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High "value" caches....?


Hairy Little Dwarf

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I'm considering setting a couple of caches with worthwhile goodies in them (Not that I mind the usual plastic selections as I chase them for the fun, but I would like to "Reward" the successful hunters of a difficult cache).

 

These caches would be a serious expedition. Allowing a good 4Hrs tramping each way, use of boats/4WD or serious grey matter usage, but they contain things such as camera flashguns, new pairs of leather gloves, etc.

I am quite happy logging and placing easy $10 caches, but wonder if there would be the interest in this higher level to warrant it? There is also the problem of the caches being downvalued as the best goodies go and are replaced by HappyMeal toys. Would you consider it a satisfactory cache to walk for a day if when you got there, the cache was populated by several dozen Smurf Erasers?

I'm waffling a bit now, and should really get back to work icon_wink.gif

Any opinions appreciated.

 

Hairy

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Actually this has crossed my mind before.. Not necessarily to reward those who find a really difficult cache, but more for the sake of a cache with items of higher value..

 

A "high flyers club" cache!

 

A pre-requisite to visiting the cache would be that you would have to leave an item of the same or higher value (well, roughly) than what you took..This might stop the digital cameras and the DVDs being replaced with happy meal toys icon_smile.gif

 

Of course it would kinda suck if it was badly placed and someone pillaged it.

 

Steve

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But the sort of level we're talking about here isn't hidden under a park bench, Of course, that would be the ultimate in caching style to cart a park bench 7km into the bush and sit it on top of a highpoint so weary cachers can rest and enjoy the view as they fill in the log after replacing the laptop with a mountainbike icon_smile.gif

As long as the cache is located far enough off worked trails eg. pig hunter tracks etc. There shouldn't be a problem. NZ doesn't have the wilderness foot traffic that places like the States or UK has - And it's usually (hopefully) hard enough to find caches when you know where they are - or think you do....

What about the first to find has the option of grabbing the richest goodies, second finder has the next choice etc until the thirty seventh finder has to choose from 93 Happy Meal toys !

I'll throw a medium $ test case out there next month, I think, and see what happens - but it won't be advertised as a high value icon_wink.gif

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quote:
Originally posted by ariwa:

Actually this has crossed my mind before.. Not necessarily to reward those who find a really difficult cache, but more for the sake of a cache with items of higher value..

 

A pre-requisite to visiting the cache would be that you would have to leave an item of the same or higher value (well, roughly) than what you took..


 

I placed Walk the Pipe! with this intention, and I thought 'swap for equal value' was a given - but it doesn't seem to work (apart from the backup tapes - thanks Steve icon_wink.gif). Maybe the 'equal swap' needs to be stated explicitly.

 

Auckland Kayakers Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/auckland-kayakers

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I think that down trading is a worldwide problem, in this post UMC has a $40US USB card replaced with 2 mint candies! We always try and trade-equal or trade-up, or we don't trade (although shamefully I have visited one cache that I felt we traded-down and one day we will return to rectify)

 

I don't think I would personally place a high value cache, unless the items were things I already had around that I did not use/want (ie. I would not go out and buy high value items for a cache) so being items I did not want, I would not really care too much if cachers traded-down (I don't think that the local cachers round Chch cache for the items anyway (as quite a few caches are almost logbook only, while a few cachers don't trade at all)). Having said all that, I do like the idea of a 'reward' for slogging through the bush and it is something I had planned for an upcoming difficult cache we have in planning.

 

Cheers

Nick.

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Speaking of a reward for a hard earned cache. I was thinking of a speights or two would be a worthy reward for a cache at the top of a big hill climb or arduous bush bash.

The only problem is that I think I saw something on the geocaching website saying alcohol, drugs and guns are unsuitable. I totally agree for the drugs and guns but a beer would be superb in a tough cache where cachers are unlikely to drag kids to. icon_biggrin.gif

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Hmm, a high value cache. It's something I would be unlikely to produce... Unless 1). I won big at lotto (Unlikely to happen, to win, you need to buy tickets) or 2). I was placing items of value I had lying around the place I didn't want or need anymore (as previously mentioned).

 

If someone else placed a high value cache, I would attempt to match in value any item I swapped, otherwise I guess I'd take only photographs & leave only a log entry and footprints. As lomg as I knew in advance, and had an idea what kind of value my replacement item should be, it wouldn't be a problem.

 

If it wasn't listed as a high value cache I presume it would be prone to items loosing value as the occasional unprepared cacher with the usual low value items might make a swap anyway. I think mentioning the cache was high value would be very important for this reason.

 

Now the alcohol, hmm, thats a tricky situation (the legal implication of the situation), it would be nice to think that we could do that. However, it's a rule for a reason. We have no control over who may find that stash of alcohol, if some children stumbled accross the cache for some reason and got drunk on it, then had some form of accident, well I don't think I need to tell you about the legal implications, and I'm certain none of us want the kind of negative publicity it would bring. If there was some kind of magic device that kept the beer cold (It goes off much faster if not refrigerated, and is soo much nicer if cold) and prevented people under 18 getting their hands on it, then perhaps it could be a different story. But I aggree, it would be nice, now if it was only practical icon_wink.gif. Perhaps a cache near a bar... Hmm, now you've got me thinking icon_biggrin.gif, I know the perfect location in a couple of cities in NZ, pity I don't live in one of them.

 

There are other things you can leave up there aside from Alcoholic beverages that would be refreshing. Geocaching.com suggests just drinking water. It doesn't go off anywhere as quickly as any sugar based drink. I recently (at the request of the trustee of the property) removed a fruit drink from a nearby cache. I haven't logged doing that (oh the shame), but the drink was outside its best before date and was bulging quite seriously. It was surprisingly warm! Thankfully it wasn't inside the cache, imagine if it was and did go bang.. Yuk!

 

One thing I've noticed (and it's something I was guilty of), is leaving small lollies, such as Minties, MacIntoshs toffees, Lolipops etc in caches. Thats all good except for a few reasons that need to be considered. Any moisture getting into the cache will ruin these very quickly, I removed some from one of my caches a little while ago after a rat nibbled on the lid. A lot of cachers won't take these because of concerns about the safety of doing so (unhygenic handling or deliberate poisioning), and of course, the little rodents who try to nibble their way in to get to these foodstuffs.

 

I have observed that these rodents don't attempt to nibble through painted surfaces, only the bare plastic. Can anyone else confirm or shoot down this observaton? As a result I'm painting my cache lids as well.

 

As for the high value caches, bring them on, but please let us know so we can be prepared with a suitable item to swap icon_biggrin.gif.

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Team KFWB GPS place caches with large sums of Canadian dollars and reading the logs they get hit at a very high rate.The second mouse dosn't get the chesse in this case.They have placed a $ 100 in one and are going to place one with a $1000 which would nearly cover the air fair to Canada to grab it icon_biggrin.gif We are also thinking up new ideas for caches which will be harder to find but for us it's about finding and leaving a log in the book. icon_wink.gif

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Thanks for the feedback.

 

The replies have stirred all sorts of thinks in my tiny little head icon_smile.gif

 

I'll probably seed my near future caches with one or two serious goodies for the first finders, If they wish to trade or take will be up to them. They will be surplus items so I'm not too worried. Otherwise, there will be the usual range of trinkets for those who wish to trade. I have had some interesting reading through the international forums about this subject, with stories good and bad. I'm still intrigued how someone would even HIDE a hang-glider, let alone want to carry it into the wilderness!!

 

Yes, I think The Dwarf has enough to go on now.

Thanks again.

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