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Only You Can Prevent Lame Caches


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Recently, I took a break from finding caches and went out to hide a bunch of caches that had been kicking around in my mind for months. I spent an entire weekend scouting, preparing containers, hiding the caches and writing up the cache pages.

 

Six of those caches now appear on GC.com and they were very well-received. There is a seventh cache, however, that never saw the light of day. That is what this topic is about.

 

There's a little strip of green park next to the local shopping center where I buy my groceries. Just enough room for folks to walk their dogs or play frisbee. It's maybe 300 feet wide at the most, and runs from one main road to the next main road on opposite ends of the shopping center. I said "there's a park without a cache," so on my weekend of hiding, I placed a small rubbermaid container under some bark in a large tree that was hollow at the bottom. It would rate out as a 1.5/1.0 at best, since the big tree stands off all by itself. I couldn't find a better hiding spot, even with a small container. The cache is 150 feet from the parking area.

 

By the time I got home, I thought to myself, "Self, this is exactly the kind of cache that you do NOT enjoy finding. Why hide it? This is a driveby cache. People expect better caches from The Leprechauns." I never wrote up the cache page. The container is still sitting there; I will pick it up the next time I go to buy groceries.

 

This exercise taught me a valuable lesson. From now on I will ask myself if I would enjoy finding the cache, BEFORE I hide it. I don't want anyone saying that one of my caches is lame.

 

Has anybody else had second thoughts and not submitted a cache page for a cache that they had already hidden?

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You should submit the cache. No cache is lame, it's more about degrees of fun. I would love to have run out today at lunch and locked up a cache just like that. I'm sure someone with mobility challenges would like it as well.

 

Plug some kind of theme to it if you want to make it more interesting.

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You should submit the cache. No cache is lame, it's more about degrees of fun. I would love to have run out today at lunch and locked up a cache just like that. I'm sure someone with mobility challenges would like it as well.

 

Plug some kind of theme to it if you want to make it more interesting.

I tend to agree with Criminal (mostly because he's bigger than me and will beat me up if I don't :D ). I think what makes the cache lame is the contents or the story (or lack thereof) involved with the cache. If it has nice swag or an interesting story, I think it's worthwhile.

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Thanks, Criminal and Sparky. Interesting take. I shouldn't be so full of myself and my supposed hiding skills that I would believe all of my caches need to be stellar level three's.

 

All of The Leprechauns' Hidden Caches follow an "Elves" theme. Maybe I could call this one "The Elves Dump a Driveby Cache." I will ask folks about it in my local geocaching forum.

 

There's nothing spectacular about the cache container, hiding spot or cache contents. Perhaps if I re-thought one or more of those elements I might have something that would make better use of this little spot.

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I think a conscientious hider asks himself/herself if THEY would enjoy finding the cache. I think hiders should go with their first instinct. If THE HIDER questions the quality/placment of the cache, I KNOW some other cachers would too.

 

I keep this in the back of my mind..."When in doubt, don't put it out"

That's why my hide # is not that high. Every strip of woods is not worthy of a cache.

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There needs to be a variety of caches. I would worry if all of your hides were 1/1, but if you are placing a variety - then you are making some available to all types of cachers.

 

I cache with 6 and 4 year old girls - so we try to stick to 2.5 or less terrain caches. The girls love nothing more than parks to play at with the bonus of a 'treasure hunt'.

Edited by mattt
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I agree with most of what the other users said here. There is one cache of mine that I almost didn't place that is just a short about 1/3 mile loop.

 

Most everyone has enjoyed this cache especially cachers that go out with their kids. Heck, my son enjoyed the little pond there when we hid the cache.

 

If you doubt your cache let it get a few comments first and if it's not that great you can always archive it.

 

I also agree about the quick caches.

 

Personally I've placed a few in Rest areas and wish there were alot more caches in rest areas for us busy travelers that like to do quick caches but don't want to get off the freeway and spend to much time.

 

Plus the rest area caches are great for getting Travelbugs around.

Edited by Eric K
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I'd post it, or better appreciate having it posted in a park near where we go shopping. I hate the shopping experience, a cache like this one would reduce my complaining about shopping (at least for a trip) by giving me a quick caching fix at the end of a boring shopping trip. It would also make Mrs Laserman a bit happier that I went along without grumping about shopping. Who knows maybe she'd actually join me while finding the geocache and get a bit warmer to the whole caching idea.

Edited by Laserman
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POOF, just thought of something. If you shop there regularly, you may run into somebody hunting your cache. As long as it's somone you haven't pissed off, you could say hi.

It's the plaza with the closest grocery store to my house, as well as the closest Hallmark store that sells Beanie Babies, and the closest liquor store and beer distributor for this Irish American, so I'm there a lot. Yes it would be cool to see someone hunting one of my caches! I know most of the local cachemobiles by sight, especially the dreaded Mystery Machine and the indestructible Mighty Colt.

 

As for seeing geocachers that I don't get along with, I can count the number of local geocachers with whom I've had serious disagreements on two fingers. (The middle finger of each hand.) Because it's important for geocachers in the same area to get along, we were able to work through our differences quite easily. It's Pittsburgh, not Vancouver. :D

 

I'm now thinking about converting this to a puzzle cache based on the respective interests in Irish heritage pursued by my daughter and me. The latitude will be solved through researching traditional Irish step dancing trivia, and solving for the longitude will require knowledge of the 1916 Irish Rebellion.

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Another take on this is people with disabilities that can't do a hike. I know, because I temporarily (I hope it's temporary) fall into this category. I've had to place caches that were very easy to get to, at least physically. Mentally however is where I took a lame cache and made it a hit.

 

El Diablo

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If you really took the time to worry about every lame comment or reciving some absurde french comment on your cache you probably would stop having fun placing them.

 

There is as much art to hiding a lame cache that will be recieved as such as there is to hiding a great cache that will take people to a place they never know about that was worth the trip. El Diablo makes agood point. Sometimes the work can be up front and the cache itself is the exclamation point to the enjoyable challenge.

 

It's all relative. Besides if 10,000 hamsters hid 10,000 caches at 10,000 random moments, some of them would be good even if the entire concept is lame.

 

Oh and so far there is no "No lame cache" guideline on GC.com. Take advantage of that while it lasts.

Edited by Renegade Knight
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Almost makes you want to put a disclaimer on the cache page...

 

"This cache might be considered lame in some people's opinion. You have the option to refrain from finding it. If you do attempt the cache, and the experience is not so bad as to stop you before you complete your search, this will be considered an endorsement of the quality of the cache. If you log a find then complain about the experience, it will be deleted, because you had the option to stop your search at any point before the actual find."

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By the time I got home, I thought to myself, "Self, this is exactly the kind of cache that you do NOT enjoy finding. Why hide it? This is a driveby cache. People expect better caches from The Leprechauns." I never wrote up the cache page. The container is still sitting there; I will pick it up the next time I go to buy groceries.

 

I'd place it. There are all kinds of geocachers and most of them seem to enjoy these quick dash and grabs. I own a bunch of them just to cater to this crowd. And you know what, they are my most popular caches. The ones that take a lot of thought and effort on my part aren't visited very often.

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I was just out today on what turned into a longer hike than I would have at first planned to have taken. I have a knee injury that is giving me some problems. I would much rather go on a few so called "park and grabs" than take the chance of seriously injuring my knee even more in rougher terrain or longer hikes. For some, the challenge isn't enough but for others (with mobility problems), it gives them something to enjoy and an opportunity to play the game. I'll be hiding what the "caching elite" may turn their noses up at soon, but I know there will be a few who will thank me for providing an opportunity to them that they might not otherwise have had. -Ken

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My only cache is a park-and-grab, right next to the road, but has been fairly well received. It was a test cache in my case, just to see if there were people who would actually venture away from the cities here to find a cache. My next one won't be so easy, but not hard, by any means, either. Except for someone who is not as mobile as others.

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If you think about it. While not ALWAYS the case geocaching is probably like most challenges you do in life. If you build puzzles you probably did your first several as maybe 100 and 500 piece puzzles and then moved up to the more challenging 1000 piece puzzles.

 

The point I'm trying to make is most new users will probably be more interested in the quick to find caches and after you become a veteran those will probably not interest you as much as a more challenging cache.

Edited by Eric K
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Well, Lep...

 

I agree with everyone here (sorry I couldn't help!) Outsid4evr has a good point... if you don't like it, why plant it? There are a lot of "pointless" caches out there, placed just because there was a spot to put it.

 

Will you still "maintain" a cache you're not fond of? I know you will, but will you want to? How are the caches in that area? Are they decent caches, or are they soggy tupperware with soggy logbooks and soggy trade items? Is the area in need of higher quality caches?

 

On the other hand, there are times when a quick cache and dash is nice to have. Like you said, you frequent that area. What if someone else had a cache there--would you be excited to hit it on your way to the Irish pub? A quick cache before a cold brew?

 

I think the fact that you're asking in the first place (the emphasis here on "you") means the cache is probably just fine to plant. You know the type of caches that are quality caches. You know what you enjoy finding. You know what it takes to place a decent quality cache.

 

Good luck, let us know what you decide. :D

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MrKablooey,

Thanks for the compliments. I'm leaning towards a puzzle cache like I described above. I stink at math, so it will be a word-based puzzle. But, on the other hand...

 

The area is very close to my home, so you can imagine what the cache landscape is like. Starting from the cache nearest to the proposed placement, the Search Results Page shows 8 Leprechauns caches out of the closest 20. They have an average difficulty rating of 3. :D So, as some have pointed out, an easy cache might provide some balance.

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Personally, I'm not a fan of most drive-by caches. But other posters have suggested some ideas to make it more interesting. I do like puzzle caches, and theme caches though -- so I think something like that would make up for the less-than-interesting site.

 

Here's another idea: there's a cache very close to me that is a "travel bug hotel". It's designed specifically to be easy to get to. So, you can drop off or pick up TBs to help them move along.

 

Interestingly, even though the cache is 10 feet from parking (it's in the middle of an evergreen bush) -- there have been several DNFs logged. Maybe some people didn't even want to get out of their car hehe...

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Personally, I'd make it the second stage of a simple multi-cache. I'd place a micro cache under a paper machine at the grocery that requires a high-degree of stealth to get to during the day with coordinates to the final cache. This way, it's not just a simple 12.5 second cache, but it's still disabled accessible. And, it still provides fun for the kids.

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Personally, I'm not a fan of most drive-by caches. But other posters have suggested some ideas to make it more interesting. I do like puzzle caches, and theme caches though -- so I think something like that would make up for the less-than-interesting site.

 

Here's another idea: there's a cache very close to me that is a "travel bug hotel". It's designed specifically to be easy to get to. So, you can drop off or pick up TBs to help them move along.

 

Interestingly, even though the cache is 10 feet from parking (it's in the middle of an evergreen bush) -- there have been several DNFs logged. Maybe some people didn't even want to get out of their car hehe...

Maybe they were looking for a hotel they could stay in.

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I'm bumping a really, really old thread because I finally hid a cache nearly three years later in the same park that I described in my initial post. The end result is The Elves' Shopping Center Cache. The "hook" is that finders are conditioned to expect an uninspired hide in a parking lot. Instead, they're surprised by visiting a nice park with a stream crossing, but within sight of the shopping center. And the cache is hidden in a less obvious place than the big hollow tree sitting by itself in the middle of a field.

 

It is interesting to read the comments where everyone told me to go ahead and hide a "lame" cache. Yes, we've debated the same stuff for that long.

 

Some take three minutes to plan a cache placement. This one took me three years. I am happy with the result.

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I'm bumping a really, really old thread because I finally hid a cache nearly three years later in the same park that I described in my initial post. The end result is The Elves' Shopping Center Cache. The "hook" is that finders are conditioned to expect an uninspired hide in a parking lot. Instead, they're surprised by visiting a nice park with a stream crossing, but within sight of the shopping center. And the cache is hidden in a less obvious place than the big hollow tree sitting by itself in the middle of a field.

 

It is interesting to read the comments where everyone told me to go ahead and hide a "lame" cache. Yes, we've debated the same stuff for that long.

 

Some take three minutes to plan a cache placement. This one took me three years. I am happy with the result.

 

You mean you left the hamster out there for three years without a finder? You monster!!!!! :laughing:

 

**webscouter. would look for the new cache behind the tiny hamster headstone****

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Never underestimate the lunch-grab caches. Sometimes you just don't have time for long hikes or puzzles.

 

TravisL has this one, this one, and this one.

 

All easy caches that are a lot of fun. You can figure out the puzzle part at your desk and then run out at lunch and see if you got it right.

My first reaction to seeing this thread was, who bumped this old thread? :laughing:

My second reaction after reading the first few replies was who are you and what have you done with the real Criminal? :laughing:

My third was "Bravo" there is a place in our sport for these caches. My complaint, and I suspect many others is with hiders who do nothing but guard rails and lampposts in uninspired or interesting locations. Heck I even own one too. It's called This Cache Sucks! At least I'm honest and upfront about it. ;):laughing:

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Caching is so much like foods & eating. What I like you may dislike etc. There are hamburger joints (park & grabs) and fine dining restaurants (high D & T caches). I've been looking at several places to put some caches that would be on the lame side for me, but there are those than can't hike my caches, so when I find the places and get the containers then the Lame Series will be hidden.

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I read this thread with great fascination. For me, it was a crazy coincidence that Dec 15 '03 was the EXACT week (+/- a few days) that I made my 3-day Numbers Ho assault on Nashville, which was the beginning for me in my personal evolution from Numbers Ho to Anti-Spew advocate (which, as many around here know, culminated for me in mid'04).

 

I remember during that trip in Dec'03 receiving warm hospitality from JoGPS and other local cachers, and commenting over a tasty meal at Waffle House one of those evenings on how it was kinda fun to drive around the metro and run up my numbers, but also commenting, "Who throws a micro under a stairwell of a local building?"

 

Here it is 3 years later and I realize I can't fight the Anti-Spew battle anymore, I can only comment where I feel it's pertinent to do so (like here, now). "Walkin' thru the park and reminiscing...."

Edited by drat19
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Preventing (or even limiting) the existence of lame caches is impossible. It is impossible for the simple reason that there is no consensus definition of the word "lame" as it applies to geocache hides, and there never will be.

 

If a potential cache owner has an idea for a new hide, and has ANY reason for believing that folks will enjoy searching for it OR that he/she will enjoy being the owner of such a cache, then I think that’s all the justification needed for proceeding with the hide (assuming, of course, that it meets the guidelines and TOS, is legal, etc, etc).

 

There will always be somebody out there who will really like it; it will provide them with welcome entertainment.

 

There will always be somebody out there who will really hate it; they will call it "lame."

 

The very soul of this game resides in its rich variety.

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NOTE: KBI = CaptRussell. I am one person with two accounts.

 

I’m posting this comment under my CaptRussell name because I want to make a relevant point: Some of us LIVE for the very same urban and suburban "drive-bys" that others despise. Some of us are HAPPY to frequently discover a high density of ANY type of caches within a few-square-mile area, a thing that seems to bother certain other cachers for some reason.

 

I am an airline pilot. Two, maybe three times a week I find myself at a layover hotel, usually with a few hours to kill beyond the time needed for rest. Some of my coworkers spend every bit of this time lying around in their room on the phone or watching TV. Others pass the time in a bar. Some go shopping – if there is any shopping within walking distance.

 

Walking distance. That’s the key. We get a hotel room for our layover, but we get no wheels. (See quote at bottom of this post.)

 

Many years ago I promised myself that whenever the weather was at all tolerable I would spend my extra time at a hotel walking. No need to go into all the benefits of physical exercise; plus it’s also a good thing for one’s mental state just to get the heck out of the hotel room and go see the local area. (We have crew overnight stops in about a hundred places throught the US, Canada, Mexico and the Carribean.)

 

Then a few years later (late 2002) I discovered Geocaching. At first it was rare to see a cache within walking distance of one of our company-utilized hotels, but ... the game grew fast, and now it’s rare when there’s NOT one within a couple miles, and frequently there are more than I have time for! Awesome! Now, not only do I have something fun to look forward to during my downtime away from home and family, but I have something to motivate me to get out and exercise on those days when my laziness might otherwise take over. Caddyshack is on HBO ... but wait, there’s a micro just a mile north up the street from here ... and two more about a mile southwest! It’s stopped raining ... time to grab the Garmin and the iPod and GO!

 

Who cares if they're all located in parking lots and retail landscaping! Not me -- I've now got Something To Do!

 

Frequently one or both of my crewmembers will come along for the hunt and it becomes a pleasant social experience.

 

So, for those of you who are contemplating your next hide, and are worried that folks will call it "lame:" PLEASE, if you like the cache idea yourself, go ahead and put it out there! Some of us will hunt it – and almost certainly enjoy it – no matter what it is, simply because it’s an excuse to get outside, burn off some hamburgers, play with the GPS, and experience the anticipation of never knowing exactly what to expect.

 

In other words, simply because it’s a Geocache! :laughing:

Edited by CaptRussell
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I usually say we don't like park & grabs but they do have their place ...

BTW, when I was a teenager back in the 70s, "park & grab" meant something entirely different. :laughing:

 

... but it also (normally) resulted in a smiley (or two). :laughing::laughing:

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With only 340 finds in over five years, it should be pretty obvious how I feel about lame caches. It is my opinion that bison tubes/cryo tubes have no place in the game at all. It has always been my feeling that hiding bison tubes and film cans demonstrates a lack of imagination (a small or even regular could be hidden if you put your mind to it). I very seldom look for anything rated 1/1 either.

 

That said, I think this is a non-issue. Nobody is forcing you or me to hunt for them. There is no requirement to clear your first page of all the unfound caches. Every cache page has a map on it, if it looks like the cache is in the walmart parking lot, skip it and move on.

 

What is lame to you or me may well be all someone else can manage. I have friends who are confined to wheelchairs. They might love to go up and bag a stellar cache hide like Dream Lake, but it is physically impossible for them. To many people, those 'lame' ones are fun.

 

Debating the value of a cache is pointless. Geocaching is enjoyed by a diverse representation of society, it would be impossible to make even one cache that everyone would rave about. It seems terribly hypocritical to me that we’ll (yes, me too!) b1tch about a cache as not being worth our time, and then turn right around and go hunt another just like it.

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With only 340 finds in over five years, it should be pretty obvious how I feel about lame caches. It is my opinion that bison tubes/cryo tubes have no place in the game at all. It has always been my feeling that hiding bison tubes and film cans demonstrates a lack of imagination (a small or even regular could be hidden if you put your mind to it). I very seldom look for anything rated 1/1 either. ...

How do you feel about altoids cans magetized to the sides of light poles? Certainly, it is not the tiny wet tradeables that makes the cache valid.

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With only 340 finds in over five years, it should be pretty obvious how I feel about lame caches. It is my opinion that bison tubes/cryo tubes have no place in the game at all. It has always been my feeling that hiding bison tubes and film cans demonstrates a lack of imagination (a small or even regular could be hidden if you put your mind to it). I very seldom look for anything rated 1/1 either. ...

How do you feel about altoids cans magetized to the sides of light poles? Certainly, it is not the tiny wet tradeables that makes the cache valid.

I don't hunt them. In early 2003 I hid one exactly like that. It was meant to be funny and it was. Of course, back then it was a relatively new concept, and that made it unique. Little did any of us know then that such caches would become the new (and lazy) standard.

 

This log was one of my favorites, and demonstrates my point:

icon_smile.gifFebruary 15, 2003 by SerenityThen (5 found)

Ive been sick for a couple of weeks now so I was overjoyed to see a cache that did'nt require any phisical effort. The only danger was driving a 2 ton monster thru heavy traffic with cold medicine as my co-pilot. Don't worry. The fact that your reading this means I made it home safely.

Thanks for getting me out of the house for this easy find!

[last edit: 2/15/2003 3:52:29 PM PST]

[view this log on a separate page]

Edited by Criminal
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It is my opinion that bison tubes/cryo tubes have no place in the game at all. It has always been my feeling that hiding bison tubes and film cans demonstrates a lack of imagination (a small or even regular could be hidden if you put your mind to it).

Poppycock, hogwash, bunkum, drivel, horsefeathers, rubbish, twaddle, bilge, blather, nonsense, applesauce, piffle, baloney, codswallop, bullhockey, claptrap, hooey, and balderdash.

 

Actually, I totally agree with you Criminal, but only because you went on to say this:

Nobody is forcing you or me to hunt for them. There is no requirement to clear your first page of all the unfound caches. Every cache page has a map on it, if it looks like the cache is [something you might not care for], skip it and move on.

This game is rich with variety. Each of us has the power to either drink it all in wholesale, or to limit our personal exposure to it in any way we see fit. :tired:

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With only 340 finds in over five years, it should be pretty obvious how I feel about lame caches. It is my opinion that bison tubes/cryo tubes have no place in the game at all. It has always been my feeling that hiding bison tubes and film cans demonstrates a lack of imagination (a small or even regular could be hidden if you put your mind to it). I very seldom look for anything rated 1/1 either. ...
How do you feel about altoids cans magetized to the sides of light poles? Certainly, it is not the tiny wet tradeables that makes the cache valid.
I don't hunt them. In early 2003 I hid one exactly like that. It was meant to be funny and it was. Of course, back then it was a relatively new concept, and that made it unique. Little did any of us know then that such caches would become the new (and lazy) standard.
I'm just yanking your chain. :tired:

 

Here's my log from the same cache:

icon_smile.gifJune 9, 2003 by sbell111 (1385 found)

Cathy and I were in the area briefly to attend a friend's wedding. On the way back to the airport, I took a slight detour to run by this cache (with Cathy, her sister and my mother-in-law in the car). We found it quickly, which kept the grumbling from the back seat to a minimum.

I took a small carabiner keychain and left a pound coin and the Bay Shore Runner travel bug that I recently picked up in London.

 

Thanks.

Edited by sbell111
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With only 340 finds in over five years, it should be pretty obvious how I feel about lame caches. It is my opinion that bison tubes/cryo tubes have no place in the game at all. It has always been my feeling that hiding bison tubes and film cans demonstrates a lack of imagination (a small or even regular could be hidden if you put your mind to it). I very seldom look for anything rated 1/1 either. ...
How do you feel about altoids cans magetized to the sides of light poles? Certainly, it is not the tiny wet tradeables that makes the cache valid.
I don't hunt them. In early 2003 I hid one exactly like that. It was meant to be funny and it was. Of course, back then it was a relatively new concept, and that made it unique. Little did any of us know then that such caches would become the new (and lazy) standard.
I'm just yanking your chain. :tired:

 

Here's my log from the same cache:

icon_smile.gifJune 9, 2003 by sbell111 (1385 found)

Cathy and I were in the area briefly to attend a friend's wedding. On the way back to the airport, I took a slight detour to run by this cache (with Cathy, her sister and my mother-in-law in the car). We found it quickly, which kept the grumbling from the back seat to a minimum.

I took a small carabiner keychain and left a pound coin and the Bay Shore Runner travel bug that I recently picked up in London.

 

Thanks.

Things were much different back then, hey?

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Things were much different back then, hey?
I'll say. Now I absolutely never let Cathy's mother or sister ride with us.

 

It only took a few horrible experiences to learn that.

 

Interesting off-topic story: We were once driving across the state of NY from Buffalo to NYC with those two in the back seat. Her sister, the drama queen, wanted to stop for a while and my wife wanted to drive on. Her sister started to complain that she was nauseous, but it was obvious to everyone that she was faking. My wife made me pull over and guilted her sister into inducing vomiting.

 

Yep, no more trips with those two.

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Things were much different back then, hey?
I'll say. Now I absolutely never let Cathy's mother or sister ride with us.

 

It only took a few horrible experiences to learn that.

 

Interesting off-topic story: We were once driving across the state of NY from Buffalo to NYC with those two in the back seat. Her sister, the drama queen, wanted to stop for a while and my wife wanted to drive on. Her sister started to complain that she was nauseous, but it was obvious to everyone that she was faking. My wife made me pull over and guilted her sister into inducing vomiting.

 

Yep, no more trips with those two.

 

I could have died happy if I hadn't read that, thanks for ruining my death. :tired::ph34r:

 

 

:(

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