Peoples Opinion on Cache Dashes

[+VTMountainBiker]

There is a route near me that doesn't have many caches along side of it, unlike some of the others I've been on, so I was thinking I might put a cache dash there. I'm wondering what peoples opinions are on cache dashes along a route. Do you like them? Are they fun? Or is it nothing special and I shouldn't do it because most are just guardrail caches? What are your thoughts, should I do a little cache dash or not?

[+narcissa]

Hide the sort of caches you honestly like to find.

[+NanCycle]

There is a route near me that doesn't have many caches along side of it, unlike some of the others I've been on, so I was thinking I might put a cache dash there. I'm wondering what peoples opinions are on cache dashes along a route. Do you like them? Are they fun? Or is it nothing special and I shouldn't do it because most are just guardrail caches? What are your thoughts, should I do a little cache dash or not?

 

First time I've heard a power trail referred to as a "cache dash." Must be a regional thing. My vote is for don't do it, but do find a few good spots--make sure there's safe parking nearby--and hid a few good caches.

[+Touchstone]

Hide the sort of caches you honestly like to find.

I would also add, what you can reasonably maintain.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

There is a route near me that doesn't have many caches along side of it, unlike some of the others I've been on, so I was thinking I might put a cache dash there. I'm wondering what peoples opinions are on cache dashes along a route. Do you like them? Are they fun? Or is it nothing special and I shouldn't do it because most are just guardrail caches? What are your thoughts, should I do a little cache dash or not?

 

First time I've heard a power trail referred to as a "cache dash." Must be a regional thing. My vote is for don't do it, but do find a few good spots--make sure there's safe parking nearby--and hid a few good caches.

 

Power trail has developed somewhat of a negative connotation. Calling it a "cache dash" or a "series" doesn't change the fact that it's still a bunch of guard rail caches that serve no other purpose other then cater to those that care more about quantity than quality.

 

It seems that my area is finally started to get a few areas saturated with one cache as close to another as possible. They've somewhat grown organically and each of the 100+ caches has a unique and interesting cache description but they're all using an identical type of container and hide style and effectively blocking any other caches of any other type being placed in several areas. It's only a matter of time before a few others jump on the bandwagon and starting placing their own "series" of caches and the area will become indistinguishable from all the other parts of the world where power caches has become the defacto mode for hiding and finding caches.

 

 

[+narcissa]

Hide the sort of caches you honestly like to find.

I would also add, what you can reasonably maintain.

 

Yes, that too. Remember that these "cache dashes," as you call them, tend to attract cachers with different values, and may be subject to rougher handling and possibly less scrupulous behaviour than is typical for better quality hides.

[+Manville Possum]

I'm glad that VDOT banned guardrail hides on their property because of power trails. They are boring and just for numbers, which I feel geocaching should be more about an adventure and not caches placed every 528 feet along a highway.

[+TheVoytekBear]

Power trail is not always a bad thing. Those along high traffic roads are, but there are also series which lead you to some nice places to hike or just take walk, and those are valuable.

 

Additionally to the questions above I'd ask:

 

Would you like to be there if the caches weren't around?

 

If the answer is yes, it is still worth the effort. Of course, if there is some nice place along the route, try to show it. If there are some spots which could fit a larger, maybe nicer cache try to do it as well.

The thing I value the most in geocaching is being shown nice places, but when I'm planning my caching before weekend I rather go where there are many caches, especially if I have to drive 50km or more.

 

PS. Just yesterday I gave FP (and I don't give favourite points often) to a cache which was literally a PET container. The reason was the place it took me to was really awesome.

[+VTMountainBiker]

There is a route near me that doesn't have many caches along side of it, unlike some of the others I've been on, so I was thinking I might put a cache dash there. I'm wondering what peoples opinions are on cache dashes along a route. Do you like them? Are they fun? Or is it nothing special and I shouldn't do it because most are just guardrail caches? What are your thoughts, should I do a little cache dash or not?

 

First time I've heard a power trail referred to as a "cache dash." Must be a regional thing. My vote is for don't do it, but do find a few good spots--make sure there's safe parking nearby--and hid a few good caches.

 

I'm liking your idea

[+Ambrosia]

There is a route near me that doesn't have many caches along side of it, unlike some of the others I've been on, so I was thinking I might put a cache dash there. I'm wondering what peoples opinions are on cache dashes along a route. Do you like them? Are they fun? Or is it nothing special and I shouldn't do it because most are just guardrail caches? What are your thoughts, should I do a little cache dash or not?

 

At the most, I would see if there's any good sized pullouts along the route that have something interesting to look at - a pretty view, something historical, etc. If that means that you only place one or two caches, then so be it. Bring people to something interesting, not to just another cache for another cache's sake.

[+VTMountainBiker]

Thanks for all the input

[+L0ne.R]

Power trail is not always a bad thing. Those along high traffic roads are, but there are also series which lead you to some nice places to hike or just take walk, and those are valuable.

 

I disagree. The folks who gobble up trails with pill bottles every .1 miles don't make that trail more attractive to those of us who like quality caches. There's no incentive to walk that trail, at least not for geocaching. I might walk my dog there but I would ignore those caches. No point wasting time and no point getting aggravated by the waste of a good trail. All they do is attract the smiley seekers and encourage more PTs on trails.

 

And there's no chance a quality cache will end up on that trail. Even if some of those PT caches end up archived and spots open up. Who's going to invest in a quality cache hide when the owner of the PT trail will get the credit for their creation. expense and maintenance.

[+narcissa]

Power trail is not always a bad thing. Those along high traffic roads are, but there are also series which lead you to some nice places to hike or just take walk, and those are valuable.

 

I disagree. The folks who gobble up trails with pill bottles every .1 miles don't make that trail more attractive to those of us who like quality caches. There's no incentive to walk that trail, at least not for geocaching. I might walk my dog there but I would ignore those caches. No point wasting time and no point getting aggravated by the waste of a good trail. All they do is attract the smiley seekers and encourage more PTs on trails.

 

And there's no chance a quality cache will end up on that trail. Even if some of those PT caches end up archived and spots open up. Who's going to invest in a quality cache hide when the owner of the PT trail will get the credit for their creation. expense and maintenance.

 

Yeah, if I'm being totally honest, some of the PTs around here actually keep me from visiting trails because there are no interesting geocaches to find along them and it's rare that I'm in the mood for stopping and starting on my bicycle every 160m. It's much nicer when caches along a trail fill in organically, with different offerings by different cache owners.

[+igator210]

I've learned that peoples perception of power trails / cache dashes are derived from where they live. People in highly wooded areas with lots trails and elevation changes tend to view them as a negative. People in desert / grassland regions where there is only one tree per square mile tend not to mind them.

[+geodarts]

I've learned that peoples perception of power trails / cache dashes are derived from where they live. People in highly wooded areas with lots trails and elevation changes tend to view them as a negative. People in desert / grassland regions where there is only one tree per square mile tend not to mind them.

 

It is not so much where you live, but the kind of caches you like to find. Some of my favorite caches have been in the desert, but I have driven past repetitive trails without doing anything more than to look at the occasional cacher and wonder if they are actually having fun. If I moved to the desert, I would feel the same way - I have enough smileys so I do not need to add to those numbers by repetition. It might be easier to place repetitive trails in areas where there are long stretches of road without interruption, but that does not mean that locals will either like or dislike them.

 

So I agree with the previous comment - find caches you like and hide ones that you would like to find.

[+cerberus1]

There is a route near me that doesn't have many caches along side of it, unlike some of the others I've been on, so I was thinking I might put a cache dash there. I'm wondering what peoples opinions are on cache dashes along a route. Do you like them? Are they fun? Or is it nothing special and I shouldn't do it because most are just guardrail caches? What are your thoughts, should I do a little cache dash or not?

Cache n dash, park n grab, whatever you call 'em, if you like 'em, they're what you feel you can maintain, go for it.

Please rate them properly (usually 1.5 or less in terrain), so I can skip 'em.

 

I found four guard rail caches so far that had an awesome view or unique feature behind them that I could see from the truck.

Didn't log 'em, as few places to park. I'm not risking getting hit for a smiley...

A route in a bordering state has a series along the road that's hundreds of micros (pill bottles aren't small as they claim) simply at most signs along the road for quite a few miles (you know the State gave 'em permission...).

 

Similar to parking lots, the only "Geo"anything it seems (to me) in this odd version of the hobby, is it's a location...

[+dprovan]

I rarely look for caches that I can't walk to. If the road is not suitable for pedestrians, you can keep it. There are a few country roads with no foot access around my area with caches strung along them like that, and I ignore them.

 

There are other caches along roads like that which I have found, but it was always because there was something more to them than just being a cache&dash.

[+Michaelcycle]

You refer to yourself as a Vermont mountain biker so here is some advice from a Jersey mountain biker: there is more than enough room, especially along the NW section, to place a few interesting caches on the Toonerville Trail. Make them at least 0.5 miles apart, make them smalls or larger and put one near that nice waterfalls near the 1 mile marker. If you get over to the Sugar River Trail in NH there is a lot of room for caches there, too.

Hartness Park (with hiking and mtb trails) has one cache that was placed with permission, maybe you can get another one authorized.

 

Bottom line: as a mountain biker you have access to lots of interesting places to put geocaches. Put some thought and effort into it and do the rest of us bicycling geocachers proud!

[+narcissa]

Last time we attempted a cache on a roadside PT/geoart type thing, we were accosted by not one but two people who freaked out at us for being on private property. We were just on the roadside (public), but the caches have probably attracted way more traffic and people than they are used to along their quiet country road. We quit and I don't know how we would attempt them again.

[+VTMountainBiker]

You refer to yourself as a Vermont mountain biker so here is some advice from a Jersey mountain biker: there is more than enough room, especially along the NW section, to place a few interesting caches on the Toonerville Trail. Make them at least 0.5 miles apart, make them smalls or larger and put one near that nice waterfalls near the 1 mile marker. If you get over to the Sugar River Trail in NH there is a lot of room for caches there, too.

Hartness Park (with hiking and mtb trails) has one cache that was placed with permission, maybe you can get another one authorized.

 

Bottom line: as a mountain biker you have access to lots of interesting places to put geocaches. Put some thought and effort into it and do the rest of us bicycling geocachers proud!

 

I like it!!! I've acually considered most of those spots, Ive been looking for creative cache ideas to put in those areas or else most people will skip over them. So I thank you for the ideas! It's hard finding the time rn to think of creative caches because I'm so busy, but I defiantly like the locations you mentioned! I like the thinking, thank you!!!

 

I deffinatly have changed my mind about creating a cache dash (or whatever people wanna call it) for a couple reasons, but mostly to focus on quality! and uniqueness

[+cerberus1]

Last time we attempted a cache on a roadside PT/geoart type thing, we were accosted by not one but two people who freaked out at us for being on private property. We were just on the roadside (public), but the caches have probably attracted way more traffic and people than they are used to along their quiet country road. We quit and I don't know how we would attempt them again.

Here, the "roadside" is private property. Any easement is for road & power crews.

My taxes include that roadside.

Rural, there is no "public" right of way, yet we see caches placed...

I believe that only changes (here) when some road fixes have to include a sidewalk.

 

We've seen knuckleheads put caches right in front of friend's "Posted" signs.

- The posted sign's there only because it's the first tree from the road.

One nearby has a very nice wooden fence, in aways from the road.

The easement says it has to be that way (for road & elec work) , or it would have been around three feet.

 

Own it, yet can't do much with it, it'd be nice if the crews would at least help mow grass once-in-a-while.

[+lee737]

I like caches along country roads, as long as it is pretty quiet, not right outside someones house, has safe places to pull over, and caches are spaced far enough apart (few miles) that I can actually enjoy the drive, rather than stopping every 200m..

[+narcissa]

Last time we attempted a cache on a roadside PT/geoart type thing, we were accosted by not one but two people who freaked out at us for being on private property. We were just on the roadside (public), but the caches have probably attracted way more traffic and people than they are used to along their quiet country road. We quit and I don't know how we would attempt them again.

Here, the "roadside" is private property. Any easement is for road & power crews.

My taxes include that roadside.

Rural, there is no "public" right of way, yet we see caches placed...

I believe that only changes (here) when some road fixes have to include a sidewalk.

 

We've seen knuckleheads put caches right in front of friend's "Posted" signs.

- The posted sign's there only because it's the first tree from the road.

One nearby has a very nice wooden fence, in aways from the road.

The easement says it has to be that way (for road & elec work) , or it would have been around three feet.

 

Own it, yet can't do much with it, it'd be nice if the crews would at least help mow grass once-in-a-while.

 

Here, the roadside is definitely public and owners are not taxed for it.

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

..and it's rare that I'm in the mood for stopping and starting on my bicycle every 160m.

 

There's a rails to trails run from Brattleboro VT to Keene NH that I want to peddle. There's a cache basically every 0.10 miles. I figure if I every get out to ride it, I will stop every couple of miles or so, and grab whatever cache is closest. I am certainly not stopping every 528'.

[+narcissa]

..and it's rare that I'm in the mood for stopping and starting on my bicycle every 160m.

 

There's a rails to trails run from Brattleboro VT to Keene NH that I want to peddle. There's a cache basically every 0.10 miles. I figure if I every get out to ride it, I will stop every couple of miles or so, and grab whatever cache is closest. I am certainly not stopping every 528'.

 

I guess another way to do it would be to do every third or fourth cache, and complete the trail in multiple trips. It would certainly make a nicer ride. I have also heard of people skipping every other cache one direction, and grabbing the others on the way back.

 

We have some nice rails to trails systems around here. The ones that weren't inundated with PTs are actually quite lovely because there are a variety of caches, well spaced. I'm not much of a cyclist and I don't feel safe cycling on roadways, so these trails are perfect for me from that perspective but I just can't get excited about finding duplicates of the same depressing preform ziptied to a tree over and over.

[+GeoBain]

Hide the sort of caches you honestly like to find.

I would also add, what you can reasonably maintain.

 

Powertrails don't require maintenance; at least not by the owner.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

We have some nice rails to trails systems around here. The ones that weren't inundated with PTs are actually quite lovely because there are a variety of caches, well spaced. I'm not much of a cyclist and I don't feel safe cycling on roadways, so these trails are perfect for me from that perspective but I just can't get excited about finding duplicates of the same depressing preform ziptied to a tree over and over.

 

It also seems to me that if a trail like this has fewer caches, each one becomes a destination itself. Rather than stopping every 600' for the same type of hide, after finding one a half mile from the trail head, the next one is 3/4 of a mile away. Then one decides whether to go for the next one, 1.2 miles away. To me, each cache would feel more like an accomplishment rather than just tapping the tail markers every 1/10 of a mile.

[+Ben0w]

Hide the sort of caches you honestly like to find.

I would also add, what you can reasonably maintain.

Powertrails don't require maintenance; at least not by the owner.

Just for the records, away from feeling the sarcasm in this statement: it's not true.

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

..and it's rare that I'm in the mood for stopping and starting on my bicycle every 160m.

 

There's a rails to trails run from Brattleboro VT to Keene NH that I want to peddle. There's a cache basically every 0.10 miles. I figure if I every get out to ride it, I will stop every couple of miles or so, and grab whatever cache is closest. I am certainly not stopping every 528'.

 

I guess another way to do it would be to do every third or fourth cache, and complete the trail in multiple trips. It would certainly make a nicer ride. I have also heard of people skipping every other cache one direction, and grabbing the others on the way back.

 

 

I've done the 1/2 on the way out, 1/2 on the way back on some of the shorter bike trails in my area. It's still annoying having to stop every ~1000'.

[+dprovan]

It also seems to me that if a trail like this has fewer caches, each one becomes a destination itself. Rather than stopping every 600' for the same type of hide, after finding one a half mile from the trail head, the next one is 3/4 of a mile away. Then one decides whether to go for the next one, 1.2 miles away. To me, each cache would feel more like an accomplishment rather than just tapping the tail markers every 1/10 of a mile.

I prefer that every cache be a destination in itself regardless of the distances. I get what you like, but me, I often enjoy a trail where just when I'm thinking I've walked far enough, there's another cache "a mere" tenth of a mile away luring me on a little farther and a little higher. And then after that, there's another...

 

I've done the 1/2 on the way out, 1/2 on the way back on some of the shorter bike trails in my area. It's still annoying having to stop every ~1000'.

If that annoys you, just do 1/8th or 1/16th or 1/32nd or whatever doesn't annoy you.

[+thebruce0]

My preference will really depend on my mood.

 

On days where my mindset is to get out and just find'em, I don't mind powertrails where the caches are copy-pasta. But there are days when I really am up for more of an experience and don't mind hiking a couple of hours for a handful of caches in a really nice forest or trail or conservation area; or even driving for a long time for a couple of targets. I can't say I really have any across-the-board dislike for any cache style. I'll just go for the ones I'm in the mood for finding, and not go for others at that time

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

 

I've done the 1/2 on the way out, 1/2 on the way back on some of the shorter bike trails in my area. It's still annoying having to stop every ~1000'.

If that annoys you, just do 1/8th or 1/16th or 1/32nd or whatever doesn't annoy you.

 

And that's why I stated in an earlier post that if/when I do the trail in VT/NH, I'll stop every couple of miles.

[+hzoi]

I do not normally do power trails/cache dashes. But they certainly have their utility. When I was training for the Bataan Memorial Death March, a marathon in New Mexico that has divisions for carrying a 35-lb ruck, I enjoyed doing my training ruck marches on different power trails in the area. I split up the caches so I didn't stop for every cache, I leapfrogged.

 

(Of course, when others leapfrogged the actual containers, I ended up finding several that I'd already signed. Which is not cool.)

[+gpsblake]

Opinions vary but one truth is this.

 

A Power trail or a 1.5/1.5 geocache is many times more likely to be found instead of the 3.5/3.5 ammo can in the woods. Stats back that up. Those are what the geocaching community want as a majority.

 

If not for the "numbers", power trails and LPC wouldn't exist. Smart business strategy by Groundspeak to not allow you to hide your find count from others.

[+cerberus1]

Opinions vary but one truth is this.

 

A Power trail or a 1.5/1.5 geocache is many times more likely to be found instead of the 3.5/3.5 ammo can in the woods. Stats back that up. Those are what the geocaching community want as a majority.

 

If not for the "numbers", power trails and LPC wouldn't exist. Smart business strategy by Groundspeak to not allow you to hide your find count from others.

Yep I agree, that numbers now rule, and stats back that up.

 

It's so popular, that those with the crazy-high numbers are often thrust in the spotlight.

However, I believe it's the reason you can hide your stats, or folks would know how many came by them.

[+dprovan]

Yep I agree, that numbers now rule, and stats back that up.

Which stats are those?

[+cerberus1]

Yep I agree, that numbers now rule, and stats back that up.

Which stats are those?

Sorry, shoulda used a rolly eyes emoticon, for tongue-in-cheek.

[+MKFmly]

Opinions vary but one truth is this.

 

A Power trail or a 1.5/1.5 geocache is many times more likely to be found instead of the 3.5/3.5 ammo can in the woods. Stats back that up. Those are what the geocaching community want as a majority.

If not for the "numbers", power trails and LPC wouldn't exist. Smart business strategy by Groundspeak to not allow you to hide your find count from others.

Please cite anything that supports your assertions. Strongly disagree, but that's for another thread.

[+narcissa]

Opinions vary but one truth is this.

 

A Power trail or a 1.5/1.5 geocache is many times more likely to be found instead of the 3.5/3.5 ammo can in the woods. Stats back that up. Those are what the geocaching community want as a majority.

 

If not for the "numbers", power trails and LPC wouldn't exist. Smart business strategy by Groundspeak to not allow you to hide your find count from others.

 

This may or not be true, but it does not follow that cache owners should hide caches to suit the majority. If you like to find 1.5/1.5 powertrails, then by all means hide them too. If you like to find 3.5/3.5 ammo cans, then hide those.

 

If you're guided by what you truly enjoy, your cache hides will be appreciated by other geocachers like you.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Opinions vary but one truth is this.

 

A Power trail or a 1.5/1.5 geocache is many times more likely to be found instead of the 3.5/3.5 ammo can in the woods. Stats back that up. Those are what the geocaching community want as a majority.

 

If not for the "numbers", power trails and LPC wouldn't exist. Smart business strategy by Groundspeak to not allow you to hide your find count from others.

 

This may or not be true, but it does not follow that cache owners should hide caches to suit the majority. If you like to find 1.5/1.5 powertrails, then by all means hide them too. If you like to find 3.5/3.5 ammo cans, then hide those.

 

If you're guided by what you truly enjoy, your cache hides will be appreciated by other geocachers like you.

 

With this post and notion of a type of cache that is "popular" I can't help but to consider an analogy to music.

 

There are lots of different genres of music, and one of those is a somewhat nebulous category called "popular" music. Presumably, a style of music that appeals to "most" people is deemed popular and one of the primary reasons that it becomes popular is that music publisher choose to promote certain styles of music, and for one reason. To make money. Music artists which aren't playing something not deemed to be the popular style are told to write music that is more "commercial" or music publisher won't promote it. Personally, I have generally favored music that is not currently popular (with an occasional exception). I'm glad that there are a lot of musical artists playing jazz, blues, folk, bluegrass, reggae, and many international styles such as Nigerian high life and mbalax from Senegal just as I'm glad that there are cachers that don't just place types of caches that are "popular" but recognize that there are still a lot of cachers that appreciate challenging hides, long hikes, etc.

 

 

[+Ben0w]

Contrary to the music industry analogy, a cache owner is free to publish itself, just bound to the guidelines. A lot COs even are proud of their difficult to find caches, whereas almost no musician would be proud of having his music rarely heard.

 

The reason that easy caches are the majority of finds is that they're easy to find and easy to hide. Not much more than that...

 

A 1.5/1.5 hide can be awesome as well. It's not necessarily a power trail thing, and by no means an indicator that geocachers "love powertrails". BTW, other statistics indicate, that a lot of people start caching and leave after ~10-50 caches found. Most probably they start with easy caches, so those numbers rise up.

 

Yes, statistics are weird, generally.