Apparently there's a bunch of TikTok videos saying there's money in GeoCaches? (There isn't)

[Darwin473]

Yesterday I went out and was checking on some of my caches and found Return of Bee Hide was all smashed up.

 

I've removed the cache container and waypoints and archived it, as I'm not going to be able to repair it or get a new container to redeploy it. I chalked it up to drunk idiots and didn't think too much more of it. It looked to me like someone took a hammer to it, but I figured someone must have been bashing it with a rock or against a fence.

 

Today I'm reading in a few different places that there may be a few Tik Tok videos trending claiming that GeoCaches contain money. I don't have that app and can't say I'm too interested in it so I'm not going to go looking for the videos, but it's a bit disappointing if that was the cause of someone destroying a cache. In this case, if that was what actually happened then I can see why someone would get the idea that there might be money in there as this cache was a metal box with a hefty padlock on it (it was a multi, with the combo to the padlock at the first waypoint), placed pretty close to the centre of a city. As far as I know (I can't see PMO caches) it was the biggest one in the city centre, with a 3L (0.8gallon) lock n lock inside the outer metal box.

 

Bit sad to lose a container that had been in play since 2012 and was two caches for two different CO's, but that's what happens when we put things out in the wild where anyone can come along and play with it - even in ways we don't want them to. Luckily no TB's were lost.

[+Max and 99]

9 minutes ago, Darwin473 said:

Yesterday I went out and was checking on some of my caches and found Return of Bee Hide was all smashed up.

 

I've removed the cache container and waypoints and archived it, as I'm not going to be able to repair it or get a new container to redeploy it. I chalked it up to drunk idiots and didn't think too much more of it. It looked to me like someone took a hammer to it, but I figured someone must have been bashing it with a rock or against a fence.

 

Today I'm reading in a few different places that there may be a few Tik Tok videos trending claiming that GeoCaches contain money. I don't have that app and can't say I'm too interested in it so I'm not going to go looking for the videos, but it's a bit disappointing if that was the cause of someone destroying a cache. In this case, if that was what actually happened then I can see why someone would get the idea that there might be money in there as this cache was a metal box with a hefty padlock on it (it was a multi, with the combo to the padlock at the first waypoint), placed pretty close to the centre of a city. As far as I know (I can't see PMO caches) it was the biggest one in the city centre, with a 3L (0.8gallon) lock n lock inside the outer metal box.

 

Bit sad to lose a container that had been in play since 2012 and was two caches for two different CO's, but that's what happens when we put things out in the wild where anyone can come along and play with it - even in ways we don't want them to. Luckily no TB's were lost.

That's unfortunate!

On a side note, in case you missed it, here's the geocaching blog post announcing they are on Tik Tok. 

https://www.geocaching.com/blog/2021/10/geocaching-is-on-tiktok/

[+niraD]

16 minutes ago, Darwin473 said:

Yesterday I went out and was checking on some of my caches and found Return of Bee Hide was all smashed up.

 

I've removed the cache container and waypoints and archived it, as I'm not going to be able to repair it or get a new container to redeploy it. I chalked it up to drunk idiots and didn't think too much more of it. It looked to me like someone took a hammer to it, but I figured someone must have been bashing it with a rock or against a fence.

 

Today I'm reading in a few different places that there may be a few Tik Tok videos trending claiming that GeoCaches contain money. I don't have that app and can't say I'm too interested in it so I'm not going to go looking for the videos, but it's a bit disappointing if that was the cause of someone destroying a cache. In this case, if that was what actually happened then I can see why someone would get the idea that there might be money in there as this cache was a metal box with a hefty padlock on it (it was a multi, with the combo to the padlock at the first waypoint), placed pretty close to the centre of a city. As far as I know (I can't see PMO caches) it was the biggest one in the city centre, with a 3L (0.8gallon) lock n lock inside the outer metal box.

 

Bit sad to lose a container that had been in play since 2012 and was two caches for two different CO's, but that's what happens when we put things out in the wild where anyone can come along and play with it - even in ways we don't want them to. Luckily no TB's were lost.

[+Goldenwattle]

Actually some caches do have money. Usually only a few coins, but I wish people wouldn't leave money, because this could be tempting if some muggles get the idea there is money to be found. I have often removed the coins for that reason.

 

(I also removed the $35  I once found in a cache too  .)

[+cerberus1]

12 hours ago, Darwin473 said:

Today I'm reading in a few different places that there may be a few Tik Tok videos trending claiming that GeoCaches contain money.

I've stayed from social media, so a chinese company their government has a "1+%" stake in is a definite no.  Hopefully someone looks. 

But with so many sites still calling this location hobby a real world, or real-life "treasure hunt", we can see that happening...

New, weekend n done folks look for a cache, find a damp log and a broken mctoy, and say, "where's the loot?  I walked 200 feet in woods...".

I still feel that next to hoarders, "treasure" is a big reason so many trackables go missing. 

A once-and-done finds a plastic soldier, and a trackable tag or coin in the gladware. 

 - Which one would they be taking as their treasure/souvenir of their day...?

[Darwin473]

8 hours ago, Goldenwattle said:

Usually only a few coins...

 

I've found a few coins as well, but the main reason for the post title is in case this thread comes up on a search if someone uses a search engine for "money in geocaches" or similar search. Even if it only teaches one person, that's good enough for me.

 

There's a good to high chance that the two things are unrelated; but considering how long that container was there since the first CO placed it in 2012 without issue, it does seem to be quite the coincidence. In other places I've seen comments from other CO's upset about new users harvesting caches and taking them home since they don't know any better.

4 hours ago, cerberus1 said:

so many sites still calling this location hobby a real world, or real-life "treasure hunt"

 

Agreed, so much. I still consider myself new to the hobby, but I very quickly changed my description from a treasure hunt to "a worldwide game of hide and seek". I still think GC has a bit of a vested interest in TB's going missing, since they sell them and want people to buy more. (Okay, I'll put the tin foil hat away!  )

[+barefootjeff]

8 hours ago, Goldenwattle said:

Actually some caches do have money. Usually only a few coins, but I wish people wouldn't leave money, because this could be tempting if some muggles get the idea there is money to be found. I have often removed the coins for that reason.

 

Hmm, now I'm starting to wonder if this one of mine was such a good idea...

 

[+Goldenwattle]

36 minutes ago, barefootjeff said:

 

Hmm, now I'm starting to wonder if this one of mine was such a good idea...

 

Pretty. That would get my favourite tick. I have a small treasure chest with sparkly things, such as 'diamond' earrings.

[Darwin473]

8 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

Hmm, now I'm starting to wonder if this one of mine was such a good idea...

 

I love it! 

[+cerberus1]

17 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

Hmm, now I'm starting to wonder if this one of mine was such a good idea...

 

    A cacher that used to live nearby heard I had a couple wooden chests (we held swag in them), I offered one, and he filled it with similar...

Another asked me to build them one, and that one was almost waterproof by itself.

Both lasted some time until that one pic finally appeared of what they were and their contents.     

[+Lostboy1966]

18 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

 

Hmm, now I'm starting to wonder if this one of mine was such a good idea...

 

Just retired this one. It was filled with 'treasure' like that as well. Kids love the stuff.

[+JL_HSTRE]

Of all the major social media platforms TikTok has always been the stupidest. 

[+thebruce0]

I prefer the term scavenger hunt over anything else - to me that focuses on the fun, journey, and experience, with whatever you find being secondary to all that.  "Treasure" turns heads, but imo it misleads from what most people tend to end up enjoying the most about the hobby.

[+Corfman Clan]

The videos would only be trending if dancing or applying makeup is involved.

[+captnemo]

On 4/23/2022 at 9:11 PM, Darwin473 said:

Yesterday I went out and was checking on some of my caches and found Return of Bee Hide was all smashed up.

 

I've removed the cache container and waypoints and archived it, as I'm not going to be able to repair it or get a new container to redeploy it. I chalked it up to drunk idiots and didn't think too much more of it. It looked to me like someone took a hammer to it, but I figured someone must have been bashing it with a rock or against a fence.

 

Today I'm reading in a few different places that there may be a few Tik Tok videos trending claiming that GeoCaches contain money. I don't have that app and can't say I'm too interested in it so I'm not going to go looking for the videos, but it's a bit disappointing if that was the cause of someone destroying a cache. In this case, if that was what actually happened then I can see why someone would get the idea that there might be money in there as this cache was a metal box with a hefty padlock on it (it was a multi, with the combo to the padlock at the first waypoint), placed pretty close to the centre of a city. As far as I know (I can't see PMO caches) it was the biggest one in the city centre, with a 3L (0.8gallon) lock n lock inside the outer metal box.

 

Bit sad to lose a container that had been in play since 2012 and was two caches for two different CO's, but that's what happens when we put things out in the wild where anyone can come along and play with it - even in ways we don't want them to. Luckily no TB's were lost.

 

I feel your pain.  I had a Multi/Gadget cache in a park that was vandalized 3 times in the first month and a half.  It too was a locked box that you had to visit locations in the park for both the coordinates and the lock code, it had 3 finds and 3 Fav points.  I am a close friend with the park caretaker and he checked on it everyday but still the vandals still got it. 

[+JL_HSTRE]

5 hours ago, thebruce0 said:

I prefer the term scavenger hunt over anything else - to me that focuses on the fun, journey, and experience, with whatever you find being secondary to all that.

 

"GPS scavenger hunt" is how I always describe it.

[+cerberus1]

On 4/25/2022 at 1:04 PM, thebruce0 said:

I prefer the term scavenger hunt over anything else - to me that focuses on the fun, journey, and experience, with whatever you find being secondary to all that.  

20 hours ago, JL_HSTRE said:

"GPS scavenger hunt" is how I always describe it.

 

Maybe it's just us, but "scavenger hunt" (to us) is a competition to see who can obtain the most items from a list.

There's already a "gotta catch 'em all!" outdoor game...

We simply call it a location hobby.   Probably because when we started, the "language of location" was the company slogan...

IIRC, Jeremy Irish ended all his forums posts with it too.

 

 

[+niraD]

6 minutes ago, cerberus1 said:

Maybe it's just us, but "scavenger hunt" (to us) is a competition to see who can obtain the most items from a list.

That is a weakness of the "scavenger hunt" description of geocaching, but I still think "scavenger hunt" is a lot better than "treasure hunt".

 

And FWIW, the scavenger hunts I've done most recently have had scoring that was more complicated than just the most items. Different items were worth different amounts, different combinations of items were worth different amounts, and so on. But yeah, the basic competitive "score more points by finding stuff" doesn't really fit what geocaching is (for most geocachers).

[+thebruce0]

Well, and you're adding a definition to 'scavenger hunt' that implies it's within a competitive game. Technically a scavenger is a hunt in which you're scavenging for something typically with hints (and not that you're hunting for a scavenger, heh)... whereas "treasure hunt" in its very title implies you're looking for something of monetary value and that is the primary goal.  There's a difference in the literal interpretation of the term for the hobby implying a different goal.

 

Really, scavenger hunt could only be 'bad' if you've only ever done a scavenger hunt in the context of a competitive game. It doesn't have to be. I do think of it in terms of a fun game, but competitive is far from the first thing that comes to mind.

[+Gill & Tony]

High-tech hide-and-seek.  That's my preferred explanation.  Something almost everyone can understand. 

Edited April 27, 2022 by Gill & Tony

[+JL_HSTRE]

16 hours ago, cerberus1 said:

Maybe it's just us, but "scavenger hunt" (to us) is a competition to see who can obtain the most items from a list.

There's already a "gotta catch 'em all!" outdoor game...

We simply call it a location hobby.   Probably because when we started, the "language of location" was the company slogan...

 

"Location hobby" makes sense, but it's also a term almost nobody has ever heard of. Almost everyone has some concept of what a scavenger hunt is.

 

Scavenger hunts aren't necessarily competitive. I've heard of people doing one-off scavenger hunts for someone's birthday or as an elaborate setup for a proposal.

 

But the bottom line is geocaching is inherently a competition. Many people don't focus on that and there's no prize beyond bragging rights, but there is a score (Find count) which can be compared to other players.

 

18 minutes ago, Gill & Tony said:

High-tech hide-and-seek.  That's my preferred explanation.  Something almost everyone can understand. 

 

When I hear "hide and seek" I think of looking for people, not inanimate objects.

[+barefootjeff]

14 minutes ago, JL_HSTRE said:

When I hear "hide and seek" I think of looking for people, not inanimate objects.

 

Now I'm going to have nightmares about opening an ammo can (or worse, a mint tin) and having the CO pop out.

[+niraD]

1 hour ago, JL_HSTRE said:

But the bottom line is geocaching is inherently a competition. Many people don't focus on that and there's no prize beyond bragging rights, but there is a score (Find count) which can be compared to other players.

Does the find count really make geocaching a competition? I think of it more like an odometer that just keeps track of how far you've driven so far.

 

Which reminds me, I'm overdue for an oil change...

[+Bear and Ragged]

Not helped when people call it geo CASH or geo CASHING...

[Darwin473]

8 hours ago, JL_HSTRE said:

"Location hobby" makes sense, but it's also a term almost nobody has ever heard of.

 

To me, that it makes it more valuable, because then it gives people the opportunity to ask "what's that" and we can respond with "well, let me explain..."

 

7 hours ago, niraD said:

Does the find count really make geocaching a competition? I think of it more like an odometer that just keeps track of how far you've driven so far.

 

I like that, I'm stealing that to use as a description. 

[+ras_oscar]

I always describe geocaching as " using billion dollar satellite system to provide information to a hundred dollar GPS receiver to find Tupperware in the woods