Cache adoption process is cumbersome AND doesn't work properly

August 2, 2022

I was recently sent a number of adoption requests for 2 series of caches. When clicking on the "Accept this adoption request" link on any of the the emails I was taken to the same URL which was https://www.geocaching.com/adopt/ There is no cache number as part of the query string so you get taken to the next one to be adopted in the 'list'. A list that you cant see ? Its a slow cumbersome process. It would be much better to be able to see a list of all caches for which you have been sent an adoption request and be able to select them all and accept in one go.

1.7k · August 5, 2022

On 8/2/2022 at 4:11 PM, bishopfamily said:

I was recently sent a number of adoption requests for 2 series of caches. When clicking on the "Accept this adoption request" link on any of the the emails I was taken to the same URL which was https://www.geocaching.com/adopt/ There is no cache number as part of the query string so you get taken to the next one to be adopted in the 'list'. A list that you cant see ? Its a slow cumbersome process. It would be much better to be able to see a list of all caches for which you have been sent an adoption request and be able to select them all and accept in one go.

I think I disagree. Cache adoption, like cache placement, should be a deliberate, deliberative process where you have to consider all the aspects of what you're accepting for each one.

There have been many suggestions over the years of ways to make cache publishing 'easier', as in being able to do it from the phone app, or not having to jump through so many hoops online, or engage a reviewer, or relax some of the 'guidelines', because if we as hiders do a crappy job, we're only hurting ourselves (OH MY GOD does that last point deserve an Olympic-sized rant!)

Fortunately for the hobby, none of those ideas went anywhere.

If you're being given twenty caches because your buddy is moving away, then hooray for you for being willing to take on that responsibility and not deprive us of those placements, but in my opinion they should be taken on with as much care and respect and affirmation as if they were yours from the start.

I know people play differently, and there are lots of people who think nothing of dropping a string of identical caches every 530 feet on a long guardrail, but that ain't my style. Your mileage, and all that.