Clarification on Challenges

[+narcissa]

Thank you for reminding me that "Too many people are placing caches so I can't place one myself" is another ridiculous complaint that I left off the list.

Such a tough-luck attitude.

I prefer NYPC's compassion.

Yeah, I remember when there was an ethic for cache owners to leave room for other caches, and not to hog all the available space.

 

I remember when the number of people geocaching was a small fraction of what it is now. The space gets taken up. That's how it works. "Compassion" has nothing to do with it.

[+niraD]

Yeah, I remember when there was an ethic for cache owners to leave room for other caches, and not to hog all the available space.

I remember when the number of people geocaching was a small fraction of what it is now. The space gets taken up. That's how it works.

When there are more geocachers who might be interested in hiding geocaches, it's even more important for owners to demonstrate an ethic for leaving room for other caches, for not hogging all the available space just because they can.

 

"Compassion" has nothing to do with it.

You may be right. You may be right.

[+narcissa]

Yeah, I remember when there was an ethic for cache owners to leave room for other caches, and not to hog all the available space.

I remember when the number of people geocaching was a small fraction of what it is now. The space gets taken up. That's how it works.

When there are more geocachers who might be interested in hiding geocaches, it's even more important for owners to demonstrate an ethic for leaving room for other caches, for not hogging all the available space just because they can.

 

None of this is objective. It's all a matter of personal taste. Different cachers want different things.

 

There are new cachers who come into the game and find that the available space is mostly taken up by old caches. Sometimes, they demand that old cachers archive old caches to make room for new ones. This sort of thing is generally dismissed as an unreasonable demand.

 

Prolific cachers can quickly run out of new caches to find in a given area. Surely, some of them prefer to see caches taking up available space because it means more caches to find.

 

Many cachers like power trails and that sort of thing, and that type of cacher would be pleased by a new series like the one described, and wouldn't be concerned about it taking up space. Why are their preferences less important?

 

I like finding complex multis, so I could say that my personal enjoyment is negatively affected every time someone hides a traditional. But that would also be ridiculous.

[+niraD]

None of this is objective. It's all a matter of personal taste. Different cachers want different things.

Absolutely. And if cache owners leave room for other caches, then a single park could hold a dozen varied caches and offer something for everyone. Or one person can churn out a dozen identical caches and block anyone else from hiding caches there.

[+narcissa]

None of this is objective. It's all a matter of personal taste. Different cachers want different things.

Absolutely. And if cache owners leave room for other caches, then a single park could hold a dozen varied caches and offer something for everyone. Or one person can churn out a dozen identical caches and block anyone else from hiding caches there.

 

But eventually, it still gets full and someone eventually comes along and can't place a cache there.

 

Some people like geo-art and would prefer to see the space used for that, instead of different caches.

 

Framing it as "etiquette" or "compassion" is just silly. There are bound to be cachers who are disappointed in some way no matter what.

 

It's first-come, first-serve. It always has been.

Edited March 1, 2015 by narcissa

[+tomfuller & Quill]

When I hid my first cache 3 weeks after I started caching, I placed it 9.1 miles from the next nearest cache. Since that time, there have been 7 more caches added closer to mine. Now the closest cache is 4.1 miles away. It is still a good cache even though it was not found in 2014.

I now have to travel more than 25 miles to go caching because I own or have found every cache within 12 miles of home.

[+Baad Daata]

I hated challenge caches until I found about macros. The documentation drove me nutty. I now find them entertaining but not compelling. I find the downfall of geocaching has to be powertrails. I know of hundreds of players that won't leave the house for fewer than 100 smilies in a day. They will never see some of the places I have been. I have hiked 12 hours for two caches. I have done that in the company of 6-8 great folks with different hiking abilities. We helped each other and shared lunch on a bunch of rocks. I am drawn to powertrails because I am competitive and I cannot help myself. If they were outlawed tomorrow I would not shed a tear. I ignore challenges that are not practical for me. I have signed the log of a challenge in SD that requires an average of D2.0 and a T2.0. It would take me 10,000 5/5s to come close. One of my "friends" has put one within .25 miles of my home that requires having found caches in 13 different countries. I have found caches in three different countries. That also negates a challenge that I find the 10 caches closest to my home coords. Who gives a poop? I move on and continue to enjoy the sport in a way that works for me. (I can't call it a hobby). Outlaw powertrails not challenges.