Losing it’s appeal?

[+GeoPandas]

Many years ago when I started caching with my kids the caches were much more fun.  In general, a cache either was an interesting container, a creative hide, led to an unexpected or beautiful location or the cache required a thought provoking mental challenge.  

 

Now my part of the world is littered with micro magnetic caches on a traffic sign, a pole or a lamppost or a Gatorade bottle painted black hanging every 1/4 mile along a path of some sort.  I don’t get why?    More isn’t better either in hiding or finding.  Is there that much gratification in doing more?  Or clearing a portion of a map?

 

I have almost lost interest because I can’t find the gems among the clutter.  But I still enjoy the exercise, fresh air,  and  time with family/friends.

 

Comments?

 

 

 

 

 

[RuideAlmeida]

20 hours ago, GeoPandas said:

Comments?

 

You can Hide caches that you consider good... leading the way by giving good examples.

Edited July 21 by RuideAlmeida

[+Sottiwotti]

Search for caches with lots of favorite points.

[+cerberus1]

On 7/20/2024 at 3:31 PM, GeoPandas said:

Many years ago when I started caching with my kids the caches were much more fun.  In general, a cache either was an interesting container, a creative hide, led to an unexpected or beautiful location or the cache required a thought provoking mental challenge.  

Now my part of the world is littered with micro magnetic caches on a traffic sign, a pole or a lamppost or a Gatorade bottle painted black hanging every 1/4 mile along a path of some sort.  I don’t get why?    More isn’t better either in hiding or finding.  Is there that much gratification in doing more?  Or clearing a portion of a map?

I have almost lost interest because I can’t find the gems among the clutter.  But I still enjoy the exercise, fresh air,  and  time with family/friends.

Years ago the theme was the "language of location", and that's what interested us.  Unique areas and awesome views our favorite.   

Now, I'd pass hundreds of roadside n other 1.5 D/T or less hides to go after the ones I'll do, 2 D/T and up...

Nothings really changed, as instead of loading every cache in a county, I look for large areas of green, and search single caches from there.  

We're lucky that our state's game commission is the largest landowner, so off major hunting season we have lots of woods to explore.   

[+TeamTJ]

I think the reason that many have shifted from large to small is simply the large ones are easy for muggles to see by accident and take.

 

Most of the large ones in my area are deep in the brush so nobody stumbles upon them.

 

It's far easier to hide a small one in plain sight (and less work, for better or for worse).

[+MidnightBarbecue]

I agree with what you're seeing and saying but as another pointed out there are filters to weed out the ones you don't want.  The problem I see is that a lousy cache can lock up a good location that could otherwise have a creative or cool cache.  I have had many 'good ideas' for a nice cache only to find out there was an LPC or other micro/nano tying up the location.

 

Of all my hides I notice the easier ones get WAY more finds than the more well placed or designed ones which tells me there are more people in search of a higher number count than an adventure .  I get greater satisfaction though when one of my lonelier caches get found because I know someone took the time to search it out or  solve a puzzle.

 

[+KYcachingguy]

On 7/20/2024 at 3:31 PM, GeoPandas said:

I have almost lost interest because I can’t find the gems among the clutter.  But I still enjoy the exercise, fresh air,  and  time with family/friends.

I understand what you are saying. When I started caching in 2007, it was something to do with my kids and family. The caches with swag were important for the kids to have something to discover and I enjoyed seeing the different items people left. Then there started being more micros and nanos, and less swag caches. It was boring, so I lost interest.

 

A few years ago, when I found out there was a phone app, I started back into geocaching for my own enjoyment and satisfaction to get out of the house. I was doing it sporadically when I had the notion. This year I discovered challenges. Now I have more of a purpose. 

 

The cool thing about geocaching is that you can make it whatever you want it to be. If you don't care about the numbers, then search for caches that will give you an adventure. Maybe that means you plan a whole Saturday to find one cache, or a whole weekend somewhere you've never been, but there are caches to find while you are there. Search Project-gc to see if there are any challenges that might interest you in completing. 

 

I've started hiding caches in my area with the intent of making them cool caches that I would like to find. Caches with swag or in locations I think are cool and want others to enjoy.

 

I stopped caching for 10 years. Last time was 2011 and I picked it back up in 2022. It saddens me there is a block of zeros on my profile stats. Don't let that be you. Just like life, geocaching is about what you make it. There are rules to follow, but everything else is up to you. If you enjoy finding swag, then go find swag. If you enjoy being outdoors with your family, then go search for swag with your family. If you enjoy a challenge, search out the challenges. Some people just want the numbers, which is fine if they are looking for a superficial life to show off on their Instagram. We know there is more to it than a superficial life. Search for what you want out of geocaching, then go do it.

[+Z_Statman]

On 7/20/2024 at 3:31 PM, GeoPandas said:

Many years ago when I started caching with my kids the caches were much more fun.  In general, a cache either was an interesting container, a creative hide, led to an unexpected or beautiful location or the cache required a thought provoking mental challenge.  

 

Now my part of the world is littered with micro magnetic caches on a traffic sign, a pole or a lamppost or a Gatorade bottle painted black hanging every 1/4 mile along a path of some sort.  I don’t get why?    More isn’t better either in hiding or finding.  Is there that much gratification in doing more?  Or clearing a portion of a map?

 

I have almost lost interest because I can’t find the gems among the clutter.  But I still enjoy the exercise, fresh air,  and  time with family/friends.

 

Comments?

 

 

 

 

 

I agree wrt the changes in placement - D & Ts especially. Over the last year or so nothing really exciting with primarily D/T max of 1.5-2.0/1.0-1.5 P&Gs along the road, so my interest has greatly declined.

Edited August 26 by Z_Statman

[RuideAlmeida]

1 hour ago, KYcachingguy said:

I've started hiding caches in my area with the intent of making them cool caches that I would like to find.

 

Precisely!

Instead of complaining about the caches other people hide, without ever hide a single one for the community to enjoy.