The Micro Thing

[+drdick&vick]

Whilst the 'I don't like Micros' thing goes on we would like to have a few words on why Micros are good in certain circumstances.

We have visited some brilliant locations along the coast path in Cornwall where Micros have been used and to be honest in most of these locations it would have been difficult to hide anything much larger. But these Micros took us to some fantastic spots that we might not have visited if not for Geocaching.

Today we have walked a short stretch of the Grand Western Canal and found 3 Micros in locations that would not really be suitable for a regular sized cache and once gain we probably wouldn't have walked this canal had it not been for Geocaching.

 

Although I would not want to see a host of Micros placed in open places that are quites capable of hiding a large container comfortably they do have their uses in built up areas to encourage people to take tours around the sites, and it makes it more interesting as well.

 

And after all it is a game and a hunt is a hunt no matter whether the end result is a Nano, a Micro, a medium sized LockLock box or a full sized ammo box the enjoyment for us is the hunt and retrieval of said item not the goodies that it holds. If there are goodies then we will do a swap and if not we sign the log and replace.

 

For us Geocaching is a hobby that we enjoy, we don't get carried away and try to break records as we have a life to live and are happy if over a week we can get out and find 10 (we are retired but have other hobbies) and anymore than that is a bonus.

[+careygang]

Micro or not, any cache should serve a purpose.

I've got one awaiting publishing at present. It's only a micro, it can't be anything bigger because the street cleaners/gardeners would find it, but it serves a small purpose in helping bridge a gap in local pockets of caches. To make it a little different, I've put some effort into the disguise of the container.

 

The point is, and the reason why there is a certain animosity towards micros, is that they are often placed just because they are quick and easy and can require no effort.

[+Primitive Person]

Micros can indeed serve a purpose where bigger caches don't work - certainly they're good for urban locations, where they're far less likely to cause security problems and are less prone to muggling. The key to making a micro work is being clever with where it's hidden, and also making sure the location is worthy. Without a big box, I tend to want a good reason for going there, if you know what I mean.

 

I get annoyed when you come across an unimaginative micro in a location that's crying out, and capable of sustaining, something much bigger. A rubbish micro stops anyone else planting a bigger cache nearby, of course.

 

In terms of maintaining them, if anything micros need more attention as the log sheets often turn to sludge very quickly. 35mm canisters are not waterproof. A decent lock and lock will cope much better with typical weather conditions.

 

Lee

[+drdick&vick]

Just remembered a cache we searched for and DNF, it was on a Tor so there should be pleanty of room for larger type caches, this is the spoiler photo

And it wasn't placed by a newcomer to the game.

[+spannerman]

Just remembered a cache we searched for and DNF, it was on a Tor so there should be pleanty of room for larger type caches, this is the spoiler photo

And it wasn't placed by a newcomer to the game.

 

That particular cache has had 11 DNF's logged but it has always been found subsequently. The owner does hide them rather well and they are a challenge but in the vast majority of cases the coordinates for her caches are very accurate.

 

As far as Dartmoor is concerned, I think some owners place smaller caches and hide them better because of the numbers of letterboxers who are out searching most weekends. Because of the sheer number of letterboxes on the moor, some boxers just wander around checking under every rock they pass. If the cache is too big it is going to be found by far more letterboxers than geocachers, especially if it is placed more than a couple of miles from a road.

 

I agree that there are some micros where a larger cache could be placed but I am just pointing out that there are, sometimes, other considerations which a visitor may not be aware of.

 

If you ever make it back down to Dartmoor again, I would be happy to help you decide which caches you would find the most appealing. We have nearly 400 active caches at this time on Dartmoor so there is plenty to choose from.

[+Birdman-of-liskatraz]

I think there's a micro thing and a small thing!

 

The tiny Lock and Lock round box is about 80 mm across, which isn't that much bigger than a 35 mm film container lengthwise. Yet its just big enough to take a logbook and still leave room for a Geocoin or two or a small travelbug. This has the great advantage of being more waterproof and I think from a hiders point of view - more fun to watch, yet it costs about 75p..

 

I've recently just completed a long series and a brilliant series it was, I was taken to loads of places I'd never gone before - shown some great items of historical interest, bumped into some local wildlife and had some great walking out across the moor. Yet it would have been even more ideal if I could have dropped off a coin/TB or two.

 

I understand about Letterboxers and indeed on some Tors it must be hard to find a hole that isn't already full with a box. But, can we not have a few more small caches, rather than micros?

[+alma]

did a multi the other day and one of the caches was a micro in the middle of a woood,pointless.hundreds of places for a regular cache,question is WHY.

[+Renegade Knight]

... Micros have been used and to be honest in most of these locations it would have been difficult to hide anything much larger.

 

But these Micros took us to some fantastic spots that we might not have visited if not for Geocaching....

 

That's why micro's exist in my book. It's the extenstive use where they are not needed nor do they serve any special purpose that have them shut off en mass in my Pocket Query. That means that I'd miss these locations. I don't want to miss these locations but since I have to make a gross decision it's simple enough to filter out micro and miss the cache chumm. If later I find that I should have visited a spot, then I can go back.

Edited September 15, 2008 by Renegade Knight

[+spannerman]

I think there's a micro thing and a small thing!

 

The tiny Lock and Lock round box is about 80 mm across, which isn't that much bigger than a 35 mm film container lengthwise. Yet its just big enough to take a logbook and still leave room for a Geocoin or two or a small travelbug. This has the great advantage of being more waterproof and I think from a hiders point of view - more fun to watch, yet it costs about 75p..

 

I've recently just completed a long series and a brilliant series it was, I was taken to loads of places I'd never gone before - shown some great items of historical interest, bumped into some local wildlife and had some great walking out across the moor. Yet it would have been even more ideal if I could have dropped off a coin/TB or two.

 

I understand about Letterboxers and indeed on some Tors it must be hard to find a hole that isn't already full with a box. But, can we not have a few more small caches, rather than micros?

 

 

 

I have just checked and there are 370 active caches on Dartmoor at this time with 15 disabled.. 135 are classified as micros so there are app. 33% micros. I haven't looked off the moor but it would be interesting to see how the figures compare nationally.

 

BTW the long series you recently completed has just got bigger! Only one on the moor though.

[+vw_k]

in most of these locations it would have been difficult to hide anything much larger. But these Micros took us to some fantastic spots that we might not have visited if not for Geocaching.

For me geocaching is about visiting interesting places, I have 3 micros, all taking cachers to a place of historical significance and providing interesting local history information on the cache page. Micros can often be more about bringing someone to the location rather than having swaps to find.

 

I'm an almost 30 year old guy, I'd much rather find a micro in an interesting location that an ammo can full of Mctoys in an uninteresting one. Whilst I understand some of us (especially those with geokids) will prefer larger caches with swaps and TBs in, for me it's all about the hunt, the discovery of new places, and learning about the area.

 

Saying this. The small lock n lock containers Birdman mentions are a good idea, enabling geocoins to be placed in them and being more waterproof than a 35mm container, in my area people try to place small swaps in micros anyway, it's difficult to put the log back in when there is a dice/small keyring/monopoly money in there as well, these would also address that problem.