Is it Wise to Have New Hides Published Right Now?

[+gameoftheirlives]

What is the feeling among cachers about putting out new geocaches at this time when we are asked to stay at home because of the pandemic? I realize that location is a big factor so one wouldn't want to place one in an urban setting. I feel that it provides a form of entertainment as long as we practice social distancing while hunting and clean our hands after finding and handling the container. Am I wrong? Any thoughts? 

[+Goldenwattle]

New caches are not being published in some places.

 

[+L0ne.R]

No publishing on Ontario due to quarantine. See this recent announcement https://wiki.Groundspeak.com/display/GEO/Ontario

[+dprovan]

I wouldn't bother. I'm not worried about the pandemic, specifically, it just seems like it would be better to wait until the crisis is over. It's like running out after an earthquake flattens your city and putting out new geocaches in the rubble. Even if it would be safe to go look for them, we'd all have more important things to do.

 

If planting the cache encourages people break the law in some way, like if a park's closed or they're forbidden to leave home for entertainment, then that's a good reason not to publish the cache until people are free to look for it. Again, that's always a good idea, that's not a consideration specific to the pandemic.

 

But I don't mind if other COs feel like putting new caches out if that's their thing. I have to admit, I worry a little about the fact that a new cache attracts a bunch of people to one place on one day to all handle the same object, but I'm willing to leave it up to the seekers to keep themselves safe in whatever way they want.

[+cerberus1]

7 hours ago, gameoftheirlives said:

What is the feeling among cachers about putting out new geocaches at this time when we are asked to stay at home because of the pandemic?

I realize that location is a big factor so one wouldn't want to place one in an urban setting. I feel that it provides a form of entertainment as long as we practice social distancing while hunting and clean our hands after finding and handling the container. Am I wrong? Any thoughts? 

 

I wouldn't place them because of this thing,  but if you had some planned anyway, why not.   

Your area Reviewers would be more knowing on what's going on around you though.  You may not be able to place any by local law. 

Here, our Reviewers aren't publishing urban/suburban caches near a large population (a mass of people at a new hide not good for "distancing") for now, but are publishing trail/woods hides, where cachers can better handle the distancing rules placed. 

A few came out this past week.    ETA... and two more just now.  

 

 So far, we're also told to "stay in place", and we're even a "restricted county", yet the directions say it's fine to to go out for sun, exercise, and a bit of fresh air as long as we do our best to abide by distancing rules.

 - That's probably entirely different in your area.

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by cerberus1
addification

[+gameoftheirlives]

Thank you L0ne.R. You answered my question nicely! 

 

 

[+CAVinoGal]

10 hours ago, gameoftheirlives said:

What is the feeling among cachers about putting out new geocaches at this time when we are asked to stay at home because of the pandemic?

I'm sure it varies based on where you are located in this big old world.  Some areas are locked down and restrricted a lot more than others.  Some Reviewers are not publishing new caches so the choice has been made.  In my area, caches are still being found, placed, and published every day.  

10 hours ago, gameoftheirlives said:

I feel that it provides a form of entertainment as long as we practice social distancing while hunting and clean our hands after finding and handling the container. Am I wrong? Any thoughts? 

Yes, it does.  I enjoy walking, and did so even before this pandemic.  I try to walk every day, often the same routes around my neighborhood but I do enjoy exploring other areas if we happen to be in a different part of the county.  And if there are caches along the way that I haven't found yet, sure, I'll look for them!  All the ones along the way of my typical walk are ones I've either found, hidden, or help to maintain (hubby'd and son's) so I haven't done much finding recently.  Here we are not locked down, we can drive to local parks and neighborhood walking trails (though most county parks are now closed), but encouraged to stay home as much as possible.

[+Mausebiber]

11 hours ago, gameoftheirlives said:

Am I wrong?

Yes. 

Below some numbers, just in case you haven't been around for some time.  Stay at home or go somewhere by your own.

 

Mar 16

.

 

Mar 19

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Mar 21

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Mar 22

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Mar 27

.

[+christyotwisty]

On 3/27/2020 at 3:33 AM, gameoftheirlives said:

What is the feeling among cachers about putting out new geocaches at this time when we are asked to stay at home because of the pandemic? I realize that location is a big factor so one wouldn't want to place one in an urban setting. I feel that it provides a form of entertainment as long as we practice social distancing while hunting and clean our hands after finding and handling the container. Am I wrong? Any thoughts? 

 

You are not wrong, you are right.  My husband was diagnosed with life-threatening cancers at the end of March, getting out every few days from hearing him moan, groan in wide open spaces, not small parks or urban areas, saves my sanity. 'Forest-bathing', long hikes are good -- even Washington State Governor Jay Inslee has hiking and large parks visits in his Proclamation 20-25 as "essential"  Vitamin D3 from sunlight has anti-viral propertiies and can protect against upper lung infections, and the benefits of longish walks in the open air, away from pollution and crowds are well documented.

 

I am thrilled to have geocaching as a self-care item, and I laud the geocachers who keep widows-to-be like me in mind when they launch new caches, and the ones who keep their caches involving 1 km treks by grassland and seawalls available to us.

[+LaurentianHillbilly]

I live in the boonies and I tried to get one published but they replied no not now. Gave me sort of an automated typed message that looks like it was from a government website. Kinda of weird because you are allowed to go to Walmart, Canadian Tire, and all kinds of other places. Not to mention going outside for walks for exercise or to walk your dog. God forbid one walks on a isolated trail and logs a cache. This is just silly.

 

Edited May 14, 2020 by LaurentianHillbilly