How Many Caches Could a Cache Owner Own

[+LaughterOnWater]

Some CO's have a few caches. Others have a hundred or more.

 

While some CO's seem to have a very close relationship with their caches, I wonder if others are more like slum lords, creating them and then forgetting them. The number of caches owned isn't necessarily an indicator of slumlordliness or consummate stewardship.

 

Cache's aren't like cats (capricious, playful) or goats (stu- u- u- upid a- a- a- and brow- ow- ow- ownian in motion). So caches should be easy to shepherd, more like trees, right? Maybe being a CO is like being an Ent or an Entwife (from Lord of the Rings). When CO's meet, maybe it's a cachemoot. (Hey, I coined a new word!)

 

As a CO, what's a manageable number of caches for you? What's too many?

 

If it's happened to you, when did you realize you had too many caches? Did you make any changes to how you manage your caches?

 

I'd be grateful for any insights from long-term cache owners and new/beginning cache owners alike. What are some things cache owners should know that aren't in the rules or might not be obvious before they start creating caches?

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

[+DanOCan]

If it's happened to you, when did you realize you had too many caches? Did you make any changes to how you manage your caches?

For me, once I started noticing that I wasn't meeting my own personal standard for being able to respond to cache maintenance issues, I knew I owned too many caches. When I started feeling like cache maintenance was becoming a chore, that was also a really bad sign.

 

What did I change? I adopted out some of the more historic caches I had previous adopted. I archived some of the caches I had hidden that didn't think really added much to the game. And, I decided to only place future caches in locations where it is really convenient to do maintenance on them.

[+narcissa]

It's entirely dependent on the nature of the caches, and the abilities of the owner.

 

My husband and I own about 25 active cache between us. Most of them are fairly tricky for one reason or another, rarely found, and low maintenance. We would put it more puzzles and letterboxes, but our area is fairly saturated so there just aren't many good locations for us to use. When the current trend of these silly straight-lines of caches starts to thin out, we might do more cache placement.

 

We have a couple of problem child caches that need maintenance more often than others, including three or four that are frequent targets for very new cachers and tourists. If all of our caches were like that, we would probably have fewer of them.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Some CO's have a few caches. Others have a hundred or more.

 

While some CO's seem to have a very close relationship with their caches, I wonder if others are more like slum lords, creating them and then forgetting them. The number of caches owned isn't necessarily an indicator of slumlordliness or consummate stewardship.

 

Cache's aren't like cats (capricious, playful) or goats (stu- u- u- upid a- a- a- and brow- ow- ow- ownian in motion). So caches should be easy to shepherd, more like trees, right? Maybe being a CO is like being an Ent or an Entwife (from Lord of the Rings). When CO's meet, maybe it's a cachemoot. (Hey, I coined a new word!)

 

Moodle user?

 

 

As a CO, what's a manageable number of caches for you? What's too many?

 

If it's happened to you, when did you realize you had too many caches? Did you make any changes to how you manage your caches?

 

I'd be grateful for any insights from long-term cache owners and new/beginning cache owners alike. What are some things cache owners should know that aren't in the rules or might not be obvious before they start creating caches?

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

 

I haven't hidden any caches in a long time and have archived several that I originally placed. One of the considerations for the number of caches that I can manage is based on the fact that I do very little geocaching locally anymore. If I'm not out finding caches locally I'm probably not going to be able to maintain as many caches either. The other reason that I've archived a few caches is that I feel that there are already way too many caches that seem to exist only to increase the find count for those that find them and I've had a few caches that I felt didn't meet the standards for the kinds of caches I would prefer to find.

[+L0ne.R]

If it's happened to you, when did you realize you had too many caches? Did you make any changes to how you manage your caches?

For me, once I started noticing that I wasn't meeting my own personal standard for being able to respond to cache maintenance issues, I knew I owned too many caches. When I started feeling like cache maintenance was becoming a chore, that was also a really bad sign.

 

What did I change? [snipped] I archived some of the caches I had hidden that didn't think really added much to the game. And, I decided to only place future caches in locations where it is really convenient to do maintenance on them.

 

This, for me too ^^^.

 

We currently have 10 active caches, which is just about right. But I could go as high as 15 if I could find some interesting spots that are available. Over the past 14 years we have had a total of 60 cache placements. We currently have a couple of 10 year old caches that still are interesting to visit and maintain. But the rest were archived after a 3-5 year run.

Edited June 11, 2015 by L0ne.R

[+wmpastor]

There's a guy in my area who owns over 1,000. They are well-maintained. He's retired and does frequent "maintenance runs."

[+edscott]

I only place caches in areas that I frequently visit so maintenance isn't a huge problem, yet still it takes a few days a year to keep them up and running. Most of mine are not near trails and can go months without a find, so I don't get a lot of input on their condition.

[+Path Pacer]

I have two kinds: the ones out in the wilderness (low maintenance) and the ones in town (higher maintenance). I only have three of each but plan to put out a couple more. That will probably be it for me. I'd never place one somewhere I wouldn't frequent myself anyway.

 

For me, it's all about how good they are, not how many. I made two promises when I started creating my own: 1) My cache is not the only significant thing about that spot, and 2) I would never place anything smaller than a "small" cache. Those two restrictions make creating new caches a challenge. Anyone can throw a micro under a rock, but it's harder to make it more interesting for the cacher.

[+wmpastor]

Here's the current count for the guy near Philadelphia:

Total Caches Owned 1,139

 

That *must* be in the top 1% of COs. Maybe *much* higher. Is there a way to access a list of COs ordered by number of hides?

 

I'd be very curious to see that.

 

We thank this guy for his work, but maybe he's worthy of fame. He must be pretty high on the worldwide list, no?

 

Maybe a moderator has statistical info.

[knowschad]

Would you believe 8,054? (I have no idea how many are active at any one time)

 

Or 4,537?

[+Harry Dolphin]

I have hidden 106 caches in almost eleven years. Eighteen have been archived for various reasons: Muggled too often. More than ten feet from a trail in an NJ State Park. &c

I need to archive two more in NJ WMAs.

Many were hidden before the suggestion of 'visiting occasionally'. Some I have not revisited since they were hidden. (There are some long hikes involved.) (But that was okay back then...)

Thirty-six more will be archived soon, when my caching partner goes to visit his namesake/maker. Unfortunately, that will probably be far too soon. They are in his area, not mine. One, we have been unable to find for quite a while, though others have found it. We have no idea where it has been rehidden!

Then I shall contemplate the 'should visit on occasion' concept, which is fairly new. Some have not been found in three or four years. Hiking to a cache is unheard of, these days. Really a shame, but that is modern-day geocaching. Parking lot micros! That is geocaching these days,

My last cache was hidden about a year ago, before the new updates and restrictions. I doubt that I will hide any more. With the updates, it sounds very tough to hide new caches. Wow! This site has changed in the last eleven years!

So, by this time next year, I'll probably be down to thirty hides or so.

Hey! Most of my caches are in great places, usually with a wry sense of humor. But, the world changes, and life changes, and geocaching changes. Not the game I started playing eleven years ago. Sad.

[+Isonzo Karst]

What are some things cache owners should know that aren't in the rules or might not be obvious before they start creating caches?

 

Never place spontaneously. If you see a spot for a cache, take some coords for that spot, some pictures and GO HOME.

 

Use the available tools on Geocaching.com to check for cache saturation, not just in the sense of the rule enforced by the site, but in a general sense. Is the area lousy with caches already? what's going to make yours special? What's the best container you can use? does it need any special camo?

 

If you still think it's a great place for a cache, if it calls to you enough to make a return trip (one where there may not be any caches for you to find), then go place it.

 

Never place a new cache if there's pending maintenance on a cache you already own (exceptions for caches disabled for causes outside your control, like construction projects or seasonal closures, etc). Try to get to any maintenance issues mentioned in logs ASAP. Don't procrastinate, it won't heal itself.

 

On the other hand, relax about the occasional DNF. You'll make yourself nuts if check after each one.

 

Numbers owned is not a useful metric, in my opinion. In 2003, I thought 30 would be a max. I now own 100+ and don't find this to be an issue.

[+LaughterOnWater]

All,

 

Thanks for your feedback on how you manage your caches. So ten to fifteen individual/quality/scenic caches seems to be a limit, but p&g caches along a path seems to be another less-intensive method. Urban caches tend to be higher maintenance than idyllic/remote caches. Most of those who have responded have been at it for many years. I'd be curious to hear from CO's who have only been "cacherds" for nearly a year or two. (Hey, I coined another word!)

 

It's amazing that anyone could have hidden 8000+ caches. Surely, this is a full-time occupation, because room104 has more than twice as many hides as finds. He would have to hide 3.2 hides a day every day since August 2008 until today in order to do it, and still have time to find almost one and a half finds per day.

 

Apparently one day in February of this year, he hid 173 micro caches in a single day. Or maybe he hid them over several days and just posted them that day. I imagine someone loading tennis-ball-shooter with micro caches and shooting them out of a car window into the brush along a roadside every tenth mile, but that's probably not what happened.

 

Since they're all along a trail or a road, I guess that makes it easier to find them. If they're all about a tenth of a mile apart, that would make the entire trip no less than 17+ miles. I imagine this would be most fun with one or more friends biking together, because alone it might be boring.

 

... Moodle user?

I've set up a development moodle site, but have not actually used it for a class, so I'm not making the leap from what I said to your moodle reference. If you could help me bridge the gap?

 

Chris

[+redsox_mark]

It of course varies a lot from cacher to cacher; and the locations of the caches themselves are a factor.

 

I own 25 caches. That currently seems about enough for me, as recently I've had 4 needing issues and that seems like a lot. Though I do have one more hide in pipeline (pending permission issues).

 

Mine are mostly spread out; though I have two short series (of 7). One loop of 25 caches is easier to maintain (can check on all of them on one walk) then 25 which are spread out.

 

I know cachers who own 1000+ who maintain their caches well. Now I say "well" - they acknowledge issues and maintain them surprisingly well for someone with so many. But the number (and the large area over which they are hidden) does limit the speed that issues can be addressed.

 

And there are cachers with small numbers of hides who do not maintain them.

[+LaughterOnWater]

What are some things cache owners should know that aren't in the rules or might not be obvious before they start creating caches?

 

Never place spontaneously. If you see a spot for a cache, take some coords for that spot, some pictures and GO HOME.

 

Use the available tools on Geocaching.com to check for cache saturation, not just in the sense of the rule enforced by the site, but in a general sense. Is the area lousy with caches already? what's going to make yours special? What's the best container you can use? does it need any special camo?

 

If you still think it's a great place for a cache, if it calls to you enough to make a return trip (one where there may not be any caches for you to find), then go place it.

 

Never place a new cache if there's pending maintenance on a cache you already own (exceptions for caches disabled for causes outside your control, like construction projects or seasonal closures, etc). Try to get to any maintenance issues mentioned in logs ASAP. Don't procrastinate, it won't heal itself.

 

On the other hand, relax about the occasional DNF. You'll make yourself nuts if check after each one.

 

Numbers owned is not a useful metric, in my opinion. In 2003, I thought 30 would be a max. I now own 100+ and don't find this to be an issue.

 

You posted this just prior to my writing another post, so I didn't see this. These are great suggestions. Thank you.

 

Chris

[xonewingx]

Would you believe 8,054? (I have no idea how many are active at any one time)

 

Crown King of micro spew.

[+narcissa]

Never let anyone bully or shame you into placing more caches that you can comfortably maintain. It is okay to have 5,000 finds and no caches. Know your own limits.

[+niraD]

What are some things cache owners should know that aren't in the rules or might not be obvious before they start creating caches?

It isn't just about hiding a container so it won't be noticed by passersby. Geocachers have to be able to find, retrieve, and replace the container without drawing undue attention to it from passersby.

 

I've found a number of short-lived caches that were very well hidden, and probably could have remained in place for years, except that geocachers kept showing up, searching for them, retrieving them, opening them up, signing the log, and then replacing them. I think new cache owners tend to underestimate the effect of the geocaching process, especially when they're encouraged "to hide the largest container that fits". The reason that most urban/suburban caches are micros isn't that owners of urban/suburban caches hate larger containers, or that they're lazy, or that they're cheap. It's that micros are what survive.

 

And don't worry about the numbers. Hide a cache because you want to own and maintain that cache for the long term. You'll own more caches than some, and fewer caches than others. And that's fine.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

 

... Moodle user?

I've set up a development moodle site, but have not actually used it for a class, so I'm not making the leap from what I said to your moodle reference. If you could help me bridge the gap?

 

Chris

 

I downloaded and installed a copy of Moodle once but never really used it.

 

Moodle is a open source course management system. The Moodle community periodically has events/conferences which for some reason are called "Moodle Moots", thus an calling a meeting of CO's a "cachemoot" would make sense if you were familiar with Moodle.

 

I've seen various activities mentioned specifically for CO's at various events but haven't seen an event that is intended only to be for cache owners. At some of the larger events I've heard about reviewer panels which is sort of a Q&A between one or more reviewers and participants at the event. I would assume that most of the participants would be current and future cache owners.

 

 

 

[+LaughterOnWater]

... The Moodle community periodically has events/conferences which for some reason are called "Moodle Moots", thus an calling a meeting of CO's a "cachemoot" would make sense if you were familiar with Moodle. ...

Got it. Actually, some Moodle user probably coined the term "Moodle Moot" from the term "Entmoot," used originally in Lord of the Rings to designate a meeting of Tree Herders (Ents). Hence, my earlier reference to Ents and Entwives. I realized after I posted that it's likely that most geocachers both hide and seek, so cachemoot might still be useful as a general meeting of geocachers.

[+NeverSummer]

Would you believe 8,054? (I have no idea how many are active at any one time)

 

Or 4,537?

I like KB. He's a really nice guy.

 

But...

I wouldn't call most of his caches I found "well maintained". He does, to his credit, do regular maintenance runs on schedule. However, this means it can take weeks, months, a year, or more for some caches to get repaired/replaced containers (to fix the cracked and leaky margarine container), wet mush of a logbook fixed, rough coordinates adjusted, or checking on placements so that it is still hidden in the manner he intended (hint and description accurate, etc.).

 

But I do like the guy. I just can't abide thinking that 4000-8000 caches are actually maintainable, no matter how you spend a retired life.

 

[+wmpastor]

Hmmm...so if a person owns 3,650 caches and checks on 10 every single day of the year, they'll only see each of their caches once a year.

 

Whew! That puts things in perspective!

[+Ma & Pa]

Hmmm...so if a person owns 3,650 caches and checks on 10 every single day of the year, they'll only see each of their caches once a year.

 

Whew! That puts things in perspective!

 

Why would they want to see their caches that often? If there are no need maintenance logs or no problems mentioned in the Found logs, why should they go out and check them?

[+ByronForestPreserve]

I have 13 (about to be 14). They're not hard to maintain, as most of them are where I work. In fact, I walk past many of them on a regular basis and give them a glance when I do. One I let slide (whoops) was one I loved but had lots of muggle issues and was down a flight of 200+ steps in a state park (not forest preserve property). It was not fun for me to maintain. At some point I'm putting together a geotrail for the forest preserve, which will add 12 or so to that. Though that nearly doubles my caches to maintain, at that point I can go on work time to do maintenance runs so it won't be so bad. I'm already choosing 3-4 I'll archive when that happens, but I don't want to quite yet because they're otherwise "holding" a really nice area for one of the new ones. My most troublesome one is my only nano, also at the state park, but I drive by every day and it's a PNG (but a fun one, I swear). I have to go put out a new container a few times a year, but I think it's worth it.

 

I can't imagine more than a couple dozen and applaud those who manage it!

[knowschad]

So ten to fifteen individual/quality/scenic caches seems to be a limit

Huh?

 

No way!! That totally, and I do mean totally, depends on the individual. It depends on how much time they have to dedicate to cache maintenance (as opposed to cache finding), it has to do with the quality of container they use, it has to do with a good many things. I'm not sure how many active hides I have out right now, but I have placed 150 caches in my years as a geocacher, and a good deal of them are still active. A good many of those are what you called "individual/quality/scenic caches" (my hides)

 

Other people shouldn't even own one hide.

[knowschad]

Would you believe 8,054? (I have no idea how many are active at any one time)

 

Crown King of micro spew.

 

Agreed.

[knowschad]

Would you believe 8,054? (I have no idea how many are active at any one time)

 

Or 4,537?

I like KB. He's a really nice guy.

 

But...

I wouldn't call most of his caches I found "well maintained". He does, to his credit, do regular maintenance runs on schedule. However, this means it can take weeks, months, a year, or more for some caches to get repaired/replaced containers (to fix the cracked and leaky margarine container), wet mush of a logbook fixed, rough coordinates adjusted, or checking on placements so that it is still hidden in the manner he intended (hint and description accurate, etc.).

 

But I do like the guy. I just can't abide thinking that 4000-8000 caches are actually maintainable, no matter how you spend a retired life.

 

 

Not only do I totally agree with you, but I don't think you would find anybody in Minnesota to disagree with you. I didn't know there were that many cookie tins in the entire world until I started finding KB caches!

[+jellis]

Whatever you can maintain. Power Trails well I would say something but it will start a big argument and may shut this down.

 

I have seen some newbies here getting excited about placing (difficult)caches, lots of them all over the place (far from home). Then they read the logs from cachers who didn't like them. Then the new cacher stops caching and leaves behind a mess of caches that will not get maintain unless other cachers do it.

[+LaughterOnWater]

Crown King of micro spew.

 

Never let anyone bully or shame you into placing more caches that you can comfortably maintain. It is okay to have 5,000 finds and no caches. Know your own limits.

Like any hobby, there are costs involved. If anyone were to attempt to bully or shame me into it, I'd probably ask them for funding. On the flip side of that coin, you can't really bully or shame a CO into properly maintaining the caches they already may or may not maintain either, can you? It might be a little like the cache cop thing and NA/NM.

 

Hmmm...so if a person owns 3,650 caches and checks on 10 every single day of the year, they'll only see each of their caches once a year.

 

Whew! That puts things in perspective!

Full time cacherd.

 

Why would they want to see their caches that often? If there are no need maintenance logs or no problems mentioned in the Found logs, why should they go out and check them?

It could be a regional thing. Are your caches mostly urban or mostly rural? Most urban caches (of the few I've seen) are hard to maintain. I'm guessing you have mostly remote/rural/scenic caches. It brings the question to the other extreme: Are there caches you have not inspected in over a year? What's a reasonable amount of time for a seriously-low-traffic cache to remain untended?

 

I can't imagine more than a couple dozen and applaud those who manage it!

Edit: Oops. I replied in the wrong place. Instead, +1

 

...Huh?

 

No way!! That totally, and I do mean totally, depends on the individual. It depends on how much time they have to dedicate to cache maintenance (as opposed to cache finding), it has to do with the quality of container they use, it has to do with a good many things. I'm not sure how many active hides I have out right now, but I have placed 150 caches in my years as a geocacher, and a good deal of them are still active. A good many of those are what you called "individual/quality/scenic caches" (my hides)

 

Other people shouldn't even own one hide.

It would be interesting to do a longitudinal study to find out how many caches the average cacherd has and correlate that with the number of NM's and NA's on currently active caches. Also compare long-term cacherds only (five-plus years experience) with recent (less than two years experience) cacherds only and see if there is a difference in maintenance methodology. The data are there. I think it could make an interesting thesis for someone. Most of the people who have responded here have been long-term cachers with lots of finds and (I'm guessing) a larger-than-average number of hides. I take my number from looking at local CO's stats, and suspect that for most people, more than a dozen or so caches might become more of an avocation than a hobby.

 

Whatever you can maintain. Power Trails well I would say something but it will start a big argument and may shut this down.

 

I have seen some newbies here getting excited about placing (difficult)caches, lots of them all over the place (far from home). Then they read the logs from cachers who didn't like them. Then the new cacher stops caching and leaves behind a mess of caches that will not get maintain unless other cachers do it.

I have no interest in power trails at the moment. There are none in my area, that I can see, and I sure don't see myself managing a power trail. I find myself trying to help out the CO of a cache when I can. If I have time, I'll try to let a humid cache log dry out in the sun. I'll remove molded paper items that have crossed the threshold into trash. I'll wipe out a muddy cache box, if I have something to wipe it out. Sometimes I'll leave a replacement or temporary log if the original log is too soggy to write on. Edited June 13, 2015 by LaughterOnWater

[+Isonzo Karst]

Are there caches you have not inspected in over a year? What's a reasonable amount of time for a seriously-low-traffic cache to remain untended?

 

There are caches haven't seen in 5 years. I'm not worrying about them either. Ammo cans miles from parking, in areas where there's a mild hazard of hunter finding and taking, fire crisping them, or flood. Otherwise, they're sitting right where I left them.

 

In 6 years, in many locations in Florida, ammo can will have enough rust that it may be time to replace before it starts leaking. People won't generally remark rust, and may not be able to see under the crud layer, so I try to run an eyeball over ammo cans at a 6 year minimum.

 

I have some multi-caches that probably could go 5 or 6 years untended, as there 2 hardy metal stamped stage tags at each location, and ammo can finals. That said, they go unfound from year to year, and without an owner maintenance note, people just won't take them on. They hardly will anyway....

[+NanCycle]

Hmmm...so if a person owns 3,650 caches and checks on 10 every single day of the year, they'll only see each of their caches once a year.

 

Whew! That puts things in perspective!

 

Why would they want to see their caches that often? If there are no need maintenance logs or no problems mentioned in the Found logs, why should they go out and check them?

 

Well, COs can't count on finders (or DNFers) to report problems. Last week I was taking a brand new cacher out for a walk to a few of my caches (and getting in a maintenance check in the process). One of them, I had just checked on in March--after a DNF--and it received this log in April:

Still there and in perfect shape

 

Here's my DISABLE log in June:

Funny that none of the recent logs mentioned that all the tabs were broken off the Lock&Lock box. Disabling while I get a new box.

[+derektiffany]

Most of those who have responded have been at it for many years. I'd be curious to hear from CO's who have only been "cacherds" for nearly a year or two.

I placed my first caches in summer 2013 (though I had adopted one prior to that).

 

I think the other comments by COs with more experience are all on-target. As noted, it really depends on the person and the caches. Some people have more time/ability/resources to visit and maintain caches over a larger area. Some less so. Some caches are higher maintenance. Some less so. Different COs handle maintenance issues in different manners ...

 

I think the above is fairly well-covered in the guidelines. Perhaps not explicitly, but implicitly.

What are some things cache owners should know that aren't in the rules or might not be obvious before they start creating caches?

Unexpected events can (and do) occur.

From some of my own caches:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=2feedcb1-4fd5-4ba2-8ea7-c0935a719b0e

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=27603440-b684-4028-a2c0-e2b2fabccc9f

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=bd1c1c9e-0dfd-4a19-a274-11988e2fea24

 

Reading over the forums and some cache logs ... it's rather easy to find other (much more extraordinary) examples.

Edited June 13, 2015 by derektiffany

[knowschad]

From some of my own caches:

...

http://www.geocachin...c0-e2b2fabccc9f

...

 

he said he stumbled upon it a week ago and didn't know what it was. His wife told him it was a geocache and that he was supposed to "move" it for someone else to find.

 

At least they thought they were helping.

[+LaughterOnWater]

... Unexpected events can (and do) occur.

From some of my own caches:

http://www.geocachin...a7-c0935a719b0e

http://www.geocachin...c0-e2b2fabccc9f

http://www.geocachin...74-11988e2fea24

 

Reading over the forums and some cache logs ... it's rather easy to find other (much more extraordinary) examples.

Wow! I like the one about the buzzard nest.

Good to know. Thanks.

 

C

[+GrateBear]

That's a major problem with power trails and geo-art. Some have over 1000 caches, and they gradually deteriorate/break/disappear, and to keep the series going, people start doing throw-downs, generally with a somewhat inferior replacement. I know on only one nearby geo-art that was archived and moved about 40 miles away. It had many missing caches, and the original CO was long gone. Thus, it was adopted and moved. Whether or not the old caches are still in place is an unknown.

[+KC2WI]

There are many places I have wanted to place caches but I don't because I'm not there frequently enough, or they are just too hard to get to, or just too far away, and I know maintenance would be too much of a chore.

 

Judging by the number of caches I've found that NM, I think too many people place too many caches over too wide an area, or maybe they just place them and then lose interest.

[+LaughterOnWater]

That's a major problem with power trails and geo-art. Some have over 1000 caches, and they gradually deteriorate/break/disappear, and to keep the series going, people start doing throw-downs, generally with a somewhat inferior replacement. I know on only one nearby geo-art that was archived and moved about 40 miles away. It had many missing caches, and the original CO was long gone. Thus, it was adopted and moved. Whether or not the old caches are still in place is an unknown.

Is this geo-art?

https://www.geocaching.com/map/#?ll=33.887534,-83.724387&z=13

[+NYPaddleCacher]

That's a major problem with power trails and geo-art. Some have over 1000 caches, and they gradually deteriorate/break/disappear, and to keep the series going, people start doing throw-downs, generally with a somewhat inferior replacement. I know on only one nearby geo-art that was archived and moved about 40 miles away. It had many missing caches, and the original CO was long gone. Thus, it was adopted and moved. Whether or not the old caches are still in place is an unknown.

Is this geo-art?

https://www.geocachi...-83.724387&z=13

 

According to the description in the the first cache in the series it's supposed to be geo-art in the shape of Georgia. This is the second one I've seen made up of Wherigo caches. I asked about his in another thread, but from what i can tell one can create a Wherigo cache which has different coordinates from the starting location of the cartridge, which could also be different from the actual caches. That means that the actual cache locations may have nothing to do with the location of the icons on the map and that, unlike puzzle caches, they'd don't have to be within 2 miles of the published coordinates.

[knowschad]

That's a major problem with power trails and geo-art. Some have over 1000 caches, and they gradually deteriorate/break/disappear, and to keep the series going, people start doing throw-downs, generally with a somewhat inferior replacement. I know on only one nearby geo-art that was archived and moved about 40 miles away. It had many missing caches, and the original CO was long gone. Thus, it was adopted and moved. Whether or not the old caches are still in place is an unknown.

Is this geo-art?

https://www.geocachi...-83.724387&z=13

 

According to the description in the the first cache in the series it's supposed to be geo-art in the shape of Georgia. This is the second one I've seen made up of Wherigo caches. I asked about his in another thread, but from what i can tell one can create a Wherigo cache which has different coordinates from the starting location of the cartridge, which could also be different from the actual caches. That means that the actual cache locations may have nothing to do with the location of the icons on the map and that, unlike puzzle caches, they'd don't have to be within 2 miles of the published coordinates.

 

Exactly. We have a Wherigo "canoe" near me. The very first (and last) thing that you see when you start the Wherigo is the actual coordinates. The only reasons for making them WiGs is 1) to give people a "GeoArt" and 2) Add to people's Wherigo stats.

[Pup Patrol]

Is this geo-art?

https://www.geocaching.com/map/#?ll=33.887534,-83.724387&z=13

 

Pick one of the caches, open the cache page, and it says very clearly:

 

This geoart series of 85 caches will form the shape of Georgia when completed.

 

Each one is a separate Wherigo cartridge which will lead you to a cache.

 

Probably says that same thing on the other 84 cache pages.

 

B.

[+LaughterOnWater]

That's a major problem with power trails and geo-art. Some have over 1000 caches, and they gradually deteriorate/break/disappear, and to keep the series going, people start doing throw-downs, generally with a somewhat inferior replacement. I know on only one nearby geo-art that was archived and moved about 40 miles away. It had many missing caches, and the original CO was long gone. Thus, it was adopted and moved. Whether or not the old caches are still in place is an unknown.

Is this geo-art?

https://www.geocachi...-83.724387&z=13

 

According to the description in the the first cache in the series it's supposed to be geo-art in the shape of Georgia. This is the second one I've seen made up of Wherigo caches. I asked about his in another thread, but from what i can tell one can create a Wherigo cache which has different coordinates from the starting location of the cartridge, which could also be different from the actual caches. That means that the actual cache locations may have nothing to do with the location of the icons on the map and that, unlike puzzle caches, they'd don't have to be within 2 miles of the published coordinates.

 

Exactly. We have a Wherigo "canoe" near me. The very first (and last) thing that you see when you start the Wherigo is the actual coordinates. The only reasons for making them WiGs is 1) to give people a "GeoArt" and 2) Add to people's Wherigo stats.

So there are different types of geo-art, of which this is one. I looked up the Wherigo site. I signed in with my Groundspeak account, and it looks like I could play. Cool! There are a couple simpler Wherigo cartridges within a half hour of me. I'll research what's involved and give that a shot.

 

I looked at the first geocache:

The cache is not at the posted coords. Finish the cartridge to get the coords. This is a "play anywhere" cartridge so there is no need to go to the posted coords.

 

This geoart series of 85 caches will form the shape of Georgia when completed. Each one is a separate Wherigo cartridge which will lead you to a cache.

This looks like more of a long-term time-investment, sort of like hiking the Appalachian Trail.

 

That's a lot of caches to maintain. I know I couldn't do it.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

 

The cache is not at the posted coords. Finish the cartridge to get the coords. This is a "play anywhere" cartridge so there is no need to go to the posted

 

Interesting. On the Wherigo site for the first one in the geoart. The CO writes that it is NOT a "play anywhere" Wherigo though the published location and

starting location look to be about a mile apart. You're probably not going to want to see this but I saw this in one of the logs.

 

"This set had us second guessing a little bit. We were initially intimidated by the closed gate and the sign about the area being under video surveillance. But there wasn't a no trespassing sign so we forged on and made the grab."

[+J Grouchy]

I have 43 active ones (two are caches I adopted that I pass by very frequently). I don't actually get very many calls for maintenance. A fair number of them are puzzles, which very rarely get traffic...so that helps cut down on the need to check them.

[+LaughterOnWater]

 

The cache is not at the posted coords. Finish the cartridge to get the coords. This is a "play anywhere" cartridge so there is no need to go to the posted

 

Interesting. On the Wherigo site for the first one in the geoart. The CO writes that it is NOT a "play anywhere" Wherigo though the published location and

starting location look to be about a mile apart. You're probably not going to want to see this but I saw this in one of the logs.

 

"This set had us second guessing a little bit. We were initially intimidated by the closed gate and the sign about the area being under video surveillance. But there wasn't a no trespassing sign so we forged on and made the grab."

Ha ha!

[+bflentje]

Exactly. We have a Wherigo "canoe" near me. The very first (and last) thing that you see when you start the Wherigo is the actual coordinates. The only reasons for making them WiGs is 1) to give people a "GeoArt" and 2) Add to people's Wherigo stats.

 

ONLY two reasons Dan? So you know.. you're an insider.. and you've run the Wherigos to know that what you're saying isn't a complete untruth? << nice way of saying lie

[knowschad]

Exactly. We have a Wherigo "canoe" near me. The very first (and last) thing that you see when you start the Wherigo is the actual coordinates. The only reasons for making them WiGs is 1) to give people a "GeoArt" and 2) Add to people's Wherigo stats.

 

ONLY two reasons Dan? So you know.. you're an insider.. and you've run the Wherigos to know that what you're saying isn't a complete untruth? << nice way of saying lie

 

I ran one Wherigo from your canoe "art". There may be other reasons as well.. probably some challenge caches that can be claimed because of your cache names? I didn't think about it that hard.

[+bflentje]

Exactly. We have a Wherigo "canoe" near me. The very first (and last) thing that you see when you start the Wherigo is the actual coordinates. The only reasons for making them WiGs is 1) to give people a "GeoArt" and 2) Add to people's Wherigo stats.

 

ONLY two reasons Dan? So you know.. you're an insider.. and you've run the Wherigos to know that what you're saying isn't a complete untruth? << nice way of saying lie

 

I ran one Wherigo from your canoe "art". There may be other reasons as well.. probably some challenge caches that can be claimed because of your cache names? I didn't think about it that hard.

 

Thanks. So we've established that this isn't true..

 

The very first (and last) thing that you see when you start the Wherigo is the actual coordinates.

 

And we've established that..

 

There may be other reasons as well..

 

and that you admitted..

 

I didn't think about it that hard.

 

So please keep my geo-art out of the discussion if you don't have the facts.

[knowschad]

Exactly. We have a Wherigo "canoe" near me. The very first (and last) thing that you see when you start the Wherigo is the actual coordinates. The only reasons for making them WiGs is 1) to give people a "GeoArt" and 2) Add to people's Wherigo stats.

 

ONLY two reasons Dan? So you know.. you're an insider.. and you've run the Wherigos to know that what you're saying isn't a complete untruth? << nice way of saying lie

 

I ran one Wherigo from your canoe "art". There may be other reasons as well.. probably some challenge caches that can be claimed because of your cache names? I didn't think about it that hard.

 

Thanks. So we've established that this isn't true..

 

The very first (and last) thing that you see when you start the Wherigo is the actual coordinates.

 

And we've established that..

 

There may be other reasons as well..

 

and that you admitted..

 

I didn't think about it that hard.

 

So please keep my geo-art out of the discussion if you don't have the facts.

 

What was not factual about what I said?

 

I did not mention who'd geoart I was referring to, and I have expressed the utmost admiration about some of your other caches. Just calling this one the way I see it.

[+bflentje]

Exactly. We have a Wherigo "canoe" near me. The very first (and last) thing that you see when you start the Wherigo is the actual coordinates. The only reasons for making them WiGs is 1) to give people a "GeoArt" and 2) Add to people's Wherigo stats.

 

ONLY two reasons Dan? So you know.. you're an insider.. and you've run the Wherigos to know that what you're saying isn't a complete untruth? << nice way of saying lie

 

I ran one Wherigo from your canoe "art". There may be other reasons as well.. probably some challenge caches that can be claimed because of your cache names? I didn't think about it that hard.

 

Thanks. So we've established that this isn't true..

 

The very first (and last) thing that you see when you start the Wherigo is the actual coordinates.

 

And we've established that..

 

There may be other reasons as well..

 

and that you admitted..

 

I didn't think about it that hard.

 

So please keep my geo-art out of the discussion if you don't have the facts.

 

What was not factual about what I said?

 

I did not mention who'd geoart I was referring to, and I have expressed the utmost admiration about some of your other caches. Just calling this one the way I see it.

 

The way YOU see it. I see it differently.. I see it the following..

 

- Geo-art calling attention to this year's 8th annual canoe event.

- Geo-art in an area such as this requires a mystery type of cache.. I suspect if they were question marks you'd still be telling us "how you see it".

- This was an opportunity for me to learn Wherigo building.. and others to benefit along the way.

 

The thing I don't get about you Dan is that you've been quick lately to call civility but in the same day have no problem telling us all how it is.

 

I invite you to find all of my worthy caches and beg you to ignore all of the ones you consider crap.. and ignore them while here in the forums too.

Edited June 17, 2015 by bflentje

[+CelDamage]

I believe I can maintain all my caches as long as they are near home and I track their logs carefully, as of today i'm headed out to search for one of my caches that hasn't been found in a while. But maintenance also depends on how devious they are, I haven't been able to maintain one of my caches because it's on an island even though its close to home... it does bother me some but another way you can care for your caches is to write in their logs alot when you're concerned for them. For my island cache I felt I no longer deserved that place for a cache so I wrote a log saying that if anybody finds the cache I request they replace it with another so I can hand ownership over to them.