My Answer To Crappy Stuff In Caches

[+WhipArtist]

I picked out a location today, and tonight I'm putting together a new cache for deployment.

 

It's an ammo box filled with half a dozen CDs, a few videotapes, and a few DVDs, all of them previously-enjoyed originals. The cache description says, "I'd like to keep this one free of McToys, so please only leave music and videos." It's easily accessible and near a major metropolitan, but a little off the beaten path.

 

It's being published as members-only, at least at first. Maybe I'll open it up to everyone in a few months.

 

Any bets on what will be in there three months from now?

[+Stem]

McToys, and golf balls

[+briansnat]

Your interesting music CDs will be replaced with William Shatner Sings Gershwin, Donnie& Marie Live and Wayne Newton's Greatest Hits. Your DVD's of The Godfather, Citizen Kane and Schindlers List will be replaced with Gigli, Showgirls and a Brittany Spears video.

[CoyoteRed]

Try adjusting your request a little bit. Say trading is not necessary. If they want to take a disc, feel free. If they want to leave a disc, feel free. Please, no other trade items except signature items/calling cards. Cache will be archived if cache ever becomes empty of discs.

 

It's slight adjustment of a self-limiting cache. I'm confident some folks will put in extra discs just to keep it going. But it allows for people to take something they want without leaving trash.

 

It will probably end up the same as if people really did trade disc for disc; a couple Yanni CD's and a copy of Yentl.

[fuzzybear]

Dollar store cr p

[+eddthejailer]

well i dont know where you live but around here e-1 usually trys to keep with the theme of the cache exept those so interested in numnbers they dont even read what you write on your cache page.however the best way to keep your cache on theme is regular maintenence.check it every chance you get and take out any non theme items.remember maintenence is an important part of hiding a cache.

[+fly46]

There's a cd cache around here that tends to stay pretty on theme.

 

Funny story.. A friend of mine found the cache, took some weird cd, left it in another cache he did that day. When he took me out my first day caching, we went to another cache, and there was the CD again. lol.. It had moved from cache to cache and met up with us. lol.

[+aka Monkey]

Feel free to use this:

 

[+Sparky-Watts]

I really don't think making it a MO cache will help keep crap out of it. My experience (limited as it may be), has proven that members are just as equally guilty as non-members for trading crap. Also, if you put restrictions such as that on a cache, it will offend some cachers and they will either ignore it, still trade crap, not trade at all, or intentionally downgrade your cache. This is a very small segment of cachers that will do that, but it still does happen.

[+The Blind Acorn]

What is your typical cache loot??? I'm curious, I try to keep the loot inexpensive, so that I can afford to put out additional caches. I enjoy the hunt more than the loot. Please be kind, I've had little sleep.

[+shunra]

Try adjusting your request a little bit. Say trading is not necessary. If they want to take a disc, feel free. If they want to leave a disc, feel free. Please, no other trade items except signature items/calling cards. Cache will be archived if cache ever becomes empty of discs.

 

It's slight adjustment of a self-limiting cache. I'm confident some folks will put in extra discs just to keep it going. But it allows for people to take something they want without leaving trash.

 

It will probably end up the same as if people really did trade disc for disc; a couple Yanni CD's and a copy of Yentl.

I like this approach. I think I'll adopt and adapt it for some future caches.

[+WhipArtist]

What is your typical cache loot???

It's hard for me to say typical, since I've only placed three. The last one was seeded with:

 

Initial contents are a few cut gemstones, a couple strings of beads, a key carabiner, and a pair of rare earth magnets. There's also a logbook and pencil of course.

 

The one before that:

 

Initial contents are a logbook and pencils, two carabiner keychains, a blue LED flashlight, a poker chip, one pound sterling, and a purple sapphire for the first to find.

 

The gemstones sound wicked expensive, but they really aren't.

[inventorjg]

Use McToys, and golf balls as personal TB's.

[+TEAM 360]

Beat them to the punch and make it a logsheet-only micro, and you will never have to worry about getting crappy trade items....

[+olbluesguy]

I have a cache Box of Blues that is along the same lines.

I just stated that it was Just the way I wanted to start it off,and you could trade anything you wanted too.

Some folks liked a new tune to drive home by.

OBG

[+Torry]

Beat them to the punch and make it a logsheet-only micro, and you will never have to worry about getting crappy trade items....

I happen to personally despise micros. I fully recognize that often they are the only cache possible but I find the concept often abused with areas packed with film cans and breath strip packets. I wish the Mods were a bit more selective in allowing some of the micros I've encountered, especially when a regular cache was very do-able.

 

I try to carry some decent trade items as well as some fluff at all times. I don't mind NOT getting anything exciting from a cache, that's not why I do this. Often the trinkets I find are recycled or go into a "memory box" with otheres as reminders of caches I've visited.

 

If a cache contains extra-special goodies I try to trade fair, sometimes I'm over-generous, sometimes I just drop off extras if the cache is looking a little dry. I confess that I've sometimes came out ahead in a trade but I try to make it up on down the line. (Okay, that sounds like the thief saying he drops off his gains in the church box.)

 

One recommendation I suggest is that cache owners take better care of their charges. Often I've noticed some of the chronics never visit their caches and keep them fresh, pick up signature items, and toss out the old golf balls and buckeyes.

[+av8tors32]

I agree that good maintenace is KEY. One or two "bad" trades can destroy a cache contents. Future cachers will have no idea that there use to be "good" stuff in the cache.

 

I try to carry some limited cache maintenace stuff with me at all times. (zip locks, log books, pencils, pens, sharpeners etc) This way if I find a cache in desperate need a can attempt some limited maintance. My only fear with this is that a cache owner might get upset so I try to limit it to basics. I have never replaced someones cache container though I have found some that could have used it.

[+Explicit Dank]

Almost all caches around my area are just little kids toyboxes. The last one I was at I left a geocoin, which someone traded for a silly putty egg and a rubber ball.

Edited April 5, 2004 by Explicit Dank

[+mattopia]

I've collected a few NEW DVD's for this purpose -- either to start something similar or for any encounters of similar caches. I've been saving them as "nice" trade items, but still after 130+ finds haven't found anything worth doing more than TNLN on. A lot of people around here hide items with kids in mind. Some of the stuff is pretty good, but I have no kids!

 

There is a nearby CD exchange cache, but it's a long hike and I haven't gotten around to it yet. From what I've heard, it seems to stick.

 

I think if you ask people to stick to a theme, they generally will. It's the unthemed caches that seem to collect anything people happen to have in their pockets.

[+WhipArtist]

I actually bought DVDs for this one. OK, they weren't brand new... they were previously rentals, but they were bought for the sole purpose of stocking this cache.

[+JohnnyVegas]

Your interesting music CDs will be replaced with William Shatner Sings Gershwin, Donnie& Marie Live and Wayne Newton's Greatest Hits. Your DVD's of The Godfather, Citizen Kane and Schindlers List will be replaced with Gigli, Showgirls and a Brittany Spears video.

What!!!! No girls gone wild tapes Is there no justice anymore

[+jackdaddyt]

I absolutely agree with and practice "trade up or don't trade" . However, I have small children, and they love McToys, so I'm always glad to see a few in a cache.

[+WhipArtist]

And it's now live: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...3f-03fe0f870b6e

 

(members only)

 

I added an invitation to visit multiple times if people want to trade again. If it becomes a scenic spot with a regular music & video exchange, that would be cool.

[+Torry]

>bump<

 

Hmmph. The poor guy's cache got lost in July and archived ... Maybe some ideas are just TOO good to be true.

[+despot&smitten]

Sigh. You know, in my first year or two of geocaching, I never minded the McToys and golf balls. Didn't bother me at all.

 

Now, however I find myself perched on top of mountains at sunset, covered in pine-gum, mosquito-bites and scratches, taking in the vista, boggling at the creative powers of all the almighty - and scratching my head and wondering just how a person had the thought process to haul garbage up the side of a mountain and leave it there. I usually pack out the obvious trash with me these days - and leave a note that I did so.

 

Indianna - I am SO going to use your graphic on my next hide. Nope - you can't change the world, and you can't change cachers who leave crap. But if I could just make them feel a teensy bit guilty about doing it... well, that would make packing pockets full of beat up golf balls down the hill all worthwhile. Thanks!

[+despot&smitten]

Your interesting music CDs will be replaced with William Shatner Sings Gershwin, Donnie& Marie Live and Wayne Newton's Greatest Hits. 

Brian, your wit, wisdom, and cache-lore are above reproach. But Shatner Sings Gershwin? Good heavens man! That's worth its weight in gold! Just tell me where that cache is, and I am SO there! Shatner Rocks!

[+AuntieWeasel]

But Shatner Sings Gershwin?  Good heavens man!  That's worth its weight in gold!  Just tell me where that cache is, and I am SO there!  Shatner Rocks!

Likely to be found in The Crappy Music Cache. People have been good at that one; two years old and I counted 15 CD's when I was there, all of which were originals and several unopened. All pretty crappy, of course. Obscure promotional CD's and the like most of them. And not many other sort of trade items, interestingly. It was a multi, which might have helped, though it was an easy one.

 

I left the American Song Poem Anthology. You know those ads in the backs of old magazines, for setting your "song poems" to music? These are some of the results. I was actually kind of disappointed; they weren't really crappy enough to be as fun as I hoped.

 

Incidentally, have you ever run in to Way Out West? It's Mae West's Beatles-era rock album. The link offers sample audio: Twist And Shout, Day Tripper and You Turn Me On.

 

Listen, and lose the will to live!

[+tozainamboku]

I've given up on trying to keep junk out of caches

 

GCKRX5

[+Joypa]

I have a theme cache called "Smile", GCKKOQ. The theme is games and its been in since last September. I have to say that people have been generally good about keeping the theme going. I am not requiring high quality items, though. So I would say that cachers will generally keep with the spirit of a cache theme, but all caches degrade over time.

[+halley-peabody]

My wife and I have placed two caches of our own so far. We started both of them off with about four CDs (all unopened) and a variety of small toys and games that we hope will appeal to children. I'd like to stress that the toys were all new and relatively nice, so we think they were a good idea.

 

We found a cache a couple of days ago that had some of the worst garbage in it that we've see yet. What really annoys me, though, is when you find things like Chapstick that has obviously been used or little containers of lotion or shampoo from hotels. Not only do I think those things are just absolute garbage, but they have the potential to leak and ruin the other contents of the cache, or attract animals that will destroy the cache trying to get at the sweet smelling substance.

[markandlynn]

We have placed a cache Krystals Birthday Bonus which only contains wrapped presents. This appears to be working so far as people are unsure they tend to put something quite good in there. I know for a fact there is something really good in there as a trade at the moment. We put brand new watches, mugs , teddy bears etc in.

[+slapshot52]

Beat them to the punch and make it a logsheet-only micro, and you will never have to worry about getting crappy trade items....

I happen to personally despise micros. I fully recognize that often they are the only cache possible but I find the concept often abused with areas packed with film cans and breath strip packets. I wish the Mods were a bit more selective in allowing some of the micros I've encountered, especially when a regular cache was very do-able.

 

I try to carry some decent trade items as well as some fluff at all times. I don't mind NOT getting anything exciting from a cache, that's not why I do this. Often the trinkets I find are recycled or go into a "memory box" with otheres as reminders of caches I've visited.

 

If a cache contains extra-special goodies I try to trade fair, sometimes I'm over-generous, sometimes I just drop off extras if the cache is looking a little dry. I confess that I've sometimes came out ahead in a trade but I try to make it up on down the line. (Okay, that sounds like the thief saying he drops off his gains in the church box.)

 

One recommendation I suggest is that cache owners take better care of their charges. Often I've noticed some of the chronics never visit their caches and keep them fresh, pick up signature items, and toss out the old golf balls and buckeyes.

I agree. I have hidden four full size caches and after the first month most of the $25 worth of stuff I started them with was replaced by crap. I was a little pis*ed at first, but now I just get some decent swag and refresh them. It’s worth it to me to get good logs on my caches and to know people enjoyed the find.

 

Is it just me, or do most people stop worrying about the swag after the first few finds and just “TNLNSL”? Swag was cool when I started, now I’m just happen to find the cache. In that I case I guess I like a well placed micro as well as a benchmarkk or traditional ammo can.

Edited April 29, 2005 by slapshot52

[Sportsterjeep]

One man's trash is another mans treasure. If I have the kids along with me they want something interesting. Mctoys work wonders for a 4 y/o. He can play with them and then trade them up later. There is one cache that is specifically geared to kids in my local area. Ma & Pa Kettle's Kids

 

Check it out, I want to take my 4 y/o up there and let him try.

[+GeoCraig]

I quit trading. I don't even look for anything but the log book. If there is a TB in the cache, I will often trade it out. But I don't even bother with trading.

[vagabond]

I usually cache by my self, and I cant remember the last time I traded for something,

[+voogadah]

I, too, cache with the kids. They use their allowance to purchase goodies to trade, so the items are new and, hopefully, useful. Things they commonly trade in are bandanas, keychains, rubber bracelets, and such. They usually grab the coins (they love to collect coins) and really weird stuff, like a plastic bug. Hubber and I don't trade at all unless we're picking up a TB. Perhaps because my critters are older (the youngest is nine), they really hate the McToys. I'm thinking of asking the owner of a local cache (filled with junk) if I may adopt it. I guess the flip side is that if it gets muggled, the muggles even leave the McCr*p alone!

[+geodarts]

I may start adding the graphic on this thread to my caches. My daughter likes geocaches that have nice trade items, and I always try to fill my caches with things that either she or I would like to find. But everyone knows about cache degredation and I need not spend time recounting my own stories here. . . .

[+justybug]

i've got a "voodoo golf ball" i made up specifically for one of my caches, in the hopes that anyone thinking of dropping off garbage, just might see it first, get a laugh, and think twice "ahhhh, already one worthless chewed up golf ball here.. hmmmm, maybe i DO have something else!!"

seems to be working so far!!