Perspective

[+fizzymagic]

I just got back from two weeks in Australia. I did twenty-some caches while down there. It reminded me a lot of caching in the US circa 2004. Not all that many caches, and those that were there tended to be "small" or larger and in interesting spots. No caches in tourist-trap spots, and not too many urban micros put out just for the sake of having more caches.

 

Some of the caches were in great shape, some not. But I was grateful for each and every one. I saw kangaroos in the wild, swam in a cool pool at the base of a tropical waterfall, walked along deserted beaches, and saw great views. Geocaches were almost always useful for helping me find unusual, out-of-the way gems.

 

When I got back and read all the carping in the forums about whether caches are maintained to the proper way, etc. it was kind of a rude awakening. Maybe the biggest change in caching since I started is that people are no longer grateful to cache placers. Instead, they feel entitled. Entitled to have caches everywhere they go, and maintained to the standards they expect.

 

That's sad. Getting away gave me a better sense of perspective and a chance to feel gratitude again. I recommend it highly.

 

BTW I didn't meet any Aussie cachers but I wish I could have. The people down under are terrific!

 

Here's a picture of a cache location from down there just for atmosphere. The cache is up on the steep slope to the left.

 

Edited November 20, 2011 by fizzymagic

[+HHD]

As this topic is probably directed at me I figured I would log my two pennies. I would love to have had the experiences you had in Australia. Sounds like you had a great time. I love to find caches that bring me to beautiful places and unique vistas.

I am lucky to have a large number of hides relatively close to me. Granted a large number of them are power trail-esk and pngs but I'm glad to have them.

I'm not asking that every hide be in perfect condition. I'm not even asking that as soon as a nm log is made you drop what you are doing and run out to check on it. I am just saying that it is the cos responsibility to maintain the cache and that if they don't/aren't doing that then they shouldn't be allowed to hide more.

If this wasn't directed at me then disregard.

[+Coldgears]

Maybe the biggest change in caching since I started is that people are no longer grateful to cache placers. Instead, they feel entitled. Entitled to have caches everywhere they go, and maintained to the standards they expect.

When you are severely limited on something you want or need desperately, even the slightest increase is hailed by all.

 

Take for example, water. Give someone a couple drops of water a day. And they will be extremely grateful for another drop. Give people a couple gallons a day, and that drop becomes nearly meaningless.

 

I think this is a change for the better.

[+BlueDeuce]

edit: On second thought I take that back...

 

I agree with the OP.

Edited November 20, 2011 by BlueDeuce

[+GeoBain]

There are caches with maintenance issues and then there are cachers with maintenance issues.

 

I'm not too worried about a cache here and there that needs a little TLC.

 

But if someone cannot maintain their caches then they should not be hiding them. Period.

[+Team OPJim]

I agree in general that COs should maintain their caches. However there is a big difference between maintaining an Lpc you pass on the way to work everyday and the one you hid at the end of a 5 mile hike

I truly believe that gs needs to require training and experience prior to allowing cache placement. I think 50-100 finds and a short training course on cache placement that could be a video with a short quiz

I also agree that geocaching is not a civil right and expecting that caches will always be there is not reasonable

[+baloo&bd]

As this topic is probably directed at me ...

 

Wow, that was a real stretch to attempt to change the subject matter of the thread.

Edited November 27, 2011 by baloo&bd

[+fizzymagic]

As this topic is probably directed at me ...

Wow, that was a real stretch to attempt to change the subject matter of the thread.

For the record, the topic was not aimed at her.

 

It really is about the perspective I gained while caching in a new place.

 

Here's what I don't understand: is there some reason that people cannot ignore poorly-maintained caches near them? Are there so many cachers with obsessive-compulsive disorder that they need to get all the caches near them? Or is it simply a matter of needing to control other people's behavior?

 

There have been badly-maintained caches since the beginning of geocaching, but the strident complaints are relatively new.

[+baloo&bd]

As this topic is probably directed at me ...

Wow, that was a real stretch to attempt to change the subject matter of the thread.

For the record, the topic was not aimed at her.

 

It really is about the perspective I gained while caching in a new place.

 

Here's what I don't understand: is there some reason that people cannot ignore poorly-maintained caches near them? Are there so many cachers with obsessive-compulsive disorder that they need to get all the caches near them? Or is it simply a matter of needing to control other people's behavior?

 

There have been badly-maintained caches since the beginning of geocaching, but the strident complaints are relatively new.

 

I don't think anyone even thought that it remotely was.

 

Between this and the OP, my take away was not only the caching experience in a different area, but also the fact that there is this big world out there that the discussions on the forums don't seem to dictate.

Edited November 28, 2011 by baloo&bd

[+Chokecherry]

I think the volume of caches is part of the problem. Here for a while we ignore poorly maintained caches but eventually we get them cleared out as we take pride in our small geocaching community. If one of the other local catchers needed a hand I would help out in a heart beat. When traveling if I know the cache hider i help out.

 

However I found when traveling to get caches that it becomes quite annoying to wade through the glut or non-maintained caches. I have finite time to cache. I do the best I can to screen out what appear to be poorly thought out or poorly maintained caches but sometimes I get some in my list. I can't help every lazy cache owner out there. I put out a cache I may put out another. But I wont put out more than I can maintain. That's a level of personal responsibility I see missing from some owners who Pepper the world with their stuff and then don't have time to care for it.

[AZcachemeister]

The nastiest, broken-down, moldy, slime-infested, water filled cache...at a unique and interesting location...is far better than the most diligently maintained cache on the guardrail, near the dumpster, behind the strip mall.

 

Personally, I get perturbed when it's a nasty, broken-down, moldy, slime-infested, water filled cache, on the guardrail, near the dumpster, behind the strip mall.

 

If you can't give me a good location, at least maintain the thing.

[+Chokecherry]

I think that is part of my problem is trying to filter out the caches in poor locations. Sometimes I like the mindless caches that don't have much for location but not often. Give me a reason to be there besides the cache and I'm less likely to be annoyed at cache condition. But again that has to do with the volume of caches and subsequent caches for the caches sake and no other reason. Wading through those and poorly maintained ones at that is very annoying.

[+brokenoaks]

Before I go looking for a cache I actually read the description and at least a few of its newer logs. From that little bit of reading I can almost always tell if it is in a location I care to cache in, if it is a type of container I care to find, and even if it needs maintenance. This just seems like a very easy way to eliminate looking for all those junk caches out there. I don’t have a lot of finds but I have enjoyed almost every one I do have and I don’t have to deal with being frustrated by someone’s actions that I have no control over

[+cache_test_dummies]

Geocaching in new places can be rewarding.

 

Trying to understand why people complain about any given thing in the forums is difficult, if not entirely futile.

[+L0ne.R]

I think the volume of caches is part of the problem. Here for a while we ignore poorly maintained caches but eventually we get them cleared out as we take pride in our small geocaching community. If one of the other local catchers needed a hand I would help out in a heart beat. When traveling if I know the cache hider i help out.

 

However I found when traveling to get caches that it becomes quite annoying to wade through the glut or non-maintained caches. I have finite time to cache. I do the best I can to screen out what appear to be poorly thought out or poorly maintained caches but sometimes I get some in my list. I can't help every lazy cache owner out there. I put out a cache I may put out another. But I wont put out more than I can maintain. That's a level of personal responsibility I see missing from some owners who Pepper the world with their stuff and then don't have time to care for it.

 

+1

[+Harry Dolphin]

I agree with Fizzy. Far too much entitlement out there. Far too many cache cops.

I may not travel too far, but I do enjoy caching trips. (Map ho!) From a cache I found in Iowa that disappeared a bit later: Someone came through, noted that the cache was missing, and tossed a throw down. Oops. It had been replaced! Now there are two caches. Hubris!

[+GeoBain]

Here's what I don't understand: is there some reason that people cannot ignore poorly-maintained caches near them?

 

The ability to ignore caches from particular hiders would be a start. I don't that is currently possible so those caches still show up in PQs. Yes, you can manually add them to your ignore list, but it would be much easier to add one CO than 50 of their hides.

[+GeoBain]

The nastiest, broken-down, moldy, slime-infested, water filled cache...at a unique and interesting location...is far better than the most diligently maintained cache on the guardrail, near the dumpster, behind the strip mall.

 

I disagree.

 

Perhaps a cracked container with a soggy wet log in a unique and interesting location is better than a prestine cache on a guardrail, near a dumpster, behind the strip mall. But nasty, moldy, slime infested caches are unacceptable no matter where they may be located. (to me - my own personal opinion)

[knowschad]

As this topic is probably directed at me ...

 

Wow, that was a real stretch to attempt to change the subject matter of the thread.

Reminds me of a Carlie Simon song.

[AZcachemeister]

It was an extreme example to make my point, perhaps I went overboard...

[AZcachemeister]

As this topic is probably directed at me ...

 

Wow, that was a real stretch to attempt to change the subject matter of the thread.

Reminds me of a Carlie Simon song.

 

You probly think this thread is aboutchoo, dontcha, dontcha?

[+Chokecherry]

Reading descriptions and comments at this point isn't always helpful in weeding out caches. I typically only cache on weekends. If I'm traveling even a little I will spend upwards of a month reading logs and cache pages to find appropriate caches that match the physical ability of the people I'm with. I make a list and it never fails on that list somewhere will be a cache that makes me wonder why exactly I was brought to this place of little redeeming quality or a cache in an otherwise nice place which is a moldy wet mess. I don't feel entitled. I just feel people shouldnt throw these things out with no plan to take care of them. Entitlement is thrown around like Puritan here.

 

I'm more than willing to help out a community member if they demonstrate some level of personal responsibility. If they aren't out there throwing their Tupperware around with no plans to ever look at it again. That's irresponsible and selfish. If this is a community game the owners of these messed are responsible for showing respect to the community and keeping something out there worth finding. Those owners I feel I have a responsibility to aid as best I can. The rest of the caches and owners with responsibility issues I don't particularly care about and haven't missed a cache yet that was ultimately archived due to neglect.

[+northernpenguin]

I agree with Fizzy. Far too much entitlement out there. Far too many cache cops.

I may not travel too far, but I do enjoy caching trips. (Map ho!) From a cache I found in Iowa that disappeared a bit later: Someone came through, noted that the cache was missing, and tossed a throw down. Oops. It had been replaced! Now there are two caches. Hubris!

 

That's my #1 geocaching pet peeve right there. If you can't find a cache, it doesn't mean it isn't there. It means you couldn't find it. Throwing down another cache just so you can get your smiley forces a maintenance visit whether it was needed or not. I have had this happen to my caches more times than I can count, sometimes I can't find the throw down so the dual caches last for a little while.

 

Note: The "you" I refer to in my mini-rant is the "general cacher" not the person I'm quoting

[+HHD]

I agree with Fizzy. Far too much entitlement out there. Far too many cache cops.

I may not travel too far, but I do enjoy caching trips. (Map ho!) From a cache I found in Iowa that disappeared a bit later: Someone came through, noted that the cache was missing, and tossed a throw down. Oops. It had been replaced! Now there are two caches. Hubris!

 

That's my #1 geocaching pet peeve right there. If you can't find a cache, it doesn't mean it isn't there. It means you couldn't find it. Throwing down another cache just so you can get your smiley forces a maintenance visit whether it was needed or not. I have had this happen to my caches more times than I can count, sometimes I can't find the throw down so the dual caches last for a little while.

 

Note: The "you" I refer to in my mini-rant is the "general cacher" not the person I'm quoting

 

Welcome to the world of gcrm caches. Even if you aren't into gcrm if there are enough in the area a throw down will happen.

[+dakboy]

I truly believe that gs needs to require training and experience prior to allowing cache placement. I think 50-100 finds and a short training course on cache placement that could be a video with a short quiz

Thinking about a random sampling of 50-100 caches near me that a new cacher might find while trying to reach this goal, I fear they'd learn a lot of really bad habits.

[+Trekkin' and birdin']

Bringing this one back to the OP's observations, we experienced a bit of a revelation of sorts. When planning our trip out to the west coast, we picked caches that looked interesting.....long hikes in the mountains, unique or historical locations. Not going for numbers. I did the same thing when I took a solo trip east last spring. After it was all over and we pulled into our own driveway, Trekkin' commented that unlike after some of these "number trips" we've done with friends, he wasn't sick of geocaching this time.

 

It goes back to what someone else said....when the quantity is perceived to be less, the enjoyment can be more. I realize some derive their enjoyment from getting sheer numbers (hence caching trips with our friends who enjoy that), but in the end, we're happy that caches are being placed and that we're getting better at discerning which are the ones we'd most enjoy. I have noticed in the five plus years we've been doing this that the game has changed quite a bit. We've been trying really hard to spend our caching time with the kinds of caches we truly enjoy and worry less about "how many." We've enjoyed ourselves a lot more this way. Others will enjoy the number trails, and that's just fine, too. No matter what we've done, seven mile hikes in the middle of nowhere or a rest area skirt lifter, we're happy that people are taking the time and effort out of their busy lives to put these things out there for others to enjoy. When it brings us to places like Buzzard's Roost or The Crack in Killarney.....we're REALLY thankful!