Having hard time maintaining caches.

[freeside]

In the year or so that I've been geocaching, about a quarter of my caches have either disappeared or been trashed (by wild animals or wild humans? who knows.) So I think I may start leaving only virtual caches even where a regular cache would fit. Also, burning gas just to maintain a cache isn't good for the environment. Comments?

 

[This message was edited by freeside on May 08, 2003 at 12:47 PM.]

[+briansnat]

Maybe you should reconsider the types of places you hide your caches, or hide them better. Better containers also help.

 

I've lost 1 out of 40+ real caches I've placed over the past year and a half. Maybe I'm just lucky.

 

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

[+user13371]

quote:

---

Originally posted by freeside:

...I think I may start leaving only virtual caches even where a regular cache would fit. Also, burning gas just to maintain a cache isn't good for the environment.

---

 

Two suggestions:

 

1) Plant your caches within walking or biking distance of where you live. Easier said than done for some people -- I live in an area where that would be pretty easy.

 

2: Plant your cache somewhere along a route that you have to routinely travel anyhow, so that it isn't an extra trip.

 

Virtual caches are frowned upon lately, as many users will tell you. Though it doesn't say that in the FAQ or the formal rules, the reason is explained here, about halfway into the article.

 

I've got a virtual stalled in the approval process now. I'm thinking of changing it to an offset or some other kind of "real" cache.

 

---

LDR.

[+user13371]

quote:

---

Originally posted by BrianSnat:

Maybe you should reconsider the types of places you hide your caches, or hide them better. Better containers also help. I've lost 1 out of 40+ real caches I've placed over the past year and a half. Maybe I'm just lucky.

---

 

Brian:

 

Could you expand on this? Maybe describe what kind of locations and containers would be less likely to fall victim to this problem? And also what sort of things should be avoided?

 

Remember my peevishness on another thread a few days ago? No offense, but I read the same kind of thing here. Think about it: I'm sure you mean to be helpful, but in essence all you really said to freeside was "You're doing it wrong, I don't have that problem."

 

So please, share some of the fruits of your greater experience and help us all improve the sport. What do you think is wrong with freeside's containers or locations?

 

---

LDR.

[+pdxmarathonman]

quote:

---

I may start leaving only virtual caches even where a regular cache would fit

---

Sounds like troll talk to me.

[+The Leprechauns]

Well for starters, I've never seen an ammo box get trashed by critters or weather. If you want your caches to be low-maintenance, don't use Gladware, use Armyware.

 

Hiding spots are common sense. If you're in the backcountry, the cache can be in plain sight and survive for years without being plundered by muggles. If you're in an urban park, it had better be well-hidden, so that only a geocacher can find it. A rock or piece of bark covering an ammo box is the simplest version of camoflage. You can't see the box, and a muggle would look right past it, but to a geocacher, the out-of-place rock is like a neon sign saying "LOOK HERE." The trick is to put the caches out of plain sight, while still making them findable without the searcher having to tear apart the landscape.

 

Ultimately, if you find it inconvenient to maintain caches, don't place any and just enjoy hunting them. You'll find virtual caches are hard to get approved, especially since, for your existing caches, you've already demonstrated that a physical cache can be placed at that location.

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Some mornings, it just doesn't pay to chew through the leather straps. - Emo Phillips

[+sbell111]

Brian and LDR both make good points.

 

If you hide caches far and wide, maintenance trips can be very troublesome to fit into your schedule. Therefore, hide caches close to your home or near a route you often take. (LDR)

 

If you are having trouble with your caches being damaged by weather and fauna, use tougher cache boxes. If your caches are disappearing, perhaps you are not hiding them well enough. (BS)

 

<Yikes! Forum post #666, the post of the devil.>

[+Renegade Knight]

I've lost two or three and just archived the rest due to lack of interest on my part.

 

As for gas. Do you think biking around and making methane (which is a greenhouse gas) is any better?

 

The bottom line though is they are your caches, do what you want.

 

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

Wherever you go there you are.

[+DapperDanMan]

I recommend that you don't have so many caches if you have a hard time maintaining them all. By looking at your profile I see that you have hidden more caches that you have found. There seems to be thousands of caches in urban areas but most of them are trash because the user does not maintain them.

 

Like others have said, use ammo boxes. These things are tuff and they are pretty cheap. I don't know if it just me, but I get a lot more excited when I find a cache and it is an ammo box. For some reason when I see it is a rubbermaid container, I am not as excited.

[+briansnat]

quote:

---

Brian:

 

Could you expand on this? Maybe describe what kind of locations and containers would be less likely to fall victim to this problem? And also what sort of things should be avoided?

 

Remember my peevishness on another thread a few days ago? No offense, but I read the same kind of thing here. Think about it: I'm sure you mean to be helpful, but in essence all you really said to freeside was "You're doing it wrong, I don't have that problem."

 

So please, share some of the fruits of your greater experience and help us all improve the sport. What do you think is wrong with freeside's containers or locations?

---

 

Sure, first off make sure the size of the cache container is appropriate for the area it's hidden. In a popular suburban, or urban park, don't hide a .50 cal ammo box, or a two gallon Rubbermaid container. Smaller size caches like decon boxes, sandwich sized RubberMaid containers and micros are the way to go in these areas.

 

In the deep forest, or far off the beaten path, larger containers are fine...but don't assume that because they are off the beaten path, you can simply stick them behind a log. They should still be well concealed.

 

Don't hide your cache at the end of, or along a "herd path" (i.e. unmarked trails through forest, or field). The paths were created for a reason. People go there and they will find your

cache by accident.

 

Camoflage your container where possible. Spraypaint, or camo tape work well. Even duct tape is good for hiding a cache among rocks. Anything that will cover unnatural colors will do.

 

DO NOT USE CONTAINERS THAT HAVE CONTAINED FOOD AT ONE TIME. If you are using Tupperware, or RubberMaid containers, buy them new. Food smells get into the plastic and are nearly impossible to remove, so don't steal a container from your kitchen. Animals have keen noses and will seek your caches out and make a mess of them.

 

Don't hide your cache in what seems to be a popular party spot. If you see beer cans, fire rings, etc..., you can be sure partying teens frequent the area and will stumble on your cache eventually.

 

Also, don't place your cache where searchers are likely to be observed (I know some people do this to add to the difficulty, but it also increases the chance of the cache being stolen).

 

Where possible use ammo boxes. They are watertight, easily camoflaged, inexpensive and because animals, snow and rain won't get into them, they don't require as frequent maint visits.

 

And absolutely, positively, DO NOT use Gladware, or Chinese food/deli containers.

 

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

 

[This message was edited by BrianSnat on May 08, 2003 at 05:36 PM.]

[+user13371]

Brian:

 

Thank you for the expansive advice.

 

I've got an ammo can that I recently spray painted flat-black. My stepson was puzzled by this...

 

"I thought you said it had to be camouflaged," said he.

 

"It is," I replied, "I plan to put it someplace dark."

 

---

LDR.

[claypigeon58]

quote:

---

Also, burning gas just to maintain a cache isn't good for the environment. Comments?

---

 

What's worse is having people drive (burn gas) to get to a cache that is not maintained. Besides, placing the cache in the first place is encouraging people to drive to it, so I don't see how one more trip for maintenance is a big deal. If you're that concerned about the environment, I would suggest not placing any caches in the first place, since most people drive to get to them.