Something to think about

[+forman]

Hi XXX,

 

Every thing all right? Have not seen any posts by you lately.

 

Don

--------------------------------------------------

RESPONCE,

 

Still here. Geocaching is not so much fun anymore - so I'm taking a break.

 

When I started, most of the caches were on interesting hikes. Now there are way too many uninteresting cache locations. I've wandered through too many parking lots, poked around too many bushes filled with trash, and gotten poison

oak too many times.

 

Also, once I got on the top 25 list of Bay Area cachers, I asked myself what's the purpose?

 

I wish we had the opportunity to rate each cache when we log it - that way I'd never end up looking for a cache attached to the back of some electrical cabinet, etc.

--------------------------------------------------

This was a email I sent & recieved.

 

I know I have placed a few of those SO-SO caches.

 

Something to think about.

 

Don

[+Renegade Knight]

Hmmm...I think I'll keep doing a variety of caches. Then people who like hikes can hike and ones who like hard finds can do those and the ones that like puzzles can do those.

 

It doesn't sound like the geocaches out there have a problem so much as he has a problem with the geocaches.

 

He is allowed to be picky and only go on the ones that say "a hike is involved"

[kablooey]

There are some nice hikes/views outside of the Bay Area. I managed to get out on some nice hikes up in Reno this past week. I did keep driving past small urban parks, wondering why nobody had hidden caches in them. Anyway, there's no hiding frenzy in Reno, not a single new cache appeared during the week I was up there.

[+montythemule]

I appreciate a sport that allows me to participate at whatever level I feel good about. On the whole (I've only been doing this a little while) I'd say that the caches I have found have been in interesting places that I would not have visited without a little "guidance".

 

Trying to be at the top of the finder pile seems futile, a cacher getting started next year would have one helluva time catching up with a team like Marky and Joanie (we're not worthy, he he) But they are inspiring and though I'll not catch up, I don't care. I feel more in touch with my community just knowing those folks are there.

 

So whats my point? (I forgot, sorry)

 

*****************************************

This Space Intentionally Left Blank

[+bthomas]

I've placed only a couple dozen caches, but I've promised myself to add about that many to my new area, the Peninsula. I'll try to avoid making trashy caches. I like finding new areas and sites, so that will continue to be my operative theme, with the logsheet being a secondary activity. In my own caching, I try to mix up the types to keep it interesting. Then again, I do go for bulk... keeps the muscle tone.

[+Marky]

Like montythemule said, one of the great aspects of this pastime is that you pretty much get to make of it what you want. You like long, challenging hikes? There are plenty of caches to be had that fit this category. You like playing with geeky toys in the afternoon after work? There's plenty of caches in the drive-by category to meet your needs.

 

And as far as numbers go, they are pretty much proportional to the amount of time you spend, and not how good you are. There are tons of people who are better at finding and hiding caches than we are, they just don't choose to devote as much time to it as we do. Some people actually have lives!

 

Back on topic: We've done some hides that some may have found boring for one reason or another. Often, it is to introduce a particular hiding style to the area that we've seen elsewhere. The trick to keeping your level of enjoyment up is to figure out what you like and what you don't like. There are a lot of cool tools to help you filter cache lists (although to make best use of them, you really need to be a premium member so that you can get .gpx pocket query files to play with).

 

As with many of our pastimes, we will probably move on to something else someday, but for now we are having fun being outdoors.

 

--Marky

"All of us get lost in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

[+GeoROCKS!]

quote:

---

Originally posted by forman:

When I started, most of the caches were on interesting hikes. Now there are way too many uninteresting cache locations. I've wandered through too many parking lots, poked around too many bushes filled with trash, and gotten poison oak too many times.

---

I agree with the general sentiment. We must all admit that the proliferation of geocaching in the last year due to word of mouth and news coverage has changed the overall flavor of the sport by bringing in vast numbers of urban caches/cachers, not necessarily a change for the better. It's now up to the individual cacher to decide what aspect of the sport they enjoy and wholeheartedly pursue that. There have been many times when I've been so disheartened by caches that I've been tempted to eliminate from my GPS all caches placed in the last year. Reason has so far prevailed each time, however, and I continue to realize that almost every cache -- no matter how bad or frustrating or maddening or inappropriate -- gets me off my butt and gets me outside. And very, very rarely I find a really good urban and/or micro cache...

[+Kealia]

Take note that I did NOT look into your profiles before psoting this:

 

If you are in the area you should spend some time doing caches in the 95018/95066 zipcodes. The majority of these caches are in either Big Basin or Henry Cowell Park and the hinking/history is awesome.

It may just rejuvenate your excitement about the sport.

[+Huntnlady]

quote:

---

I know I have placed a few of those SO-SO caches.

 

Something to think about.

 

Don

---

 

Why are you beating yourself up, Don? Two of my top ten are your caches.

 

_______________________________

Why is it called tourist season if you can't shoot them?

http://www.geocities.com/cacheinon

[tagsam]

hey forman. im a newbie petaluma geocacher and am having some trouble with a few of ur caches any slight hint or clue would be greatly appreciated on a walk in the park(wickersham), birds eye view, and luck of the draw(no cache for me, no cash left for me)

[tagsam]

by the way i think"pogo" is missing

[+TV-dude]

Hi Folks, I have only been caching since the first of the year. And yes i know there are some intense caches to go after and then the lovingly called "so-so" caches. Maybe I am geographically biased because there are more hikeable caches in the Phoenix, Az area then the Bay area, but there is no law that says you HAVE to go after the "so-so" caches. I think a lot of those caches are great for the beginners or those with small children who could get hurt going 400 feet up the side of a mountain. I love caches simply for the hunt, not the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And with a few of the "so-so" caches out here I have learned more about where I live then I ever knew was out there. But it is all a personal preference I guess. To me, cache count is not important, so I would rather go in selective hunts and have a low cache find number then hit every little cache just to see my numbers up. Not meaning to **** anyone off and I hope I haven't. This is just the ramblings of a desert heat brain baked newbie cacher...And just remember, the stick you are picking up out here, may have a rattle on the end of it...stick..good...rattle...bad...