How long does it take to get your first cache hide approved?

[+Flor_Del_Desierto]

Hi everyone! 

 

I applied for my first cache on April 4 and I still haven't heard anything from my reviewer. There have been several new caches in my area that were submitted after mine and that have been published already, but all of them from experienced members. I wonder if it's taking more than usual because it is my first hide, but I don't know how much time I have to wait.

 

I go to the dashboard often and there are no replies and no other logs other than my notes. I tried to be descriptive and thorough, but there is no response.

 

I understand they are volunteers and I am respectful of their time, but I would just like to better understand what the problem is and if I can do anything to fix it. What is the most you've heard somebody waiting for their cache to publish? Thank you in advance! 

[Keystone]

Hello,

I confirmed that your cache page submission is properly awaiting review.  The Volunteers' service goal is to provide an initial review within seven days.  I'm sorry that this goal has been exceeded.  There is a high volume of new cache submissions in Texas right now.  There are still eight in line that were submitted before your page.

[+frostengel]

4 hours ago, Flor_Del_Desierto said:

There have been several new caches in my area that were submitted after mine and that have been published already

 

How do you know that? Can you give an example?

 

Note that any change you make in the listing (and as I know logs count, too) resets the position of your listing in the queue. Perhaps you have changed things, so that those listing you refer to, overtook your listing in the reviewing queue?

 

I know it is hard to say - especially for the first hide! - but sometimes you need some patience. Have fun with your first cache and use the waiting time for finding more caches or think about your number 2. ;-)

 

Jochen

[+kunarion]

5 hours ago, Flor_Del_Desierto said:

There have been several new caches in my area that were submitted after mine and that have been published already, but all of them from experienced members. I wonder if it's taking more than usual because it is my first hide, but I don't know how much time I have to wait.

 

It is possible that yours is more complicated than others, or the Reviewer needs to research something, and that takes longer.  Lately, I submit everything and my monkey, even photos of the spot, so the Reviewer never has to guess what my hide is like.  But my more recent caches are in a park with easy land owner permission, and in spots vacated months or years ago by a previously archived cache of mine.  All other things being the same, it's probably trivial to publish a new cache where an old one stood without issue.

 

As frostengel wondered, I wonder if the other caches were published when yours was, and just the "hidden" date was changed.  I try to change the "hidden" date of my cache to closely match the date that it was published, although I might have been fancying it up for months before I submit it.

 

My Reviewer publishes my caches scorchingly fast, but sometimes I appreciate a little extra time.  I can go check the site to ensure it's just right, maybe add a cool trinket, pile up the leaves or whatever, check the coords again. 

 

Edited April 15, 2021 by kunarion

[+barefootjeff]

13 minutes ago, frostengel said:

5 hours ago, Flor_Del_Desierto said:

There have been several new caches in my area that were submitted after mine and that have been published already

 

How do you know that? Can you give an example?

 

I once had two caches in the review queue at once, a traditional that I submitted on the 3rd and a mystery I submitted on the 7th. The mystery was published later on the 7th but the traditional didn't get published until the 8th. I asked the reviewer about the traditional when it didn't come through in the batch he did on the 7th and he said there were a lot in the queue that day and he hadn't gotten to it yet, so at least with that reviewer and at that time (2015), caches weren't processed in the order they were submitted.

[+K13]

I remember someone telling me that the Review queue was sorted by CG code over date. If you started a cache page a month ago, and a second one yesterday, submitting both tomorrow, you could expect the older page to publish before the other one.

[+barefootjeff]

7 minutes ago, K13 said:

I remember someone telling me that the Review queue was sorted by CG code over date. If you started a cache page a month ago, and a second one yesterday, submitting both tomorrow, you could expect the older page to publish before the other one.

 

Nup, that doesn't explain it either:

GC5XVYC (traditional) created first, submitted first, published second

GC5YP8E (mystery) created second, submitted second, published first

 

On neither cache did the reviewer have any issues, he just published them a day apart in reverse order.

Edited April 17, 2021 by barefootjeff

[Keystone]

1. Good news update - the OP's cache was published on April 15th.

2.  There are many different options for sorting the review queue. Each has pro's and con's.  If sorted by GC Code, this unfairly favors someone who creates a cache page and spends a month working on it prior to submitting for review.