Who published the first micro?

[+Fuchsiamagic]

At the risk of stirring up the old chestnut of cache sizes again, it seems to me that a geoCACHE should be what it says on the tin - a cache of goodies. My dictionary defines cache as "A hidden store of provisions, treasures etc". Therefore a film-pot cannot really be called a cache. It's just a film-pot with a piece of paper in it. I don't want to get into the argument about the merits of micros (or not) as we all play this game differently, but I just wondered when the proliferation started - and by whom?

[+FollowMeChaps]

You've hit the nail right on the head, Fuchsi', let's find out who's to balame!!!

[+paulbarratt]

While I'm not a great fan of micros, they do have their place. That place is historic or interesting places/monuments in urban areas where a small (or above) sized cache cannot be placed for logistical reasons.

Edited November 1, 2010 by paulbarratt

[+Mad H@ter]

I think that some might be surprised at the answer for the UK

It was placed very early on and was the 13th cache placed in the UK, unlucky for some

[+Delta68]

Water of Tyne (Tyne & Wear) maybe?

 

Published 10th June 2001

[+Graculus]

The ratio of nano/micro to small/regular/bigger caches I've published is pretty steady at 44% to 56%. So it isn't all micros after all

 

Chris

Graculus

Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com

UK Geocaching Information & Resources website www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk

Geocaching.com Knowledge Books

[+*mouse*]

When I started caching the first few micros I found had swaps in - tiny beads, shells or little badges. Not the case anymore, but the idea of a cache being a collection of treasures held true at the start regardless of size.

[+dfx]

When I started caching the first few micros I found had swaps in - tiny beads, shells or little badges. Not the case anymore, but the idea of a cache being a collection of treasures held true at the start regardless of size.

try that with a nano!

[+Mad H@ter]

I think that some might be surprised at the answer for the UK

It was placed very early on and was the 13th cache placed in the UK, unlucky for some

Even more surprising, at least 25% of caches place in the UK in the first 15 months were micros. Some will have you believe that it was all great big ammo box's in the beginning .

[+Pharisee]

Some other interesting(?) statistics...

 

2519 new caches placed in October 2010

 

356 container size 'other' or 'not chosen' (254 were 'traditional' caches... how many of them were nanos?)

9 container size 'large'

213 container size 'regular'

1029 container size 'small'

912 container size 'micro'

 

625 caches archived in October 2010

 

106 container size 'other' or 'not chosen'

3 container size 'large'

64 container size 'regular'

234 container size 'small'

218 container size 'micro'

 

'Micro' and 'Small' certainly seem to have the lion's share!

[+Fuchsiamagic]

I did one today listed as "small", but it turned out to be a magnetic key holder! Very small!

[+davidedward]

from reading what's been written above, it seems micros/nanos have been around since the dawn of geocaching.

 

in terms of etymology, cache actually comes from the french 'cacher' - to hide. so technically anything hidden can be a cache.

 

give me a decent micro any day over a damp sarnie box full of junk

[+keehotee]

give me a decent micro any day over a damp sarnie box full of junk

 

And therein lies the problem - there seem to be very few decent micros out there.......

Edited November 2, 2010 by keehotee

[+mcwomble]

At the risk of stirring up the old chestnut of cache sizes again, it seems to me that a geoCACHE should be what it says on the tin - a cache of goodies. My dictionary defines cache as "A hidden store of provisions, treasures etc".

 

GPWM - so where are the goodies at a Virtual or an Earthcache ?

[+Pharisee]

At the risk of stirring up the old chestnut of cache sizes again, it seems to me that a geoCACHE should be what it says on the tin - a cache of goodies. My dictionary defines cache as "A hidden store of provisions, treasures etc".

 

GPWM - so where are the goodies at a Virtual or an Earthcache ?

Exactly.... why are those categories included at all?

[+Mad H@ter]

give me a decent micro any day over a damp sarnie box full of junk

 

And therein lies the problem - there seem to be very few decent micros out there.......

And plenty of "damp sarnie box full of junk"

 

Sadly IMHO too many people get transfixed on micro's being a bad thing when in reality the problem is not the size of the cache but the appropriateness of the cache/location and how well it is maintained.

[+Lovejoy and Tinker]

Sadly IMHO too many people get transfixed on micro's being a bad thing when in reality the problem is not the size of the cache but the appropriateness of the cache/location and how well it is maintained.

+1

 

Very true

 

I never really care what we find when we get there. It's the getting there and what is there when you get there that matters to me.

 

Most plastic boxes are full of kids toys and calling cards, which I accept is great for kids. But from a personal point of view (no kids you see) I don't really care what we find. In fact as soon as the box/pot/nano is found I switch off and enjoy the surroundings.

 

So I like there to be surroundings to enjoy.

 

I'd rather find a film pot in the middle of a beautiful moor than a sandwich box in a hedge beside a main road with nothing to enjoy about the location.

 

The bigger ones are better for dropping trackables of course, but we have never yet had to hang onto a TB simply because we haven't found a pot big enough to put them in.

[+Jonovich]

Who published the first micro?

 

Erm... a reviewer I guess?

 

J

[+Pharisee]

Who published the first micro?

 

Erm... a reviewer I guess?

 

J

In a way, you're right. The ealiest micro I can find any record of was indeed Water of Tyne (Tyne & Wear) as mentioned previously by Delta68. This cache was owned by Moss Trooper who was himself an 'Approver' (as they were then) but I doubt if he approved it himself. There's no mention on the cache page as to who actually approved it... Tim & June, maybe?

[+dino-irl]

In a way, you're right. The ealiest micro I can find any record of was indeed Water of Tyne (Tyne & Wear) as mentioned previously by Delta68. This cache was owned by Moss Trooper who was himself an 'Approver' (as they were then) but I doubt if he approved it himself. There's no mention on the cache page as to who actually approved it... Tim & June, maybe?

[Activating special powers]

 

 

Having checked this for you I can say it was actually MT that published his own cache. Not unusual considering the number of reviewers around then?

[+Team Noodles]

In a way, you're right. The ealiest micro I can find any record of was indeed Water of Tyne (Tyne & Wear) as mentioned previously by Delta68. This cache was owned by Moss Trooper who was himself an 'Approver' (as they were then) but I doubt if he approved it himself. There's no mention on the cache page as to who actually approved it... Tim & June, maybe?

[Activating special powers]

 

 

Having checked this for you I can say it was actually MT that published his own cache. Not unusual considering the number of reviewers around then?

I'll just be the first to call HAX here then, just in case in the future it'll land me a movie contract and an Oprah/Jeremy appearance

[+dino-irl]

I'll just be the first to call HAX here then, just in case in the future it'll land me a movie contract and an Oprah/Jeremy appearance

I've an awful feeling the answer is going to make me feel really old but what does this mean?

 

(possibly even asking the question means I *am* really old!)

[+shantz_uk_&_cleverclogs]

I started my caches out full of goodies and within a month everything was gone, it seems people just take what is there without trading, I find that very sad!

[+Mad H@ter]

Oh my how things have changed

I for one think that we should put limits on what a MICRO STASH size can be

in terms on volume. How about 2 liters that is 2000 ml. Also I think that

MICRO STASHES should have SMALL things in them like ..... coins cpu

keys...Heck I don't know. A small log book is a must

What do you guys think?

James

LIST FOUNDER

[+The Chaos Crew]

HAX:

 

from years gone by watching my now ex play Counter Strike endlessly, I believe it means that publishing your own cache is cheating

[+monstercatambush]

I followed this thread, having wondered the same thing, but then saw its not exactly in my neighborhood (I'm in Bloomington, Indiana, USA).

 

I agree that a lot of urban hide spots just can't hold an ammo can (our favorite containers in the states.) These are totally water tight and practically indestructible, and available at the many army surplus stores. Being of steel construction they lend themselves to modification, which little film cans do not. (Example: two ammo cans I recently put out where one starts a little music box movement when opened and plays "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead" and another where a very life like hand and arm shoot out and grab your wrist.)

Cans like that I try to put at least 3 or 4 miles from any parking to make sure only dedicated hikers/cachers get them.

 

I'll look for a nano or micro is its in town, but won't look for one in the woods unless its just on my way.

 

And I agree with whoever posted lamenting the lack of trading. I try to put a mix of decent camping/outdoors type things in there for adults, as well as some toys and other items for kids. In every case (I have about 100 hides) when I check back after 15 or 20 people have found them all that is left is the log book. People just don't bring anything!

[+The Other Stu]

I'm starting to wonder if it's worth it - I've got an ammo can out there which I've spent at least £40 on so far....

 

 

Took the red car and left Ollie the cat geocoin

 

 

Ho hum