AWOL Geocache owners

[+pyitegroove]

I've only been a casual geocacher for about two years. However, I have noticed that often, a member will seem to drop off the geocaching planet after seemingly being a "hardcore" and active member in the community. Often, these members will own dozens, if not hundreds of caches, and then simply go away and let them to die. Any thoughts as to why someone one go from being almost obsessive with a hobby, to just dropping the ball? I'm not necessarily talking about active cachers who simply do a poor job at maintaining their lot, I'm talking about the AWOLs!

[+Michaelcycle]

I've only been a casual geocacher for about two years. However, I have noticed that often, a member will seem to drop off the geocaching planet after seemingly being a "hardcore" and active member in the community. Often, these members will own dozens, if not hundreds of caches, and then simply go away and let them to die. Any thoughts as to why someone one go from being almost obsessive with a hobby, to just dropping the ball? I'm not necessarily talking about active cachers who simply do a poor job at maintaining their lot, I'm talking about the AWOLs!

 

Sorry, this is the OFF TOPIC forum. Please ask a moderator to move this thread to the geocaching part of the fora where it can be addressed by those that may be interested.

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Sometimes the owners die. Sometimes they lose heart after a few bad interactions with other cachers. Sometimes they play too hard and get burned-out. Sometimes life gets in the way. Emotional problems...stuff.

[+The Cheeseheads]

Moving to the regular discussion forums.

[+Mr. Wilson & a Mt. Goat]

I hate when these types of cachers hide a whole bunch of caches and never take care of them, really annoying and clogs up areas you may want to hide a cache.

 

My guess is that they just lose interest in the whole thing, or get turned off after a bad experience dealing with one of their mal-maintained caches.

[+littlegemsy]

There's 1 or 2 I've identified locally. I assume over time people will log NA on them and they'll disappear, but I guess not until the containers are gone as people seem happy to add their own paper to them. Though one I've noticed (not looked for) has 3 or 4 NM for a badly broken container, but nobody has posted a NA. I feel too new to do it when I've not looked.

 

I don't know, I stopped being able to get out to find (though I'm still in double digits, hardly big time), but I still looked after my 1 little hide. Had I not been able to I'd have archived and picked the container up, that seems logical to me, but a lot seem to put out containers then just be gone, forever.

Edited August 5, 2013 by littlegemsy

[+NanCycle]

Any thoughts as to why someone one go from being almost obsessive with a hobby, to just dropping the ball?

 

Life - it gets in the way sometimes.

 

Death - it happens too.

[beetsprouts]

I'd say it's just common courtesy for AWOLers to delist their cache(s) if they know they won't be tending to them anymore. I was recently all excited about a large cool-description cache located in my area, and went hunting for it. The last log entry (over a year old) by the final cacher to find it indicated the container had been crushed by vandals, but the contents were still ok. My search turned up nothing so I contacted the owner asking if it was still there. Did not hear back. Annoying! That reminds me, I need to log in a "not found" for this one, and add a note that its upkeep appears to be abandoned.

[Pup Patrol]

I'd say it's just common courtesy for AWOLers to delist their cache(s) if they know they won't be tending to them anymore.

 

That's tough to do in the event of sudden death.

 

I can't believe how entitled some people are, and how lacking in understanding and compassion.

 

Caches aren't the first priority in most people's lives. At least, I hope they aren't.

 

B.

[+briansnat]

I'd say it's just common courtesy for AWOLers to delist their cache(s) if they know they won't be tending to them anymore.

 

That's tough to do in the event of sudden death.

 

I can't believe how entitled some people are, and how lacking in understanding and compassion.

 

Caches aren't the first priority in most people's lives. At least, I hope they aren't.

 

B.

 

I suspect that a very small portion of these many thousands of abandoned caches are due to sudden death.

[+PokerLuck]

Fires that burn hot burn out very quickly.

 

I've seen quite a few people get into geocaching and become obsessed with it. It's all they want to do. They frequently progress through the various aspects of the game, finding caches, hiding caches, FTFs, and then suddenly they're gone. I assume that it's just part of their personality and that they've moved on to some other hobby and are currently obsessed with that one, too.

 

My only problem with it is when they leave behind unmaintained caches, as the OP observed.

Edited August 6, 2013 by PokerLuck

[+Walts Hunting]

It is not unusual in any activity to have people get interested for awhile and move on. Over the last twenty years I have probably had about a dozen hobbies that I strongly participated in. I have moved on from most with this one being the only one I have stays with for a long period. Granted this is the only hobby where a participant leaves residue behind I have other things to worry about than that.

[+Bigmada]

Fires that burn hot burn out very quickly.

 

I've seen quite a few people get into geocaching and become obsessed with it. It's all they want to do. They frequently progress through the various aspects of the game, finding caches, hiding caches, FTFs, and then suddenly they're gone. I assume that it's just part of their personality and that they've moved on to some other hobby and are currently obsessed with that one, too.

 

My only problem with it is when they leave behind unmaintained caches, as the OP observed.

 

This is me with everything I've done, so I started this one slowly, and it's been almost a year which I think is my longer hobby

[+*GeoPunx*]

I worry about this for myself.

I see caches around here where the CO hasn't logged on in over 2 or three years. Yet, their caches just sit there and languish. That's sad.

I don't see an end in sight for me but I am not cocky enough to say I'll stick with this game forever(life happens at an alarming rate).

But, I do have enough respect for the game, that I already have a plan to adopt my caches out to a very experienced local cacher if/when I need to drop out of the game.

I think every CO might benefit from having someone in line to adopt their caches in the event of the unforeseeable.

My .02

 

Brian

*GeoPunx*

[+The_Incredibles_]

Maybe they died or got some horrible disease?

[+Walts Hunting]

I worry about this for myself.

I see caches around here where the CO hasn't logged on in over 2 or three years. Yet, their caches just sit there and languish. That's sad.

I don't see an end in sight for me but I am not cocky enough to say I'll stick with this game forever(life happens at an alarming rate).

But, I do have enough respect for the game, that I already have a plan to adopt my caches out to a very experienced local cacher if/when I need to drop out of the game.

I think every CO might benefit from having someone in line to adopt their caches in the event of the unforeseeable.

My .02

 

Brian

*GeoPunx*

 

If you go out and confirm the condition throw a NA log on it and the situation will be dealt with.

[+Walts Hunting]

Maybe they died or got some horrible disease?

 

Or they could have died from a non horrible disease. Both have the same result.

[+The_Incredibles_]

Maybe they died or got some horrible disease?

 

Or they could have died from a non horrible disease. Both have the same result.

 

Or they dropped dead of old age. That happens alot too.

[+WarNinjas]

Early on in this game we found one messed up container and contacted the CO. No response and figured maybe he had died or something. A few months later got a response that he had not been playing but went and fixed some up and thanked us for fixing that one. I told him we would adopt that one if he was having troubles keeping up and he said that would be a great idea but then never responded after. Guess you never know.