Cache Content Ugliness

[Andronicus]

Bet you thought this was another thread complaining about bad swagg. Well it is not, well kind of. I just read the weekly newsletter. So now, not only are we subjected to multiple threads each week in the forums of people complaining about junky and inappropriate swag, now the Groundspeak lackeys are complaining about it in the weekly newsletter.

 

For those of you who missed it...

 

A few of the Groundspeak Lackeys went geocaching this weekend. We went on a long hike to a

geocache in the mountains that hadn't been found for nearly a year. It was in a beautiful

spot and the snap closure geocache container was in perfect condition on the outside, but

inside was a different story. It contained two empty chewing tobacco containers, a jolly

rancher, a pack of ibuprofen, a few miscellaneous pills, a business card and a few other

small things.

 

The "other small things" were things you would expect to find in a geocache - a fun

keychain, a small mirror and a plastic horse. But when we retrieved the keychain, we found

that it was covered with blue goo. The culprit was the Jolly Rancher, which had melted and

escaped its wrapper. Although a Jolly Rancher may seem like a fun thing to place in a

cache, food and other scented items do not make good SWAG. They can mess up the inside of

the cache container and attract animals.

 

The tobacco containers and pills were not great cache contents either. Geocaching is a

family-friendly activity and the items you place in a cache should reflect that. If you

were a 6-year-old geocacher, would you want a pack of ibuprofen in exchange for your toy?

Consider what type of SWAG makes sense for an audience of all ages. Please remember, the

item that you place in a cache should be of equal or greater value than the item that you

are taking.

 

So obviously they are trying to get a message out to cachers who do not frequent the forums. But it seemed rather funny to see them replaying so many threads we see here.

[+L0ne.R]

A few of the Groundspeak Lackeys went geocaching this weekend. We went on a long hike to a

geocache in the mountains that hadn't been found for nearly a year. It was in a beautiful

spot and the snap closure geocache container was in perfect condition on the outside, but

inside was a different story. It contained two empty chewing tobacco containers, a jolly

rancher, a pack of ibuprofen, a few miscellaneous pills, a business card and a few other

small things.

 

The "other small things" were things you would expect to find in a geocache - a fun

keychain, a small mirror and a plastic horse. But when we retrieved the keychain, we found

that it was covered with blue goo. The culprit was the Jolly Rancher, which had melted and

escaped its wrapper. Although a Jolly Rancher may seem like a fun thing to place in a

cache, food and other scented items do not make good SWAG. They can mess up the inside of

the cache container and attract animals.

 

The tobacco containers and pills were not great cache contents either. Geocaching is a

family-friendly activity and the items you place in a cache should reflect that. If you

were a 6-year-old geocacher, would you want a pack of ibuprofen in exchange for your toy?

Consider what type of SWAG makes sense for an audience of all ages. Please remember, the

item that you place in a cache should be of equal or greater value than the item that you

are taking.

 

I was glad to see the public service message in the newsletter. The more ways to get the message out about inappropriate swag - food and gooey messy stuff, the better.

[+TomToad]

Found crayons in one. Fortunately I was able to swap before the crayons melted and did any damage to other contents.

[+Bear and Ragged]

Whilst it could be cachers, it could also be muggles finding the cache who read the "take something, leave something" note and think they are being nice by leaving what we -cachers- consider to be inappropriate items...

[knowschad]

What? No golf balls?

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

I always appreciate ibuprofen in a cache.

[knowschad]

I always appreciate ibuprofen in a cache.

When I get all inflamed over the cruddy swag, they help to reduce the inflammation.

[+Ms.Scrabbler]

I always appreciate ibuprofen in a cache.

"If you were a 6-year-old geocacher, would you want a pack of ibuprofen in exchange for your toy?"

 

The 6 year old's parent might really appreciate the ibuprofen!

[+Ash McCloud]

When caching with another cacher from the area we found a huge bag of peanutbutter M&M (rip off of Reese's pieces- Still AWESOME TASTING). I was so mad because we had to throw them away. I found dog biscuits in one a couple of days ago. I also have found Jolly rancers in them before. I love finding a cache that has not been found in over a year and it has some remainder of food in it.

 

I will say I am glad they made that point but as always the first person to open and check a cache should be the adult.

[knowschad]

I blame the smartphones.

[+d+n.s]

I always try to leave a few things in my caches for people without children. Not "adult" things, but stuff useful to geocachers. Rain ponchos and stuff...

I found it interesting that I should always be considering 6 year olds

 

I'm glad they put this out there. Good stuff.

[+PapaMinion]

I found a Lifestyles condom in one this past winter. Actually....let me start over. My 9 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER found a Lifestyles condom in one this past winter. It was very hard to ward off her questions about what it means for something to cause "Maximum Sensitivity and Pleasure". Ugh! I'm sure the person who left it's heart was in the right place as there appeared to be a discarded mattress about 20 paces away in the woods and maybe thought it'd come in handy...but seriously, not something I want kids coming across.

[Andronicus]

I always appreciate ibuprofen in a cache.

"If you were a 6-year-old geocacher, would you want a pack of ibuprofen in exchange for your toy?"

...

I thought this was odd. While I aggree that advil should not be in a cache, not everything in the cache should be targeted at 6-year-old geocacher. Lets face it, even the log book is of no interest to a 6-year-old.

 

I also found it funny how carefull they were to not use any brand names (with the notable exception to Jolly Rancher) ("snap closure geocache container", "ibuprofen").

[knowschad]

I found a Lifestyles condom in one this past winter. Actually....let me start over. My 9 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER found a Lifestyles condom in one this past winter. It was very hard to ward off her questions about what it means for something to cause "Maximum Sensitivity and Pleasure". Ugh! I'm sure the person who left it's heart was in the right place as there appeared to be a discarded mattress about 20 paces away in the woods and maybe thought it'd come in handy...but seriously, not something I want kids coming across.

 

I think that a lot of inappropriate swag that we find is left by muggles. Not all muggles steal the cache. They probably thought it was funny to leave the condom behind.

[+PapaMinion]

I do take a bit of offense to that. I am an iPhone Geocacher and I know better than to leave food or trash as a swap. Just because we didn't invest in a $400 GPSr doesn't mean we aren't devoted to the quality of the game.

 

I blame the smartphones.

[Andronicus]

I found a Lifestyles condom in one this past winter. Actually....let me start over. My 9 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER found a Lifestyles condom in one this past winter. It was very hard to ward off her questions about what it means for something to cause "Maximum Sensitivity and Pleasure". Ugh! I'm sure the person who left it's heart was in the right place as there appeared to be a discarded mattress about 20 paces away in the woods and maybe thought it'd come in handy...but seriously, not something I want kids coming across.

The first geocache I ever found had a unopen condom in it. I had my then 8 year old, and 3 year old with me. I was starting to wonder just how "family friendly" this game was...

[Andronicus]

I do take a bit of offense to that. I am an iPhone Geocacher and I know better than to leave food or trash as a swap. Just because we didn't invest in a $400 GPSr doesn't mean we aren't devoted to the quality of the game.

 

I blame the smartphones.

I think you need to take your sarcasm detector in for repairs.

[+d+n.s]

I always appreciate ibuprofen in a cache.

"If you were a 6-year-old geocacher, would you want a pack of ibuprofen in exchange for your toy?"

...

I thought this was odd. While I aggree that advil should not be in a cache, not everything in the cache should be targeted at 6-year-old geocacher. Lets face it, even the log book is of no interest to a 6-year-old.

 

I also found it funny how carefull they were to not use any brand names (with the notable exception to Jolly Rancher) ("snap closure geocache container", "ibuprofen").

Jolly Rancher branded promotional TB confirmed

[+PapaMinion]

I do take a bit of offense to that. I am an iPhone Geocacher and I know better than to leave food or trash as a swap. Just because we didn't invest in a $400 GPSr doesn't mean we aren't devoted to the quality of the game.

 

I blame the smartphones.

I think you need to take your sarcasm detector in for repairs.

 

Considering how many times I hear this type of comment about us "smartphoners", it's kind of hard to pick out the sarcasm from the misguided hate. I apologize for flying off the handle this time.

 

-Josh

Edited August 11, 2011 by Howard_Family

[+GeoBain]

What? No golf balls?

Mustave' been one of them thar Yankee caches.

Edited August 11, 2011 by Avenois

[Andronicus]

I do take a bit of offense to that. I am an iPhone Geocacher and I know better than to leave food or trash as a swap. Just because we didn't invest in a $400 GPSr doesn't mean we aren't devoted to the quality of the game.

 

I blame the smartphones.

I think you need to take your sarcasm detector in for repairs.

 

Considering how many times I hear this type of comment about us "smartphoners", it's kind of hard to pick out the sarcasm from the misguided hate. I apologize for flying off the handle this time.

 

-Josh

Hey, don't feel bad, I am a "smartphoner" too.

[+GeoBain]

I blame the smartphones.

How many times I gotta tell you that smartphones don't go caching. It's the smartphone USERS that are the new menace!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(For the previously offended reader, this was intended as a joke.)

[knowschad]

I do take a bit of offense to that. I am an iPhone Geocacher and I know better than to leave food or trash as a swap. Just because we didn't invest in a $400 GPSr doesn't mean we aren't devoted to the quality of the game.

 

I blame the smartphones.

 

It was a joke. Really.

 

 

Well, it was a joke with a little bit of truth to it. Because of the convenience of downloading a smartphone app, it is much easier for people to become "instant cachers" without really taking the time to learn a bit about it. When people decide to spend $200 or more on a dedicated GPS to use for geocaching, I suspect that they almost always will have done some research on geocaching first. That isn't to say by any means that any and all smartphone users are like that... believe me, I'd be losing some very good friends if I said that...its just that the odds are greater that a smartphone user is just a temporary geocacher.

Edited August 11, 2011 by knowschad

[+GeoGeeBee]

Found crayons in one. Fortunately I was able to swap before the crayons melted and did any damage to other contents.

Was there a purple crayon? This thread needs one.

[+The red-haired witch]

Found crayons in one. Fortunately I was able to swap before the crayons melted and did any damage to other contents.

 

I guess that's a good illustration of how things can be ok to leave in caches in one location and not in another. It never occured to me that crayons could melt in a cache. Crayons melt at about 130F (according to the main manufacturer ). I've never found a cache where that was likely to happen. Maybe if an ammo can was left in the sun in the middle of a parking lot in July...

 

I think the list of "bad swag" from the guidelines is pretty good, no need to expand it. It covers the things the lackeys were describing as bad. But of course people should use "common" sense, avoid things that may melt in Florida, things that may rust in an underwater cache, things that may freeze (and then break) in Canada, etc

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

When I did trade items I never considered kids. I left adult items (not condoms, though condoms are a good message to send to kids). I don't like kids so I don't buy toys for them unless it's my cache. Even then, I have no idea what they like these days. Smurfs and carebears, still?

 

Why is swag so important? Weren't the items originally left in the first stash like, beans and a knife? We are far from those days and I don't see any point in swag anymore.

 

Bah humbug.

Edited August 11, 2011 by SeekerOfTheWay

[+Panther&Pine]

I found a Lifestyles condom in one this past winter. Actually....let me start over. My 9 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER found a Lifestyles condom in one this past winter. It was very hard to ward off her questions about what it means for something to cause "Maximum Sensitivity and Pleasure". Ugh! I'm sure the person who left it's heart was in the right place as there appeared to be a discarded mattress about 20 paces away in the woods and maybe thought it'd come in handy...but seriously, not something I want kids coming across.

It would have a been a great way to have an important talk about your family's values regarding that sort of thing. Spending time with your children and talking with them is the best way to help them make choices that are informed and in line with your family values.

 

Akward? Of course! What conversation with your kids that involves condoms isn't akward? I'm an adult and I'd feel akward if my parents talked to me about condoms now.

[+Shebaz Jenkins]

I found one in a forest that actually had a few great SWAG items. Someone had gotten some Groundspeak temp tattoos!!! I thought that was pretty neat, it was pretty large cache able to hide quite a lot.

 

Then I realized that they had also put a little spray bottle with what looked like puddle water in it and the tattoo instructions on the side.

 

I'm sure the CO was trying to be creative but it was a tad bit gross.

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

Wow. I'm glad my parents talked to me about safe sex! I don't have kids now thanks to them! Lol. I can't imagine what parents find obscene about birth control...

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

Here's some good swag gone bad in my town. When first started caching, there were a number of caches like this placed by COs who are no longer active.

Edited August 11, 2011 by SeekerOfTheWay

[Andronicus]

I found one in a forest that actually had a few great SWAG items. Someone had gotten some Groundspeak temp tattoos!!! I thought that was pretty neat, it was pretty large cache able to hide quite a lot.

 

Then I realized that they had also put a little spray bottle with what looked like puddle water in it and the tattoo instructions on the side.

 

I'm sure the CO was trying to be creative but it was a tad bit gross.

I had some temporary tatoos made with my caching logo. I used those as signature items for a while (until I ran out). Never heard if anyone took one or used one.

[+GeoBain]

I don't like kids

 

You should work for Groundspeak 'cause we all know geocaching hates children.

[+AmphibianTrackers]

I love getting SWAG ready to pass out. I feel like I am planning a party or something. As I have heard others say, it brings out the kid in us. However, anything gone bad is bad. Today, I picked up two disgusting TBs. Who would have thought that someone would send out an item that could rust attached to a tb and then have it travel to several other locations that were not water proof. I picked them up because I love tbs but the smell in my car from them was outrageous. Anything gone bad is bad. (I know, duh...) thanks to them for getting the word out.

 

From a droid phone user who already owned 2 GPS units before I purchased 3 other people the phone apps so we can all have fun together.

[+PapaMinion]

I found a Lifestyles condom in one this past winter. Actually....let me start over. My 9 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER found a Lifestyles condom in one this past winter. It was very hard to ward off her questions about what it means for something to cause "Maximum Sensitivity and Pleasure". Ugh! I'm sure the person who left it's heart was in the right place as there appeared to be a discarded mattress about 20 paces away in the woods and maybe thought it'd come in handy...but seriously, not something I want kids coming across.

It would have a been a great way to have an important talk about your family's values regarding that sort of thing. Spending time with your children and talking with them is the best way to help them make choices that are informed and in line with your family values.

 

Akward? Of course! What conversation with your kids that involves condoms isn't akward? I'm an adult and I'd feel akward if my parents talked to me about condoms now.

 

My child knows the basics of procreation at this point. What she does NOT need to know is the best methods to have sex without getting pregnant OR an STD. She's in 3rd grade, for crying out loud!!! They don't even teach this in school until 5th grade. She knows enough right now for her maturity level.

 

-Josh

[+PapaMinion]

Wow. I'm glad my parents talked to me about safe sex! I don't have kids now thanks to them! Lol. I can't imagine what parents find obscene about birth control...

 

The condom itself and explaining what it is used for is not the obscene part...it's explaining what "ribbed for her pleasure" means that I find offense in. Since my daughter, who I will remind is 9 years old and in 3rd grade and has yet to attend any Sexual Education classes and really doesn't need to know anything outside of "sex is for procreation" at this point, doesn't need to have a crash course lesson in sexual promiscuity of teenagers and adults. You can call that sheltering my child from reality....I call it waiting until I FEEL my child is mature enough to have this discussion. Considering she still thinks mommy's chest bits are "gross and yucky" and she "never wants to have them"....I have a feeling she's not ready for that talk yet, so I will dismiss your veiled judgment as being misguided...especially since you admittedly wouldn't know anything about raising a child.

 

-Josh

 

PS - Reading this back it sounds a bit hostile...that is not my intention, merely I am explaining why I see a condom as being inappropriate for my child to happen upon in a cache. Considering her age and lack of knowledge of this sort of thing, she could have assumed it was a balloon and put it in her mouth before I knew what she had. As I had no clue she even found it until we got back to the car, any number of things could have happened at this point. I feel that if it's not some trinket, a signature item, extra pens or pencils, FTF prizes/money, or trackables, it really doesn't have a place in a cache. My opinion which I'm sure others will disagree with, but a cache is not a first aid kit or mobile pharmacy.

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

I was raised differently. I never thought breasts were gross or sex was dirty. I found my dads stash of playboys when I was 10. I didn't find it gross, or a turn on. It was a body. Though I got told to stop snoopping! I guess my parents were more scientific and less the type to baby talk little kids.

 

I don't think a condom is good swag either. However, I'd be thrilled if I found a first aid kit in one! Since I don't have kids, I probably lack that need to want to shelter them.

Edited August 11, 2011 by SeekerOfTheWay

[+riffraff9000]

Here's some good swag gone bad in my town. When first started caching, there were a number of caches like this placed by COs who are no longer active.

Ewwwwwww! That's kinda nasty. You didn't try to rescue the Green Army Man, I take it?

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

I tried. I clean it out, and washed the mold and growing fungus. Logged a NM. The CO didn't respond so logged a NA. I hid 4 other caches in that park.

[GOF and Bacall]

Sheesh people! Condoms, by their very nature, are not "family friendly".

[4wheelin_fool]

Yes, swag should be appropriate for ALL ages, so please don't leave any toys!

 

I think I grew out of that stage at about 30, and have them all in the attic now..

Edited August 11, 2011 by 4wheelin_fool

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

Sheesh people! Condoms, by their very nature, are not "family friendly".

 

LOL good one.

[+The Flying Ks]

So I went to a stash er... cache on my own a couple of weeks ago between errands. A rare moment without the kiddos. Thankfully! I didn't log this puppy, didn't sign the log... nothing. I opened it and found a baggie of what I thought to be oatmeal. Only it wasn't. It was dried up pot. Called the Sheriff, took it to the station... funny thing is I hadn't read the logs before I found it. When I read the logs it was like, "ohhhh... hidden meanings..." There was even a former customs officer visiting the cache. The police took it, but they have way bigger fish to fry. Seemed every one that passed by asked me about geocaching... for some reason they were all interested in geocaching when they found out what I found.

[GOF and Bacall]

So I went to a stash er... cache on my own a couple of weeks ago between errands. A rare moment without the kiddos. Thankfully! I didn't log this puppy, didn't sign the log... nothing. I opened it and found a baggie of what I thought to be oatmeal. Only it wasn't. It was dried up pot. Called the Sheriff, took it to the station... funny thing is I hadn't read the logs before I found it. When I read the logs it was like, "ohhhh... hidden meanings..." There was even a former customs officer visiting the cache. The police took it, but they have way bigger fish to fry. Seemed every one that passed by asked me about geocaching... for some reason they were all interested in geocaching when they found out what I found.

 

Oatmeal? They must have made some changes to pot since I was a teenager. Or are we talking about some strange new age hippie oatmeal?

[+The Flying Ks]

Haha - it was all light brown and dried up. I don't know... but my brain registered "oatmeal" before I saw the stem and smelled it.

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

Why can't I ever find oatmeal?

[GOF and Bacall]

I've found small growing operations near caches. Never more than a couple of plants and never anything in a cache.

[+TomToad]

Why can't I ever find oatmeal?

Probably because it isn't usually grown in trees.

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

Why can't I ever find oatmeal?

Probably because it isn't usually grown in trees.

 

At least I know now

[+Sioneva]

Found crayons in one. Fortunately I was able to swap before the crayons melted and did any damage to other contents.

Was there a purple crayon? This thread needs one.

 

Not quite yet... This thread still makes sufficient sense to not warrant purple crayonness.

 

(Though the oatmeal tangent makes it very tempting...)

[+upearly13]

So I went to a stash er... cache on my own a couple of weeks ago between errands. A rare moment without the kiddos. Thankfully! I didn't log this puppy, didn't sign the log... nothing. I opened it and found a baggie of what I thought to be oatmeal. Only it wasn't. It was dried up pot. Called the Sheriff, took it to the station... funny thing is I hadn't read the logs before I found it. When I read the logs it was like, "ohhhh... hidden meanings..." There was even a former customs officer visiting the cache. The police took it, but they have way bigger fish to fry. Seemed every one that passed by asked me about geocaching... for some reason they were all interested in geocaching when they found out what I found.

 

Found a stash of strange "stickers", a hotel room card, etc., wrapped in saran wrap, in a plastic box, in a ziplock bag. We thought it was the cache, but no log or ID. Found the real cache yards away and called the police to go pick the stash up. NOT going back to that one!