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Question about hiding my first cache


andy.wpg

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I'm from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and I am very new at this game.

 

In three weeks, I am going down to Minnesota for a weekend trip that I take every year in early July.

 

The place I am going to (don't really want to give it away, so I'm being deliberately vague) would be an interesting location for a cache - and I'm pretty sure the landowners will say yes. Additionally, the nearest cache listed is 2.1 miles away.

 

The problem is maintenance. Will it be denied a listing because I can only get down there once a year - or should I take it with me and 'take my chances'?

 

Thanks for any help

 

Andy

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"Vacation caches", as they are called, are not usually allowed by geocaching.com. Maintenance is the big issue. As far as "take your chances"........ I am sorry, but those aren't YOUR chances, those are MY and OTHERS' chances of looking for your trashed cache that you have no means of maintaining.

 

EDIT: Some have the capabilities of maintaining caches long distance from home, most do not. As you are there but once a year, I would say you do not, but that is my opinion.

Edited by Gitchee-Gummee
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I'm from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and I am very new at this game.

 

In three weeks, I am going down to Minnesota for a weekend trip that I take every year in early July.

 

The place I am going to (don't really want to give it away, so I'm being deliberately vague) would be an interesting location for a cache - and I'm pretty sure the landowners will say yes. Additionally, the nearest cache listed is 2.1 miles away.

 

The problem is maintenance. Will it be denied a listing because I can only get down there once a year - or should I take it with me and 'take my chances'?

 

Thanks for any help

 

Andy

You should have already read this ..... Owner is responsible for visits to the physical location.

 

You are responsible for occasional visits to your cache to maintain proper working order, especially when someone reports a problem with the cache (missing, damaged, wet, etc.). You may temporarily disable your cache to let others know not to search for it until you have a chance to fix the problem. This feature is to allow you a reasonable amount of time – normally a few weeks – in which to check on your cache. If a cache is not being maintained, or has been temporarily disabled for an unreasonable length of time, we may archive the listing.

The territory in which a geocacher is considered able to maintain caches responsibly will vary from person to person. A geocacher who has previously logged many geocaches within a wide range of their home may be considered able to maintain a geocache 200 miles (322 km) away. However, someone whose geocaching activities have primarily been within 25 miles (40 km) of home may not be. This determination is at the discretion of the cache reviewer.

Because of the effort required to maintain a geocache, we ask that you place physical caches in your usual caching area and not while on a vacation or business trip. It is best when you live within a manageable distance from the cache placements to allow for return visits. Geocaches placed during travel may not be published unless you are able to demonstrate an acceptable maintenance plan, which must allow for a quick response to reported problems. An acceptable maintenance plan might include the username of a local geocacher who will handle maintenance issues in your absence. Alternatively you might train a local person to maintain the cache. Document your maintenance plan in a Note to Reviewer on your cache page. This will auto-delete on publication.

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Ok, I got it - I did read the rules before posting the original message, guess I just didn't realize how important accessibility for maintenance is.

 

HOWEVER - I have been looking around Winnipeg (using google earth, etc) to see if I had any ideas for a cache I could place. Always, of course, following the rules about distance to other caches, interesting, etc.

 

While searching (WOW there are a LOT of caches!) I found several that are listed, but placed by people who are from out of province - not sure how that works. Anyone have any ideas about this? People said things like: "This was the first cache I placed on my 'Winnipeg Blitz'."

 

Maybe they are in the city a lot? Just wondering. Would they have to specify things like that when they register the cache?

 

Sorry if these are dumb questions, but I'm trying to learn.

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What about the space station. The person that placed it will probably never be able to maintain it :)

 

But seriously, what about 5/5, that maybe 3-4 people visit every year. Am I expected to be able to visit that any times of the year if needed or is it ok if it might take me a few weeks to go up there to maintain it.

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But seriously, what about 5/5, that maybe 3-4 people visit every year. Am I expected to be able to visit that any times of the year if needed or is it ok if it might take me a few weeks to go up there to maintain it.
There is no requirement that you be able to maintain a cache immediately. It is perfectly acceptable for other priorities (aka "real life") to delay a maintenance visit a few weeks, especially for more remote caches.

 

For more details on the requirement that cache owners maintain their caches, see the knowledge book article:

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=307

 

[edit typo]

Edited by niraD
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Keep your caches close to home!!!

 

I'm still pretty new but I can certainly understand the frustration of finding caches that are trashed.

 

If you can't maintain your caches, you will quickly get a bad reputation and make the hobby look bad in general. Hiding caches is supposed to be just as fun as finding them. What's the fun in getting bad logs or complaints because you can't maintain your stuff?

 

Just saying. ....

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What about the space station. The person that placed it will probably never be able to maintain it :)

 

But seriously, what about 5/5, that maybe 3-4 people visit every year. Am I expected to be able to visit that any times of the year if needed or is it ok if it might take me a few weeks to go up there to maintain it.

But seriously -- "what if's" go on forever. The maintenance issue is about reasonable expectations of maintenance, not because you want to place one hundreds of miles from home because you get there once a year or the like. Once a year maintenance may or may not be reasonable. Just how many visits a year does the space station cache get (by cachers), anyway? I rather suspect that one cache, in and of itself, is VERY well maintained and that it is extremely unlikely to become "geo-junk".

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A vacation cache? Woohoo!!....those are my favorite kind.

 

If you have the perfect spot, and it is too far from your home area, you can quite possibly team up with a local cacher for that area. They can either maintain the cache for you, or just as easily Own the cache. If you want....you can have them enter YOUR name on the top of the cache page for others to see :) , and yet They will be the owner if they submit it :huh: . (yes you can put fake names on caches :rolleyes: )

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Welcome to Geocaching andy.wpg!

 

You may find more Manitoba related information at the excellent Manitoba Geocaching Association website - http://www.mbgeocaching.ca/ including events where you can meet other geocachers.

 

Reviewers will look at the caches that you have found and see if your proposed cache is within your usual radius. For instance - your work takes you monthly to Brandon, find a cache there each trip and soon you will have proof of your ability to maintain a cache there.

 

Your Winnipeg Blitz cachers may have also moved away from the city.

 

Canadian reviewers understand that our weather may make checking on some caches impossible until the snow melts or that that mountain is only climbable in certain times of the year or the right weather. Island caches can be found via canoe in summer and snowshoes in winter. This winter, there was thick snow on top of thin ice making those caches inaccessible till now. As long as you post a note on the cache stating your intentions and when you intend to check on it, the reviewer will take that into consideration.

 

So find more caches, read and re-read the guidelines and soon you too will be a cache owner!

 

Enjoy your Geocaching Adventures!

 

mwellman

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If you have the perfect spot, and it is too far from your home area, you can quite possibly team up with a local cacher for that area. They can either maintain the cache for you, or just as easily Own the cache. If you want....you can have them enter YOUR name on the top of the cache page for others to see :) , and yet They will be the owner if they submit it :huh: . (yes you can put fake names on caches :rolleyes: )

 

Which begs the question - how do I find a cacher in the area I am going to in order to contact them. Finding caches in an area is easy. I have looked around and can't seem to see a way to find PEOPLE.

 

<shakes head> so much to learn.....

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Welcome to Geocaching andy.wpg!

 

Thanks!

 

You may find more Manitoba related information at the excellent Manitoba Geocaching Association website - http://www.mbgeocaching.ca/ including events where you can meet other geocachers.

 

I have joined and have been looking over the site.

 

Reviewers will look at the caches that you have found and see if your proposed cache is within your usual radius. For instance - your work takes you monthly to Brandon, find a cache there each trip and soon you will have proof of your ability to maintain a cache there.

 

In my 'travels' on Google Earth, I believe that I have found an interesting location (good story behind the place) that doesn't have a cache within two miles . EVERY other 'neat' place I looked for had already been done (I'm getting into this kinda late, I know). This location is 41km from my house. So far, I have only been finding caches near home (start small). Do you think that distance would be considered too far? It no big deal to travel there - heck, I drive that far for pizza!

 

Enjoy your Geocaching Adventures!

 

I will! Thanks for the help.

 

Andy

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Hi andy.wpg again,

 

Go to the area where you want to hide your cache, and click on some nearby caches. On every cache page, there is a link to the cache owner's profile page. Click it and you will find another link to contact them. Then you can ask them if they would be willing to list your cache.

 

As for your 41 kms, that is nothing. You can always contact the Manitoba reviewer to see if they are OK with your spot before you hike out there. On any Winnipeg cache page, look at the bottom of all the logs and you will find a reviewer name, again go to their profile and use their contact link. Just keep in mind that multis and puzzles have hidden finals. Only your reviewer can let you know if that empty space is really free.

 

There are some Manitoba events coming up, they are a great way to meet other cachers, get some advice and maybe arrange for some geocaching hunts.

 

Keep us updated!

 

mwellman orginally from Saskatchewan and now Alberta.

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This location is 41km from my house. So far, I have only been finding caches near home (start small). Do you think that distance would be considered too far? It no big deal to travel there - heck, I drive that far for pizza!
For some, 4km is too far. For others, 400km is fine.

 

To me, it sounds like the 41km is fine for you. But I'm not the one making the call: "This determination is at the discretion of the cache reviewer." (From Geocache Maintenance)

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The place I am going to (don't really want to give it away, so I'm being deliberately vague) would be an interesting location for a cache...

Oooh, an undisclosed location! Exciting!

 

It all depends on how often your cache is expected to be found. If you're only expecting a few finds a year, you won't have to visit it much. If it's a popular cache, you'll need to fly over every month or so to see how things are going. You would do well to hide caches in your area and let the locals in Undisclosed Location hide their own caches.

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Well....I'll probably get flamed for this opinion....however..... Don't worry about cache maintenance! :D

 

In the city, It's quite normal for everyone to maintain ALL the caches. I often times replace a soggy logsheet, or a cracked container for cachers that I know. If it's a great hide, then everyone will want it to remain in good working order. If it's a lousy hide..... you will get lots of 'needs maintenance' notes....and perhaps even get a 'should be archived' note, if you don't get over there to fix it quick enough.

 

:drama:

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Well....I'll probably get flamed for this opinion....however..... Don't worry about cache maintenance! :D

 

In the city, It's quite normal for everyone to maintain ALL the caches. I often times replace a soggy logsheet, or a cracked container for cachers that I know. If it's a great hide, then everyone will want it to remain in good working order. If it's a lousy hide..... you will get lots of 'needs maintenance' notes....and perhaps even get a 'should be archived' note, if you don't get over there to fix it quick enough.

 

:drama:

 

While not wanting to flame anyone.... I must say the highlighted statement(s) above reveals geocachers to be little more than lemmings, "just because others do this, you should too". Perhaps it is a matter that city dwellers are little more than lemmings. Yeah that MUST be it! :unsure::o:lol: Just when did responsibility go out the window? In case you can't guess, I would STRONGLY suggest not requiring or relying upon others to take care of your cache for you.

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