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Dinosaur cacher returns!


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I'm a caching "dinosaur" as I was forced to slow/stop due to a good old dose of Leukiamia (ALL). With two years of chemo'/radiotherapy behind me in remission and have been keeping my "hand-in" but still have to be careful.

 

I ONLY do drive-byes as I cannot walk too far, but was amazed at the EXPLOSION of caches across the UK, (Can't walk far but driving is no issue!!;))

 

Getting local caches with GSAK, I plot then on Fugawi (said I was a dinosaur) then pick the likely "road side caches" and try a few.

 

Today I plotted 10 that I could do but gave up after looking at logs "at GZ" for 6 (six) all had multiple DNFs???

 

I'm now filtering out all caches that are not above GC35??? as I cannot be bothered looking for a "soggy" 35mm/Bison Tube that hasn't been found for a 6 months.

 

IS THIS NORMAL??? (Multiple "unmaintained" caches as I travel across the whole UK and it is very common)

 

Been away for far too long but there must be 1000's of caches which are not maintained/gone which a "dinosaur" like me would still go after!!!

 

Some of the "older" cacher will know me but glad to be back chasing the needle, not in my arm/spine/hip thank-you, for a change.

 

Regards to all

 

Nick (Beds Clangers)

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Glad to see you back, and that your health is on the up. Long may it continue.

 

I see what you're saying about not wanting to find soggy caches etc, but I do think you're missing out on perfectly good caches with a line in the sand based on GC code. But of course it's entirely up to you.

 

Edit in answer to your question. The explosion of caches has with it a few more of the cachers that start hiding early on in their career without the experience or commitment to maintain them properly, although in our experience such cache owners don't hide many before getting bored, and they're in a minority compared with all the great cache owners there are out there.

Edited by Beach_hut
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Welcome back Nick! I know just what you mean; there was a time when caches took you somewhere special. They now just take you where a cache is. Still, it gets you out and about... I found this earlier and it made me feel pretty dinosaury myself :laughing:

 

As for damp caches, they don't seem to last long. You're already doing the right thing by going for older ones. Personally I'm focusing on caches hidden before I started caching. Got one of the world's oldest in Georgia back in April B)

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there was a time when caches took you somewhere special. They now just take you where a cache is.

That seems very odd. But at least if all the caches in your area have been moved away from the best locations you now have all those spots free for placement of new and improved versions!

Personally I've found that there are already caches in those "somewhere special" spots that are close enough for me to consider.

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Getting local caches with GSAK, I plot then on Fugawi (said I was a dinosaur) then pick the likely "road side caches" and try a few.

 

Today I plotted 10 that I could do but gave up after looking at logs "at GZ" for 6 (six) all had multiple DNFs???

 

I'm now filtering out all caches that are not above GC35??? as I cannot be bothered looking for a "soggy" 35mm/Bison Tube that hasn't been found for a 6 months.

I'm not exactly sure of your logic: does a higher GC code mean a poorly maintained cache? Dunno. Doesn't apply to mine, and I find that the older caches (not surprisingly) tend to be in worse condition after several years of weather.

 

I'd have thought a better filter is to ensure all the caches have the drive-by attribute (or terrain 1-1.5) and have at least three favourite points. Then eliminate those that have "Needs Maintenance" set.

You could also eliminate those not logged for (say) three months, but that might remove some excellent difficult Mystery caches.

Edited by Happy Humphrey
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there was a time when caches took you somewhere special. They now just take you where a cache is.
That seems very odd. But at least if all the caches in your area have been moved away from the best locations you now have all those spots free for placement of new and improved versions!

Personally I've found that there are already caches in those "somewhere special" spots that are close enough for me to consider.

You've taken me very literally there. Perhaps this would be a better description of my current attitude: Once, virtually every cache was somewhere special and noteworthy. Now the vast majority are not. It makes sifting the quality locations/caches from the 'filler' difficult on occassions.
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You've taken me very literally there. Perhaps this would be a better description of my current attitude: Once, virtually every cache was somewhere special and noteworthy. Now the vast majority are not. It makes sifting the quality locations/caches from the 'filler' difficult on occassions.

Ah: that's better! :)

But surely you have to admit that once all the brilliant locations in an area have been taken, then the others are bound to be less brilliant?

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I remember your name. Welcome back, and lang may yer lum reek, as they say in these parts.

 

Although standards may have lowered a little in terms of cache quality, I suppose one bonus is that you have plenty of drive-bys to find should you feel up to it :)

Edited by Original A1
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Hi Nick,

 

We're having an intriguing month (31 days of Geocaching challenge).

 

More than the pointless urban caches (really, what makes you want to put a Nano outside a School in a Residential estate?) and the "Nano's where you can put an ammo can", I'm disappointed with the Church Micros series - in theory it's a great idea, but it's just turned into a series of 4000 odd 35mm film pots.

 

I think in the future, I'm going to do a filter to get rid of anything that is either Micro or Other.

 

I accept that this week, we've been in North Norfolk and we've been using the opportunity to visit the beaches rather than do some of the worthy looking series (that series of 128 along the Marriotts way looks interesting). That's always going to lend itself to Urban Micros (and yes, I believe they do have a place).

 

But every time someone says to me "but how are you supposed to put large caches out in Urban Environments?" I remind them of this cache which is bang slap in one of the busiest parts of London!

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I'm disappointed with the Church Micros series - in theory it's a great idea, but it's just turned into a series of 4000 odd 35mm film pots.

Really? Perhaps you haven't done many. My closest two (hidden by me, as it happens :anicute: ):

 

Church Micro 3112 "very very clever hide - good work! :)" "Awesome cache." "must have a favorite point for this".

Church Micro 3197 "Brilliant cache!" " I really enjoyed finding it" "a great hide got to be a fav" "Another great hide"

Edited by Happy Humphrey
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Hi Nick, welcome back. I remember that you were the first cacher I met in the field back on 2005, near a mobile phone mast just outside Basingstoke. I was floundering around wondering where the cache might be and you strode up, said hello stuck your hand in the roots of a tree and pulled it out first go and made me feel like a complete amateur :rolleyes: (I'd only been at it for a couple of months though)!

 

I don't think there's a single solution to weeding out poor caches, not everything placed recently is necessarily naff, but the one thing that has happened in the last couple of years is the advent of favourite points so at least you can use that to try and weed out some of the rubbish ones.

 

I personally love the Church Micro series. Admittedly some of the hides are mundane but at least down my way (Hampshire/Sussex) there are some wonderful old churches, so I usually choose ones in small villages, or churches that are nowadays stranded in the middle of nowhere, I have no religious interest but find the buildings and their history fascinating. There's almost always parking at the Church, and the cache is usually only a short walk away, even the ones which are multis (very common down here) usually only involve a stroll round the churchyard collecting dates from monuments/gravestones etc, and Churchyards almost always have a bench for a sit down if needed.

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Hi Nick, great to hear you are back on the trail again. Caching has changed a lot in the last couple of years with the availability of phone apps for caching - there are so many now but the quality is still there if you look for it. I remember you coming to see me with a couple of EA geocoins you didn't need. They are still in circulation!

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Thanks for all the good wishes!!!!

 

Nice to see old names/tags that I remember, the radiotherapy I had did wipe out some of my memory, well that's the excuse I use to the wife :laughing:

 

Yes Mr Pharisee (John) Mrs BC has never cached again since the "fumble in the bushes" near St. Mary's :lol: :lol:

 

There are some new cache series a bit North of and I managed a few hours (21 caches), all were good and no "soggy" ones.

 

Regards to all again and I'll try and get to an event soon, I'm back at work full time and driving over must of the UK, but not much further North than Carlisle.

 

Nick

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I think in the future, I'm going to do a filter to get rid of anything that is either Micro or Other.

 

I'd go and do that maintenance on your own caches 1st. That people have been advising you for many a month. :mad:

Ooh who let this troll in?

 

Careful everyone. The Geocache police are here :D

 

EDIT: No, just realised it's a sock.

Edited by The Other Stu
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I'm disappointed with the Church Micros series - in theory it's a great idea, but it's just turned into a series of 4000 odd 35mm film pots.

Really? Perhaps you haven't done many. My closest two (hidden by me, as it happens :anicute: ):

 

Church Micro 3112 "very very clever hide - good work! :)" "Awesome cache." "must have a favorite point for this".

Church Micro 3197 "Brilliant cache!" " I really enjoyed finding it" "a great hide got to be a fav" "Another great hide"

As we are on the subject of Church Micros that are not just 35mm film pots: Church Micro 2364 Today's log - "Fantastic just fantastic this rates up there with the very best caches I have found and I have found a few" (17,000)

 

Rgds, Andy

Edited by Amberel
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