Free Geocache

[+The Sneaky Snakes]

So we took a 900+ mile road trip last week and thought it would be fun to hide a geocache along the way. We found a good spot to make the hide, and I did my homework on the geocaching app and made sure there were no other caches within .1 miles. I did a search of the area in advance and saved the geocaches and maps so I could view them offline, since there is no service in the area of the cache.

 

I hid the cache and when I got home, submitted the cache for the review process. A few days later I got a message back from the reviewer saying there is already a cache in that location, only 63 feet away from where I hid my cache. It turns out that the existing cache is a 'premium members only' cache and that is why it did not turn up in my search results since I do not have a current premium subscription.

 

This post is not about how irritated I am that it is not enough to use the official geocaching app to determine whether there are caches in the area or not. The only way I could have known is to go to the geocaching website and type in my coordinates on the advanced search page (who does that?) - There is no way I could have done this on the road as there is no Verizon service in the area so I could not just get online on my 3G iPad to check the coordinates, and we didn't have the coordinates in advance of the hide. I really think there needs to be something added to the app that we can use to prevent this situation. How are people to hide caches when they are traveling in no-service areas? And please spare me the advice, "Why don't you just buy a premium membership?"

 

Ok, now for the point of my post: I am over 300 miles away now, and there is no way I will be getting back to the area in the foreseeable future. There is a brand new geocache container sitting out there, all ready to go. It is a decon container and has an empty log book, pencil, sharpener, etc, a 'FTF' prize, a traveling geocoin, and a trade item. It would be awesome if someone would go get it, re-hide it, and send me the coordinates so I can re-submit the cache, but if that's too much to ask then I'm willing to just give it away to anyone who will go get it, make it yours and hide it wherever you want. I want to get that brand new geocoin in circulation at the very least. The cache is just off of Route 12 in southern Utah, near Bryce Canyon National Park. I'd like it to stay on Route 12, but again, I'll be glad if somebody will just go and get it. If you are interested, send me a private message and I will send you the coordinates.

 

Whoever ends up retrieving the cache, please come back here and tell us that you went and got it so that we all know its not there anymore.

 

Thanks

[+DyverDown]

I believe that is also why it is suggested that caches not be hid great distances from the owners home... it becomes an issue for maintenance.... or checking on it if it accrues a number of consecutive DNF's as well

 

Maybe someone can retrieve your cache container and movie it along like a trackable through caches to get it close enough to you so you can retrieve it and re-deploy it closer to home....

 

Let us know how you make out...

 

DD

[+cheech gang]

This was your maintenance plan for a vacation cache?

 

(Addendum) Nevermind, already addressed while I was writing this.

Edited July 15, 2013 by cheech gang

[Pup Patrol]

Here I was thinking that phone-entitlement was a mark of the newer cachers.

 

I think the issue of you plunking down a container without properly assessing the saturation issue is the 2nd issue of importance here. The issue of a "vacation cache, with no viable maintenance plan/absent owner" should have been the first reason cited by the Reviewer for denying your ill-advised and unprepared cache drop.

 

Who reads the Guidelines, eh?

 

Owner is responsible for visits to the physical location.

 

You are responsible for occasional visits to your cache to ensure it is in proper working order, especially when someone reports a problem with the cache (missing, damaged, wet, etc.), or posts a Needs Maintenance log. Temporarily disable your cache to let others know not to search for it until you have addressed the problem. You are permitted a reasonable amount of time – generally up to 4 weeks – in which to check on your cache. If a cache is not being maintained, or has been temporarily disabled for an unreasonable length of time, we may archive the listing.

 

The region in which a cacher is considered able to maintain caches responsibly will vary from person to person. A cacher who has previously logged caches within a wide range of their home may be considered able to maintain a geocache 200 miles (322 km) away. However, someone whose geocaching activities have primarily been within 25 miles (40 km) of home may not be able to maintain a geocache this far from home. This factor is determined at the discretion of the cache reviewer or Groundspeak.

 

Because of the effort required to maintain a geocache, please place physical caches in your usual caching area and not while traveling. Caches placed during travel will likely not be published unless you are able to provide an acceptable maintenance plan. This plan must allow for a quick response to reported problems, and might include the username of a local cacher who will handle maintenance issues in your absence. Alternatively you might train a local person to maintain the cache. Document your maintenance plan in a Note to Reviewer on your cache listing. This should include contact information of the maintainer. The note will auto-delete on publication.

 

Sure hope you're not looking for sympathy by posting on the forums.

 

 

B.

[Pup Patrol]

Ok, now for the point of my post: I am over 300 miles away now, and there is no way I will be getting back to the area in the foreseeable future. There is a brand new geocache container sitting out there, all ready to go. It is a decon container and has an empty log book, pencil, sharpener, etc, a 'FTF' prize, a traveling geocoin, and a trade item. It would be awesome if someone would go get it, re-hide it, and send me the coordinates so I can re-submit the cache, but if that's too much to ask then I'm willing to just give it away to anyone who will go get it, make it yours and hide it wherever you want. I want to get that brand new geocoin in circulation at the very least. The cache is just off of Route 12 in southern Utah, near Bryce Canyon National Park. I'd like it to stay on Route 12, but again, I'll be glad if somebody will just go and get it. If you are interested, send me a private message and I will send you the coordinates.

 

Maybe you could contact the person whose cache is so close to where you dropped everything and ask nicely if they could head out there and retrieve it all and get the coin moving.

 

 

B.

[+TriciaG]

It's not just the premium caches you have to watch for. You also have to watch for puzzle caches and multi-caches - caches where a physical placement is not published on the cache page.

 

It's ALWAYS best to get location permission first!

 

EDIT: However, I do feel your pain.

Edited July 16, 2013 by TriciaG

[+Roman!]

Good thing it was too close to another cache because at least you're not annoyed it was denied due to no maintenance plan.

[+The_Incredibles_]

This is why vacation caches are discouraged and not allowed unless you can provide contact information for someone local who has agreed to look after it for you. Proximity issues aside, a lack of a maintenance plan would be enough for a reviewer to reject your cache.

[+The_Incredibles_]

I've got an idea - ask someone to turn your cache into a travel bug...who knows, you may get it back eventually.

[Mr.Yuck]

Good thing it was too close to another cache because at least you're not annoyed it was denied due to no maintenance plan.

 

Yes, it would have absolutely been denied for lack of a maintenance plan anyways. Although I have seen a few slip through the cracks over the years. But I'll say you had about a 1/2 of 1% chance of pulling that one off.

[+NanCycle]

So we took a 900+ mile road trip last week and thought it would be fun to hide a geocache along the way. How are people to hide caches when they are traveling. . . ?

 

Strange that when you read and understood the guidelines for listing a cache--

 

Yes. I have read and understand the guidelines for listing a cache.

 

that you didn't see the guidelines about not placing caches while traveling--

 

Because of the effort required to maintain a geocache, please place physical caches in your usual caching area and not while traveling. Caches placed during travel will likely not be published unless you are able to provide an acceptable maintenance plan. This plan must allow for a quick response to reported problems, and might include the username of a local cacher who will handle maintenance issues in your absence. Alternatively you might train a local person to maintain the cache. Document your maintenance plan in a Note to Reviewer on your cache listing. This should include contact information of the maintainer. The note will auto-delete on publication.

[+wmpastor]

Okay, the OP has now been told more than 5 times that vacation caches are a big fat NO-NO. I think they understand that by now. At this point we're flogging a dead horse!

 

Fortunately, practical advice was given about getting the cache back. Contacting locals was a good idea, and the "travel bug" idea of sending it back via other caches has about a .0000000001 chance of success within the next decade. An extremely mirthful suggestion, however!

[+Roman!]

Okay, the OP has now been told more than 5 times that vacation caches are a big fat NO-NO. I think they understand that by now. At this point we're flogging a dead horse!

 

Fortunately, practical advice was given about getting the cache back. Contacting locals was a good idea, and the "travel bug" idea of sending it back via other caches has about a .0000000001 chance of success within the next decade. An extremely mirthful suggestion, however!

 

So you're expecting everyone to stop posting once a point has been made? Did you log in to the wrong forum, this is the Geocaching forum, home of flogged, dead horses.

Edited July 16, 2013 by Roman!

[jholly]

So we took a 900+ mile road trip last week and thought it would be fun to hide a geocache along the way. We found a good spot to make the hide, and I did my homework on the geocaching app and made sure there were no other caches within .1 miles. I did a search of the area in advance and saved the geocaches and maps so I could view them offline, since there is no service in the area of the cache.

 

You didn't do your homework well enough. If you would have read the help center article on checking cache saturation you would have read this

Use the Seek a Cache , specifically the "Latitude Longitude Search". Put your proposed cache coordinates in the latitude and longitude boxes. This will produce a list of nearby caches with distances from your coordinates, including the distance to any Premium Member Only caches. This allows Basic Members to avoid being too close to those PMO caches when placing theirs.

 

Of course, like the rest of us, your still need to find the multi's and puzzle caches since they don't shoe.

[4wheelin_fool]

Okay, the OP has now been told more than 5 times that vacation caches are a big fat NO-NO. I think they understand that by now. At this point we're flogging a dead horse!

 

The problem that I see, is not that it's a vacation cache, but he used a container that is known to leak and get wet inside. Decon's are known lousy cache containers. This should be self evident to anyone who has found any.

 

There also have been quite a few caches hidden for over 10 years that have never needed maintenance. There are also quite a few COs who have hidden lousy containers right across the street from their own house who have never performed any type of maintenance. The container and location is what's most important. Anyone can hide something a thousand miles from their own house with another account anyhow.

Edited July 16, 2013 by 4wheelin_fool

[+SwineFlew]

Okay, the OP has now been told more than 5 times that vacation caches are a big fat NO-NO. I think they understand that by now. At this point we're flogging a dead horse!

 

The problem that I see, is not that it's a vacation cache, but he used a container that is known to leak and get wet inside. Decon's are known lousy cache containers. This should be self evident to anyone who has found any.

 

There also have been quite a few caches hidden for over 10 years that have never needed maintenance. There are also quite a few COs who have hidden lousy containers right across the street from their own house who have never performed any type of maintenance. The container and location is what's most important. Anyone can hide something a thousand miles from their own house with another account anyhow.

I see Decon's hold out very well. Well, not in Oregon but in hot and dry western Texas, where they see very little rain per year.

[4wheelin_fool]

I see Decon's hold out very well. Well, not in Oregon but in hot and dry western Texas, where they see very little rain per year.

 

I suppose without rain most containers would do well out there and not need much maintenance.

[+SwineFlew]

I see Decon's hold out very well. Well, not in Oregon but in hot and dry western Texas, where they see very little rain per year.

 

I suppose without rain most containers would do well out there and not need much maintenance.

Yep. Funny thing is this, people in Texas seem to know how to close them correctly!

 

Why people in rainy part of the country don't is beyond me!

[Mr.Yuck]

Okay, the OP has now been told more than 5 times that vacation caches are a big fat NO-NO. I think they understand that by now. At this point we're flogging a dead horse!

 

 

 

This is amazing. Ironically enough, after I said the OP had about a 1/2 of 1% chance, someone from 3 states over who says right on the cache page they were on a road trip, managed to get a coffee shop LPC published in my area last night. If they have a maintenance plan, the cache page sure doesn't say jack about it.

 

EDIT: I do note the placed date is 7/11, so they probably lied about having an Aunt Edna in the area ERR, I mean convinced Aunt Edna in the area, to care for the cache.

 

By the way, my excuse for "piling on" is my time stamp on my post is within a minute of Mrs. Incredibles, so I didn't see those two posts.

 

Also, by the way, this is probably about the 100th "My cache placed 300 miles from home was rejected, can someone get it for me?" Thread. None of them were all like Unicorns and Rainbows.

Edited July 16, 2013 by Mr.Yuck

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Also, by the way, this is probably about the 100th "My cache placed 300 miles from home was rejected, can someone get it for me?"

 

Yeah, no kidding. We've been seeing a lot of those, recently.

 

I realize that distance is relative to ability and enthusiasm, and I realize that a different person might have been able to maintain that cache in that situation, but it's a pretty big red flag when someone cannot even go back to move their cache after a reviewer rejects it. That would certainly make for an interesting test: if the reviewer is suspicious of the owner's maintenance plan, then he/she rejects it because of some bogus mystery cache; tells the owner to go back and move it a few feet, and if the owner protests that it's too far away to go back to, then it never gets published, and the reviewer makes note of the owner's placing habit.

[+Don_J]

Good thing it was too close to another cache because at least you're not annoyed it was denied due to no maintenance plan.

 

Yes, it would have absolutely been denied for lack of a maintenance plan anyways. Although I have seen a few slip through the cracks over the years. But I'll say you had about a 1/2 of 1% chance of pulling that one off.

 

Don't be so sure about that. It's big desert with not a lot of cachers actually living in it. Despite that, there are a lot of caches. Now if you tell your the reviewer that you drove down the highway once, placed a cache and have no plans to ever drive the road again, you'll probably be out of luck. If you tell him it's an ammo can with a big logbook and you drive by every six months, it just might get published.

Edited July 19, 2013 by Don_J

[+Don_J]

Okay, the OP has now been told more than 5 times that vacation caches are a big fat NO-NO. I think they understand that by now. At this point we're flogging a dead horse!

 

Fortunately, practical advice was given about getting the cache back. Contacting locals was a good idea, and the "travel bug" idea of sending it back via other caches has about a .0000000001 chance of success within the next decade. An extremely mirthful suggestion, however!

 

It's likely that there are no locals. 150 miles of highway, three small towns, total population around 1000. I'm betting that the cache blocking the OP's is a vacation cache as well.

[+Don_J]

I see Decon's hold out very well. Well, not in Oregon but in hot and dry western Texas, where they see very little rain per year.

 

I suppose without rain most containers would do well out there and not need much maintenance.

Yep. Funny thing is this, people in Texas seem to know how to close them correctly!

 

Why people in rainy part of the country don't is beyond me!

 

They seem to know how to close them properly in Southern Cal as well. I've hidden many and found more than enough to realize that the only time that they are wet inside is when they were not closed properly, or if a varmint has chewed a hole in the lid. Even an ammo can leaks if you don't close it properly.

[+suchanana]

Sneaky Snakes - liked reading that you added to joy of finding a geocache hiding spot to your vacation plans...sorry it went awry...

since you've most probably now acquired all the info you need the hard way and have a new and improved game plan for the next adventure you go on, let me congratulate you on your unspoiled geocaching spirit & wishing you continued fun...

also, don't forget the rest of the story; ie: who solves the cache hide pickup, etc - keep us in the loop...

[+hukilaulau]

I see Decon's hold out very well. Well, not in Oregon but in hot and dry western Texas, where they see very little rain per year.

 

I suppose without rain most containers would do well out there and not need much maintenance.

Yep. Funny thing is this, people in Texas seem to know how to close them correctly!

 

Why people in rainy part of the country don't is beyond me!

It rains here in Long Island, yet my 2nd hide, a decon hidden in March of '05, is still doing fine.

I think people are actually learning how to close them...

[4wheelin_fool]

Most of the decons I've found were wet inside. Perhaps it's bad luck, but they seem to be about as good as film cans, just a bit larger.

Edited July 20, 2013 by 4wheelin_fool

[+NCreviewer]

Okay, the OP has now been told more than 5 times that vacation caches are a big fat NO-NO. I think they understand that by now. At this point we're flogging a dead horse!

 

Fortunately, practical advice was given about getting the cache back. Contacting locals was a good idea, and the "travel bug" idea of sending it back via other caches has about a .0000000001 chance of success within the next decade. An extremely mirthful suggestion, however!

 

It's likely that there are no locals. 150 miles of highway, three small towns, total population around 1000. I'm betting that the cache blocking the OP's is a vacation cache as well.

 

You would lose that bet. The CO of the blocking lives less that 50 miles away. He owns another cache less than 10 miles away. The blocking cache has been found almost 100 times without any issues.

 

This is a simple case of someone thinking they have followed the guidelines, but failing to. And then blaming that failure on cell service and the fact that the app wouldn't show a PMO to him at the time.

 

At least they are asking someone else in the area to help them out instead of merely ranting about it and leaving the geotrash out there.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

A funny thing happened on the way to the store today....

 

The OP reminded me of a nearly identical incident, two years and two weeks ago. Differences were only the location and the distance from the home of the proposed CO (it was only 550 miles). I read the similar request in these forums and because a caching friend lived somewhat close to the declined hide, I called and invited him to help these poor souls. Primarily because they would not (could not) return to the location and retrieve a TB that had been left in the cache.

 

Short story made shorter... he did so after obtaining the coordinates from them and everybody (including the TB) lived happily ever after. The "Good Samaritan" cacher who reclaimed the cache was rewarded with a new cache container and nice SWAG to distribute, so all's well that ends well. He will undoubtedly read this and probably wishes no accolades, so I leave it at that. He has my Kudos.

 

I know, it shouldn't have happened, but it did. It was easily resolved. I am sure it is going to happen somewhere else again.

 

Just sayin'... enough bantering and bashing. Somebody within a reasonable distance to the hide can get 'er done. Let's do it.

 

 

... my 2¢

[GrandPotentate]

The problem that I see, is not that it's a vacation cache, but he used a container that is known to leak and get wet inside. Decon's are known lousy cache containers. This should be self evident to anyone who has found any.

 

There also have been quite a few caches hidden for over 10 years that have never needed maintenance. There are also quite a few COs who have hidden lousy containers right across the street from their own house who have never performed any type of maintenance. The container and location is what's most important. Anyone can hide something a thousand miles from their own house with another account anyhow.

 

The only time I have ever found a decon container with water inside, is when the previous finder didn't seal the lid well.

[4wheelin_fool]

The problem that I see, is not that it's a vacation cache, but he used a container that is known to leak and get wet inside. Decon's are known lousy cache containers. This should be self evident to anyone who has found any.

 

There also have been quite a few caches hidden for over 10 years that have never needed maintenance. There are also quite a few COs who have hidden lousy containers right across the street from their own house who have never performed any type of maintenance. The container and location is what's most important. Anyone can hide something a thousand miles from their own house with another account anyhow.

 

The only time I have ever found a decon container with water inside, is when the previous finder didn't seal the lid well.

Thread from 2011 with a few people discouraging them.

 

More discouragement from 2007 thru 2011

 

more

 

yeppers, they suck

 

No, its not just you

 

If you make the cache a puzzle and post a video showing the proper procedure to close a decon container with the coords posted at the end, then they should be fine. Or, you can make a friendly visit to the cache after every rain to make certain the last finder closed the lid properly. Closing the lid may seem like such a simple process, but yet it turns out that it is a rather very complex task which can only be entrusted to the few who are properly skilled with the knowledge of how to do it.

Edited July 20, 2013 by 4wheelin_fool

[Mr.Yuck]

The problem that I see, is not that it's a vacation cache, but he used a container that is known to leak and get wet inside. Decon's are known lousy cache containers. This should be self evident to anyone who has found any.

 

There also have been quite a few caches hidden for over 10 years that have never needed maintenance. There are also quite a few COs who have hidden lousy containers right across the street from their own house who have never performed any type of maintenance. The container and location is what's most important. Anyone can hide something a thousand miles from their own house with another account anyhow.

 

The only time I have ever found a decon container with water inside, is when the previous finder didn't seal the lid well.

 

Which is like almost every previous finder.

 

The only one I ever put out, the lid broke after about 3 years.

 

I first saw these things in the Army in 1983, and throughout my 22 year career (all Reserves). Any of you current young whippersnapper military people know if they still use these things? They seem to have become harder to find for Geocaching over the years. Not that anyone would want to use them.

[+Don_J]

The problem that I see, is not that it's a vacation cache, but he used a container that is known to leak and get wet inside. Decon's are known lousy cache containers. This should be self evident to anyone who has found any.

 

There also have been quite a few caches hidden for over 10 years that have never needed maintenance. There are also quite a few COs who have hidden lousy containers right across the street from their own house who have never performed any type of maintenance. The container and location is what's most important. Anyone can hide something a thousand miles from their own house with another account anyhow.

 

The only time I have ever found a decon container with water inside, is when the previous finder didn't seal the lid well.

 

Which is like almost every previous finder.

 

The only one I ever put out, the lid broke after about 3 years.

 

I first saw these things in the Army in 1983, and throughout my 22 year career (all Reserves). Any of you current young whippersnapper military people know if they still use these things? They seem to have become harder to find for Geocaching over the years. Not that anyone would want to use them.

 

Almost impossible to get the original ones now. I have five in my car. I'm saving them in case any of the 25 or so that I have out there need to be replaced. They've been in the car for three years.

 

Maybe it's a temperature thing. Maybe they don't like to to be frozen over and over and I bet they are hard to close when it's very cold.

Edited July 20, 2013 by Don_J

[Clan Riffster]

A funny thing happened on the way to the store today....

Funny thing about those visits to the store...

 

I took some friends to do one of my paddle cache Wherigos some time back. I brought a fully stocked ammo can with me. After our all day paddle was nearly done, I found a spot for my ammo can. When I got home and plugged in the coords, I saw that my hide was within a quarter mile of an active hide which I had already hidden found. (Edit for correction) Given the huge size of this patch of woods, I felt that my cache was just too close to the other one for my personal aesthetics. I could have recovered it, but opted instead to offer it up free to a good home. A buddy of mine recovered it, and now there's another ammo can for me to find. All is good.

Edited July 21, 2013 by Clan Riffster