Jump to content

Micro's.. A cache of what ?


Recommended Posts

It obviously all depends on what you are trying to get out of the game. Obviously the OP likes the idea of digging through swag.

 

For me its about the hunt and the location. My cache dense area has a pretty good spread of junk micros (LPCs), micros in great locations, creative micros (these are my favorite), and junk smalls.

 

The ammo cans I have found recently really aren't that great. Honestly, the junk i have to dig through to find pathtags or personal swap is a pain. I mean who wants to dig through silly bands and erasers. I will take a micro in a creative container at a good location anytime.

 

Just recently I found an ammo can 10' feet off a trail with the coords about 40' off but no problem since I could see it underneath a bare tree from about 50'.

 

Just down the trail was a micro hidden by an old hearth in the woods. I much more enjoyed thinking about the house that used to be there than digging through the obvious ammo can.

 

Long story short, is it takes all kinds. I have said it before and I will say it again this game wouldn't be so great if it weren't for all the other options. Can you imagine geocaching if was all LPCs. It would be bad. But it also wouldn't be very good if it was all ammo cans.

Link to comment
I wish they would ban parking lot/light pole caches. SO lame.
Sure, let's ban LPC caches because some people don't like them. While we're at it, let's ban all the other types of caches that someone doesn't like. There go the MIST caches, the PNG caches, the FPC caches, the GIYF puzzle caches, the non-GIYF puzzle caches, the GRC caches, the MKH caches, the low-terrain caches, the high-terrain caches, the NIAH caches, the beacon caches, the QEF caches, the well-camouflaged caches, the UPS caches, the IPV caches, the multi-caches, the various event caches, the special skills/equipment caches, the caches that don't require driving to a trailhead, the caches that require driving of any kind, the non-traditional caches, the traditional caches, the... oh, wait... are there any caches left?
Link to comment
I wish they would ban parking lot/light pole caches. SO lame.
Sure, let's ban LPC caches because some people don't like them. While we're at it, let's ban all the other types of caches that someone doesn't like. There go the MIST caches, the PNG caches, the FPC caches, the GIYF puzzle caches, the non-GIYF puzzle caches, the GRC caches, the MKH caches, the low-terrain caches, the high-terrain caches, the NIAH caches, the beacon caches, the QEF caches, the well-camouflaged caches, the UPS caches, the IPV caches, the multi-caches, the various event caches, the special skills/equipment caches, the caches that don't require driving to a trailhead, the caches that require driving of any kind, the non-traditional caches, the traditional caches, the... oh, wait... are there any caches left?

Thank you. You saved me from typing that exact reply.

 

 

..... and I don't even like LPCs.

Link to comment

I wish they would ban parking lot/light pole caches.

I don't like the thought of banning any particular cache genre, simply because some folks don't like them. As Nira said so eloquently, it's a slippery slope that could end with no caches left. What I would like to see is Groundspeak encouraging their Reviewers to enforce the guidelines which require explicit permission for parking lot hides.

Link to comment

My rookie $.02. I hate micro's. Well...that's not exactly true. They frustrate me since I have a rookie eye. Frustration is not good for the life of the game. If all the noobs have to find expertly hidden micros, there will be few that continue the hobby out of frustration. Hence my first hide is decidedly going on the list as a 'new player friendly' cache. I get it now even with my limited experience as a cacher, that the hunt is the fun, but not everyone has the patience I do, or the stubborn streak, or the inability to let go lol. Most people would have quit log ago in my shoes...making them easy to find once at ground zero is a good thing for expansion of the game....nobody said getting TO gz had to be easy though. *devious laugh*

Link to comment

I pulled my first cache before it was reviewed. Yep, it was a clear film can with a geocaching.com label. I took the time and found some small but interesting items to put inside. The hide is not far from where I work so I could check on it a couple times a month to replace the log or add new swag. I was actually kind of excited about it until I started reading (here and on other forums) how much people dislike micros and "film cans in fir tree."

 

The hiding spot was near a small lake on the edge of town. I actually went out to retrieve the cache today and scouted around to see if an ammo can would work out better. I don't think it will, so I may place the micro anyway. Here's my question. If I hide film can in a beautiful spot, I maintain it without waiting for "needs maintenance" logs, and I keep something more than a log in it, is it still a horrible idea?

Link to comment

I pulled my first cache before it was reviewed. Yep, it was a clear film can with a geocaching.com label. I took the time and found some small but interesting items to put inside. The hide is not far from where I work so I could check on it a couple times a month to replace the log or add new swag. I was actually kind of excited about it until I started reading (here and on other forums) how much people dislike micros and "film cans in fir tree."

 

The hiding spot was near a small lake on the edge of town. I actually went out to retrieve the cache today and scouted around to see if an ammo can would work out better. I don't think it will, so I may place the micro anyway. Here's my question. If I hide film can in a beautiful spot, I maintain it without waiting for "needs maintenance" logs, and I keep something more than a log in it, is it still a horrible idea?

 

How about a small lock n lock? These can be hidden in most places.

Link to comment
If I hide film can in a beautiful spot, I maintain it without waiting for "needs maintenance" logs, and I keep something more than a log in it, is it still a horrible idea?
I don't think its a horrible idea at all, but more than half of my finds have been micros, including many of my Favorites. And the only things I trade for are personal signature items left by other geocachers.

 

Hide the kinds of caches that you enjoy, that you want to own and maintain for the long term, and that you want to be known for among the local geocaching community. Those with different preferences can decide whether to find or ignore your caches on their own.

Link to comment

What does the subject "Micro's.. A cache of what ?" mean, anyway?

It means you may be way too sensitive regarding grammar? :unsure::P:lol:

 

If I hide film can in a beautiful spot...

Church Folk, I salute you for finding a pretty spot to bring folks to. Just doing that, you've surpassed most micro hiders who are prolific today. If you dig deep into most of the "I Hate Micros" and/or "I Hate Film Cans" threads, you'll discover that it's really not the size that most folks take issue with. Size is secondary to the equation. What those folks who appreciate quality seem to dislike are crappy containers, of any size, placed in uninspired locations, with pathetic cache page descriptions such as, "I didn't see a cache withing 600' so I tossed one down for the numbers". The breed of cacher capable of such trache generally utilizes cache containers from the micro end of the spectrum, typically ones that are free, such as film cans. When the "Quality Over Quantity' crowd, (of which I am a member), see an area carpet bombed with carp like this, some will blame the container, rather than the person who spewed it out. It's easier to say, "I Hate Film Cans", than it is to spell out the details.

 

Realistically, the clear film can with the lid that pops inside the body is a pretty good container for varied environments. It's the black & gray variety that really suck on a global scale. As one of the most vocal advocates against film cans, if I found your cache, as you described it, I would thoroughly enjoy it. You've got a good container, and an interesting location. Add a description with more words than can be found tattooed on Rosie O'Donnell's backside and you've hit the awesome cache trifecta.

 

If you want to make a clear film can dang near bullet proof, buy a few Schedule 40 1" PVC couplers. The inner diameter is just right for a clear film can, once you grind down the inside lip. The film can is considerably shorter than the coupler, so you can cut off most of the excess, leaving enough of a lip to drill a hole through. The lip should be at the top, and the lid of the film can should slightly poke out of the bottom. Tie about a foot of paracord in a loop through the hole, and you've got a sturdy, waterproof container you can hang in seconds. Another option is to drop in a rare earth magnet so it rests on the bottom of the film can, and squirt in enough epoxy to just barely cover it. You'll need to carefully trim the lip so it is even with the top of the epoxy. This gives you a sturdy, waterproof container stat will stick to ferrous metals.

Link to comment

I pulled my first cache before it was reviewed. Yep, it was a clear film can with a geocaching.com label. I took the time and found some small but interesting items to put inside. The hide is not far from where I work so I could check on it a couple times a month to replace the log or add new swag. I was actually kind of excited about it until I started reading (here and on other forums) how much people dislike micros and "film cans in fir tree."

 

The hiding spot was near a small lake on the edge of town. I actually went out to retrieve the cache today and scouted around to see if an ammo can would work out better. I don't think it will, so I may place the micro anyway. Here's my question. If I hide film can in a beautiful spot, I maintain it without waiting for "needs maintenance" logs, and I keep something more than a log in it, is it still a horrible idea?

 

How about a small lock n lock? These can be hidden in most places.

 

The small Lock & Lock™ is quite small 3.25"x2.5"x1.25" (about the size of 2 film canisters side-by-side). I get mine at Walmart. If you use a small lock & lock then people who like to trade trackables can leave a geocoin or small travelbug.

 

lock-lock-325-x-25-x-125-mini-chubby-clear-geocache-15407%20LockLock%202x3x1%20Clear%20Geocache-medium-350x262.jpg

Link to comment

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 would WORRY about that soda can going OUT in CITO! No? :huh:

Link to comment

I have a bunch of 2 liter preforms and I cut pens down to size to fit in them. Haven't seen that around here so it's something different. Also the small lock and locks where an actual spiral-bound notebook can cut down to fit inside, got some of them.

 

I do wish they'd distinguish between the 2ml sized 'nanos' and film canisters and 2 liter preforms which are more appealing to me. Though the nanos have their place, there's a couple people in this area that are overdoing it with them, so I have no interest in them. I'm not really a numbers guy, just want to take friends and family out to get some quality caches every now and then.

 

Hopefully I can place some larger ones, with my smallest ones being 2 liter preforms, and give other people the same satisfaction. :) Maybe some unique ones, will have to troll online to see what's all available.

Edited by sholomar
Link to comment
I do wish they'd distinguish between the 2ml sized 'nanos' and film canisters and 2 liter preforms which are more appealing to me.
FWIW, they're in the process of adding a new "nano" size. It's part of the update to the GPX format that they're working on. It should be available Real Soon Now.
Link to comment

I only recently started caching but my belief is to each their own. I enjoy 20 mile hikes often and anjoy finding large containers out in the woods. I also enjoy driving up near a location trying to figure out where the needle lies within the haystack. My significant other cannot trek on hikes more than a mile so micros give us the pleasure of caching together. I think GC.com should make gaurdrail and highway caches its own seperate catagory because those are definately my least favorite.

Link to comment

We are pretty new at this. We have found one of each size, I think.

 

Our caching yesterday was a perfect mix of how (almost) every cache has a purpose:

We set out to find a few local caches. We had our four year old granddaughter & our golden with us.

Our initial target was a cache who's description explained that it was a 6 year old's first cache - cool for our GB. We did not get out for that one, it looked like the location may have changed a bit since being hidden & CITO would have been an understatement. We grabbed 5 within a very close area by the end of the day. After the first, we drove to directly between two of the points on our map & I asked my husband which way he wanted to go. He said it didn't matter - he could see them both from here. Light Poles. We decided to get them anyway, easy for GB to help with. On the second we asked her to look around and think where the cache could hidden. She happily chimed "Under the Pole" and jumped up & down - truly happy! These caches - though boring for us - to her were easy, fun, tick & thorn free! She has even worked very hard to learn how to sign her name very small to fit on the log!

 

Someone mentioned writing logs in the log - I did not know that was ok. I kind of did it anyway a few times when the paper was big enough, because I was so excited (the first cache we found, etc...).

 

... I found this post by searching "beacon" because I saw a mention of it in a cache log and wanted to know what it was....

 

Nice to meet you all. Glad there are options available for everyone! :)

Link to comment

I can see the need for all of the cache sizes, though I prefer bigger-than-micro myself. That said, I know plenty of physically challenged folk (many of us are older) who simply cannot deal with much more than a nice, level park and grab. And that's fine for them.

 

I know kids who dislike anything without swag, no matter how lame. I know other kids who really don't care at all what the physical cache is, they just want the adventure of the walk in the woods.

 

I also know of some yahoos [ :) ] who think extreme caches are fun. Go figure.

 

Some on this thread have said they wouldn't mind a micro way out at the end of an interesting hike. Well, exactly the opposite was posted in a bunch of 'evil' caches at Table Rock State Park in SC, where the trek was arduous and then you had to find a little film canister (or smaller) in the woods. So, obviously everyone has their own sweet spot.

 

For me, that sweet spot is to have fewer than 25% of my finds be micros and fewer than 45% be small-plus-micro. So far (180 caches in), so good.

 

What I really miss are long on-line posts with each find. I want to know why the person was out, what they did, what they thought of the cache, and who found it first in their group. Most of all, I hate seeing the very same text for all their finds in a single day. That just smacks of lazy to me.

Link to comment
What I really miss are long on-line posts with each find. I want to know why the person was out, what they did, what they thought of the cache, and who found it first in their group. Most of all, I hate seeing the very same text for all their finds in a single day. That just smacks of lazy to me.

 

Agreed. Not long ago a simple "Found" or "TFTC" usually meant that the cache wasn't worth writing more about. Lately I'm seeing these on some pretty outstanding and sometimes epic caches.

 

Regarding the original question, I have no problem with micros or any size container provided the cache brings me some place appealing. I don't find dumpster areas behind strip malls, litter strewn lots, parking lots and guardrails along nondescript stretches of road to be appealing.

Edited by briansnat
Link to comment

I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I like micros. I agree they are of a lower quality (in general) than the larger caches. However, a LPC find really does help as a morale-booster after a string of DNFs. They are also good for less-than-perfect weather days when I'd like to go caching but would by no means want to do anything over a territory 1.5. All I'm saying is that every cache type has its place. The TRULY sucky ones will be archived in a few months anyway.

Link to comment

I have a micro with over 50% favorite points, to each his own but what I hate is people who want to impose their way of doing things unto others like banning LPCs.

 

Well you know, if it wasn't for the dirty little secret that almost all of them were hidden on private property without permission, no one would probably want to ban them. The next person who wants to ban dead-end street guardrail caches on the public right of way, as lame as they may be, will be the first. :P

Link to comment

*snip*

 

Someone mentioned writing logs in the log - I did not know that was ok. I kind of did it anyway a few times when the paper was big enough, because I was so excited (the first cache we found, etc...).

Me too! I've seen people complain about people taking up too much space in the log, so I just sign it and try to get the four-year-old to sign it small.

 

*snip*

What I really miss are long on-line posts with each find. I want to know why the person was out, what they did, what they thought of the cache, and who found it first in their group. Most of all, I hate seeing the very same text for all their finds in a single day. That just smacks of lazy to me.

I try to remember what was going on when I looked for and/or found the cache and put SOMETHING in. I always figured that the COs would appreciate a log that actually took some time to write, since they took some time to place the cache. :)

 

- Lady Loki

Edited by kitrona
Link to comment

*snip*

 

Someone mentioned writing logs in the log - I did not know that was ok. I kind of did it anyway a few times when the paper was big enough, because I was so excited (the first cache we found, etc...).

Me too! I've seen people complain about people taking up too much space in the log, so I just sign it and try to get the four-year-old to sign it small.

Depends on the sort of log. A spiral notebook has enough paper to have years worth of wordy logs. A strip of paper or two should have just date and name. A nano log... just initials, if possible.

Link to comment

So, to add my 2¢ worth to this age old discussion, i'd like to see micros become a "type", with their own size range - large, medium, small, film can, nano, also maybe even some word to be used for plain sight cammo caches, possibly one of the most inventive variants I have seen.

 

I am also a subscriber that all the non traditional types that have micro containers should stay as they are. Its all about the experience of the hunt, I never hunt a mystery looking for a place to drop a tb for instance, those are about the mystery, not the size of the container you get to write your log in at the end.

 

I'll hunt any kind of cache, but its often about what mood i'm in on the day.

 

As has been said before, technically, even a 5 gallon bucket sized cache could be a micro style cache if its filled with concrete and only has a film can sized space set into it.

 

I also don't subscribe to all the hate spew about cache types, if you don't like them, don't look for them and leave it at that. I've had some bad experiences with Multis, they're often a lot of effort to invest only to find the end cache gone, so I don't often hunt them, but I don't come on the forums complaining about multi-spew, asking for them to be banned. Incidentally a few years ago, I experienced a rash of multi placements in my area which at the time was a lot like what is often described as spew on the forums. So I just went after the trads I was interested in, just had to go a little further afield, no biggie.

 

All the hate spew is really just a form of elitism, alot more people are getting into the sport now that gps is being put into every gadget you can think of, and a basic gpsr can be had for under $100. Not everybody these days can afford to spend $20 on an ammo box filled with quality trades. You can place a micro for free, but most i've seen at least had some effort put into a printed logsheet. Ive even seen some micros that would have cost close to that $20 figure.

 

Having micros as a type would enable them to be filtered out of pqs without losing such things as mysteries with a micro at the end etc. Also, from a database load point of view, a micro type would probably reduce the query load when people filter them out (or in)

 

I'm only guessing, but it would make sense that the system eliminates unwanted types from the examined records before going further, as this would be the fastest way to reduce the size of the dataset its querying. In data Manipulation, only a lunatic would design a system, for instance, that searched for all caches that had a log containing the word "yellow", then picked only the results which were mystery caches from that subset. It would always be the optimum case to pick out the mystery caches first, then query that subset for the word yellow.

 

So, in summary, micros to have own type with their own size range, only traditionals with micro as the size to be transferred across to this by gc, definition for this new type to be : caches at the location posted, with only space for a logbook and maybe small trades, the size of a quarter or smaller (10p, or a euro for those elsewhere), bring your own pen/pencil advised.

Link to comment

*snip*

 

Someone mentioned writing logs in the log - I did not know that was ok. I kind of did it anyway a few times when the paper was big enough, because I was so excited (the first cache we found, etc...).

Me too! I've seen people complain about people taking up too much space in the log, so I just sign it and try to get the four-year-old to sign it small.

Depends on the sort of log. A spiral notebook has enough paper to have years worth of wordy logs. A strip of paper or two should have just date and name. A nano log... just initials, if possible.

 

Last year I archived a cache that was placed in 2002 and it had its original logbook, a 3 x 5 spiral bound steno pad, along with an identical replacement logbook. It's interesting to see how the logs shortened over the years. For the first several years most of the logs took up at least half the page and sometimes the whole page and occasionally more. Starting in about 2006 the logs became mostly 2-3 sentences with a few longer logs mixed in. In about2009 TFTC and a signature started appearing and by the time I archived the cache most loggers dispensed with the TFTC and were simply signing a date and a name. It's a shame. I used to enjoy reading logbooks. A list of names doesn't make for good reading.

Edited by briansnat
Link to comment
The next person who wants to ban dead-end street guardrail caches on the public right of way, as lame as they may be, will be the first. :P
Such caches don't even get approved anymore in the entire state of SC (thanks). It's Department of Transportation right of way and they don't want caches there (safety hazard). I think this is great. Sure, it means you have to work a little bit more to find a place to shove a nano or micro, but it keeps things safer and makes for at least marginally better caches.

 

So, not only do people want to ban dead-end street guardrail caches, but they've actually done it all over the state.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...