What Deters You From Looking?

[+The Blind Acorn]

Besides the normal "it's on private property" or "hidden without permission," what other things deter you from looking for a cache?

 

I would include waste-high weeds, poison ivy, etc.........

[+Team GPSaxophone]

Clothing required

[+AuntieWeasel]

Human hazards:

 

A very nice, upscale, houseproud neighborhood with people out doing yard work.

A very rundown neighborhood, with people out glaring at cars.

Schoolyard ones. I hate the schoolyard ones. Grownups should not be hanging around schoolyards acting strange.

Any place I don't have a good excuse for being, even if it is technically public property.

 

Natural hazards:

 

When my boots start to squish. A lot. (I hate hiking in marshes).

Impenetrable bramble. Or even very heavy undergrowth, such that I can't see my feet.

[+The Blind Acorn]

Here we go again... Naked Caching....

 

[+dingermcduff]

I've never seen one, but I wouldn't go to a cache that brought me to a schoolyard. Some other public places are a deterrent too. If a cache has me digging in bushes in full view of office buildings or schools, I'm not comfortable with it.

 

As a long-haired bearded guy, people think I look creepy when I'm not sneaking around trees at a park playground. No reason to make it worse...

 

I wouldn't do a cache at a cemetary for any reason. Not a chance.

 

I got within 20' of a very remote, seldom-visited cache situated on a beaver dam yesterday. The last 20' would have required wading through waist high Spotted Jewelweed thick with dozens of bees. I don't think I could have gotten through and rooted around without getting stung multiple times. It was a bummer to come so far and turn around 20' away, but the benefit did not outweigh the risk in my mind.

 

Evidence of a possible meth lab, lots of vultures and ravens nearby, or a strong stink in the air would all turn me right around before reaching a cache site.

[+Seamus]

Besides the normal "it's on private property" or "hidden without permission," what other things deter you from looking for a cache?

From the "20 nearest unfound" thread in this forum:

 

10 of them are micros. I see enough streetcorners, lamp posts, and newspaper machines when I'm not caching.

 

1 states on the cache page that it's in plain and obvious view of a bunch of houses and a church of which I am not a member. I don't want to attract undue attention, and from the sound of it, it's in a church parking lot. Nothing too exciting about that, so I'll pass on it.

 

One is a dog themed cache with a note to please maintain the theme. Okay, I won't go.

 

The TAG club holds its meeting event caches on the first Thursday of the month - so does another club I'm the vice president of. Priorities dictate that I have to miss the event caches.

 

One is on the grounds of an abandoned tuberculosis hospital. It states in the cache description: "I THINK THERE IS ENOUGH IN THE REAL WORLD TO KEEP ME SCARED, LIKE ASBESTOS, BROKEN GLASS, JAGGED METAL AND PAINT HUFFERS AND OTHER PEOPLE TO BE WARY OF." Ummmm...right. Pass.

 

Basically, micros are an automatic pass for me unless there's something really fantastic about it. I cache to see new and interesting places - not parking lots and street corners.

 

I might visit caches with a strict theme if they sound like they're in an interesting spot, if only to see the area, though I won't trade items if I can't stick to the theme.

 

Virtuals and webcams don't turn me on, so I pass on them as well. I've logged one virt because it was "placed" at the starting coords for one of my own caches. Two other virtual "finds" were originally traditionals that got changed to virtuals prior to archival when the caches were removed. They were actual caches when we found them, though.

 

Yes, there are exceptions to everything, but these are my general feelings on things. I won't go after a cache that doesn't interest me just to clear it off my list and get another smiley face in the logs.

[+briansnat]

I'll usually skip, or only make a cursory search for a cache that's in plain view of homes. I've encountered quite a few that put me 50 feet from someone's living room window. I'm very uncomfortable searching for these and often won't even bother.

 

Basically, micros are an automatic pass for me unless there's something really fantastic about it. I cache to see new and interesting places - not parking lots and street corners.

Same here. I'm not a big fan of micros and will usually only look for one if I happen to be passing by, unless its an interesting hunt, or in an interesting area. The Hide-a-key in the newspaper machine, or on a Walmart lamp post doesn't do anything for me.

 

As far as what will make me look for a cache, if its a nice hike in a scenic area, I'm there!

Edited August 21, 2004 by briansnat

[+EScout]

Recent caches I did not like:

 

On the fence of a residence, near their front yard, where they drove up and parked a few feet away.

On the fence of a residence, at the back yard..with dogs barking.

Within 20 feet of a rairoad track, between a chemical plant and an oil refinery.

Stuck on the underside of a mailbox.

At the edge of the top of a cliff, with crumbly slippery dirt.

In a commercial office buiding complex, where the guard questioned me.

In a parking structure, under the stairs, where people are walking up and down, and you can see each other through the spaces in the stairs.

 

Most of these are the result of newer cachers and some inherent problems of urban caches.

[Black Mage]

I hate having to climb to the top of a steep talis field. Usually the lower parts are okay, even fun to climb on, but when you get up higher you start getting onto small and unstable rocks.

 

A few weeks ago I tried my first "talis cache." At one point on my way down I lost my footng and slid down like 10 or 15 feet before I stopped, it scared the %$ out of me.

Edited August 21, 2004 by Black Mage

[+Sparrowhawk]

I am into geocaching for the love of learning and the love of the beautiful and unusual. That's why my numbers stay low... I'm just too picky. If a location does not cut it, and it's a hot day and I am too annoyed already, I'll just quit within 30 feet of the darned cache and go somewhere else.

 

If I am rewarded with a great location experience, hey, I'll hunt THAT cache! Eventually! As the last thing I do after enjoying the heck out of the cool new place, thankyouverymuch!

 

That's why puzzle caches don't cut it... that's for folks who love puzzles. The puzzle is the happy experience for them, not so much the location.

 

My definition of a great caching experience is that the cache itself is the most boring part of the entire experience, compared with the coolness of being at that certifiably cool place you never knew about before.

[+Robespierre]

I've never, because of where I live, really done a good puzzle cache, and only rarely a virtual or a micro. Multis over 3 deter me. The one cache on my main page that is not accomplished (but I know the first marker, I had the dog with me and chose not to take him on it.) is a 4 or 5 stage Historical Marker multi. I'll get it some day.

[+planetrobert]

I'll usually skip, or only make a cursory search for a cache that's in plain view of homes. I've encountered quite a few that put me 50 feet from someone's living room window. I'm very uncomfortable searching for these and often won't even bother.

I have a cache of that type in a rather unique container at the edge of my driveway. People love it, the neighbors all know about it. It really is quite a fun one to have since I can monitor it quite easily.

[+Prime Suspect]

Haystacking - (in a shameless attempt to coin a new geophrase) which is making a hide (almost always a micro) difficult simply by placing it in a location where there are potentially many, many possible hiding places. There's nothing clever, nothing inventive, nothing interesting about it.

 

I just got back from doing a series of caches, and the last of the lot was like this. I had high hopes, as the first stage was cleverly done. But the second was so mind-numbingly boring that I had no incentive to continue after 10 or 15 minutes. The owner should have named it the "split personality" cache, as it seems like each stage was done by a different person, and that last person should never be allowed to hide a cache again. I'll be putting it on my "ignore" list, and won't even bother to log it.

 

Haystack caches - Just Say No!

[+Cool Librarian]

Very little makes me "let one go," - especially if it is within my 18 mile radius, which I try to keep fairly clear.

 

However, I wholeheartedly agree with Auntie Weasel (who caches the same area) about the schoolyard ones - in this day and age, strange adults do not belong on school property.

 

And, I as I am TERRIFIED of heights, cliffside ones often have to wait until I have company, a rope, and an anti-anxiety agent

 

I've had many people watch me from their windows, and I've been questioned several times by cops and homeowners alike. Since I am not (usually) doing anything illegal, this really doesn't bother me.

[+WaldenRun]

Haystack caches - Just Say No!

Hey, one of the closest caches to me right now is Haystack Hike!

 

Back to the original question;

Nothing has deterred me so far. You have to hit EVERYTHING if you want a cleared radius of 35 miles.

 

Fortunately, we don't suffer from micro-spew in New England. Otherwise, I might be avoiding some due to extreme lamosity.

 

-WR

[+Metaphor]

It's got to have something going for it. Parking lot micros, high population urban parks, neighborhood caches, crawling around bushes in public places, trash heaps... why bother? The more I do, the pickier I get. I want to climb mountains, feel squishy under my feet, walk long distances... the only park and grabs and virtuals I want to do are on limited time adventures outside my locale that are the only options for caching. And even then, if it's a time-waster, I'll pass it by.

 

I'm thinking that tomorrow morning, I am going to attempt to hit a a couple of kayak caches by myself in Southern Delaware, bypassing the multiple other "mundane" caches along the way. (Or I might just sleep in.)

 

I was less selective in the first year or so; now as I move toward 200 finds, I find myself bypassing caches that would only be numbers in the cache count. A good analogy -- McDonald's for a burger, fries and coke that has tasted exactly the same for the last forty years, or that mildly run-down looking side road tavern that serves local food, its parking lot filled with "decent" cars on an early Sunday afternoon... which will you remember?

Edited August 21, 2004 by Metaphor

[+Metaphor]

double post. Sorry

Edited August 21, 2004 by Metaphor

[+Imajika]

Only one has made me say, "No way!". My friend, Indygo, and I went to look for one close to work one day. We got to the area and could tell it was a homeless/drug user area. We saw a ton of clothes around the area (including bras and underwear), empty booze bottles, a lot of broken glass, used condoms and we also found empty spray paint cans and plastic bags filled with the paint...so someone had been huffing back there.

 

Even though we went in the middle of the day, Indygo and I got a bad feeling about the area so we decided to leave. No cache is worth risking your safety over. We were worried we would meet someone we would rather not meet back there (the area was very dense forest) or find needles, etc there.

 

That's the only one I have given up on. We logged it as a DNF and decided we wouldn't go back for that one. I don't know WHY the cache owner put the cache there. He even mentioned on the cache page that it would be a good area for a CITO. So it must have been that disgusting when he placed it. If he truly wanted to place it there, he should have gotten a group together to go CITO it FIRST.

[+Tsegi Mike and Desert Viking]

I dont like caches where feces are mentioned or likely. That is a big turn off to enjoying the cache experience.

 

Im handicapped, so terrain of 4 and 5 are beyond me. Someday I may try a 3, but so far I havent done that. 1-2 stars are it for now. I dont have 4WD so those caches are out.

 

Homeless camps, "cruising" parks, drug addicts......I'll pass on those too. Sadly I may have to bypass a great event cache since it is taking place in a park known for having all sorts of random sexual activity. Ive found used condoms there before. It will be even worse at night.

[koz]

Here we go again... Naked Caching....

 

here we go again, glaring poor people...just hope they're not cruising too

[+AuntieWeasel]

here we go again, glaring poor people...

You talkin' to me?

[+flask]

can i plead the 5th?

 

i'd tell you what makes me not hunt a cache, but i think the guy reads the forums, and i'm afraid i'll get more email from his sockpuppets....

[dampeoples]

I've decided to give up micro caches as well, I've found enough, thank you

Besides, I rarely cache without the kids, and I love to see them when the cache is opened.

[Major Catastrophe]

What makes me not seek?

• Cache is in a park next to an elementary school and I'm caching alone.
  
• Cache is surrounded by muggles/mundanes/non-cachers (choose one.)
  
• Cache was hidden by (name withheld.) 'Nuff said.
  

[+AMH209]

So far I've been stopped by Poison Ivy and locked gates (I work nights and did my first couple of caches in the middle of the night).

 

I also would not go into a school yard. I don't think it is place that grown-ups should be wandering around in.

[+RJFerret]

Wow, when I first read the query I tried to think of at least ONE thing that would deter me...

 

Then someone mentioned virtuals, and it's true, I'm immune to them. (Except for one in Europe when I travelled there--but it was the only option.)

 

Other than that, none of the above mentioned things that stop others are thing I'd think twice about.

 

As for the schools, where do you go to play frisbee, fly a kite, run the dog or play tennis? Schools are just parks during weekends or summer after all. (Taking any day camps into consideration.)

 

Weird all the hangups out there...

 

Enjoy,

 

Randy

[+Webfoot]

Besides the normal "it's on private property" or "hidden without permission," what other things deter you from looking for a cache?

 

I would include waste-high weeds, poison ivy, etc.........

Evidence of homeless people about. Micros tend to discourage me as well. I'll look for them, but usually avoid them.

[+JMBella]

Nothing. I may put off certain caches but generally nothing deters me in my area.

[+JohnnyVegas]

I will not do any caches in school yards, Being male in my 50s these are caches i will never do and I have seen quite a few of this type. One was on the grounds of a private school for young girls and could only be accessed while the school was open. The person who hid the cache would not respond to questions regarding permission for the cache. Eventuall the local approver got involved and the cache was moved.

It seems to me that anyone who hides a caches on the grounds of an elemntry school needs to go back to the school of common sense.

Edited August 22, 2004 by JohnnyVegas

[nobby.nobbs]

i don't much go for urban caches. i'm quite self conscious and the idea of searching undergrowth within view of public not high on my list of things to do. i'm 6'7" tall 35 year old male so i tend to stand out.

 

i also tend to stick to the rural ones as i enjoy the walking and fresh air fresh views new experiences. when i go to the shops it's to get something specific and then go home. i don't want or need an excuse to hang around.

 

but like anything else, if it works for you then i've no problems. school yards though? i mean why? surely they shouldn't be allowed just too many potential problems.

[Neos2]

If I had any sense, I would say that Stinging Nettle would keep me from looking for a cache, but I did wade through about an acre of the stuff last month for one.

 

Rough neighborhoods would make me think twice--maybe in daylight with a group--for a really neat cache.

 

Schools would not deter me at all. There are many many adults around schools all day long--parents, volunteers, social service personnel, delivery drivers, former students dropping in to say hello to favorite teachers, guest speakers. Our school offers to let the adult community use the hallways for a safe and comfortable temperature walking area after school hours and lots of people use the track for their workout all day long. I do think that the school personnel should be told about the cache locations and perhaps elementary schools aren't the best choice. But you wouldn't want to cache when the students were out and about anyway, to avoid giving the location away, so proximity to the kiddos isn't really an issue.

[+Confucius' Cat]

As for the schools, where do you go to play frisbee, fly a kite, run the dog or play tennis? Schools are just parks during weekends or summer after all. (Taking any day camps into consideration.)

 

Weird all the hangups out there...

 

Enjoy,

 

Randy

Is this a "hangup" or just common sense?

 

We live in a world of bad goins-on and paranoid fear of bad goins-on all over.

 

IMHO the most irrationally paranoid people in the U.S. (possibly the world) are the people that run the public schools. In some ways they have good reason to be paranoid... everybody wants to sue for every little thing. The school officials are often caught in the middle- anything they do will result in a hassle for them.

 

Therefore they make ridiculous rules. They throw kids out for bringing a plastic knife with their birthday cake. They throw kids out for taking a Tylenol ®. They ban picture taking in school assemblies because "perverts" might take pictures of kids that aren't their own. (I don't understand what is "perverted" about this, after all most school functions have pretty strict dress codes.)

 

While it is true that school property is public property, there is too much chance of being suspected of things so evil that a simple and unsubstantiated rumor of it can kill your career and damage your reputation forever. Dealing with children is a very delicate thing and false accusations are easy to generate and impossible to defend. In many jurisdictions, the standard when it comes to "child abuse" is "if you are anonomously reported, you are guilty- period".

 

I work with kids in church camp. I am acutely aware of the potential for evil doing and accusations of evil doing that children's venues accrue to adult workers. We take SOME measures to make accusations less likely and possibly easier to defend, but the risk is always there. I love camp and I would hate to give it up, but with the paranoia and rampant scandals of "child abuse" and knowing how easy it is to be accused for nothing at all or for some normal, innocent thing that a child expresses in a poorly worded manner, I wonder why anyone is willing to work with kids anymore at all.

 

With that as background, I concur with the others that being at a schoolyard, especially when school is in session, is VERY risky behaviour for an adult (especially male) with no school related reason for being there.

 

Yes it is a "hangup" but it might be a very rational one depending on the circumstances.

 

On the other hand, I have no objection to hunting these after school hours- after all it IS public land, just like a public park and adults DO fly kites and walk their dogs in schoolyards. (which- walking the dog- makes a good ruse for just about anywhere)

[Fledermaus]

Apparently, there is an increasing use of PDAs in the geocaching community, whereby he or she is a "Paperless Cacher". Furthormore, a lot of cache pages are being written with graphics and/or color.

 

A friend of mine, who is in the learning process of HTML, was told that his/her cache page was somehwat incompatible with PDAs.

 

How many of you PDA users out there are "Turned Off" by cache pages that use lots of graphics and/or color and why?

[+Team Noltex]

I refuse to do caches where log after log comments on problems with the coords, container, location, or DNF's asking if it's still there, and the owner won't respond or do anything about it. If the owner doesn't care about the cache, neither do I. I have no desire to wander around a park and leave frustrated because of someone elses neglect.

 

Also, I am hesitant to do caches placed by newbies that have been caching for two weeks and have nine finds. The quality of the cache tends to be very disappointing. I can certainly understand the desire to put out a cache, having been there myself, but have enough restraint to gain some experience first so that you know what makes a decent cache, a subject that pops up every 12th thread and that we will speak no more of.

[+Confucius' Cat]

Apparently, there is an increasing use of PDAs in the geocaching community, whereby he or she is a "Paperless Cacher". Furthormore, a lot of cache pages are being written with graphics and/or color.

 

A friend of mine, who is in the learning process of HTML, was told that his/her cache page was somehwat incompatible with PDAs.

 

How many of you PDA users out there are "Turned Off" by cache pages that use lots of graphics and/or color and why?

I've used a PDA and share your concern. It is especially troublesome when a highly detailed picture is used for "body background" because (at least on the PDA I had) the text was superimposed directly over the background and rendered totally unreadable.

 

Basically I think this is a Microsoft ® flaw, but I guess you can't do much about it. I doubt Mr. Gates is going to recode his software for a few cachers.

 

I have several cache pages of my own that way. I think it is cool, but I can see where it might be a disservice to some. If I get complaints i will probably remove my "body backgrounds".

 

A global option, tied to a user's profile and easily clicked on or off, to display cache pages in text only format would be a very cool improvement to the site- not only for PDA users but also for people who live in antiquated small towns whose cable companies are defunct and whose phone companies can't spell D-S-L. Welcome to Waldron, Saaaalute!

[+Team Perks]

A global option, tied to a user's profile and easily clicked on or off, to display cache pages in text only format would be a very cool improvement to the site- not only for PDA users but also for people who live in antiquated small towns whose cable companies are defunct and whose phone companies can't spell D-S-L. Welcome to Waldron, Saaaalute!

Or just use a text-based GPX reader like Cachemate for those HTML-heavy pages. The only downside there is not being able to view photos that are vital to your find (doh!).

[BabyFox]

Definitely when people place caches in parks that are either those small "schoolyard" type parks for mainly children and teens or areas of a park that the little kids are playing. I am a soon to be 26 years old, I'm female too BUT walking around looking for the cache with my "Biker" boyfriend and being childless makes us stand out to begin with on why we are there. Also I'm sure when I get too close to a baby or little kid, the mother will get uneasy because lets face it, if you see a couple like I just described above, doing what appears to be lurking around kids even though we're of course trying to get our coordinates straight, it looks very bad. If I know it's a kid's park now I won't even go to that cache since I'm always being watched by someone and so is my boyfriend who looks more suspicious than me even...LOL! If I had a child to bring with me then it would be different. So that's what deters me. The other thing is heavy tree coverage which we all know screws up our GPS. Why hide a cache in the woods where the GPS won't work? It's so frustrating when it tells you that you are close to the cache and then all of a sudden you're 80 feet away, then you're going the wrong direction and so on...lol, i'm sure most of you know what i mean by heavy tree covering messing up the satelites getting through to the GPS. Well those are what deters me from looking. Anything else is fair game and I'll do it, get wet, climb, fall down a lot, whatever it takes to find the "treasures"!!!!

[+Imajika]

Apparently, there is an increasing use of PDAs in the geocaching community, whereby he or she is a "Paperless Cacher". Furthormore, a lot of cache pages are being written with graphics and/or color.

 

A friend of mine, who is in the learning process of HTML, was told that his/her cache page was somehwat incompatible with PDAs.

 

How many of you PDA users out there are "Turned Off" by cache pages that use lots of graphics and/or color and why?

I use a Palm Tungsten E and Cachemate. There isn't a cache I have loaded onto the PDA that has caused me ANY problems.

 

Cachemate just strips all the graphics out of the cache page. What I am left with is exactly what I need: the cache description, hints (if I want them) and previous logs. Using a PDA to cache has been GREAT for me.

 

A cache page alone will not deter me from trying to find it. Putting a cache in an obvious (still in use) homeless camp, will.

[+Tsegi Mike and Desert Viking]

Oh yes, and I forgot to add, after the last time I looked for a cache of this one cacher......I will not do any more by this person again. The one cache violated so many things that rendered it a miserable cache experience, from moving the cache container a lot, to offset coordinates without any warning, to changing the container, all within a couple of days.

 

But that is just me. No one said I have to do every cache. He can place them as he pleases, and I will ignore them as I please.

[+fireflyfan]

What deters me from looking:

 

When I started last fall I thought it would be rain. Nope rain was fun.

 

Then I thought a "night cache no way". Wrong again - night caches are a hoot.

 

Winter was on its way so I figured it would end there. You guessed it - I've been caching in -40C and had a great time. I bought snow shoes and cross country skis and gave them a good workout. And winter night caching is the best! Almost no need for a flashlight. However, I will admit the peeing in the woods in the winter for a female is a bit challenging.

 

Spring - a little soggy but OK.

 

Summer - The season I thought this game was made for - Ugh! I hate bugs. I hate mosquitos. I refuse to poke around in trees. Yup it seems Summer is what deters me from looking. I'll do the Urban micros but there is no way I'm going out in those bug filled woods. So instead I've been doing a lot of biking (but not in the woods - or at least very fast through the woods - no stopping!) I know I'm a wimp but I refuse to give blood for this hobby!!

 

Fireflyfan

waiting patiently for fall!

[+GeoKender]

What makes me not seek?

• 
   
  
• Cache is in a park next to an elementary school and I'm caching alone.
   
  
• Cache is surrounded by muggles/mundanes/non-cachers (choose one.)
   
  
• Cache was hidden by (name withheld.)  'Nuff said.
   
  

Ditto for me.

Also a cache in the bushes, 25 feet next to a playground.

Lurking in the bushes in a children's playground.

That's downright wierd, creepy and bad form!

I am certain this type of behavior will never convince any muggles that geocaching is a great family activity.

[+JohnnyVegas]

If I had any sense, I would say that Stinging Nettle would keep me from looking for a cache, but I did wade through about an acre of the stuff last month for one.

 

Rough neighborhoods would make me think twice--maybe in daylight with a group--for a really neat cache.

 

Schools would not deter me at all. There are many many adults around schools all day long--parents, volunteers, social service personnel, delivery drivers, former students dropping in to say hello to favorite teachers, guest speakers. Our school offers to let the adult community use the hallways for a safe and comfortable temperature walking area after school hours and lots of people use the track for their workout all day long. I do think that the school personnel should be told about the cache locations and perhaps elementary schools aren't the best choice. But you wouldn't want to cache when the students were out and about anyway, to avoid giving the location away, so proximity to the kiddos isn't really an issue.

Maybe in your neck of the woods, but in most of Calif, schools are not open to the public durring school hours, As a matter of fact I was threatend with arrest many years ago for walking accross a high school field durring school hours. THe school I mentioned was only open durring school hours, It is fenced off and locked so you can only access the ground, it is also a private school so it is not on public property. For a singel adult male to show up in a school yard in Calif. is going to draw the attention of law enforcment.

[+ZackJones]

I generally don't search for micros but will try them on occasion if I've traveled a good distance to get to other caches I do want to find. Multi-stage caches that have more than 3 or 4 stages don't especially appeal to me either.

 

Oh my biggest detering factor: Not figuring out where to park! I wish more cache owners would include either coordinates to a parking location or a blurb such as "approach from state road 311".

 

Zack

[+drat19]

I've read this thread with great interest, as many posters onthis thread have validated my rants (from other threads) about lamppost/parking lot/dumpster/broken glass/guardrail/random-green-spots-on-the-side-of-any-ol'-road hides that proliferate many metro areas. We have to keep up the "good fight" in order to try to get the cache hide quality moving back in the right direction (or keep the quality high in areas not yet "afflicted"). That way, maybe folks will have fewer "deterrents" to the hunt (this thread's original intent).

 

-Dave R. in Biloxi, still crusadin'...

 

Dave's Note to Local Hiders

 

Dave's Opinions on Geocache Hiding

[BabyFox]

Well around here (Queens, New York City) there is either the woods to hide your cache in which is the worst because nobody's GPS works under the tree cover, I hate getting in the woods only to be without my sattelite connections.

 

OR you hide the cache wherever you can that you know it will be safe from muggles, the weather and isn't tresspassing plus it has to be a safe area and neighborhood. That leaves very few "beautiful, scenic, etc..." places to hide a cache, I'm lucky to have found ONE good place and I STILL can't find a second place to hide another cache.

 

The parks at night are too dangerous, in the daytime they are not only crowded but they're all concrete and cement, no bushes, no nothing to hide the cache in. So if anyone lives in New York City (Queens) and has ideas on places that are nice to hide a cache at, let me know because I've been looking for months. I'm sure on Long Island, Upstate New York and every other state has great spots, scenic areas, clean areas and all that but good luck finding that here so I hope nobody is talking about caches in this area being in ugly places, look around!

 

Personally I avoid any caches that are in the woods because a young female can't walk in alone, it's not like other states where its safe. The GPS gives out too so those caches are terrible. I look for the good urban ones that you can park your car, get out, walk a few feet and get the cache. If you want a nice view then look towards the Manhattan skyline. I found ONE beautiful place that's safe in the day time and pretty but of course so did every other New Yorker so it's filled with caches already, I guess I can put my next one there.

 

Well that's my dilemma, not that I (and my fellow new yorkers) can't hide caches well but we have no where to choose from and on top of all of it, EVERYTHING AND EVERYWHERE is private property, every inch of road, field, etc... is owned by someone and very private property with no trespassing. I do understand that some people have the means to hide them in a nice place but instead they choose a nasty place like a dumpster? or place with trash all around, they're just lazy I guess but here there isn't much of a choice. Mine isn't in a "scenic" area however you can see the city skyline and take a picture if you don't mind a chain link fence in between you and the skyline. It's in a great spot and people post to tell me that all the time since they know it's almost impossible finding a good spot in Queens, NYC. I just needed to vent that since someone made a sort of nasty comment about my fiance's only cache he hid very well, took a lot of time to hand build the container, find a good safe spot easy to get to, etc... and they have the nerve to say something about too much garbage being on the ground?? They were in the WRONG area then because his is on grass under something covering a hole and there's NO garbage there, we cant help what is on the other side of the street since it's a factory type building. N.Y.C. is covered in litter on every street, every park, everywhere so people need to think before they insult others. Thanks for listening everyone, I had to let out some anger.

[+Joypa]

I guess I'll add my 2 cents worth. If a cache hasn't been found for months, I'm not going. If the cache has a terrain difficulty of 4 or 5, I'm not going. I'm too dadgum old. I'm starting to hate micros, too. On the plus side, I've seen some ingeneous hides and some wonderful areas.

[+The Blind Acorn]

A global option, tied to a user's profile and easily clicked on or off, to display cache pages in text only format would be a very cool improvement to the site- not only for PDA users but also for people who live in antiquated small towns whose cable companies are defunct and whose phone companies can't spell D-S-L. Welcome to Waldron, Saaaalute!

Or just use a text-based GPX reader like Cachemate for those HTML-heavy pages. The only downside there is not being able to view photos that are vital to your find (doh!).

My PDA has a program Palm Photos (?) that allows downloaded photos to be transfered to it and viewed on the PDA's screen.

[+Joypa]

[+nittany dave]

What deters me? - Almost nothing. I may not like it, it may not be in a "wow" place, the previous logs may not be encouraging...but if it's there, I'll look for it.

 

Why would I look for a certain cache? - because it's there.

[+Kai Team]

I was geocaching in beautiful Hawaii (island of Kuai'i) and followed one set of coordinates to - a garbage transfer station. After double checking the coordinates, I stepped outside the car and was overcome by the smell - I got back in the car and continued on to the next gorgeous cache location (there are a lot of those in Hawaii). So, garbage transfer stations are off my list (can't figure why anyone would locate a cache there, or why others would log it without noting the odiferous location).