Geo Junk

[+~Rah]

Today I visited a cache that had a domestic air travel boarding pass stub. Recently in other caches I have found concert ticket stubs, business cards, a rock, a piece of bark, etc.

Whta are people thinking when they put this junk in a cache? Does anyone seriously want to find junk like this in caches? Why would I want someone else's ticket stub or boarding pass, let alone a rock or a piece of bark I can pick up anywhere?

 

I am inclined to remove this stuff, but I figure it's not my place and would end up leaving some of these caches almost empty. I think it's a real waste and makes for a disappointing find.

 

What junk have you found in caches? Did you remove it? Leave it? Trade "up"?

[+Semper Questio]

If I find trash, I remove it. If I find a cache that is short of swag and I have stuff with me, I will help restock it. Swag degradation happens. It's just part of the game. Just try to be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem. Maybe you'll be a good example to others.

[hoosier guy]

I just took out a bunch of tickets to the local democratic picnic (it was 4 months ago) last week. I have found Wendy's coupons and that sort of stuff. I CITO that kind of stuff.

[+DragonsWest]

I found The One ring, once... didn't take it because I didn't want that greenish guy with the stringy hair following me all over creation.

[Andronicus]

Today I visited a cache that had a domestic air travel boarding pass stub. Recently in other caches I have found concert ticket stubs, business cards, a rock, a piece of bark, etc.

Whta are people thinking when they put this junk in a cache? Does anyone seriously want to find junk like this in caches? Why would I want someone else's ticket stub or boarding pass, let alone a rock or a piece of bark I can pick up anywhere?

 

I am inclined to remove this stuff, but I figure it's not my place and would end up leaving some of these caches almost empty. I think it's a real waste and makes for a disappointing find.

 

What junk have you found in caches? Did you remove it? Leave it? Trade "up"?

Oddly enough, some people like rocks. My nephew tried using a rock he picked up from beside the cache as a trade item. I put an end to that realy quick.

 

Air boarding pass stub=junk. Concert ticket stubs, maybe some people would like to collect that???.. Bark=junk, business cards=advertising, likely against TOS or guidelines. at the very least it is bad tast.

[knowschad]

I rail against the tired old mantra, "One man's junk is another man's treasure" every chance I get. I also get flak for it every time. But I insist that we know the difference in 99.99% of the cases.

 

When you stock an ammo box with a brand-new, still in plastic LED flashlight, a couple of brand-new keyrings, some still in the shrink-wrap toy cars, an unbroken bag of balloons, and return in 6 weeks to find a rock, a used, dirty golf ball, some soggy expired coupons... come on, people... who do you think you're kidding?

 

Yup... its a problem. Nope... it probably will never change. Don't lose any sleep over it, but do the best you can, if and when you trade.

[+owenneil]

So far everything I have seen I would call junk. But yes I have seen rocks in some, not even neat rocks.

[+bootblackblast]

So far everything I have seen I would call junk. But yes I have seen rocks in some, not even neat rocks.

 

Being new to caching maybe I'm just lucky but I've found some great restaurant coupons for free items, keychains, cigarettes, silly bands for kids, McToys, play-doh, a slinky, costume jewelery, crayons, and some other cool toys. I've let small Lego sets, matchbox cars, silly bands, odd coins/bills, and other toys I pick up at swap meets and yard sales.

 

I'd like to know what adults like to find. I do always try to leave something even if I took nothing.

 

Ideally, I'd love to just drop trackables everywhere but I'd love to know what others seek.

[+all Wright]

So far everything I have seen I would call junk. But yes I have seen rocks in some, not even neat rocks.

 

Being new to caching maybe I'm just lucky but I've found some great restaurant coupons for free items, keychains, cigarettes, silly bands for kids, McToys, play-doh, a slinky, costume jewelery, crayons, and some other cool toys. I've let small Lego sets, matchbox cars, silly bands, odd coins/bills, and other toys I pick up at swap meets and yard sales.

 

I'd like to know what adults like to find. I do always try to leave something even if I took nothing.

 

Ideally, I'd love to just drop trackables everywhere but I'd love to know what others seek.

 

Did you say cigarettes????? WTHeck?

I would like signature items, or pathtags. Usually my kids just want little toys.

[+niraD]

I'd like to know what adults like to find.

I can't speak for everyone, but the only thing I trade for is personal signature items left by other cachers.

[+bittsen]

Some things I shake my head at but others might shake their head at what I have taken from caches.

 

I do like to pick up used Golf balls. If nothing else, hit them off into the river or something (no, it's not going to kill anything in the river).

I also picked up a plastic cockroach. My caching buddy was asking why I was picking that up. Well, it would make a good TB or cache...

 

Used movie stubs, not so much but some concert ticket stubs have been known to collect value over many years. Ya never know.

Heck, even grocery receipts an be used by some (less than totally honest) people to add to their tax deductions.

[I!]

A new circuit's been set up here. It's in wonderful countryside, and the first three caches that I found were all good lock 'n' lock type containers. The fourth cache was not so good (careless placement, poor container, junk inside), so I said as much - and in reply the CO threatened to remove the entire series!

[+~Rah]

and in reply the CO threatened to remove the entire series!

 

If my cache had nothing but junk in it, I would want someone to inform me so I could go fix it. That response was a bit dramatic fer sure.

[+~Rah]

I do like to pick up used Golf balls. If nothing else, hit them off into the river or something (no, it's not going to kill anything in the river).

I also picked up a plastic cockroach. My caching buddy was asking why I was picking that up. Well, it would make a good TB or cache...

That's what I mean- most things I find in caches I personally have no interest in, but I recognize that SOMEone else might.. just like how I really like some silly little thing I find that most others wouldn't. But there are just some things that I can't fathom having any value for anyone. That boarding pass I saw today really peeved me. Now I wish I took it so I could facebook the guy and ask him what he was thinking!

[Clan Riffster]

Something I'd like to point out is, swag degradation is not a foregone conclusion. It seems as though the easier a cache is to get to, the kwicker the swag deteriorates. Those caches I own that require most of a day, a bunch of sweat, more than a little blood, and a few critter battles just to get to actually seem to have slowly improving swag. In speaking with the folks who try for caches like these, there appears to be a common theme: The cachers typically don't take anything from the cache, yet they like to leave something unique to mark their passage.

 

Perhaps a new law of nature is in order?

 

"The lazier a person is, the greater the likelihood that they'll trade down, or not at all"

 

All it needs is a catchy name...

[hoosier guy]

I'd like to know what adults like to find.

I can't speak for everyone, but the only thing I trade for is personal signature items left by other cachers.

 

+1

[+lachupa]

After seeind the other post on personal sig items I am on a QUEST for those. I saw one once but left it because I didn't **get it** at the time.

 

Hey I only have 40 finds I'm still all shinny and new.

 

I've seen some caches that were junk filled. Even from the very beginning I have always carred a few odds and ends so I can restock a cache. I wanted to clean up some trash once and didn't have a bag then I clued in that the little bags I carry everywhere I go to clean up after my dog will double as normal trash bags. I never really took the junk I've found out though, but I'm going to start doing that. Hey if I'm putting trade items in the cache and choose to remove junk it's my own business whether I toss it out of keep it.

[knowschad]

A new circuit's been set up here. It's in wonderful countryside, and the first three caches that I found were all good lock 'n' lock type containers. The fourth cache was not so good (careless placement, poor container, junk inside), so I said as much - and in reply the CO threatened to remove the entire series!

But the cache itself was disappointing: it was next to barbed wire (ouch), in a placcy bag (yuck), sticky on the outside (ick) and contained nothing worth finding plus a couple of freebie packs of matches which really shouldn't have been there (hmm)

 

I think that was a rather catty (pardon the expression) log to post. Barbed wire should be your responsibility to watch out for, not the cache hider's. I doubt that it was sticky on the outside when it was placed earlier this month, so that is outside of the cache owner's hands. The plastic bag may well have been added later by a cacher... I don't know. I wouldn't like that, but I probably wouldn't complain about it, either. And the matches almost certainly were not original swag. You had little, if anything, to complain about, the way I see it.

[+Team Cotati]

Today I visited a cache that had a domestic air travel boarding pass stub. Recently in other caches I have found concert ticket stubs, business cards, a rock, a piece of bark, etc.

Whta are people thinking when they put this junk in a cache? Does anyone seriously want to find junk like this in caches? Why would I want someone else's ticket stub or boarding pass, let alone a rock or a piece of bark I can pick up anywhere?

 

I am inclined to remove this stuff, but I figure it's not my place and would end up leaving some of these caches almost empty. I think it's a real waste and makes for a disappointing find.

 

What junk have you found in caches? Did you remove it? Leave it? Trade "up"?

 

As far as The Team is concerned, most of the stuff in caches is junk.

 

We do not trade these days and there is little likelihood that that is going to change any time soon.

 

One thing about this is 'good' I suppose, it makes it really easy to 'trade up'.

[+~Rah]

One thing about this is 'good' I suppose, it makes it really easy to 'trade up'.

Haha- well said! I could throw a penny in and I've already traded up

[I!]

Barbed wire should be your responsibility to watch out for, not the cache hider's.

He choose to place the cache next to barbed wire, when non-barbed sites were very near by. IMO, that's a bad choice.

 

knowschad> I doubt that it was sticky on the outside when it was placed earlier this month, so that is outside of the cache owner's hands.

Nope, CO had simply failed to clean the still-tacky adhesive from the container after peeling the label off.

 

knowschad> The plastic bag may well have been added later by a cacher... I don't know.

I was FTF: it was there when I arrived. I removed it.

 

knowschad> And the matches almost certainly were not original swag.

I was FTF: they were there when I arrived, along with the complimentary 5-pack of airline tissues (or something).

 

knowschad> You had little, if anything, to complain about, the way I see it.

Well you're wrong, of course. Except for one thing: it was quite a "catty" log

[+debaere]

Today I visited a cache that had a domestic air travel boarding pass stub. Recently in other caches I have found concert ticket stubs, business cards, a rock, a piece of bark, etc.

Whta are people thinking when they put this junk in a cache? Does anyone seriously want to find junk like this in caches? Why would I want someone else's ticket stub or boarding pass, let alone a rock or a piece of bark I can pick up anywhere?

 

I am inclined to remove this stuff, but I figure it's not my place and would end up leaving some of these caches almost empty. I think it's a real waste and makes for a disappointing find.

 

What junk have you found in caches? Did you remove it? Leave it? Trade "up"?

 

Personally I like a little bark in my caches.

[+Sailaway229]

Today I visited a cache that had a domestic air travel boarding pass stub. Recently in other caches I have found concert ticket stubs, business cards, a rock, a piece of bark, etc.

Whta are people thinking when they put this junk in a cache? Does anyone seriously want to find junk like this in caches? Why would I want someone else's ticket stub or boarding pass, let alone a rock or a piece of bark I can pick up anywhere?

 

I am inclined to remove this stuff, but I figure it's not my place and would end up leaving some of these caches almost empty. I think it's a real waste and makes for a disappointing find.

 

What junk have you found in caches? Did you remove it? Leave it? Trade "up"?

 

Personally I like a little bark in my caches.

 

I am very new to geocaching and yes some of the caches have items that I am not interested in. When that happens I don't take anything and try to leave something useful. I am not looking for treasure, we just enjoy the game and the time spent together as a family.

Edited August 13, 2010 by Sailaway229

[+Viajero Perdido]

[+JesandTodd]

I found an empty pack of orbitz gum recently. Empty. Seriously?

I only trade for pins anyway and it's been several months since I've seen one.

[+roziecakes]

I'd like to know what adults like to find.

I can't speak for everyone, but the only thing I trade for is personal signature items left by other cachers.

 

That's what I usually trade for as well. Once in a while though, I'll find something particularly spiffy that I trade for, maybe once or twice a year.

[+JoJoJeJe]

 

Personally I like a little bark in my caches.

 

LMAO!

gives them a more 'wilderness' feel...

[+roziecakes]

 

Personally I like a little bark in my caches.

 

LMAO!

gives them a more 'wilderness' feel...

 

Rustic! Rugged! Like a real mountain man/woman Throw in a few sticks too and you're set!

[knowschad]

Barbed wire should be your responsibility to watch out for, not the cache hider's.

He choose to place the cache next to barbed wire, when non-barbed sites were very near by. IMO, that's a bad choice.

 

knowschad> I doubt that it was sticky on the outside when it was placed earlier this month, so that is outside of the cache owner's hands.

Nope, CO had simply failed to clean the still-tacky adhesive from the container after peeling the label off.

 

knowschad> The plastic bag may well have been added later by a cacher... I don't know.

I was FTF: it was there when I arrived. I removed it.

 

knowschad> And the matches almost certainly were not original swag.

I was FTF: they were there when I arrived, along with the complimentary 5-pack of airline tissues (or something).

 

knowschad> You had little, if anything, to complain about, the way I see it.

Well you're wrong, of course. Except for one thing: it was quite a "catty" log

I stand corrected about all but the barbed wire. That's like saying that he placed it at the edge of a cliff when he could have placed it well away from the cliff.

[+mainsheet]

Not in the game for the stuff....

[Andronicus]

Barbed wire should be your responsibility to watch out for, not the cache hider's.

He choose to place the cache next to barbed wire, when non-barbed sites were very near by. IMO, that's a bad choice.

 

knowschad> I doubt that it was sticky on the outside when it was placed earlier this month, so that is outside of the cache owner's hands.

Nope, CO had simply failed to clean the still-tacky adhesive from the container after peeling the label off.

 

knowschad> The plastic bag may well have been added later by a cacher... I don't know.

I was FTF: it was there when I arrived. I removed it.

 

knowschad> And the matches almost certainly were not original swag.

I was FTF: they were there when I arrived, along with the complimentary 5-pack of airline tissues (or something).

 

knowschad> You had little, if anything, to complain about, the way I see it.

Well you're wrong, of course. Except for one thing: it was quite a "catty" log

I stand corrected about all but the barbed wire. That's like saying that he placed it at the edge of a cliff when he could have placed it well away from the cliff.

I have to side with knowschad on the barbed wire issue. It is your job to stay safe, not the CO’s.

 

Last year I ran into a barbed wire strung between two trees (in a park) about 1foot of the ground. It punctured my shin. I commented on it in my log as a warning to future cachers to be on the lookout, not as a complaint. The CO e-mailed me and apologized. Said he had tried to get all the barbed wire out of there. Of course, I was not upset at him at all. I had been too busy looking at my GPSr, not where I was walking. My fault.

[+Celtic4ever]

I found a condom in a cache by my house recently. Apparently someone thought this would be a good idea for a joke, because there was a handwritten note taped to it that said "play safe " That's the worst I've ever found, but I've seen plenty of empty mint or gum packets, and once I found used gum folded up in the wrapper. I think people figure it's better to leave it there than on a trail, but it's just gross.

[+roziecakes]

 

I do like to pick up used Golf balls. If nothing else, hit them off into the river or something (no, it's not going to kill anything in the river).

 

 

First of all, you need to come to our house because we keep finding old golf balls while doing yard work.

 

And secondly, it makes me think of the Addams Family movie from the early 90s; when Gomez would hit golf balls into the neighbor's window (D**n you Addams!)

[+MrsBean]

In a woodland cache I found some days ago, someone had placed a photograph (not actually in the cache, but right on top, and the cache is very out-of-the-way). I thought at first that some other cachers might have placed a pic of themselves in there for fun, but at second glance I saw it was a very explicit photo of a couple engaging in a very different kind of outdoor pastime Was sort of funny, but I really don't know what people were thinking - it's a cache near the motorway where people often go with their kids.

 

Don't know it the two on the pic were actually geocachers - didn't see a GPS on the pic... Might be an idea for the "proof photo" for your next earthcache

[+Brian~!]

Found a cigarette in one once - that went straight in the bin.

[+redsox_mark]

I found a condom in a cache by my house recently. Apparently someone thought this would be a good idea for a joke, because there was a handwritten note taped to it that said "play safe " That's the worst I've ever found, but I've seen plenty of empty mint or gum packets, and once I found used gum folded up in the wrapper. I think people figure it's better to leave it there than on a trail, but it's just gross.

 

A lot of people on this forum believe it is fine, even a good idea to leave condoms in caches. See This thread

[+vw_k]

I've found expired train tickets, coupons for local shops, pebbles etc. Maybe the coupons and tickets were once valid and of use to someone (if you wanted to travel in that direction and then get 3 beauty products for the price of 2!) but if they are expired then I remove them.

 

Seeing the occasional pebble or acorn doesn't bother me, if a family are caching and the young kids want to leave a pretty looking pebble or acorn then I say let them, it does no harm

 

I'm not in it for the swag really, just for the hunt, but if I do leave swag it'll be in more remote caches and be things of use like spare backpack buckes, hiking pole tips or an emergency whistle.

[+cfever]

Found a ripped in half riverboat casino playing card once. I mean, really? Who wants that?

[+bittsen]

A lot of people on this forum believe it is fine, even a good idea to leave condoms in caches. See This thread

 

Just thought of another reason to place a condom in a cache.

 

Take a condom, unroll it and add a little dab of sunscreen to it and then tie a knot to make sure the sunscreen doesn't dry out.

 

See? A personal dose of sunscreen. You might just help someone avoid skin cancer...

[+Ecylram]

 

Just thought of another reason to place a condom in a cache.

 

Take a condom, unroll it and add a little dab of sunscreen to it and then tie a knot to make sure the sunscreen doesn't dry out.

 

See? A personal dose of sunscreen. You might just help someone avoid skin cancer...

How thoughtful.

 

One could also place a personal sized portion of moisturizer as well. I know caching can really dry out my hands.