..how much of it is the CHALLENGE?

[+zippes]

Since most GPSr will get you in the area of the cache how important is it to you that the cache ‘location’ itself be as CHALLENGING as possible?

 

“I like my caches mostly... “

 

"Remember... nothing is completly worthless!!... it can always be used as a bad example"!

[+CWL]

I like a challenge. Also the better it is hidden the less likly it will go missing by some Geomuggle.

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

Experience is the best Teacher,I like to hide mine well.I have hid some easy ones though.That is what the ratings are for.

 

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS *GEOTRYAGAIN* http://www.msnusers.com/MissouriTrails

[+Breaktrack]

When we first started I had no real preference, since I cache with the kiddos and try to let them "find" the caches, even if I spot where I think it is, or even actially see it, I try to let them hunt around and then maybe give them hints till they find it themselves. There have been a few that had us all stumped though and I had to take a more direct hand in things. The kids have gotten so good now though that I'm even having to struggle to keep up sometimes.

 

A challenge is always better than being tooooo easy. But we do love them all. (Except the really, really, really lame ones....sheesh).

 

 

"Trade up, trade even, or don't trade!!!" My philosophy of life.

[+RJFerret]

I didn't vote because the last three options all apply equally.

 

Since variety is the spice of life, I want each cache to differ. Since so many elements of geocaching are the same, find the parking if not provided, walk a bit on obvious trails until you get to a bushwacking point... Get within GPS inaccuracy range and THEN things get interesting.

 

I also enjoy hunting without knowing the exact difficulty rating (in my palm database I average the terrain and hide ratings)--so I have to look both superficially AND more indepth. If I get stumped I use the rating as a clue. If I'm still baffled I decrypt the hint. If I don't find it then it's usually been moved from when I last saw the page.

 

But the real point I wanted to share was the psychological concept of "Flow". A psychologist researched the underpinnings of our most enjoyable activities and came up with this concept. One of the elements is that the effort put into the activity equates to the reward. Since the effort varies with the individual cacher, I think you'll find a roughly equal range of respondants.

 

In a previous thread, it was concluded that the best hunts had an average difficulty of 3. 1/5's, 5/1's, 3/3's, etc.

 

Nobody wanted to hike REALLY far to then have to search REALLY hard forever. Nobody enjoyed 1/1's. But really LONG hikes with relatively easy finds and easy hikes with impossible finds were all enjoyed.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Randy

 

PS: The psychologist who researched this was Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, PhD, in case anyone wants more info. It was very enlightening to me and has changed the activites I pursue and the manner in which I pursue them. (Yes, geocaching ranks higher on the list now!)

[+res2100]

Although I love a good challenge, I think that a combination of difficulties are the best. Sometimes I just feel like doing an easy find. But then again, I have tried some that are supposed to be easy and have taken me an hour to find. And also on the other hand, I have found ones that are supposed to be hard, and just found it right away (probably by dumb luck).

 

Also, it depends on how many I have planned to do in a day. If I go to a town far away, then I would like to get as many done as possible, since odds are I won't be returning any time soon. But if I do one close to home, I just take my time and enjoy it.

 

http://ca.geocities.com/rsab2100/pond.html

[skydiver]

I'm more interested in the challange part of the hunt be getting TO the cache location, either by way of a long ardous hike, or complicated puzzle. Once I get within 20 feet of it though, I'm not usually too interested in having to hunt too hard to find it. Too me, hunting for a highly camoflagued cache isn't a challange, it's just busy work, and I've always hated busy work.

 

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

"We never seek things for themselves -- what we seek is the very seeking of things."

Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

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[Northern-Lights]

I have bad knees.....so terrain is a challenge in itself....but I love to get to an area....and then really have to hunt.....that's probably why I'm an accident investigator...I like looking for clues.....

 

Earth First!!! We'll cache the other planets later!!

[+Don&Betty]

Remember, I hope, these caches may remain in place for years, maybe many years. Why not! Therefore they had better be pretty well hidden, in places pretty well off and out of sight of the trails, so they won't be stumbled onto by the geomuggles.

 

As geocachers become experienced, they learn to sense where to look for really well hidden caches. So, well hidden caches shouldn't be a problem, but a rewarding challenge, for them.

 

Also, I personally prefer puzzle caches that require some preliminary easy chair "activity" to determine the coordinates, as well as the activity of going out there to find the cache.

 

And, since it's a GPS game, multi-leg caches provide more activity in the use of the GPS than does a cache having a single set of coordinates just "given" in the listing.

 

On the other hand, I like these multi legs to be prominent and of known description so I'm not always looking for a needle in a haystack. Leave that for the cache itself if at all.

[BassoonPilot]

I love a challenge, but more importantly, I want the cache ratings to accurately reflect the experience.

 

Accurate ratings help to determine the amount of time to budget for a cache, and which caches family members/friends might find enjoyable.

[+maldar]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Don&Betty:

Remember, I hope, these caches may remain in place for years, maybe many years. Why not! Therefore they had better be pretty well hidden, in places pretty well off and out of sight of the trails, so they won't be stumbled onto by the geomuggles.

 

As geocachers become experienced, they learn to sense where to look for really well hidden caches. So, well hidden caches shouldn't be a problem, but a rewarding challenge, for them.

 

Also, I personally prefer puzzle caches that require some preliminary easy chair "activity" to determine the coordinates, as well as the activity of going out there to find the cache.

 

And, since it's a GPS game, multi-leg caches provide more activity in the use of the GPS than does a cache having a single set of coordinates just "given" in the listing.

 

On the other hand, I like these multi legs to be prominent and of known description so I'm not always looking for a needle in a haystack. Leave that for the cache itself if at all.

---

 

Let me just say that Don from Don&Betty has to be one of the most evil cachers out there. His caches are the most difficult I have tried, although Don, Doc Ott is giving you a run for the money. If anyone is in the Jackson, Michigan area I suggest trying their caches.

 

Maldar