Figured something out. . .

[+lomocacher]

There's a lot of discussion on the forums about whether cachers should have 100 or so finds before they can place a hide. Inevitably discussion turns into argument and a conclusion is never reached. But the main points made involve some combination of the following: 1) newbies need to see lots of caches before they know how to hide caches; 2) newbies place too many LPCs, GRCs, etc.; 3) newbies place too many C&Ds; 4) newbies select bad containers; and 5) good cache locations are wasted.

 

I think, however, that I figured out the true root of the problem after experiencing a disappointment today.

 

The real problem is that cache locations are more easily taken by those who do not take time to plan a cache. The number of finds makes no difference. When a cacher wants to work out a creative hide, it takes time and effort. Perhaps a week or two or more are needed to make this cache worthwhile. In the meantime, someone slaps a magnetic nano on a sign, and --POOF-- cache site is gone.

 

I had a beautiful hide planned and a sweet, scenic site chosen that required a hike along a creek. The selected container was a well-camouflaged ammo can. I had a lengthy description written and planned on taking some photos of the site to include in the listing. I have 20 finds, by the way.

 

But what happened? I just waited too long and planned too much. Someone slapped a nano a few feet away. They have over 200 finds.

 

And my sad, homeless ammo can lets out a lonely sigh. . .

edited for typos

Edited October 18, 2010 by lomocacher

[+Ecylram]

Well said.

 

(But am still amazed at some of the 'bad' caches left by newbie cachers who soon left the sport.)

Edited October 18, 2010 by Ecylram

[+Chokecherry]

Honestly I can accept the bad caches from newbie cachers. The harder pill I find to swallow is the bad hot messes of caches left by experienced geocachers.

[GOF and Bacall]

Write your page, with approximate coordinates, early. Contact your reviewer and explain what you are doing. They will almost always work with you. The key is to get your page started early. You can always edit it later.

[+popokiiti]

I find those caches that are gone, and the owners have "retired" very sad. So often it is in a scenic location, and is crying out for a replacement. We know of one that was placed in honour of someone's birthday - the birthday person has the cache on his watchlist, and after we DNF'd it, he contacted us. We were told that the cache is long gone and the owner has lost interest in geocaching. If only that owner could archive or adopt out the cache....................

[GOF and Bacall]

I find those caches that are gone, and the owners have "retired" very sad. So often it is in a scenic location, and is crying out for a replacement. We know of one that was placed in honour of someone's birthday - the birthday person has the cache on his watchlist, and after we DNF'd it, he contacted us. We were told that the cache is long gone and the owner has lost interest in geocaching. If only that owner could archive or adopt out the cache....................

 

Post a needs archived log and move on.

[+hukilaulau]

Write your page, with approximate coordinates, early. Contact your reviewer and explain what you are doing. They will almost always work with you. The key is to get your page started early. You can always edit it later.

You don't even have to contact the reviewer. Just uncheck the box that says the cache is ready to go, and the location is locked up until you activate it or until the reviewer thinks you've waited too long. There's really no reason to lose a good spot while you work on setting up a nice cache.

(Although it has happened to me too. At least twice.

But I have to acknowledge that it was just through laziness on my part.

[+lomocacher]

Write your page, with approximate coordinates, early. Contact your reviewer and explain what you are doing. They will almost always work with you. The key is to get your page started early. You can always edit it later.

You don't even have to contact the reviewer. Just uncheck the box that says the cache is ready to go, and the location is locked up until you activate it or until the reviewer thinks you've waited too long. There's really no reason to lose a good spot while you work on setting up a nice cache.

(Although it has happened to me too. At least twice.

But I have to acknowledge that it was just through laziness on my part.

 

I am kicking myself now! But I'm desperately trying to keep my spirits up

[GOF and Bacall]

Write your page, with approximate coordinates, early. Contact your reviewer and explain what you are doing. They will almost always work with you. The key is to get your page started early. You can always edit it later.

You don't even have to contact the reviewer. Just uncheck the box that says the cache is ready to go, and the location is locked up until you activate it or until the reviewer thinks you've waited too long. There's really no reason to lose a good spot while you work on setting up a nice cache.

(Although it has happened to me too. At least twice.

But I have to acknowledge that it was just through laziness on my part.

 

I am kicking myself now! But I'm desperately trying to keep my spirits up

 

Just consider it a learning experience.

 

Working with the reviewer has advantages beyond saving your proposed coordinates. It also lets the reviewer figure out if your proposed cache encroaches on any puzzle or multi cache locations.

[+Scooter Rider]

There's a lot of discussion on the forums about whether cachers should have 100 or so finds before they can place a hide. Inevitably discussion turns into argument and a conclusion is never reached. But the main points made involve some combination of the following: 1) newbies need to see lots of caches before they know how to hide caches; 2) newbies place too many LPCs, GRCs, etc.; 3) newbies place too many C&Ds; 4) newbies select bad containers; and 5) good cache locations are wasted.

 

I think, however, that I figured out the true root of the problem after experiencing a disappointment today.

 

The real problem is that cache locations are more easily taken by those who do not take time to plan a cache. The number of finds makes no difference. When a cacher wants to work out a creative hide, it takes time and effort. Perhaps a week or two or more are needed to make this cache worthwhile. In the meantime, someone slaps a on a sign, and --POOF-- cache site is gone.

 

I had a beautiful hide planned and a sweet, scenic site chosen that required a hike along a creek. The selected container was a well-camouflaged ammo can. I had a lengthy description written and planned on taking some photos of the site to include in the listing. I have 20 finds, by the way.

 

But what happened? I just waited too long and planned too much. Someone slapped a nano a few feet away. They have over 200 finds.

 

And my sad, homeless ammo can lets out a lonely sigh. . .

edited for typos

 

 

Oh I hear you I had a great site scoped out with a nice view and local history.

Than I find its locked up by a magnetic nano in a back alley . That's been there for three years.

 

I have 5 hide out there that folks seem to like I just went with what I would like find.

I only had 20 finds when I put them out.

[GOF and Bacall]

There's a lot of discussion on the forums about whether cachers should have 100 or so finds before they can place a hide. Inevitably discussion turns into argument and a conclusion is never reached. But the main points made involve some combination of the following: 1) newbies need to see lots of caches before they know how to hide caches; 2) newbies place too many LPCs, GRCs, etc.; 3) newbies place too many C&Ds; 4) newbies select bad containers; and 5) good cache locations are wasted.

 

I think, however, that I figured out the true root of the problem after experiencing a disappointment today.

 

The real problem is that cache locations are more easily taken by those who do not take time to plan a cache. The number of finds makes no difference. When a cacher wants to work out a creative hide, it takes time and effort. Perhaps a week or two or more are needed to make this cache worthwhile. In the meantime, someone slaps a on a sign, and --POOF-- cache site is gone.

 

I had a beautiful hide planned and a sweet, scenic site chosen that required a hike along a creek. The selected container was a well-camouflaged ammo can. I had a lengthy description written and planned on taking some photos of the site to include in the listing. I have 20 finds, by the way.

 

But what happened? I just waited too long and planned too much. Someone slapped a nano a few feet away. They have over 200 finds.

 

And my sad, homeless ammo can lets out a lonely sigh. . .

edited for typos

 

 

Oh I hear you I had a great site scoped out with a nice view and local history.

Than I find its locked up by a magnetic nano in a back alley . That's been there for three years.

 

I have 5 hide out there that folks seem to like I just went with what I would like find.

I only had 20 finds when I put them out.

 

Is there anything at the desired location to count? If so you can use it to redirect searchers to a nearby location that isn't blocked.

[+Scooter Rider]

Not for what I was planing . The dumpster is behind a historic building with a strip park in front.

And there is only one place to put a small. Moving .1 mile ether way would be just another micro.

The site could also would have been good for a multiply but some one botched the whole works

by placing a micro were they did. Ether they weren't thinking or just lazy. take you pick

[+Coldgears]

Here's the 5 steps to success.

 

1. Steal the nano

2. wait for DNF's

3. Wait for cache owner not to care about his cache, (rarely to people hiding nano's do.)

4. Wait for reviewer to archive

5. Hide your cache and put the nano you stole in it with a note for only the CO to take.

 

Edit: This was a joke...

Edited October 18, 2010 by Coldgears

[GOF and Bacall]

Here's the 5 steps to success.

 

1. Steal the nano

2. wait for DNF's

3. Wait for cache owner not to care about his cache, (rarely to people hiding nano's do.)

4. Wait for reviewer to archive

5. Hide your cache and put the nano you stole in it with a note for only the CO to take.

 

Edit: This was a joke...

 

6. Replace your missing cache.

7. Replace your missing cache.

8. Replace your missing cache.

9. Replace your missing cache.

[+sbell111]

There's a lot of discussion on the forums about whether cachers should have 100 or so finds before they can place a hide. Inevitably discussion turns into argument and a conclusion is never reached. But the main points made involve some combination of the following: 1) newbies need to see lots of caches before they know how to hide caches; 2) newbies place too many LPCs, GRCs, etc.; 3) newbies place too many C&Ds; 4) newbies select bad containers; and 5) good cache locations are wasted.

 

I think, however, that I figured out the true root of the problem after experiencing a disappointment today.

 

The real problem is that cache locations are more easily taken by those who do not take time to plan a cache. The number of finds makes no difference. When a cacher wants to work out a creative hide, it takes time and effort. Perhaps a week or two or more are needed to make this cache worthwhile. In the meantime, someone slaps a magnetic nano on a sign, and --POOF-- cache site is gone.

 

I had a beautiful hide planned and a sweet, scenic site chosen that required a hike along a creek. The selected container was a well-camouflaged ammo can. I had a lengthy description written and planned on taking some photos of the site to include in the listing. I have 20 finds, by the way.

 

But what happened? I just waited too long and planned too much. Someone slapped a nano a few feet away. They have over 200 finds.

 

And my sad, homeless ammo can lets out a lonely sigh. . .

edited for typos

I'll not cry because someone 'stole' a good place to hide a cache, ten years into the game.

[GPS-Hermit]

Write your page, with approximate coordinates, early. Contact your reviewer and explain what you are doing. They will almost always work with you. The key is to get your page started early. You can always edit it later.

You don't even have to contact the reviewer. Just uncheck the box that says the cache is ready to go, and the location is locked up until you activate it or until the reviewer thinks you've waited too long. There's really no reason to lose a good spot while you work on setting up a nice cache.

(Although it has happened to me too. At least twice.

But I have to acknowledge that it was just through laziness on my part.

 

I am kicking myself now! But I'm desperately trying to keep my spirits up

 

great idea - didn't know I could do that - thanks so much for a great tip!

[MisterEFQ]

We just got our 100th find last weekend. We are going to hide three caches very soon. Two of them we just got the idea for in the last three weeks or so.

 

Ones a micro that takes you to the location of a local legend. Only room for a micro though. Its going to be a great halloween cache.

 

One is a puzzle cache that makes you go around and check out houses that have been used in famous movies that were filmed around here. You must use info from those houses to get to the final, thats a regular size cache hidden in a near by park.

 

And the third is a regular size cache hidden near a not-very well known waterfall about 20 miles away. Its a nice 45 minutes hike with a great ending.

 

Im glad we took the time to find a bunch of caches before we start hiding. But 100 was a pretty big number to wait to. Could have started hiding at around 30-50. But didnt find or think of good spots until recently.

[+Team MacKenzie]

On the other hand, a spot that is ideal for a small sized cache just became open because another CO archived a multi that had one stage too close to where I want to place the cache.

 

I surveyed the spot this summer, did my research (including getting the smilie for the multi) and put the spot on my list of good hide locations and went on with life. Ok, I did a little bit of sighing...

 

I started a list of 'good hide places' this past year. So far I've got about 20 spots on the list. The only thing I'm short of is time and cache containers.

 

I find these places by always exploring 'that' road. You know the one...it's there, you've never been down it. Take the time to go, somedays it leads to neat places that need caches.

 

I figure that there's always another good spot to hide a cache if you just look, maybe even a better spot!!

[+J the Goat]

Here's the 5 steps to success.

 

1. Steal the nano

2. wait for DNF's

3. Wait for cache owner not to care about his cache, (rarely to people hiding nano's do.)

4. Wait for reviewer to archive

5. Hide your cache and put the nano you stole in it with a note for only the CO to take.

 

Edit: This was a joke...

 

6. Replace your missing cache.

7. Replace your missing cache.

8. Replace your missing cache.

9. Replace your missing cache.

 

[+kunarion]

Someone slapped a nano a few feet away. They have over 200 finds.

But you don't know how long they were planning that cache.

 

Two of my micros were in place months before I activated them. I needed to be sure they wouldn't be muggled immediately. One of the first considerations was container size, and I knew a larger container would definitely vanish.

 

And one of those micros could not be placed anywhere else in that park (or the county). It was a very particular hide style. Sure, someone could do a throw-down cache before I was ready to activate mine. In which case, I'll do one somewhere else sometime, using what I've learned.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

On the other hand, a spot that is ideal for a small sized cache just became open because another CO archived a multi that had one stage too close to where I want to place the cache.

 

I surveyed the spot this summer, did my research (including getting the smilie for the multi) and put the spot on my list of good hide locations and went on with life. Ok, I did a little bit of sighing...

 

I started a list of 'good hide places' this past year. So far I've got about 20 spots on the list. The only thing I'm short of is time and cache containers.

 

I find these places by always exploring 'that' road. You know the one...it's there, you've never been down it. Take the time to go, somedays it leads to neat places that need caches.

 

I figure that there's always another good spot to hide a cache if you just look, maybe even a better spot!!

 

I don't think I'd want to create a "good hiding places" list. I've run across quite a few places that I thought I might want to place a cache but just don't feel that I can add any more hides to those I have now and still maintain them properly so I haven't put any in those places. Recently we've had a couple of enthusiastic hiders in the area and it seems like a lot of their placements are going into spots which I've put in the back of my mind as a potential good hiding place.

[+Sol seaker]

Actually you seem to have two separate issues here,

 

One is the one you are discussing about whether newbies should hide caches or not,

 

and the other is someone stealing the spot you had planned before you finished.

 

Take the suggestions of others and get the spot "reserved" through the reviewer as described above.

 

The other issue is totally separate and is not likely to be resolved, now, and perhaps ever.

 

There, as have been observed, too many questions on either side of it.