Is it a cache?

[+rutson]

A scrap of paper in a plastic bag.

[+Madyokel]

Debatable I guess Ian.

However I have a cache that is infact a log and pencil rolled in a ziplock bag.

Have had no coplaints about the lack of canister since it was placed.

[+Moote]

Unfortunately I'm unable to respond to the post as it might offend some people!

[CW88]

I have found 2 or 3 like that.

One photos from previous logs showed it used to be in a 35mm film cannister so guess it was just temporary.

The other 2 were both micros, stuck on the back of different signs (danger/keep off) held by magnets so that was the easiest way for them to be done.

The ones on the back of the signs were fun and ok, but otherwise I'd think a cache like that would just be temporary or easily mistaken for rubbish.

[+GAZ]

Unfortunately I'm unable to respond to the post as it might offend some people!

 

Go on Moote.........you know you want to!

[+*mouse*]

I've found some hidden like that, but the context of the hide meant that they made sense (they were basically incorporated into a structure).

 

Guess it depends on what the situation was like really.

[+The Hornet]

No!

[+keehotee]

A scrap of paper in a plastic bag.

 

Probably no less a cache than one of these....

....and depending on the bag, possibly no less water tight either

[+drsolly]

The rules say "container". They don't say "rigid container". So, yes, it's a cache.

[+Mark+Karen]

The rules say "container". They don't say "rigid container". So, yes, it's a cache.

 

Is it listed on a caching site as being a cache? If not then it really is just a bit of paper in a plastic bag!

[+currykev]

A scrap of paper in a plastic bag.

 

Mine is.

But I describe it as..."The logbook is enclosed in something quite flat and held by magnets".

I bit more upmarket than your description.

Edited March 3, 2011 by currykev

[+rutson]

OK, I'll refine:

 

Should a piece of paper with "GEOCACHE" written on it in a grip-seal plastic bag folded over and shoved in the gap between a brick wall and a metal upright post be a valid Geocache?

[+keehotee]

OK, I'll refine:

 

Should a piece of paper with "GEOCACHE" written on it in a grip-seal plastic bag folded over and shoved in the gap between a brick wall and a metal upright post be a valid Geocache?

 

Yes.

If it fits the guidelines, and it's listed as one.

It might be the cra&&est, lamest, cheapest cache you've ever found - but it's still a physical step up from the cra&&est, lamest virtual you'll ever find.

[team tisri]

OK, I'll refine:

 

Should a piece of paper with "GEOCACHE" written on it in a grip-seal plastic bag folded over and shoved in the gap between a brick wall and a metal upright post be a valid Geocache?

 

If not, what characteristics should an object have before being considered a valid geocache? Is the issue you're having with it the fact it's a bag, the fact it's soft-sided, the location it's hidden in? Would a magnetic keysafe or a very thin and flat metal container really be any different?

[+thehalibutkid]

I don't see why not. One of the best finds i've had so far is a piece of magnetic plastic which acts as a logbook. I think just because micro's are generally film canisters doesn't mean they always should be. If using just a piece of paper in a bag is going to create a better hide then i'm all for it.

[+currykev]

OK, I'll refine:

 

Should a piece of paper with "GEOCACHE" written on it in a grip-seal plastic bag folded over and shoved in the gap between a brick wall and a metal upright post be a valid Geocache?

 

Yes indeed.

It's an uncommon variety of cache.

Better than a nano (if it stays dry) IMO.

[+bones1]

I have found a few like this but importantly it has taken you to a place you would not think of going to yourself,so hopefully during your travel to the cache site you saw new things. jeff=bones1.

[+The Hornet]

At one time a cache container had to be considered weatherproof and reasonably long lasting as well as being suitable for its location. Some erstwhile reviewers would certainly have questioned whether a plastic bag fitted those criteria before publishing the cache.

 

Maybe it's different these days, I don't know.

[+Madyokel]

At one time a cache container had to be considered weatherproof and reasonably long lasting as well as being suitable for its location. Some erstwhile reviewers would certainly have questioned whether a plastic bag fitted those criteria before publishing the cache.

 

Maybe it's different these days, I don't know.

Ok as I have said one of mine is without a permenant robust container I will point the cache out.

 

Log book dry and in good condition..

A previous container at the location was soon muggled.

Greygarth

[+dfx]

Is it listed on a caching site as being a cache? If not then it really is just a bit of paper in a plastic bag!

 

Um, no. Either it's a cache or it isn't. Whether it's listed on a site as being one or not doesn't make a difference.

 

Personally I'm undecided. I did find a handful of such hides in the past, can't say I was overly fond of any of them.

[+jmw61]

OK, I'll refine:

 

Should a piece of paper with "GEOCACHE" written on it in a grip-seal plastic bag folded over and shoved in the gap between a brick wall and a metal upright post be a valid Geocache?

 

Yes. Why wouldn't it be a cache?

[+Moote]

Unfortunately I'm unable to respond to the amended question, as it might offend some people.

[dodgydaved]

"[Found it] September 18, 2002 by Subarite (2773 found)

 

I am getting the hang of the caches which are zip-lock bags. I am not sure how secure these locations are going to be as they are very public and I found it difficult to rehide the cache/log so it couldn't be seen - time will tell!

 

Off to S7.

 

Andy."

 

......plus ce change (oh no, I've said that before [] )

[+Mark+Karen]

OK, I'll refine:

 

Should a piece of paper with "GEOCACHE" written on it in a grip-seal plastic bag folded over and shoved in the gap between a brick wall and a metal upright post be a valid Geocache?

 

Does it even need to have "GEOCACHE" written on it?

[Deceangi]

This is my personal take it this and not Official Groundspeak Policy

 

We due to valid reasons will not knowingly accept a container wrapped in a plastic bag. So how can what is essentially a plastic bag on it's own ie: a zip lock bag be a valid container. If the zip lock bag was surrounded by something forming a container such as a magnetic sheet then that would be acceptable. But on it's own, then No it's not a valid container. And personally in the past I have refused to publish caches where just a zip lock bag was used as a container.

 

my personal take it this and not Official Groundspeak Policy

 

Deci

[Mittellegi]

A scrap of paper in a plastic bag.

How about one of those fake, hollowed-out dog turds, you know, the sort you can pick up in the Joke Shop. What if I put a carefully crafted log book and tiny pen inside, put the whole thing in a plastic bag and hung it in a tree at my favourite beauty spot. Would that be a valid cache ?

[Deceangi]

A scrap of paper in a plastic bag.

How about one of those fake, hollowed-out dog turds, you know, the sort you can pick up in the Joke Shop. What if I put a carefully crafted log book and tiny pen inside, put the whole thing in a plastic bag and hung it in a tree at my favourite beauty spot. Would that be a valid cache ?

 

I've underlined the part in the quote, I personally would refuse to publish it on other than that it is a valid cache, subject to there being no issues with the location it was placed at

 

Deci

[+Nickie!]

One of the most favourited London caches, http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=23dfe719-f8a0-450a-8503-f449ffdbfe3c, is a plastic bag with a scrap of paper inside. Personally, I didn't care for it as it would have been possible to get a 35mm canister somewhere but it doesn't seem to put people off.

[+The Hornet]

In my time as a reviewer I was presented with all sorts of containers (including fake dog turds!). I soon discovered that recycled chinese takeaway boxes, cardboard pringles tubes, ice cream tubs and, yes, plastic bags almost invariably proved unsuitable as cache containers. They yended to either disintegrate or fill with water soon after placement. So my test as a reviewer was whether the container presented was likely to be long lasting given its location.

 

If a plastic bag was the only container but it was hidden in somewhere away from the elements so it would not suffer from inclement weather and was sufficiently sturdy to withstand several months of opening and closing then fine, it would get published. I have to tell you that not many passed this "test".

[+zarbi&zarbibird]

A scrap of paper in a plastic bag.

How about one of those fake, hollowed-out dog turds, you know, the sort you can pick up in the Joke Shop. What if I put a carefully crafted log book and tiny pen inside, put the whole thing in a plastic bag and hung it in a tree at my favourite beauty spot. Would that be a valid cache ?

[Mittellegi]

A scrap of paper in a plastic bag.

How about one of those fake, hollowed-out dog turds, you know, the sort you can pick up in the Joke Shop. What if I put a carefully crafted log book and tiny pen inside, put the whole thing in a plastic bag and hung it in a tree at my favourite beauty spot. Would that be a valid cache ?

Good Grief (or words to that effect ) I rarely read this forum, in common, so it seems, with most old timers...but thank goodness that ZZB took my tongue-in-cheek post in the manner in which it was intended...unlike TH and Deci...Come on Rutson, as the OP, what's your take on dog turds, fake or otherwise

[Deceangi]

A scrap of paper in a plastic bag.

How about one of those fake, hollowed-out dog turds, you know, the sort you can pick up in the Joke Shop. What if I put a carefully crafted log book and tiny pen inside, put the whole thing in a plastic bag and hung it in a tree at my favourite beauty spot. Would that be a valid cache ?

Good Grief (or words to that effect ) I rarely read this forum, in common, so it seems, with most old timers...but thank goodness that ZZB took my tongue-in-cheek post in the manner in which it was intended...unlike TH and Deci...Come on Rutson, as the OP, what's your take on dog turds, fake or otherwise

 

Your suggestion sans the plastic bag, was a published but now archived (by the Owners) cache a few years ago. But it wasn't a plastic one, but something that looked very realistic. I'd hazard a guess, that Rutson most probably found it. From memory it was named something like Richard the III.

 

Deci

[+Dorsetgal & GeoDog]

One of the most favourited London caches, http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=23dfe719-f8a0-450a-8503-f449ffdbfe3c, is a plastic bag with a scrap of paper inside. Personally, I didn't care for it as it would have been possible to get a 35mm canister somewhere but it doesn't seem to put people off.

 

That's my cache and if you don't care for it, please feel free not to log it

 

The cache is the closest physical cache to Big Ben and The Palace of Westminster, and due to it's proximity, this is the safest option.

 

It is set in accordance with the Met Police Guidelines.

Edited March 7, 2011 by Dorsetgal & GeoDog

[team tisri]

A scrap of paper in a plastic bag.

How about one of those fake, hollowed-out dog turds, you know, the sort you can pick up in the Joke Shop. What if I put a carefully crafted log book and tiny pen inside, put the whole thing in a plastic bag and hung it in a tree at my favourite beauty spot. Would that be a valid cache ?

 

You could combine caching ideas. A while back there was a discussion about having a huge container with a load of film pots in it, only one of which held a key, and every once in a while comes a cache that has an associated decoy or two.

 

Combining that idea with the dog turd idea you could have a fake dog turd with a cache inside it among a load of real dog turds. You could title the cache "The clean end of the turd" or something. If only ALRs were allowed you could require people to specify how they determined which one was the cache.

[+goldpot]

A scrap of paper in a plastic bag.

 

Phew! This one of mine would be OK.

 

GC2C1NN

 

It's neither a scrap piece of paper or in a plastic bag.

[+Amberel]

... if you don't care for it, please feel free not to log it

Sorry to drift off topic a bit, and no offence intended, but for the benefit of new cachers who may be uncertain, the test for logging a find is if you find it, not if you care for it.

 

I may choose not to look for a cache that I think I may not care for, but if for any reason I did find it then not caring for it is no reason not to log it.

 

Now, see if anyone can beat 5 negatives in one sentence .

 

Rgds, Andy

[+Dorsetgal & GeoDog]

... if you don't care for it, please feel free not to log it

Sorry to drift off topic a bit, and no offence intended, but for the benefit of new cachers who may be uncertain, the test for logging a find is if you find it, not if you care for it.

 

I may choose not to look for a cache that I think I may not care for, but if for any reason I did find it then not caring for it is no reason not to log it.

 

Now, see if anyone can beat 5 negatives in one sentence .

 

Rgds, Andy

 

I have acrually gotten to the site of a cache, eyeballed it and thought, not likely, the cache in question was behind a sewage pipe or somehting similar, that had leaked

[I!]

I regularly remove M&S bags ("it's dark green, so it's good camo!") that I find wrapped round caches. In the case of a ziplock "cache", I might just post NA immediately.

[+keehotee]

I regularly remove M&S bags ("it's dark green, so it's good camo!") that I find wrapped round caches. In the case of a ziplock "cache", I might just post NA immediately.

 

Why? A ziplock might be fine in some locations (see earlier posts in this thread)..?

Edited March 9, 2011 by keehotee

[+maxkim]

A scrap of paper in a plastic bag.

 

Phew! This one of mine would be OK.

 

GC2C1NN

 

It's neither a scrap piece of paper or in a plastic bag.

But still a cracking cache and one of our favorites.... MaxKim