Etiquette Question: Drop-off Log Sheet?

[+FolsomNatural]

After encountering way too many soggy and deteriorating log books, I was wondering if, instead of complaining to the owner, if it would be advisable to simply leave one of my own blank log sheets in the cache, covered with a zip-lock bag.

 

I made up several different sized versions of logs on acid free paper (in preparation for my own caches) and thought "Wouldn't it be great to drop a dry one off to the soggy caches?"

 

But then again, maybe that's the provenance of the cache owner - who might be insulted by my efforts to "help."

 

Any thoughts on the matter?

 

[+StarBrand]

If there is room for the additional logsheet and baggie - by all means - leave one. I would generally not take an old logbook without explicit permission.

 

Either way - should still log the 'needs maintenance' log so that the owner knows to run out and check why the cache is leaking.

[EelKat]

After encountering way too many soggy and deteriorating log books, I was wondering if, instead of complaining to the owner, if it would be advisable to simply leave one of my own blank log sheets in the cache, covered with a zip-lock bag.

 

I was thinking of doing this. I had an idea for keeping a supply of tiny 3x5 notebooks in zipper bags, and dropping one in if the original was wet or full.

 

I made up several different sized versions of logs on acid free paper (in preparation for my own caches) and thought "Wouldn't it be great to drop a dry one off to the soggy caches?"

 

I do a lot of art stuff (acrylic and watercolor painting and pastels), which I than have printed up on cards via zazzle and I had an idea for printing up "I was here" note cards, that I could write a quick "thank you note/message" to leave for the owner.

 

I also had this idea of leaving a note with the card for asking others to sign it as well, that way when the cache owner comes back, they'll have not only a log of who was there, but also a card signed by the visitors that they can hang on their wall or something.

 

I was farther thinking of printing some cards up for holidays: Valentines, Easter, Christmas, etc. and than leaving the cards in the caches for the owners.

 

I've got this thing about cards. I'm one of those people that mails out a few hundred at every holiday and birthday and anniversary, etc- I love getting cards and I love giving cards, and I love going on hikes and I started thinking - wouldn't making custom cards with my art on them be a nice way to say thank you to the people who showed me this new place to go hiking?

 

Anyways I just think cards would be such a great way to keep a log too. Everybody who finds it could sign it, like the way every one in the office signs a card? And it would help out for time when you find a wet log too.

 

But then again, maybe that's the provenance of the cache owner - who might be insulted by my efforts to "help."

 

I personally wouldn't be. I would glad for the help. But I know some people who get ticked off about anything and I can see how someone with that sort of personality would get upset and see you as tampering.

 

If there is room for the additional logsheet and baggie - by all means - leave one.

 

Yep - that's what I say.

 

I would generally not take an old logbook without explicit permission.

 

I would thinking taking the log book would be a major big no-no! The logbook should always stay with the cache, because it's the owners way of seeing the result of their efforts. So, yeah, if you leave a new log book, leave the old one there too!

 

Either way - should still log the 'needs maintenance' log so that the owner knows to run out and check why the cache is leaking.

 

Yep. And I'd leave a note saying you dropped off a new log book as well.

[AZcachemeister]

I do this all the time as a courtesy to the followers-on.

 

1. If there is room.

2. If I have one/some on me at the time.

 

I would NEVER consider removing the existing log under any circumstances.

[+Doctroid]

I would NEVER consider removing the existing log under any circumstances.

 

I have, rightly or wrongly, twice.

 

Once was for a log that was very wet. I left some paper to serve as a temporary log and took the log with the intention of drying it out and putting it back a day or two later. I believe though I'm not sure that I notified the CO immediately of what I was doing. (When I went back to restore the dried-out log to the cache, the cache was gone! Someone had taken it. I then offered to mail the old log to the CO but he declined.)

 

That was when I was very new to geocaching and I probably would do it differently today.

 

But just recently I found a cache where the log was not just damp. It (and much of the trade items) was sodden wet, moldy, and slimy. The log pages were pretty much black and it was clear it was beyond any recovery. The cache had been marked as requiring maintenance for months and the CO had not done anything. I left a new log and took away (to be discarded) the nasty remains of the old one and the worst of the damaged trade goods.

 

As recently as that was, I might handle it differently today, too. But on the whole I think that cache was better off without what was once its original log than with it.

Edited May 10, 2011 by Doctroid

[+FolsomNatural]

Great responses. BIG THANKS.

 

No, I would never remove a log, but I WOULD insert a clean blank one

when I see something really soggy or damaged.

Wow! EelKat - - you've taken this idea to new heights!

Way to go. Such creative people in this hobby

 

[+captnemo]

I do this all the time as a courtesy to the followers-on.

 

1. If there is room.

2. If I have one/some on me at the time.

 

I would NEVER consider removing the existing log under any circumstances.

I have done this many times and only once removed the original log as it was a wet soggy mess and harmful to the rest of the cache. I emailed the CO and asked if they wanted the old one, never heard back.

[+Chrysalides]

I do this all the time as a courtesy to the followers-on.

 

1. If there is room.

2. If I have one/some on me at the time.

 

I would NEVER consider removing the existing log under any circumstances.

Same here, but I will remove under two circumstances : with permission of the CO, or if I know the CO well enough and the log is beyond saving.

[Dj Storm]

Two aspects on replacing soggy logbooks:

 

By adding a dry logbook (protected by a zipbag), the next cachers' experience will be improved.

 

On the other hand, by adding a dry logbook in a cache that's not watertight, when the owner is active and hiding caches, only promotes bad container selection. If the owner is spared a maintenance visit, he won't learn that his container is not very good and will continue to hide the same type of containers. The "wet logbook" problem will happen in other caches as well, the dry logbook you placed won't remain dry forever, newbies will learn from the bad examples and will hide bad containers, etc.

[+Gp30sieb]

Sunday (5/8) I discarded a wad of mush (nee log) and a stick of slimy gum from a cache that people have been reporting soggy log since October 2010 with a maintenance request in March 2011. I replaced it with a new log in a plastic pill pouch. The breach of etiquette is on the part of the CO who has ignored the cache for half a year, not me for restoring a cache to a usable state. Maybe in retrospect I should have asked for an archive.

Edited May 10, 2011 by Gp30sieb