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Cache Maintenance - Changing My Mind


Ecylram

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It seemed so simple when I started out...Cache owners are busy people and don't always know that their cache needs maintenance, or if they do, may not be able to get out to perform the maintenance right away.

 

So I bought some supplies and when I came across a torn baggie, a wet log, or other similar issue I'd perform the maintenance if I could. Whether I could or not, I'd note in the logs the situation and post a NM if the cache required immediate attention. I felt I was doing this as much for the cacher's that followed me as I was for the cache owner. I believed I was being a good caching 'citizen' and I got some nice "thank you's" from cache owners.

 

Then, the more I cached the more I noticed that some cache owners were not as concerned about cache maintenance as I was. For example, Cache Owner "A" has cached a long time and owns a large number of caches. Their caches get virtually no maintenance. Wet logs, broken containers, and most NM's go unresolved. Hitting an area heavy with their caches can be an unpleasant experience. On one caching trip, I burned through my supplies fixing their caches.

 

Over time, I've found myself becoming very selective about helping cache owners with their maintenance and I often go caching without my repair supplies. If I find a problem with a cache, I still log it.

 

But I have my exceptions...

 

I'll bend over backwards to help cache owners who I know work hard to maintain their caches. One, Mondou2, has over 900 placed caches (and over 30,000 finds). I found one of his caches last weekend and the lid was missing. I remembered I had one that fit in the car so I put that on and mentioned it in the found log. A few hours later I got a nice "thank you". He always checks on his caches and he's good about letting DNF"s know if a cache was actually missing. Another cacher, "Imusttravel2000" has over 500 hides, yet she'll disable a cache over a single DNF and check on it as soon as possible. If I can help her out, I will.

 

Tomorrow, I'll be checking on a cache for a friend who's been busy caring for a sick child. I'll be in the area and I know she takes great care in her caches. So there I am with a schizophrenic approach, help some and ignore others. My opinion is 'evolving' but I do know I've gotten tired of spending my money and time on caches where the CO won't. The downside it, the cachers that follow me, then have to put up the same problems.

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Hear hear. I've come across COs like that as well. Keep placing caches, but never maintain them. They get damaged, go missing, and nothing happens. Eventually they just get archived, many times by a reviewer. In the meantime, they just keep placing new caches.

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I think the key lies in this one sentence:

 

I felt I was doing this as much for the cacher's that followed me as I was for the cache owner.

 

Sounds like somewhere along the way, you forgot about the first part and let the second part sour you.

 

Don't think I haven't thought about that. Hence the angst. One question I'm pondering is...

 

Are you making the problem worse by maintaining their caches for them? Doesn't it encourage them to continue the practice of place and forget when they know someone will eventually take care of any problems?

 

Hypothetically, if the caches aren't maintained they'll eventually be NA'd and then a more contientious cacher will be able to place a cache in or near that location.

 

Hmmm...

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I think the key lies in this one sentence:

 

I felt I was doing this as much for the cacher's that followed me as I was for the cache owner.

 

Sounds like somewhere along the way, you forgot about the first part and let the second part sour you.

 

Don't think I haven't thought about that. Hence the angst. One question I'm pondering is...

 

Are you making the problem worse by maintaining their caches for them? Doesn't it encourage them to continue the practice of place and forget when they know someone will eventually take care of any problems?

 

Hypothetically, if the caches aren't maintained they'll eventually be NA'd and then a more contientious cacher will be able to place a cache in or near that location.

 

Hmmm...

 

I find in my specific area that it's just a handful of cachers that seem to have a problem maintaining their caches. Most can and do respond to maintenance logs. If I have supplies, I'll fix a cache, add a log, dry out a log (common!), etc. for a CO who generally does a good job. However, there are a few who I've found to be pretty unresponsive or confrontational when it comes to cache maintenance. I've given up on attempting to fix their caches and simply post NM notes. A few in the area have taken it to the next step and have posted NA notes on the caches. I think the NA notes are only warranted in a FEW, select cases. Most of the time I like to be diplomatic and contact the CO with a simple note that their cache is in dire straits. If I see a trend of them not doing a darn thing about it, I don't think it's really unwarranted to not be very happy with them as a cache owner.

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I think the key lies in this one sentence:

 

I felt I was doing this as much for the cacher's that followed me as I was for the cache owner.

 

Sounds like somewhere along the way, you forgot about the first part and let the second part sour you.

 

Don't think I haven't thought about that. Hence the angst. One question I'm pondering is...

 

Are you making the problem worse by maintaining their caches for them? Doesn't it encourage them to continue the practice of place and forget when they know someone will eventually take care of any problems?

 

Hypothetically, if the caches aren't maintained they'll eventually be NA'd and then a more contientious cacher will be able to place a cache in or near that location.

 

Hmmm...

I suppose in some cases you are enabling* the hiders by maintaining their caches for them, in some cases you aren't.

 

As for your hypothesis... I bolded the one flawed assumption that I think you are making. B)

 

 

 

* enabling : 1990's psychobabble meaning to encourage problematic behavior. As opposed to the pre-1990's use of the word meaning to encourage positive behavior and to help individuals to develop and grow

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Are you making the problem worse by maintaining their caches for them?

 

This.

 

IMHO, performing maintenance on a cache owned by a neglectful CO is only prolonging the agony. Post the NM, or if there are already a bunch of ignored NM logs, then post the NA.

 

In the case of a CO who is known to perform maintenance, I'll help out if I happen to get to the cache before they do. In the case of a unique historical cache, or at least a cache with a quality container, I'll perform minor maintenance if the original CO is no longer active. (I recently replaced a logbook in an ammo can full of swag, in a nice location, that was in great condition except for the full log. The CO hasn't logged in to the website in years.)

 

But for cases of simple owner neglect, I'll post a NM and I'm done. Let it die so someone who cares about their caches can place one in the area.

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I also use selective maintenance techniques, but mine are focused more on my highly biased caching aesthetic. I will bend over backwards to help fix a cache that fits my preferences, while not giving a second thought to those caches that don't fit my preferences. For instance, if I find an ammo can at a scenic spot, with a full logbook, I'll drop in a new one, even if I have to hoof back to my car to do so. But if I found a soggy log film can, I would just shake my head and move on. Using the bespectacled pooch's 90's definition, I choose not to be a crappy cache enabler. If a cache really sucks, (as defined by my bias), I don't want to do anything that might cause that cache to live another day.

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2 questions come to mind. Is there any provision for adopting a cache where the CO has not signed in for years? Can a CO be punished for not maintaining their cache, for example: no new caches to be approved until others are maintained?

 

Generally, the answer to your questions is "no" and "no". There's a lot of threads on the subject as it comes up every few weeks, you can do search on them if you're curious to see the discussions on the subject.

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Are you making the problem worse by maintaining their caches for them? Doesn't it encourage them to continue the practice of place and forget when they know someone will eventually take care of any problems?

 

Hypothetically, if the caches aren't maintained they'll eventually be NA'd and then a more conscientious cacher will be able to place a cache in or near that location.

 

Hmmm...

 

Hello Ecylram. We did the same thing when we started caching - we brought baggies, different sized logbook replacements, magnets, glue and even spare containers (35mm, altiod tins, lock'n'locks, etc). But after a while we noticed that we were fixing 'crappy caches'. I know that everyone has a different opinion on what makes a good cache, but it's easiest to define it as 'a cache that you'd like to see stick around'.

 

So we stopped fixing 'all of them' and started the 'wow' factor maintenance. If we found it and said 'wow' it was worth repairing. Not too long ago, we replaced the container of this cache because it had the 'wow' factor to it.

 

The ones that fade from memory probably should die a natural death. It's the good ones we want to stick around.

 

We still carry around those supplies and fix some here and there, but not nearly as often as we used to.

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I also use selective maintenance techniques, but mine are focused more on my highly biased caching aesthetic. I will bend over backwards to help fix a cache that fits my preferences, while not giving a second thought to those caches that don't fit my preferences.

Word.

 

If I find a cache that requires a 10-mile roundtrip hike through a beautiful area, I will do everything in my power to help maintain it. If the standard were that the only one doing the maintenance were the owner, such a cache might not be placed.

 

But if I find a crappy urban hide in need of repair, I won't waste my time.

 

The more impersonal and generic the cache, the less likely I will help maintain it.

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The more other people do maintenance for COs the more they expect it. This may not apply to every CO, but it does apply to most. I'm all for helping maintain a historic/cool cache with an absent owner. I am not for maintaining a simple average cache for a CO who is more intent on putting out new caches then fixing old ones.

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Hear hear. I've come across COs like that as well. Keep placing caches, but never maintain them. They get damaged, go missing, and nothing happens. Eventually they just get archived, many times by a reviewer. In the meantime, they just keep placing new caches.

 

I simply can not understand how someone can completely ignore a Reviewer's Note and allow their caches to be archived, while they are actively seeking and hiding caches.

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Are you making the problem worse by maintaining their caches for them? Doesn't it encourage them to continue the practice of place and forget when they know someone will eventually take care of any problems?

 

The more other people do maintenance for COs the more they expect it. This may not apply to every CO, but it does apply to most.

 

Here's my two cents worth, and why I don't necessarily agree with either of these points. It's this simple... either people care, or they don't. They rarely care "conditionally." Let me explain. (It will become obvious that I have a degree in logic structures in a moment here.) Imagine there are three kinds of hiders:

 

Hider A: I am a conscientious hider. I try my best to maintain my caches because it's the responsible thing to do, regardless of whether others are willing to maintain them or not.

Hider B: I couldn't care less. I put em out, I let em live their natural life, and when they get old, someone will archive them. Whatever.

Hider C: I am a conscientious hider who maintains my caches because it's the responsible thing to do. But, now that I can see others are willing to replace my ziplocs, I have decided to abandon my upbringing and personal values and just say the hell with it. From now on I'm scattering trash all over the countryside and letting them fester. Too bad for you, you losers.

 

We all know lots of people that are A. We all know a few people that are B. But my point is, there is no such thing as C. Either people care, or they don't. The ones that care about their caches will maintain them whether you lend them a hand or not. And the ones that don't care about their caches will not maintain them, whether you lend a hand or not.

 

I agree that sometimes, maintaining a cache prolongs the life of a cache that should just die. But I do NOT agree that maintaining a cache alters the beliefs or behavior of the hider in any way. Either people care, or they don't, and I don't believe my swapping a ziploc has any influence over their value system.

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Are you making the problem worse by maintaining their caches for them? Doesn't it encourage them to continue the practice of place and forget when they know someone will eventually take care of any problems?

 

The more other people do maintenance for COs the more they expect it. This may not apply to every CO, but it does apply to most.

 

Here's my two cents worth, and why I don't necessarily agree with either of these points. It's this simple... either people care, or they don't. They rarely care "conditionally." Let me explain. (It will become obvious that I have a degree in logic structures in a moment here.) Imagine there are three kinds of hiders:

 

Hider A: I am a conscientious hider. I try my best to maintain my caches because it's the responsible thing to do, regardless of whether others are willing to maintain them or not.

Hider B: I couldn't care less. I put em out, I let em live their natural life, and when they get old, someone will archive them. Whatever.

Hider C: I am a conscientious hider who maintains my caches because it's the responsible thing to do. But, now that I can see others are willing to replace my ziplocs, I have decided to abandon my upbringing and personal values and just say the hell with it. From now on I'm scattering trash all over the countryside and letting them fester. Too bad for you, you losers.

 

We all know lots of people that are A. We all know a few people that are B. But my point is, there is no such thing as C. Either people care, or they don't. The ones that care about their caches will maintain them whether you lend them a hand or not. And the ones that don't care about their caches will not maintain them, whether you lend a hand or not.

 

I agree that sometimes, maintaining a cache prolongs the life of a cache that should just die. But I do NOT agree that maintaining a cache alters the beliefs or behavior of the hider in any way. Either people care, or they don't, and I don't believe my swapping a ziploc has any influence over their value system.

 

Agree with you on this one.

Lots of conscientious cachers who hide good caches (IMHO) and do take care of their caches! I'll help them out, when I am able.

I've seen too many cachers who hide them, and never maintain them. Some are poor caches. (250 hides. 125 archived. Maintenance actually done on one once!) Sadly, we have one nearby who hides very interesting caches. But never maintains them. I'll look for those, but, no, I won't maintain them. (As opposed to the previous example who is on my ignore list.)

And I've never heard of Type C. I don't know of any cachers who stopped maintenance because other cachers will do it for them.

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We have only recently been introduced to the idea of actually fixing a cache itself. I think it is up to the CO to place a container that is going to withstand whatever randomness may befall their cache in between maintenance cycles, so pretty much where I draw the line is with the log.

From a strictly selfish perspective, if I can't sign the log, I feel like I have done something wrong and can't really "log it", so we keep a nice collection of micro logs with us at all times.

We recently purchased a "cache repair kit" off EBay which, while it would be handy for maintaining our own caches (all five of them), they are sufficiently set that they don't need a ton of regular maintenance. However, we frequently find soaked logs via bad containers, and while I will indicate that a log needs squared away and that we offered a temporary replacement, I hope the CO will be conscientious enough to come out and try to settle the problem permanently.

In the rain soaked PNW, a well constructed water abating micro is hard to find (although, I have been pleasantly surprised with one particular CO's innovation of hanging a film canister upside down-it works great), so we do what we can to help not only ourselves, but those coming after us.

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Do you think that the power trail maintainence is a different subject? Just curious, since you have been a vocal supporter of them and they seem to have many maint. issues.

 

The subject of this thread is cache maintenance and what to do when encountering a cache that needs maintenance. All types of caches require maintenance, but for the sake of reasoned discussion it's probably best to keep power trail related issues to the power trail threads.

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Do you think that the power trail maintainence is a different subject? Just curious, since you have been a vocal supporter of them and they seem to have many maint. issues.

 

The subject of this thread is cache maintenance and what to do when encountering a cache that needs maintenance. All types of caches require maintenance, but for the sake of reasoned discussion it's probably best to keep power trail related issues to the power trail threads.

 

Ummm....it is related. You are giving different scenarios for maint. That is just one more in the mix. How do they fall in your changed mind on maint?

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We have a couple tools to use to report issues with caches. We just need to use them. If it needs maintenance, log a NM note. If the cache area really interests us, the click the watch button on the cache and see if anything gets done about the maintenance. If not, after a reasonable time, log a NA note. I hit one today that has had a couple NM notes about the container. If it doesn't get action soon, I'm issuing a NA note. Not that that that will require the CO to do anything, it does alert our reviewer.

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Do you think that the power trail maintainence is a different subject? Just curious, since you have been a vocal supporter of them and they seem to have many maint. issues.

 

The subject of this thread is cache maintenance and what to do when encountering a cache that needs maintenance. All types of caches require maintenance, but for the sake of reasoned discussion it's probably best to keep power trail related issues to the power trail threads.

 

Ummm....it is related. You are giving different scenarios for maint. That is just one more in the mix. How do they fall in your changed mind on maint?

 

Irrelevant to me as I've never encountered that situation.. However I have encountered numerous traditional caches in my area that require maintenance - broken and cracked containers, soggy logs and torn baggies. Because its a frequent issue, I thought I'd throw it out to the fine people here to comment on. There have been some excellent comments so far.

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We have only recently been introduced to the idea of actually fixing a cache itself. I think it is up to the CO to place a container that is going to withstand whatever randomness may befall their cache in between maintenance cycles, so pretty much where I draw the line is with the log.

From a strictly selfish perspective, if I can't sign the log, I feel like I have done something wrong and can't really "log it", so we keep a nice collection of micro logs with us at all times.

We recently purchased a "cache repair kit" off EBay which, while it would be handy for maintaining our own caches (all five of them), they are sufficiently set that they don't need a ton of regular maintenance. However, we frequently find soaked logs via bad containers, and while I will indicate that a log needs squared away and that we offered a temporary replacement, I hope the CO will be conscientious enough to come out and try to settle the problem permanently.

In the rain soaked PNW, a well constructed water abating micro is hard to find (although, I have been pleasantly surprised with one particular CO's innovation of hanging a film canister upside down-it works great), so we do what we can to help not only ourselves, but those coming after us.

Unfortunately upside down film canisters still get wet unless there is something in the container design that keep any water from getting to the area where the container meets the lid. In theory an upright film container should be more resistent to water and moisture than an inverted one since the lip of the lid overhangs the body of the container. And then there is the rain falling from the sky while the container is open and the log is being signed.

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I also use selective maintenance techniques, but mine are focused more on my highly biased caching aesthetic. I will bend over backwards to help fix a cache that fits my preferences, while not giving a second thought to those caches that don't fit my preferences.

Word.

 

If I find a cache that requires a 10-mile roundtrip hike through a beautiful area, I will do everything in my power to help maintain it. If the standard were that the only one doing the maintenance were the owner, such a cache might not be placed.

 

But if I find a crappy urban hide in need of repair, I won't waste my time.

 

The more impersonal and generic the cache, the less likely I will help maintain it.

 

Thats sorta the way I've been doing it for a long while as well.

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if I find a crappy urban hide in need of repair, I won't waste my time.

 

The more impersonal and generic the cache, the less likely I will help maintain it.

Some caches can be maintained because they are instructive.

 

Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia is almost a primer for cache placements. There's a variety of hide styles and container types, and cachers are free to try most any hide they wish. You'll see very creative hides that are fragile, or large containers along popular trails, some placed where the container tends to wash away. And a few hidden in the perfect spot for a gorgeous view -- one of which is among rocks in the middle of a meadow, but requires bushwacking through several yards of low, painful thorn plants. Many are heavily visited, some are muggle toy boxes, and you get to see what an “old” cache begins to look like. You can see the pros and cons of each hide, which may produce ideas for better caches.

 

In that place, any cacher can help maintain the caches (and they do). You even see how well “others” do at that task. It's a kind of test bed. I've learned a lot from those caches.

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I will bend over backwards to help fix a cache that fits my preferences, while not giving a second thought to those caches that don't fit my preferences.
I won't do maintenance for someone who places his caches with the expectation that others will take care of them for him.

 

I will help out otherwise conscientious cache owners who may have fallen slightly behind on maintenance.

Combine these two ideals and that sums up my position.

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It would be nice if experienced volunteers could be used for field maintenance (grab and archive).

That's what Geocachers do. It's a process, and can take some time, but it can work pretty well. A cacher logs a Needs Maintenance, follows up later, a Needs Archived gets posted, and next it would get archived.

 

Having official volunteers (something like the reviewers) to clean up after Cache Owners is an interesting idea, but I'd expect it could open a whole new can of llamas.

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I don't get why people take it upon themselves to maintain caches that aren't theirs. It's best to put the neglected cache out of it's misery than maintain it just to prolong the agony. I only maintain my own caches. If I am at your cache and it needs maintanence I'll be sure to report back to you with the issue so you can decide how to deal with it.

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I had a cache owner once delete my NM log, about a minute after I posted it. They had a concentration of ~30 caches in one area. Of the ones I found, 25% of them had issues--full logs, wet logs, broken containers. So I posted NM logs for them all. But this one particular NM log apparently did not sit well for some reason. Funny thing is the next day someone else did the cache and posted a nearly verbatim NM log. And the CO let that one stick. Go figure.

 

Needless to say I'm in no hurry to do this CO's caches again anytime soon.

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This one

It would be nice if experienced volunteers could be used for field maintenance (grab and archive).

That's what Geocachers do. It's a process, and can take some time, but it can work pretty well. A cacher logs a Needs Maintenance, follows up later, a Needs Archived gets posted, and next it would get archived.

 

Having official volunteers (something like the reviewers) to clean up after Cache Owners is an interesting idea, but I'd expect it could open a whole new can of llamas.

 

So what is supposed to happen to this one? I post needs archived w/o visiting because it's disabled and I get grief for NA w/o attempting. I'm just saying that I believe there would be interest by experienced local cachers to clean this stuff up.

Edited by Sharks-N-Beans
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This one

It would be nice if experienced volunteers could be used for field maintenance (grab and archive).

That's what Geocachers do. It's a process, and can take some time, but it can work pretty well. A cacher logs a Needs Maintenance, follows up later, a Needs Archived gets posted, and next it would get archived.

 

Having official volunteers (something like the reviewers) to clean up after Cache Owners is an interesting idea, but I'd expect it could open a whole new can of llamas.

 

So what is supposed to happen to this one? I post needs archived w/o visiting because it's disabled and I get grief for NA w/o attempting. I'm just saying that I believe there would be interest by experienced local cachers to clean this stuff up.

Some reviewers do periodic sweeps of caches that have been long disabled but not archived. In this case, though, I don't think you did anything wrong. The CO posted a disable note in December, and said he would replace the cache within the next month. It's almost two months past the deadline he gave himself. Looking at the history of the cache, it might not be a good idea to replace it, since it seems to go missing fairly often. I think the NA was a good call.

 

So who gave you grief? The CO?

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Be vigilant with NM and NA archive logs. COs need to be more careful about overextending themselves.

 

If a cache is in bad shape AND already has NM logs at least a month old without any evidence that that CO will do something about it then check the CO's profile. Often you will find the CO hasn't logged in for nearly a year or more. (If you have a smartphone, you can do this in the field.) If you have that trifecta in play, NA that sucker and CITO the container out if it's totally trash. I've sent a couple broken magkeys and rusted altoids tins with long-absent COs and soggy mush for logs to the garbage bin this way.

 

If there's a cacher who is active but not keeping up with maintenance and you really like their hides, offer to adopt some of them if you feel you can keep up with the maintenance.

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In the rain soaked PNW, a well constructed water abating micro is hard to find (although, I have been pleasantly surprised with one particular CO's innovation of hanging a film canister upside down-it works great), so we do what we can to help not only ourselves, but those coming after us.

Unfortunately upside down film canisters still get wet unless there is something in the container design that keep any water from getting to the area where the container meets the lid. In theory an upright film container should be more resistent to water and moisture than an inverted one since the lip of the lid overhangs the body of the container. And then there is the rain falling from the sky while the container is open and the log is being signed.

 

He doesn't use the traditional film caniserts (with the overlap of the lip) but the ones where the lid is flush with the rest of the container. Naturally all these materials are permiable to a degree, but I have been pretty impressed with the overall resilience of these things. Just a wire hanger connected to a film cannister with tape.

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This one

It would be nice if experienced volunteers could be used for field maintenance (grab and archive).

That's what Geocachers do. It's a process, and can take some time, but it can work pretty well. A cacher logs a Needs Maintenance, follows up later, a Needs Archived gets posted, and next it would get archived.

 

Having official volunteers (something like the reviewers) to clean up after Cache Owners is an interesting idea, but I'd expect it could open a whole new can of llamas.

 

So what is supposed to happen to this one? I post needs archived w/o visiting because it's disabled and I get grief for NA w/o attempting. I'm just saying that I believe there would be interest by experienced local cachers to clean this stuff up.

Some reviewers do periodic sweeps of caches that have been long disabled but not archived. In this case, though, I don't think you did anything wrong. The CO posted a disable note in December, and said he would replace the cache within the next month. It's almost two months past the deadline he gave himself. Looking at the history of the cache, it might not be a good idea to replace it, since it seems to go missing fairly often. I think the NA was a good call.

 

So who gave you grief? The CO?

 

Sorry, I write that way sometimes. What I wanted to convey was a hypothetical situation whereas if I did an armchair NA, I would expect grief based upon what I read regarding the South Pole cache. Seems to me that an empowered local and experienced cacher could have taken care of this by now.

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...

Hider C: I am a conscientious hider who maintains my caches because it's the responsible thing to do. But, now that I can see others are willing to replace my ziplocs, I have decided to abandon my upbringing and personal values and just say the hell with it. From now on I'm scattering trash all over the countryside and letting them fester. Too bad for you, you losers....

 

spewed dinner on the computer screen with that comment!

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He doesn't use the traditional film caniserts (with the overlap of the lip) but the ones where the lid is flush with the rest of the container. Naturally all these materials are permiable to a degree, but I have been pretty impressed with the overall resilience of these things. Just a wire hanger connected to a film cannister with tape.

 

I've noticed that those subjected to sunlight get very brittle.

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I like to help to an extent, but I have some boundaries, and like others will help to maintain caches selectively. If the cache is particularly old, or of great historical significance, or hard to get to, etc. I consider those worthy of helping. Also, I have gotten to know a lot of the local cache owners, and I know which of them appreciate help and which ones don't. Some people just don't like other cachers performing maintenance on their caches and would rather do it themselves.

 

I think it's a nice thing to do when you can, or know the situation is right. Otherwise, that's what the Needs Maintenance log is for, to alert the cache owner, and if they don't; well, it's not really your place to worry about it.

 

I find though that if I were to fix every single cache I have ever found that needed maintenance I'd have spent more than a small fortune on supplies. If you find you're doing maintenance at your own loss, as in going over budget in your geocaching supplies, etc; then it's time to be more discerning in who you help out... sometimes fixing caches enables bad behavior.

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I have repaired several different caches and was happy to do it. Have not repaired some others and was happy not to.

I have also replaced two missing caches, both after contact with the owner. One of them was ill, and has thanked me two different times for helping him out.

The other offered to adopt the cache to me after the original inquiry. I offered to replace it, and suggested adoption as it is a long distance from his current home. He agreed wholeheartedly. I replaced the cache, notified him, and have, to date ,not heard a word of thanks or anything.

Oh well...

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This one

It would be nice if experienced volunteers could be used for field maintenance (grab and archive).

That's what Geocachers do. It's a process, and can take some time, but it can work pretty well. A cacher logs a Needs Maintenance, follows up later, a Needs Archived gets posted, and next it would get archived.

 

Having official volunteers (something like the reviewers) to clean up after Cache Owners is an interesting idea, but I'd expect it could open a whole new can of llamas.

 

So what is supposed to happen to this one? I post needs archived w/o visiting because it's disabled and I get grief for NA w/o attempting. I'm just saying that I believe there would be interest by experienced local cachers to clean this stuff up.

Some reviewers do periodic sweeps of caches that have been long disabled but not archived. In this case, though, I don't think you did anything wrong. The CO posted a disable note in December, and said he would replace the cache within the next month. It's almost two months past the deadline he gave himself. Looking at the history of the cache, it might not be a good idea to replace it, since it seems to go missing fairly often. I think the NA was a good call.

 

So who gave you grief? The CO?

 

Sorry, I write that way sometimes. What I wanted to convey was a hypothetical situation whereas if I did an armchair NA, I would expect grief based upon what I read regarding the South Pole cache. Seems to me that an empowered local and experienced cacher could have taken care of this by now.

Well, hypothetically, if that one was in my normal caching area I would post a NA log on it in a heartbeat. If it was outside of my normal caching area, I'd never notice it, would I? And if I did happen to notice it... if the local cachers don't care enough to post the NA, then why should I?

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I don't really care or know who is avid about his cache maintenance and who is not, or for that matter what kind of cache it is... even those little nanos that I hate so much. I always have with me enough supplies to even replace an entire cache is needed, thin slips of paper with scissors for those nanos and several log books. It is what I do. It is who I am. Something about "do unto others..." I know I have several caches that are not easy for me to get to and I greatly appreciate it when someone else helps me out.

 

I don't expect a "Thank You" but it is nice to get it when it comes. I will continue to do so, always.

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Be vigilant with NM and NA archive logs. COs need to be more careful about overextending themselves.

 

If a cache is in bad shape AND already has NM logs at least a month old without any evidence that that CO will do something about it then check the CO's profile. Often you will find the CO hasn't logged in for nearly a year or more. (If you have a smartphone, you can do this in the field.) If you have that trifecta in play, NA that sucker and CITO the container out if it's totally trash. I've sent a couple broken magkeys and rusted altoids tins with long-absent COs and soggy mush for logs to the garbage bin this way.

 

If there's a cacher who is active but not keeping up with maintenance and you really like their hides, offer to adopt some of them if you feel you can keep up with the maintenance.

 

Similar case as the one in question here.

 

I know of a handful of caches that need maintenance & i have flagged them as such. But it has also been well over 3 months & nothing has been done with them. The C.O. is still active & in most cases has activity in the past week. They just seem to ignore the fact that their caches are in need of maintenance.

 

My question would be in regards to the moderator/administrator accounts. Do they get notified of a cache when it has been flagged for maintenance? Do they get a followup e-mail when that required maintenance gets "stale" ?

 

Because i just wonder if i should be sending e-mails to the admins about the caches that seem to be defunct.

 

I would flag the caches as needing to be archived, but i don't want to archive a cache over something as simple as a soaking wet log. & the C.O. is still very active so there doesn't seem to be a need to take over their caches either. It just seems like the C.O.s are being lazy.

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This is actually why I'm nervous about placing a cache. I've been spending weeks thinking of ideas for caches, and I've made some cases by scratch for them (just as hides themselves, not the actual cache, which goes inside) and I've been spending a lot of time keeping my eye out for the perfect water proof container to put inside of it, even though it should be waterproof on it's own. I'm investing a lot of time and money into them, even into stocking them with interesting swag. But there's nowhere interesting at all worth placing the cache near my house. I have some places in mind, but it's 2 hours one way by car, and an area I only go to a few times a year. There's easily 6 months that I would not be in the area at all. I was thinking of seeing if somebody would want to "adopt" it in the area to help me out. However, it makes me feel like I'm just being irresponsible about it.

 

I do however keep around a little kit of smaller cache supplies to help out a cache. Even if it's just a bunch of extra interesting swag or a small pencil. I haven't come across any really needing much help, but I know I wouldn't bother with something like a simple LPC that needed a fix. People pop those out enough as it is, there's never a shortage and unless there's something special about it, I ignore them completely.

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Be vigilant with NM and NA archive logs. COs need to be more careful about overextending themselves.

 

If a cache is in bad shape AND already has NM logs at least a month old without any evidence that that CO will do something about it then check the CO's profile. Often you will find the CO hasn't logged in for nearly a year or more. (If you have a smartphone, you can do this in the field.) If you have that trifecta in play, NA that sucker and CITO the container out if it's totally trash. I've sent a couple broken magkeys and rusted altoids tins with long-absent COs and soggy mush for logs to the garbage bin this way.

 

If there's a cacher who is active but not keeping up with maintenance and you really like their hides, offer to adopt some of them if you feel you can keep up with the maintenance.

 

Similar case as the one in question here.

 

I know of a handful of caches that need maintenance & i have flagged them as such. But it has also been well over 3 months & nothing has been done with them. The C.O. is still active & in most cases has activity in the past week. They just seem to ignore the fact that their caches are in need of maintenance.

 

My question would be in regards to the moderator/administrator accounts. Do they get notified of a cache when it has been flagged for maintenance? Do they get a followup e-mail when that required maintenance gets "stale" ?

 

Because i just wonder if i should be sending e-mails to the admins about the caches that seem to be defunct.

 

I would flag the caches as needing to be archived, but i don't want to archive a cache over something as simple as a soaking wet log. & the C.O. is still very active so there doesn't seem to be a need to take over their caches either. It just seems like the C.O.s are being lazy.

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I agree with ByranX9X and it is even worse when the cache is flagged because nobody has been able to find it and the moderator doesn't do anything about it. I have been told the moderators do get notified, but it seems weird that they act on some but not on others.

 

As far as the orginal topic of this thread... If I am able, I will almost always fix the cache. A lot of that has to do with keeping the cache going for others that will look for it after me because I really don't have much hope that the moderator will archive it so someone else can place on in its place.

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From the newsletter.

Cache Maintenance as a Community

 

Needs MaintenanceWithin the geocaching community, the responsibilities of a courteous geocacher include respecting fellow geocachers, taking care of the environment and maintaining your caches, among other things. And you can be an extra courteous geocacher by helping to maintain others' caches! The next time you go geocaching, bring additional supplies such as an extra geocache container, SWAG, logbooks and pencils. This way, you will be prepared to help out another geocacher by fixing a cache that needs maintenance on the spot.

 

If you go geocaching on the spur of the moment and don't have supplies to fix up a cache that needs maintenance, please make sure to visit Geocaching.com and report a 'Needs Maintenance' log on the cache page.

 

If you are a geocache owner, we recommend following these simple steps for cache maintenance:

 

1. Place a cache that is durable and requires little or no upkeep

 

2. Periodically check on your cache both in person and via the cache page to see if there are any issues

 

3. If you see a 'Needs Maintenance' log on the cache page, fix the cache and post an 'Owner Maintenance' log

 

Thanks for playing your part as a supportive community member to keep geocaches well maintained!

 

I don't mind helping out a fellow cacher if I can. But I am not going to perpetuate an abandoned cache. Sometimes the best you can do is log a NA on a cache and let the reviewer put it out of its misery.

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This one

It would be nice if experienced volunteers could be used for field maintenance (grab and archive).

That's what Geocachers do. It's a process, and can take some time, but it can work pretty well. A cacher logs a Needs Maintenance, follows up later, a Needs Archived gets posted, and next it would get archived.

 

Having official volunteers (something like the reviewers) to clean up after Cache Owners is an interesting idea, but I'd expect it could open a whole new can of llamas.

 

So what is supposed to happen to this one? I post needs archived w/o visiting because it's disabled and I get grief for NA w/o attempting. I'm just saying that I believe there would be interest by experienced local cachers to clean this stuff up.

Some reviewers do periodic sweeps of caches that have been long disabled but not archived. In this case, though, I don't think you did anything wrong. The CO posted a disable note in December, and said he would replace the cache within the next month. It's almost two months past the deadline he gave himself. Looking at the history of the cache, it might not be a good idea to replace it, since it seems to go missing fairly often. I think the NA was a good call.

 

So who gave you grief? The CO?

 

Sorry, I write that way sometimes. What I wanted to convey was a hypothetical situation whereas if I did an armchair NA, I would expect grief based upon what I read regarding the South Pole cache. Seems to me that an empowered local and experienced cacher could have taken care of this by now.

 

I posted an armchair note. If it's not responded to in a few days, I'm gonna post an armchair NA. He says right in one of his logs he "forgets about geocaching from time to time". It's one thing to have things disabled for a while due to circumstances and snow and such, but it's been nice here for a while.

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