Multi Cache

[+MR57]

I did my first multi cache. I drove to one location spent some time and found article. Now I have cooridinates to drive to another location and spend some more time locating last article. So now I have spent twice the time and travel and I have only 1 find. Can someone tell me what's the point?

[+Mr. Wilson & a Mt. Goat]

I did my first multi cache. I drove to one location spent some time and found article. Now I have cooridinates to drive to another location and spend some more time locating last article. So now I have spent twice the time and travel and I have only 1 find. Can someone tell me what's the point?

 

Well, it's up to you if it has a point.

I'm someone who isn't all about the numbers, so finding 2 stages of a cache and only getting to log the final doesn't matter to me. I find it feels more rewarding to do twice the work for one hide, sometimes even 4 or 5 times the work.

[+briansnat]

I did my first multi cache. I drove to one location spent some time and found article. Now I have cooridinates to drive to another location and spend some more time locating last article. So now I have spent twice the time and travel and I have only 1 find. Can someone tell me what's the point?

 

To have fun. If your only measure of fun is a find count, then I can't help you.

[+MR57]

I did my first multi cache. I drove to one location spent some time and found article. Now I have cooridinates to drive to another location and spend some more time locating last article. So now I have spent twice the time and travel and I have only 1 find. Can someone tell me what's the point?

 

To have fun. If your only measure of fun is a find count, then I can't help you.

Ok I'm losing this battle. Acutally I'm not into numbers at all. I've only found 132 in 5 months since joining. But I do like to get paid. Working 2hrs and getting paid 1 is odd. I'll stick to traditionals. I love you guys.

[+u.rusty]

I did my first multi cache. I drove to one location spent some time and found article. Now I have cooridinates to drive to another location and spend some more time locating last article. So now I have spent twice the time and travel and I have only 1 find. Can someone tell me what's the point?

 

The point is to enjoy finding the final cache. If you don't enjoy multi caches don't look for multi caches. Everyone is different, I have spent 5 to 6 hours hiking to get two caches. I consider those two caches much more enjoyable that the eight caches that I found on the hike the day before. But, that's me, your geocaching mileage may vary.

 

The one multi that I've hunted, I found the first stage, got the coordinates for the second stage, but couldn't find it. Darn! I think the idea is cool though. I enjoyed the multi-cache DNF anyway.

 

[Edit]

 

I see that MR57 has replied as I was typing this. I gotta start typing faster!

 

No battle to lose. I'm glad to see you have a good attitude MR57, may you find every cache that you search for!

 

[End edit]

Edited October 20, 2010 by u.rusty

[+niraD]

But I do like to get paid. Working 2hrs and getting paid 1 is odd. I'll stick to traditionals.

Paid? You mean we get paid for this?

 

As others have suggested, the point is to have fun. If you aren't having fun, then you aren't playing the game right, even if it looks like you're playing it the same way that someone else plays it. If you don't enjoy multi-caches, then don't do them. It doesn't matter why others enjoy them.

[+T_M_H]

Like many other hobbies, there are many sub-genres of this one. There is something for everyone to enjoy. I recently placed a multi and each stage carried a theme. I wanted it to be a multi because I am proud of the container I made for the final and wanted it to be more of a challenging find.

 

Yesterday I completed my first high-terrain multi. I had a blast doing 7 very difficult stages. I value that smiley a lot more than I do a PnG so I got "paid" appropriately for it!

[+The Chaos Crew]

the pay back is the journey not the destination - I love multi-caches! Yes, they take longer, but usually the stages you visit along the way really add to the experience and the enjoyment.

 

In fact sometimes people deliberately build a multi cache, now that Virtuals are verboten, to bring you to a wonderful wonderful spot, where there isn't anywhere sensible to hide a physical cache (or there are permission issues).

 

You gather some info at said wonderful spot then find the physcial cache nearby.

 

It also adds an extra bit of fun to the proceedings if you have to work out the final co-ords after doing a bit of detective work.

 

Long live multis!

 

If you're not a numbers guy, then why would you prefer 8 x half an hour searches for straightforward traditionals over 1 x 4 hour search for a fun multi? doesn't make any sense to me.

 

My family are happy enough getting a small handful of smileys per week (sometimes only one or two), but smileys that we have really had an adventure earning.

 

Yes we see our fellow cachers ramping up the numbers at a much higher rate, but I bet we are having just as much fun as they are, maybe even more!

[+stanolli]

Following your theory to the limit I would suggest only doing 1/1 rated caches because some harder traditional ones will take a lot longer than the easiest multi ones.

I have just spent 3 evenings doing a longish multi in the Netherlands (and I dont speak Dutch). At the end of each evening it was back to the hotel to Google and translate info, but I saw some great sights, met some very interesting folk and learnt a lot.

[+L0ne.R]

I did my first multi cache. I drove to one location spent some time and found article. Now I have cooridinates to drive to another location and spend some more time locating last article. So now I have spent twice the time and travel and I have only 1 find. Can someone tell me what's the point?

 

To have fun. If your only measure of fun is a find count, then I can't help you.

Ok I'm losing this battle. Actually I'm not into numbers at all. I've only found 132 in 5 months since joining. But I do like to get paid. Working 2hrs and getting paid 1 is odd. I'll stick to traditionals. I love you guys.

 

I can see what you're saying, I like multis where every stage is its own reward, either a nice spot at each stage with something interesting to see or learn and then a good swag size container at the end. Or a multi that provides a good swag size container at each stage (and a decent location at each stage to boot is a nice bonus). But just stages for the sake of stages, meh.

[+dakboy]

Acutally I'm not into numbers at all. I've only found 132 in 5 months since joining. But I do like to get paid. Working 2hrs and getting paid 1 is odd.

Then you are into the numbers. If you weren't, you wouldn't care what you were "getting paid".

Edited October 20, 2010 by dakboy

[+addisonbr]

The point for some is that it can be a bit like a treasure hunt, following clues from place to place without ultimately knowing where you'll wind up. If the stages are well done it can be pretty fun.

[+GeoGeeBee]

I did a multi recently where I had to go to a spot, count some stuff, calculate a location for the final. Then the final turned out to be a micro in a parking lot. Not much point to that one; but then, there's not much point to any cache in a parking lot, is there?

 

We have another local multi that takes you on a tour of a historic cemetery. Each waypoint is a headstone, from which you gather information to calculate the coordinates of the next waypoint. The final is an ammo box located just outside of the cemetery. Along the way, you learn a great deal of local history.

 

Sure, it's a lot of work for one smiley. So is a five-mile hike that ends in a great scenic overlook. But I'll take either of those over a traditional in a parking lot, any day. I "get paid" in fun, not in smileys.

[+redsox_mark]

Lots of good comments in this thread. I love a good multi. (And same for puzzle caches which have multiple stages. )

 

Most of the multis I have done are either:

 

- Simple offset caches. E.g go find some interesting information, then find the cache nearby. Often these are placed to bring you to the "interesting information", as perhaps you can't place a cache right near it. I own one like this.

 

- Multiple stage "quests". Usually these are themed together as part of an overall challenging caching experience; e.g. may need to solve a field puzzle at one stage, pickup special equipment to use later at another, etc. These could take several hours or even multiple days, but if done well are worth it.

 

Now primarily I'm not about the numbers. For example, the past 2 weekends I spent many hours on a single "quest", and loved it and have no regrets. I would do that any day rather than find 20 or more micros. However, all being equal, numbers do make up part of the "fun" for me. So comparing 2 caching experiences:

 

1. A nice circular walk with 20 micros to find. Nothing exciting about any specific hide, but a nice walk, great views, etc.

2. The SAME walk, but this time 19 micros to find as stages of a multi, which leads to a final 20th micro as the final.

 

Either way, it's a nice walk. Either way, you get to have the same finding experience (except with 2 you sign one log rather than 20). But I would prefer 1), and part of that would be that I get more finds in my totals. The other reason I prefer 1) is that with 2), if any stage is missing, I don't get to log a find at all.

 

I guess what I'm saying is, a multi done well to me is it's own reward. But if the multi stages are arbitrary, I do see the OPs point.

 

I own one multi which is a nice 2 hour walk, which leads you to a interesting historical location, then back again. It has 6 virtual (question to answer) waypoints. It doesn't get many finds. It was done that way as you can't put a cache near the historical location. However, a short distance away from the historic location I don't believe there are any permission issues; I could replace this single multi with a ring of 7 to 10 caches, with a bonus final. The walk would be the same, and I think it would get more finds. I'm contemplating doing this.

Edited October 21, 2010 by redsox_mark

[+dfx]

I did my first multi cache. I drove to one location spent some time and found article. Now I have cooridinates to drive to another location and spend some more time locating last article. So now I have spent twice the time and travel and I have only 1 find. Can someone tell me what's the point?

no offence to the CO in question, but that doesn't sound like a well thought out setup for a multi. a good multi has a reason to be a multi. that can be for the challenge, either mental (nobody says that each stage simply has to give you the coords to the next one) or physical (we have some multis around here with stages up in trees, over water, even under water). or it can be to guide you along a certain route that the CO deems worth going on.

 

my advice: try a few more multis, you may eventually find one that you enjoy.

 

Ok I'm losing this battle. Acutally I'm not into numbers at all. I've only found 132 in 5 months since joining. But I do like to get paid. Working 2hrs and getting paid 1 is odd. I'll stick to traditionals.

somehow, this statement makes it sounds like you actually are into the numbers after all.

[+Cedar Grove Seekers]

Ok I'm losing this battle. Acutally I'm not into numbers at all. I've only found 132 in 5 months since joining. But I do like to get paid. Working 2hrs and getting paid 1 is odd. I'll stick to traditionals.

somehow, this statement makes it sounds like you actually are into the numbers after all.

 

I agree. Although you say otherwise, my impression is that the numbers are more important to you than the enjoyment of the hunt. It's OK if this is the case, but don't delude yourself.

 

Personally I like all types of caches for different reasons. One of the main reasons I like multi-caches is that they allow for much more creative intermediate hides. The intermediate hide does not have to be such that it contains a logbook, but could merely be a set of numbers on something very inconspicuous, which allows for much more variety.

[+mountainman38]

I did my first multi cache. I drove to one location spent some time and found article. Now I have cooridinates to drive to another location and spend some more time locating last article. So now I have spent twice the time and travel and I have only 1 find. Can someone tell me what's the point?

I'm generally not a big fan of multi's. While numbers don't mean much to me, zig-zagging back and forth across a field for several hours just doesn't bring me much joy or satisfaction.

 

For me, a multi can be fun, if it's done as others have said: where each stage is enjoyable or rewarding in some way.

 

One local multi cache took three visits because the first day I couldn't find the second of 5 caches, then couldn't get the rest done in one (short) winter afternoon. I still enjoyed the experience, because it took me to some really nice parts of an extensive local park, that I would have missed otherwise.

 

Another multi I liked was a pirate themed cache. It was challenging because the hides at each stage were done well, and used some clever containers. When I got to the final, I had to sort through a whole mess of rusty keys to open the treasure chest, but couldn't find the right key. It turns out there was a twist, which made it more fun.

 

Multi's that require driving back and forth across an off-road park for mile after mile, or back and forth across open fields, just leave me with a sour taste. If you're gonna make one, each part needs to be rewarding -- just like a traditional needs to be rewarding, or else what's the point (except for numbers).

[+Chokecherry]

I carefully pick my multis. I don't like multi's that are set out there for the sake of there being a multi when a variety of traditional caches in a series would have achieved the same goal. I've abandoned more than one multi after the first stage because of the going back and forth across a field thing for no other reason than a cache owner wanted to build some large multi stage cache.

 

But then again I also carefully pick them to assure that all stages are there and in good order. I did a multi where it was very obvious the stages were not going to survive any wet weather. Glad I got it done right after it was put out there.

[+narcissa]

Acutally I'm not into numbers at all. I've only found 132 in 5 months since joining. But I do like to get paid. Working 2hrs and getting paid 1 is odd.

Then you are into the numbers. If you weren't, you wouldn't care what you were "getting paid".

 

Exactly.

 

I like to hide puzzles and multis because it separates the wheat from the chaff. Case in point.

[+narcissa]

I carefully pick my multis. I don't like multi's that are set out there for the sake of there being a multi when a variety of traditional caches in a series would have achieved the same goal. I've abandoned more than one multi after the first stage because of the going back and forth across a field thing for no other reason than a cache owner wanted to build some large multi stage cache.

 

But then again I also carefully pick them to assure that all stages are there and in good order. I did a multi where it was very obvious the stages were not going to survive any wet weather. Glad I got it done right after it was put out there.

 

Multis can be a great way to get cachers to follow a certain path to a cache. For example, in a park where it's important for cachers to stay on the established trails, setting out a multi can deter people from taking shortcuts and bushwhacking where they aren't supposed to.

 

A multi can also be a great way to create a tour of a place, especially when features of interest don't lend themselves to containers, or are too close together for separate traditional caches.

 

Most cache owners around here use tags, or existing objects (signs, plaques, etc.) as multi-cache waypoints, rather than actual containers. In many cases, the waypoints don't need to be done in a particular order, rather, information needs to be collected at each waypoint and then put together in some way to find the coordinates of the final geocache.

[+Chokecherry]

They typically don't do multis like that here at all.

 

But we don't have parks with paths you must stay on. The multis with plaques are typically things you have to find in order leaving you zig zagging all over town in some cases.

 

There's limited creativity to the multis in my area which is why I typically ignore them unless one that looks well thought out comes up on the list.

[Skippermark]

Multis can be a great way to get cachers to follow a certain path to a cache. For example, in a park where it's important for cachers to stay on the established trails, setting out a multi can deter people from taking shortcuts and bushwhacking where they aren't supposed to.

I like multis that are setup like this and bring you past something really cool you might have missed or ones that bring you to a great overlook, things like that. Sometimes you might miss things like this if the cache wasn't a multi.

 

To the OP, look at the logs to any multis you want to do. See if there are any pictures. If people are writing short, simple logs, it may be a generic cache, but if people are saying how much fun it was, how good the views were or they loved this or that, you know you've got a good one, that is probably worth looking at doing.