More information, please

[+TexasCacheCrew]

Just back from a 3800-hundred-mile, 12-state road trip. We found some caches and passed up almost as many.

The ones we passed all had the same thing in common: not enough information for out-of-towners. "A bison tube, have fun" doesn't cut it for travelers.

Cache owners, please consider adding these tips in your cache description, especially if your cache is on or near a well-traveled highway.

* Is the cache accessible to travelers going both ways or one way? If one way, which way?

* If the cache is off the main highway, list which exit travelers should take.

* Tell us if it's easy to get back on the highway.

* Give us landmarks such as "just past the Chevy dealership," or "it's across the road from the Whataburger."

Your efforts could result in more visitors to your cache.

Thanks.

[Clan Riffster]

Sound advice, SharpTail. I tend to get a bit verbose on my cache pages, as I like to know folks who attempt them will know what they are getting themselves in for. Typically, my caches are not appropriate for travelers, as they often involve bushwhacking or kayak paddling in hazardous environments, and almost always require several hours and a change of clothes.

[+Spraginator]

While I understand your point, for me, part of the fun of finding a geocache is figuring out exactly how to get to it, what roads are closest, etc. One of my best stories involves bushwhacking for 3/4 of a mile, because the road the cache was on was not programed into my GPS!! I love having those stories. If every cache gave a "take road A to Road B...." Description, I would not have nearly as much fun geocaching.

 

So, my point is, it's up to the CO for how much info they want to provide. If you want to find straightforward caches where you know exactly where it'll be from the description, that's fine! You can find those. However, it if unfair for you to put that expectation on every cache in existence. I personally like to find ones with a little less info that requires me to use my brain to figure out a way into the area and come up with the find.

[+Team Taran]

As someone who often caches in unfamiliar territory, I understand your frustration, Planning does help. If you know you are taking a trip, spend some time looking at maps and reading logs. Caches hidden with travelers in mind will provide information, If you find one you'd really like to try but aren't sure about access,try emailing the owner. They might be willing to provide suggested parking for an out of towner or suggest particularly good choices for visitors to their town. Sometimes the missing information is just an oversite. All the locals know where trail head parking is.

[+GeoGeeBee]

Just back from a 3800-hundred-mile, 12-state road trip. We found some caches and passed up almost as many.

The ones we passed all had the same thing in common: not enough information for out-of-towners. "A bison tube, have fun" doesn't cut it for travelers.

Cache owners, please consider adding these tips in your cache description, especially if your cache is on or near a well-traveled highway.

* Is the cache accessible to travelers going both ways or one way? If one way, which way?

* If the cache is off the main highway, list which exit travelers should take.

* Tell us if it's easy to get back on the highway.

* Give us landmarks such as "just past the Chevy dealership," or "it's across the road from the Whataburger."

Your efforts could result in more visitors to your cache.

Thanks.

That's funny. I generally find that having the coordinates and a GPS makes it pretty easy to figure out how to get to a cache.

[+t4e]

Just back from a 3800-hundred-mile, 12-state road trip. We found some caches and passed up almost as many.

The ones we passed all had the same thing in common: not enough information for out-of-towners. "A bison tube, have fun" doesn't cut it for travelers.

Cache owners, please consider adding these tips in your cache description, especially if your cache is on or near a well-traveled highway.

* Is the cache accessible to travelers going both ways or one way? If one way, which way?

* If the cache is off the main highway, list which exit travelers should take.

* Tell us if it's easy to get back on the highway.

 

don't you have a GPS?

 

only thing i would like to see though is a waypoint for Parking, Trailhead or Boat Launch, where the cache requires a boat

 

* Give us landmarks such as "just past the Chevy dealership," or "it's across the road from the Whataburger."

 

 

that is a no no, violates the Commercial Guidelines

Edited August 30, 2011 by t4e

[+Redfist]

I travel a pretty good amount also. I generally don't want to see things like "across from the chevy dealer" because businesses change hands, etc. I would like to see 1 simple thing "bushwacking involved" or something to that effect. In other words, I would like to know if it's a cache I can get in business attire or not. But if they don't have it, I just gauge by the map and/or logs and/or description.

[zilla]

I disagree with the OP.. Seekers need to do the research.. In this day of in hand info there is no excuse for being lazy.. I have done more than a few out of town caches and not had any problems.. You can use Google maps, Mapquest, and jdmcox for starters..

[+TexasCacheCrew]

To clarify my point:

Your GPSr shows two caches ahead of you during your drive, one is 10 miles, the other is 12 miles.

One cache is a 2/2 with a description that says "bison tube have fun."

The other cache is a 2/2 with a description that says "bison tube in picnic area accessible from either direction."

Which cache are you, the driver, more likely to stop for?

[+GeoGeeBee]

To clarify my point:

Your GPSr shows two caches ahead of you during your drive, one is 10 miles, the other is 12 miles.

One cache is a 2/2 with a description that says "bison tube have fun."

The other cache is a 2/2 with a description that says "bison tube in picnic area accessible from either direction."

Which cache are you, the driver, more likely to stop for?

The one that says "Ammo can in the wooded area of a neighborhood park."

 

OK, seriously, I see your point. And frankly, I probably wouldn't be excited about stopping for either one of those. I like long cache descriptions, and not just when I'm traveling. Tell my why you hid it there. Tell me the history of the area. Tell me SOMETHING besides "bison tube in picnic area with easy access from the highway."

[hoosier guy]

To clarify my point:Your GPSr shows two caches ahead of you during your drive, one is 10 miles, the other is 12 miles.One cache is a 2/2 with a description that says "bison tube have fun."The other cache is a 2/2 with a description that says "bison tube in picnic area accessible from either direction."Which cache are you, the driver, more likely to stop for?

The one that says "Ammo can in the wooded area of a neighborhood park."OK, seriously, I see your point. And frankly, I probably wouldn't be excited about stopping for either one of those. I like long cache descriptions, and not just when I'm traveling. Tell my why you hid it there. Tell me the history of the area. Tell me SOMETHING besides "bison tube in picnic area with easy access from the highway."

 

I agree with this. I am not a build the numbers type of cacher anymore so I like to pick caches that are interesting or senic. Tell me a bit more about the who, why, when & how you decided to palce the cache.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Or, you could just hire a local cacher to take you by the hand and lead you to the caches.

Some caches are meant to be P&Gs. Some cachers want everybody within 100 miles to find their cache. Many caches take a little research to find. A bit more challenging.

If I go on a trip with a lot of drivig, I usually look for easy caches, or very interesting caches. And I'll research the intersting caches. And I don't worry about driving right by all the rest of the caches.

[+Kris32]

We have taken very long road trips in a rented RV. I had to go to each possibility to see if a RV would fit according to satellite image. I would not mind some info on what vehicles would have reasonable parking.

[+fizzymagic]

To clarify my point:

Your GPSr shows two caches ahead of you during your drive, one is 10 miles, the other is 12 miles.

One cache is a 2/2 with a description that says "bison tube have fun."

The other cache is a 2/2 with a description that says "bison tube in picnic area accessible from either direction."

Which cache are you, the driver, more likely to stop for?

 

Neither. They both sound pretty lame. But if I were to pick one, I would look on the map in my GPS and figure out which looked better. That's what maps are for.

 

You might find letterboxing more enjoyable, as those provide explicit directions on how to find the container.

[+CanDMan47]

I mostly disagree with the OP, and I travel a lot and now most of my caches are from out of town. I would slightly agree if the OP is talking about caches that are specifically designed for people traveling through, quick PNGs just off the highway. Anything else, I don't want directions. Maybe as t4e say, a parking waypoint, but that's about it.

[+AmphibianTrackers]

I don't agree that all locals know where the trail head parking is. Also, statements such as northbound or southbound are helpful. If you are finding a micro on a fence on the side of the road in heavy traffic it would be nice to know which side. (No, not my favorite kind of hide.)

 

On the other hand, this is what I use google earth for. It helps me to know where things are that I can't tell from a regular map. I make my query and then download it to google earth to gather up my research. It enables me to know the kinds of information the OP is asking for.

[+Chokecherry]

For day trips or long trips I research. I never just blindly load a PQ and go. I've only run 2 pqs and that was for caches along a route and even then I hand picked the caches I was going to do after looking maps, cache pages, cache names, descriptions, comments and pictures.

 

As a frequent out of town cacher I just map these things out before going. Then do next nearest until we get through the list. Figure it out on the fly. I found a little prep before hand saves a ton of time during the trip.

 

And if the cache doesn't look that interesting I don't do it.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Or, you could just hire a local cacher to take you by the hand and lead you to the caches.

Some caches are meant to be P&Gs. Some cachers want everybody within 100 miles to find their cache. Many caches take a little research to find. A bit more challenging.

If I go on a trip with a lot of drivig, I usually look for easy caches, or very interesting caches. And I'll research the intersting caches. And I don't worry about driving right by all the rest of the caches.

 

I've been to quite a few places where it would be difficult to find a local cacher, and if I did they might not speak English. Hiring a local cacher also doesn't make a lot of sense if you're traveling through an area and just want to grab a few caches along the way.

 

I think the OP is asking a bit much but I'm generally in favor of cache owners considering the possibility that there might be geocachers from out of town passing through. I've seen a lot of caches which primarily cater to the local geocaching community and seem to forget that there might be someone visiting their town for a short time and might want to find a few good caches. I don't mind doing a little research but a lot of cache listings don't give much information about the area.

[+barryadams307]

I'm thinking about making a really hard 5/5 and tell as lil as I can get by with at lest about finding the cache might tell a lil about the area but I don't want to tell people how to find my cache that's your job

 

But one stage will need a ladder you think I should tell them that ?? Or you think it will be ok to just hent at it ??