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logging what you take or leave


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I noticed that a lot of people don't log what they take or leave after finding a cache. I like knowing who took what I left behind, and when it was taken..just like to keep track of those things, as i have a personal notebook, along with the GC logs. I like keeping little tidbits of all info. Even if you TNLN, it would be nice to know. Just a suggestion! How do others feel about this?

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We have been trying to log what we take and leave. I know that reading my cache's logs and seeing what cachers are taking and leaving helps me decide when to do my cache house cleaning (maintenance).

 

Did you know that the base of my wine glass fits perfectly into a family size tomato soup can?

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Sometimes I think that afterwards, a lot of people just plain forget what they swapped out. Especially when they've found several caches in one day. My PDA has a voice recording feature and I just record a short message after I find each cache, detailing what I took and left and also any other details that might be of interest later when I log the find on the website.

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i wrote in a logbook what i left, and then, ten minutes down slope from the cache - i realized that i never acutally placed one of the items - and went back.

 

and i was already pretty much spent. the hike was 1.5 miles in... but about a thousand feet of elevation...

 

and i am usually seen with a fourty pound passenger...

 

(whine whine whine)

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

hey... what's that smell?

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I usually note my swaps in the paper log and on line (if I remember them). I like it when people do it for my caches as well, so I have an idea as to what's in it.

 

I think a lot of people are ashamed to write something like "Took Mini Mag light, left a stick of bubblegum", so they don't bother.

 

"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues" -Abraham Lincoln

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I had a similar experience. A recent micro cache log entry (on the web page) indicated the finder had left $20. The only log after that one indicated that the person left something, no mention of taking the $20. I thought cool, I need $20 so I went to the cache the next day and found only then by reading the logbook that the previous visitor had indeed taken the $20. Hey, I would've taken it too (that's why I was there), but it would've been nice to see the logbook entry match the online log entry.

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We operate on the idea that someone put enough effort into creating the cache, the least we can do is mention online what we experienced and traded when finding it.

 

If one can look up a cache, print out the info, drive to the area, hike out, find the dang thing, log it, hike back, drive home..... surely it wouldn't kill one to type a couple lines for the online cache page......

 

But to each their own - even though my way's the right way icon_razz.gif

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I've been forgetting what I swapped lately. It's very embarrassing. I'm trying to remember to take notes on the printed cache page, but sometimes I forget that as well. Heck, I forgot to leave a cache card in the first three we did yesterday. I'm lucky I remember what the heck we're doing in the middle of the woods sometimes.

 

Really, though. I definitely log what I take and leave in the physical cache book, and if I took or left anything of unusual value, a travel bug, etc, I can remember *that* long enough to log it online. I'm just not always sure, by the time I get home, which cache the little plastic lizard came from. I do write fairly detailed logs about the cache hunt/experience, but lately I've started omitting the "Um, I forgot what I took" line. I'll try to do better in the future icon_smile.gif.

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Claypigeon, that's another good point! I had a similar experience a couple of weeks ago. Someone had left a book titled "Pay It Forward" in a cache not far from home. I had seen that movie and loved it. Wanted to read the book at the time, but couldn't find it in our local library. I'm a cheapskate lately. No longer buy books but borrow them! hehe Anyway, went to the cache, looking so forward to finding the BOOK, since no one had posted taking it. Come to find out, someone had taken it back in January and did not log online! icon_rolleyes.gif I was so disappointed! The following Monday, I called my library to see if they had the book. Come to find out they had had it, but it's now "lost"! ROFL! Maybe I'll get lucky and find one in another cache someday! icon_biggrin.gif

BTW Thank you to all for the responses to my post! icon_biggrin.gif

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I had started not trading anything except signature items recently.....and leaving a short log. Then, there was a thread here not long ago that reminded me that there are a lot of newer people every day that are learning just like I did not all that long ago. Now, even if I don't take anything, I try to leave something nice...it don't have to cost much...but something that would be nice to most folks. I also leave our card and signature item in each cache. We also started leaving more detailed logs both in the cache, and on the cache page to help cache owners know we appreciate the efforts in putting out the caches. Yes, it takes more time and effort, but we've found that since we are in this for the fun, then we can spread the fun around as we go.

 

If God is your co-pilot, it's time to change seats!!!

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quote:
I had started not trading anything except signature items recently.....and leaving a short log. Then, there was a thread here not long ago that reminded me that there are a lot of newer people every day that are learning just like I did not all that long ago. Now, even if I don't take anything, I try to leave something nice...it don't have to cost much...but something that would be nice to most folks. I also leave our card and signature item in each cache. We also started leaving more detailed logs both in the cache, and on the cache page to help cache owners know we appreciate the efforts in putting out the caches. Yes, it takes more time and effort, but we've found that since we are in this for the fun, then we can spread the fun around as we go.


 

Bravo NL. Youy understand what this sport is all about. Thank you!

 

"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues" -Abraham Lincoln

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I try to post on the cache page the same thing I wrote in the log book. Micros are an exception.

I keep track by carrying a small notebook and keeping my own log book of each cache I do. I use the small notebooks with the spiral on top with at least 60 pages. That way I can record 100 caches in each book using both sides of the pages. And I can accurately record my trades.

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quote:
Originally posted by nevin1977:

it is simple for me.... I take the digital camera with me and shoot a pic of the GPS screen, cache, and my log entry


I was just about to reply with the same idea. I'm always the one in our group who does the logging, and when we started caching, I always wrote what we exchanged in the log, then again on the printout so I could list it a third time on-line. When I started bringing my digital camera with us this spring, it dawned on me to simply snap a photo of the log page after I'd filled it out. Saves a bunch of time and eliminates mistakes.

 

On a related note, I was starting to wonder if it was worth the effort to log all the exchanges. So many times I've seen the single-line logs that are pretty useless in conveying the story of the find. I'm glad to see so many here echoing the idea that they like to know what people went through to make the find and what they took and left.

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quote:
NOrthernLights: I had started not trading anything except signature items recently.....and leaving a short log. Then, there was a thread here not long ago that reminded me that there are a lot of newer people every day that are learning just like I did not all that long ago. Now, even if I don't take anything, I try to leave something nice...it don't have to cost much...but something that would be nice to most folks. I also leave our card and signature item in each cache. We also started leaving more detailed logs both in the cache, and on the cache page to help cache owners know we appreciate the efforts in putting out the caches. Yes, it takes more time and effort, but we've found that since we are in this for the fun, then we can spread the fun around as we go.


I'm with you NL. There are a lot of family cachers around here, and the kids look forward to taking something from the hidden treasure. I now only take something unique, or TB's, but always leave something of interest; at the very least a gold S$1. If we only left signature items sooner or later every cache will only contain a collection of sig.items.

 

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

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I don't think it's to much to ask that you log what you took and what you left, I like to see it, and so do others. I think the 'I did so many caches today that I don't remember' excuse is pretty lame, and Kind of selfish. The log entries are a nice part of geocaching for me, reading and writing them. JMHO

 

_________________________________________________________

If trees could scream, would we still cut them down?

Well, maybe if they screamed all the time, for no reason.

Click here for my Geocaching pictures and Here (newest)

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I always log my trades in the logbook and on the website. I carry a personal logbook with me that I note the story of the cache find. As a newbie I like to see if my trades are of interest to someone else. Lately I've been leaving a silver half dollar and I'm interested in what someone leaves in trade for them.

 

I just wanna be a cosmic cowboy. NGDB

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I, too, carry a logbook with me and use it to record not only all the details of the caches I place but also my tooks and lefts and my impressions of the caches I find -- nothing too detailed, just things I want to remember to mention. These logbooks (I'm on my second) create a fascinating record of my caching experience.

 

On the TNLN topic: Trading is part of the game, folks. And while I rarely take anything I almost always leave something.

 

I consider a few foreign coins, a geocaching button or some other inexpensive trinket as a pretty cheap price to pay for what, so far, has proven to be mighty fine entertainment. Also, I know what it's like to open a cache expecting to find something cool and interesting and be disappointed by a bunch of junk. If I can do my part to reduce the chance the next guy will have the same experience I'm happy to do it.

 

I confess I don't appreciate those cachers who have adopted a TNLN habit as some sort of badge of their vast geocaching experience. It seems like they're saying "I'm above that now." I don't think they're doing anything to pay back to the game. I consider that a shame . . .

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I have only searched and found 5 cache (I am a newbie) but I usually take something and leave something.

 

I always sign the logbook and state what I take and leave. I then make the notes on my Geo printout right at the cache (or if I am being bitten alive from skeeters then I do it when I make it back to the car). When I get home I then log the cache at the site with the same info.

 

I enjoy the take and leave, I usually do not keep the item, it just makes it's way to another cache.

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