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Micro's.. A cache of what ?


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I haven't been active for a couple of years and recently put new batteries in the GPS and logged on to GC.com. Thought I might go caching now that the weather is getting warmer. Scanning through the list of caches in my area, I remembered why I quit two years ago... Micro's. Yep, gasoline cost too much to drive around looking for a film canister or bison tube. Traditionally a cache contained swag (trade items). That is a big part of the fun. Sure, the items aren't very valuable but the idea is that you never know what you will find. In a micro, you know what you will find, nothing ! I screen them out of the list, but unfortunately in my area, about eighty percent of the caches are micros. Looks like these new GPS batteries are going to last a long time. If you don't like micros, don't place, hunt or log them.

Edited by srondar
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If everything else is equal, (location, hide creativity, write up creativity, etc), I would prefer a cache large enough for swag. Not that I often trade, mind you, though I do enjoy pawing through it, seeing what others have left behind. Even a box void of everything but used lotto tickets, broken McToys and bottle caps tells a story I find fascinating, as I mentally try mapping the remaining swag to the entries in the logbook.

 

I recognize that this is just my own personal bias kicking in.

 

I know this is not true for all micros, (I've got several micros on my favorites list), but I kinda see micros as the lazy mans alternative to cache hiding. By choosing a film can, they get to avoid the unpleasantness of having to actually invest anything in their hide. The container is free. If they dig out an old scrap of paper from the trash for a log, that is free. They don't need to invest any significant amount of time finding a nice location, as any stretch of road which has no caches 529' away, or any big name business with either a shrub or a lamp post in their parking lot will serve as a hiding spot. Nor do they need to invest any effort in a cache page. A simple, "Didn't see any caches near here so I thought I'd hide one" will satisfy the numbers oriented cacher.

 

The more this hobby goes mainstream, the more it will appeal to those couch potatoes who can't be bothered with having to walk more than 10' from their air conditioned minivans, for fear of accidentally burning a calorie.

 

But, as you've discovered, there is a simple solution to this dilemma, for folks like us that prefer quality over quantity. Eliminate all micros, size not chosen and other from your PQs, then eliminate anything with a D/T rating of 1.5/1.5 or less, and suddenly all the micro-spew and P&Gs disappear from your map, never to taunt you again. You will also discover that there are still enough folks hiding the types of caches you do like. Probably enough that you'll never run out of hides to hunt. Well, OK, some P&Gs and mislabeled micros will still sneak through from time to time, but a peek at your GPSr screen should reveal these.

 

Also, by hiding really amazing regular size caches, you can oft inspire those who are new to this game, and honestly believe that spitting out film cans in Burger King hedges is what it's all about, to set their standards a bit higher, hiding outside their established comfort zone.

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Hi srondar - the good news is that you're a Premium Member, and can create pocket queries.

 

I just created one, centered on your active hide GC18PNR - i asked for

 

350 caches, containers small, reg, large,

types trad, multi, letterbox

 

This query only goes out 21 miles from your cache, and includes a fair number of caches with favorite points, that you haven't found

 

Go get 'em.

 

Here's one, a cache with a whooping 93 favorite points, within 20 miles

7 Realms Of Darkness http://coord.info/GC211D5

 

Like Clan Riffster, I generally query an area for everything within a radius, then look at all the micro/unknown caches with terrain ratings of 1.5 or less (I'm using GSAK for this). I usually delete these, though something with a real title (not F.C.O.L #34) and a write up that seems interesting will remain in the gps.

 

I'm okay with hunting micros, myself, and am not one to carp about "micro in the woods" - if it's a quality container, with decent coords on an interesting feature or nice journey, it's fine with me.

 

I just find that the low D/T micros are more apt to disappoint. While I don't doubt that I miss some good stuff via my technique, it's the quickest way I know about to be mostly happy while hunting.

Edited by Isonzo Karst
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The size of the cache is irrelevant to me. I personally don't care about the swag... havent since my first two months of caching. But I do get very weary of thoughtless/mindless hides of any size. I have already seen more than enough Home Depots... I really don't care about that spruce tree they planted on the east side, thank you.

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I'm rather new at this but I've found enough ammo boxes under trees. Micros pose more of a challenge.

 

Cheers,

Vicki

 

I'm kind of along the same lines on this. I do like an ammo can deep in a wooded area, but sometimes a bison tube in a tree in a green space can give me that much needed frustration factor to keep the game riveting. And while I do come across a 35mm canister every once in a while, most of the micros I find are either magnetic keyholders, bison tubes, or waterproof matchstick holders....none of which I would ever categorize as free. I think the idea of the dollar amount indicating the level of laziness is a bit misguided. To me, dropping an ammo can in a hollowed-out log/hole at the base of a tree/behind a rock and covering it with a pile of sticks is a lot lazier than camouflaging a bison tube/purchasing one already in camo and hiding it cleverly on a branch that blends in with the surroundings, but to each their own. I get your frustration, but isn't it supposed to be the thrill of the hunt that drives us?

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I'm rather new at this but I've found enough ammo boxes under trees. Micros pose more of a challenge.

You must live in a challenging micro Nirvana. :lol:

Locally, finding a micro takes about as much effort as sneezing.

Step 1 ) Drive to Wally World.

Step 2 ) Pull up to shrub.

Step 3 ) Exit minivan.

Step 4 ) Walk 3' to shrub.

Step 5 ) Reach into shrub.

Step 6 ) Grasp cheap Chinese imitation Bison Designs tube.

Step 7 ) Open fake Bison.

Step 9 ) Extract log.

Step 9a ) Dry if needed.

Step 10 ) Sign log.

Step 11 ) Replace log.

Step 12 ) Replace fake Bison.

Step 13 ) Return to minivan.

Step 14 ) Hit "Next".

 

Total time expended, (minus drive) = 13 seconds.

Total calories burned = 1

Total braincells utilized = 7

 

The last ammo can I found took me on a hike of several miles just to reach stage 1.

Getting to stage 2, (the final), was a fairly quick hike, less than a mile.

Because of the dense forest canopy, and good camo, both stage 1 and the final were challenging.

Total time expended hiking to and from stage 1 = 4 hours.

Total time searching for stage 1 = 45 minutes.

Total time searching for the final = 35 minutes.

Total calories burned = a butt load. :lol:

 

...most of the micros I find are either magnetic keyholders, bison tubes, or waterproof matchstick holders....none of which I would ever categorize as free.

True. Hide-a-keys, fake bisons and matchsafes are not free.

You will spend roughly one dollar for each of them.

 

I think the idea of the dollar amount indicating the level of laziness is a bit misguided.

It reflects the amount of effort expended not just in the hide, but in earning the $$$ for the ammo can, and the $$$ to fill said ammo can. I am blessed to live fairly close to The Space Coast Geocaching Store, in Cocoa Florida. A couple hours of driving and I can fill my car with ammo cans for about $6 each. I see others in here who are not so fortunate, and have to shell out considerably more than that. To fill an ammo can costs me between $20 and $50. To fill an hide-a-key, Bison or matchsafe costs me roughly $0.01

 

With the possible exception of some kid mooching off mommy, it takes more effort to buy & fill an ammo can than a micro.

 

Then there is the hide to consider.

 

Locally, as mentioned earlier, hiding a micro takes very little actual effort.

Just a glance at a map to ensure there are no others within 529' and stick it in a shrub.

If the locals would hide micros in spots requiring extensive hikes or paddles, I would delete this.

But by far, the majority of them are P&Gs.

 

The last ammo can I hid took two full day kayak paddles. One to scout & one to hide.

I have to repeat it, as the land manager rejected my location, but that's my fault, not the hide's.

The ammo can I hid prior to that one took about 10 miles of mountain biking, toting the ammo can.

The can prior to that took two 9 mile paddles.

The can prior to that took about two months worth of hiking, hiding stages, and hiding the final.

 

Lastly, there is maintenance considerations.

I was with a friend when they did a maintenance run on a micro.

Not counting the drive, it took less than a minute to replace, and cost him about a buck.

My last maintenance run was checking on a stage of a Wherigo. Just that was a 4 mile hike.

Each stage of this Wherigo is an ammo can. Had it been missing, I would've had to repeat the hike, carrying a can.

 

Another possible consideration, at least locally, is the write up.

It seems that around here, when someone takes the expense, time and effort to hide an ammo can, this is reflected in the write up. Whereas, when someone spews out yet another thoughtless P&G in a big box store parking lot, they use less words on their cache page than can be found tattooed on Roseanne Barr's backside. :lol:

 

In summation = Hours of labor to afford the can & contents, + hours of hiking/biking/paddling to hide = not lazy.

Seconds of labor to afford the hide-a-key & contents, + seconds of walking to a shrub to hide = lazy. :P

 

But I agree with your "thrill of the hunt" philosophy. B)

I am just thrilled by things other than P&Gs.

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I'm not a big "pro micro" guy but I have found some micros in some really cool places (mostly old cemeteries and at least one of Knowschad's caches) where any other cache size just would not be feasable. Sometimes it's all about the location and NOT the cache just as sometimes it's about the numbers.

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I think there is wiggle room on both sides of this. I would have to agree that a large number of micros are brainless repetitive hides. At the same time I've seen regulars that were as bad as any micro.

 

As examples, yesterday I found a regular that was an old peanut butter jar wrapped in what used to be duct tape. It was crammed full of nothing worth looking at and dropped at the base of a fence post. The cache page talked about a massacre that had occurred over 10 miles from where the cache was. <_< On the other hand there is a whole series of caches in the state that are all micros. They take you to some of the old historic out of the way cemeteries. As a history buff I love them. :)

 

I have some micros that are part of 3 different series of caches. Each is placed so as to bring the cacher to the point I want them to see. However in each of those series there are larger caches. I always hide the largest cache that I can maintain properly for that hide site.

 

It’s not the size of the cache in hide. It's the size of the hide in the cache.

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Oh, I agree completely. I have gobs of micros on my favorites list. Each of these brought me to an amazing location. As to, "can't hide anything but a micro", all I can do is shrug. I was talking with a local micro hider about this concept, and I mentioned that, up to that time, I had never visited a micro location where, with enough effort and creativity, an ammo could not be hidden. Apparently this comment made the rounds of the other micro hiders, as I have been taunted ever since then with location challenges, presumably to prove me wrong. Each time I take up the gauntlet and show them how an ammo can could be hidden in their area, rather than admit that the principle is inherently flawed, they either explain that they are unwilling/unable to apply the necessary effort to hide an ammo can there, or they rush off, intent on proving me wrong at some other location. They seem insistent on putting words in my mouth, believing that by demonstrating that an ammo can could be hidden where their film can resides, I am somehow criticizing their hide. The phrase I most often repeat is worded to the effect of, "Dude! It's your hide. It's within the guidelines. People are finding it and enjoying themselves. I am not saying you should have hidden an ammo can here. I am simply pointing out that your claim that 'only a micro would work' was incorrect". It's gotten rather tiresome, actually. People hold tight to their misconceptions. :unsure:

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I haven't been active for a couple of years and recently put new batteries in the GPS and logged on to GC.com. Thought I might go caching now that the weather is getting warmer. Scanning through the list of caches in my area, I remembered why I quit two years ago... Micro's. Yep, gasoline cost too much to drive around looking for a film canister or bison tube. Traditionally a cache contained swag (trade items). That is a big part of the fun. Sure, the items aren't very valuable but the idea is that you never know what you will find. In a micro, you know what you will find, nothing ! I screen them out of the list, but unfortunately in my area, about eighty percent of the caches are micros. Looks like these new GPS batteries are going to last a long time. If you don't like micros, don't place, hunt or log them.

I also like Regulars and Smalls, as you mentioned about gas cost is the same for CO's who have to constantly replace them. They are more likely change the size to either make it more difficult for muggles or cost effective for them.

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I am simply pointing out that your claim that 'only a micro would work' was incorrect". It's gotten rather tiresome, actually. People hold tight to their misconceptions. :unsure:

 

There are places where only a micro would work. But of course you could put an ammo can just about anywhere you could put a micro. It just wouldn't last long in a lot of those locations. Even micros won't last long in some locations. Some locations just are not very well suited for a geocache at all.

Edited by GeoBain
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Oh, I agree completely. I have gobs of micros on my favorites list. Each of these brought me to an amazing location. As to, "can't hide anything but a micro", all I can do is shrug. I was talking with a local micro hider about this concept, and I mentioned that, up to that time, I had never visited a micro location where, with enough effort and creativity, an ammo could not be hidden. Apparently this comment made the rounds of the other micro hiders, as I have been taunted ever since then with location challenges, presumably to prove me wrong. Each time I take up the gauntlet and show them how an ammo can could be hidden in their area, rather than admit that the principle is inherently flawed, they either explain that they are unwilling/unable to apply the necessary effort to hide an ammo can there, or they rush off, intent on proving me wrong at some other location. They seem insistent on putting words in my mouth, believing that by demonstrating that an ammo can could be hidden where their film can resides, I am somehow criticizing their hide. The phrase I most often repeat is worded to the effect of, "Dude! It's your hide. It's within the guidelines. People are finding it and enjoying themselves. I am not saying you should have hidden an ammo can here. I am simply pointing out that your claim that 'only a micro would work' was incorrect". It's gotten rather tiresome, actually. People hold tight to their misconceptions. :unsure:

I'm not going to argue that point because I don't know the caches you're talk about. Also I have seen enough to know exactly what you mean. However when I say that I hide the biggest cache I can, I not saying that there was not some spot where I could have put a bigger container. In fact I have in the past hid large containers in urban areas. I've also had to replace them and then archive them. I had the biggest container possible the can within the spirit of the permanency guidelines be maintained in a way that will give the cacher a pleasant visit. In at least one case this meant the first point was a virtual point. When I had a micro it's with both the finder and the maintenance and permanence of cache in mind. Of course the same is true for my smalls and so on. Edited by Totem Clan
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I dislike micros too. I wont set out for them on their own. If I am in a particular area and there is one that happens to be there, I might pick it up.

 

I usually don't even trade items, I just like seeing what people have left, and sometimes leaving one of my sig items.

 

I like micros. But one thing I do miss is reading long entries left in logbooks. You don't even see that in larger caches much these days. :(

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admittedly not a big micro guy because one or two people in this area have gone micro-wild but if all caches were large then large ones would get boring fast. Nice to have the option of doing a power trail, I just wish micros would be kept out of the state parks, of which there are not many to choose from around here. Leave room for cachers to hide regulars there. I bet if I asked nice the person would archive their micro and let a regular be put there though. Best to just use pocket queries for what you want to accomplish that day. :)

 

For what it's worth, all of the guy's micros have all had dry logs and been in good shape. :) The ones with damp logs I've found were placed by people with few hides/finds in comparison.

Edited by sholomar
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admittedly not a big micro guy because one or two people in this area have gone micro-wild but if all caches were large then large ones would get boring fast. Nice to have the option of doing a power trail, I just wish micros would be kept out of the state parks, of which there are not many to choose from around here. Leave room for cachers to hide regulars there. I bet if I asked nice the person would archive their micro and let a regular be put there though. Best to just use pocket queries for what you want to accomplish that day. :)

 

I would like to add anything in a remote, unpopulated location to your state parks comment. Anything out in the sticks/woods....

 

It is pretty disappointing to go for a bit of a hike to some beautiful location, and only find nothing but a bison tube with a piece of paper jammed inside it.

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Tell kids about your theory. I know some people who can't get their kids interested in Geocaching because the kids want to trade for swag and find Sign-Only caches duller than dull on Dulls Day.

 

I try to keep at least half of my hides of a size for trade items. This is why I have ammo boxes in the living room. I've also been buying those neato Therapak medium canisters, 9key tipped me off to, small but very roomy. Also, always on the lookout for stuff kids would want to trade for. This is why I asked in another thread about GoGos Crazy Bones, I don't want to just cop out and stuff a cache with McToys and dollar story party favors.

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As to, "can't hide anything but a micro", all I can do is shrug. I was talking with a local micro hider about this concept, and I mentioned that, up to that time, I had never visited a micro location where, with enough effort and creativity, an ammo could not be hidden.
IME, there's a difference between a spot where an ammo can can be hidden, and a spot where an ammo can geocache can survive. I've seen a number of larger caches that were well-hidden, and were perfectly fine—as long as no one searched for or found them. But when geocachers searched for them, found them, carried them to a nearby bench/log/rock/whatever where they could sit for a while, signed the log, pawed through the trade items, and returned the cache to its hiding place, these larger caches just didn't survive.
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admittedly not a big micro guy because one or two people in this area have gone micro-wild but if all caches were large then large ones would get boring fast. Nice to have the option of doing a power trail, I just wish micros would be kept out of the state parks, of which there are not many to choose from around here. Leave room for cachers to hide regulars there. I bet if I asked nice the person would archive their micro and let a regular be put there though. Best to just use pocket queries for what you want to accomplish that day. :)

 

I would like to add anything in a remote, unpopulated location to your state parks comment. Anything out in the sticks/woods....

 

It is pretty disappointing to go for a bit of a hike to some beautiful location, and only find nothing but a bison tube with a piece of paper jammed inside it.

 

For the most part I agree but there are some well done power trails done on unassuming gravel roads in remote areas that I don't mind. North of watertown, south dakota... just dirt roads, no major landmarks or anything that would warrant full size caches... And again in the southern part of the state, SE of Freeman, someone spelled out the word 'geocaching'.. I wouldn't expect power trails in these remote areas to all be full size caches. People drive to these expecting micros I'd imagine.

Edited by sholomar
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admittedly not a big micro guy because one or two people in this area have gone micro-wild but if all caches were large then large ones would get boring fast. Nice to have the option of doing a power trail, I just wish micros would be kept out of the state parks, of which there are not many to choose from around here. Leave room for cachers to hide regulars there. I bet if I asked nice the person would archive their micro and let a regular be put there though. Best to just use pocket queries for what you want to accomplish that day. :)

 

I would like to add anything in a remote, unpopulated location to your state parks comment. Anything out in the sticks/woods....

 

It is pretty disappointing to go for a bit of a hike to some beautiful location, and only find nothing but a bison tube with a piece of paper jammed inside it.

 

For the most part I agree but there are some well done power trails done on unassuming gravel roads in remote areas that I don't mind. North of watertown, south dakota... just dirt roads, no major landmarks or anything that would warrant full size caches... And again in the southern part of the state, SE of Freeman, someone spelled out the word 'geocaching'.. I wouldn't expect power trails in these remote areas to all be full size caches. People drive to these expecting micros I'd imagine.

 

I had to go look that up to see what the power trail looked like. That is pretty cool.

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Depends on the hide. There's a micro near me, in a park, with a decent hike to get to... It's been taunting me. 4 visits and I still haven't found it. First, solve the puzzle. Then, hike to GZ. Then, spend 2 hours in a dark, wet, tunnel with a flashlight looking for a dime sized nano.

 

Yet, I've spent more time on this one than quite a few ammo cans in the woods.

 

Even with just over 50 finds, I've seen enough lamp posts to last me a lifetime. :lol:

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The size of the cache is irrelevant to me. I personally don't care about the swag... havent since my first two months of caching. But I do get very weary of thoughtless/mindless hides of any size. I have already seen more than enough Home Depots... I really don't care about that spruce tree they planted on the east side, thank you.

 

I'd like to say that the size of the cache was irreverent. But to be honest the percentage of fun caches to crap goes WAY up when I avoid micros. Few people hide larger caches in strip mall parking lots with scenic vistas of the dumpster. That said, I have an LPC on my favorites list. It's, mostly, about the location, not the cache size. As long as the size is appropriate for the location. But that is another conversation.

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I dislike micros too. I wont set out for them on their own. If I am in a particular area and there is one that happens to be there, I might pick it up.

 

I usually don't even trade items, I just like seeing what people have left, and sometimes leaving one of my sig items.

 

I like micros. But one thing I do miss is reading long entries left in logbooks. You don't even see that in larger caches much these days. :(

 

I used to love hiking into some back woods location and reading the log book from the cache. Nobody seems to write logs anymore. *sigh*

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General Rules for Cache Sizes:

 

Urban caching = micros (or smaller), with the occasional small.

Rural caching = regulars and smalls, with the occasional micro (or large!)

 

Just don't hide a cache that is so small and hard to find that it promotes damage in a delicate area. I know we'd like to think that all cachers are careful of the surroundings while searching, but we all know better.

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I used to love hiking into some back woods location and reading the log book from the cache. Nobody seems to write logs anymore. *sigh*

 

That, to me, is half the fun. If there's a decent sized log, I sit in the quiet spot in the woods and will happily fill a page with the tale that led to the cache.

 

I've started to wonder if anyone ever reads them, though. On my few hides, I try to retrieve the logs occasionally, and read through them. Not much to read, typically.

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The size of a cache doesn't matter at all to us. Both regular and micro sizes have their place.

Lately I've been enjoying the " small " cache searches because you never know what you're going to find.....they range from a large micro to a small regular.

In another year or so when the grandson can come with us a regular will be nice.......I may go out the night before and " salt " the caches to ensure quality swag. B)

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The size of the cache is irrelevant to me. I personally don't care about the swag... havent since my first two months of caching. But I do get very weary of thoughtless/mindless hides of any size. I have already seen more than enough Home Depots... I really don't care about that spruce tree they planted on the east side, thank you.

 

I'd like to say that the size of the cache was irreverent. But to be honest the percentage of fun caches to crap goes WAY up when I avoid micros. Few people hide larger caches in strip mall parking lots with scenic vistas of the dumpster. That said, I have an LPC on my favorites list. It's, mostly, about the location, not the cache size. As long as the size is appropriate for the location. But that is another conversation.

 

Agreed, but at the same time, you are probably throwing away some superb caches, if size is all that you're looking at.

 

This cache of mine with 22 favorites is a micro. It is hidden in an awesome place that because of its awesomeness, tends to attract any hikers walking by, including a good percentage of muggle-agers. Anything larger than a micro would probably have gone missing in the first week.

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I've also been buying those neato Therapak medium canisters

Love those! Very sturdy plastic, and a gasketed screw on lid make for a container that does a great job of protecting its contents. I use camo paracord around the neck, with a loop knot in the other end. Pass the canister over a branch, slip it through the loop, and you've got a suspended, tethered cache that will survive anything Momma Nature can throw at it... except bears. :blink:

 

Stoopid bears...

From this;

6cfff41c-cb9a-4856-9793-f8e4dd593cba.jpg?rnd=0.499412

To this;

2d5d6259-c049-49c9-be38-b52bd2353697.jpg?rnd=0.8779703

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If there's one thing worse than a micro it's a poor 'regular' container, wet with a soggy log and rusting, moldy, cruddy swag. I'll take a film can over some of the wretched 'regular' caches I've found.

 

Set an example, make your own good hides.

 

Plu...us 1!!

 

For the record, i do hate 35mm film canisters, GAH!!!

 

Actually, come to think of it, these two things are just as bad as each other in my opinion, both film canisters and a soggy boxes are the product of poor cache forethought and a lack of imagination.

 

Post Script: the exception is of course if the micro takes you to a place of interest or similar.

Edited by Z3ROIN
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The size of the cache is irrelevant to me. I personally don't care about the swag... havent since my first two months of caching. But I do get very weary of thoughtless/mindless hides of any size. I have already seen more than enough Home Depots... I really don't care about that spruce tree they planted on the east side, thank you.

 

I'd like to say that the size of the cache was irreverent. But to be honest the percentage of fun caches to crap goes WAY up when I avoid micros. Few people hide larger caches in strip mall parking lots with scenic vistas of the dumpster. That said, I have an LPC on my favorites list. It's, mostly, about the location, not the cache size. As long as the size is appropriate for the location. But that is another conversation.

 

Agreed, but at the same time, you are probably throwing away some superb caches, if size is all that you're looking at.

 

This cache of mine with 22 favorites is a micro. It is hidden in an awesome place that because of its awesomeness, tends to attract any hikers walking by, including a good percentage of muggle-agers. Anything larger than a micro would probably have gone missing in the first week.

 

I'm sure it's a wonderful cache. But if I have to suffer through 50 crap caches, I'm sorry, it isn't worth the trade. Wouldn't it be nice if they would make PQs sortable by favorites? I thought that was the idea way back when the created that feature.

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If there's one thing worse than a micro it's a poor 'regular' container, wet with a soggy log and rusting, moldy, cruddy swag. I'll take a film can over some of the wretched 'regular' caches I've found.

 

Set an example, make your own good hides.

 

Plu...us 1!!

 

For the record, i do hate 35mm film canisters, GAH!!!

 

Actually, come to think of it, these two things are just as bad as each other in my opinion, both film canisters and a soggy boxes are the product of poor cache forethought and a lack of imagination.

 

Post Script: the exception is of course if the micro takes you to a place of interest or similar.

The very first cache I found was flim can. I alomst quit because I thought it was stupid, but I had one cache I had put in the GPS so we found an ammo can in the nice big park. That got us hooked. From that first day on I've never liked film cans.

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The size of the cache is irrelevant to me. I personally don't care about the swag... havent since my first two months of caching. But I do get very weary of thoughtless/mindless hides of any size. I have already seen more than enough Home Depots... I really don't care about that spruce tree they planted on the east side, thank you.

 

I'd like to say that the size of the cache was irreverent. But to be honest the percentage of fun caches to crap goes WAY up when I avoid micros. Few people hide larger caches in strip mall parking lots with scenic vistas of the dumpster. That said, I have an LPC on my favorites list. It's, mostly, about the location, not the cache size. As long as the size is appropriate for the location. But that is another conversation.

 

Agreed, but at the same time, you are probably throwing away some superb caches, if size is all that you're looking at.

 

This cache of mine with 22 favorites is a micro. It is hidden in an awesome place that because of its awesomeness, tends to attract any hikers walking by, including a good percentage of muggle-agers. Anything larger than a micro would probably have gone missing in the first week.

 

I'm sure it's a wonderful cache. But if I have to suffer through 50 crap caches, I'm sorry, it isn't worth the trade. Wouldn't it be nice if they would make PQs sortable by favorites? I thought that was the idea way back when the created that feature.

I'll bet it is. I could show you a number of similar examples, too. I could also point you to another cache, about 0.2 from there, in the same park, that is a large plastic jar just tossed into a pile of branches.

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I don't think size determines quality, but I would have to say I've seen a lot more 'bad' micros than any other size. I think it is because they lend themselves to such quick easy hides. It doesn't take much planning or forethoght to slip a micro under a squirt on a gaurdrail. In some cases they are easier to hide than to find.

Edited by Totem Clan
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Wouldn't it be nice if they would make PQs sortable by favorites?

That would be very welcome indeed. B) Generally, I hear about kewl micros through word of mouth. If I happen to miss one because I am unwilling to sort through gallons of chaff in search of one grain of wheat, I figure that's a good trade. While there is no requirement that a micro be a crappy cache, as regards to location, container quality, hide technique and write up, there is certainly a trend. Those who place crappy caches tend to utilize micros.

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The size of the cache is irrelevant to me. I personally don't care about the swag... havent since my first two months of caching. But I do get very weary of thoughtless/mindless hides of any size. I have already seen more than enough Home Depots... I really don't care about that spruce tree they planted on the east side, thank you.

 

I'd like to say that the size of the cache was irreverent. But to be honest the percentage of fun caches to crap goes WAY up when I avoid micros. Few people hide larger caches in strip mall parking lots with scenic vistas of the dumpster. That said, I have an LPC on my favorites list. It's, mostly, about the location, not the cache size. As long as the size is appropriate for the location. But that is another conversation.

 

Agreed, but at the same time, you are probably throwing away some superb caches, if size is all that you're looking at.

 

This cache of mine with 22 favorites is a micro. It is hidden in an awesome place that because of its awesomeness, tends to attract any hikers walking by, including a good percentage of muggle-agers. Anything larger than a micro would probably have gone missing in the first week.

 

I'm sure it's a wonderful cache. But if I have to suffer through 50 crap caches, I'm sorry, it isn't worth the trade. Wouldn't it be nice if they would make PQs sortable by favorites? I thought that was the idea way back when the created that feature.

I'll bet it is. I could show you a number of similar examples, too. I could also point you to another cache, about 0.2 from there, in the same park, that is a large plastic jar just tossed into a pile of branches.

 

You'd be hard pressed to convince me that your one great micro hide is worth suffering through days of lifting skirts and poking my hands in spider infested guardrails. And that crappy plastic jar hide is still in that nice park. Not like most micros. I stand by my statement, eliminating micros from my PQs increases the quality of my time spent caching. If your micro is that fantastic, like Rifster says, I'll hear about it word of mouth anyways.

Edited by GOF and Bacall
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I'll take a film can over some of the wretched 'regular' caches I've found.

 

Set an example, make your own good hides.

You mean like the wretched red 3 pound folgers can with the lid thats always weatherbeaten and cracked? :anitongue:

Exactly. It's not just the size of the cache that makes it good or bad.

 

I will say this though, micros as a group tend to have more bad hides than other sizes, but that does mean they are all bad. In the same way not all regulars are good.

Edited by Totem Clan
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Thanks to everyone for the replies. Of course there are opposing opinions, always are. I just don't like micro's but that's my opinion. I think some misunderstood my reasoning. My dislike of micro's is not based on "size" or "difficulty". I like the idea of opening a cache to see what's in it. Usually nothing valuable but it's an unknown, you never know what's in them. A micro robs you of the opportunity to "see what might be in there" and to "trade swag". Without the element of curiosity, it's not much different than orienteering (another fun use of a handheld GPSr). I was impressed with the respectful and polite way my post was answered. This is unusual in most forums. As I get time, I will learn to use GSAK to filter the caches better.

Edited by srondar
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Thanks to everyone for the replies. Of course there are opposing opinions, always are. I just don't like micro's but that's my opinion. I think some misunderstood my reasoning. My dislike of micro's is not based on "size" or "difficulty". I like the idea of opening a cache to see what's in it. Usually nothing valuable but it's an unknown, you never know what's in them. A micro robs you of the opportunity to "see what might be in there" and to "trade swag". Without the element of curiosity, it's not much different than orienteering (another fun use of a handheld GPSr). I was impressed with the respectful and polite way my post was answered. This is unusual in most forums. As I get time, I will learn to use GSAK to filter the caches better.

I agree but I have opened many small to large to find either nothing in it, to useless swag. But don't get me wrong. I have also seen caches who have COs constantly maintain the swag in them and that is nice of them if they can keep it up.

Edited by jellis
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I got my mother, sister, and nephew into caching yesterday and although they had a blast, are not interested in micros. I think some are alright but every time I check the map I see new micros pop up in areas I was thinking about placing regulars. Dozens in just the past month alone. To make a point I've decided to not go and find any micros anymore unless they are directly on the way to a regular I was going to get anyways. At the rate it's going I'm afraid that every unique spot in the eastern part of my state will be filled with micros in due time. It's just not beneficial to the hobby imo, and to be really honest, I have no interest in getting off my road bike every 528 feet on one of my rides just to pad my find count. Don't care about find counts... seems more like work to me. :)

 

It's the sheer quantity being placed around here, not so much that they exist. I'm afraid it may end up pushing more people away from the hobby than it attracts.

 

As for Folgers cans and peanut butter jars that one's I've found have been in remarkably good shape.. it only takes a cache owner to go and replace the container every 3 years or so and it seems to be fine. But I probably won't ever use em just because of their reputation. :)

Edited by sholomar
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A good percentage of mine are micro but I incorporate them into different and unique objects such as bowling balls, sledge hammer heads, a small o2 tank, birdhouses, between 2x4s that are bolted together or a soda can made to look like trash.

 

I've always been confused as to whether to size all my sledgehammer hides by weight or head size. This needs to be addressed in the guidelines!!!

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I haven't been active for a couple of years and recently put new batteries in the GPS and logged on to GC.com. Thought I might go caching now that the weather is getting warmer. Scanning through the list of caches in my area, I remembered why I quit two years ago... Micro's. Yep, gasoline cost too much to drive around looking for a film canister or bison tube. Traditionally a cache contained swag (trade items). That is a big part of the fun. Sure, the items aren't very valuable but the idea is that you never know what you will find. In a micro, you know what you will find, nothing ! I screen them out of the list, but unfortunately in my area, about eighty percent of the caches are micros. Looks like these new GPS batteries are going to last a long time. If you don't like micros, don't place, hunt or log them.

Or complain about them!

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