Why do cachers quit the game?

[+RokMartian]

I stopped caching just over 2 years ago, and I just started back. I didn't have a real reason for leaving - My father died a few months prior and I let my health go. With my depression and weight gain, I just lost total interest.

 

I am finally making a turn for the better - I am coming out of my depression and have lost some weight. (My doctor gave me a good talkin to ) To get myself back into some semblance of exercise, I am trying to get back into geocaching. I figure it will at least get me out of the house.

 

I went out and found 4 caches today - and it was exhilarating!

 

Glad to be back,

Tim P.

[+TrailGators]

I stopped caching just over 2 years ago, and I just started back. I didn't have a real reason for leaving - My father died a few months prior and I let my health go. With my depression and weight gain, I just lost total interest.

 

I am finally making a turn for the better - I am coming out of my depression and have lost some weight. (My doctor gave me a good talkin to ) To get myself back into some semblance of exercise, I am trying to get back into geocaching. I figure it will at least get me out of the house.

 

I went out and found 4 caches today - and it was exhilarating!

 

Glad to be back,

Tim P.

Glad to have you back Tim! Geocaching is a very fun way to get some exercise!

[metherk]

I think that some people get intimidated and quit because they think its not for them. I've come accross some other cachers that have an attitude where they think that caching is a competition. They have to have the most finds, FTFs, and have hidden the best caches. I'm pretty new to caching and love it, ive got a little over 20 finds and have just hid my first cache last week. For the most part the logs have been great, but there are a few that say that the hide is bad, in the wrong spot, too easy, visible whatever. I get the impression that these people with 1000+ finds look at me with 20 and think that I don't know what I'm doing and don't deserve to be a part of the geocaching community. 99% of cachers are great and are encouraging and want to see growth in this activity but there are a select few that are too high an mighty to help a new guy along.

[+sseegars]

Not speaking for anyone else and I haven't read all of the thread:

 

1. Caching is a sport that can really suck you in and take over.

2. The Elite can really grind the nerves.

3. Infighting in groups. (A big one for me when I "retired" from caching.)

4. Like someone else said, cache density. I have to plan a trip to get past caches that aren't mine.

 

I quit for awhile, changed handles, and came back with a whole new view of caching. Now I don't let the stuff above get to me. Now I cache how I want to. I have a few friends I cache with and I don't worry much about groups and such. We have a small unorganized group that gets together occasionally, the SCPC. I also like the get togethers with the Pee Dee Cachers. Other than that it's cache as I will.

[+Miragee]

I haven't read this entire thread, but I think it is a great question. A couple of years ago, I hiked to an old cache, "Secret Canyon." After our hike, we enjoyed the rest at the cache and took the time to look through the logbook. Most of the names in the book were people I had never heard of.

 

We wondered if they moved away, or took up a new hobby, or if something else (ill health) took them away from the activity.

 

I'm glad to hear the stories of people who left and are now back. Geocaching has been very good for my health, so I hope I never quit the activity, for whatever reason.

[+tracywatson]

I found this log while reading through a cache:<BR><BR>"February 4, 2001 by mdhaas (2 found)<BR>I FOUND IT!; I yelled as my 3 companions were scurrying up the hill behind me No sooner did I hear someone yell ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A CACHE?. I was surprised to find we were not alone. The rest is history as Logged by my new friend Ron. I must say it was a pleasant surprise to find other cache hunters there with us. This was our first hunt. We left the Zane Grey paperback & the AAA Batteries. We will be looking for the survival cache next weekend. We are already planning our own cache; Look for it in the next couple of weeks. Again, Ron & Marilyn, It was a pleasure to meet you & I hope our paths cross again"<BR><BR>Now why do cachers start out, seem to have a good time then never log again? The second log was fine also then no more.<BR>Do they just decide that it's not for them? Lose their GPS? Have a really bad no-find experience?<BR>Your guess...<BR><BR>Mickey<BR>Max Entropy<BR>More than just a name, a lifestyle.

 

I am addicted to this and I've only been doing it a week BUT I can honestly say I was almost forced into quitting and I was certainly not happy about it. My fiance' is the protective type and at first acted like I'd came up with another hair-brained idea for entertainment (my ideas and his differ quite a bit as TV and geocaching do NOT go hand in hand...) Anyway... so that was his first attempt, make me feel silly and I'll stop. Well it didn't work. I ignored him. The second attempt was telling me I couldn't go and he had an enormous problem with it and was angry at me for not asking permission to drive the van I was borrowing on geocache hunts. So I asked permission and got it. He couldn't argue. Then he eliminated the solo hunts as there's always a serial killer looking for me even when I check the mail all by myself like a big girl. LOL! (You know, I can't BELIEVE you went to the mailbox by yourself! What if someone hurt you!? We wouldn't know where you were!) My reply should be "well, I wasn't too far from home, about 5 feet exactly, so you wouldn't have had to look too long." But, I bite my tongue, tell him I'm a big girl and move on. He has forbidden certain geocaching sites that the lower-class people in town live in close proximity to and therefore are all murderers and drug addicts that are going to get me! LOL So... I decided if I wasn't allowed to go without a 7 foot 400 pound gorilla bodyguard with me then HE was going! So... tonight HE actually found the cache I'd been looking for on three separate occasions! LOL! It's taken me two weeks but he finally went with me! He did scare me though I have to admit. He allowed me to wander around in the woods looking for the cache and he did help me. He allowed me to enjoy myself and take my time and get all excited when he finally found it for me. THEN we leave the site and drive past the really nice trees etc. right smack into the worst neighborhood or living conditions I've ever witnessed in my entire life. I looked for signs of electricity and could find none. I also noticed there is a port-a-john every three houses or so, out by the road beside the mail box. (YUCK) I also made note of the people in the yards.... very sickly looking and with classic signs of hard-drug-use. Jonesing I guess it's called? The inability to stay still, involuntary movements, sores all over the place, etc... <sigh> He was right on that one and I am glad we found it so I don't have to go back there. There were some houses out there that could literally have been pushed over by my two year old son and people really lived in them!!! No windows, can see right into parts of the house, and there were people inside those houses. It was very heart-wrenching and scarey. There was a very odd odor before we actually got out of the woods and it wasn't the port-a-johns. Those people certainly were NOT happy that we were there. It reminded me of Deliverance or something to be honest. Everyone knew we were there and everyone showed us we didn't belong there. So... I've taken his warning to heart and I'm careful and don't mind the company he insists I take with me but it got rediculous when I wasn't allowed to even go to the park. It's okay if we're playing on the swings but it's not okay if I am looking under bushes, rocks, logs, or under and around the benches and tables. LOL! He's so funny sometimes.

 

But... I guess maybe some people aren't "allowed" to go geocaching once they start talking about it.

 

Tracy

[+TrailGators]

I haven't read this entire thread, but I think it is a great question. A couple of years ago, I hiked to an old cache, "Secret Canyon." After our hike, we enjoyed the rest at the cache and took the time to look through the logbook. Most of the names in the book were people I had never heard of.

I think most of those people are gone. I love old caches like that one!

[+traildad]

 

The second attempt was telling me I couldn't go

Tracy

For a second I thought I was reading a Dear Abbey letter.

[Drive-in]

Why do some of us quit or fade away from geocaching? Well as I was reading through some of the responses, I noticed that clayjar mentioned he started May 29 2001. . . My first find was Aug 11, 2001. . . I never really thought about it, but I guess that makes me a long timer. Not a cacher with numbers so big they don't have names, but been at it a long time at any rate.

 

I have taken breaks from it on occasion and sometimes those occasions have been extended. Somewhere along the lines life takes over and leaves you with little time to do the "fun things."

 

The nice thing about geocaching is that you can do it as a solitary endevour or as a family outing. When I started, it was almost totally solitary. But as time passes, I still get the urge and try to use it as a learning experience for the little ones.

 

I have to admit, I am a lot more selective of the caches that I visit. It has to be a well planned cache, with a theme and purpose. Something that makes it interesting. I know too many cachers who fell into the "I have to be at the top of the leader board," and don't seem to take much consideration about any generic cache. I just can't get excited about visiting 150 caches a month if they are not memorable.

 

Wesley H.

Drive-in and family

[+TrailGators]

Why do some of us quit or fade away from geocaching? Well as I was reading through some of the responses, I noticed that clayjar mentioned he started May 29 2001. . . My first find was Aug 11, 2001. . . I never really thought about it, but I guess that makes me a long timer. Not a cacher with numbers so big they don't have names, but been at it a long time at any rate.

 

I have taken breaks from it on occasion and sometimes those occasions have been extended. Somewhere along the lines life takes over and leaves you with little time to do the "fun things."

 

The nice thing about geocaching is that you can do it as a solitary endevour or as a family outing. When I started, it was almost totally solitary. But as time passes, I still get the urge and try to use it as a learning experience for the little ones.

 

I have to admit, I am a lot more selective of the caches that I visit. It has to be a well planned cache, with a theme and purpose. Something that makes it interesting. I know too many cachers who fell into the "I have to be at the top of the leader board," and don't seem to take much consideration about any generic cache. I just can't get excited about visiting 150 caches a month if they are not memorable.

 

Wesley H.

Drive-in and family

This is how I am as well. I don't care if others want to run around and play the numbers game, but I'll take a peaceful mountaintop view any day of the week!

[+Kiwi Nomad]

I would love to play the numbers game but know that it is a waste of time because there are always someone out there who has done more than me.

With only one vehicle I am stuck to when hubby not at work and when he and boys feel like it.

Oh and when I see that cache come up one hours drive away that I would love to go and grab, I don't even bother asking because I already know the answer 99% of the time.

 

I don't care what other cachers think about me I geocache for me (oh and for time spent 'happily' with the family).

[+Confucius' Cat]

I have "quit" several times. I guess i can kinda relate to smokers who "quit once a week."

 

My reasons have varied... no time for it, other pursuits, bored with same ol same ol, p'd off at something or someone...

 

The bigger question is "why do cachers come back?"

 

As for me, the answer to that question would be, "because it is basically a fun sport- once you get past the nonsense that some inject into it with their pettiness."

 

The beauty of caching is that you can "quit" and continue to play in a different way if you want.

 

So I would submit that some of the people whom you don't see anymore could well still be active but just "gone underground" by using a different name or even by not logging at all.

 

Of those that truly have quit, their reasons will obviously vary and only they know why so it is useless to speculate. The only way to know is ask them.

 

It would be interesting to see how many "inactive" cachers renew their premium memberships. That would certainly tell a tale.

[+chuckwagon101]

A big reason.......

.

.All the "big pile of stick" caches in the area have been found!

[+RockyRaab]

To the original topic: for me it's boredom. I found 200 caches the first year, 50 the second and so far this year, perhaps 10. I'm simply tired of finding garbage caches tossed out with no imagination and less thought. I went out a while back to one that's near my house, mostly because I needed a good walk. It turned out to be a magnetic key box under a park bench. The couple I surprised having "fun" on a nearby picnic table weren't the only ones disappointed that afternoon.

 

My only caching activity has been in crafting what I hope are memorably creative cache hides - as examples of what CAN be done. My enjoyment comes from reading the online logs from finders who agree. I have one and only one LPC, which I maintain because I insist on having at least one that's truly handicap/wheelchair friendly.

 

 

Completely off topic and probably unwanted advice follows: Tracy, with a fiance like that, you are headed for a battered wife shelter or worse. I know of which I speak here. Think hard, and then run fast. Please.

[CacheNCarryMA]

It's ironic that the original poster hasn't logged a cache find since October, 2006.

[RG&MD]

My son and I once placed an extremely difficult (5/4) to find micro cache in a park picnic shelter on a mountain that was rarely unoccupied. We advised cachers not to waste their time if they wanted a quick find. After a few hours the FTF gangs and members of a local geocaching group were e-mailing us whining about how much of their precious time had been wasted in their search and they had “NADA” to show for it. One mother put her children up in 8+ feet of the shelters rafters to search. I archived the cache and the adult whining continued. When I went to remove it the shelter was covered in litter. Not the role-models my son needs to see. We no longer place caches. Now we cache quietly sometimes signing logs but not entering the finds on GC.com. Life is too short to deal with people like this.

[+briansnat]

My son and I once placed an extremely difficult (5/4) to find micro cache in a park picnic shelter on a mountain that was rarely unoccupied. We advised cachers not to waste their time if they wanted a quick find. After a few hours the FTF gangs and members of a local geocaching group were e-mailing us whining about how much of their precious time had been wasted in their search and they had “NADA” to show for it. One mother put her children up in 8+ feet of the shelters rafters to search. I archived the cache and the adult whining continued. When I went to remove it the shelter was covered in litter. Not the role-models my son needs to see. We no longer place caches. Now we cache quietly sometimes signing logs but not entering the finds on GC.com. Life is too short to deal with people like this.

 

I would ask them "what part of 5/4 don't you understand" and leave the cache. Some people might actually enjoy the challenge.

[+Team Cotati]

My son and I once placed an extremely difficult (5/4) to find micro cache in a park picnic shelter on a mountain that was rarely unoccupied. We advised cachers not to waste their time if they wanted a quick find. After a few hours the FTF gangs and members of a local geocaching group were e-mailing us whining about how much of their precious time had been wasted in their search and they had “NADA” to show for it. One mother put her children up in 8+ feet of the shelters rafters to search. I archived the cache and the adult whining continued. When I went to remove it the shelter was covered in litter. Not the role-models my son needs to see. We no longer place caches. Now we cache quietly sometimes signing logs but not entering the finds on GC.com. Life is too short to deal with people like this.

 

I would ask them "what part of 5/4 don't you understand" and leave the cache. Some people might actually enjoy the challenge.

 

Everybody else is always wrong.

[+parker313]

I started caching last June. My husband is semi-interested in caching, but not real thrilled with the major case of poison ivy he caught, or that swarm of baby ticks he carried out from one cache, or the insane heat and humidity of Savannah summers. It doesn't bother me, and it's a fun way for the kids and me to get out of the house.

 

In spite of all of that, I pretty much stopped caching in February. I didn't really mean to stop caching, but I got a new laptop and just never got around to loading GSAK onto it, or my Palm software. I kept meaning to, I just never did.

 

We don't have a lot of microspew in Savannah, so that definitely wasn't an issue. We have a small informal Yahoo group and when a new leader took over the list, he did a really great job of stoking the fires and stirring up conversation again. Another cacher has set a series of 3-4 CITO events at local boat ramps and another cacher has started having breakfast meetings. Getting that sense of connection back with my local cachers has definitely helped bring back my sense of enthusiasm to caching

 

Savannah is not a very cache dense area, so it is very possible to get pretty much all of the caches and then just kinda sit there....waiting for something to happen....

[vagabond]

I haven't read this entire thread, but I think it is a great question. A couple of years ago, I hiked to an old cache, "Secret Canyon." After our hike, we enjoyed the rest at the cache and took the time to look through the logbook. Most of the names in the book were people I had never heard of.

I think most of those people are gone. I love old caches like that one!

 

Go back and click on their names and check the last time they were on the site, it might surprise you

[vagabond]

 

The second attempt was telling me I couldn't go

Tracy

For a second I thought I was reading a Dear Abbey letter.

If she thinks he's bad now wait until they get married

[vagabond]

It's ironic that the original poster hasn't logged a cache find since October, 2006.

 

But he still visits the site

[Clan Dragon]

1-Others who feel they need to dictate how I should place or find caches, when they are not part of our "clan".

 

2-People who feel that because we have few finds we dont know jack about being in the outdoors, using GPSr's, etc. They feel because they have 100/500/1000 or more finds that they way is the only way, to do anything GC related.

 

3-Groups who preach they are responsible geocachers but violate the rules they set up or the rules of GC.com. Guess its a case of whats good for the gander is not good for the goose.

a-Violate the rules of TB's/ Jeeps? U4D tages, etc. Brag about bringing them to gatherings to show off, etc.

 

4-Finding a better place to play without stupid people or rules that are enforced laxly, applied only to certain people, applied to one group but not to a second because the reviewer is part of the second, howevere informally.

 

5-People getting irrated because we ask the "hard" questions & question why stuff is done in certain ways.. such as why one group is allowed to do the wrong thing but yet the second group is yelled at for it.

 

We would rather have fun with this game as our bud calls it, we dont care about numbers, FTF, STF, or any of that garbage, we rather have fun finding great places in our state(s) we didnt know about.

[+Confucius' Cat]

We would rather have fun with this game as our bud calls it, we dont care about numbers, FTF, STF, or any of that garbage, we rather have fun finding great places in our state(s) we didnt know about.

Since to me this is the essence of caching, I would probably gladly take up another sport and dump the boxes for the most part - IF - there was a viable alternative.

 

The thing is that the placing of the boxes and all that entails is the bulk of what makes the sport popular.

 

If the sport was not POPULAR, i.e. if we did not have a lot of participants who enjoy placing caches, there simply wouldn't be the vast numbers of unknown interesting places listed.

 

The popularity causes dissent (because no two people agree on everything). If we want to have the fun of finding the neat places, we will have to put up with the unimaginative hides, bickering about logs and forum posts, numbers ho's fierce FTF competition, and all the other things one might consider to be valid reasons for quitting.

 

It has been a hard lesson for me to learn. If we are to have FUN caches, we must also have caches that we do not consider fun also. The more we have to choose from, the more likely we are to be pleased by some.

[+flask]

i recently got an email from someone asking me why i had quit, since i used to be prominent.

 

i didn't quite know what to say...

 

here is my answer, quoted in its entirety:

 

"i haven't quit."

[M15a4spr]

I've pretty much quit so I guess this is a good question for me to answer.

 

1) Nanny-cachers - Tired of these self appointed tattle tails telling everyone what "Thou shalt not trade"

 

2) micros - I moved from Calif to GA. This state is freekin ripe with micros. For the love of gawd, we have some twit(s?) who think the coolest thing going is a series of caches in Publix parking lots! WT... heck is special or even remotely interesting about visiting 500 grocery store parking lots? That said, I don't mean to ban them, but good lord.

 

3) Lack of challenge. In Calif, many of the caches I went after were 6 hr hikes and we're talking mountains, not these little georgian hills. Seems georgian-cachers prefer caches they don't have to get out of their cars to claim or hide.

 

4) I haven't seen man caches worth looking for (short of one virtual at an obscure civil war site). Not to be a jerk, but georgians have no creativity.

[+flask]

I've pretty much quit

 

you apparently haven't done this completely effectively.

[M15a4spr]

Take me somewhere that I would enjoy going even if there wasn't a cache to find.[/b] Show me something, teach me something, make me say "Wow" or "Cool" or even just nod my head and say "Nice".

Nail on the head. Good post 4x4

 

I've pretty much quit

 

you apparently haven't done this completely effectively.

Can we have three cheers for flask for effectively demonstrating the "Jerks from the forums" concept other posters have pointed out as reasons for leaving.

Edited August 24, 2007 by M15a4spr

[+TrailGators]

I've pretty much quit so I guess this is a good question for me to answer.

 

1) Nanny-cachers - Tired of these self appointed tattle tails telling everyone what "Thou shalt not trade"

 

2) micros - I moved from Calif to GA. This state is freekin ripe with micros. For the love of gawd, we have some twit(s?) who think the coolest thing going is a series of caches in Publix parking lots! WT... heck is special or even remotely interesting about visiting 500 grocery store parking lots? That said, I don't mean to ban them, but good lord.

 

3) Lack of challenge. In Calif, many of the caches I went after were 6 hr hikes and we're talking mountains, not these little georgian hills. Seems georgian-cachers prefer caches they don't have to get out of their cars to claim or hide.

 

4) I haven't seen man caches worth looking for (short of one virtual at an obscure civil war site). Not to be a jerk, but georgians have no creativity.

Why don't you just run a PQ for all caches with a terrain rating >3? Of course, you'll have to pay 3 bucks to be able to run PQS for a month, but it's worth it.

[+Confucius' Cat]

WT... heck is special or even remotely interesting about visiting 500 grocery store parking lots? That said, I don't mean to ban them, but good lord.

I'm still confused about why county line signs are so special that they rate a series of caches. I've thought I could put one at every interstate milepost... maybe I'll call my series "milestones" and dedicate it to those who want to hit 100 or 500 pretty quickly.

Not to be a jerk, but georgians have no creativity.

So, instead of quitting, how about a Georgian who knows creativity when he sees it showing them how it should be done, hmm?

[+Renegade Knight]

....I've thought I could put one at every interstate milepost... ...

 

I'm not sure about every state but we skip 69. You could put one at that milepost and honor the fact that kids everywhere are so happy to jack anything with 69 on it that you can never have a milepost 69.

 

The graduating year changes at least.

[+Confucius' Cat]

....I've thought I could put one at every interstate milepost... ...

 

I'm not sure about every state but we skip 69. You could put one at that milepost and honor the fact that kids everywhere are so happy to jack anything with 69 on it that you can never have a milepost 69.

 

The graduating year changes at least.

Been there. I was a fledgling teenager in '69. We all thought that was oh so funny- all year. "sixty-nine, he he he he..."

 

So!

Another idea for a series! Now if I can just find a pre-pubescent boy to sponsor it...

[M15a4spr]

Why don't you just run a PQ for all caches with a terrain rating >3? Of course, you'll have to pay 3 bucks to be able to run PQS for a month, but it's worth it.

I didn't know this was something you could do. I may give it a shot when life slows down a bit and I have some time.

So, instead of quitting, how about a Georgian who knows creativity when he sees it showing them how it should be done, hmm?

Fair question I suppose. Call it a cop out, but:

 

a- I don't know the state well enough to know the interesting/challenging spots (the state has to have some... right?) where I could setup a cache.

 

b- My enumerated reasons 1-3 have killed a lot of the interest. I still check in from time to time to see if things sound like they're improving (forum) and see if any new caches are posted in my area that look interesting. I remain hopeful.

Edited August 24, 2007 by M15a4spr

[+Renegade Knight]

Why don't you just run a PQ for all caches with a terrain rating >3? Of course, you'll have to pay 3 bucks to be able to run PQS for a month, but it's worth it.

I didn't know this was something you could do. I may give it a shot when life slows down a bit and I have some time....

 

The caches you like are out there. They are just more work to sort out from the ones you don't like than it used to be.

[+Confucius' Cat]

 

a- I don't know the state well enough to know the interesting/challenging spots (the state has to have some... right?) where I could setup a cache.

<snip>

I remain hopeful.

One way to get to know your new state... get out and prowl.

 

For me, finding a cache is a great excuse to prowl, but prowling is something that doesn't really need a goal.

 

Just fill up the tank, pick a direction, get off the interstate and GO. I'll bet you find all kinds of interesting places. Then it's simply a matter of placing a box and filing a form.

 

I enjoy hiding as much as finding. I hide few though, and generally only in interesting places I find, though I have placed a few "lame" caches (mostly early on when I had the urge to "just place something" and it seemed like all the "good" places were taken).

 

Try hiding a couple. You might regain the interest. And provided you put adequate thought and care into their placement, you could well improve the quality of the caching experience for everyone in your area.

Edited August 24, 2007 by Confucius' Cat

[+sbell111]

I've pretty much quit so I guess this is a good question for me to answer.

 

1) Nanny-cachers - Tired of these self appointed tattle tails telling everyone what "Thou shalt not trade"

 

2) micros - I moved from Calif to GA. This state is freekin ripe with micros. For the love of gawd, we have some twit(s?) who think the coolest thing going is a series of caches in Publix parking lots! WT... heck is special or even remotely interesting about visiting 500 grocery store parking lots? That said, I don't mean to ban them, but good lord.

 

3) Lack of challenge. In Calif, many of the caches I went after were 6 hr hikes and we're talking mountains, not these little georgian hills. Seems georgian-cachers prefer caches they don't have to get out of their cars to claim or hide.

 

4) I haven't seen man caches worth looking for (short of one virtual at an obscure civil war site). Not to be a jerk, but georgians have no creativity.

I've found hundreds of caches in California and some in Georgia. Based on my experience, there is little difference between the two. They both have plenty of easy caches and plenty of hard ones. They both have plenty of caches that you barely need to leave the car for and plenty of caches that require a significant hike. They both have plenty of caches that would please TrailGators and plenty of caches that would please CaptRussell.

 

If you don't like easy caches, only search for harder ones. If you don't like parking lot caches, only search for ones with a higher terrain rating. If you don't like micros, only search for larger caches.

 

Don't insult huge chunks of the population simply because you aren't trying hard enough to make yourself happy.

[+parker313]

 

4) I haven't seen man caches worth looking for (short of one virtual at an obscure civil war site). Not to be a jerk, but georgians have no creativity.

Don't paint the whole state with such a broad brush - you should come check out Savannah. I think we have 2 LPC's in the entire city and surrounding towns.

[Dinoprophet]

I never really quit, but I slowed *way* down from after the first 18 months or so. Part of it was the arrival of a second kid. That cut back on recreation time. I don't make time specifically for caching like I used to. I'll do a short walk or clever micro if I'm in the area and have an hour to kill. I still love it for vacationing, though. Before any trip, I look up what's in the area and pick the interesting ones.

 

....I've thought I could put one at every interstate milepost... ...

 

I'm not sure about every state but we skip 69. You could put one at that milepost and honor the fact that kids everywhere are so happy to jack anything with 69 on it that you can never have a milepost 69.

 

The graduating year changes at least.

Been there. I was a fledgling teenager in '69. We all thought that was oh so funny- all year. "sixty-nine, he he he he..."

 

So!

Another idea for a series! Now if I can just find a pre-pubescent boy to sponsor it...

You could ask the guy who runs the site this picture is from (I-75 in Michigan. Never been stolen, that I know of).

[+ReadyOrNot]

posts, numbers ho's fierce FTF competition, and all the other things one might consider to be valid reasons for quitting.

 

I enjoy fierce FTF competition, but I am not a numbers ho. Did you mean to put a comma in there. If not, I disagree!

[+Confucius' Cat]

posts, numbers ho's , fierce FTF competition, and all the other things one might consider to be valid reasons for quitting.

 

I enjoy fierce FTF competition, but I am not a numbers ho. Did you mean to put a comma in there. If not, I disagree!

fixed

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

I guess life gets in the way sometimes. The brother-in-law who got me/us into caching stopped for awhile when he had kids, then did it for awhile with his kids, now mostly does other things with his kids. We used to be in a bowling league and went downhill skiing a lot, but the former is hard to do with small kids and the latter gets expensive once you have kids (plus until they're old enough for a good lesson, you need someone to watch them too).

 

What's important to me is that caching has let me see many beautiful parks and places even nearby that I never knew of otherwise and I'm proud that most of our hides have done the same for others who have commented as such. I ignore all the other things.

[+Dawgies]

For us, it's the quality (or lack thereof) of the caches that has put a damper on our caching. When we started caching, the majority of the caches were in spots that actually had some thought put into them. They took us to a beautiful view, interesting or educational location, something out of the ordinary. They also generally had quality swag, even if they had been around for a significant amount of time. We enjoyed the hike/education/hide, traded even or up, signed the log, re-hid well, and headed for our next find. I've been to alot of really special places because of geocaching, and that made it worth our time even if the swag had deteriorated over time. The journey was reward enough, and nice swag was icing on the cake. We couldn't wait for our next chance to head out again for more of the same.

 

Now while the number of caches available to seek out has dramatically increased, the quality of most of those caches has, IMHO, gone waaaaay down. Caches are seemingly placed at random, anywhere that one can be placed, with no thought as to "why". And even brand new caches rarely have any swag that would be interesting to anyone other than a 3-year old. And if they've had even a few visitors? Forget it; you'll find nothing but trash and broken toys. To me, a geocache that's worth seeking should take me somewhere that's somehow special or different. And if not, then at least start it out with some nice swag. In other words, Take me somewhere that I would enjoy going even if there wasn't a cache to find. Show me something, teach me something, make me say "Wow" or "Cool" or even just nod my head and say "Nice".

 

I remember something I read about geocaching when we first started out; "Just because you can hide a cache somewhere, doesn't mean you should hide a cache there." I think way to many cachers have forgotten that. A well-thought out cache is a jewel, a container of trash thrown anywhere is simply litter.

 

A wonderful reply that's worth repeating!

[+TrailGators]

For us, it's the quality (or lack thereof) of the caches that has put a damper on our caching. When we started caching, the majority of the caches were in spots that actually had some thought put into them. They took us to a beautiful view, interesting or educational location, something out of the ordinary. They also generally had quality swag, even if they had been around for a significant amount of time. We enjoyed the hike/education/hide, traded even or up, signed the log, re-hid well, and headed for our next find. I've been to alot of really special places because of geocaching, and that made it worth our time even if the swag had deteriorated over time. The journey was reward enough, and nice swag was icing on the cake. We couldn't wait for our next chance to head out again for more of the same.

 

Now while the number of caches available to seek out has dramatically increased, the quality of most of those caches has, IMHO, gone waaaaay down. Caches are seemingly placed at random, anywhere that one can be placed, with no thought as to "why". And even brand new caches rarely have any swag that would be interesting to anyone other than a 3-year old. And if they've had even a few visitors? Forget it; you'll find nothing but trash and broken toys. To me, a geocache that's worth seeking should take me somewhere that's somehow special or different. And if not, then at least start it out with some nice swag. In other words, Take me somewhere that I would enjoy going even if there wasn't a cache to find. Show me something, teach me something, make me say "Wow" or "Cool" or even just nod my head and say "Nice".

 

I remember something I read about geocaching when we first started out; "Just because you can hide a cache somewhere, doesn't mean you should hide a cache there." I think way to many cachers have forgotten that. A well-thought out cache is a jewel, a container of trash thrown anywhere is simply litter.

 

A wonderful reply that's worth repeating!

I agree. After awhile you'll start to figure out which people in your area hide caches like that and which people you should ignore.

[+cmc]

I agree. After awhile you'll start to figure out which people in your area hide caches like that and which people you should ignore.

 

Agreed. It takes a little while. My little rant that no one will care about - but I want to type anyway.

 

Funny, this being my first post and all. My wife and i were just talking about this today. So I decided to add my two cents worth - from an old timer.

 

We went to our first event this weekend - seems like if you don't have 500 finds then you are a newbie. I got a nice 'welcome' to the sport with my 50 finds. Oddly enough, my friends and I started doing this about a month after SA was turned off - logged my first 'official' cache here in April '01 and have been active (in some capacity) ever since. Never worried about logging caches, many times we were enjoying the trip more than the destination or what we were experiencing rather than adding a number to the counter. Heck, I remember doing caches that were, "There's the ammo box, ok - done. Let's go check out that waterfall." or whatever the owner wanted us to see or do. Sign a log or e-mail the owner but not log anything here - heck I know I have done caches down to Florida and back on vacation, but I don't see them in my 'online log' so I guess I didn't really do them. Most everyone I've met now has a year or so 'experience' and close to 1000 finds.

 

I never really stopped, but I did slow down to a couple caches a year for a few years in there, but started back when I got a family member into the sport earlier this year - he needed someone to go with him, so I started up 'full time' again.

 

I guess I see the downturn since I live in the middle of microspew. Every parking lot in town has an LPC, couple of the parks in the area have 8-10 micros on a single trail, or one park has 6 cammo'd peanut butter jars with a pencil, a logbook, and a broken mctoy all within throwing distance of each other. The signal to noise ratio is just really bad now. Some of the numbers people in the area have bragged about 100+ caches in a weekend - to me, that speaks of the quality of caches in an area.

 

The early caches were exactly what many of you have said, something special - somewhere that's nice to go or visit whether there is a cache there or not. The swag was excellent - look at what people placed in the first caches - look what people traded. To be fair - there are some caches out there now that are excellent.

 

All that being said - I'm glad to see the sport has taken off, and glad people enjoy finding lpc's and running up their numbers - it's just not for me. I check the satellite maps, check the logs, customize my pocket queries and now that I am getting to know the cachers in the area again and know who hides crap and who to go looking for. I am slowly cutting out my 1/1 and 1/<3 caches from the queries and will go from there to what I am happy with, because I can.

 

Instead of sitting here and doing nothing about it though - I went out yesterday and bought some ammo cans and lock n' locks and will be putting out my own series of caches - heck, I even ordered some bison tubes and will put out some micros - you can be sure that they will be 5/? though and there'll not be a parking lot in sight.

 

That's enough of me - I'll be quiet for another 6 years.

[+The Aardvarks]

Because they become frustrated when the MobiPockets they come to rely on are no longer available.