Who should archive or pull a cache?

[+Bear and Ting]

This has probably been discussed before, but I ran across this again this week-end while traveling and, well, it just irked me.

 

I downloaded a slew (over 120) of caches into my Palm and GPS for the Boca Raton area. We (my wife and I) decided to search in an area and found a cluster of caches that were reportedly stolen. In some cases, this was even in the description header of the cache. (Refer to King's Ransom). There were many in the same area like this...plundered, stolen, MIA. My question is, if the cache owner KNOWS it is gone and has taken the time to say so himself, why do they not ARCHIVE the cache. This way we know not to take the time to download it to our GPS (one less coordinate to stumble over sometimes) and into our PDA (more room for valid caches).

 

My hat goes off to ENDZONE. We think we discovered his cache (Prince Treasure) plundered. We emailed him that evening and within an hour, his cache was "unavailable". Now, I am not looking for THAT kind of turn around from everyone, but "King's Ransom" was reported stolen in the logs back in JAN.

 

Please, cache-owners, if your cache is inactive, archive it. It would make for a more fun game.

 

Bear & Ting

 

Geocachers don't NEED to ask for directions!

 

[This message was edited by Bear & Ting on June 17, 2002 at 03:44 PM.]

[+Rye_and_Leigh]

We have two problem caches in our area (out of a dozen or so total caches in the area) that I'd like to see archived. One has been reported not found by the last five or six cachers over the space of three months and the cache owner doesn't respond. The other was a drive-by cache placed by someone several states away who claims it's super-easy and who deletes the not found logs and has even had the audacity to ask the locals to send him the correct coords if we happen to find it.

 

There really needs to be a way to deal with abandoned and completely false caches. Does anyone have any good methods or ideas?

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bear & Ting:

I downloaded a slew (over 120) of caches into my Palm and GPS for the Boca Raton area. We (my wife and I) decided found a cluster of caches that were reported stolen. In some cases, this was even in the description header of the cache. (Refer to http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=6118). There were many in the same area like this...plundered, stolen, MIA. My question is, if the cache owner KNOWS it is gone and has taken the time to say so himself, _why do they not ARCHIVE the cache. This way we know not to take the time to download it to our GPS (one less coordinate to stumble over sometimes) and into our PDA (more room for valid caches). _

 

My hat goes off to ENDZONE. We think we discovered his cache (Prince Treasure) plundered. We emailed him that evening and within an hour, his cache was "unavailable". Now, I am not looking for THAT kind of turn around from everyone, but "King's Ransom" was reported stolen in the logs back in JAN.

 

Please, cache-owners, if your cache is inactive, archive it. It would make for a more fun game.

---

[+Renegade Knight]

The cache owner can archive it if they choose. Just because somone can't find it doesn't mean it's not there. Always read the logs before you go. This would have saved me more than one headache finding a cache. In one case it allowed me to find a cache that had skunked several people because they didn't read the logs and I did. IN that case the cache had been moved (with good reason) by a prior cacher who posted the new coordinates for the owner to use.

[+mtn-man]

You can now log a cache and you have been given an option to request that the "Cache should be archived". It is in the same area where you select "Found It!", "Couldn't Find It!" or "Post a Note". This will trigger an email to Geocaching.com and the cache will be reviewed.

 

You can also post them here and the topics get noticed. The cache in question above has now been archived, so your topic has cleared out a bad cache already.

 

I support the Georgia Geocachers Association, or the GGA!

[+GeoCrickets]

What I would like to see is a option that will let me not see the unavailable caches. There are a lot of them that the hidder marks as unavailable but never replaces the cache. When you download them thay will still show up..

 

Richard.

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

GeoCrickets I believe the only time an archived cache will show up is if you have already logged it. So if you put an unhappy face log on it you can go remove it.

 

Never Squat With Yer Spurs On

[+VentureForth]

I think that the Currently Unavailable feature is the best thing going for someone who owns a cache to disable it temporarily until it can be fixed up. Archiving should be left to caches with owners far away and no local caretakers, AFTER the remnants have been removed (if plundered) or verified that the cache no longer exists (don't forget; we don't want a bunch of abandoned caches littering the planet).

 

As far as downloading the caches, just don't click the "download all" button. Click each individual cache you want in your GPS and download them. The unavailable ones are clearly separated just like the ones you've hidden and already found.

 

I do that just to skip the virtuals. Or to get only virtuals, or only multis for whatever demented reason I may have.

 

VF

 

---------------

Go! And don't be afraid to get a little wet!

[+VentureForth]

I think that the Currently Unavailable feature is the best thing going for someone who owns a cache to disable it temporarily until it can be fixed up. Archiving should be left to caches with owners far away and no local caretakers, AFTER the remnants have been removed (if plundered) or verified that the cache no longer exists (don't forget; we don't want a bunch of abandoned caches littering the planet).

 

As far as downloading the caches, just don't click the "download all" button. Click each individual cache you want in your GPS and download them. The unavailable ones are clearly separated just like the ones you've hidden and already found.

 

I do that just to skip the virtuals. Or to get only virtuals, or only multis for whatever demented reason I may have.

 

VF

 

---------------

Go! And don't be afraid to get a little wet!

[+Bear and Ting]

quote:

---

Originally posted by VentureForth:

I think that the Currently Unavailable feature is the best thing going for someone who owns a cache to disable it temporarily until it can be fixed up. Archiving should be left to caches with owners far away and no local caretakers, AFTER the remnants have been removed (if plundered) or verified that the cache no longer exists (don't forget; we don't want a bunch of abandoned caches littering the planet).

 

As far as downloading the caches, just don't click the "download all" button. Click each individual cache you want in your GPS and download them. The unavailable ones are clearly separated just like the ones you've hidden and already found.

 

I do that just to skip the virtuals. Or to get only virtuals, or only multis for whatever demented reason I may have.

 

VF

 

---------------

http://www.scubaboard.com/images/smilies/wavey.gif Go! And don't be afraid to get a little wet!

---

 

Ah.... see, now there is something I did not know (and I try to learn something new every day). There is a difference between "Archived" and "Currently Unavailable". I like that. I guess I would have learned that as a cache owner sooner or later, as I am in the process of developing two rather unique caches (I hope).

 

Thanks for fixing that one. I will go over my notes for the day and log a "Note" suggesting archiving a few more in the area. I did not know this alerted the admins.

 

While I agree that one should not use the check all, I do. I use the geoclipping application to suck down the cache texts I want to try to get to and then select ALL on the page. I then uncheck the ones I want to skip. Obviously, I uncheck the "Unavailable" ones. However, as I stated before, these WERE listed as stolen by the cache owner and yet were still listed as available.

 

Bear & Ting

 

Geocachers don't NEED to ask for directions!

[+Bear and Ting]

quote:

---

Originally posted by VentureForth:

I think that the Currently Unavailable feature is the best thing going for someone who owns a cache to disable it temporarily until it can be fixed up. Archiving should be left to caches with owners far away and no local caretakers, AFTER the remnants have been removed (if plundered) or verified that the cache no longer exists (don't forget; we don't want a bunch of abandoned caches littering the planet).

 

As far as downloading the caches, just don't click the "download all" button. Click each individual cache you want in your GPS and download them. The unavailable ones are clearly separated just like the ones you've hidden and already found.

 

I do that just to skip the virtuals. Or to get only virtuals, or only multis for whatever demented reason I may have.

 

VF

 

---------------

http://www.scubaboard.com/images/smilies/wavey.gif Go! And don't be afraid to get a little wet!

---

 

Ah.... see, now there is something I did not know (and I try to learn something new every day). There is a difference between "Archived" and "Currently Unavailable". I like that. I guess I would have learned that as a cache owner sooner or later, as I am in the process of developing two rather unique caches (I hope).

 

Thanks for fixing that one. I will go over my notes for the day and log a "Note" suggesting archiving a few more in the area. I did not know this alerted the admins.

 

While I agree that one should not use the check all, I do. I use the geoclipping application to suck down the cache texts I want to try to get to and then select ALL on the page. I then uncheck the ones I want to skip. Obviously, I uncheck the "Unavailable" ones. However, as I stated before, these WERE listed as stolen by the cache owner and yet were still listed as available.

 

Bear & Ting

 

Geocachers don't NEED to ask for directions!

[+beejay&esskay]

Clearly a newbie here.

 

There are a number of caches in my area that are currently unavailable and have been for a while. One was last found more than 6 months ago.

 

Is there any automatic method that moves them from "currently unavailable" to some other status, or does that depend on the cache owner to take some action?

[+sbell111]

I believe that a cache can be unavailable indefinitely. In fact, I am going to temporarily disable my 'Caesar's Greetings' cache until the next holiday rolls around that I feel like giving trinks; possibly until next Christmas.

 

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

[+welch]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bear & Ting:

Ah.... see, now there is something I did not know (and I try to learn something new every day). There is a difference between "Archived" and "Currently Unavailable". I like that.

---

Actually I think they are "Archived" and "Disabled", but that doesnt really matter. If there's a cache that you have a question/complaint about, why dont you just send a polite email to the cache owner? In the case they already know a cache is missing, you could suggest they archive it or at least disable it until replaced. If the owner does not respond then just flag the cache with an "cache should be archived" log and let the Admins take care of it. I should point out that NOT everyone checks their email daily, so you would want to wait a least a couple weeks.

 

The same for caches that have been Unavailable for prolonged perionds(excluding ones that are seasonal/etc). Send a email to the owner, you'll either give them a little nudge to get doing something with it, or give it up. Or if they dont respond then just flag it