Need Help With Cache Maintenance

[+CommunistOnions]

Hello, I see local catchers listing their caches with “maintained by” and then the username. How do they find people to do the work for them so easily and how can I do it myself? 

[+IceColdUK]

The guidelines recommend that you only hide caches that you can maintain yourself, though reviewers can publish holiday caches, etc. provided there is a reasonable ‘maintenance plan’.

 

This may be a local cacher (who has agreed to help you out) or simply your own local contact.

 

1 hour ago, CommunistOnions said:

I see local catchers listing their caches with “maintained by” and then the username.

Where exactly are you seeing this?  In the cache description?

[+niraD]

2 hours ago, CommunistOnions said:

Hello, I see local catchers listing their caches with “maintained by” and then the username.

This could be done by cachers who have adopted caches. When I adopted a cache, I changed the "Hidden By" field from "mjp303" to "mjp303 (adopted by niraD)" but I could have just as easily changed it to "mjp303 (maintained by niraD)". That could just be different local conventions.

 

But that doesn't address the question of how to find someone to adopt a cache that you can't maintain.

 

2 hours ago, CommunistOnions said:

How do they find people to do the work for them so easily and how can I do it myself? 

How do you know they found people "so easily"?

 

In my case, the property manager that I've been working with offered to maintain my cache when I moved away. She isn't a geocacher, so adopting isn't an option. But if the logs report issues with the hide or the location, I know who to contact to get a "boots on the ground" check.

 

And if you're looking for someone to adopt your cache, a couple ways I've seen work include local forums or social media groups, or posting a note to the cache page itself (which will be seen by all who watch it), or contacting individuals directly (especially those for whom the cache might be significant, like an FTF or significant milestone, or someone who left a Favorite Point).

[+RobinsonClan56]

I have a friend who is well-known in our local GC community.  He has been asked to make maintenance checks/runs for caches that the official owner can't get to quickly.

There is also a group that hides series of caches under a group name and any given time any one of the individuals will perform checks and maintenance.

 

I would recommend checking out activity logs for caches in your area, see whose name is coming up over and over again with quality logs and helpful information (I wouldn't trust a hide to someone who only ever posts "TFTC"), and just reach out.  The worst thing they can say is no, right?

[+cerberus1]

4 hours ago, CommunistOnions said:

Hello, I see local catchers listing their caches with “maintained by” and then the username.

How do they find people to do the work for them so easily and how can I do it myself? 

 

Could this/these possibly be "vacation caches", the CO not living in the area, but having someone locally "help" ?

 - Those folks must have a maintenance plan with another to have them published.

Maybe they had enough issues with maintenance that they now have say who, as a Reviewer requirement.

Curious...Are you saying you want to find others who'll fix your caches for you, or volunteering your services ?   

 

[+captnemo]

I have several caches on private property with permission.  I recommend that the property owner become a basic (free) member and put the cache on their watch list.  I tell them that they don't have to do any caching unless they want to.

 

I have found that most property owners like this as they can view what is happening with the cache. 

[+RobinsonClan56]

3 minutes ago, captnemo said:

I have several caches on private property with permission.  I recommend that the property owner become a basic (free) member and put the cache on their watch list.  I tell them that they don't have to do any caching unless they want to.

 

I have found that most property owners like this as they can view what is happening with the cache. 

 

This is a great idea!

[+K13]

Wait a minute.  The CO who lost permission to place caches due to some issue is now asking for someone else to maintain their caches? 

[+hzoi]

On 4/14/2021 at 7:50 AM, CommunistOnions said:

Hello, I see local catchers listing their caches with “maintained by” and then the username. How do they find people to do the work for them so easily and how can I do it myself? 

 

In the few occasions I needed someone else's help to maintain our caches, due to us moving out of an area, I have employed an ancient yet reliable technique, known among my people as "asking nicely."

 

These days, I pick up all our physical caches before we leave an area, but for our first hides, we were sentimental and wanted to leave some behind. 

Edited April 16, 2021 by hzoi