Birthday greetings...

[GerritS]

Thank heavens I have JUST been caching more than 2 years... No flaming for me...

 

To start with How did I find caching:

I only heard of caching accidentally 2 years ago and I tick all the box's as an early cacher outdoory geek etc and have doen for most of my life.

 

When did I buy my first GPS:

Urm before the 10 years (Pre 97 anyway 1995? I think), YET I HAD NEVER heard of caching till I got a GPS on my phone.

 

Things that are going bad in caching:

1) Most Series: Parks, Off your trolly, Side Tracked, Motorway Mayhem etc...

2) Cache Number hunters pure and simple, MOST rarely criticize in the log because they are simply pleased to be doing a cache WHERE ever it is. I once looked to higher number cacher's with respect now? I respect the time and money they spend finding caches I would not be bothered to do!

 

Good development in Caching:

 

1) Cache trails: depending where you live it is hard to plan GOOD new walks to keep you off the roads. Cache Trails do this, even if there is not a god sized cache in site.

 

2) What I DID enjoy seeing at the 10 year event was some newbies to caching who where becoming outdoor geek type people BECAUSE of caching! Certainly the 3 year old child who wanted to push his buggy was not going to spend his life in front of TV. That is a development any activity should be proud of.

 

The game has moved on, it was always going to. I have been grumping about this recently, now I have just looked at it differently.

 

Before I go to cache I think why do a cache?

1) Because I like the logs?

2) To show I have been there (Some times any will do).

3) Because I fancy a good walk, (Weather or not).

 

I would love EVERY cache to be my type of cache but that was never to be... I read before I drive...

 

In the mean time if a cache is what you think is bad to do write an honest log. Not just TFTC I was a cacher 12 months before I realized that was a bad log.

 

Offer improvements (he says going back to edit a log he was to kind on), education is what is needed here...

 

The game is moving on and changing we just need to make it change for the better...

[+Happy Humphrey]

A lengthy post from the OP, but what I think he's saying is (to summarise);

 

he finds it a bit of a bother to research which caches to seek, and in the old days it was much easier because there weren't many.

 

As an opinion, that seems valid to me. Happy caching to all! (Apologies if "he " is a "she"). If this was a moan, at least it was small...

Edited May 2, 2010 by Happy Humphrey

[+MJB58]

I got fed up of hunting for a cache, in amongst piles of dog sh*t and/or litter, wondering whatever possessed someone to place a cache here.

 

Anyway after a break I've returned to do 6 local caches without even getting out of my car (almost). I didn't enjoy it.

 

I've done four of your last six finds.

Three are "Why put a cache there?"

 

The fourth I enjoyed, as it involved a walk along the canal.

 

(Seems around your area I'm 3-4 months ahead of you finding the caches! Old home turf )

 

Yes the one along the canal was a nice walk. Another, in a churchyard, was also nice.

[+martlakes]

Changes?

As a finder:

Now so many choices (and having found 1000+), the lure of rushing out when new caches are published is less, unless it's a great looking cache, but even then I'm happy to take my time over it these days. Save it for a good day.

When visiting places, almost guarantee having caches to show us around and keep us busy. Look through the descriptions and do the ones that sound interesting. Still acts as an excellent 'tour guide' if you look for a well written cache page. Caching can still take you to the best spots.

Tried a 'power-trail' down south last year, 30 caches in a few miles. Spent so much time juggling iPhone, GPS, info, maps, pens, finding boxes, etc that it got in the way of enjoying a very nice walk. There's a limit to how many caches you need or it spoils the walk. Sure, if you just want numbers, every 160m along a canal is great, but I probably won't do them - rather look at the swans!

Good that there's so many caches and a lot of variety. Never short of a cache for that finding fix if you need it. Rather than go somewhere specific for a cache, you can now go somewhere and then check out the local caches. Certainly down south, pretty much guarantee to find something nearby that you like If you don't - just walk/drive on by.

The vital thing is to realise that you don't have to do a cache, not even if it's near home. If you don't like it, don't do it.

 

As a hider:

I try and hide good caches, obviously helped by living in a great area. I like doing walks, either long or short, usually with Safie. Most of our caches reflect this. I also like to show people interesting corners that they might not know. I also like variety and don't mind giving people what they want - so we have some drive-bys, including our very own A-road series. All the caches are in places with nice views or interesting corners, and have a variety of hides. Also have some urban ones for the fun of the challenge, or just to be able to do some caching in town.

I know that if I hide an easy accessible cache it will get lots of finds. If it's up a hill, less. Same with a micro or puzzle, as many visitors don't want anything but trads. So once the locals have visited, the cache gets very few visits.

 

Finders have changed, so my hides have changed:

We have a really great cache on a small hill above Sedbergh but it hasn't been found in over 12 months. It might get one or two visits this year, or maybe none at all. Where are all these 'old timers' who really love long walks up hills? If a cache doesn't get visits, what's the point in leaving it out there? I archived a few of ours and reset a series cos they weren't being found after the locals had been.

 

It changed for me when I realised many people don't bother reading the cache page. One of ours, the Scream Point, has a really interesting bit of history and is marked on the OS map. Cachers were asked to mention one of their favourite scream views, but many folk didn't bother. They still wrote nice comments, but it was obvious they hadn't read the page. It was just a drive-by in a layby. Just another box, no connection made, no shared experience, probably didn't even notice the view much!

Things that haven't helped - trads have to be just the co-ords, so there is no 'need' to read the page - a request much in demand from early paperless cachers whizzing around following the arrow and stopping when Tom beeps. (I appreciate more folk go paperless now.) Also, removing ALRs, which kills off some degree of creativity and involvement. Sure ban the silly ALRs, but just asking people to take a picture of the view or similar?

Swaps: I'm afraid I've nearly given up with them. Why bother when after a dozen or two visits all the good stuff will have gone and only rubbish remains. If cachers don't 'play the game' why should I pay money for stuff that's just going to disappear? Also not helped by hiding a large number of caches!

I recently had a look at our list of caches. We've hidden 31 micros (15%) all of which are 'justified' I believe, 104 smalls (50%), 51 regulars (25%), 4 large, 4 unspecified, 2 events, 2 earthcaches.

 

Couple of folk recently did our Haweswater series, 11miles, 11 caches. Cut and paste on all the logs. Final one had extra comment - "Great walk and a great series but it should have had about 10 more caches."

My thoughts: Sometimes less is more? You still get to do the walk. Why would I bother putting more out when you can't be ar*ed writing anything in your logs!

Remember, as 'finders' you tend to get the caches you deserve. If most people want trads that they can just turn up and find, why put lots of effort into the cache page? If many people just cut&paste logs, why make the cache special - how can you tell what they like? If people often don't rehide the cache in the same place or so its well hidden, why risk doing something extraordinary? If very few people go up hills in remote corners, if many like easy to find caches - then that's what hiders are likely to hide.

Not saying this is our attitude, but that seems to be how quite a few finders act now. Maybe it's just a 'dealing with the public' syndrome - some folk really can't be bothered with anything except themselves. As someone said, common sense isn't very common at all. Most cachers are great but as it goes more mainstream and gets more popular, the sheer numbers mean not everyone sees things the same way. It's not infrequent now that we stand and look at one of our caches and say "how could someone leave it like that?"

 

Ways to improve the future

* Implement more 'types' of caches ie split up Trads into different flavours based on purpose. As I've described before, it's a cache rating system but based on the hiders intended purpose for why they've hidden the cache. This is just a number hide on a powertrail; this is an excellent viewpoint; this is just for the joy of a sneaky hide - or whatever categories would best fit. Finders 'rate' the cache by simply agreeing or disagreeing that it met its purpose. You can then search for caches that meet a purpose you like. Excluding caches based on pure size is very shortsighted and misses some excellent micros. It's naff caches of the sort you don't like that you want to exclude, not just cos the 'box' is some particular size.

* Bring back reasonable ALRs

* Make sure you are a good 'finder' to encourage hiders to hide good caches.

* Carry on enjoying the type of caching that you like and worry less about the ones you don't!

* Come up north for really great caches, either in the Lakes or Scotland where caching is still about beautiful locations, good hides and pleasant walks of all variety.

[+Bear and Ragged]

Sure ban the silly ALRs, but just asking people to take a picture of the view or similar?

With the proliferation of cameras these days, small fit in you pocket, camera phones, even cameras in you GPS unit -why are there so few photographs of visits to caches these days?

[The Red Kite]

Sure ban the silly ALRs, but just asking people to take a picture of the view or similar?

With the proliferation of cameras these days, small fit in you pocket, camera phones, even cameras in you GPS unit -why are there so few photographs of visits to caches these days?

 

Answer: The numbers race. Simples

 

On a day when numbers are the game it's hard to remember what caches you found never mind take photos. Personally I prefer nice walk with plenty of time to admire the scenery and take lots of photos.

 

When I started caching in 2006 the only caches in this area were one 5 miles north and another about 8 miles south, with the next closest 14 miles south; there were none to the east for less than about 40/50 miles. My first find was a soggy box with rusty contents. After I had found a few more, only by going to events and travelling further afield, I placed a few of my own. I try to find interesting places with a nice view or specific reason for going there and I get nice logs in return. It is difficult in an urban area to place decent sized boxes in every location. Having had several of my best caches muggled more than once, I have resorted to replacing them with micros or archiving them. I had one ammo box which was very well concealed that went missing, so no more ammo boxes from me in future either. The cache which probably gets the best logs is a nano hidden in a tree. Some will hate it but the logs show clearly that the "hunters" see it as a challenge and get a sense of achievement when they find it.

 

I am happy to say that we now have many new cachers in this area who have placed some very inventive and varied caches. Unfortunately there are a couple that will not last long because the setter was not aware of potential problems. (A kind note in the log helps!), but the micros and nanos are a real challenge to find and are not the bog standard 35mm film containers in ivy-covered trees, thankfully. A lot of thought and effort has gone into the caches, and for me personally it is nice not to have to spend ages trying to find public transport that allows me to find caches instead of just setting them for others to enjoy. So thanks guys, you know who you are.

 

I agree with the comment that the quality of caches you set can be influenced by the ones you find. You can also resolve to set better caches than some you have found.

 

I always read the cache page first and also some of the previous logs, to decide whether I actually want to find it or not. As I can't run PQs or download to my GPS I have to do the work myself and therefore have a better idea of what I am letting myself in for. When I read my logs at a later date I can nearly always remember the cache.

 

I have met lots of lovely people at events who are now counted as firm friends, and had some of the best times of my life (yeah sad I know!) and look forward to meeting lots more.

 

Happy Anniversary GC.

 

Ramble over.