Interesting web page...

[Rubbertoe]

I was taking a few minutes to browse around the web to see if I could find any other stashed based gaming, and I came across this page.

 

That guy mentions the idea of expiration dates for caches, and he does a good job of explaining why this would be a good thing. Actually, most of the views on that page are ones that I would agree with. Anyone think it is a bad idea?

 

Check out that page... all opinions appreciated. Well, most of em anyway.

 

Click the Toe...  and please stop confusing your opinion with fact, ok?

[umc]

"If people are still stopping by on a regular basis and everything is in good shape, it should stay put.

If the logs have dwindled substantially to more than a month between visits during a time that weather

isn't the primary factor, maybe interest will increase if you move the cache container to a new home

a few miles down the road."

 

I agree with that, it makes sense.

 

[+brdad]

That page came about shortly after we got here Rubbertoe.

 

Save our forests, wipe your *** with a tree-hugger.

[Rubbertoe]

quote:

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Originally posted by brdad:

That page came about shortly after we got here Rubbertoe.

---

Well, I hadn't seen it before - nor have I really thought (in depth) about the idea of having expiration dates for geocaches. I just thought some other folks might find it interesting as well.

 

Click the Toe...  and please stop confusing your opinion with fact, ok?

[+briansnat]

I disagree with the concept of cache time limits.

My 1/1 (actually a 1/1.5 because a 1/1 would be wheelchair accessable and most caches arent)caches are hit pretty frequently, even months after placement. The author of this page assumes that that caches aren't being maintained, hence his "picked clean" comment. A responsible Geocacher should be checking on the condition of their caches periodically and re-seeding the cache as necessary.

 

Of course once the local regulars hit a cache, the visits generally tail off. But there are always new Geocachers coming along and sometimes, vacationers. Therefore I see no reason to move a cache unless it is impacting the surrounding area.

 

"Life is a daring adventure, or it is nothing" - Helen Keller

[+CYBret]

quote:

---

Originally posted by BrianSnat:

I disagree with the concept of cache time limits.

My 1/1 (actually a 1/1.5 because a 1/1 would be wheelchair accessable and most caches arent)caches are hit pretty frequently, even months after placement. The author of this page assumes that that caches aren't being maintained, hence his "picked clean" comment. A responsible Geocacher should be checking on the condition of their caches periodically and re-seeding the cache as necessary.

---

 

Quoting from the webpage itself:

quote:

---

If people are still stopping by on a regular basis and everything is in good shape, it should stay put.

If the logs have dwindled substantially to more than a month between visits during a time that weather

isn't the primary factor, maybe interest will increase if you move the cache container to a new home

a few miles down the road.

---

 

Heck, I'll even quote from Jeremy's "Geocaching: Guide to Creating and Hiding a Cache":

quote:

---

Once you place the cache, it is your responsibility to maintain the cache and the area around it. You'll need to return as often as you can to ensure that your cache is not impacting the area, and ensure that the cache is in good repair. Once people have visited the cache, inquire about the cache and their opinion of the location. Does the area look disturbed? Are visitors disrupting the landscape in any way? If you have concerns about the location, feel free to move or remove it from the area.

---

 

I first read this webpage several weeks ago when the author asked me to look it over. My initial response to him was, "There isn't a geocacher alive who shouldn't read this, smack his forehead and say 'Duuuuhh!'" We should have all realized this is an option--and at times a necessary option--but we just don't seem to practice it often enough.

 

He makes some good points. The biggest for me is the point about the social trail. I've seen a lot of that lately and this approach would definitely take care of that problem.

 

But, let's face it, human nature loves the permanency of a space. If it's not Mecca it's some monument on an otherwise forgotten battlefield. I think if this idea were to be implemented every hider would have to take a close look at their caches and ask, "Is it the sport or is it the spot?"

 

Bret

 

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.

When a man found it, he hid it again." Mt. 13:44

[Rubbertoe]

quote:

---

Originally posted by BrianSnat:

The author of this page assumes that that caches aren't being maintained, hence his "picked clean" comment. A responsible Geocacher should be checking on the condition of their caches periodically and re-seeding the cache as necessary.

---

 

Hmm... I guess I'm not quite that forgiving. If I check on my cache and there are still some goodies and a bit of trash, I'll remove the trash and put it back as is. If I'm going to release more good stuff into the wild, I'd rather do it in a new cache. I'll just archive any of my caches if/when they turn into trash bins.

 

Click the Toe...  and please stop confusing your opinion with fact, ok?

[+MartyFouts]

we hashed this out on the usenet newsgroup alt.rec.geocaching just before Chob put that web page up. I think there's a google newsgroup archive of the thread.

 

in brief: I think formal expiration rules are a bad idea because by the time you made them comprehensive enough to be fair and cover all the cases, they'd make the tax code look simple.

 

cache should stay in place so long as it doesn't cause environmental harm and the owner is maintaining it.

 

Marty Fouts

ae6ip

[kagekaze]

The current rules seem to work well enough. If a cache is missing or abandoned, then it should be archived. Additional layers of complexity will only detract from the sport.

 

No matter where you go, there you are... give or take 20 feet.