mob]

<snip>

 

This is a pure observation, not a flame or insult.

 

It seems like every micro thread I have read follows the same pattern.

• An innocent question is posed about micros by someone who is unaware of the explosiveness of the subject.
  
• Immediately, someone will say "here we go again"
  
• A variety of people will offer their feelings about micros. The majority of those comments are unfavorable.
  
• The conversation will degrade
  
• That will scare away the previously mentioned posters with an honest and unique (to them) opinion
  
• What is left is the strongly opined vocal minority and anyone who has the energy to debate them
  
• Name calling and insults intensify
  
• Moderator closes thread
  

 

I think my turn is coming up soon.

[cliffsheets]

I just moved back to the area, was living in Louisiana. There are currently 906 caches within a 20 mile radius that I haven't done yet. Why are there so many Micro's? I don't mind doing an occassional micro cache, when they are clever and can not put a regular cache in the same area. But from what I have seen lately most of the micros are put in areas that a regular cache can be placed, therefor not a regular cache could be put in. People use your imagination. I lived in the New Orleans area and never saw so many micro's as I have seen in the quad city area.

 

I know what you mean. Once I tregged through tall grass, lept over small streams, slipped on muddy sand, avoided the local wildlife droppings, and got socks full of stickers only to find a micro hanging from a tree. It would have been the perfect location for an ammo can.

 

I do enjoy a nice park-n-grab everynow and then, though.

[+SimbaJamey]

A couple of months ago I probably would have echoed the previous posters sentiments...but now I'm not so sure.

 

I know from the caching with kids perspective that a big box of treasures at the end is a great thing...but even though I still leave stuff in the non-micros I find, I can't even remember the last time I took something out of a cache. I found an ammo can yesterday that was stocked full of toys for both kids and adults, it had things like an FM radio and flashlights and yo-yo's, etc. I signed the log, tossed in a couple of extra trinkets and went on my way.

 

However...

 

When not caching with kids I tend to get more fired up over a really good search. I've never found an amazingly cammoed ammo can like the ones I see on the CCC thread, in fact most I've seen don't even remove the military markings from the can, just put it under a fallen tree or a pile of sticks. Sorry, there's just not a whole lot of challenge there when it comes to finding it, I can usually spot them before getting to GZ. And yes, the same goes for most micros where it's a bison on a tree or a film can under a rock...

 

But....

 

I've seen some awesome micros out there in the woods that had me scratching my head quite a while before figuring it out. That's my kinda cache.

And I've made a bunch, some are out there and some are waiting for the right spot. Some are micros that will go in remote wooded areas simply because they'd be likely to wind up in the trash if they were in a more urban setting. I'd hate to spend a month making something only to have someone come along and take it or toss it because they didn't know what they had in their hands.

 

 

And I'm not sure how this would fit into the discussion...but most of the multi-caches I've done have micros in the woods as stage markers. Whether I'm interested in the big box of toys at the end or not, I still just found 5 micros in the woods getting to it.

 

 

So I guess I've begun to wonder lately about this bias towards putting the largest container the area can support. And I mean what I'm about to say as an honest question, not being snarky...Is the big box of stuff at the end really that important? After you've found a few hundred caches are you still actively trading stuff in and out every time you open the box?

[+infiniteMPG]

I know what you mean. Once I tregged through tall grass, lept over small streams, slipped on muddy sand, avoided the local wildlife droppings, and got socks full of stickers only to find a micro hanging from a tree. It would have been the perfect location for an ammo can.

The cache listing would of pretty clearly stated "micro" so there shouldn't of been any surprise...

 

But if you arrived at GZ and looked and looked and after scanning around you noticed a small piece of fishing line hanging from a branch and you uncoiled it and lowered a micro that was cleverly disguised with a plastic leaf or two hanging high up in the tree tops, you probably would of said "Wow, what a neat hide!". The owner obviously put time and imagination into creating it for you to be challenged by. Along the same lines if you traveled like you did and was 150-feet from GZ and there was one lone tree in the area and you could see the ammo can at the base from that distance, simply tossed down on the ground with no imagination or creative effort, you would of had the challenge of a good hike and absolutely no challenge of a good hide.

 

In no way does size mandate quality. You could use that same type analogy with houses, there are more smaller houses then large houses so it only would stand that there are more smaller houses which are low quality then large ones. Doesn't mean they're low quality just because they're smaller, any of them are low quality because of who built them and who maintains them. Same with caches....

 

Hafta totally agree with SimbaJamey in the above post. I can see swag being a real draw for kids, but we don't trade swag, we like the challenges of a good hide. And if it's out in the middle of nowhere (literally), our packs will be filled with Clif Bars, water bottles, first aid and bug spray... not swag.

Edited November 13, 2008 by infiniteMPG

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

<snip>

 

This is a pure observation, not a flame or insult.

 

It seems like every micro thread I have read follows the same pattern.

• An innocent question is posed about micros by someone who is unaware of the explosiveness of the subject.
  
• Immediately, someone will say "here we go again"
  
• A variety of people will offer their feelings about micros. The majority of those comments are unfavorable.
  
• The conversation will degrade
  
• That will scare away the previously mentioned posters with an honest and unique (to them) opinion
  
• What is left is the strongly opined vocal minority and anyone who has the energy to debate them
  
• Name calling and insults intensify
  
• Moderator closes thread
  

 

I think my turn is coming up soon.

 

Best response I have seen in a long time!

[+infiniteMPG]

Best response I have seen in a long time!

But ya gotta admit that allowing people to vent in here keeps them from doing it behind the wheel on the road....

 

Micro caching threads... making driving safer for millions of Americans

[+sbell111]

Best response I have seen in a long time!

But ya gotta admit that allowing people to vent in here keeps them from doing it behind the wheel on the road....

 

Micro caching threads... making driving safer for millions of Americans

But why do I care if somebody in Iowa gets roadragious?

Edited November 13, 2008 by sbell111

[Clan Riffster]

Is the big box of stuff at the end really that important?

I can only speak for myself here, but I gotta say "Yes, it is". One of the many joys I derive from this game is pawing through swag. Like you, I rarely ever take anything, but I always leave swag if the container will hold it. Still, the pawing is pleasurable for me. So, (interject personal bias here), if everything else was equal, (location/clever hide/etc), I would enjoy a cache with swag more than one without.

 

Just my $0.02

[+JohnnyVegas]

I just moved back to the area, was living in Louisiana. There are currently 906 caches within a 20 mile radius that I haven't done yet. Why are there so many Micro's? I don't mind doing an occassional micro cache, when they are clever and can not put a regular cache in the same area. But from what I have seen lately most of the micros are put in areas that a regular cache can be placed, therefor not a regular cache could be put in. People use your imagination. I lived in the New Orleans area and never saw so many micro's as I have seen in the quad city area.

Ha! one of my favorite topics in the forums, I do not read the forums as much as I use to.

Have I got a reason for you! It is because they are to cheap to spend more the 10 cents to hide a cache.

Most of the micros I have seen are not a that great.

[+infiniteMPG]

But why do I care if somebody in Iowa gets roadragious?

I would probably be in that same mindset if it wasn't that I recently returned from a business trip where I stayed in Council Bluffs for a week...

 

And today's Iowa farmer might be tomorrow's Disney Mickeyrageous tourist on the I-4 Corridor

[+briansnat]

I actually prefer micros. Why? Because I have found so many clever ones. And the bigger caches, like ammo boxes, always seem so much easier to find. Flip over a piece of bark or rock, and there it is.

 

That's the fault of the hider, not the container. I own and have found ammo boxes that are as hard to find as most micros. All it takes is some imagination. In many cases hiding a micro is just a cop-out.

 

So I guess I've begun to wonder lately about this bias towards putting the largest container the area can support. And I mean what I'm about to say as an honest question, not being snarky...Is the big box of stuff at the end really that important? After you've found a few hundred caches are you still actively trading stuff in and out every time you open the box?

 

Though I rarely trade I still do enjoy the sense of anticipation when I find the cache. What kind of neat thing are inside? I like pawing through the contents and reading the logbook. I like to sit at the cache and read logs like "I came here with the kids, it was 10 below zero and we found this with 2 feet of snow on the ground. Thanks for a fantastic hunt!" rather than "11/12/08 - BS".

 

My chief quarrel with micros in the woods though is the potential for impact. Micros can be concealed about anywhere and are a lot harder to find. That generally means a longer and wider hunt for the cache and an increased chance of impact on the area.

Edited November 13, 2008 by briansnat

[+SimbaJamey]

Is the big box of stuff at the end really that important?

I can only speak for myself here, but I gotta say "Yes, it is". One of the many joys I derive from this game is pawing through swag. Like you, I rarely ever take anything, but I always leave swag if the container will hold it. Still, the pawing is pleasurable for me. So, (interject personal bias here), if everything else was equal, (location/clever hide/etc), I would enjoy a cache with swag more than one without.

 

Just my $0.02

Ok.

That's reasonable.

It's like why I love going to flea markets...fun to look through all the stuff.

 

But what if everything wasn't equal...Meaning the difference between finding a micro that someone cleverly put inside a boundary stake or in a rock or otherwise made it blend into the environment such that it really takes some looking around to find it...vs. the tupperware under the obvious pile of sticks?

Like I said, I've yet to find a larger container that was altered in a way that made it blend into the environment other than some cammo tape on tupperware type stuff so I'm sure my perspective is somewhat skewed.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating more pill-bottles tossed in the woods next to a tree...I'm just saying that a quality cache is a quality cache no matter the size nor the location and that I have grown to disagree with the basic premise that bigger is better and the cache should always be the largest the area can support.

Quality over size/quantity.

[+briansnat]

But what if everything wasn't equal...Meaning the difference between finding a micro that someone cleverly put inside a boundary stake or in a rock or otherwise made it blend into the environment such that it really takes some looking around to find it...vs. the tupperware under the obvious pile of sticks?

Like I said, I've yet to find a larger container that was altered in a way that made it blend into the environment other than some cammo tape on tupperware type stuff so I'm sure my perspective is somewhat skewed.

 

Though I enjoy looking through the contents, for me it's more about the rainbow than the pot of gold. I'm perfectly happy to enjoy the rainbow (the journey) and find the pot of gold under a pile of sticks. Now if there isn't much of a rainbow to begin with, then perhaps I might find some enjoyment in turning over every rock to find the pot of gold, but the rainbow is why I geocache so I usually skip those caches that don't have much of one.

Edited November 13, 2008 by briansnat

[+Harry Dolphin]

That's the fault of the hider, not the container. I own and have found ammo boxes that are as hard to find as most micros. All it takes is some imagination. In many cases hiding a micro is just a cop-out.

 

That is probably it in a nutshell. "All it takes is imagination."

 

Though I rarely trade I still do enjoy the sense of anticipation when I find the cache. What kind of neat thing are inside? I like pawing through the contents and reading the logbook. I like to sit at the cache and read logs like "I came here with the kids, it was 10 below zero and we found this with 2 feet of snow on the ground. Thanks for a fantastic hunt!" rather than "11/12/08 - BS".

 

My chief quarrel with micros in the woods though is the potential for impact. Micros can be concealed about anywhere and are a lot harder to find. That generally means a longer and wider hunt for the cache and an increased chance of impact on the area.

 

Bad micros are bad micros, whether in the woods or in the city. A little imagination, a little clear direction, a little planning. That resolves the second part. As to the first part: Sometimes they're just fun!

[+gpsblake]

I look at it two ways.

 

A flood of micros does give people to large a high number of finds in a quick manner. Another advantage of micros is that people have to drive lesser distances to find, which saves gas.

 

On the bad side of micros, there is tens of thousands of acres that have no caches at all that could use a quality cache. And while that micro in the a bush you think is an excellent hide, the next geocacher might have to dig through 20 or 30 bushes in order to fine yours, making a mess of the landscaping.

 

I look at it this way, if you don't like micros, don't find them. There are so many options in geocaching to find certain kinds of cache.

[+RifleMan81]

I don't mind doing an occassional micro cache, when they are clever and can not put a regular cache in the same area. But from what I have seen lately most of the micros are put in areas that a regular cache can be placed, therefor not a regular cache could be put in.

 

I agree with the OP. If a reg cache will work, then why put out a micro? There are two rest stops within a few miles of my house. Both of them have ample hiding places for a reg size container, but the same person place a micro at each location. Now I can't put in an ammo can b/c it's too close to the micro.

 

I don't mind finding micros and don't avoid them, but I do prefer to find something large enough I can drop some swag into. I have placed micros too, but it was b/c a reg size container would not work in that location. I also hid a LPC, but it's not a micro.

Edited November 14, 2008 by RifleMan81

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

"Micro Caches, Why so many?"

 

Simple... it's all in the statistics - lots of people like to hide them, lots of people like to find them. End of story!

 

It's either that or OPEC has lots of people running around spewing micros so we'll keep burning gasoline to hunt them... yeah, that's it, it's an OPEC conspiracy.

[+sbell111]

I don't mind doing an occassional micro cache, when they are clever and can not put a regular cache in the same area. But from what I have seen lately most of the micros are put in areas that a regular cache can be placed, therefor not a regular cache could be put in.

 

I agree with the OP. If a reg cache will work, then why put out a micro? There are two rest stops within a few miles of my house. Both of them have ample hiding places for a reg size container, but the same person place a micro at each location. Now I can't put in an ammo can b/c it's too close to the micro.

 

I don't mind finding micros and don't avoid them, but I do prefer to find something large enough I can drop some swag into. I have placed micros too, but it was b/c a reg size container would not work in that location. I also hid a LPC, but it's not a micro.

Had you hid a cache there first, you'd have blocked him out. That's the way the cookie crumbles.

[+ccwrestlechik105]

I don't have a problem with micros at all as long as they are creative. I even enjoy an urban micro every once in a while. I don't usually trade swag unless it's something really cool or a TB, so that's never an issue.

 

What I don't like are micros that are placed somewhere just for the sake of putting a micro there. The first telephone pole was cool but the twenty after that are just annoying. Take some time and be a little creative, there has to be somewhere around that dang telephone pole that would make for a better place to hide....

[+Renegade Knight]

I actually prefer micros. Why? Because I have found so many clever ones. And the bigger caches, like ammo boxes, always seem so much easier to find. Flip over a piece of bark or rock, and there it is.

 

Ever been under heavy tree cover with an older Garmin in the Northeastern U.S.? They ain't that easy to find.

 

Yup. Everones Milage may vary.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Bad micros are bad micros, whether in the woods or in the city. A little imagination, a little clear direction, a little planning. That resolves the second part. As to the first part: Sometimes they're just fun!

True of all caches... the container has nothing to do with lameness!

 

The folks who find my micro seem to like it. It's nothing special, just well-hidden at an interesting location.

 

GCMB22

[Clan Riffster]

yeah, that's it, it's an OPEC conspiracy.

I thought Snoogans claimed to be the one who singlehandedly destroyed geocaching as we know it.

[Mr.Yuck]

I actually prefer micros. Why? Because I have found so many clever ones. And the bigger caches, like ammo boxes, always seem so much easier to find. Flip over a piece of bark or rock, and there it is.

 

Ever been under heavy tree cover with an older Garmin in the Northeastern U.S.? They ain't that easy to find.

 

Yup. Everones Milage may vary.

 

Geez, I typed that about a month ago! This thread doesn't want to die, does it?

 

I should mention, it's about "why so many micros" in the Quad Cities Metropolitan area of Illinois/Iowa. And the answer is because there's a guy who joined 15 months ago, who has hidden 500 micros. I see they've yet to take my suggestion, and designate the entire metropolitan area a power trail.

[+Parabola]

I actually prefer micros. Why? Because I have found so many clever ones. And the bigger caches, like ammo boxes, always seem so much easier to find. Flip over a piece of bark or rock, and there it is.

 

Ever been under heavy tree cover with an older Garmin in the Northeastern U.S.? They ain't that easy to find.

 

Yup. Everones Milage may vary.

 

Geez, I typed that about a month ago! This thread doesn't want to die, does it?

 

I should mention, it's about "why so many micros" in the Quad Cities Metropolitan area of Illinois/Iowa. And the answer is because there's a guy who joined 15 months ago, who has hidden 500 micros. I see they've yet to take my suggestion, and designate the entire metropolitan area a power trail.

 

It's not so much of a problem on the Iowa side. Seems most everything he put's on this side of the border get's archive due to it doesn't meet guidelines.

 

The Il. side, oh my gosh.

 

I know there is a "newer" reviewer (I'm not knocking the reviewer, reviewing has to be a hard job and nobody wants to play the cache police) but this one seems to let everything go as long as it meets the distance requirements, there's a few that don't that still have gotten threw. I know of three that about 250 feet from each other. But this reviewer is going with the "assumed permission clause". There's been a few reported and the reviewer has done his job in disabling the cache till the owner can prove otherwise. But there's one that really bug's me from a safety standpoint.

 

It's a inner liner of a bison tube with a magnet glued on the end of it. It's painted green and stuck on one of the metal pipes on a natural gas service valve. I didn't get a photo of it as I saw it and just shook my head. The cord's for it though put you in the middle of the street. but there's a big sign right there at the valve that says no trespassing, property of the gas company and no smoking and all the normal warning's. The hider is so funny in fact he put the campfires allowed attribute on it too.

 

None of these hides I have been able to PQ totally out because of bogus terrain and diff rating's, bogus size, bogus attributes. Cord's are off on most of them. Another bright one was place just outside the door of the police station, you know that door where they take people that have been arrested in and out of. And under the rock's there was a micro. I walked up said no way I shouldn't be looking for a cache here and said that in my log. Which got deleted by the way.

 

I'm just waiting till something happens to call some attention to geo-caching and it starts getting banned in some area's of the Quad City's.

 

If I could ignore all caches by one hider for me and alot of other's this would be a "problem solved" but until then more and more get plopped on the ignore list.

 

Also so no one thinks I'm trying to bash the reviewer is he has sometimes replied in e-mails saying he would watch the cache and if there are any note problem's he would then do something with that one. Which I don't know if he has or not, but it shows me he's trying. But very very few have been force archived on the Il side, which many have been on the Iowa side. But the Iowa side has a different reviewer that I say does a bang up job.

 

As far as the power trail guideline goes, I think it differ's from reviewer to reviewer and where the caches are. There's some trails that bam a dozen cache's pop up on in one day and another dozen the next.

 

There was one other cache that bugged me too. It was a guard rail on a four lane divided highway with the speed limit there at 65 miles a hour. It was like a deer trying to get across the road, but after many many complaint's the cache owner did archive it cause "we where being a bunch of baby's". I just didn't want to hear about a fellow cacher getting hit by a car.

 

I don't know what they are going to do with that whole area. It's saturated, I don't care how you look at it, it is. And I think just about anyone would agree if they would look at the map of there.

 

It's not a matter of micro's, it's a matter of poor judgement on hide placement's. They just happen to be micro's.

[Mr.Yuck]

I actually prefer micros. Why? Because I have found so many clever ones. And the bigger caches, like ammo boxes, always seem so much easier to find. Flip over a piece of bark or rock, and there it is.

 

Ever been under heavy tree cover with an older Garmin in the Northeastern U.S.? They ain't that easy to find.

 

Yup. Everones Milage may vary.

 

Geez, I typed that about a month ago! This thread doesn't want to die, does it?

 

I should mention, it's about "why so many micros" in the Quad Cities Metropolitan area of Illinois/Iowa. And the answer is because there's a guy who joined 15 months ago, who has hidden 500 micros. I see they've yet to take my suggestion, and designate the entire metropolitan area a power trail.

 

It's not so much of a problem on the Iowa side. Seems most everything he put's on this side of the border get's archive due to it doesn't meet guidelines.

 

The Il. side, oh my gosh.

 

I know there is a "newer" reviewer (I'm not knocking the reviewer, reviewing has to be a hard job and nobody wants to play the cache police) but this one seems to let everything go as long as it meets the distance requirements, there's a few that don't that still have gotten threw. I know of three that about 250 feet from each other. But this reviewer is going with the "assumed permission clause". There's been a few reported and the reviewer has done his job in disabling the cache till the owner can prove otherwise. But there's one that really bug's me from a safety standpoint.

 

It's a inner liner of a bison tube with a magnet glued on the end of it. It's painted green and stuck on one of the metal pipes on a natural gas service valve. I didn't get a photo of it as I saw it and just shook my head. The cord's for it though put you in the middle of the street. but there's a big sign right there at the valve that says no trespassing, property of the gas company and no smoking and all the normal warning's. The hider is so funny in fact he put the campfires allowed attribute on it too.

 

None of these hides I have been able to PQ totally out because of bogus terrain and diff rating's, bogus size, bogus attributes. Cord's are off on most of them. Another bright one was place just outside the door of the police station, you know that door where they take people that have been arrested in and out of. And under the rock's there was a micro. I walked up said no way I shouldn't be looking for a cache here and said that in my log. Which got deleted by the way.

 

I'm just waiting till something happens to call some attention to geo-caching and it starts getting banned in some area's of the Quad City's.

 

If I could ignore all caches by one hider for me and alot of other's this would be a "problem solved" but until then more and more get plopped on the ignore list.

 

Also so no one thinks I'm trying to bash the reviewer is he has sometimes replied in e-mails saying he would watch the cache and if there are any note problem's he would then do something with that one. Which I don't know if he has or not, but it shows me he's trying. But very very few have been force archived on the Il side, which many have been on the Iowa side. But the Iowa side has a different reviewer that I say does a bang up job.

 

As far as the power trail guideline goes, I think it differ's from reviewer to reviewer and where the caches are. There's some trails that bam a dozen cache's pop up on in one day and another dozen the next.

 

There was one other cache that bugged me too. It was a guard rail on a four lane divided highway with the speed limit there at 65 miles a hour. It was like a deer trying to get across the road, but after many many complaint's the cache owner did archive it cause "we where being a bunch of baby's". I just didn't want to hear about a fellow cacher getting hit by a car.

 

I don't know what they are going to do with that whole area. It's saturated, I don't care how you look at it, it is. And I think just about anyone would agree if they would look at the map of there.

 

It's not a matter of micro's, it's a matter of poor judgement on hide placement's. They just happen to be micro's.

 

That's not the least bit interesting. Who wants to talk about that for 2 months?

 

I don't know, all an outside observer (i.e. me) sees are tons and tons of happy (albeit 5 word or less) find logs, many by outsiders converging on the area with statements like "one of 62 in 5 hours". As long as there is a low frequency of reports of confrontations with police and/or property owners, I guess they'll keep on placing caches until they get tired of doing it.

[+Parabola]

*snip*

 

That's not the least bit interesting. Who wants to talk about that for 2 months?

 

I don't know, all an outside observer (i.e. me) sees are tons and tons of happy (albeit 5 word or less) find logs, many by outsiders converging on the area with statements like "one of 62 in 5 hours". As long as there is a low frequency of reports of confrontations with police and/or property owners, I guess they'll keep on placing caches until they get tired of doing it.

 

You don't bother to leave one of those remark's cause it get's deleted and you get a nice e-mail from the owner.

[Mr.Yuck]

*snip*

 

That's not the least bit interesting. Who wants to talk about that for 2 months?

 

I don't know, all an outside observer (i.e. me) sees are tons and tons of happy (albeit 5 word or less) find logs, many by outsiders converging on the area with statements like "one of 62 in 5 hours". As long as there is a low frequency of reports of confrontations with police and/or property owners, I guess they'll keep on placing caches until they get tired of doing it.

 

You don't bother to leave one of those remark's cause it get's deleted and you get a nice e-mail from the owner.

 

Thanks for the snip. Yeah, I guess that figures. Negative feedback via cache logs (even if done in a nice constructive manner) usually goes over like a lead balloon.

[+sk8guru]

I am so annoyed with speed cachers/ power cachers that I feel I must dump.

 

I believe that caches should contain items for trade, no matter how worthless they may seem.

I believe in a great logbook in which people have room to write comments. Long after the Geocaching site is taken down, my grandkids or great grandkids can still learn from and enjoy the messages of cache players in a physical logbook. Seriously, this activity is fun, healthy and educational.

I believe that micro caches are too easy to plant, and are sprouting up in some of the most "un adventurous" places. I mean, a micro on a water main riser between the old County School district offices and a dry cleaners???

Or the mini micro (could anything mean so little?) on a piece of steel adjacent to a national bookstore chain?

I believe that micro caches have Jumped the Shark.

Come on people, plant fewer caches, and have them mean much more.

I believe the only thing more disturbing than speed caching is speed cache owning!

To contrast what's happening in the USA, I'll pass along my recent experiences travelling abroad.

I have travelled across the globe, and over the last 15 years to Asia extensively, and now have the time to cache in Taiwan, China and Hong Kong.

Cacher's there are placing caches of significance, hidden nearby works of art, or special architecture, or on incredible vistas.

I believe we should do the same here.

I love getting out, taking the kids, now grown up and all have their own GPS, to places we've never been, vistas we've never seen.

These don't have to exclusively be rural caches, I found one recently deep in the heart of Monterey, CA which was so well placed, that you were drawn to the history which surrounded you.

I truly believe in congratulating cache owners who put time, thought and creativity into their hide, or their cache box, or the contents or the story they put along with the cache.

Because of the proliferation of easy to hide micro caches, I'm simply letting them go. Yes, it's My choice, but considering how little the cache owner cared to put real effort in the location, story behind the hide, or the history around it, I have to consider it no real loss. The micro was of little value.

Like I said, I'll be selective. No need to chase caches planted by those who seem to enjoy volume of caches hidden.

 

There it is.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I actually prefer micros. Why? Because I have found so many clever ones. And the bigger caches, like ammo boxes, always seem so much easier to find. Flip over a piece of bark or rock, and there it is.

 

Ever been under heavy tree cover with an older Garmin in the Northeastern U.S.? They ain't that easy to find.

 

Very true. I've DNFd on a few ammo cans. One of them was even painted gold. Ammo cans *can* be hidden well if they're camouflage well or there are lots of spots in the area where the cache could be.