Junky Cache's???!!

5.9k · July 26, 2002

Thus could I sing and thus rejoice, but it is not so with me.

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What is the price of experience, do men buy it for a song,

Or wisdom for a dance in the street.................

1.2k · March 31, 2003

The trick is to be the First To Find (FTF). That way, if the cache placer put in some nice things in the first place, and you bring something *nice* too, at least the NEXT person to come along will have a shot at being nice one more time.

You could also go for MORE caches in a wider variety of spots (cities, states, countries). You might experience some nicer finds that way.

My best finds were FTF finds: A $40 Red Lobster dinner card, a $10 Starbucks card, a $5 Jamba Juice card, a $5 grocery store card. These were in four separate caches found over two years. They were placed by four different people.

Admittedly, it's not all that many *great* finds for the number of caches I have found, but as time goes by, maybe the thrill of the find itself will do it for you. But there comes a point when even that palls. Now I really enjoy the one in 25 caches that offer a unique hide in some way.

Ron (784 found/176 hidden...since Feb, 2001)

I've never been lost. Fearsome confused sometimes, but never lost.

March 31, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Arizabif:
So are handmade things "good things" for a cache? I've been making little knit bags and stuffed bunnies to put in caches. I think they are cute, and they are something I would want, and I can make a bunch of them for not too much money, (the husband has placed a moratorium on spending for my 1,001 hobbies. ). Each one is different, and they are made by little ole me.

But not everyone thinks handmade items are nice; some people think they are absolute crapola, (like my family...but that is for another thread, I think).

Do you think it's a good idea, or should I find another venue for my handknit bunny production?

Maybe I'm wrong, but why should "cool" be expensive? I don't see anything wrong with hand-made items in caches. If you don't like it, don't trade for it.

I agree that the few caches that we have found were pretty much full of "junk", but that isn't why we do this.

Maybe view the logs for the cache first and decide if it is one that you want to find. (If you only do this for the LOOT.)

Enough senseless rambling.

March 31, 2003

Like everyone else in this forum I always trade up . . . seriously, I do. Really . . .

Actually, I only take things that I would want to stick on the small bulletin board I have at home that serves as my geocaching trophy board. Lapel pins, buttons, interesting patches and paper items are about all I'll take (it has to hang on the board).

I almost always leave something, though. I carry foreign coins, mardi gras doubloons, lapel pins, buttons, refrigerator magnets, lotto tickets, etc. When I do trade, I trade up. But usually I take nothing and leave something based on how satisfying and enjoyable the cache was.

On at least one occasion I have loaded up a cache that was particularly bad. I left 6-8 decent things plus a new log book and plastic baggies.

March 31, 2003

I hate to rehash this topic, but here goes. My first cache placement cost me about $80, full of cool things like a video, book, and lots of other things that suited the theme (look up the 'Loony Bin' cache). It lasted about 2 months. I was proud of my first cache, and happy to see people enjoying it. Going with the 'crazy' theme, everyone seemed to be keeping with it, then it was ransacked. I placed my second a few weeks ago (see 'Sweet Home...Utah!'), smaller and cheaper, but still packed with cool things. So far it seems like the trades have been ok, but I haven't checked the cache since I placed it. I figure I spent about $20 on that one. I've learned my lesson. As long as people enjoy finding them, I'm cool with it, but as I said on the cache page, I don't want any McCrap in it.

We evolve. The data is in the strata.

April 1, 2003

I too try to trade up or even if possible. I also try to clean up or out caches that I find that are in poor shape. I have found caches full of what I consider to be junk and will take the junk items and put in a couple of nice things. I also contact the owners if I find a cache that is in need of repair or attention.

And since when are business cards a trade item. If you want everyone to know you have been there use the logbook. A small piece of paper with your name on it is just that, a piece of paper with your name on it. Keep them for doing business, not caching.

And for every cache I find I leave my signature item, a golden dollar. Even if I don't do any other trading. I figure at the very least it is a small item that is of value to everyone, whether young or old.

I also try to remove items I feel should not be in there to start with. Like any food items or liquids. Since this is NH and winter, anything liquid becomes solid and out grows its container making a mess in a cache.

But I really hate to see cachers that are very active leaving worthless items in caches. There is one in our area that does this. He caches all the time and leaves things like army men and pokemon cards and takes other items worth far more. While these things are not terrible things to leave they are worth about a nickel each. Leaving one and taking an item that is worth two to three dollars is not far trading in my book. If you want to leave them because you think they will be prized by some kid fine, but don't use them to trade for something worth far more.

I also try to only trade items that are waterproof or if not, in a ziplock bag. It is my experience that if the cache container is not an ammo can it will leak. And when it does anything that is not waterproof, like pokemon cards, will become trash instantly.

SilverRubicon

1.7k · April 1, 2003

I like the MacToys, if they are not filthy, for kids.

I would love to find a homemade item in a cache.

Our first physical cache find had a great glass paperweight. It probably cost a dollar one way, but is was terrific and the best thing we ever found. It is my daughter's prize possesion. (Has little glass fish in it.)

No, cost does not equate to quality, but filthy toys, scratched and totally unusable magnifiers, loose tissues, condiment packets, and rocks picked up right next to the cache are trash.

DustyJacket

Not all those that wander are lost. But in my case...

April 1, 2003

So McToys are out. I assume that includes the Burger King Toys too.

Kids love that stuff, or they wouldn't put it in the burger boxes. Check out eBay the stuff sells. I have about 15 complete sets of Pokemon Gold cards. Hopefully I'll get to sell them and retire some day.

South Cache

"To live only for some future goal is shallow. It's the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the tops." Robert M. Pirsig

Web Hosting

5.3k · April 1, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by South_Cache:
So McToys are out. I assume that includes the Burger King Toys too.

Kids love that stuff, or they wouldn't put it in the burger boxes. Check out eBay the stuff sells. I have about 15 complete sets of Pokemon Gold cards. Hopefully I'll get to sell them and retire some day.

_South Cache

I don't think anyone has a problem with NEW toys. Everyone is complaining about the broken, dirty, chewed on ones that all too many people leave.

"Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand."

April 1, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by South_Cache: I have about 15 complete sets of Pokemon Gold cards. Hopefully I'll get to sell them and retire some day.

You are joking, right? I suggest you sell every gold, platinum, silver, bronze Pokemon card that you have RIGHT NOW while it's still worth something. This is just like all those McDonald beanie babies that people hoarded and are now worthless. Do you know you can get the entire first set of unopened beanie babies for around $5? Just a few years ago these sets were going for $100 and up. You can't even give away the later sets because no one wants them.

--CoronaKid

1.7k · April 1, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Stunod:
I don't think anyone has a problem with NEW toys. Everyone is complaining about the broken, dirty, chewed on ones that all too many people leave.

Exactly right!

Even "gently used" is OK. Filthy or broken, is not, in my book.

DustyJacket

Not all those that wander are lost. But in my case...

April 2, 2003

We try to stick to our pirate theme and leave a little "bag o' treasure" at most caches. The bags are velvet jewelry bags with a skull and crossbones and other "pirate-y" stamps on it. They contain some foreign coins and/or Sacagawas, polished rocks, fool's gold, mini dollars, fake jewelry, small plastic skull and the like. Almost everything was bought in bulk so I'd say the average bag is worth $4-5 but we have spent a lot of time shopping and putting everything together.

Anyhoo, I keep caches that still contain the bags on our watch list out of nosiness. The last one to take one traded a plain quarter ...

BUT several times people have traded items and taken one coin or rock out of the bag instead of the whole bag as intended. Maybe they just weren't aware that they were supposed to take the whole thing--but I like to think that they just didn't want to be greedy. Sometimes they'll leave two or three items in exchange for one bag. There are still some good folks out there!

April 2, 2003

Oh, I would never put old junky stuff of any kind in a cache. I have found stuff in a cache that is "cache worn" you can tell it had been there a while in dampness etc.

As far as the Pokemon stuff... just wait about 10 or 20 years the stuff will come back and be worth mega $$$. I only have about $30.00 invested plus the meals I ate.

South Cache

"To live only for some future goal is shallow. It's the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the tops." Robert M. Pirsig

Web Hosting

2.3k · April 4, 2003

There are a lot of junky caches around here, as well. I've found several that had things I simply could NOT leave in the damp cache boxes: cough drops (dissolving quickly), wet band-aids, and all sorts of candies, scratched up & beaten up junk toys. I'm pretty new at this, but believe me I understand the "trade even" concept.

I'll leave something fun or goofy enough a kid would enjoy, and for adults and kids (I was so glad to read this earlier) I'll leave wooden "last man" puzzles and tic-tac-toe games that I've made. (I do craft shows & make all sorts of wooden items). Folks will know it's from me, because I stamp everything I make with a "frog Prince Designs" stamp on the back. Hopefully they'd think this is a pretty nice find, since I usually sell them for $5 each.

"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for ye are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!"

June 9, 2003

Aw crud! Beanie babies are bad? (I missed the whole beanie baby craze - so I really don't know.) A co-worker has been bringing me beanie babies for weeks - I've been saving them all up and was going to plant a giant beanie-baby cache sometime soon. But if no one wants them, I should probably just use them for shooting practice instead...

Smitten (Team Despot & Smitten)

24.7k · June 9, 2003

I've watched one of my own caches turn junky then through no effort on my part it got traded up and was looking good.

Then I moved the cache to a new location where it was promptly plundered.

I love the random nature of things sometimes.

=====================

Wherever you go there you are.

June 9, 2003

Wife and I are going on our first cache this weekend.. I'm actually glad I read this thread, I was planning on bringing some "dollar store" items and leaving it at that.

There is a much wider range of "value" than I'd thought, I'd be disappointed if I brought dollar store stuff and came across a cache full of DVDs and money. I do plan on taking one item from every cache, no matter how good or junky (and put them out on display, of course!). So, it looks like I'm going to buy a few things ranging from dollar store junk to a new Swiss Army Knife, and a couple of decent DVDs for "in between".

Like the Boy Scout motto goes...

June 9, 2003

I don't mind if somebody takes an expensive item and leaves a "Dollar Store Item". In one of my caches I left a new sealed $25 NiMH battery charger complete with 4 NiMH batteries. The person that took it left a very light duty carabiner (the kind you would put your keys on). I put the charger in there sort as a gift. I really did not expect somebody to trade an item of equal value since it was worth a lot more than what normally gets traded. I would be a little concerned though if they left a dirty golf ball for the the charger.

You don't have to spend a lot of money on items. Stuff from the dollar store is great and you can find some good items there. Also I think a lot of people put items in a cache that they found in another cache.

If everybody traded nice stuff you would only have to buy around 5 quality items to trade with. Most of the time you would just move items between caches and if you really wanted an item you could take it but just make sure you put something nice back in.

Of course this will never happen and we will always see junk in caches. Just like I always see junk in my in-box no matter what I do.

6.5k · June 9, 2003

quote:
So, it looks like I'm going to buy a few things ranging from dollar store junk to a new Swiss Army Knife, and a couple of decent DVDs for "in between".

Umm. RichP, welcome abourd the mothership; enjoy the ride.

FYI: Swiss Army knives are no longer welcome trade items since criminals from work crews might find them and use them to escape. Or unsupervised children might put an eye out. Or the boy from deliverance might start whittling sticks.....

Of course if you log them in as tools.......

But seriously TPTB have asked us NOT to leave these in caches any longer.

These changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes;

Nothing remains quite the same.

Through all of the islands and all of the highlands,

If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane

June 9, 2003

wimsey: Sorry for being dense, but "TPTB"?

I got the idea for the knife further up in the board, somebody saying they found one of those "swiss army cards" in a cache. Those are pretty cool, but expensive, so I thought a cheaper knife instead would be neat, considering it ties in well with the hobby.

I seriously doubt that 5 year olds are going to be cache hunting by themselves, but point taken. If this was any other country than the US, I'd blow you off like my mother-in-law on menopause rage. I've managed to avoid lawsuits so far in life, and don't need to start here. Ah well, maybe Nerf makes a model.

June 9, 2003

reading these forums is an interesting way to find out about the culture and issues surrounding geocaching!

I've gotta admit I'm surprised at the amount of concern over caches containing less-than-desirable items... I think this is mainly because I have been doing only urban micros and there's no ROOM for cool stuff in them, so I don't expect it at all-- as long as the cache is in an interesting place or hidden in a unique manner, in a unique container, or makes me somehow work to find it in a ingenious way, that's like gold to me! there seems to be a real major difference in people's expectations of an urban and a rural cache, and what they should have in them. I just get a thrill out of finding the thing, signing my name, and seeing all the names of the other crazy people that looked for it, and then logging it on the website.

I suppose if you've hiked all that way out in the (beautiful) wilderness, maybe you expect something more in a cache... maybe I would, too, but I don't think so...

I think it's a very cool sport/obsession/game, and I'm happy to be a part of it, but the differences are interesting to me.

I guess there's beauty in that, that so amny people love it for so many different reasons!

June 9, 2003

What I don't understand is that a GPS isn't cheap, it takes a fair amount of thought to figure out how to us it, and you have to walk to find on. The cheap junk we all find doesn't seem to match with the type of person who would geocache (educated, thoughtful, into exercise, etc.)

4.1k · June 9, 2003

To Mozartman: you are correct that the primary goal is to get out and find the cache."But" it has a negative effect when you get to a cache and find things that should have been left in someones trashcan.

I don't expect to find a twenty dollar gold doubloon, but a "gold" sacagawea is nice.

June 9, 2003

I love to find stuffed animals or beanies in a cache, but they can quickly become junk if not sealed properly - in a plastic bag, they're great! I try to bring along a decent assortment and usually end up taking something very small that just catches my eye, but what bugs me is the caches that are put out there with absolute &^*&%^&$% so that there's no difference between First to Find and Fortieth. If I find one within a week or so of placement, I do hope to make a trade. I'm working on my next and am already gathering stuff I think people would enjoy, just to make the hunt a bit more fun. I look forward to seeing what people will take!

My sole hide here is a themed cache that has actually held up pretty well, probably because I warn people about the theme on the cache page and reiterate in the log book. Still, I've had people take cool themed stuff and leave junk. I've seen some themed caches degrade after one or two big teams find the cache, with each member swapping a theme item for some unrelated thing they happen to have in their bags. That's rude, I think. Sometimes TNLN is the best solution.

"I'm too old to be doing this" - me to nobody, from too high up in a pine tree.

June 9, 2003

reading this thread i'm thinking it's the same old story again... some people are considerate, others are not.

Being considerate means to consider the thoughts, feelings, and welfare of someone else besides myself. So many things in our life are effected by this... the spectrum of selfishness is a many-colored pervasive backdrop to dadgum near everything we do.

My belief is that "what goes around, comes around" and that the only real way to get is by giving. It's like electricity. The more you give, the more you get.

Whether talking about geocaching trades, or volunteer work, or pledging public radio, or recycling, or cleaning up our parks, or helping your kids with homework, or being a big brother/big sister, or sharing your fears with strangers through writing or performace, or visiting scared strangers in hospitals, or even smiling & asking some zit-faced server at a diner how their day was, even though they seem rude... it's what we give that defines us.

Too many feel they didn't get enough early on, I guess. We're all chasing that christmas morning feeling, that "wells fargo wagon" rush when our amazon delivery shows up.

Truth is, I'd rather be santa than the little kid opening up the box. Hence, trading up is the rush. Reading that someone liked something is the payoff.

June 9, 2003

I admit that i have done some bad trading, BUT I mostly trade items i get from other caches.. But now that im more into it i leave some more valuable items..ahah i do feal guilty.. And i have been and will start to leave better things.. Latly i havent been taking anything.

June 10, 2003

I've gotten in the habit of leaving something but taking nothing. (Unless the cache is getting full -- then I'm happy to help move stuff along to another cache). But it's tough to blame the cache owner for the qualitie of items in his cache.

No cache is an island. You have to accept them for what they are. I judge a cache more by its surroundings than what's physically in it.

I'm happy with an empty tupper ware container and a log book if that's all there is at the end of the hunt.

Jolly R. Blackburn

http://kenzerco.com

38.2k · June 10, 2003

quote:
0h well, maybe Nerf makes a model.

Nerf balls are dangerous. A child could swallow one and choke on it.

"Au pays des aveugles, les borgnes sont rois"

Junky Cache's???!!

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