Cache Upkeep

[yorkie2000]

Well I decided to start Geo-caching as a way for me and my lady to get some exercise and learn to use a GPS. We recently bought a GPS and have a total of 3 under our belt. The thing that is bothering me is the shape of the cache when we arrived and contents. Not that we are looking for gold or a tomb of a Pharaoh,

 

The three we did visit had broken toys, 30 cent off coupons for fabric softener and business cards in them. Although, the trip was worth it, the garbage that was left in the cache was a disappointment. I now understand why people put TNLN on the log. We talk about Cache in, Garbage Out, but I have been thinking that they have been putting the garbage in the cache. I do understand that there are alot of f amilies that are involved with Geocaching but I do also believe in installing pride in young people of what they leave and what they take. Pride is a BIG WORD these days.

 

We have been talking about setting underwater caches and actively getting involved, but now we have an awful taste in our mouths. When you leave a cache item, you ask yourself this question. If I found this cache and was picking a booty, would I pick what I am leaving? Does the person hiding the cache originally ever go back to check it's shape?

 

Hope our next Expedition is better before we give up.

[+jbar]

Sorry you had a bad experiance. Swag in caches tend to go down hill over time. Owners are supposed to maintain thier caches over time but its tough to keep the swag up. When I go out it's not to trade, I'm out for the adventure of the hunt, seeing new places, getting some exersize. My kids used to love to go for the swag but as they have grown now they are like me, it's the hunt. I like a good challenge and enjoy difficult micros now. An underwater cache would be cool. We have one in my area that I havn't attemped yet. I go kayak caching all the time.

[+StarBrand]

... Owners are supposed to maintain thier caches over time ...

Since when does maintenance involve replacing swag??? Where have you seen that?

 

The best any of us can do is to always trade up or trade even. Add a few nice items of swag to any cache that is depleted. Start new caches off with nice tradeable items. Don't leave business cards or coupons or other items nobody wants. I do it because it is the right thing to do - not because of any guideline or rule.

[+roziecakes]

This sort of complaint comes up all the time... you'll probably notice 4 or 5 recent threads with the same discussion. It is unfortunate... but yes, just trade up, remove really gross or broken stuff, and just place some nice things for people to find even if you don't take anything.

 

Unfortunately there's no real way to monitor swag, and I also haven't seen anything requiring cache owners to maintain the swag in their cache, so as far as I'm concerned it's the responsibility of the individual cache finders.

 

I think that part of why there isn't much good swag in caches is because a greater proportion of cachers do it for the experience of caching rather than for the stuff inside. I know that's why I cache. I like to cache in historically interesting places, or for the hike or the park, or just to get out of the house.

 

Please don't let this experience tarnish your image of caching!

[+journey4truth]

Don't let the quality of swag dissuade you from the hunt. The true value of geocaching is in the journey itself, not the destination, and while the quality of swag can be disappointing, it makes the caches that contain excellent swag all the more valuable and rewarding. Once I understood that, geocaching became a far more enjoyable experience.

 

One thing to consider is to help become part of the solution instead of the problem. For my part what I do is maintain a bag of swag in my backpack and pick out something to leave behind when I discover a cache. The best experience I had in this regard was when I bought Christmas jewelry boxes and dropped them off at a few geocaches while I was traveling around. I read the logs afterward and a cacher mentioned finding the jewelry box and how much his wife loved it. It was an awesome feeling to know I made some geocacher's day.

 

Just know many caches you'll find may seem like glorified trash bins, so I would suggest if it's obviously junk, you can clean the junk out and restock it with some swag like I sometimes do.

 

Another thing to consider, try going for geocaches that are brand new. Those will be much cleaner and more pleasant to find, especially if you're the first to find.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

This may be something to ponder... why not set the example? Trade up↑ always. We usually take out the junk, but always leave something worthwhile. We're not into trading SWAG. If there is no junk we TNLN mostly. If the cache is nearly bare, we simply add to the SWAG, even if we are out, we will leave 25¢ at least.

 

You've been at it for a month, you have two finds. There are caches that do meet your expectations, you just haven't found them yet. Just like people, not all will meet your expectations, in fact, probably few will -- depending upon how high you have them set!

 

This is a recreation open to all. When all are involved... well you gotta put up with the bad and the good. It does seem to balance out.

 

After some practice, go after the hard ones. Because they are hard to get to/find, sometimes they are of better overall quality.

 

As somebody else mentioned -- there is an "evolution" to the game. Oftentimes people just gravitate over to enjoying the hike or the hunt. SWAG has little influence, one way or the other.

 

Enjoy doing something that most others don't, because you have a "secret".

[+NeecesandNephews]

Don't let the quality of swag dissuade you from the hunt. The true value of geocaching is in the journey itself, not the destination, and while the quality of swag can be disappointing, it makes the caches that contain excellent swag all the more valuable and rewarding. Once I understood that, geocaching became a far more enjoyable experience.

 

One thing to consider is to help become part of the solution instead of the problem. For my part what I do is maintain a bag of swag in my backpack and pick out something to leave behind when I discover a cache. The best experience I had in this regard was when I bought Christmas jewelry boxes and dropped them off at a few geocaches while I was traveling around. I read the logs afterward and a cacher mentioned finding the jewelry box and how much his wife loved it. It was an awesome feeling to know I made some geocacher's day.

 

Just know many caches you'll find may seem like glorified trash bins, so I would suggest if it's obviously junk, you can clean the junk out and restock it with some swag like I sometimes do.

 

Another thing to consider, try going for geocaches that are brand new. Those will be much cleaner and more pleasant to find, especially if you're the first to find.

 

 

Very well said!! I too was a little disheartened by what i found in caches when I first started. My wife and I talked about it and decided we could change the world and the game, one cache at a time. While we don't always carry our "goodie bag" to every cache, if we find one that is in sad shape we clean out the "trash" and put in some decent trading material. Not 10 dollar items, but not 50 cent items either. Little tool kits that have tweezers or needle nose pliers are handy for anyone caching to have!! Easy to find for a buck or two. Insect repellent. Waterproof match containers that are good for making a cache are a buck apiece at the local wally world. We figure if we go to dinner and a movie we would have dropped 30-50 bucks or more, so if we spent the same amount on a whole days worth of fun we feel it is money well spent!! We don't cache every day, or even every weekend so its not like we are dropping hundreds into it!!

 

The way we see it, we can join in the complaining, or we can avert having the cacher who follows us from joining!! You may not find what you were looking for, but you can ensure the next cacher does!!

[+journey4truth]

Very well said!! I too was a little disheartened by what i found in caches when I first started. My wife and I talked about it and decided we could change the world and the game, one cache at a time. While we don't always carry our "goodie bag" to every cache, if we find one that is in sad shape we clean out the "trash" and put in some decent trading material. Not 10 dollar items, but not 50 cent items either. Little tool kits that have tweezers or needle nose pliers are handy for anyone caching to have!! Easy to find for a buck or two. oes!!

 

Indeed, it's amazing what you can find in a dollar store. I still haven't emptied out my first stock yet, mostly because the stuff I got can only fit ammo cans, and I haven't come across a lot of those lately.

 

I'm a big believer of keychains too. Small, shiny-looking, perfect for smaller caches. I grab as much of those as I can to drop them off. In fact one of my most prized swag is a Pennsylvanian keychain I found oddily enough in a cache in Massachusetts. I love it because they serve as memory triggers on caches I really enjoyed finding.

[+t4e]

i don't even bother looking at the swag, i check the contents just to see if there are any travelers, sign the log and move on

 

like LincolnAdams said, the journey to the cache is the most important aspect, and is what keeps us in the game

 

if it wasn't for geocaching we would have never seen and discovered all the beautiful places that we had no idea existed

Edited April 29, 2010 by t4e

[+Team_Searchgeo]

Did my first 3 today and the very first 2 were great but the last one at idlewild was a bit depleted. I have to admit though it was not about the swag but my whole family including the dogs outside and exploring. It was a blast and I know we are hooked as a family. We left a golf ball and did not take anything. We are planning to go back and add some stuff to it since we live five minutes from the cache and are constantly at the park hiking.

[the slimeys]

Don't you find leaving good stuff leves you feeling warm inside? I look in the sales and have a stock - the last great purchase was 10 pairs of really neat patterned kids gardening gloves for 30 pence a pair (down from £4!!) bottle openers are handy too and little tubs of drawing pins and rubber bands - I just love shopping I guess!

Edited April 29, 2010 by the slimeys

[+stenpils]

I too have had some recent disappointments with Swag (or rather my 3-yr old is disappointed, I've enjoyed the hunt).

 

I have taken the following tack with it: home-made geoswag. Dead cheap and fun to make, makes placing them as much fun as anything. Good for when it's too cr*ppy weather for caching.

 

Basically we've been making coins out of air-drying clay and colouring them with acrylics and felt tip pens. Quick coat of PVA glue for a nice shiny glaze. Bingo great looking "geoCoins" which has put the fun back into treasure hunting, and we don't begrudge putting them into empty caches.

 

Feedback we've had from people that have found our tractor or truck coins is that they love 'em!

Edited April 29, 2010 by stenpils

[+eightwednesday]

For us, we had to evaluate why we're caching. And we don't cache for swag, we cache for the time together, the time outside, and some of the amazing places that caches have taken us to--some of which were right in our neighborhood!

 

Typically we don't even trade swag, though if we do we try to make it something unique. I work in highway safety so I have all kinds of random and unique trinkets from different states or maps that I like to leave.

 

So while the swag is often disappointing in a cache, we like to look at the greater experience. More caching days than not I can pick out a cache that we've found where I've just said, "wow, that was awesome!" For example, there is a virtual in Washington, DC that takes you to Mile Zero of the National Highway System--no swag or even a container there, but I likely wouldn't have found that location without geocaching and that's an experience I can keep with me and share with my colleagues forever.

 

So don't be discouraged by lousy swag. If it is all rubbish, be the change and trade up or simply sign the log and reflect on the experience of finding the cache as being what is special.

[+9Key]

Insect repellent.

Liquids are not a good idea in a cache. They leak and ruin the cache.

[+briansnat]

The only thing I really want to find in a cache is a dry logbook. I rarely trade, but do enjoy looking through the swag and a nicely stocked cache is more enjoyable to paw through than one filled with junk. But other than the logbook, the stuff inside the cache isn't why I geocache.

[+NeecesandNephews]

Insect repellent.

Liquids are not a good idea in a cache. They leak and ruin the cache.

 

The insect repellent I am leaving is a "moist towelette" type! They are individually packaged with some shameless promotional advertising on them. I get them free from a local implement dealer!! hey the sign on the counter says "Free, take some!" So every time I go there I grab a few.

 

edit-speeling

Edited April 29, 2010 by NeecesandNephews

[+goodwrench00]

I don't worry about the SWAG, I'm just looking for the cache. I agree there is a lot of junk in some caches though. IF there was a $100 bill in one, that might change things a little......

[+Nitro Blast]

I personally have found the best fun to be in trading up. I do love to leave something neato, not just another happy meal toy. I did however just start a new cache last night with the exact stuff you are talking about, junk.

 

I went to my kids dentist, and grabbed a handful of the 'goodies' they give good little kids. Its all pure 'crapola' but kids love it. With a sealed cache, full of 'clean' toys, it should be ok for a bit.

 

Just like the holidays, its better to give than receive when caching. Recieving fun stuff is awesome however (got a $5 Starbucks AND $5 JambaJuce cards in one recently!)

[+journey4truth]

So while the swag is often disappointing in a cache, we like to look at the greater experience. More caching days than not I can pick out a cache that we've found where I've just said, "wow, that was awesome!" For example, there is a virtual in Washington, DC that takes you to Mile Zero of the National Highway System--no swag or even a container there, but I likely wouldn't have found that location without geocaching and that's an experience I can keep with me and share with my colleagues forever.

 

Do you have the GC code for this virtual? I'd like to bookmark it as DC is one of the places I want to revisit soon, and I loved my first time there.

[+BlueDeuce]

Twice I've found a cache, left some swag and then met another cacher on the way out. We head back to the cache (Why would I miss the chance to watch another cacher search through the weeds and under brush?) and they trade for my swag.

 

I never say a thing.

 

Saw a familiar face as I headed down the trail. It was BlueDeuce. Always great to meet other cachers on the trail. He had just found "Puppies and Bunnies" and had let "Down Home" go because of some adolescent muggles with BB guns playing near the cache site. Had a nice chat with BD for a while. Decided to to see if the muggles had left the area. They had. BlueDeuce humored me while I did the bee dance around the cache. The entertainment was short lived. T:TB that BD had left to move along and a Puzzle. L:A Sticky Giant Slug toy and a Geocaching patch. SL. TFTC!

Edited April 30, 2010 by BlueDeuce

[+popokiiti]

If the swag content is getting low, and it seems like a cache families with kids have been going to, we will often TN, but leave a few items...small toys, polished pebbles, First Nation Spirit Tokens (adults like these too).

To keep a cache well stocked with decent items can be quite the expense, so we go for things we find on our travels/shopping/dollar store. As long as we try to keep the kids in the game happy! We ourselves are happy with the hunt alone.

[+sliminem69deg]

I always thought the business cards were a way leaving your mark. I've seen those wooden geocaching coins in a few and they always have someone's name on the front.

[+OldLog]

I am for the dry log book concept. Also one that really has room left to sign. I have seen many a wet log book also full ones. The real problem is when logs show that it has been a problem that is on going due to total lack of Cache maint.

[+gesharp]

I'm new at geocaching and have found just a few that were big enough to leave anything. I'm willing to leave things but am interested in knowing what geocachers would like to find. (Sorry, I can't leave keys to a new car or anything like that!) I did leave a handcrafted bookmark in one that was close to a library. I am looking for suggestions on what to look for to put in the cache.

[+Chokecherry]

The insect repellent I am leaving is a "moist towelette" type! They are individually packaged with some shameless promotional advertising on them. I get them free from a local implement dealer!! ph34r.gif hey the sign on the counter says "Free, take some!" So every time I go there I grab a few.

 

I've found some like that in a cache near here and it didn't weather well. I'd toss those in a plastic baggy too as their packaging tends to degrade if they sit too long.

[+journey4truth]

I'm new at geocaching and have found just a few that were big enough to leave anything. I'm willing to leave things but am interested in knowing what geocachers would like to find. (Sorry, I can't leave keys to a new car or anything like that!) I did leave a handcrafted bookmark in one that was close to a library. I am looking for suggestions on what to look for to put in the cache.

 

I've been big on keychains lately, I have a ton of them handed down to me and instead of merely hocking it on eBay, I've been dropping them off at caches. They can fit in just about anything except micros.

 

As a funsie note, I found one cache with computer hardware in it, including networks cards and RAM! Obsolete though, so I couldn't use it.

[+BarrelOfMonkeys_2010]

I'm new at geocaching and have found just a few that were big enough to leave anything. I'm willing to leave things but am interested in knowing what geocachers would like to find. (Sorry, I can't leave keys to a new car or anything like that!) I did leave a handcrafted bookmark in one that was close to a library. I am looking for suggestions on what to look for to put in the cache.

 

I've been big on keychains lately, I have a ton of them handed down to me and instead of merely hocking it on eBay, I've been dropping them off at caches. They can fit in just about anything except micros.

 

As a funsie note, I found one cache with computer hardware in it, including networks cards and RAM! Obsolete though, so I couldn't use it.

 

We like to leave a signature item. Generally we leave a monkey from the barrel of monkeys game. Sometimes we leave a mini game. I do like to leave a FTF item. My latest is a glow in the dark flying screaming slingshot monkey..

 

I would rather see nothing in a cache than someone else's cast offs. If I have nothing to trade and my kiddo sees something he realllly likes, then I will either come back to it later or I'll donate bigger to a diff cache. There is a cache near here call the Bears Den. It is for trading stuffed teddy bears. It had a few sad bears in it, so we took one and went to the dollar store and filled that thing up!

[+BarrelOfMonkeys_2010]

Oops double post.

Edited May 5, 2010 by BarrelOfMonkeys_2010

[+gesharp]

We like to leave a signature item. Generally we leave a monkey from the barrel of monkeys game. Sometimes we leave a mini game. I do like to leave a FTF item. My latest is a glow in the dark flying screaming slingshot monkey..

 

I would rather see nothing in a cache than someone else's cast offs. If I have nothing to trade and my kiddo sees something he realllly likes, then I will either come back to it later or I'll donate bigger to a diff cache. There is a cache near here call the Bears Den. It is for trading stuffed teddy bears. It had a few sad bears in it, so we took one and went to the dollar store and filled that thing up!

 

I'd like to find some kind of signature item but so far I haven't come up with anything. I'm a little confused about how to order wooden nickels or pathtags but am hoping I can get a good idea that I can afford soon.

[+wentle85 & keva_k]

The wife(kevak) has been crafting crocheted bracelets that we want to start leaving as signature items. They are unique and easy to make and we hope people will appreciate them because she hands crafts each one. We haven't left one yet but we a have a few in the car for a good opportunity. I hope leaving these would be seen as a quality item and not just more junk.

[+PinkFox5]

When I take my son, he has a signature item; matchbox cars. He decided that because this is family-orientated (mostly) that another kid would come to enjoy his toy. He understands, at 11 years old, that he doesn't take anything without leaving something.

[+hukilaulau]

Well I decided to start Geo-caching as a way for me and my lady to get some exercise and learn to use a GPS.

 

Hope our next Expedition is better before we give up.

 

looks to me like you accomplished your goal quite nicely. One of your listed finds sounds pretty spectacular! I would go find that one even if it were a log-only micro. Did your goal somehow change to finding nice toys in the woods? my suggestion is, get back to your roots! (Roots, get it? HA! HA!) I carry some swag just in case I find something I like, but I don't expect to. It's totally about finding parks and waterfalls and stuff.

[+Ambrosia]

So while the swag is often disappointing in a cache, we like to look at the greater experience. More caching days than not I can pick out a cache that we've found where I've just said, "wow, that was awesome!" For example, there is a virtual in Washington, DC that takes you to Mile Zero of the National Highway System--no swag or even a container there, but I likely wouldn't have found that location without geocaching and that's an experience I can keep with me and share with my colleagues forever.

 

Do you have the GC code for this virtual? I'd like to bookmark it as DC is one of the places I want to revisit soon, and I loved my first time there.

 

It's Mile Zero.

 

If you click on the Find...all nearby caches link for the Mile Zero cache, you'll see all the nearest caches, which are mainly virtuals. You can have a blast for a day or two, running around and catching them all, or just a few if you only have a small amount of time. If you click on the Geocaching.com Google Map for Mile Zero, you can see where they are all situated in regards to the National Mall and other must see spots. You'll probably go right by a lot of them in your normal tourist activities.

[+Gratusin]

Two things I'm tired of finding are business cards and pennies. Business cards seem to corporatize the game, and they usually turn to mush if a little moisture gets in the cache and pennies are literally the cheapest thing you can put in there. We had custom guitar picks made with our caching username put on them as a signature item. They aren't expensive, but not cheap either and they give us a calling card that doesn't get soaked or expect you to buy something from us.

[+d+n.s]

Two things I'm tired of finding are business cards and pennies. Business cards seem to corporatize the game, and they usually turn to mush if a little moisture gets in the cache and pennies are literally the cheapest thing you can put in there. We had custom guitar picks made with our caching username put on them as a signature item. They aren't expensive, but not cheap either and they give us a calling card that doesn't get soaked or expect you to buy something from us.

Yep, I've just started and the business cards bum me out. I don't even trade!

It just seems cheezy and gross.

I'm okay with a coupon or whatever, but a business card is useless to almost anything and is basically garbage.

That said, I did think about snagging one once for a mechanic. You always need a good mechanic and I thought maybe if I said where I found it they would treat me well... but I left it.

[+guesswhat60]

i hear what you are saying. our family started geocaching as something fun and cheap to do as a family. the first few caches that we tried to find were completely missing. it was very disappointing to the kids. luckily we have a bunch of people in our area who are really great and got us on track and even verify pretty much every dnf that we get just to keep our spirits up and let us know if they are missing so that we dont keep going back to ones that arent there. we attended an event very shortly after we started. met a few ppl who live in our area. although i love the hunt it is addicting to me and also very funny that for the last ten years there have been over 1000 caches within 5 miles of our house and i didnt even know. What our family does is we buy kids toys of all sizes from the dollar store or what not and we have our kids place something that they like from these goodie bags so that the next kids who goes out on a hunt can find a great prize. whether or not other ppl are contributing to building these caches we cant control but we can contribute so that other new cachers dont have these same feelings. if you havent gotten involved with the ppl in your area who cache, i personally recommend getting to know a few, even with a message on the site. the personal aspect of finding others with the same interest has also made the experience more enjoyable. you can also place your own caches and try to bring up the quality of caches in your area. i hope that the few inconsiderateness (is that a word. lol) others wont make you leave such a fun and fulfilling pasttime

Well I decided to start Geo-caching as a way for me and my lady to get some exercise and learn to use a GPS. We recently bought a GPS and have a total of 3 under our belt. The thing that is bothering me is the shape of the cache when we arrived and contents. Not that we are looking for gold or a tomb of a Pharaoh,

 

The three we did visit had broken toys, 30 cent off coupons for fabric softener and business cards in them. Although, the trip was worth it, the garbage that was left in the cache was a disappointment. I now understand why people put TNLN on the log. We talk about Cache in, Garbage Out, but I have been thinking that they have been putting the garbage in the cache. I do understand that there are alot of f amilies that are involved with Geocaching but I do also believe in installing pride in young people of what they leave and what they take. Pride is a BIG WORD these days.

 

We have been talking about setting underwater caches and actively getting involved, but now we have an awful taste in our mouths. When you leave a cache item, you ask yourself this question. If I found this cache and was picking a booty, would I pick what I am leaving? Does the person hiding the cache originally ever go back to check it's shape?

 

Hope our next Expedition is better before we give up.

[+nwaman]

The swag doesnt bother me, except it is nice to leave something nice, for kid friendly finds. Nothing more disapointing to take a child and introduce them to geocaching and find water logged swag. The biggest thing that bothers me is the people that hide too many caches and dont keep them up, I have emailed several about checking on a cache that hasnt been found by 7 logs, and is a 1/12 star. No response, and when they do leave a note archived, leave it sit for months.

[cappazushi]

Two things I'm tired of finding are business cards and pennies. Business cards seem to corporatize the game, and they usually turn to mush if a little moisture gets in the cache and pennies are literally the cheapest thing you can put in there. We had custom guitar picks made with our caching username put on them as a signature item. They aren't expensive, but not cheap either and they give us a calling card that doesn't get soaked or expect you to buy something from us.

 

I'd be happy to find a penny, but then again, I cache in Japan. And I collect coins from caches (no, not people's geocoins).

[chai_latte]

I'm new at geocaching and have found just a few that were big enough to leave anything. I'm willing to leave things but am interested in knowing what geocachers would like to find. (Sorry, I can't leave keys to a new car or anything like that!) I did leave a handcrafted bookmark in one that was close to a library. I am looking for suggestions on what to look for to put in the cache.

 

Hubby and I are new to geocaching, and so far we just visited the ones here in town when we both have that day off so -with 3 finds under our belt (6 no finds) we got to thinking about the junk we see in them that we dont take but wondered what else we could just leave for someone. I have been leaving these tiny .5 oz bottles from the hospital of hand sanitizer that i have been reading that ppl have been taking - probably to use since your out and about and cleaning your hands is a good idea. another good idea im going to do is because CITO is huge, why not get a roll of small garbage bags and fold them up very flat and small and placing in some sort of small envelope with "garbage bag" written on it. I think that a USEFULL item i better than a plastic ring. Because i have no life, im thinking of making our signature item as CHAI_LATTE just that - anyone heard of the craft project that you mix a slice of bread and some white glue that makes like play dough and shape it into a small cup and saucer. let it dry and its much like porcelain- and painting "latte" swirls on it. Cute huh?http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/style_images/1/folder_post_icons/icon4.gif