Cache Maintenance

[Guest bunkerdave]

Having recently placed my first two caches, and having had them both found already, I don't think I will ever be able to travel somewhere and not leave a cache in places which impress me. My wife and I were in Northern California last year, and I can think of a dozen places where I'd have loved to place a cache, if I had know what a cache WAS. The only problem with this is that in placing these caches, I know I am not going to be around to maintain the caches. I think there should be a way to request help form those who ARE nearby in doing so. This opens up a lot of possibilities for growth around the world - if you go someplace on vacation or otherwise, obviously you are not going to be around to maintain your caches, so does that mean you should not place any there? I would like to think not. Perhaps we should consider a sort of "cache hotline" so that when we need to have a cache looked in on for more than just a hunt, like a little TLC, we could post a request that anyone who is nearby could e-mail us and tell us if the cache is in need of help or replenishment or a new logbook or container or whatever. Obviously, with caches that we place close, we can and should maintain our own, but it can't hurt to take care of other people's caches, too. This is not a new idea - I have already read many posts where a seeker has rescued a cache from oblivion, so that others would be able to find it. I have in my car, along with the caches I am going to place, a few extra containers, cache notes, log books, etc, just in case I come across one in need of "first aid."

 

Anyway, just a thought for contemplation.

 

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David Wallentine

[Guest Paul Lamble]

lping maintain caches hidden by others, but I don't think this is something you can EXPECT. I'd say if you are planning to place a cache somewhere that you are unlikely to visit again, you should have made arrangements IN ADVANCE with a local to keep it up for you. I think it is unfair and presumptuous to think a local OUGHT to keep up your cache for you just because they happen to be there.

 

Frankly, a cache that is left somewhere with no plan for maintaining it really is litter. Maybe you'll be lucky and some finder will clean up the inevitable mess and restock it, but you're just as likely to be leaving what will eventually become an empty box. I've only found 21 caches so far, but I've already seen a couple that have been left to chance with the contents soaking wet and/or the containers broken.

 

Sure, you should go for it, but you should have a plan.

 

Paul Lamble

[Guest cavetoad]

This is the Cache Hotline. This and the cache pages themselves. If you find one that needs attention, post it or email the founder. If the stasher can't help right away hopefully someone here can do it.

We are all the Cache Paramedics!

[Guest bunkerdave]

"Amen" to both of these posts. I guess I was just thinking in terms of "reciprocating the favor" and "the golden rule." I know that I have found a cache that was in bad shape - actually it was gone, other than that I was able to recover the container. I put in a few things from my trading supplies, left a new notepad for a log, a pencil, and it was back. That goes a little beyond "cache maintenance,". I guess I just figured that I knew I would like someone to do that for me, rather than just saying "that's a shame" and forgetting about it. After all, the caches are really about locations, much more than the containers and such.