How long to hold a wet log?

[+Steve&GeoCarolyn]

On Saturday we found a micro (GC1JEBC) with a log that was pretty much mush being held together with water and inertia. We stashed the ruined, unusable log in the net pocket of our pack, dried out the cache as best we could, folded several clean sheets of paper (after signing one), put the paper in a ziplock bag and placed it in the cache and sealed everything back up. So we hope that we've left things better than we found them. In our log I explained what we'd done and offered to send the ruined log to the owner once it has dried sufficiently to be put in an envelope. (It looks to me as if all the signatures have washed off the log, though.)

 

As I think on this, I realize that I don't know how long to keep the log awaiting contact from the owner just in case the owner wants it. Obviously I don't want to keep it forever. But if the owner turns out to be sentimental about logs (even sodden, ruined logs), I don't want to toss it too soon, either. How long would you keep such a log before tossing it?

 

Carolyn

[+sbell111]

I'd probably go with a month.

[+Steve&GeoCarolyn]

I'd probably go with a month.

 

Thank you! I will wait a month before removing it from the net pocket, then. That seems reasonable.

 

Carolyn

[+TerraViators]

I have no idea why they would want it. A mushy wet log is like a used toothbrush...nobody wants one.

[+FamilyDNA]

Once it dries, if anything is readable, you could scan or photograph and upload the picture to your log. I might do this even if you couldn't read anything.

[+ras_oscar]

I usually PM the Co asking for a message within a set time period. I've generally stated 2 weeks. That gives the Co a chance to reply and make arrangements to receive the log. Havent received a reply yet.

[+Steve&GeoCarolyn]

Once it dries, if anything is readable, you could scan or photograph and upload the picture to your log. I might do this even if you couldn't read anything.

 

I might do that (if it hasn't fused into one paper mache tube and become impossible to unfurl). I enclosed a picture of the soaked log as it was on Saturday in my online log. Based on other entries, the log has apparently been wet for more than a year and we had a major flood last May, which I assume drove it over the edge into permanent gloppy wetness. A previous picture of the wet log showed it with signatures on it. My photo shows it with blotchy colors but no signatures, so I'm assuming that the water eventually lifted the ink from the paper.

 

But it would be interesting to have a photo of it, if that ends up being possible.

 

I have no idea why they would want it. A mushy wet log is like a used toothbrush...nobody wants one.

 

One of the things that has amazed me reading the forums here is how passionately people care about things that others find silly or unimportant. So even though I doubt that this particular owner is picky about logs, I don't want to assume I know what would be important to him.

 

I usually PM the Co asking for a message within a set time period. I've generally stated 2 weeks. That gives the Co a chance to reply and make arrangements to receive the log. Havent received a reply yet.

 

If I haven't heard from him, I'll drop him an email. I don't want to be pesty. That seems like a good way to go. That way he knows what's going on.

 

Thanks for everyone's advice!

Carolyn

[+John in Valley Forge]

I've scanned the couple soaked logs that I've replaced, then asked the CO if they wanted it emailed to them or uploaded to the gallery.

[+sbell111]

I usually PM the Co asking for a message within a set time period. I've generally stated 2 weeks. That gives the Co a chance to reply and make arrangements to receive the log. Havent received a reply yet.

The reason that I went with a month is because people are frequently out of pocket for a couple weeks at a time.

[knowschad]

Until your fingertips get pruney?

 

 

OK, ok... your question was serious. But I think it has been answered pretty well already. Personally, in 6 years of geocaching, I have not once had the cache owner request the log. I know (from these forums) that there are a few out there that might be sticklers about that, but not in my territory. Still, I usually hang onto it until I either hear back from them, or can reasonably figure that I won't be hearing from them.

Edited October 12, 2010 by knowschad

[GPS-Hermit]

I would send the cache owner an email and request instructions. No reply no interest! Try 3 times and give up! No point in you being more interested in the cache log than he is. We have all helped with remote CO - especially when the cache is really fun. So thanks to you for helping and be proud of it - regardless of the owners interest is.

[+Ltljon]

Looks like he's not logged a cache in almost 2 years plus hasn't logged onto GC in almost 3 months so I'd bet he don't have a lot of sentements for mushy logs.

You did a good thing though. I'd have just trashed it, replaced it, & moved on.

[+BlueDeuce]

Looks like he's not logged a cache in almost 2 years plus hasn't logged onto GC in almost 3 months so I'd bet he don't have a lot of sentements for mushy logs.

You did a good thing though. I'd have just trashed it, replaced it, & moved on.

 

Isn't there more to maintaining a cache than someone else replacing a log, or a container?

[+sbell111]

Looks like he's not logged a cache in almost 2 years plus hasn't logged onto GC in almost 3 months so I'd bet he don't have a lot of sentements for mushy logs.

You did a good thing though. I'd have just trashed it, replaced it, & moved on.

 

Isn't there more to maintaining a cache than someone else replacing a log, or a container?

Sure, but that was apparently the only thing that the cache in question needed.

[+ras_oscar]

I usually PM the Co asking for a message within a set time period. I've generally stated 2 weeks. That gives the Co a chance to reply and make arrangements to receive the log. Havent received a reply yet.

The reason that I went with a month is because people are frequently out of pocket for a couple weeks at a time.

 

Longer is certainly better, and in reality i usually hold on to it until I come upon the next cache that needs a log replaced. It's rare that I can't squeeze my name in between 2 others, and rarer still that I can't add a piece of log from my georepair kit. I think I have one log in my bag that I picked up 10 months ago. Of course I have long forgotten which cache it came from. Just waiting until it gets replaced by the next one.

 

What I would hope for within 2 weeks is a communication from the CO indicating they want the log. We would then work out privately how to get that done, regardless of how long it takes.

[+BaylorGrad]

Like others have stated, I e-mail the CO and tell them that I'll hold onto it for 3-4 weeks, and if I don't hear from them that they want the log, it's going to "Geocaching Log Heaven!" Usually I keep it a little longer, just in case (especially if it's a very full log from a nano that I had to replace, rather than a wet log).