+Tahoe1849er Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Hey out there just looking for some feedback. I am seeing a lot of caches that obviously will not survive a wet winter. When in your opinion does a cache become just litter out in the woods or on the streets? I am seeing many seasoned veteran cachers using very inferior containers or their chioce of sites are very poor. Obviously their cache will turn into rubbish littering our world. What do you think? Is this something to consider? Quote Link to comment
+ecanderson Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Hey out there just looking for some feedback. I am seeing a lot of caches that obviously will not survive a wet winter. When in your opinion does a cache become just litter out in the woods or on the streets? I am seeing many seasoned veteran cachers using very inferior containers or their chioce of sites are very poor. Obviously their cache will turn into rubbish littering our world. What do you think? Is this something to consider? When it becomes an actual problem, it will be up to future finders to log a Needs Maintenance if indeed it's ever needed. Quote Link to comment
+Tahoe1849er Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 I agree, but the bigger question is, will the owner come back to maintain it or clean up his or her mess? Quote Link to comment
+Harry Dolphin Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 While it would be nice if cache owners thought a bit, and used good containers, it does not become geolitter until after it has not survived the winter. You'd be surprised how long some soup containers actually do survive. (Not many, but some.) Quote Link to comment
+The VanDucks Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 About all you can do is make sure whatever caches you place yourself are good quality, with suitable containers and well-thought-out placement. Usually placing a long lasting container means spending some dollars to buy a lock'n'lock, a bison tube, or a ammo can, rather than using recyclables from the trash. Good placement means thinking about the cachers who will seek your cache, and being sure that you're sending them to a safe place, without lots of trash or hazards, or if there is something unsavory about the location, having a warning about that on the description page. Have you ever noticed that if you go to a new geographical area to cache, you tend to see a lot of the same types of hides, as though every geocaching community sort of sets their own rules? So if you establish a good pattern in your own hides, you may find that the other local cachers will tend to improve their caches too! Quote Link to comment
+Tahoe1849er Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 Vanducks is right on target here. I hope more cachers will read your thoughts. I get a little weary of those types of caches that are not well thought out and applied. Quote Link to comment
+ecanderson Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I agree, but the bigger question is, will the owner come back to maintain it or clean up his or her mess? Possibly. Possibly not. Not your immediate problem until the cache is archived. Then you and the rest of the local caching community can do as is often done elsewhere -- go and clean up local archived caches as necessary. Think of it as a mini-CITO. It helps all of us when we take the time to take care of business, even if the CO doesn't. If the original placement was any good, it's also a great time to set out a new one. Meanwhile, there's no way for you to know what a CO's response will be to the "Needs Maintenance" posting. You can critique caches all you want, but there's a process to be followed, and most of the time, it works. Let it happen. What is your option? Replace the CO's cache with one you think will hold up better? Quote Link to comment
+Tahoe1849er Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 No need here to get testy, just looking for opinions. I think you're right that the CO should be responsible, unfortunately at times they are not, largly they are though, so this is a good thing. Let us all hope that we as Geocachers will take pride in our caches and take care of them or not place them. Your posts are great! Quote Link to comment
+ecanderson Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 No need here to get testy, just looking for opinions. I think you're right that the CO should be responsible, unfortunately at times they are not, largly they are though, so this is a good thing. Let us all hope that we as Geocachers will take pride in our caches and take care of them or not place them. Your posts are great! "Is this something to consider?", you asked. If consideration means nothing more than talking about it, well, we are "considering" it. Problem caches are a fact of life. No surprise there, and we all run across them, and I'm sure everyone reading the thread understands that they will no doubt see more in the future. They are what they are. Hence, one would think that by posting the original question, you were asking us instead what we thought should be done about this situation, to which my response is unchanged: let the system run its course as it should. Quote Link to comment
Clan Riffster Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 ...and being sure that you're sending them to a safe place... I liked your post, however I must take umbrage at that tidbit. Very few of my hides are at safe places. Hazards are spelled out on the cache page and in the atributes. Those who pay attention will quite likely survive. Quote Link to comment
+Angusp2 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Hey out there just looking for some feedback. I am seeing a lot of caches that obviously will not survive a wet winter. When in your opinion does a cache become just litter out in the woods or on the streets? I am seeing many seasoned veteran cachers using very inferior containers or their chioce of sites are very poor. Obviously their cache will turn into rubbish littering our world. What do you think? Is this something to consider? In my area recently a cache was muggled, destroyed and left. I think that can be classified as litter. Quote Link to comment
+Team Cotati Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Hey out there just looking for some feedback. I am seeing a lot of caches that obviously will not survive a wet winter. When in your opinion does a cache become just litter out in the woods or on the streets? I am seeing many seasoned veteran cachers using very inferior containers or their chioce of sites are very poor. Obviously their cache will turn into rubbish littering our world. What do you think? Is this something to consider? In my area recently a cache was muggled, destroyed and left. I think that can be classified as litter. I agree. We just had this happen to one of ours. Fortunately a fellow cacher found the remnants, set them aside and notified us. We were then able to pick up the mess and leave a replacement. Nice. Quote Link to comment
+ecanderson Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 In my area recently a cache was muggled, destroyed and left. I think that can be classified as litter. No doubt. Around here, we pick those up for the owner so they can collect the bits, and file a N.M. log. Usually send them an email directly, too, so we can meet to exchange the remains if they want. Found another one this summer where it appeared that the muggle had 4 legs instead of 2. Wouldn't have thought a lock-n-lock would have been so tasty, but ... Quote Link to comment
+Curioddity Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I personally feel that some of the caches I've found were litter the moment the CO placed them and walked away. That said, I'm also surprised that some of those have lasted as long as they have. 'Nuff outta me. Gots to find my asbestos underwear now. Pete Quote Link to comment
+Tahoe1849er Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 I personally feel that some of the caches I've found were litter the moment the CO placed them and walked away. That said, I'm also surprised that some of those have lasted as long as they have. 'Nuff outta me. Gots to find my asbestos underwear now. Pete Pete this is actually what I am talking about but hesitated to say. Thanks! I think by these posts folks will understand that quality verses quanity is important to cachers. Also I thought it would be a great topic to talk about and I see we have generated some great comments. Quote Link to comment
+SilentWolf Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Yea I think it's absolutely the CO's responsibility to ensure that his/her cache is of good quality and able to survive the elements, whatever they may be. Quote Link to comment
+Vater_Araignee Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 (edited) I'll add a warning. Just because a cache gets archived on GC.com does not make it litter. Groundspeak may be the biggest but it isn't the only. Edited September 23, 2009 by Vater_Araignee Quote Link to comment
+Team Cotati Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I'll add a warning. Just because a cache gets archived on GC.com does not make it litter. Groundspeak may be the biggest but it isn't the only. It's the only, trust me. Any others out there are mere farcical pretenders. Quote Link to comment
+Vater_Araignee Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I'll add a warning. Just because a cache gets archived on GC.com does not make it litter. Groundspeak may be the biggest but it isn't the only. It's the only, trust me. Any others out there are mere farcical pretenders. Opinions the other sites value do not negate fact. Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 ...When in your opinion does a cache become just litter out in the woods or on the streets?... That would be when it's discarded like litter. This has nothing at all to do with the container type. Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 They start out as litter, after they are removed they cease to be litter. Regardless of the log sheet and website listing they are basically litter. Fun to find litter but litter. They start out as personal property. Every litter law I've looked up does not apply to caches because caches do not at all meet the defintion of litter. The best you get is "abandoned property" because those laws are broad enough to apply to a cache (but not in spirit and intent). Quote Link to comment
+Team Cotati Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 I'll add a warning. Just because a cache gets archived on GC.com does not make it litter. Groundspeak may be the biggest but it isn't the only. It's the only, trust me. Any others out there are mere farcical pretenders. Opinions the other sites value do not negate fact. OK, you win. The farcical pretender sites can in fact post facts I do suppose. However in the final analysis anything that they post regarding the game of geocaching is irrelevant. You can bleieve what you want, that is the truth of it. Quote Link to comment
GOF and Bacall Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 I'll add a warning. Just because a cache gets archived on GC.com does not make it litter. Groundspeak may be the biggest but it isn't the only. It's the only, trust me. Any others out there are mere farcical pretenders. Opinions the other sites value do not negate fact. OK, you win. The farcical pretender sites can in fact post facts I do suppose. However in the final analysis anything that they post regarding the game of geocaching is irrelevant. You can bleieve what you want, that is the truth of it. Hmm, I have caches that are listed on other sites. Are you telling me they are farcical and irrelevant? Perhaps I should inform those who have enjoyed finding them that their fun was farcical and irrelevant. I'll let 'em know that you said so. Quote Link to comment
Clan Riffster Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Are you telling me they are farcical and irrelevant? Maybe? My TCs are feeling very lonely.... I'm gonna eat some worms... Quote Link to comment
GOF and Bacall Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 (edited) Are you telling me they are farcical and irrelevant? Maybe? My TCs are feeling very lonely.... I'm gonna eat some worms... If I find myself in your area I will be sure to visit your TCs. Just because they aren't visited daily doesn't mean they are any less valid than any other cache. I have caches listed on GC that don't get visited any more often than my TCs. What would make the GC caches any more relevant than those listed on TC? Edit to add - How do you fix those worms? Deep fried or sauteed? Edited September 24, 2009 by GOF & Bacall Quote Link to comment
+poisonlady Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 If I ran across a mess I'd leave comment regarding it...I have seen some that have comments listed about previous visits cachers visits and conditions or whatever but I usually don't attempt a cacshe if it already has been commented on several times...what am I going to confirm that probably alredy hasn't been comfirmed. Of course this all depends on locations because I went to one I knew that was missing it's cache container but I went to see the site because it looked wonderful and it was but I also commented about it along with several others...and the spiders there tho, ewwwwwwwww!!!!!. May that's what bit me several times that day. If all else fails and I have stuff with me to leave in it's place I will do that and report it but that hasn't happened yet. I would then leave another comment that I'd done this so others could know that all's well with it now. I read where many have done this in my area so that's really cool and I've also read where some have adopted caches when others can longer deal with them. You just never know the reason...maybe life got difficult or any of a number of things may have happened that makes maintenance of a cache a non-important a non-issue in their life for whatever reason. Quote Link to comment
+ladyrich007 Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 (edited) Im thinking about gathering all of mine up for the winter. I have a TB in one of them but I can relocate it. I may become a hunter and not be a hider anymore. I always have to borrow a gps and thats no good. I can hunt when one of my kids is going on a caching hunt. Edited September 25, 2009 by ladyrich007 Quote Link to comment
+chrisrayn Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 (edited) Get this, get this... When a CAT finds it... And POOPS in it!!! Edited September 25, 2009 by chrisrayn Quote Link to comment
+Team Cotati Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 I'll add a warning. Just because a cache gets archived on GC.com does not make it litter. Groundspeak may be the biggest but it isn't the only. It's the only, trust me. Any others out there are mere farcical pretenders. Opinions the other sites value do not negate fact. OK, you win. The farcical pretender sites can in fact post facts I do suppose. However in the final analysis anything that they post regarding the game of geocaching is irrelevant. You can bleieve what you want, that is the truth of it. Hmm, I have caches that are listed on other sites. Are you telling me they are farcical and irrelevant? Perhaps I should inform those who have enjoyed finding them that their fun was farcical and irrelevant. I'll let 'em know that you said so. Yeah you do that or better yet, give me their emails and I'll do it myself. Deal? Quote Link to comment
+Unkle Fester Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Are you telling me they are farcical and irrelevant? Maybe? My TCs are feeling very lonely.... I'm gonna eat some worms... [drool] Mmmmm, worms... [/drool] Try 'em with a side of bacon. Get this, get this... When a CAT finds it... And POOPS in it!!! My cat does that to my shoes... nuff said Quote Link to comment
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